We would like to take it easy and let kids enjoy as much as they can and retire mid/late afternoon to the hotel and get kids to bed early (if possible) and wake up early in the am.
Appreciate any feedback if the itinerary/touring plans make sense or are we being too ambitious with a 3/6 year old (boys).
Many thanks
One point of feedback - all of your plan times indicate full days. I see some in-park “resting” but I do think you’ll need to start later to go later, start earlier and end earlier, or start early break mid-day and go all night.
For this plan, I noticed you don’t really have much in the way of plans to “stick around” in The Seas, for example, There is the ride, sure…but we spent quite a bit of time just looking in the aquarium, including the manatee. In fact, I’d say the aquarium is more interesting than the ride itself.
You have no breaks are free time, either. Are you planning to eat? Use the restroom? You might need to take a few things out to make room.
Thanks for the feedback. Will definitely add more breaks and rest time. Question: Do folks with kids typically rest after each hour and/or ride?
Also any suggested places for eating (i couldnt find any open slots for sit-down dining so might be casual dining mostly for us; unless a spot opens up)
I just like to have some rest time baked in to cover things like:
Getting a snack
Using the restroom
Stopping to “smell the roses” (unexpected moments that pop up)
Hopping into a store to look around
Etc.
If you don’t plan those things in, then ultimately your list of planned attractions will end up being unrealistic.
And, of course, eating is necessary, so if you do counter service, adding maybe 30 minutes minimum for that. If you do an ADR, plan for upwards of 90 minutes (depending on what it is).
Looks like an awesome trip. My 2 cents, with a 3 and 6 year old, I’m guessing they are up early. Rope drop every morning, you’ll get the shortest lines of the day. Leave park early afternoon to hit hotel pool and cool off/nap. Maybe park hop back to parks for dinner but make every night an early night. Kids will be toast. Biggest piece of advice I can give, if its almost lunchtime and kids need a cold ice cream for second wind, forget about ruining their lunch and get them the ice cream! Its Disney!
For this plan, you do have some rest time added, but actually, you have the rest time added at times when there is a bit of free time already after the attractions. You might try to fill in that free time. For example, after the Mickey shorts and Muppet Vision, you might try Star Tours before your lunch break. It would fill in some of that free time, since you have 60 minutes of rest time already in there.
Similarly, after Beauty and the Beast, you have 44 minutes of free time you might allocate toward something, etc.
I personally am not a fan of going to the parks on arrival day with very little kids. After all the hustle of travel (airport, TSA, baggage claim, getting to the hotel) I find that little kids are often completely overwhelmed and need downtime.
You know your kids best, but most 3-year-olds I think would end up in full meltdown with such a jam-packed first day. Especially since you have no rest days built into this schedule.
It’s really easy to get caught up in the mentality of “must do all the things.” It’s literally impossible and it can set you up for cranky kids and a bad overall experience. Especially as first-timers. A lot of people go for the first time and come back cranky and tired and jaded on WDW. And it’s mostly because they overextended/overplanned their trip not realizing how draining it can be.
My thoughts:
-I will be surprised if your kids make it through full days like you have planned, plus waiting in multiple 45+ minute long waits
-I would suggest doing changing your plan to doing the most important things first, then you can just leave when you get tired (also getting LL+ if needed, I’d rather pay any amount than wait 60 minutes with kids that age). It would suck if your favourite must-do ride is at the end of the day and your kids are just done.
-whenever you see a bathroom, go!
-pack some snacks for emergencies, and also take some snack breaks where you can sit down and rest for a few minutes
-your 6 year old may surprise you and want to do more- maybe one parent could take them for an evening one night?
-when my son was 6 he liked leaving the park around 3, then going back to the hotel to relax, go to the pool and eat supper at the snack bar (since you’re at AKL you will want to have plenty of time for this!)
For our first trip, our boys were 3 and 6 and we had the best time. I think there’s a lot you can do with them in EPCOT! Crush, Nemo, Figment, Soarin, etc. But be aware that once you start walking around the World Showcase, it can be a really long walk back to the main entrance. Ask me how I know.
To echo what some others have said…
I’d consider moving your first MK day earlier in the trip. My boys are 9 and almost 12 now and they still insist on MK being our first park day. It’s just the most magical. We usually end our trips there, too!
Mid-day nap/pool breaks were key. And my kids are early risers, so we typically try to be back at the resort early-ish and enjoy cocktails on the balcony while they get to sleep.
We had and still have a rule at Disney that when one person needs a bathroom break, everyone goes, whether they “need to” or not.
We’ve had (knock on wood) very few meltdowns in the parks because we know our limits and try not to push them too much. When everyone is hot and tired and getting cranky, it’s time for a break. If you don’t do everything, that just means you’ll have to go back again.
Have a great time!
