Susan Bartolini
New member
Hey everyone,
I just wanted to pop on and say a big thank you to everyone who helped me with our family's first Disney trip. We just got back last week and had a blast. Here are some brief observations from our trip.
LOVED the Grand Floridian. It was a gorgeous hotel and the staff were amazing. I am so glad we booked this resort. Being on the monorail just made our lives so much easier. We were one stop from Magic Kingdom and just a couple more to Epcot and Chef Mickeys at the Contemporary. We also took the boat a couple times and that was super fun. The pool was awesome and the kids loved the water slide, movies at night...and mommy and daddy loved having a cocktail while the kids swam and made new friends.
Going in May was a mistake for us. It was really hot for Ben (but he was a real trooper and pushed through). Also those crazy as hell "Love Bugs" were everywhere and Madeleine was in hysterics for the first day. We lost the entire first day of our vacation due to those bugs. That said, Madeleine is only 5 years old and had she been older, she would have dealt better with them.
The stroller from Orlando Stroller rentals was kick ass. Thank goodness we had that stroller. It was super hot and humid and Ben would not have been able to last long without it. The large canopy kept them out of the sun. Drop off and pick up at the resort was seamless.
We wouldn't get a dining plan next time. I think I would either take Robin's advice and book a villa with a kitchen and cook our own meals or just pay a la carte. The quick service food got really tiresome by day two but we were locked into a meal plan and felt compelled to eat the park food. Once or twice is fine, but everyday was just gross for us. Plus, because it was hot, we all weren't really hungry that much. I would much prefer to cook a healthy big breakfast and take healthier snacks to the park and supplement as needed. Of course, this is just a personal preference.
The Guest Assistance Card was absolutely the BEST thing we did for our trip. I am so impressed by Disney and how they make the parks doable for children with needs. Serious kudos. We were able to wait in a cooler waiting area or an expedited line and that kept Ben engaged and able to the do the parks. I should have brought a pair of noise cancelling headphones for Ben. He has some sensory issues and the shows and rides can be really loud. I will do that next time.
I had high expectations for my 5 year old and needed to get a reality check half way through. She was a bit young for some of the more challenging rides (Splash Mountain, Barnstormer, etc.) I didn't push her or make her ride anything she was frightened to ride...but I probably could have waited another six months to a year for Madeleine to be ready for Disney. Of course, this is different for every child.
The character meals were a highlight. We did dinner at 1900 Park Fare (with Cinderella, Lady Tremaine, Prince Charming and the Step Sisters). They all really played up their character and were terrific with the kids. Lady Tremaine actually picked Ben to have a dance with and I literally welled up with tears watching him dance with her. It is a precious memory I will never forget (plus I have video)! Madeleine was so excited to meet the characters, she couldn't eat dinner. She looked like a deer in headlights when Cinderella arrived. So precious. Our next meal was breakfast at Chef Mickeys and that was AMAZING. The characters got to our table right away and the atmosphere was upbeat and party-like. The kids had the BEST time. We got to see Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto & Donald Duck. Ben was still young enough to really get into it. The characters were so lovely spending time with kids and letting us take tons of pics!
My favorite rides were: Soarin (seriously amazing), Turtle Talk with Crush, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor (kids loved it), Barnstormer, Splash Mountain, Expedition Everest, Kali River Rapids, Tower of Terror (LOVE LOVE LOVED IT), and Aerosmith Rockin Roller Coaster. A special shout out to the Nemo Show in Animal Kingdom. Seriously people...these actors are Broadway caliber. Their singing was amazing and the costumes, props and sets were unbelievable. Andrew was so moved by the story, he almost cried. Seriously, it was THAT good. I left there singing the songs and I won't soon forget it. It is a must do if you are going to AK.
We will definitely do Disney again....maybe next November 2013 (when it is cooler and no bugs). Well....that is all I can think of for now. Just thought I would give you all the recap. Thanks again for all your advice!!!
ETA: We loved the daily parades in the parks. The kids got to see one in Magic Kingdom and the Pixar character parade at Hollywood Studios. The Main Street Electrical parade was the best. The kids loved it more than the Fireworks!
I just wanted to pop on and say a big thank you to everyone who helped me with our family's first Disney trip. We just got back last week and had a blast. Here are some brief observations from our trip.
LOVED the Grand Floridian. It was a gorgeous hotel and the staff were amazing. I am so glad we booked this resort. Being on the monorail just made our lives so much easier. We were one stop from Magic Kingdom and just a couple more to Epcot and Chef Mickeys at the Contemporary. We also took the boat a couple times and that was super fun. The pool was awesome and the kids loved the water slide, movies at night...and mommy and daddy loved having a cocktail while the kids swam and made new friends.
Going in May was a mistake for us. It was really hot for Ben (but he was a real trooper and pushed through). Also those crazy as hell "Love Bugs" were everywhere and Madeleine was in hysterics for the first day. We lost the entire first day of our vacation due to those bugs. That said, Madeleine is only 5 years old and had she been older, she would have dealt better with them.
The stroller from Orlando Stroller rentals was kick ass. Thank goodness we had that stroller. It was super hot and humid and Ben would not have been able to last long without it. The large canopy kept them out of the sun. Drop off and pick up at the resort was seamless.
We wouldn't get a dining plan next time. I think I would either take Robin's advice and book a villa with a kitchen and cook our own meals or just pay a la carte. The quick service food got really tiresome by day two but we were locked into a meal plan and felt compelled to eat the park food. Once or twice is fine, but everyday was just gross for us. Plus, because it was hot, we all weren't really hungry that much. I would much prefer to cook a healthy big breakfast and take healthier snacks to the park and supplement as needed. Of course, this is just a personal preference.
The Guest Assistance Card was absolutely the BEST thing we did for our trip. I am so impressed by Disney and how they make the parks doable for children with needs. Serious kudos. We were able to wait in a cooler waiting area or an expedited line and that kept Ben engaged and able to the do the parks. I should have brought a pair of noise cancelling headphones for Ben. He has some sensory issues and the shows and rides can be really loud. I will do that next time.
I had high expectations for my 5 year old and needed to get a reality check half way through. She was a bit young for some of the more challenging rides (Splash Mountain, Barnstormer, etc.) I didn't push her or make her ride anything she was frightened to ride...but I probably could have waited another six months to a year for Madeleine to be ready for Disney. Of course, this is different for every child.
The character meals were a highlight. We did dinner at 1900 Park Fare (with Cinderella, Lady Tremaine, Prince Charming and the Step Sisters). They all really played up their character and were terrific with the kids. Lady Tremaine actually picked Ben to have a dance with and I literally welled up with tears watching him dance with her. It is a precious memory I will never forget (plus I have video)! Madeleine was so excited to meet the characters, she couldn't eat dinner. She looked like a deer in headlights when Cinderella arrived. So precious. Our next meal was breakfast at Chef Mickeys and that was AMAZING. The characters got to our table right away and the atmosphere was upbeat and party-like. The kids had the BEST time. We got to see Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto & Donald Duck. Ben was still young enough to really get into it. The characters were so lovely spending time with kids and letting us take tons of pics!
My favorite rides were: Soarin (seriously amazing), Turtle Talk with Crush, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor (kids loved it), Barnstormer, Splash Mountain, Expedition Everest, Kali River Rapids, Tower of Terror (LOVE LOVE LOVED IT), and Aerosmith Rockin Roller Coaster. A special shout out to the Nemo Show in Animal Kingdom. Seriously people...these actors are Broadway caliber. Their singing was amazing and the costumes, props and sets were unbelievable. Andrew was so moved by the story, he almost cried. Seriously, it was THAT good. I left there singing the songs and I won't soon forget it. It is a must do if you are going to AK.
We will definitely do Disney again....maybe next November 2013 (when it is cooler and no bugs). Well....that is all I can think of for now. Just thought I would give you all the recap. Thanks again for all your advice!!!
ETA: We loved the daily parades in the parks. The kids got to see one in Magic Kingdom and the Pixar character parade at Hollywood Studios. The Main Street Electrical parade was the best. The kids loved it more than the Fireworks!
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If you're thinking of coming again, November is actually nice time to come. They decorate the park for Fall and the weather is warm (average of 78 degrees) but not as hot as it is in May (average of 88 degrees). As for the humidity, that's something we deal with year round. It fluctuates depending on the chance of rain... but that's not something you can plan around. 
