Need tips - visiting orlando with a very young family.?

Question

Am visiting Orlando in mid-April with my family - husband, two kids aged 18months and 6, and wondered best places to stay, and also which parks are best for visiting for both the children. have considered the Wyndham resort on International drive, or Holiday Inn, or Disney's Port Orleans.

Don't want to make the wrong choices as the parks are so expensive and I'd like the kids to get what they can out of it. Is it worth hiring a car and going to Kissimee?

thanks

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

get a car, that way you won't have to depend on the bus schedules. Besides different hotels have different schedules.
Parking in any of the disney parks is $10 all day and you pay only once a day.

Answer 2

The Wyndham on I-drive looks quite nice, haven't actually seen the rooms but the rest of the hotel nice. I would advise a car to get about, especially with 2 kids, and if you want to go disney then its well worth getting a car because the parks are quite a way from I-drive. As I said before, i'd definitley recommend Seaworld and maybe just do one or two of the disney parks...like magic kingdom and the animal kingdom. Not sure the kids would get much out of the other two anyway. We used this ticket agency when we went in February and found them very reasonable and reliable. Hope this helps.

Source(s):

http://www.knowbeforeugo.com/

Answer 3

As far as accommodation goes, I have personally stayed on a villa, so don't know about the resorts. However the Disney resorts are excellent and the Disney transport buses are never ending, so you'll never struggle to get to a park.

With regards to the parks, Magic Kingdom is the typical young kids resort, most of it is absolutely fine for the age of children you have. There are exceptions perhaps, notably Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain, but you should be fine.

Animal Kingdom is very suitable. One of it's advantages os that it's quite well shaded and plenty of indoor areas, and although not adundant in rides, it's very nice just to walk around.

Epcot is a wonderful park, but it's rides and size may not make it suitable. It takes an entire day to get around Epcot and the heat really takes it out of you. Rides like Test Track and Mission Space (best ride in Disney) are a no no for the 18 month kids. Mission Space is a high intensity ride that pulls about 2.5g, so be aware of this.

Disney MGM is great, very picturesque and should be fine. There are unsuitable rides for very young kids like the Aerosmith Rock & Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror, but apart from that - fine.

Other parks? Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure are now one park, so don't require separate tickets any more. Of the two, Islands of Adventure has more roller coaster and theme park rides whereas Universal is suited to all ages.

Whatever you choose - have fun! (NB - if you don't stay at a Disney park and hire a car to visit there, each park has a car park charge. In 2005 it was $9, so budget for that as well)

Answer 4

I have stayed at the Wyndham just last year. It's nice..I got a great deal on Priceline (can email photos if you want them). How many nights are you going for? I think you should rent an inexpensive car and stay on the outer edge in a condo. Look up Bahama Bay Resort. You can get deals for $89 per night. Sheraton Vistana is also good. (have stayed at both). Definately GOOGLE everything. There are deals to be had and you shouldn't have to pay full price for a lot of things. Even if you rent a car...find a coupon for 20% off. They are out there...I do it every year! If you need more help email me! Have fun!

Answer 5

i think the yacht club might be good and the magic kingdom and if your a Disney resort guest than there is extra hours for when stay at Disney property

Answer 6

I just went there recently and all of the All-Star resorts are great. Not exactly the Four Seasons but the rates are amazing. The pools are also nice. I like the All-Star Music resort the best, personally. The Magic Kingdom is probably your best bet for young kids. But, if you get the One-Day park hopper it isn't to expensive. Especially with young children.

Kissimee is okay but I would stay in Disney World, it's much easier.

Source(s):

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/ind…

Answer 7

We have 4 young children and find that its best to stay right on-site at one of Disney's resorts. That way, you are always really close to the hotel in case you need to go back for a rest, or whatever! Also, they have free bus transportation that is really great. You hardly have to wait at all and it takes you right to the entrance of the parks, and right back to the hotel! You can also take the buses to Downtown Disney- your little ones will love it and its free to get in there. They have tons of shops and restaurants- The Rainforest Cafe is always a big hit with our family. So, I would not get a car. We have stayed at Port Orleans Resort several times and really enjoyed it, but our favorites are Animal Kingdom Lodge and Coronado Springs. They have awesome pools with water slides for the children.

As far as any tips- with children you want to make sure you pack sunscreen, hats, and lots of water because April is very hot usually. Definitely rent a double stroller there. I believe its around $18 per day but I think they have special deals if you are staying for the whole week. We also try to get to the park right when they open, stay until after lunch, then go back to the hotel for a rest. Then we usually go to the pool for a while, then clean up and go back to a park for dinner. They have great fireworks shows! Hope this helps. Have a great trip!

Answer 8

Skip Kissimee. It's tacky just like Orlando. Stay at one of the resorts on the Disney property. They are all great for familes with young kids. Personally, I think you should've waited till the youngest was atleast 5 to go to Disney. An 18 month old just won't appreciate it. Luckily, I don't think it's expensive for really young ones. You and your husband take turns going on the attractions with the older one. There are some things that the baby can go on at the Magic Kingdom like the flying elephants. Also, don't skip Epcot because you think they are too young! You and your husband will totally love it and the kids will like the colors, music and festivity. I haven't been to MGM or Animal Kingdom but have heard they're cool. Also, DO NOT go to Universal Studios. It is a huge rip-off. Almost all the rides are those stupid virtual reality ones that don't go anywhere. Skip Sea World as well. The kids are just too young. See if you can get any good deals on Disneyworld tickets through thet hotel you choose. The kids will probably enjoy the hotel pool more than anything so don't waste too much money. You could rent a car and drive to the Ocean, they'd love that! DO NOT go to Kissimee, once again, it's very tacky.

Source(s):

Go to Florida once or twice a year and have gone to Disney three times.

Answer 9

What a wonderful time you're going to have with both your children! Someone mentioned 18 months being too young. I don't think a child that age is at all too young. Our daughter's first experience was at 1 and was so fascinated with the colors, movement, and music. Sure, she doesn't remember that trip but we certainly do. The memories we have of her are priceless. She loves watching the video of that trip. We've taken her many times since then for experiences she now remembers.

Your six year old will love everything about Disney World. You didn't mention if the six year old is a boy or girl. If she happens to be a girl she would enjoy the Princess breakfast. If you decide to do this book it immediately. We've done them many times with our daughter and she just loves it. She dresses up as her favorite princess and gets autographs (you can get an autograph book at the park) and pictures taken with them. It is so heartwarming to see how excited she gets.

I strongly recommend you stay on property and forget about the expense of a car. We have been to Disney World around 20 times and aside from two stays at Hotel Royal Plaza (on Disney property) we always stay at the Disney resorts. It is so much more convenient. When you arrive at the airport their shuttle service (complimentary) called Disney Magic Express is there waiting for you. They even take care of your bags. Can you believe you don't have to wait for your luggage at the airport? They take care of it for you and the next time you see the bags are in your room. That in itself is reason enough to stay at their resorts. They also provide shuttle service to and from your resort to all the parks and downtown Disney. You won't have the expense or hassle of parking as you would if you rented a car. We have never felt the need to rent one.

We've stayed at most of the moderate resorts, the Contemporary (deluxe), and once at a value resort. They're all nice. I don't think you'll be sorry you stayed with them. It will be more convenient in the sense you can go back to your room for naps or a swim and then return in the evening. Another perk for staying with Disney would be extended hours exclusively for resort guests. You'll probably find a very affordable package that will include park passes and a room.

Judging by the age of your children they will probably enjoy Magic Kingdom more than any of the other parks. They both can ride Dumbo, Peter Pan, Small World (your baby is going to love this one), Snow White, Winnie the Pooh, Pirates of the Caribbean, see the animatronic bird show in the Tikki room, as well as the Country Bears jamboree show. MGM has a few shows for them like the Muppets, Bear in the Big Blue House. This is where they'll see JoJo, Stanley, and Big Bear of course. Young children love this show. MGM also has the Little Mermaid under the sea puppeteer show (a must see). The colors are amazing!!!!! Even your baby will enjoy it. And then you can't miss the condensed stage production of Beauty and the Beast. This is a very good show, too.

I also want to recommend you rent a double stroller for the kids. If your visit will include multiple days you can get a discount. Make certain you let them know. Another thing that is very important is to pack rain ponchos for the family. Orlando tends to have occasional rain showers. If you forget the ponchos Disney has cute ones for sale with Mickey on them. I think they're like four bucks each. And one last piece of advise is that you carry something plastic to cover the stroller when you park it at the various attractions. The last thing you want is for it to be wet when you try to put your children back in. I carry a plastic shower liner and it works just perfectly.

Have a wonderful time experiencing Disney with both your children. These will be memories that last a lifetime. :)

Answer 10

Yes, renting a car is a very good idea! Do your kids like dinosaurs? We brought 9 kids (all under 8) to Dinosaur World and they all had a blast!! It is not far from Disney. Much less stressful than the other parks. Busch Gardens is also a better park than Disney's Animal kingdom. We wasted a ton of money at Animal Kingdom and had a Much better time at Busch Gardens. (Bring your own stroller!!!!! the parks charge $$$ for stroller rentals.)

Source(s):

DinosaurWorld.com

Answer 11

I have stayed at the Wyndham. It is very nice and clean. It is a distance from WDW. You should rent a car if you stay there.
I have stayed at Port Orleans - French Quarter. It is nice. It is a "smaller" resort which means your room is not very far away from the pool, the bus stop, or the food. You are going in mid April. April 8 to April 14 is Easter week. Easter week is a very busy time at WDW. Disney charges Peak Season rates on their rooms from now through April 14. WDW charges regular season rates after April 14. If you are going to WDW from April 15 or later, I would stay at the Port Orleans French Quarter. If you are arriving bedfore April 15, I would chose Holiday Inn. You don't spend that much time in your room (really) LOL. You want a clean room with a pool.
If you stay outside of WDW, you really do need a car. Bus shuttles are OK, but they run on their schedules, not yours, and certainly not the 18 mo old. LOL If you stay at a WDW resort, they have free busses throughout their property. You will not need a car. Also, if your stay on property, WDW has what they call Magical Express (ME), they take you from the airport and bring you to your room.
The following is a joke - They take your family and anybody else they can grab. Shove them on a bus, stick 'em in a room and then charge higher rates at their hotels. While they are at it, they grab your luggage and it magiclly appears in your room! Of course, you have no other type of transportation, so you eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at their overpriced restaurants. LOL. Sorry, I just could not help myself. Heh, heh.
But really, they shuttle you and your family and your luggage for free to your resort. Saves you the expense of using a Mears shuttle. Disney will also shuttle you back to the airport when you are leaving. You need to set this up before you arrive.
As seen on allearsnet.com
Disney's Magical Express must be booked at least 10 days prior to arrival through disneyworld.com, Disney Reservation Center by calling 407-W-DISNEY or a travel agent. Be sure to have your Arriving Flight Number and time into the Orlando International Airport as well as your Departing Flight Number and time out of the Orlando International Airport as well as the name of the airlines you are flying. We HIGHLY recommend booking this service a minimum of 6 weeks in advance
Anyways, staying onsite saves you from renting a car or using Mears shuttles. You also have the $10 per day that WDW charges you to park at their theme parks. Parking at the hotels is free. You also get to use the WDW transportation, you can charge things to your room, you can get the souvenirs and other packages you buy sent to your hotel. Wdw opens one of their parks one hour early for only their resort guest . WDW also extends their evening hours by 3 hours at one of their parks for only their resort guests. So staying onsite had advantages.
If you got the money, (who does?) staying at the deluxe resorts is great. They are very nice places but they have GREAT locations. The Polynesian is great with kids and it is on the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. The Yacht and Beach Club has the best resort pool on property. It really is a mini water park. WDW requires you show your room key from the resort to use the pool. It is located within easy walking distance from EPCOT and Disney Studios. The Beach Club seems more kid friendly. The Yacht club seems more formal.
If you buy the "vacation package" - rooms at rack rate and at least one day admission- you can add on the Disney Dining Plan. The plan allows you one counter service meal, one snack and one complete sit down meal. It is a lot of food though and you might have difficulty getting reservations at this late date. If you book through AAA, they can get a small discount off the rack rate and still allow you to use the meal plan.
AT WDW, they offer (charges a lot actually - heh heh heh, oops, sorry) in room baby sitters. There are several services if you'd rather have the babysitter come to your room. Reservations for these services are necessary. Rates and other special requirements vary by service.
Fairy Godmothers
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I've used them and it was great. Allowed the adults to "get away" for the evening. Have a nice meal or go dancing or go drinking (I know. I know - but there Is drinking at WDW) or go to Pleasure Island or buy gifts for Christmas or go on thrill rides together or just have some quiet time. Yes, quiet time AHHH. A stroll on the property is nice.


WDW is family fieindly to the extreme. Every park is designed for the family of all ages. Certainly the Magic Kingdom is what most people think of when they hear Disney. (The Dumbo attraction is slow loading - always a big line - do this first) However, the other 3 parks have many things that a family can enjoy also. As you will read from almost eveyone, you can not possibly see everything at WDW in one week. You will need to plan. Get a guide book (WDW for families, the Unofficial guide, the Official guide, Passporters etc.) that you feel comfortable with. You can get them from the library also. Read up on things on the internet at allearsnet or wdwinfo or mousesavers or the DIS boards. You will need to decide what you want to see. You will read many times the following (hint, LOL) :
Get to the park early, get on the busy attractions early, take a break in the afternoon, return to the park in the late afternoon or early evening.
If you don't like that hint then you can go to the parks late, try to see eveything in one day even if it kills you, get cranky and overtired then go to the room and collapse - then repeat this everyday. LOL. Sorry, sarcasm just keeps slipping in.
Make use of fast pass. Make use of the "baby swap" so both adults can see and ride the attractions.
The 18 month old isn't going to remember much but the kid will have a great time. There are many loud noises in the shows. attractions and the fireworks that can overwhelm the kids. The kids might want autographs. Bring an autograph book and a thick magic marker type pen. The characters have a difficult time trying to grasp the thin barreled pens. The characters set up at specific locations and you can get a list of them at the park or hotel.
At the World Showcase at Epcot, they have KidCot where the kids get to make a mask, get their "passport" stamped and other kid stuff. My kids loved it and I got some time to shop. Hehehe.
Rent a stroller or bring your own. Don't leave valuables in the stroller if it is out of your sight. Sometimes your stroller is taken by accident (all Disney strollers look the same. heh heh) but sometmes the stroller is taken on purpose. Human nature being what it is, even thieves go to WDW. Tie something unique to your stroller so you can recognize it from a distance. Cast members are assigned to hide your stroller when you go into a show. Since they all look the same, it doesn't take much skill to hide them. (Sorry, that sarcasm thing again) Actually the cast members park the strollers in neat rows. They WILL move your stroller. They will also move the other 100 strollers that are parked there. So, tie a balloon, a scarf and flag, anything that easily identifies your stroller from the rest. If you rent, save your receipt. If you go to another park that day, just show your receipt and you won't have to pay again for that day.
Get your tickets before you arrive. WDW charges slightly higher prices at the parks compared to buying them before you arrive. Get the park hopper option also. Some parks open early. Some parks close late. The park hopper will allow you to change parks during the day. AAA offers discounts. Maple Leaf tickets offers a small discount also.

Kissimmee is mostly chain hotels, chain motels, chain restaurants and chain stores in the WDW area. Certainly away from WDW, Kissimmee is a nice place but it is overwhelmed with the presence of WDW and the tourists they bring. Is it worth going to? - not really.
Bring 2 pairs of comfortable walking shoes. Bring a cheap poncho for everyone and bring one for the stroller. Gotta keep that dry too. Start practicing evasive manuvers with the stroller. Some guest seem to think that they should just suddenly stop right in front of you. It happens ALL the time. Some guests see you as part of an obstacle course and will do almost anything to get ahead of you. (Then complain if you accidently hit them) Then we have the all time favorite - let's exit the attraction, exit the gift store and then stop right at the exit door and block everyone else because we are special and the chosen few. You need to practice tight turns, sudden stops, and pushing it in tight narrow areas.
Oh yeah, your on vacation. Don't stress on the little things. When the kids find out the there a millions of little lizards in all the bushes, they will spend a lifetime watching them.Everything grinds to a halt.
Remember you paid a lot of money to go to WDW and gosh darn it - the kids will have fun if they want to or not . LOL. Have fun, just keep smiling.

Source(s):

http://allearsnet.com/index.html
http://www.mousesavers.com/disneyresorts…

Answer 12

If you have young kids, don't overload. How long are you staying? Try to stay on property just to make things easier. The value hotels are very nice and you can enjoy the perks of being a Disney guest. One advantage is that you can get out into the parks quickly, without looking for parking and shuttles, and then once you and the kids wear out you can just get right back to your hotel to rest and recover. Then you can get right back out into the parks when you're ready. I would really gear my visit towards the Magic Kingdom as that is the one you all will enjoy. There is so much to do you could be there for days and never see everything.
Have a great trip!

Answer 13

If you are going to Orlando with young kids and visiting Disney for any length of time, staying at one of the Disney properties is a MUST. The perks for resort guests are just too good to pass up. In your case, the unlimited use of their free transportation is your best bet. The off property hotels usually have shuttle services, but you are at their mercy in terms of schedule, and some of them cost extra. Staying at a Disney resort you can take the bus to whichever park you are going to, and not have to worry about going in the car anywhere, if you have one.

Port Orleans is an incredible resort, and I loved staying there. However, if you have the opportunity, I would try the All-Stars Movies resort. Your kids will LOVE it. The decor is geared more towards the kids, with each wing of the resort decorated in a different Disney movie. If it is booked, then any of the moderate resorts are very good. The difference between the value and moderates, other than the price, is really personal preference. The value resort rooms are a little smaller, and the resorts only offer a food court. The moderates have bigger rooms and sit down restaurants. Other than that, each resort has it's own charm and flare. You have to decide which one you like, but stay on property.

Each of the parks has something for the kids. Honestly of all of them, I would maybe skip Epcot with your age kids. Having said that, they do have quite a few rides now that your kids would enjoy, including Finding Nemo and Turtle Talk with Crush in the Living Seas. Soarin' would be good too, so I guess you need to look at which attractions would best suit your family. If you miss anything, it gives you a reason to go back, not that you really need one!

Make sure to get the park hopper option on your passes. You can then pretty much come and go as you please, instead of getting stuck going to one park on one day. If any of the parks are exceptionally crowded, you can shift gears and go to a different park, instead of having to deal with the crowd.

Do not worry about the ages of your kids when going to Disney. I took my daughter for her first trip when she was 4, then went back the following year when she was 5 and my son was 14 months. Both kids had a blast. They were too small to ride the roller coasters, but both kids had fun. I have heard the argument that you shouldn't take kids until they are at least 5 so they remember it, but that is a cop out. Honestly, how many vacations do you remember from 6 or 7 years ago. The kids will see the pictures and see what they did, but as they get older NO ONE remembers vacations they took or special events, everything becomes hazy. The best thing about Disney is that there is something for everyone, from 1 to 99, that is part of the Disney magic.

I have two sources I use when getting ready to go to Disney. First, pick up Birnbaum's guide to WDW. There are a ton of books out there, but that is the one that has worked best for us. You can compare resorts, attractions, and get some great tips on things to do with your age of kids. I would also go to the disneyworld.com website, and soak up all of the info they have. You can again do a comparison of the resorts as well as get a quote on your trip, complete with airfare if you need it, passes, and resort accomidations.

Have a great trip!

Source(s):

http://www.disneyworld.com
Disney Vacation Club member (going back in 11 days!)

Answer 14

We stayed at both the Holiday Inn and Disney's Port Orleans. The Holiday Inn is fine (the pools outside are the best) and there is a buffet breakfast in the morning that could save you a few dollars. They also have the kids themed rooms that are separate from the parents' rooms. The kids room has their own tv and VCR and bunk beds. Port Orleans is a great hotel and being onsite on Disney gives you access to free shuttles to all of the Disney parks. It is also a very safe and beautiful setting. At Port Orleans there are restaurants onsite (not terribly expensive either) if you just want to grab dinner instead of going offsite. The pool is nice and has a water slide that would be appropriate for both your children (but you may have to wait at the bottom for the little one). There is also a playground near the pool with swing, slide, etc. We enjoyed our stay there. With regards to Disney I would head for Magic Kingdom. We took our youngest there when she was only one and we were surprised by how much she could do. Dumbo ride, Peter Pan, It's a Small World, Tea Cups, Aladdin ride, the shows. At times my husband and I would split up and he would take my older daughter (she was 8) and I would take the one year old. We had an amazing time and have been back many times since then. Have fun!

Answer 15

In my opinion it all depends on your budget. My son stayed at a disney all star resort with his basketball team. They were in tournaments. And my husband and I stayed at a holiday inn outside of disney. We had a refrigerater in the room and microwave. It was great! The all star resort rooms, I felt to be small and no amenities. Holiday inn was nicer. However, the all star resort is on the budget end of Disney. Now the resorts that cost 300+ a night, I am sure are great, but, I can't afford three hundred a night. If you can, by all means stay in luxury. But, if you plan to stay at the all star, it is like a motel six!! You are better off at a holiday inn where you can warm up food in a microwave and be able to keep pop and stuff in a fridge.