2 weeks ago our family was blessed with a trip to Disney World.
My wonderful brother in law gifted us with the trip this past Christmas, and we were so grateful for his generosity.
Right away I got to planning. Reading blogs, books, pinning everything Disney. My mind was all about Magic Bands, Fast Passes, Memory Makers and more.
I was SO prepared.
OR so I thought……
It was on our second day there that I realized the one major thing I didn’t plan for…..
Nobody told me I needed to train for Disney.
Disney is the happiest place on earth??
YES, I totally agree.
Disney brings out the kid in you??
Eh, not so much.
Disney made this mama feel like an 90 year old woman.
Seriously if you are going to Disney you need to get off your hiney and get in gear…..these parks are no joke.
Megan looks happy huh? Girlfriend didn’t want to be bothered with pictures if they did not involve a princess or character.
Remember I am a newbie at this Disney stuff….and also I never claim to have all the answers (it’s even in the title) so these are just things that I think can help….not the end all be all.
Tip #1
Get yourself some walking shoes. This I did actually plan for and made sure the girls has some good supportive shoes as well. The people that walk around in flip flops….I have NO CLUE how they do it. Even with great shoes my feet were killing me. I also suggest getting them and breaking them in. We got Megan new shoes that she had never worn and new ankle socks which she wasn’t used to and she did get a blister on the back of her foot.
Tip #2
Couch to 5k. Get. on. it. Seriously. Choose any program just get out there and MOVE. And make sure you get your kiddos on board too. If they aren’t used to walking long distances, make sure you go for some long walks prior to your trip.
Tip #3
HYDRATE. Disney lets you bring in outside food and drink. Bring empty water bottles and fill those bad boys up repeatedly. We brought two of our big Camelbacks and filled them multiple times a day. One for Will and I, and one for the girls.
Tip #4
Listen to your body. Allow yourself to rest. This is something we did not do. We were on such a tight schedule and I wanted to pack in all the fun and we pushed and pushed. Late nights and early mornings partnered with hot sun really did a number on us. I would say when planning allow for some relaxation and down time. I know we certainly will next time.
And finally not so much a tip, but something I think all parents going to Disney should keep in mind.
Remember that even amongst all your planning things will go wrong. It’s just the way it goes. Flights will be delayed. Rides will be closed. Rain happens. Children can get hurt at Disney too. (And yes all of those things happened to us) Instead of stressing over all the things that are out of your control, try looking at the trip through the eyes of your children. Whenever I was thinking “this is ruining everything” all I had to do was simply look over at Madisyn or Megan and see the wonder and the magic in their eyes and know that to them, this trip was perfect. They had the most magical time of their lives, and I was there to witness it all. And that made my tired feet, aching back and probably a few new grey hairs totally worth it!
Ahhh, I can’t wait until the day my kids are old enough for Disney. Sounds like some legit training, too!
That is all stuff I probably would not have thought of either! Last year when we went to Universal Studios we only had one day there but we were all so tired and hot by like 2pm that we decided to go back to the hotel and take a nap! I can’t imagine doing five days in a row of that without resting. I’m so glad it was magical! 🙂 I still remember my FIRST disney trip and don’t remember anything negative about it…
And pack the sunscreen and ponchos! 🙂 We adore Disney, and hope to be back soon! The pics are fabulous!
Just got back yesterday and it was very hot and crowded. Take and use good sunblock. I’d take a stroller just to carry our things with a collapsible ice cooler and take PBJ’s, chips, and fruit. Took laptop and movies for the airport and dollar store, Joann and target and have mini coloring books and crayons. great on the plane. We also took popcorn. Bought the containers in Disneyland and just refilled them. Kids new no difference. Made me feel like I got my money’s worth if only on the popcorn.
Awww, these pics make me want to go back NOW. Megan’s face is priceless on the top pic! 🙂 Maybe I’ll have the magic band/fast pass figured out by the time we go back in a few years!
We love Disney and get to go often (it makes it a little easier to go when you live in Florida.) Biggest tip: don’t try to cram everything into one day. Even if it’s your first time, even if there will never be a next time. There are always crowds, if you go in the summer it will be hot and sticky, and there is an awful lot of liquid Sunshine in our state. Remember there will be so much out of your control. Pick 1 or 2 absolutely must-do’s and enjoy the experiences in between. Or you’ll miss the most important part: enjoy the ones you are with. So you have those sweet memories of your children’s facing smiling when they meet their favorite character, or your spouses face under the fireworks. That’s where the real Disney Magic is. 😉
I am a Disney nut– we go every other year with our three boys and I’m the crazy lady wearing flip flops for the whole week. I love ’em and for me they’re my most comfortable shoes. That said– I totally agree that most people are unprepared for all the walking (we sure were our first year!). Not only do you walk a lot in the parks but sometimes getting to the park requires a lot of walking too. We always bring water bottles and ask to have them filled at any counter service station (with ice), sunscreen, ponchos and of course our camera. It took me a good three trips in before I finally relaxed enough to go with the flow and enjoy it. I planned (and even still kind of do) every moment and I used to get so upset when things didn’t go according to plan. This past trip I went with the mindset that we’ll see what we see and made sure to know each boys “MUST do” and then we just went with the flow and it was by far the best trip we’ve ever had.
So glad to hear a young person be honest about this trip! My husband & daughter surprised me for my 50 bday with a family trip to Disney. I always wanted my first visit and my grandson’s first visit to be together and it was. I’ve never hurt so much in my life from self inflected “joy”. To me the worst part was walking to the parks, trains or busses to get you to the designated parks. Those scooters for the injured and aged were looking mighty tempting. Ha! I would do it all over again in a skinny minute, to be with all of them again!
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Disney will give you free ice water if you ask. Just got to any quick service restaurant and ask. no need to lug around tons of water or waste money on buying drinks for the family.
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These tips are great. We’ve only done two day trips to Disney with babies and toddlers, and it has made me appreciate the planning that will go into our true ” big Disney” trip that is on the horizon. I would also add that if you have food allergies, Disney is great about accommodating as long as you let them know and can be patient. That, to me, is the biggest tip, just enjoy your kids and don’t rush. They are focused on what they did not what they didn’t do.
I can tell you that it’s all very true! I wore a pedometer there once and I believe we did about 16,000 steps in a day!!
One more tip- when travelling with kid’s (or really anyone!) get there when the park opens and take a break in the afternoon around 2pm. Go back to the hotel and have a nap or swim, etc and then head back to the park for the evening. You’ll be glad you did! Florida almost always seems to get an afternoon thunderstorm around that time anyway. Might as well use it as a natural break!
Your last paragraph is one every parent going to Disney needs to note. Watch your kids. I have taken all my children and Grandchildren and a few adult *kids* to WDW for their first time. It’s magical to them and watching them reminds me again and again why I love it.
We go to Disney every year. And every year I learn something I wished I’d known at the beginning of the trip. But you are absolutely 100% correct on getting yourself in shape before you go. Our very first trip there, I couldn’t even make it to my resort room after leaving Magic Kingdom. I got as far as the lobby and asked for a closer room to the bus stop (and paid more for it, too!).
Disney will give you free water if you stop at a snack kiosk and ask for a glass of water. As long as you don’t expect bottled water, it’s free. Saves carrying a bottle around the park all day. But if you want something easily filled at a water fountain, Amazon sells collapsible containers that are easy to pack and carry. Here’s the child’s size one, but there’s a larger adult version, too. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01APTX836/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Orlando parks have this characteristic. They are wonderful, but they are very tiring too. Wearing comfortable clothes and shoes and allowing yourself to rest helps a lot in this marathon that is walking in the parks.