016 How We Did Disney With Young Kids

This week’s recap:

• Trip to the Escape Room with our GodTeens group
• Philip’s presentation with the “In His Image” Father/Son Program
  • Mother/Daughter Diocesan Program
• Big win of the week: Playing Paw Patrol UNO without tears
  • Other favorite kid games:
    • No Stress Chess
    • Sneaky Snacky Squirrel
    • Richard Scarry’s Eye Found It

How We Did Disney

• Our luggage
• Where we stayed: Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary Resort
• Airplane survival
  • Monkey Preschool Lunchbox
  • Fire Kids Edition Tablet
  • Angry Birds Star Wars
  • Kid Headphones
• Pre-order groceries and had them delivered to the resort room from Garden Grocer
• Double stroller rental from Magic Strollers
• Coppertone Water Babies Sunscreen
• Advice: Have a plan if you get separated!
  • Memorize mom and dad’s cell phone numbers
  • “Find a mom with kids like you guys, and ask them if you can call your mom”
  • What’s your game plan?
• FastPass+
• MagicBands
• Get a Decision Game Plan: Who’s making the decisions?
  • Make the decision
  • Communicate the decision
  • Support the decision-maker
• Mobile Food and Beverage Ordering through the Disney App
  • Food is ready for you when you arrive. Ready food = happy little people (and happy parents!)
• HALT (Are you Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired?)
  • Take care of all of those needs to avoid BIG emotions!
• Our favorite rides (keeping in mind we didn’t do a ton of rides and were with young kiddos)
  • Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
  • Frozen Sing-Along Celebration (Amazing sign language interpreters)
  • Kilimanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom
• Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular (Hollywood Studios firework show)
• Evening ritual anchor to end first day of travel (for us, that was our read-aloud time)
• Travel during Holy Week (pros and cons)
• Consider going during a cooler time of year to increase your little ones’ endurance!
• Pro of going with young kids: they’re into the magic of meeting the characters, and they get so much sheer JOY from the trip!

How do YOU do Disney? Any tips or tricks to share?

Get in touch! Send questions or topic suggestions my way. As always, you can e-mail me at podcastATcatherineboucherDOTcom or find me on Facebook or Instagram