We just went with our 5 year old twins in November. It was absolutely amazing. They are still talking about it now. A great site for tips is www.allearsnet.com. We did the meal plan and that worked out great for us - except for the diet needed when we got back because there was just so much food! I would HIGHLY suggest going to at least 2 character brunches or dinners. I didn't think that my kids would get too into the autograph books but they did and it is much easier to have the characters come to you instead of waiting up to 90 minutes in line to see them.
One thing that both my kids loved (we have a boy and a girl) was the free shows that seem to pop up in the parks. There is a great one in front of Cinderella's castle that my daughter made us see 3 times. Also, the nighttime show at MGM is amazing. Get there early to get a seat. Also, the fireworks and illuminated parade at the Magic Kingdom were really enjoyed by my kids. They didn't get much out of the Epcot nighttime show. My kids usually go to bed at 7pm but we were up late every night but one when we were there. I had thought that we would go back and rest at the hotel but we only did that twice and it was more for my father than for the kids. They really seemed to be so excited by the Disney magic that they seldom got cranky or tired (if only I could capture that at home!)
The only time we used strollers was late at night. You will see that people abandon the strollers that they rent from Disney. We would grab one of those and use it to wheel the tired kids out of the park. Other than that they walked everywhere and never complained (once again really wish this would happen at home!)
Oh, another thing that I did was to buy some Disney stuff at the Disney store on sale and pick up some Disney stuff at thrift stores the months before the trip. Every night in the hotel room I would set out the gifts with a little note from Mickey or a princess, etc. that they would get in the morning when they woke up. This really seemed to help the "buy this for me" fuss that I was afraid would happen. Disney is a marketing machine (the MBA in me found it amazing but the mom in me was ready to scream!) Almost every ride ends in a perfectly themed gift shop! Since the kids had already gotten a gift in the morning (and it was a gift that cost much less since I got them on sale or used!) - they didn't ask for too much from the stores.
Disney
Disney
"never excited me, but we just went to Disney World in April with my 2.5year old and had a blast. It was, well, pure magic. Key was to stay very close so we could go back to the hotel for naptime. There were lots of rides for the younger group including a kiddie roller coaster my son loved. He rode it 6 times. I wish I could say it was a particularly tame ride, but it really wasn't. Disney is truly fabulous at making magic for families. Young kids especially are treated very very well, and they're welcome almost everywhere. Our whole trip was a joy. MGM is the place to go if they want to meet all the Disney characters. It's not nearly as crowded and there are many character stations for meet-and-greets. Epcot wasn't as great for youngsters.
I highly recommend disboards.com and mousesavers.com for pre-trip advice and planning. Have fun!"
Disney
"I think it depends upon your kid. My four and two year old almost never ride in a stroller and are used to walking everywhere. I last did Disney when they were three and one and we brought one stroller and a carrier just incase the older one needed the stroller. The younger one used the stroller and the older one never got in. We did exactly what you said we went back to the hotel after lunch and had the kids take a nap then went back out until dinner time.
As others have said you can always rent a stroller there in each park if you need it. If is were me and traveling with my two I would take one stroller and a carrier."
Disney
More than anything, I'd just take a very low key approach and not try to maximize every second of park time. Since you are there a full week,
I'd take advantage of the luxury of time and hit the park in the AM but head back for naps, pool in the afternoon as crowds get bigger. I also found that heading straight back to fantasyland in the AM made for lighter crowds and this is the area targeted to the younger set. Others, will amble their way back there and it is most crowded in afternoons. I'd skip Snow White's Scary Adventure as it is very scary for the young ones and not that entertaining otherwise. Small World, Winnie the Pooh and Peter Pan are favorites. You may want to grab a fast pass for Peter Pan as that gets quite crowded. My kids loved the shows over the rides in many cases so grab the daily schedule and see if you can catch the show at the castle with all the characters.
As for fireworks (not sure how late your kids stay up), I'd not bother seeing them at the park. We stayed at the Polynesian and there were fabulous views from the pool/beach area. Grand Floridian also has a great spot to view."
Disney
"I definitely agree - you do a TON of walking at Disney. I rented a stroller (I think it was $10 for the day) for my six-year old this past summer and we were all so much happier. The Disney people will often move your stroller around to straighten things up and make more room and there are hundreds of the same stroller in any given place - tying a bandana around the handle or otherwise identifying your stroller really helps."
Disney
"We went with our daughter. She was 3 at the time and we probably would have waited until she and her sister were the ages of your boys but we were in Orlando on business and it seemed unfair to be in Cinderella's backyard and leave her behind. We got my mother to watch her younger sister (one at the time) and did it. There was a great book at the library that helped a lot with strategies on tackling it but I noted that there were at least 10 of these. I'd grab one. Also, we only did Magic Kingdom and made a major effort not to do it all. As a result, it was super pleasant and not stressful. Granted, our daughter was only 3 so we likely would have done more than Magic Kingdom.
You can buy a pass in advance through Triple A or the Disney Store but this only makes sense if you plan to hop parks so look into it. Staff there are super customer service oriented. The one book recommended hitting the younger children's rides first as most parents amble their way over to it making it the most crowded at mid-day. If your children are into the characters, book the character dinners/breakfasts ASAP as hey book up. That being said, we found it impossible to book the breakfasts but did ok with the dinners. I think they are less popular s they are a little more expensive but we found it worked better that way as hitting the park first thing helped avoid crowds and allowed us to break by mid-afternoon (again key for a 3 year old but maybe not as important for you).
One tip was that the view of the fireworks at Magic Kingdom is spectacular at the Grand Floridian Hotel. You need not be a hotel guest as the viewing area is outside. We found it helped us avoid the massive crowds and we were still able to catch the parade that accompanies the fire works one afternoon. I think they do afternoon parades twice a week. Get the weekly schedule when you arrive so you can plan that accordingly.
Bottom line: My husband and I expected to hate it and had a pleasant surprise as the staff were great, parks were clean and we didn't try to do it all."
Disney
"Eating
a.. Character Breakfasts/Lunches/Dinners
a.. Character breakfast with Pooh and friends at MagicKingdom (the food was pretty good, to my surprise. I was expecting expensive mediocre cafeteria food)
b.. Breakfast with Mickey at the Contemporary (you make reservations. You get to see a lot of the characters at one time. That way, you don't have to wait in those long lines to see them. Plus, Mickey and Minnie are always there). From Coronado, you have to take the shuttle bus to the Magic Kingdom and then take the Monorail to the Contemporary.
c.. we had one of the breakfasts with Mickey and the chipmunks at the Polynesian
d.. Make a reservation for one of the "character meals." These are buffet meals where a certain set of characters comes around to each table for pictures,hugs, etc. We went to the Winnie the Pooh and friendsone at the Crystal Palace, and it was a lot of fun. Ithink it's around $17/person for adults, and less for kids. And the food was actually really good.
e.. buy tickets for at least one character breakfast ahead of time (we are going to do Cinderella's breakfast because you get to eat inside Cinderella's castle at the MK but this might be too girly for some boys-- our son loves Cinderella though!)
b.. Regarding food, most of the parks have standard park/mall fare. Hamburgers, hotdogs, sandwiches, at super expensive prices. We ate there somedays others brought in sandwiches and just bought the drinks.
c.. Then get yourself some Priority Seating for restaurants that might be of interest -- do it quick as the "prime times" and spots may be already booked as the PS starts 90 days out. (We'll be at Disney with a 3 year-old and a almost 1 year-old the first week of December, and I started doing the "priority seating thing" on Labor Day.)
d.. We really enjoyed Downtown DIsney for our nights out. Full of restaurants, clubs, shopping, etc.
e.. the Animal Kingdom Lodge has a great restaurant Boma and you can see all kinds of animals that are right there at the lodge.
f.. We went to the California Grill at the Contemporary for our night out, and it was expensive but the food was great, and the views were spectacular.
g.. I would *not* recommend the French restaurant at Epcot; we had gone once before and loved it, but this time the food was really mediocre.
Shopping:
a.. there were things there that I didn't buy because I thought that they may have the same thing at home at the Disney Store, but I was dead wrong! I also thought maybe I could find similar things at the Disney outlet nearby, but I was wrong about that too!)
b.. Don't miss Downtown Disney, the shopping mecca
c.. you can control spending by telling your son that you'll just LOOK all week and pick one toy at the end of the week as a souvenir. Trust me, this will save you the incessant pestering for a toy at every ride at Magic Kingdom and the other parks since EVERY line for a ride goes through a gift store!
d.. If you buy stuff at the park, they will send it to your hotel room. Pretty cool. You don't have to carry your stuff.
Misc tips...
a.. Also, rent a stroller at the park. If you leave one park and go to another, they give you a coupon and you get one at the next park without paying. At the end of the day they give you a Disney buck
b.. Take lots of pictures...bring backup film
c.. I took a cooler and made good use of stroller rentals...great locker system ...
d.. Ask to sit in the front of the Monorail with the driver, kids love it! (worth it and less of a wait at odd times).
e.. Have your son wear good shoes. We had to buy better sneakers at the mall.
Coronado Springs Resort
a.. Huge complex, fabulous Aztec pool and drinks.
b.. The resort itself is fair; the pool is nice, but the food is not so great.
c.. We drove to the main parking lot from Coronado each day to get the monorail- they have a bus service from the property, but parking is free if your in one of the resorts and it's easier than cathcing buses (at least for me with everyone)."
Disney
"Rides to stay away from for really young ones: Snow White's Scary Adventures terrify a lot of pre-schoolers, and the Haunted Mansion (which I remembered as being not at all scary) was a little eerie for my son, though he Swasn't actively freaked out."
Disney
"Attractions not to miss for a preschooler
Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are the best for young kids, Epcot and even MGM are lost on the younger ones. The water parks are nice, but your hotel pool will have a great theme, and unless your 4 yo is a total daredevil, the waterslides at the park would be wasted too, so count the water parks out: All the rides at Magic Kingdom are great for a 4yo,
a.. Magic Kingdom
a.. Mickey's Philharmagic (3D movie), You can smell the Apple Pie, water shoots out. The 3D effects are truly amazing.
b.. BuzzLight year, - All the adults had a good time! It's interactive in that you get to "shoot" at things for points)
c.. the parades Also, during the daily parades, there is a 'veteran of the day' and/or military something... My sister just asked at the gate when she got there one day... Her husband did some part of the parade, got a few cool pictures a certificate and did something with the flag I think
d.. fireworks at night (get there early a sit onthe side walk near the exit *first out of the park and you get a great veiw ) Tinkerbell zip lines across the park, all lit up. You have to sit in the front to get the best view. The first time we were in the back and just didn't get the same effect.
e.. the car races - Tomorrowland Speedway
f.. Mickeytoontown,
a.. a get-wet attraction called Donald's Boat so you may want to bring a bathing suit or a change of clothes.
b.. And there's a roller coaster for little kids called Mickey's Barnstormer, which my son loved
g.. teacups
h.. dumbo - that's apparently a big favorite for a lot of kids. Go early for that one; the line moves really slowly. If you miss it they have a very similar one in the Animal Kingdom Dinoland area - it's just not Dumbo.
i.. Cinderella Carousel
j.. Peter Pan's Flight,
k.. the Winnie the Pooh ride,
l.. Pirates of the Caribbean
m.. Jungle Cruise
n.. Splash Mountain (40 inches)
o.. Thunder Mountain (40 inches)
p.. It's a Small World"
Disney
"Planning your Visit and your days at the parks
a.. Fastpasses. This is the way to get on the rides w/o waiting in the long lines. You put your tickets in a fastpass kiosk (let's say Dumbo) and they will print you out a time to go back and ride the ride (10-11 a.m. for ex). You can't get another fastpass until 5 minutes after your time begins (10:05) I suggest at that time, one of you go to another ride (Pooh for ex) and get another fastpass. Then you go back to Dumbo, ride w/o line and when you are finished, go over to Pooh and do the same. You can see what times are available at the top of the ride. Don't get one if it isn't available until 9 or so at night, b/c then you can't use your fastpass until 9:05 p.m. Also - Mike asked the attendant if we could get on Space Mountain and she printed us out fastpass tickets for anytime!
b.. Definitely do Fast Pass for any attractions you are interested in. Not all rides have Fast Pass, but the most popular do. They're basically timed tickets. You get a ticket, come back at the stated time for a shorter waiting time. It's very cool! I think though, if the estimated wait time is less than 15-30 minutes, it's not necessary to do FastPass.
c.. Get a schedule of events and character greetings when you first arrive in the park and then plan your day around things you don't want to miss. You want to hit the really popular rides asap or before the lines get too long. Use FASTPASS if lines are more than 30 minutes. Because normally if the wait time says 30 minutes - it's a lot less than that and worth waiting for.
d.. Since we were staying a week, we hit the less stimulating parks first - Epcot on Day 1, then Animal Kingdom on day 2, then MGM, the Magic Kingdom last so they wouldn't be disappointed later on by lame rides (such as the Land at Epcot.) On day 5 we went back and hit the best rides/shows at each park.
e.. Our initial plan was to get to the parks early in the morning, leave around lunch to eat and nap and then come back for the rest of the day. My son just wouldn't leave until they close!! he was there from 9am to 9pm with a big grin on his face while all of us we went with my parents) were exhausted.
f.. Good Hint: Take advantage of the hour early policy at the parks (if you stay in the park, you are allowed to go an hour earlier.) You can most of the rides knocked out from 9-12 as opposed to 12-8 pm. When you go in the morning, head straight to the back of the park. Everyone stops at the rides as they walk along. If you go to the back and work forward, you will have less lines (our first 3 or so lines, we didn't have much of a line).
g.. Start Early ......Take advantage of early openings for different parks daily ....
h.. try to get to the park early, leave by about lunchtime to have a quiet afternoon at the hotel (swimming, hanging out) and then go back in the late afternoon evening after a rest and the crowds have died down. Since you are staying onsite you can get evening passes for after everyone else leaves.
i.. a great schedule for us was to go early in the morning after breakfast, stay until lunchtime, go back to the hotel and nap and hang out by the pool, and then go back for the afternoon/evening. The crowds are thinnest in the morning and evening, and it's coolest--and they really need a rest during the day.
j.. take a break in the middle of the day ..its worth it
k.. Leave the parks mid-day and ***MAKE SURE THEY TAKE THEIR NAP***. We leave just before or after
luch and return around dinnertime.
l.. I like to concentrate on one park at a time. It is crazy to think you can do more than one park a day. We tried it. Our kids (8, 6, 5) were beat and so were we. I think it is just better to buy one day passes at each park for the day. The only difference is that Animal Kingdom closes at 7, so you could go back to Magic Kingdom for the fireworks.
m.. Also at MGM you need to stand in line for tickets to see the shows for each character so line up your day there and get all the tickets in advance so you're not running around trying to get into shows and missing them. the tickets are free."
Disney
"Buying Tickets
a.. Best prices for tickets: http://www.ticketmania.com/
b.. We have a AAA membership, so that's how we got (somewhat) discounted tickets. I don't think there are too many good deals on tickets unless you are in the military. You can even buy tickets at any Disney Store in the malls, or right at the gate. There are online ticket brokers, but I don't have ant experience wiith that.
c.. You can get tickests anywhere once in Orlando and also (with a good discount) on the internet. If you plan on going to a lot of the parks get the "park hoppers".
d.. Military tickets can be purchased before you go (at your local MWR) or at the Shade of Green resort (beautiful and CHEAP - stay there if military) at Walt Disney World"
Disney
"The tips we found most valuable and things we discovered on our own:
1) Buy the Unofficial Guide to WDW before you leave and plan your days - which parks you'll go to on which days, where you'll eat at night, which fireworks whow you'll go see etc. (even if you like to live a little more spontaneously, do this, because it will make your life easier - you'll spend more time having fun and less time on line and waiting to eat)
2) Make Priority Seating reservations BEFORE you leave for dining
3) Use Fastpass to avoid waiting in line for the most popular rides
4) Use Disney's babysitting clubs/camps ($10/hr) and take an Adult night out and treat yourself to dinner and Cirque Du Soleil - fantastic show worth every penny (get seats on 2nd tier center, not down low)
5) Ask for a fridge in your room and stock up on breakfast foods, water and snack foods to save money and hunting around when hungry
6) Check schedules at each park for showtimes/character greetings and plan your day at that park around those times - hit parks when they open for fewer people/lines"
Disney
"Here are my 2 cents, based on probably 8 or 9 trips to Disney.
1. I have stayed both on and off site, and while some of the "Disney" hotels are amazing, I think the "value" Disney hotels would really disappoint you, especially for $155/night (I assume you are talking about Pop Century and the "All-Star" Resorts. If you aren't going to stay at least at their "moderate" level resort, its not worth it (and even then its debatable!).
Something you should know - unless you are staying at the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, or Contemporary Resorts ($$$$) you would have to drive to the parks anyway, or take a bus. I would recommend touring some of the nice hotels while you are there - its lots of fun, and you can dream, right?
Back to the real world, we've stayed several times in one of the Hampton Inns right outside the main gate, which is less than 10 minutes to any of the parks. Rates are usually great and include breakfast, which would really add up at any Disney hotel, even the "cheap" ones. Quality is above Disney's "value" hotels.
2. Parking, like I said, you would have to deal with this anway. Its inconvenient in the sense that you must park pretty far from the entrance to the park and take a "tram" to the entrance, but Disney has it down to an amazing science and once you get the hang of it you realize they do a fabulous time of moving all those people. As for price, I think it’s about $10/day, but you'll save way more than that by staying off site.
3. I've never driven south of the Kiawah/Charleston, SC. so I'm not much help here. South of the Border can be fun if you've never been there. Its right on i-95 between NC and SC.
4. Unfortunately there's really no way to avoid crowds - however, some strategies we've used that seem to help are when you enter the park go left instead of right (most people go right) or start at the back of the park and work your way to the front. By mid-day the crowds will be the same everywhere, but this should help you out for the morning. I doubt Christmas Day will be any different from the others - the whole week is very popular.
5. Park hoppers are a hard call. As an older child/adult, I've always gotten one but usually we stay 5+ days, so more days than parks and you want to go back and do all the "good stuff" again. With a small child, you may find that one park for all (or even only part) of the day is all you can handle. Think realistically about your child and the grandparents stamina. If you are going home mid-afternoon/early evening vs. switching parks its probably not worth it. Also keep in mind that switching parks probably takes at least an hour and a good deal of hassle, especially w/ a baby & stroller, whether you move the car and deal with the parking trams or take Disney bus/ Monorail. You may not want to deal with it.
6. Again, its hard to know your family. I've never been for less than 4 days and prefer 6-7, but we LOVE Disney. I would say to go for the 3 days, especially if you aren't going to do the park hopper. Plus you don't want to spend more time on the drive than in Disney!
7. Meal Plan is a TOTAL waste. Eat breakfast at your hotel (free), lunch at the park (but at "off" times, ie: not between 12-2) and then for dinner you can stay at the park or eat somewhere "off property" for a lot less."
Disney
"I'm sure people would say their 2 year old enjoyed it, but as you point out--it's quite expensive. I grew up growing to Disney (lived in FLA) and worked there a semester of college.
However, if you really do want to go, in answer to your questions:
1. I am a HUGE proponent of staying 'on property'--it gives you the full experience, is so much easier, and there are some benies that staying on property get you, such as entrance to certain parks an hour early on certain days--only avail. To those who stay on property. With a small child, I like this option. Also, you will not want to spend all day, but may want to go in the morning, and again in the late afternoon--and if you parked there is the hassle there, versus just hopping on Disney transport.
That said, if you use a bus to get to your Disney hotel (which you will if you stay at a value resort), do try and avoid the worst of the rush hours, as the buses get crowded--Disney tires to add extra buses an be efficient, but just keep in mind.
2. As mentioned, parking IMO is moderately inconvenient but more so is getting lost on property. Like DC, which was laid out to get attacking forces lost en route, Disney was laid out to appear bigger than it is, with lots of loops and making you take longer to get from A to B than would appear necessary. I come from the school of park your car and be done with it.
3. Haven't driven to FLA in years, can't comment on quirky stops.
4. Not sure about any reduction in crowds on xmas day--if anything, I suspect people there to vacation are there to play, there are books out now that will tell you the least crowded days of the week, I guess I'd aim for those, but truly, there is a reason you are playing peak rate at the hotels.
5. Park hopper--yes yes yes. Esp. if you want to maybe visit one park in the morning and another in the afternoon--again the books give info on parks that tend to be more crowded in the morning and less so in the afternoon. Plus, they don't expire, so as long as your kid fits the age requirements--and if you're thinking of taking him at 2.5, I'm guessing you'll go when he's older too. We just tuck away any unused day tickets and have been able to use again years later.
6. I don't think there is a big difference between 2 or 3 days. Maybe if you are worried about cost, you could initially stay somewhere that is just an hour or so from Disney (esp. since you are driving), go do Disney, check into a Disney resort for 2 nights, and then in the afternoon on the 3rd day, drive a short distance away? FLA does not lack tourist opportunities for other things to do.
7. I wouldn't purchase the meal plan with your tickets.
Good luck. I'm sure you'll have fun. And if you're looking for less crowded times, my favorite time to go is Sept. and Oct.--great weather (albeit risk of hurricane--we were there for one while I was pg), and so much less crowded."
Disney
"First off get the unofficial guide to disneyworld--it will help answer your questions, along with the disney insider site online.
(1) We're very concerned about our budget - is it worth the extra money to stay "on site." Because this is peak season, the cheapest Disney resort hotel is $155/ night.
What’s nice about being onsite is that you can go early/stray late at certain parks on certain days and you have a speed pass to a bunch of rides that let you get to the froont of the line, both these things are especially important at a popular time like Xmas
(2) How inconvenient is parking if we opt to stay off site
Off site or on, you'll be taking a shuttle form wherever you are to Disney
(4) Any ways to avoid crowds at the park? For instance, is Disneyworld LESS crowded on Christmas Day than it may be the rest of the week? If so, should we aim to drive down as quickly as possible and then meander back home after?
I think on both the disney site and the unoofficial guide you can see which parks have an average of how many people on what days of the year—that should help. According to my book, the 19th-23 seem to be "low peak days" after that the park is at a Highest peak until after new years
(5) Does it make sense to purchase a park hopper? They seem much more
expensive - is it worth the difference in price?
Don't get the hopper--you have a 2 1/2 year old--2-3 days at the disney park will be more than enough. A lot of people go in either the am or afternoon and swim at the pool the other half of the day. I would recommed that if you don't want to stay at one park all day but would ratehr nto spend the extra $$ to hop parks--a kid that small will get really overstimulated and over timred otherwise.
(6) How many days would you recommend staying? We're not sure if we should plan on 2 or 3 days.
Either 2 or 3 days is perfect. It will be darker earlier that time of year so keep that in mind.
(7) Should we purchase the meal plan with our tickets?
If you do the hotel do the mealplan too--since your child is udner 3, she will eb eating off your plate so consider buffets where unticketed kids with adults eat free--the food is ok, but it's the conveninece factor and the chance to eat with the characters at soemplace like the Crystal palace that is the real reason to go the food plan route."
Disney
"My cousins took their 2 year old son to DisneyWorld a few years ago and commented that his favorite attractions were the ducks at the lake. So don't go with any pre-set notions of how your child will react to the parks. A fun time can be had by all, but remember that a toddler is a toddler and he's not going to care how much time and money you spent to bring him to DisneyWorld once he gets tired or hungry.
We stayed at one of the many off-site suite hotels and saved a bundle of money. The hotel had a shuttle that ran every half hour or so in the mornings and afternoons, and we used that to save ourselves the driving/parking hassles. But if your child is likely to need naps/downtime, you may be well-served by paying the extra $$$ for the on-site hotels, because it will save you at least a half-hour schlep each way.
Since you're spending all the time and money to get there, by all means stay a 3rd day. You won't run out of things to see and do, by any means. And keep in mind that you may spend hours or days going back to the same one or two things, because that is what makes your child happy."
Disney
"It's been a few years for us, but in our experience the Park Hoppers generally turn out to be a good deal. And I would not do DisneyWorld with a child without a park hopper. Your child's favorite attractions will be difficult to predict, and he will probably have a short attention span, so you'll want the flexibility. Taking the grandparents along is a wonderful idea, as long as you all get along well. Be sure to allow time for naps and etc., as the parks can be overwhelming even to adults. I saw several small-child meltdowns the last time we were there. Adults often get into a mode of lets-just-see-one-more-thing, and that runs counter to what most toddlers need/want."
Disney
"I grew up in south FLorida and we went to Disneyworld more times than I can count. We've been in the DC area for about 6 years and have only been to Disney about 3-4 times since then, so some things may have changed, but for the most part it stays the same.
It can be a little more convenient to stay on-site and some times (not sure which season) you can gain access to the parks an hour or so earlier than others. With that being said, I have only stayed in a Disney hotel a handful of times and I am not convinced that the extra price is worth it during peak season.
Parking is easy - you follow the signs into the parking area and they have people directing you to exactly where to park (they fill up the spaces in order). Then you just look for the signs (Goofy 2) so you will know where you parked and then walk to the end of the aisle and wait for the tram. They are very quick and easy. Not sure about the crowds on Xmas day - never went then, but I have gone on Thanksgiving weekend and it is usually empty.
Info for future trip. I have used park hoppers with a friend who got them for free and they were fun when we had the luxury of running around (before kids) and we knew exactly what rides/attractions we wanted to go on. With a small child and with the timeframe you are talking about, I would not spend the money on a park hopper.
Magic Kingdom has the most to do with younger kids. The newer Animal Kingdom is neat also, but it's like a big zoo with a few attractions. If you child is into animals, then they may really like it, but if not they may get bored. Half of Epcot is "countries" and will not interest a 2.5 yo at all. I have not been to Epcot for a while, so maybe some things have changed, but a really young kid will probably not find too much interesting there.
I've never heard of a meal plan, but the food is really expensive anywhere you go in the park. If you go to MGM MAKE SURE the minute you walk into the park you go straight down the main street to the restaurant reservations house. This is the only park that you have to make reservations at their restaraunts at the beginning of the day for lunch or you will be at a stand. The restaurants at MGM are really cool! My favorite's are the drive-n theater (you sit in fake cars and watch old black-n-white "monster" movies (they are not really scary, but to a 2.5 yo they might be)) or the "Prime-TIme Cafe???(It's set up like you are eating inthe kitchen of a house in the50's) The waiters are dressed like they are from the 50's and talk to you and treat you like you are home. The waiters and waitress tell on each other like they are siblings the "mom" waitress. It's a really fun experience.
When I was a kid, we used to camp all the time, but now you can't camp in tents (only campers and the lodge I think). Anyways - our family trick was always to go as early in the am as we could to the park and then after the parade, go back to the campsite or hotel room (off disney) and shower/jump in pool with a little playtime, eat lunch (cheaper), and take a nap. Then get back up and go to the park for the rest of the afternoon/evening. This was mostly in the summers when they are open much later at night, so check the hours before trying this."
Disney
"You can't get much quirkier than South of the Border, a glorified fireworks stand on the South Carolina-North Carolina border that grew into a motel, restaurants and shops. You can't miss the signs for it; in fact you'll be sick of them by the time you get there. Even if you don't stop, it's something to see as you drive by the giant sombrero.
As far as accommodations, book something NOW. Christmas week is Disney's busiest, and room rates are their priciest. Another good tips site is http://www.wdwinfo.com/.
As far as beating the crowds, the one recommendation I have involves staying at a Disney resort. Every day, one of the parks has "extra magic hours", which lets guests of the Disney resorts enter the park an hour early or stay three hours late. The Magic Kingdom does one better -- it has a morning extra magic hour just for people with little kids (5 and under) that opens up Fantasyland an hour before the rest of the park opens for general admission (again, for Disney resort guests only). This lets you ride all the most popular Fantasyland rides like "It's a Small World" and "Peter Pan's Adventure" with practically no lines. For reasons I could never figure out, "Peter Pan's Adventure" always seems to have an 80 minute line during peak hours.
Even if you stay elsewhere and can't take advantage of the extra magic hours, get to the parks as early as possible. Crowds are always worst in the afternoons, so instead try to make it back to the hotel in the afternoon so your toddler can take a nap and either mommy or daddy (take turns!) can get some pool time if the weather is nice. Also, you'll probably want to eat at off times if your toddler's schedule will allow it (like lunch at 11 AM)."
Disney
"Hi, we are also traveling to FL to see grandparents, and were thinking of joining the insanity. We went 3 years ago with a 7, 4 and 6 month old. Here are our thoughts:
The week between Christmas and New Years is the busiest of the year at Disney World. They sometimes close the park by 11:00 a.m. because it is at capacity. It gets busier as you head toward New Years, as most people stay home for Xmas, then head toward the park. Going on Christmas day might be better, but it will still be very busy. Do Magic Kingdom earlier in the week, then head to your other choices. Check out a website like www.mousesavers.com to get the low down on the crowds, as well as your other questions.
Budget & Parking -- There are advantages to staying at a Disney hotel -- they mostly have to do with the ease of going to the park in the am, coming back for a nap, then returning in the late afternoon. (Also, if you stay on property, you get early entry to one designated park per day.) At Christmas week, you are less likely to take a break at the hotel. My personal opinion is that Disney hotels are small, over-priced, with bad food choices. (Can you tell we stayed at a Value resort?) There are plenty of deals on suite hotels (like Residence Inn or SpringHill) in Orlando that offer free breakfast. (Try www.tripadvisor.com for honest reviews.) Most also offer free shuttles to Disney World. If you choose to drive, get there super early, before the parking lots fill up!
Park Hopper & Days -- Our experience is that it was pretty time consuming to move our three kids from one park to another, so we did very little park hopping.
Our plan would be:
Day 1: Magic Kingdom (that's why you're here!)
Day 2: Animal Kingdom (My kids are nuts about animals, plus there is the Lion King and Pocohontas shows)
Day 3: MGM (short day -- for Playhouse Disney and the Belle show
Your 2.5 year old might prefer Magic Kingdom and MGM only.
Stops along the way -- I remember South of the Border as being a landmark when I was a kid. I think it is in SC?
Meal Plan -- I would skip it! One last tip -- call in the afternoon and see if any one has cancelled their character dinner at 1900 Park Faire in the Grand Floridian hotel. For a buffet dinner, it wasn't cheap, but it wasn't horrendous either, and the girls got to see Cinderella, Prince Charming, and the mice up front and personal! We took the monorail from the Magic Kingdom to the hotel."