Mickey Mouse for Multiples

Here are my top picks for rides/attractions to take little ones on.  From my experience with my twins, I am happy to report that these were “Tiggeriffic” all the way around. (Head over to the WDW Resort web site for a full description of each attraction.)

Magic Kingdom

• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh*
• Peter Pan’s Flight*
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic* (At two years old, my kids loved this one!)
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin*
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• It’s a Small World
• Cinderella’s Golden Carousel
• Walt Disney World Railroad
• Country Bear Jamboree
• The Enchanted Tiki Room
• Cinderella’s Castle (Sometimes you may see Captain Hook and Peter Pan running around!)

Hollywood Studios

• Toy Story Mania*
• Voyage of the Little Mermaid*
• Playhouse Disney Live on Stage (a personal favorite)

EPCOT

• The Seas with Nemo and Friends
• Turtle Talk with Crush
• Spaceship Earth
• Circle of Life
• Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros
• Journey into Imagination with Figment
• Image Works

A lot of the pavilions have kid-friendly activities even if your kids are too little to experience the rides/attractions.

Animal Kingdom

• Kilimanjaro Safaris*
• The Boneyard
• Affection Section
• Cretaceous Trail
• Discovery Island Trail
• TriceraTop Spin
• Wildlife Express Trail

* denotes FASTPASS available for these attractions

Next Post: Shows for little ones….

Mickey Mouse for Multiples

Being a mom to three-year old twins is a wilder ride than Big Thunder Mountain Railroad!  With the increasing number of families with multiples, there are more and more multiples going to meet Mickey Mouse!  Some people might say, “What is the big deal?  In our family we have two or three kids.  We travel all the time.”  It is a unique experience that only parents of multiples can truly understand. I know that I wouldn’t have had the courage to fly and drive to WDW and sail on the Disney Dream without the encouragement and advice of seasoned MOMs (Mothers Of Multiples).   So MOMs, I hope this my experiences shared in this post is helpful as you prepare for your next WDW vacation!

Simultaneously trying to meet the needs of two or more children who are the same age can be difficult at home.  However, being away from home, with only two parents can be overwhelming, especially during mealtimes, nap times and :0 the inevitable meltdowns.  Unfortunately with multiples, there isn’t an older sibling who can somewhat take care of him or herself or lend a hand.  

Fear not MOMs.  Here are some of my top hints to making any WDW vacation with multiples a magical, memorable one.

1. BABY CARE CENTERS.  In each theme park there is a baby care center that is AMAZING!!  These centers are places for parents and their kids to take a break, change a diaper, have a snack, or purchase any necessary baby essentials that you may have forgotten or have run out of.  These centers are SO CLEAN and the cast members there are incredibly helpful.  They are stocked with baby food, formula, diapering supplies and clothing which can all be purchased.  Each changing table is wiped down by a cast member after each use and clean piece of paper (like the kind a the doctor’s office) put on top.  There are also microwaves and water coolers to prepare baby food and formula.  On top of that, the restrooms there are clean and never crowded! 

When my son had an explosive poopy diaper and we did not have a change of clothes for him, the cast member gave us a voucher to go to Mouse Gear and get him a new outfit FOR FREE!  He was a clean, warm and happy little man after that, which allowed us to enjoy EPCOT for the rest of the afternoon!

Multiple Magic:  Mom, you don’t have to worry about your other baby (or babies) running out of the restroom.  Set them in front of the Disney cartoons and crayons and a cast member will play with them while you change your other baby’s diaper! 

Check out the WDW Resort web page for specific Baby Care Center locations.

2. STROLLER RENTALS:  One word: AWESOME!  It can get pretty tiring pretty fast when one parent has to manuever the double (or triple) stroller on and off of the bus or monorail.  The other parent is left trying to get the babies/toddlers/kids on or off of the bus or monorail by himself.  Try doing this at park closing when everyone is exhausted, little ones are likely sleeping and the buses or monorail is packed.  You need as many hands as you can get!  RENT A STROLLER!  For a very reasonable rental fee (check out the WDW Resort web page for the fees), you can rent a single or double stroller for the day.  The strollers are roomy, clean and easy to maneuver.  Pick them up at the park entrance and drop them off as you exit the park. 

 What I LOVE about the stroller rental is the length of stay rental ticket!  You can purchase a rental for the length of your WDW vacation and simply need to show your receipt  each time you want to pick up the strollers.  So, if you are leaving to go back to your resort at nap time, drop off your strollers and hop on the monorail or bus.  Then when you come back for the evening, show the cast member your receipt and pick up a stroller again.  IT IS SO EASY!  I will never schlep my double stroller with me again!

Multiple Magic:  Rent two single strollers instead of one double stroller.  First, this cuts down on the inevitable bickering, hair pulling, smacking and pinching between siblings.  Next, this allows parents a little bit of freedom; Dad can take one baby to get Fast Passes for Winnie the Pooh while Mom can go pick up Mickey ice cream bars with the other baby!

To Be Continued…

Planning Hints/Tips: Interactive Calendar

For someone who is still learning about blogging and the technology behind it (which can be very overwhelming and confusing) I am very proud of myself and my little blog here.  I am trying to increase my subscribers and readers, especially since I have created my Interactive WDW Vacation Planning Calendar!!  I am super proud of myself for integrating my knowledge of Google Calendar (adequate) and planning Walt Disney World vacations (outstanding, superior, you get the picture 🙂 )!!!  One of the reasons why I plan successful WDW vacations for my family, friends, co-workers and neighbors is that I believe in organizing and planning way ahead of time. It still blows my mind when I see people walking up to the check-in kiosk at Cinderella’s Royal Table, and similar popular restaurants, at 5:00 PM , to see if they can get a dinner reservation for that night!!!!  Imagine that family’s little girl, who on her first and maybe only trip to WDW, wanted to have a royal dinner with her favorite Disney princesses.  It breaks my heart just thinking about such a possibility.  Now, imagine these “newbie” parents planned and organized their time months ahead of time.  Imagine that these parents** are avid readers of my blog and have used the interactive calendar I designed to create a personalized itinerary for their family; this is what they have come up with:  Tuesday is Extra Magic Hours at the Magic Kingdom from 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM.  So this family decides to get an early start with their little ones and enjoy the Magic Kingdom until naptime, head back to their Disney hotel for lunch and a nap and then head back to the Magic Kingdom for a 5:00 PM dinner at Cinderella’s Royal Table (which they added to their personalized calendar).  Using the interactive calendar allowed these parents to choose the park that had Extra Magic Hours that suited their small children’s schedule and allowed them to experience all the magic the park had to offer when it was convenient for them; no crying or meltdowns because of missed naps! This interactive calendar allowed them to focus on one park that day and simplified their agenda to suit their family’s specific needs (sometimes looking at the big picture of all that WDW has to offer can be a bit mind-boggling, and you really can’t do it all in one vacation especially if there are little kids in tow).  So, the little princess is well-rested and thoroughly enjoys being a guest at Cinderella’s castle for the evening and possibly stay for the night parade at 9:00 PM!  Now, imagine the parents’  enjoyment of being able to see the look on their little girl’s face when Snow White or Princess Aurora comes over to meet their little princess and take a picture with her!  That is a magical Disney moment that will never, ever be forgotten!! 

HINT/TIP:  Popular restaurants like Cinderella’s Royal Table book up VERY FAST!  You can make dining reservations 180 days (6 months) prior to your visit; MAKE SURE YOU DO THIS!!!!!  You can do this online or call (407)WDW-DINE.  Bon a petit!

**This is similar to a trip I helped a co-worker plan who had a 5 year-old and a toddler.  When I was helping her plan this trip, I used a similar type of calendar to the one on this site. 

UPDATE: The Art of Animation Resort

In the previous post, I told you that Disney’s newest value resort, The Art of Animation Resort, is now taking reservations.  Well, I have found out some more details.

You can book a family suite for travel dates beginning on or after September 1, 2012 in a Finding Nemo or Cars suite.  Rates start at $279 per night.

You can book a family suite for travel dates beginning on or after October 1, 2012 in a Finding Nemo, Cars or Lion King suite.  Rates start at $265 per night.

These suites sleep up to six people and feature a master bedroom, two bathrooms, and three separate sleeping areas.  This is so exciting because this is another fantastic option for larger families or for families and friends planning a Magical Gathering!  Head over to Disney’s website to start planning your magical vacation and please let me know about your stay!!