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Day 2 of our Disney Video Tour — Advice from Moms in the Park

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Disney Tips - Advice from Moms in the Park

Welcome to Day 2 in our 10 Days of Disney Video Tour.

Today we’re taking to the parks to ask Moms what advice they have for planning a perfect day in Disney World.

Come on…

See the complete list of videos at 10 Days of Disney video tour.

Or click on each below to enjoy the magic of Disney…

And in the nature of full disclosure… Disney paid for our trip and produced these videos. But as you can imagine, they certainly didn’t need to pay us to love and gush about Disney… that just comes naturally. 🙂

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170 Comments

  4. I like the tip to bring your own snacks & drinks. Sometimes the line is too long or the snacks & drinks are too expensive!

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  11. I’ve found that the #1 thing to do when traveling with our daughter is make sure we pack a lot of books. She loves to read so it keeps her occupied

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  13. I liked hearing from the mom who talked about the water park. I’ve never been to any of the Disney water parks and it was good to hear they enjoyed them.

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  14. Definitely Fast Track!

    Bring your own strollers. My kids actually took naps after lunch each day because their strollers were comfortable enough and with enough sunshade to do so. HUGE bonus!

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  21. One of my favorite tips is to dress your kids for the weather changes…the mornings and evenings were a little cool for us, so we brought light jackets for the kids. Later in the day the sun was pretty strong, so sun hats , cool clothes and lots of sunscreen! Also make sure to drink lots of water! The weather was awesome, just needed our light jackets for those early mornings! Awesome!
    mainlandmama at gmail dot com

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  26. Advice:

    -Sandels for the kids
    -STROLLERS!!!
    -Take a break during the day to go back to the hotel, take a nap, get some lunch, and relax, then go back to the park.
    -Have something for the kids to look forward to
    -Have plenty of snacks and drinks.

    The whole family loves Disneyland. We can’t wait to go again!

    Reply

  27. We always have our handheld Leapster with us everywhere we go since my daughter is ADHD, it seems to help keep her calm and is educational, so hearing them say to bring something to entertain while standing in line is a great tip! And planning ahead… I would have never thought of that.

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  28. I like the tip/reminder to plan ahead – review the map and details on areas that are age appropriate so if you are short on time you know right where to go.

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  33. I have been to Disney only once when my childrern were little. We would like to go all together now that they are grown-up. Thanks for your giveaway.

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  34. I would suggest getting there early and going back to the hotel for a nap/refresher before going back for the magic of Disney after dark.

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  35. A. You guys are the CUTEST. So beautiful. So skinny. So confident. So professional. Disney should offer you a multi-million dollar contract to be their new spokespeople! 🙂

    B. Those are some super smart mamas that you interviewed! I agree that the fast pass is totally awesome. And I’m impressed by the matching shirts idea. Very fun.

    C. Now, I really want to go to Disney’s water parks. Did you guys do that as part of your trip?

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  36. I enoyed mapping it out to the age appropriate rides for kids. I think that is so key as well as a fast pass. You can’t go without one! These videos have helped me with planning a trip for my daugther and I within the next year or so! Thanks for these! Looks like a magical place no doubt!

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  38. I LOVE the idea of matching shirts!! how clever is that?? Also getting the maps and marking age appropriate rides is fabulous for little children.

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  39. I agree with planning ahead, you can even make customized maps with what you want to go on. I plan out our day ahead of time. That being said, you also need to be flexible when things change at a moment’s notice.

    With little kids the best thing for Disney is to go when the park opens, then leave in the early to mid afternoon for naps and relaxation. You can go back for or even after dinner to continue the fun. Spending a whole day at the park is exhausting!

    One other thing that no one mentioned is Parent Swap for rides that little ones are too small to go on. One parent rides while the other stays with the kids. The non-riding parent then goes through the exit (or Fast Pass on those rides) and gets to ride. That way the adults have as much fun as the kids!

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  40. My biggest tip when traveling with kids is to go with the flow. You may have a schedule, but you need to be flexible for the entire family.

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  50. Great tips about checking out the website and making reservations for activities so you don’t miss out! 😉 @frufrugal

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  51. Lots of good tips in the videos…my tip would be to buy some Disney items before heading to Disney. We purchased items at the Disney Store and also at Target in the Dollar Spot to give to the kids throughout the stay. We let the kids pick out one item at Disney, so they actually got to take something home from Disney.

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  52. since I can only watch the video not listen, my tip is to bring plenty of new toys – those dollar store foam puzzles can do wonders with the preschool crowd – and if you will be out and about bring a lot of kid friendly sun block – for you and your kid! Remember to reapply often.

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  53. Our secret is always to eat breakfast with the charaters and get there as the park opens. Cut across to the kiddy section and those are out of the way before the crowds get there.

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  55. Make reservations for special things such as character breakfasts or Cinderella’s castle. And get fast passes for rides.

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  56. We went to WDW when my son was 5 years old. I had a little bracelet that he got at church. It had God Rocks or something on one side. i turned it over to the blank side and wrote his name and my husband’s cell phone number in black sharpie. We put it on his ankle every day. He knew that he if were to get lost from us, he needed to show someone with the oval nametag (a Disney employee) his ankle bracelet and they would help us find him. It gave me great peace of mind. Especially when we got there (at Thanksgiving week) and it was SLAMMED full of people.

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  57. Fast Track is definitely the way to go we did it the last time we were there an it was awesome,an staying inside the park was womderful no driving just ride the bus back an forth

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  58. Make sure to take extra clothing in case it rains during May like it did on our last trip. We dealt with Tropical storm Mickey. lol But also just have a good time and don’t rush, take your time and enjoy yourself.

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  62. Oh yeah, the fast pass is the way to go. I just went to Disneyland this summer (first time in 20 years) and didn’t know that existed. It is so smart! I can totally see it helping with kids!

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  65. When my boys were little and we took them on their first WDW trip, we made sure we took a break mid-afternoon to go back to the hotel and cool off in the pool and then nap for a little while so that we could go back and stay for the fireworks and they wouldn’t be exhausted and crabby.

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  68. I’m a huge fast pass fan it stops super cranky moments two hours in to waiting in line! I also love taking snack baggies with healthier and more affordable snack choices to help save more money for souvenirs!

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  71. I think they were all really good tips, but the ones that stood out most to me were the fast pass and planning ahead.

    Thanks for the chance!

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  72. They are all great tips! I always get Fast Passes whenever we can and bringing some snacks and activities to keep the little ones in line is always a good idea! We also have a book about Hidden Mickeys, so we like to look for them while we are waiting in lines — it helps pass the time for the kids!

    I also agree that you need to book your dining in advance — it makes it so much easier.

    If you have little ones, I suggest staying at a Disney hotel so that you can easily go back to your room for naptime and a snack or meal. It alleviates the afternoon crankiness. We usually head back to the hotel in the afternoon, have the kids take a nap and order room service for an early dinner before we head back to the parks for the evening!

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  75. My fave tip is wearing the same color shirt. If you have more than one child, I think this is a great way to keep track or easily spot your crew.

    I think Kate Gosselin does this for all her children so she can spot them at the park.

    member(dot)thao(at)gmail.com

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  77. My tip for disney — wait until they are old enough so that you don’t feel bad leaving the parks to ensure they get proper naps and rest!

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  80. I think the best tips are to do as much advance planning for special Disney events & dinners before you go to Orlando & to use the Fast Pass once you get in the park.

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  82. My tip is to plan ahead! We have been planning this first trip for the kids for a LONG time 🙂
    1. We asked for Disney Dollars for the kids’ birthdays & Christmas and were able to buy park tickets with those — the extras we will use on the trip.
    2. Book your character meals (or any sit-down meal) in advance. These can be booked 90 days in advance!
    3. Read the Disney discussion forums and various other website with tips. Compile the tips for your trip.
    4. Make a general plan (of course, with young kids you have to be flexible) — I have our days planned out so that we know what our options are we won’t miss something that we really wanted to see. There are great websites that give touring plans of the parks — suggested routes to miss the huge lines.
    5. Start early (at the gate 30 mins before opening), take a mid-day break for naps & rest and return to the park refreshed for evening parades.

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  83. The idea of taking my own food, and Wet Wipes! I probably wouldn’t have been quick enough to come up with that one on my own. Great tips.

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  84. I absolutely love the idea of wearing shirts that match. What a great idea. I also thought the suggestion to bring wet wipes was excellent.

    All this talk of Disney is making me SO excited for our trip next year!

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  87. Travel tip at Disney! Plan to eat your meals early. Lunch around 11:00, dinner at 4:00. You’ll avoid the lines in the restaurants and eating areas, then while the crowds are eating you’ll be out having fun!

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  89. Making reservations ahead helps. We went again a yr and a half ago, and I booked the character dinners at least 4 months in advance.

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  90. I always take wet ones, sunscreen, water bottles and extra clothes for layering. Building in a naptime under a beautiful tree with a picnic lunch also makes for a more pleasant day and encourages the family to pause and appreciate for a bit.

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  91. A tip I have is not necessarily helpful while you are in the parks. But, I suggest you take lots of pics. Takes pics of the kids with characters, while they are eating special meals, the rides, etc. We did this and when we got home I had a large collage photo made and hung it my granddaugter’s bedroom. I waited for a special deal from on online photo dealer, and with some you can even lay it out on your home computer and have it printed and ready at the store, like Walmart or Walgreens. It’s been three years since we last visited DisneyWorld, but she frequenly studies that picture and says, remember when we did such and such, etc. It was the best thing I could have done for her for that trip. She loves that collage.

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  92. We have never been to Disneyworld. Our first trip is planned for May. This disney bag would be an awesome addition when we surprise our girls with the trip.

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  96. My fave tips from the video are tips i would give myself. Use fast pass as often as you can, bring your own snacks and drinks because it saves you a lot of money, and plan ahead using the maps because it can be hectic once you get in there.

    Another tip that i always use is try going to Disney during their slow(er) seasons. We went the last time in March and the lines were much shorter and the weather was cooler. We had a blast and enjoyed every minute!

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  97. There were so many great tips in this video, like get a FastPass! We’re going to Disney in a few months, so I’m definitely going to look into that. I also like the idea of having the whole family wear the same color shirt (preferably a bright one) so it’s easy to spot each other.

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  99. Hi Girls!
    I love your videos.
    I’m a Disney Maniac and as prepared as I go, I have never thought to bring “waiting in line” entertainment. That is a great tip and one I will implement the next time we go to Disneyland.

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  101. I think it’s great to also take pics of the kids in the clothes they will be wearing ahead, should they get lost or the same color shirt idea also.

    Love the website to find the age appropriate ride, no one will be disappoint in a hot long line.

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  104. 1. Travel at night if at all possible. It makes it easier on the kids (they sleep most of the way)

    2. Take the first day to relax and do very little exploring to recover from the trip.

    3. Mark your map and plan what you want to do and when before you get there so you won’t be overwhelmed with everyone wanting to go here. This way everyone knows that their turn will come.

    4. Have the most fun you can without wearing yourself or the kids bone weary. Remember you can come back another time!!

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  107. I definitely like the tip about checking out the website to find the age appropriate rides and to plan for any type of character breakfast, etc. I think it’s important to be proactive and plan ahead. That way you can save yourself a lot of time and avoid any disappointments that could arise from not checking things out ahead.

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  108. Fast track is perfect! Hubby or I would go get the fast tracks while we were doing something else.

    My best advice when traveling with kids is to plan ahead and pick a few things that are “Musts” and then some “extras” if there is time. For example:

    At Magic Kingdom we picked 5 rides or things we wanted to do. It made our day feel successful to get our goals met. There is so much to do, if you try to do it all you become overtired and grumpy.

    Also, make a certain day or time for getting autographs during your trip. If everytime you go to get on a ride and you end up waiting in line for a character…you’ll never get any rides in. If you make an entire afternoon autograph time, you have fun, get what you want and have no pressure to do it all.

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  109. Wet Wipes are the best!!

    And also eat a HUGE breakfast and a snack in the morning and then eat lunch later in the afternoon – missing the lunch crowd!

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  111. I like the tip about bringing something for your child to play with while waiting in line. i never even thought about that. Thanks for the chance.

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  112. I can’t wait to use these tips on our first trip to Disney this December. I never go any where without wipes, but am now heading to the website to check out the suggested age for each ride. I’m glad I have a few months to plan and have your help too!!!

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  113. I think the most useful tip from the video is one I’ve heard from other parents who’ve gone as well – using the FastPass option to avoid the long lines at the rides. 🙂

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  115. We went when our son was almost 4. Because we stayed in a hotel at the park, we could bring him back for a nap everyday. (He was, and still is, very serious about his naps. He just needs them to survive.) He loved Disney, and could enjoy the park in the evenings because we took the time to make sure that he got his nap.

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  116. Thanks for the great ideas! I really like the color coordinated shirts idea -I’ve seen daycares do this when they take little ones to the park and it really works!

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  117. My favorite tip was the matching shirts. I think we’ll do that in the future. I agree with the wet wipes – can’t live without those.

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  118. I’ve never been to disneyworld. am dying to go. best travel tip would be bring extra things to do. kids get bored fast. try to leave during nap time or at night that way small kids will s;eep

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  119. Fast Passes are truly great, we always take advantage of those. Something similar that was not mentioned is a switch rider pass. If you have a child with you that doesn’t meet the height requirements you can get a switch pass that will allow the other adult in the group who didn’t get to ride to go through the fast pass line for their turn. Those come in very handy 🙂

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  121. I have to agree with the fast passes!! I see a lot of people that just don’t understand them for some reason and it’s such a time saver!!

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  124. Tip: We plan our travel times around morning sleeping and at nap times its better that they sleep during the ride than be awake when they r so little

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  127. I really like the Fast Track pass which is also similar to the Stroller Pass, which my husband and I used a couple times the one and only time we went to Disneyland 3 years ago.

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  128. My tip for travelling with a small child is a pretty obvious one, but I still had to learn it the hard way. Try to maintain their normal schedule no matter what else is going on. Whether we spend the day driving or at different locations, we’ve learned to still encourage our daughter to take her nap and go to bed at the appropriate time. It’s not always convenient, but it’s just for a few years. The ensuing meltdowns are just not worth disrupting the schedule because then everyone is miserable.

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  129. Those were great tips. My personal preference when going to Disneyland is to go OFF season! Then you don’t even have to do fast pass. The lines are short and you can practically walk on all the rides. I also think it is important to realize that you have gotten your money’s worth if everyone is having a good time. You don’t have to do EVERYthing just have fun!

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  131. The next time we go, we’ll have to definitely buy the Fast Track. I think part of the fun is waiting in line and being together as a family, but the younger your kids are, the harder it is to fine the joy in that.

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  132. My blog also feed into my facebook account – so it will be seen on facebook as well.

    Can you tell I really want to win this one?!

    Reply

  134. Some great tips! We made matching shirts the last time (3 sets) and it was so convenient and easy to spot each other if we got separated. Some other tips I’d suggest are to plan ahead – either buy a book (Birnbaum’s Guide is my favorite) or search the internet (the DIS boards are a treasure trove of Disney information) – if you don’t have a plan, you’ll never get to see and do everything that you want to.

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  135. My husband and I LOVE Disneyland. We look forward to taking our 3 year old daughter with us. Also, we would really like to see Disney World the next time we go. As a mom, I am looking forward to the great meal plan deals. As a family, we are looking forward to the memories we will create!

    In our experience, using fast pass for the rides is a must. Bringing snacks and drinks saves you A LOT of money. I LOVED the wet wipes idea! I plan to use that one. We also like to come to the park early, take a break mid-day at the hotel for lunch, a swim, whatever, and then hit the park hard in the late afternoon/evening. We like missing the heat of the day and we are refreshed and enjoy the evening so much more!

    You are on my blog, facebook, plurk and twitter.

    http://dixiedotsons.blogspot.com/

    http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=668452337&ref=name

    http://www.plurk.com/Dottie

    http://twitter.com/DixieDotson

    Reply

  138. Oh definitely the fast pass suggestion. That is totally worth it. I also like the idea to bring something to do while in line.

    When we went a very long time ago and took my stepson who was 16 at the time, we should have had the room phones turned off. We left him at the resort while we went to a park for a few hours and he rang up a $300+ phone bill calling his girlfriend back home. It was horrible! LOL Now, at almost 25 we can laugh about it but at the time it wasn’t funny.

    Great video!

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  140. LOVE, love, love the idea about wearing matching shirts, especially the bright yellow ones!! With 3 young kids it would make everyone easier to keep track of. 🙂

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  141. Fast pass is the way i would go, my kids are impatient and get very antsy and start acting out if we have to wait too long.

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  142. I’m not a mom but I’ve been to Disneyland with friends & kids and these are right on… fast pass, cooler with snacks/drinks, and extra clothes. At one of the CA parks, there are water features kids can play in, so the dry clothes are a great idea!

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  143. You girls are too cute! I loved the video and can’t wait to see more of them! I loved the idea of matching shirts as well as the Fast pass!

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  144. Fast pass is the way to go. If you’re not able to arrive early enough to get to the rides first, always swipe your fast pass at one of the rides with a super long line and then ride some of the other rides while you wait. Then it’s all non-stop action.

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  145. Making reservations for dinner ahead is an awsome tip!!!Like the fact they can bring something to do while waiting in line!
    I have a tip of my own. I had arrived at the park to find it crowded and impossible to get on the rides since my kids were young we spent the day getting pictures with all the charaters.
    later when we got home my kids were so excited because we put them in an albulm thet they could show all their friends! I am off to Disneyland it’s my birthday today!
    Carla
    cpullum(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  146. We always bring a poncho and/or a dry set of clothes for the little ones! It seems to rain at least once while we are at WDW. We will be taking our 2 year old on her 4th trip in Feb.! Can’t wait!

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  148. The tip I think is the most helpful is getting a fast pass for the rides you really want to go on so you don’t have to wait in long lines with your kids. Waiting in line with kids getting cranky and antsy is not fun.

    donnyandshelly (at) (yahoo) (dot) (com)

    Reply

  149. Those are great tips-love the idea of bringing something to entertain kids while waiting in lines. That’s the one thing I always forget and my little one gets so antsy waiting!

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  152. Those were some great tips. When we get a chance to go, I’ll definitely remember to call ahead for the breakfast with the characters.

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  153. Travel Tip: A bag of little toys that are new to the kids, getting out only one new toy at a time. Here’s an example for my 2yo daughter on flights:
    One of those lollipop/personal fans that lights up (you can get them at Blockbuster or in line at the grocery store). Mini books. A tiny sticker album. Window ornaments (for the plane/car window). Princess polly pockets. Candy/snacks…

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  154. I second the idea of planning ahead which rides your children are old enough to ride, so that you can plan your route around the park, and not waste anytime while your there trying to figure out which rides you can ride!! That has been helpful for us in the past!

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  155. I thought the tip to bring entertainment for line wait time was great. I should do that for waiting in line for the train ride at the zoo.

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  156. When we went this summer we also took a collapsible cooler with ice and bottled water in it. It fit nicely under our “umbrella strollers” and when they were all gone we didn’t have a big, bulky cooler to carry. Also the park will always give you FREE cups of ICE, so when you need something to cool you down it’s nice to not have to BUY something.

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  157. They were all great ideas, but I really liked the suggestion of still taking wet wipes even if your kids are out of diapers. I still carry wipes with us in the car and in my purse and my kids are 5, 8 and 13. My husband will even ask for them sometimes. So at a park like that it could save from having to run and find a restroom to wash hands.

    Krista

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  158. Fast Track is definitely the way to go. With a 4 year old when we plan to go next year, there is no way I can entertain him in a long line!

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  159. Advice?…

    Early Start after breakfast
    Stroller
    Comfy shoes
    Fast Passes
    Hopper tix so you can move around different parks on a whim
    Fireworks
    Avoid the parking lot by taking the ferry/monorail from your hotel

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  160. Arrive at the Disney World entrance about 30 minutes or so before the park opens. As soon as it opens go to the back of the park first and ride all those rides (several times without any lines) while most people are at the front of the park standing in lines. We did it and had about 25 minutes of no line fun!!

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