Well, it’s day five of the Great DisneyWorld Family Vacation. My feet hurt. I’m sunburned. My muscles ache in places I didn’t even know I had! And we’re having a great time.
It’s great having all four boys and our daughter-in-law together for a week.
We’re deciding whether to head over to Cape Canaveral, go shopping, or soak up Typhoon Lagoon. I’m for whatever involves the least walking — so my blisters can heal.
We’re staying in the newest, relatively inexpensive hotel on the grounds — Pop Century — which attempts to replicate 1950’s tacky hotel architecture: “Free TV!” “Air conditioned rooms!” and such.
It’s nice but not real nice — which is just fine, except for the fact you have to walk about 25 miles for breakfast. Well, as the crow flies, it’s 200 yards or so, but the Disney architects apparently lost their straightedges, and they force us into a very serpentine path to get anywhere. Which was cool the first time, but did I mention that my feet are sore?
Meanwhile, I try to log in to the comments on my brand new iPhone, which is way, unbelievably, phenomenonally cool — except the cellular service in DisneyWorld is pretty awful. I mean, I’ve been walking around TomorrowLand looking for a signal! TomorrowLand! Surely by the time we all fly around in plastic spaceships even AT&T will have a decent signal in the world’s most popular theme park!
Tomorrow, it’s Disney’s Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM) — home of the Tower of Terror, the world’s best ride! I’m totally psyched — except for the having to walk there part. But at least I’ll get to sit down while being terrified. Ahh … the anticipation.
Am looking forward to your opinions about what to see and what not to see at the conclusion of your trip. Our family is heading to DisneyWorld in July. I hope to make it as efficient a trip as possible. My kids are younger, so I don't know if that will work to my advantage or disadvantage.
how old are your kids? And how many?
I've been going for years so I have advice for all ages
I have a 7 year-old daughter, 5 year-old daughter and 4 year-old son.
You'll have great fun — kids that age likely enjoy DW the most, even though they can't ride all the rides.
Be sure to sign your daughters up for the Bibbity Bobbity Boutique makeover, where they get made up as princesses. I have no daughters, but I saw a lot of smiling princesses in FantasyLand..
At that age, you might want to make reservations for a character breakfast — Mickey and friends come by and sign autographs, pose for pictures, etc. It's not cheap but it avoids having to search the characters out in the parks — or tears from not finding Daisy Duck in 5 days of searching. Been there; done that.
Be sure to get a stroller when you enter the park (free). Better to get it early than have to go to the entrance to get it when the kids wear out later.
My experience is that kids declare themselves too big and too old to ride the stroller at 9 am but beg for the stroller at 3 pm.
Make reservations for in park restaurants early (as in months early). With young children, the cost/benefit ratio isn't good on most, though. You might prefer eating chicken nuggets at the fast food locations throughout the park.
If you stay in the park, they have great babysitting services if you want to take your wife out for a real meal one night. Canada's La Cellier is very good, as is Liberty Tree Tavern. Outside the park, Charlie's is one of the world's great steakhouses.
After two or three days in the park, kids will be tired of themeparking and a day at one of the two water parks will give them a chance to take a break. Typhoon Lagoon is more fun than Blizzard Beach, because it has a wave pool.
Avoid Magic Kingdom on the weekends. Don't miss (I'm skipping the roller coasters, as they are, of course, the very best but most have height restrictions) —
Hollywood Studios —
Muppet 3D (delightful)
Indiana Jones stunt spectacular
Extreme stunt show
Girls might really like Fantasmic (I don't like it but my daughter in law loves it)
Star Tours ride (kids may want to be there for Jedi Knight training)
Little Mermaid show for girls
Beauty and Beast stage show for girls
Skip:
Great Movie Ride (really bad)
Walt Disney One Man's Dream
Animal Kingdom
Finding Nemo show (excellent)
Safari
Dinosaur
Lion King stage show
Epcot
Universe of Energy (dinosaurs)
Turtle Talk with Crush show in the Living Seas
Soaring (the Land)
Skip
Mission Space (big centrifuge, makes kids sick)
Magic Kingdom
Well, it's designed for kids, you know. You have to do nearly everything.
Skip the Carousel of Progress, Hall of Presidents, Wedway People Mover
I'm a roller coaster fan. Find time to ride —
Hollywood
Tower of Terror (best ride in the park)
Rockin' Rollercoaster ride (I forget the name) — second best ride
MK
Space Mountain (third best ride)
Thunder Mountain Mine Train
Animal Kingdom
Mount Everest Ride
Epcot
Test Track
I'm several years out of practice on height restrictions — they vary from ride to ride but run 40" to 44".
Finally, if you stay in the park, you may want to leave in the afternoon heat, take naps or swim, and then go back at night when cooler and the crowd thins out. If it rains in the afternoon, then go back after the rain — it'll be cooler and the crowd will have left.
And/or get up early and beat the crowds. Nap. Swim. Return when crowds aren't so bad.
If you stay in the park, you can have souvenir purchases delivered to your room — much better than lugging the stuff.