# Disney World



## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

We're taking my 4yr old to Disney World this MONTH!!!  My husband, son and I have never been before and I'm super stoked   So, I'd love to hear any insights or tips or great places that we should definitely visit or great rides... pretty much any Disney advice from people who have been there.

Thanks!
Dawn


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## Stephen_Melling (Jun 26, 2011)

My advice would be this: If you have a four or five day pass, don't use it up on consecutive days. You'll be all Mickey Moused out! Also, take your time. It's a big place! I've been three times and still haven't seen it all. Ther is so much to see the only danger is your cup fills too quickly for you to drink it. My kids were 9 and 11 when we took them. Three weeks in Florida, on of them spent in Disney World. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time.










My kids loved it.


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

I guess I should mention that we're going for 5 days and we'll be staying at a hotel in Disney.

Dawn


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## dpinmd (Dec 30, 2009)

Ah, one of my favorite subjects!  I could talk Disney all day long, but my #1 tip is to use FastPass!  It's free and available to everyone, but somehow not everyone knows about it.  Basically, the way it works is this:  At each of the four Disney parks, there are certain attractions that are "FastPass enabled."  (They are all marked with an "FP" on the park map.)  When you get to an attraction with FP, there are these ATM-like machines near the entrance; you go to one of those, insert your Park Pass (your park admission ticket), and it will print out a little ticket for you with a "return window" indicating that you can come back between "X" and "Y" times, bypass the regular line for the attraction, and instead go through the (usually much shorter and faster moving) FP line.  So then rather than spending hours waiting in the regular line, you can go do something else (ride another attraction, get something to eat, etc.), and then just come back when your time window opens up.  

NOTE, you can't just run and get FPs for all of the FP-enabled attractions at once -- that wouldn't be fair to everyone else!  Instead, you aren't able to get a second FP until your first FP "window" has opened.  So, for example, if you have a FP for Space Mountain with a return time of 10:20-11:20, you can't get another FP (either to ride Space Mountain again or for something else) until 10:20.  The "return times" currently being printed on that attraction's FPs will be posted on signs above the FP machines -- pay attention to those, because there's no sense in "wasting" your FPs by getting one with a return time that's after you plan to leave the park or that conflicts with meal reservations.  Also, you need one FP per person who wants to ride, so if someone runs ahead to get your FPs (this is always my husband's job), make sure that person takes all of your Park Passes.


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## Stephen_Melling (Jun 26, 2011)

Dawn McCullough White said:


> I guess I should mention that we're going for 5 days and we'll be staying at a hotel in Disney.
> 
> Dawn


In that case - scratch the previous tip!  Each day in Disney World is sweet.


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## Pawz4me (Feb 14, 2009)

Get at least one guidebook--Fodor's and Birnbaum's are both good, I can't comment on any of the others--and spend lots of time reading it.  You'll get expert advice on the best days to visit each park, the best times to try particular rides and attractions, tips on restaurants, etc.  A good guidebook is really invaluable, IMO.

And pace yourself.  Disney can be overwhelming for adults, and certainly for such a young child.  Go at your son's pace and resist your own temptation to see and do everything.


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

We went at the end of June with our 5 year old. Had a BLAST. Stay on the kids schedule - as much as the 3 of us wanted to see the fireworks, little man was zonked out by 8 pm each night. He even fell asleep during dinner one night. LOL Both DH and I carried sling bags. He had the camera, sunscreen, water bottle and some other stuff. My bag had the tour book, snacks and room for small purchases.

I've been to WDW before, and was even a cast member with the WDW College Program in the early 90s. But, I'd never gone with kids so I purchased 

I loved it for the "fear factor" list on attractions. I'd forgotten about some of the things that could frighten small children. It also lists the quick and table service restaurants and gives a brief description and opinion on each. There were alot of comments (in the book) from parents complaining about the food choices for their kids, especially that they couldn't get pizza anywhere. I don't know where they went, but pizza was a kids choice at almost every place we went.

Also I recommend the room delivery of your in-park purchases, since you said you were staying at Disney. Basically, when you purchase your items, tell the cashier you'd like it delivered to your hotel. Delivery is the next day. Then you don't have to tote everything around!

Use WDW transportation. Leave your car at your resort, hop on a bus and away you go. The best thing when visiting MK is that it takes you to the gate and you by-pass the monorail or ferry ride over. Speaking of WDW transportation... this is a little secret... Transportation cast members *may* have collectible transportation cards. Its a volunteer thing. Have your child politely ask the bus driver, monorail attendants - we even stopped at the transportation office when we walked by one, if they have a transportation card. We got a "sorry, I don't" most often but we didn't find out about it until day 3 and he still managed to collect 11 cards!

If you do decide to drive to the park, you don't have to pay for parking. Your resort gives you a parking pass to display.

Stroller use is up to you. We saw kids as old as 7 in strollers. We said no. A few times we regretted it, but the sheer amount of strollers in front of an attraction was insane. And watching parents fold up stollers to get on the bus/monorail... Our other positive - we had severe thunderstorms and rain the entire week (not a 20 minute shower), we passed lots of folks with soaking wet items that were left in the stroller while they were in an attraction. Our stuff was on our person and was as dry as we were. 

Where are you staying? And have a magical time!


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## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

I've been twice.  (Also two Disney cruises.)  By myself.  Chronologically I am NO kid.  I love it.  Co-workers at the time said I would.  Both times I went in early November.  Nothing like your first time.    First time the weather was perfect.  Second time -- not so much.  It's been a number of years.  Time to go again.  I'm of the age that I grew up on Disney.


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## Brem (Jun 29, 2011)

I went when I was around 5 and loved it. I don't remember too much about it though. When I have kids I plan to bring them there every other year or so. Have fun!


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

The "fear factor" comment reminded me that when our youngest granddaughter was about 4, we went to DisneyWorld. Our youngest granddaughter was frightened by one of the 3-D movies and it was years before she was able to enjoy a 3-D movie again. This might not be a problem now that 3-D movies are more common but recognize that since Disney has dedicated theaters, they add additional features to these movies such as puffs of air, things that tickle the back of the legs, bumps that appear in the seats, etc. This can be very intense for young ones in a dark theater when combined with the movie.

ETA: We took an inexpensive (~$15-20) umbrella stroller to the parks. It was handy for when the young one was very tired. As we had 4 adults and 2 kids, it was easier when we needed to split up. Also, because our stroller looked significantly different from the others, it was not as difficult to find. However, when we were younger and took our daughter (2 adults and 1 child), we did not use a stroller. Stroller use is definitely based on what fits an individual situation.


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## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Get the definitive Disney Book to help you plan your trip. It will save you many hours of waiting in line if you follow their guidelines.


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## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

I was living in Orlando when Disney World was built and opened......obviously was able to go many, many times........after all the rides and attractions have been enjoyed, Disney World is a delightful park with gardens and wonderfully quaint hide-away eating and sitting areas.


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

I forgot to mention a site I'm following on facebook: http://www.chipandco.com/ They have current information, planning tips and giveaways. Of course, finding them just makes me want to plan our next trip that much sooner.


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

mom133d (aka Liz) said:


> We went at the end of June with our 5 year old. Had a BLAST. Stay on the kids schedule - as much as the 3 of us wanted to see the fireworks, little man was zonked out by 8 pm each night. He even fell asleep during dinner one night. LOL Both DH and I carried sling bags. He had the camera, sunscreen, water bottle and some other stuff. My bag had the tour book, snacks and room for small purchases.
> 
> I've been to WDW before, and was even a cast member with the WDW College Program in the early 90s. But, I'd never gone with kids so I purchased
> 
> ...


We're staying at the Disney World All Star Music Resort. Thanks so much for the tips!! I will definitely check out that guide book. And thanks so much for that tip about the collectable cards, my son would probably get a kick out of that.

Oh, and good point about going at my son's pace. I didn't think about that.

Dawn


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

mom133d (aka Liz) said:


> I forgot to mention a site I'm following on facebook: http://www.chipandco.com/ They have current information, planning tips and giveaways. Of course, finding them just makes me want to plan our next trip that much sooner.


Oh, VERY useful!! Thanks so much!!
Dawn


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

dpinmd said:


> Ah, one of my favorite subjects! I could talk Disney all day long, but my #1 tip is to use FastPass! It's free and available to everyone, but somehow not everyone knows about it. Basically, the way it works is this: At each of the four Disney parks, there are certain attractions that are "FastPass enabled." (They are all marked with an "FP" on the park map.) When you get to an attraction with FP, there are these ATM-like machines near the entrance; you go to one of those, insert your Park Pass (your park admission ticket), and it will print out a little ticket for you with a "return window" indicating that you can come back between "X" and "Y" times, bypass the regular line for the attraction, and instead go through the (usually much shorter and faster moving) FP line. So then rather than spending hours waiting in the regular line, you can go do something else (ride another attraction, get something to eat, etc.), and then just come back when your time window opens up.
> 
> NOTE, you can't just run and get FPs for all of the FP-enabled attractions at once -- that wouldn't be fair to everyone else! Instead, you aren't able to get a second FP until your first FP "window" has opened. So, for example, if you have a FP for Space Mountain with a return time of 10:20-11:20, you can't get another FP (either to ride Space Mountain again or for something else) until 10:20. The "return times" currently being printed on that attraction's FPs will be posted on signs above the FP machines -- pay attention to those, because there's no sense in "wasting" your FPs by getting one with a return time that's after you plan to leave the park or that conflicts with meal reservations. Also, you need one FP per person who wants to ride, so if someone runs ahead to get your FPs (this is always my husband's job), make sure that person takes all of your Park Passes.


Thank you!! I heard about the fast passes but obviously, having never used them, I am not quite sure how this will work.
Dawn


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Dawn McCullough White said:


> Thank you!! I heard about the fast passes but obviously, having never used them, I am not quite sure how this will work.
> Dawn


Dawn I just Pm'd you... I have DISNEY in my veins! You can feel free to ask me anything via PM... I have been there about 20 times and the last three weeks were in the past 9 months... going again in October! I LOVE the FREE DINING PLAN!!!


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

NapCat said:


> I was living in Orlando when Disney World was built and opened......obviously was able to go many, many times........after all the rides and attractions have been enjoyed, Disney World is a delightful park with gardens and wonderfully quaint hide-away eating and sitting areas.


Oh yea... WDW is so NOT just a place for rides... in fact I don't even call Disney's "rides" rides... they are mini-getaways... each and every one of them! Nothing compares to Disney in my eyes! My DD is 11 and has been... well actually I can't even tell you...(we really only do WDW for our vacations) But you definitely will enjoy every second just watching your son's face... but keep your focus on his face... you will know if he is tired, hot, excited, sleepy etc. and a rest in a ice cream shop or bakery or a splashpad break or even a cool area to snack AFTER one of the 3-D/4-D shows will change a tired 4 year old into a revived dynamo!  Going back to the room just for/before or after lunch and resting/swimming for a couple hours is not as simple as people make it sound though... Getting to the front of the park and out the gate is about 20 minutes (at least) then waiting on the bus (20 minutes counting getting in and waiting on load time) then 15-20minute ride... 15-20 to unload and get to your room... so roughly an hour JUST to get there... THEN a 2-4 hour rest and another hour back... so leaving at 11 you would get back about 3-5 depending how long you want to rest... It DOES help... but your 5 days will pass SO fast that I recommend resting IN the park... do the inside shows and shopping snacking when you are tired... OR stay at your room at LEAST 3 hours... But getting back at 5 O'clok when your child goes to bed say at 8 would mean leaving the park at 7 again just to TRY to get him back and bathed after dinner before 9! THESE are tips that most people will tell you about... but not necessarily do the math for you... so it seems do-able...but doing the math... not so much!


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Annalog said:


> ETA: We took an inexpensive (~$15-20) umbrella stroller to the parks. It was handy for when the young one was very tired. As we had 4 adults and 2 kids, it was easier when we needed to split up. Also, because our stroller looked significantly different from the others, it was not as difficult to find. However, when we were younger and took our daughter (2 adults and 1 child), we did not use a stroller. Stroller use is definitely based on what fits an individual situation.


RIGHT on the movie thing! My DD(then 6) was scared to death of The Bug's Life one (it's in the Tree of Life at Animal Kingdom... and refused to even TRY it again until THIS June! AND she will be 12 THIS month! Just a thing about getting the wits scared out of you... you don't want it to happen again... AND my friend took her 6 year old son this trip and my DD tried to warn his mom... but both the boy and the mom insisted he would be fine... he LOVES bugs and scary stuff! CRIED for about 20 minutes... and was really afraid of pretty much everything after that! Good thing it was the last day or so...
Also I say umbrella stroller... we have even brought ours and given it to another family our last day... if they seemed to be struggling (did that twice!) They are CHEAP and way better than NOT using one and renting is expensive. Little legs just don't move as fast when they are staring up at EVERYTHING around them! OH... get him a disposable camera... let him take pics of anything he wants! You will be surprised what he catches of film.


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

Meredith Sinclair said:


> OH... get him a disposable camera... let him take pics of anything he wants! You will be surprised what he catches of film.


Great idea! I'll remember that for next time.


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## scl (Feb 19, 2011)

mom133d (aka Liz) said:


> Use WDW transportation. Leave your car at your resort, hop on a bus and away you go. The best thing when visiting MK is that it takes you to the gate and you by-pass the monorail or ferry ride over. Speaking of WDW transportation... this is a little secret... Transportation cast members *may* have collectible transportation cards. Its a volunteer thing. Have your child politely ask the bus driver, monorail attendants - we even stopped at the transportation office when we walked by one, if they have a transportation card. We got a "sorry, I don't" most often but we didn't find out about it until day 3 and he still managed to collect 11 cards!


I drive a bus at Disney World now, and I have all three of the bus cards to give away. In the past 6 months not more than a dozen people have asked me for the cards. I haven't even seen most of the other cards for boats and monorails - you need to get them from the monorail and boat people. They also have a new series of safety tip cards. If you are at the Magic Kingdom watching the fireworks try to be in the square up by the castle so you can see Tinkerbelle fly from the castle tower over to Tomorrowland. It's also a good place to see all of the fireworks show. Watching Tinkerbelle fly is my favorite part of the fireworks.

I you are up to staying up late keep track of the extra magic hours and stay until the end. The parks are less crowded and you can spend less time in line. Expect to have fun and you will


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## Joy (Jul 24, 2011)

Number one tip is arrive at the parks when they open and all rides are walk ons.

Number two tip is to check out disboards.com (it's the kindleboards of Disney).


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

scl said:


> I drive a bus at Disney World now, and I have all three of the bus cards to give away. In the past 6 months not more than a dozen people have asked me for the cards. I haven't even seen most of the other cards for boats and monorails - you need to get them from the monorail and boat people. They also have a new series of safety tip cards. If you are at the Magic Kingdom watching the fireworks try to be in the square up by the castle so you can see Tinkerbelle fly from the castle tower over to Tomorrowland. It's also a good place to see all of the fireworks show. Watching Tinkerbelle fly is my favorite part of the fireworks.
> 
> I you are up to staying up late keep track of the extra magic hours and stay until the end. The parks are less crowded and you can spend less time in line. Expect to have fun and you will


What are those cards called? Just bus cards? Collectible transportation cards? 
Thanks so much for the tips!
Dawn


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

Joy said:


> Number one tip is arrive at the parks when they open and all rides are walk ons.
> 
> Number two tip is to check out disboards.com (it's the kindleboards of Disney).


Our plan is to get up early and ride some rides, and then in the middle of the day head back to the hotel to go swimming. We don't have a pool at home and we figured my son would enjoy that, plus it would be a nice break... and then head back out later.

My sister, who has been to Disney, mentioned that if I wanted to get photos with the characters we should get up early, and run to the front of the park, because there are characters there and not a lot of people yet.

I will definitely have to check out some of the forums people have mentioned!

Thanks very much!
Dawn


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

mom133d (aka Liz) said:


> We went at the end of June with our 5 year old. Had a BLAST. Stay on the kids schedule - as much as the 3 of us wanted to see the fireworks, little man was zonked out by 8 pm each night. He even fell asleep during dinner one night. LOL Both DH and I carried sling bags. He had the camera, sunscreen, water bottle and some other stuff. My bag had the tour book, snacks and room for small purchases.
> 
> I've been to WDW before, and was even a cast member with the WDW College Program in the early 90s. But, I'd never gone with kids so I purchased
> 
> ...


I downloaded the Kindle sample of that guide, probably going to buy it. 
Dawn


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

Dawn McCullough White said:


> My sister, who has been to Disney, mentioned that if I wanted to get photos with the characters we should get up early, and run to the front of the park, because there are characters there and not a lot of people yet.


The line(s) won't be as long, that's true. I don't know when they started this, but there are "character spots" through-out the park(s) and the characters seem to be there pretty much all day. I kinda miss the magic of "finding" them, but it was still exciting for us to meet and get their autographs.

If you're fans of Phineas and Ferb (my son started watching when he was 3 even though its aimed towards 8 year olds), they are now at Hollywood Studios, near the exit of Muppetvision 3-D. Lightening McQueen and Mater were around the corner from them, follow the sounds of Lightening's engine.


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

Dawn McCullough White said:


> I downloaded the Kindle sample of that guide, probably going to buy it.
> Dawn


I was tempted to get the Kindle edition. But since I knew I wanted to take it in the park, I opted for the DTB and had a ton of post-it bookmarks. Now that I think about it, I guess I could have used the "Kindle for" app...c'est la vie!


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## RaineThomas (Aug 2, 2011)

Dawn, you have some great advice and tips from everyone, listen to them. Get the guide so you know what to do before you go.

My hubby's company is contracted for work at Disney, so we've been multiple times over the past few years with our daughter, who's now five. Here's a few tips from my experience.

At four, make sure you have a stroller of some kind. The umbrella strollers are great, you can get them at the Walmart here and it would probably be cheaper than renting. When you go back to the parks after the pool, if he hasn't napped, you'll need the stroller. The smaller umbrella strollers are the best for the crowds, and if he falls asleep waiting for fireworks to start, he'll have a place to sit.

I love Epcot, but it's not very kid friendly, my daughter is always bored when we go there. I think you'd be better off with an extra day at MK instead if you're planning on parks every day. Although for adults, drinking around the world is fun, not that _I've_ ever done it. 

Have a great trip and try not to cram too much in, you'll be burned out by the third day if you do.

Oh, and one more tip.....the 3 o'clock parade is at 3 o'clock.


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

mom133d (aka Liz) said:


> Great idea! I'll remember that for next time.


My DD took some really cool shots at 2 1/2 yrs old! One that I had enlarged was one that she aimed the camera up at my hand holding hers... it was from her view! her hand looked tiny in mine!


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

RaineThomas said:


> Dawn, you have some great advice and tips from everyone, listen to them. Get the guide so you know what to do before you go.
> 
> My hubby's company is contracted for work at Disney, so we've been multiple times over the past few years with our daughter, who's now five. Here's a few tips from my experience.
> 
> ...


That's a really good idea about the stroller for the fireworks. I just don't know if I'll be able to talk him into a stroller, until he gets exhausted and sees all the other kids in them. I have a funny feeling we'll end up renting one.

He only naps in the car, but I can imagine him napping in a stroller by the end of the day.

Our plan is to spend a day at the Animal Kingdom, a day at Epcot and the rest of the days at Magic Kingdom. (We'll be there for five days.) I heard that that Nemo ride/thing where the turtle talks to you is at Epcot so that's part of the reason for going. I really want to see their take on the different countries too... I hope it's not too boring for my son. I'll have to look into what rides are there.

Dawn


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

Dawn McCullough White said:


> Our plan is to spend a day at the Animal Kingdom, a day at Epcot and the rest of the days at Magic Kingdom. (We'll be there for five days.) I heard that that Nemo ride/thing where the turtle talks to you is at Epcot so that's part of the reason for going. I really want to see their take on the different countries too... I hope it's not too boring for my son. I'll have to look into what rides are there.
> Dawn


There a "Kidcot" kid spots in each country where the child gets a free Duffy cut-out on a thin wooden stick (almost like those hand-held fans you get at festivals where it is super hot) anyway in each country he can stop and color a little on his Duffy bear and the CM will sign it with a "hello" in their language and they stamp it with the country's stamper and most kids love it. You can also get a little passport book at the gift shop and he can get that stamped as well... passport is like $10 and the six year old that was with us last time didn't want to miss a country! In World Showcase there are two rides. One is in Norway and one in Mexico both are boat rides... Norway's is a little dark and a bit scary but not supposed to be a scary ride but there are big Trolls in it. Innoventions East and West in Futureworld are fun for kids and so is the Imagination Station and the Figment ride.


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## KathyBell (Nov 7, 2009)

We're heading to Disney with our four kids (3, 5, 12, 13) in two weeks, and very much appreciate the tips and ideas here. I'm going to end up doing some of the Book Klub on my smart phone, LOL.

We have Canada's Wonderland up here which I understand has the FastPasses, and I imagine we'll get a lot of use out of them.

I do have one question...are the park admission passes (ie the five days) transferrable, or do they require ID to show you are the person named? My sister-in-law was wondering about sharing passes, but we weren't sure if it was possible. My siblings and their children are all going down with us to celebrate my mother's birthday.


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## hakimast (Jul 23, 2011)

Disneyland is the only amusement park i've never been to


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## scl (Feb 19, 2011)

Dawn McCullough White said:


> What are those cards called? Just bus cards? Collectible transportation cards?
> Thanks so much for the tips!
> Dawn


I just got some out of my costumes pocket and they say:

Walt Disney World 
Transportation 
Collector Card​on the front under a picture of Mickey in a seal near the upper right corner of the card.
there are 18 different ones. the 3 bus cards are for the 3 different types of buses Disney has.


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## Meredith Sinclair (May 21, 2009)

KathyBell said:


> We're heading to Disney with our four kids (3, 5, 12, 13) in two weeks, and very much appreciate the tips and ideas here. I'm going to end up doing some of the Book Klub on my smart phone, LOL.
> 
> We have Canada's Wonderland up here which I understand has the FastPasses, and I imagine we'll get a lot of use out of them.
> 
> I do have one question...are the park admission passes (ie the five days) transferrable, or do they require ID to show you are the person named? My sister-in-law was wondering about sharing passes, but we weren't sure if it was possible. My siblings and their children are all going down with us to celebrate my mother's birthday.


ACTUALLY... They scan your fingerprint everytime to make sure you are... YOU... But there are discounted tickets (not a whole lot but maybe 8-10 savings each) through Undercover Tourist... But IF you sign up for Mousesavers.com Newsletter you get even bigger discounts at times. MouseSavers actually sends a Newsletter announcing specials every month on about the 15th but also if something big (like FREE DINING) comes up during the month you will get one as soon as she finds out about it. Also Buildabettermousetrip (almost sure that is the right name) has a list of the movies playing at the different resorts. The movies are free and are usually around 8PM and the kiddos love them! We like the Wilderness Lodge one because you can see the light parade on the water around 9PM.


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## HappyGuy (Nov 3, 2008)

August is hottest month of the year, so be sure to hydrate often! Rain showers are common during afternoons this time of year, so bring a light weight plastic rain cover. Don't leave, just because it's raining - they usually pass quickly. Hollywood studios and Animal Kingdom, for us, were always a half day visit each (and that was not rushing things). Do the Magic Kingdom first, just to get some of your child's excitement out of the way. Also, try to get into a character meal, which are fun for the kids. I think they have babysitting service/daycare service at the hotels. About half way through the visit, take a day for you and your spouse to spend together - go to Epcot. There isn't much for young children there, so most of your time will probably be in the Magic Kingdom. Take your time, don't rush and enjoy! And welcome to central Florida!!


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

Remember to take large plastic bags to put over your stroller if you decide to use a stroller.


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

HappyGuy said:


> Hollywood studios and Animal Kingdom, for us, were always a half day visit each (and that was not rushing things).


We could have done HS in a half day if it didn't have Star Tours.  We rode so often that the cast members recognized little man. (And its a different ride each time!) He also really wanted to see Disney Junior - there is a live puppet show several times a day. After seeing it he wasn't impressed but was happy he got to see Jake and the Neverland Pirates.

I've got some photos up on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2013122702066.108366.1663756702&l=26548e622f&type=1


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## Eeyore (Jul 16, 2009)

Some interesting "secrets" to do at Disney World that most folks don't know about.

"-In the shop Tinkerbell’s Treasures in the Magic Kingdom (behind the castle) there is a little dresser up against the wall with a keyhole in one of the drawers. If you put your eye up to the keyhole you can see a little light and hear a bell as if Tinkerbell was stuck in the drawer
If you are the first to visit this in the morning, you get to be the one to wake her up.

-In Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland there are talking garbage cans along the left wall in the main area. (Look for the electrical cords leading to them)(first you have to put something in them.)

-Go into Muppet Vision 3D, at the entrance turnstiles on the right is a ticket window with a notice that says – “Closed – Key under Mat”. I have read that you should look under the mat and see if the key is really there.

-Just by the Indiana Jones show, there are some crates hidden in the bushes, which are marked ‘don’t open’ – go ahead & open them!
-Again, Near Indiana Jones is a well with a rope in it, pull the rope for a surprise

-If you pick up the telephones in the stores along Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, you can hear funny conversations.

-In the shop next to Pizza Planet in DHS you’ll see several large wooden packing crates. Try lifting the lids of a few of them.

-I have heard there is a hidden paintbrush on Tom Sawyer’s Island in the MK and if you find it first you get a prize.

-Outside of Tony’s restaurant in the MK, if you sit on Goofy, he laughs.
-At the Haunted Mansion, there is a tombstone outside on the far right of the cemetery of a woman and every couple of minutes, she opens her eyes and looks around.
- There is a hedge maze in the back of the UK in Epcot
-There is a new dream suite that you can win a night in Cinderella’s castle. When the park was being built this space was supposed to be a apartment for Walt and his family to live in but since he passed away before the park opened they used it for storage, until now.

-The best way to win “dreams” such as the ultimate fastpass for the day, mickey ears or that night in Cinderella’s castle is to get to the parks early in the morning. That is usually when they’re handed out.

-There is a pay phone in tomorrowland in Magic Kingdom and if you pick it up you can hear Sunny Eclipses manager on the other end who also happens to be the fake alien singer in the restaurant Cosmic Rays in Tomorrowland.

- In Disney-MGM Studios, there is a “Singing in the Rain” umbrella attached to a lamp post. It is a great photo opportunity and a pressure pad under the umbrella usually (unless malfunctioning) will release “rain”. The lamp post is in the Streets of America area across from Lights, Motors, Action!

- As you exit Star Tours (outside of the gift shop) in Disney-MGM Studios, you’ll see a “Speeder Bike” in front of an Endor background. People often assume that it is only for display but you are welcome to sit on it – this makes a great picture. Other wonderful photo opportunities in Disney-MGM Studios are the car outside Sci-Fi Dine In and all over the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids play area. 

- In Animal Kingdom, there is a bridge near Kali River Rapids. There are buttons that cause the elephant statues to spray water on the riders in the rafts below. 

- The Animal Kingdom Times Guide does a terrible job of highlighting all the wonderful live entertainment available at this park. One of our favorites are “DiVine” on the trail between Asia and Africa. She looks like a vine and literally blends in with the landscaping when she isn’t moving. Two other excellent groups are the Karuka Acrobats and the Tam Tam’s of Congo which both perform in the Harambe area of the “Africa” area. 

- Did you know that closing time at the Magic Kingdom just means you must be on your last ride or in line for the ride by that time? The shops along Main Street generally stay open for about an hour after closing time. There’s no good reason to rush to the lines forming for transportation so take your time and enjoy a few last views of the castle when it is lit up after dark. Stop and notice the window displays in the Emporium (right side of the street as you face the train station, near City Hall). Each window display is a shadow-box or diorama that depicts a different Disney animated movie and most have some form of movement. Most people walk right by and never notice these fascinating displays."

We spent a week there two years ago and stayed at the Wilderness Lodge with the DW and grandkids. They had a wonderful time.

All the best.


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

Annalog said:


> Remember to take large plastic bags to put over your stroller if you decide to use a stroller.


Good point.

Holy macaroni I looked up the cost of renting a stroller through Disney!! I think we'll probably just pick up a fifteen dollar one and if he doesn't use it no biggie, we're out fifteen bucks. If he uses it we'll save a lot of money!

Dawn


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

Eeyore said:


> Some interesting "secrets" to do at Disney World that most folks don't know about.
> 
> "-In the shop Tinkerbell's Treasures in the Magic Kingdom (behind the castle) there is a little dresser up against the wall with a keyhole in one of the drawers. If you put your eye up to the keyhole you can see a little light and hear a bell as if Tinkerbell was stuck in the drawer
> If you are the first to visit this in the morning, you get to be the one to wake her up.
> ...


Very cool!! Thanks!
Dawn


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

We've had annual passes to WDW for the past 11 years. I have three kids, 13, 11, and 9, and they've grown up there. I can't imagine not having a stroller for a 4-year old. They never would have used it at the mall at that age, but definitely it's needed at Disney. Everyone will be so much happier if you have that option available to you. And I agree about the rental rates! Orlando's a big town, you'll have no trouble finding one locally.

My boys at that age loved going to Tom Sawyer's Island in the Magic Kingdom most of all. It's an island (obviously), and it's basically a large playground. They can't get off the island without you, it's never very crowded (at least compared to the park), and they can run around uninhibited without having to constantly hold your hand for fear they'll get lost. We'd grab drinks and head over there for 30 minutes or more to unwind.

Epcot has always been our favorite park. My kids love love love it. They love the rides at the countries (but not the movies) when they were younger, now they love the food . Club Cool is a big hit with mine now, but they didn't pay much attention to it when they were 4.

When are you going? You're going to love spending time at the pool, too. That's such a treat! When you check in to the hotel, ask the Cast Member for a list of the Hidden Mickeys at the hotel. Your son is the PERFECT age for spotting Hidden Mickeys on the trip! Explain to him before you arrive that Mickey-shaped objects are hidden all around him, and he'll love finding them. They're in the carpet in the hall, the bedspread, the shower curtain, even the artwork! There are even books on the Hidden Mickey's you can find in the parks. If he gets into the game (and its' hard not to, even my DH does it now), you'll find them everywhere, some are very subtle and discreet, while others are more obvious.

Oh, another recommendation for the DISboards. It's a great place, and they have a fantastic iPhone app. If you have an iPhone, there are actually some very good apps for WDW. The Disboards eTicket app is a good one, but there are others. The Line Wait Time app is great, and very accurate.

My friends all swear by Tour Guide Mike, it's a subscription service online, and recommends which parks to visit each day of your trip based on historical data. I've heard it's the best there is. http://www.tourguidemike.com/


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## KathyBell (Nov 7, 2009)

Meredith Sinclair said:


> ACTUALLY... They scan your fingerprint everytime to make sure you are... YOU... But there are discounted tickets (not a whole lot but maybe 8-10 savings each) through Undercover Tourist... But IF you sign up for Mousesavers.com Newsletter you get even bigger discounts at times. MouseSavers actually sends a Newsletter announcing specials every month on about the 15th but also if something big (like FREE DINING) comes up during the month you will get one as soon as she finds out about it. Also Buildabettermousetrip (almost sure that is the right name) has a list of the movies playing at the different resorts. The movies are free and are usually around 8PM and the kiddos love them! We like the Wilderness Lodge one because you can see the light parade on the water around 9PM.


Thanks, I've signed up for the newsletter hoping to get the Undercovertourist discount on the 15th....we arrive on the 18th. I'll pick the tickets up in Orlando rather than risk them not making it up to me in Canada!

Those are some awesome tips, Eeyore. My 3 year old daughter would just love to think Tinkerbell's in the drawer!


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## Eeyore (Jul 16, 2009)

KathyBell said:


> My 3 year old daughter would just love to think Tinkerbell's in the drawer!


And if your daughter asks a CM (Cast Member) very nicely after finding Tinkerbell, he/she may sprinkle a little magical Pixie Dust on her. (I think it's kept in a drawer under the cash register.)

Have a safe trip!


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

KathyBell said:


> Thanks, I've signed up for the newsletter hoping to get the Undercovertourist discount on the 15th....we arrive on the 18th. I'll pick the tickets up in Orlando rather than risk them not making it up to me in Canada!
> 
> Those are some awesome tips, Eeyore. My 3 year old daughter would just love to think Tinkerbell's in the drawer!


Looks like we're going to Disney at the same time. Have fun!! See you there 
Dawn


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## KathyBell (Nov 7, 2009)

Dawn, I think you might hear us rather than see us...Trinity has a voice that projects far....very far. And she always has a lot to say, LOL! We're there until the 24th, although some of the other family members are staying longer. We're off-site at Windsor Hills Resort, since there are fifteen of us all together!


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

How is the Disney Hollywood Studios for little kids?  I hadn't considered that one but my son (husband and myself) love Phineas and Ferb and after looking it up, it looks like it might make a fun first day.

Dawn


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

KathyBell said:


> Dawn, I think you might hear us rather than see us...Trinity has a voice that projects far....very far. And she always has a lot to say, LOL! We're there until the 24th, although some of the other family members are staying longer. We're off-site at Windsor Hills Resort, since there are fifteen of us all together!


Uh oh, have you checked the weather for the next couple of weeks in Orlando? Weather.com is claiming thunderstorms every single day... I hope not.

Dawn


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

Do expect thunderstorms every day, but don't be afraid of them. They start then they stop, and they help cool things down and clear people out a bit. If you have ponchos to bring, they might get some use!

DHS has a great playground for the kids, the Honey I Shrunk The Kids spot. And the Playhouse Disney stuff is pretty neat, too. It's a fun park, and if he's into Star Wars at all, he'll love the Star Tours ride! And it's close to Epcot, so it's easy to spend a few hours there and then hop on a boat to Epcot for the evening.


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## sebat (Nov 16, 2008)

Rain ponchos are a good thing to have.  If you have a Dollar Tree near you, they usually have rain ponchos up by the cash register...2 for a $1.  That's much cheaper than picking one up at Disney.  It usually rains every day for about 20 minutes.


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

sebat said:


> Rain ponchos are a good thing to have. If you have a Dollar Tree near you, they usually have rain ponchos up by the cash register...2 for a $1. That's much cheaper than picking one up at Disney. It usually rains every day for about 20 minutes.


Ditto on the dollar rain ponchos. While DH and I re-used the same dollar ponchos through a week-long trip, it might be easier to purchase enough to be able to use new ones each day.

Also, if you are going to ride the Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom, know that everything you take with you will probably get soaked. I believe that lockers are available and should be used. DH needed to replace many items in his wallet afterwards while I made the mistake of wearing jeans that did not dry quickly. I now pack a quick-drying outfit to wear to Animal Kingdom and carry several plastic bags of different sizes. DH's wallet and my wallet go into ziploc bags in my waist pack which is then covered with its own plastic bag.


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## sebat (Nov 16, 2008)

Annalog said:


> Ditto on the dollar rain ponchos. While DH and I re-used the same dollar ponchos through a week-long trip, it might be easier to purchase enough to be able to use new ones each day.
> 
> Also, if you are going to ride the Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom, know that everything you take with you will probably get soaked. I believe that lockers are available and should be used. DH needed to replace many items in his wallet afterwards while I made the mistake of wearing jeans that did not dry quickly. I now pack a quick-drying outfit to wear to Animal Kingdom and carry several plastic bags of different sizes. DH's wallet and my wallet go into ziploc bags in my waist pack which is then covered with its own plastic bag.


I think I would just wear my rain poncho!


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## Annalog (Dec 28, 2008)

sebat said:


> I think I would just wear my rain poncho!


We had gotten soaked while wearing our rain ponchos! The seat had filled with water when we went over at least one of the falls backwards. This resulted in us sitting in a few inches of water so our jeans and DH's wallet were soggy. The ponchos did not help much in that situation. Also, since this was on a day when there were very few people in the park (early December 2001), we were able to stay on the ride for 3 or 4 circuits in a row.  Also, for at least one of the ride trips, we were the only riders on the raft. This practically guaranteed that we would go over most of the falls backwards.

The signs posted for this ride that "You WILL get wet! You may get SOAKED" are not exaggerating.


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

2 more days!!!!  

I'm more excited than my husband or my 4 yr old!!!  (It's pitiful really  )

Dawn


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## mom133d (aka Liz) (Nov 25, 2008)

No its not! Plus your 4 year old, doesn't really know what to expect. My son's eyes light up when I ask if he'd like to go back.


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

Woohoo!! So exciting! I'm always the most excited to go in our family, the rest of them won't admit how much they love it 

You're familiar with the baby swap options for the rides you and your hubby want to go on but your son is too small for, right?


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## dpinmd (Dec 30, 2009)

Another tip for choosing "which park, which day" -- since you are staying on property, you can take advantage of the "Extra Magic Hours" available to resort guests.  (Each day, there's one park designated for early opening for resort guests, and one park designated to stay open late.)  Unless you are early birds and can actually make it to the park at the early opening time (or really, aim for about 20 minutes prior), you should choose one of the parks that does NOT have Extra Magic Hours that day -- the EMH parks are usually the most crowded ones all day.  (So, for example, if Magic Kingdom has morning EMH and Epcot has evening EMH on a given day, those two parks will be the most crowded, and there will be fewer people at Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom.)

Oh, and at Hollywood Studios, don't miss the Toy Story Mania attraction -- it's fantastic and your son (and you!) will love it!  I recommend sending someone ahead to get FPs for that as soon as you get into the park.  Also, the Fantasmic light/water/laser show in the evenings is amazing -- one of my favorite things in any of the parks.  (I get teary-eyed every time I see it!)


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## Margaret (Jan 1, 2010)

Have a wonderful time, Dawn!


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

hsuthard said:


> You're familiar with the baby swap options for the rides you and your hubby want to go on but your son is too small for, right?


How does that work?

Dawn


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

I copied this from DISboards, it's a very handy feature: 
When you have a ride with a height restriction you go to the CM at the front of a ride and show them the kiddo who is unable to ride. They will then give you a rider swap pass for that ride. It is similar to a fast pass but it does not have a time restriction on it-you can use it anytime after the initial ride is done. It is only good for that day and the one ride.

The rider swap pass is good for 4 people but it does not matter who the 4 people are. You can only use each rider swap pass that you are given one time (meaning that even though it is for 4 people you cannot split it up for 2 and 2 for example). 

When you have a rider swap pass it is not an automatic head of te line, it puts you back in the same line as a fastpass so if there is a wait in the fastpass lane you will still wait in that line, but it does make things move much more quickly


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## angelmum3 (Sep 12, 2010)

My favorite obsession!

If you have time - go here - - http://www.easywdw.com/forums/forum.php and ask them for itinerary! smart helpful kind people will give you all you need!

For Best Days to go - http://www.easywdw.com/
on the right side is the articles and the list of how to tour (This is free -for others reading if you are familiar with the pay site Tour Guide Mike, many have left there and started this site - free!)

Tinkerbelle... the last time we went she wasnt in her drawer - she was "away" (ie not working) At the fireworks in MK you can see her fly!

YOUTUBE is your friend!! Go and see the rides - esp Nemo, its so special... EPCOT has been our favorite park -

At 4, take it easy, its hot - you can get free ice water from any place that sells sodas, just ask! Its filtered water, and so much better than paying for bottled water!

AT Hollywood Studios someone mentioned the key under the mat when you visit The Muppets - the redo has it as you enter to the very far right, under a turnstyle, so it can be tricky to find!

They do have paintbrushes to find on Tom Sawyers Island, but they give you a FP for either Splash Mt or Big Thunder MT - so if its not something you want to ride - just enjoy the island, the caves are twisty, and have a/c (to keep them cave cool!) but, not all 4 year olds enjoy this - it takes about an hour, so its a laid back place -

again, if you go to easywdw you can get free touring plans!! the key is to get there at park opening - you can get a fastpass to see Mickey Mouse - again, at that site they have pictures to help you figure it all out!! Places to eat, etc!!

Just remember, you cant possibly do it all, you are on VACATION!! Decide what is it your 4year old wants to see, and you may have to do it over and over again!! Dumbo has the lines, but over at Frontierland (by Jungle Cruise) is the Magic Carpets - hardly a line, and its the same type of ride, but its Dumbo that has our heart - they are working on Fantasyland, so to make 2 Dumbos!!

have fun!


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

Just wanted to check back in.  We had a great time at Disney!  I actually ended up relaxed by the end of the vacation, so I know it was perfectly successful.  My son LOVED it.  He said it was "magical" and wanted to live there.  He got to meet a ton of characters, Mickey, Goofy, Donald, Jasmine, Belle, Cinderella, Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and Tigger, which may have been the highlight of the trip.  He loved Tom Sawyer Island, we went there on two different visits- so thank you for recommending that one!  He had a blast at the Electric Light Parade, and his favorite rides were Buzz Lightyear and Splash Mountain.  

I'm trying to plan a trip for next summer, but I doubt nothing will be able to top that in my son's eyes.  Of course, if anyone had any suggestions for a family vacation for a 5yr old it would be wonderful.

Thanks so much for all the info and tips!!!
Dawn

Edit to add:  Oh and THANK YOU to whoever mentioned rain ponchos!!


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## sebat (Nov 16, 2008)

I'm glad you all had such a wonderful time!  

My first trip was when I was 5.  It was the year Disney World opened.  I don't remember it at all but that was almost 40 years ago.

I think my absolute best trip ever was when I was 12.  Two of my cousins (ages 5 and 10) went with us .  I got to re-experience that first time through the eyes of a 5 year old and at an age where I could remember it.  

I wouldn't worry about topping this trip.  I've been at least a dozen times and have special memories of each trip.  It never gets old and the park is constantly evolving.  He'll find new things to love.


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## Dawn McCullough White (Feb 24, 2010)

sebat said:


> I'm glad you all had such a wonderful time!
> 
> My first trip was when I was 5. It was the year Disney World opened. I don't remember it at all but that was almost 40 years ago.
> 
> ...


I'm sure that's true, and we plan to go back in a few years but I'm wondering what other good family vacations are out there for a trip next summer.

Dawn


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

I'm so glad you had a good time! Isn't it just amazing watching your family enjoy themselves? I still get tears in my eyes watching my teenager enjoy himself at Disney.

And to me, back to nature vacations are the perfect complement to a Disney vacation. Go camping, go to the beach, go skiing, visit a lake and fish, but enjoy all the natural things the world can offer.


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