This is my first post....in the parenting section. ;)

My mom and I are taking my niece to DLR this Dec. (7-11) all by ourselves. Besides being over the top excited (I made our AAA package ressies at GCH in Feb...hangs head in Disney :geek: shame), I'm a little aprehensive about making sure this is a magical trip for her (and us!).
She has been to DL when she was 2 1/2 yrs, and she'll be 7 1/2 on this trip. I'm an annual DLR visitor, but mostly with my husband and we don't have children. My mom hasn't been to DLR since it became a 'resort', so DCA and DTD (as well as the GCH--which is why we're staying there) are all new to her.

Here are my questions:

1. Because of the proximity of our hotel, I think it will be easy (and important) to take mid-day breaks.
Is a mid-day break a good idea? She's not really 'nap' age, but I think it would be good to get a break from the hustle and bustle of the parks.
Any suggestions (other than Libby Lu :rolleyes: sorry...not a fan) about on-site fun we could have while giving Auntie and Gramma a break also? Fun DTD kid suggests? I know we'll do Build-a-Bear one day for sure.

2. It seems like Goofy's has the best character (although the food left something to be desired in our Dec. trip last yr) interaction. Is that still the best out of the park character bfast? How about Lilo and Stitch? That's one of her fave movies, but I haven't read too much great stuff about it.

3. Stroller needs. Will a 7 1/2 yr old need a stroller as she gets tired? (don't laugh...I'm only an Auntie!!)

4. "Warming up" to the bigger rides. I'd really, really like for her to be able to enjoy rides like Splash, Space and BTMRR. She's 45 inches (and about 45 lbs) right now. I assume she'll be at least 46 by Dec. We'll have the "enhanced" fastpasses from AAA, so I'd love to take advantage of that as well. She did a few of the bigger rides at the fair last summer (monkey cages...ferris wheel...kid rollercoaster)
Anyone have suggestions about the rides to start with and how to gauge when to 'move-on-up' to the bigger ones?

5. Other special kid ideas? This will be a new kind of trip for me, her gramma and her. I'd like to make it as special as possible. I thought about having some things waiting for us in our hotel room~anyone know the best way of making this happen? Is this something concierge can do for us? Any other ideas???


I'm open to all suggestions from you guys. I'm not a parent, so any help is wonderful!

Thanks in advance everyone! I'm so excited about this trip!
~kisroo:)

This is my first post....in the parenting section. ;)

My mom and I are taking my niece to DLR this Dec. (7-11) all by ourselves. Besides being over the top excited (I made our AAA package ressies at GCH in Feb...hangs head in Disney :geek: shame), I'm a little aprehensive about making sure this is a magical trip for her (and us!).
She has been to DL when she was 2 1/2 yrs, and she'll be 7 1/2 on this trip. I'm an annual DLR visitor, but mostly with my husband and we don't have children. My mom hasn't been to DLR since it became a 'resort', so DCA and DTD (as well as the GCH--which is why we're staying there) are all new to her.

Here are my questions:

1. Because of the proximity of our hotel, I think it will be easy (and important) to take mid-day breaks.
Is a mid-day break a good idea? She's not really 'nap' age, but I think it would be good to get a break from the hustle and bustle of the parks.
Any suggestions (other than Libby Lu :rolleyes: sorry...not a fan) about on-site fun we could have while giving Auntie and Gramma a break also? Fun DTD kid suggests? I know we'll do Build-a-Bear one day for sure.

2. It seems like Goofy's has the best character (although the food left something to be desired in our Dec. trip last yr) interaction. Is that still the best out of the park character bfast? How about Lilo and Stitch? That's one of her fave movies, but I haven't read too much great stuff about it.

3. Stroller needs. Will a 7 1/2 yr old need a stroller as she gets tired? (don't laugh...I'm only an Auntie!!)

4. "Warming up" to the bigger rides. I'd really, really like for her to be able to enjoy rides like Splash, Space and BTMRR. She's 45 inches (and about 45 lbs) right now. I assume she'll be at least 46 by Dec. We'll have the "enhanced" fastpasses from AAA, so I'd love to take advantage of that as well. She did a few of the bigger rides at the fair last summer (monkey cages...ferris wheel...kid rollercoaster)
Anyone have suggestions about the rides to start with and how to gauge when to 'move-on-up' to the bigger ones?

5. Other special kid ideas? This will be a new kind of trip for me, her gramma and her. I'd like to make it as special as possible. I thought about having some things waiting for us in our hotel room~anyone know the best way of making this happen? Is this something concierge can do for us? Any other ideas???


I'm open to all suggestions from you guys. I'm not a parent, so any help is wonderful!

Thanks in advance everyone! I'm so excited about this trip!
~kisroo:)

Oh what fun... and you are going in style!!! woo hoo!

1. Breaks will be good for all of you, she may end up napping if she's really worn out. Spending some time at the pool will be a nice break. GCH has a lot of fun activities, you might want to plan to attend some of them (scavenger hunt type things, tours of the hotel, little craft activities, story telling, etc.)

2. I don't know much about the character breakfasts, I always enjoy Storyteller's Cafe, but that's because I'm all about the food!!! Ariel's Grotto was a fun lunch...

3. Probably won't need a stroller, but if you do, the rental strollers are quite large and will do the trick. I think at that age she'll be able to keep up just fine, in fact, you might want a wheelchair trying to keep up with her!!!

4. I would certainly start out on the "kiddie" rides and see how much of a thrill seeker she is. Gadget's Go Coaster in Toontown is a lot of fun, and if she likes that, she might want to try more.

5. Vacation Planning service in the property hotels can make tons of stuff happen for you, just call the hotel and ask for Vacation Planning and let them know what types of things you are interested in.

Have a magical trip... I can't wait to hear all about it!!! It's so different when you see Disneyland through a child's eyes... it's a great new perspective.

My oldest is 5 and can easily walk around Disneyland all day without a stroller. I wouldn't get one. A pool break in the middle of the day sounds great. The other think my kids really love is running through the water area at DCA. That's always a huge hit. I personally would start with some Fantasyland rides, then maybe Soarin or Star Tours and then finally move up to the mountain rides. What a fun aunt you are! She's going to have an absolute blast. I don't know if she's really into the autographs or not but maybe you could get or make a very special autograph book to have waiting at the hotel. And what about the princess breakfast? I only have boys so we've never been but I'm concidering taking my niece to it for her birthday.

1. a mid-day break is a very good idea. i've never done the Pinocchio's Workshop at GCH (yet) but it sounds like a great place for the niece - check it out and drop her in one evening.

2. Lilo's good if she likes the movie, definitely, and is a good price. A Princess fan? Go to Plaza Inn and get there first thing in the morning. And Goofy's is always a great choice.

3. It's only $8 for a rental - why not try it for a day?

4. Two options - as a 'warm-up, Gadget's Go-Coaster is great ... or my favorite, just take them on the 'big ride' once. If they don't want to ride it again, they'll let you know! My 6 yr old is going on Space Mt. first thing in July and we'll go from there. We've done that with ToT - she won't ride it again (yet), and with IJ - she's getting to like it and has returned, but she's still tentative. It took my 3 yr old about 10 times down the Matterhorn but now she says its her favorite ride.

5. See how she interfaces with the characters and go from there (probably see all the Princesses, go on all the kids rides, my girls love the pressed pennies - have fun - how can a trip like this NOT be a blast?

This is my first post....in the parenting section. ;)

My mom and I are taking my niece to DLR this Dec. (7-11) all by ourselves. Besides being over the top excited (I made our AAA package ressies at GCH in Feb...hangs head in Disney :geek: shame), I'm a little aprehensive about making sure this is a magical trip for her (and us!).
She has been to DL when she was 2 1/2 yrs, and she'll be 7 1/2 on this trip. I'm an annual DLR visitor, but mostly with my husband and we don't have children. My mom hasn't been to DLR since it became a 'resort', so DCA and DTD (as well as the GCH--which is why we're staying there) are all new to her.

Here are my questions:

1. Because of the proximity of our hotel, I think it will be easy (and important) to take mid-day breaks.
Is a mid-day break a good idea? She's not really 'nap' age, but I think it would be good to get a break from the hustle and bustle of the parks.
Any suggestions (other than Libby Lu :rolleyes: sorry...not a fan) about on-site fun we could have while giving Auntie and Gramma a break also? Fun DTD kid suggests? I know we'll do Build-a-Bear one day for sure.


For what it's worth, my kidlets never want to leave the parks when we are at DL. Build-a-Bear is fun and so is Club Libby Lu. I went in and survived and everything ;)


2. It seems like Goofy's has the best character (although the food left something to be desired in our Dec. trip last yr) interaction. Is that still the best out of the park character bfast? How about Lilo and Stitch? That's one of her fave movies, but I haven't read too much great stuff about it.


We were highly disappointed with everything about Goofy's last year. We are trying Lilo and Stitch this year.

3. Stroller needs. Will a 7 1/2 yr old need a stroller as she gets tired? (don't laugh...I'm only an Auntie!!)

You will get very mixed advice here. I am a big stroller fan. My kids are 3, 6, and 8 and we always have 2 strollers (just in case).

4. "Warming up" to the bigger rides. I'd really, really like for her to be able to enjoy rides like Splash, Space and BTMRR. She's 45 inches (and about 45 lbs) right now. I assume she'll be at least 46 by Dec. We'll have the "enhanced" fastpasses from AAA, so I'd love to take advantage of that as well. She did a few of the bigger rides at the fair last summer (monkey cages...ferris wheel...kid rollercoaster)
Anyone have suggestions about the rides to start with and how to gauge when to 'move-on-up' to the bigger ones?

No clue.

5. Other special kid ideas? This will be a new kind of trip for me, her gramma and her. I'd like to make it as special as possible. I thought about having some things waiting for us in our hotel room~anyone know the best way of making this happen? Is this something concierge can do for us? Any other ideas???

Email John.L.Walsh@disney.com

He is the best VP dude around!


I'm open to all suggestions from you guys. I'm not a parent, so any help is wonderful!

Thanks in advance everyone! I'm so excited about this trip!
~kisroo:)


We will be thee from Dec. 9-13. Hope we get the chance to meet! :D

First of all, have a ball. Some of my fondest memories as a child are my favorite Aunt and I going on rides at DL.

My answers to your questions:
1. Because of the proximity of our hotel, I think it will be easy (and important) to take mid-day breaks.
Is a mid-day break a good idea? She's not really 'nap' age, but I think it would be good to get a break from the hustle and bustle of the parks.
I agree mid day breaks are a good thing, and it is sure handy since you are so close. I for one, never take them. I just get to busy and before we know it is night time! hehe

Any suggestions (other than Libby Lu sorry...not a fan) about on-site fun we could have while giving Auntie and Gramma a break also? Fun DTD kid suggests? I know we'll do Build-a-Bear one day for sure.
Just shopping at DTD is great. The World of Disney store is incredible, you can spend an hour, easy, there. Also Rain Forrest Cafe is fun and there is a movie theatre as well. Walking around the Disneyland Hotel is also relaxing.

2. It seems like Goofy's has the best character (although the food left something to be desired in our Dec. trip last yr) interaction. Is that still the best out of the park character bfast? How about Lilo and Stitch? That's one of her fave movies, but I haven't read too much great stuff about it.We have only done Ariel's Grotto, over in DCA and the character interaction was great. My kids both got a lot of time with characters. I have some great video of my then 1 1/2 yo playing with all the characters.

3. Stroller needs. Will a 7 1/2 yr old need a stroller as she gets tired? (don't laugh...I'm only an Auntie!!)
I would say no, but then if she gets tired it might be nice to have. My nephew went with us for his first visit last fall, he was 5, and he wasn't wanting to be in the stroller at all, but by the end of the day, he was asking to be pushed. I would just play it by ear.

4. "Warming up" to the bigger rides. I'd really, really like for her to be able to enjoy rides like Splash, Space and BTMRR. She's 45 inches (and about 45 lbs) right now. I assume she'll be at least 46 by Dec. We'll have the "enhanced" fastpasses from AAA, so I'd love to take advantage of that as well. She did a few of the bigger rides at the fair last summer (monkey cages...ferris wheel...kid rollercoaster)
Anyone have suggestions about the rides to start with and how to gauge when to 'move-on-up' to the bigger ones?
I saw first try Gadget's Go Coaster in Toontown. My 3 yo loves this roller coaster. He went on BTMRR for the first time in March and thought it was great. We took him on Spalsh and he wanted to go again, but that was it. Now he says he doesn't like it. Just move slowly I would try Screamin'. But I would definetly try Soarin' with her.

5. Other special kid ideas? This will be a new kind of trip for me, her gramma and her. I'd like to make it as special as possible. I thought about having some things waiting for us in our hotel room~anyone know the best way of making this happen? Is this something concierge can do for us? Any other ideas???
I believe you call vacation planning. Maybe someone else can post the number. I think you have some great ideas planned.

oh kisroo, a gramma, an auntie and a little girl?! what a perfect combination and you are all going to have such fun. Does you niece know you are taking her or is it a surprise?

We are all going this summer and are bound and determined to make ourselves stop and take an afternoon break. We tend to not ever stop and then nearly keel over in exhaustion. We are traveling with 6 small children, (2 babies, three 4yr olds and one 7 yr old), so this trip we MUST take a break. We are thinking maybe an hour just resting on beds with curtains drawn just to calm everyone down then perhaps a swim. (unless they all fall asleep ;) ) well, one can dream can't they? :D

We will be pushing strollers (and promise to do everything we can NOT to run over anyone's foot) for the younger ones. I think our little 7 year old guy will end up wanting to ride part of the time but than is just him. Hopefully he will be okay with walking most of the time. His 12 yr old cousin is coming with us and since he of course will be walking I am thinking that will help with Jarod wanting to just walk (since we have 5 younger ones that will definitely need the strollers a lot of the time). If I were you, with just one 7 year old, I would not get the stroller and then later if she does get tired you could get one then. Pushing strollers in DL is a whole new experience if you haven't done it before. It is harder to get through if there are heavy crowds. Just so you are forewarned ;)

We did the character breakfast at PPH last May with 3 of the kids. It was fun, food was fine. This coming trip we are going to try out the Princess breakfast, even though ours are all boys except one. They love the Princess too :) (and it is IN DL :D ) I will let you know how that goes.

As for DTD, what we would do with ours is wonder through WoD and the Lego store. With our boys we also just wonder down through on the outside of the stores and let them roam a bit, with us right behind them, of course, but it isn't as crowded usually so even the littler ones can walk around a bit.

For the rides, I think she will take a look at the rides and let you know what she thinks right off the bat. I know the boys sure do. They all do the Matterhorn (except the 2 babies) and the Toontown roller coaster and RRR and POTC. The 7 year old was the only one tall enough last year to ride Splash and he loved it. The other 3 (all 4 yr olds) are excited about riding it this year - we will see how they all do. We would never be in for forcing one of them on a ride they were afraid to go on. So far they have wanted to go on most rides that they are tall enough for. The younger ones haven't been able to do BTMRR yet either and are excited they will be able to this year. The 7 yr old loved that ride last yr by the way. I think it just depends on the child and I would see what she thinks when she sees the rides. If it isn't a surprise trip let her watch those little videos of some of the rides that Disneyland has on their web site. The boys (and their Grammy :D ) love to watch those. You might get an idea of what she will think watching those with her.

well my but I got awfully long winded :p

It will be a wonderful trip, kisroo. You will all have beautiful memories for a life time. Have fun. I will give you anymore thought after our trip with the kids this summer. see you in the Hearts ;)

~~Ruthie

Since Cassidy and your niece are (duh, you know this) the same age....I'll offer a little bit:

1. Cass doesn't like to take a break, period, and started to not at all wind down by the time she was five. She does love the GCH lobby and White Water Snacks though, so we've been in the habit on our last few trips of having a mid-day break for a drink and a treat at WWS, or ordering a drink by the fireplace at GCH and vegging for a bit. For her, that's enough. Then she's ready to move on.

2. As long as our kids have a blast at Goofy's.....we'll continue to go there for the character interactions and because the kids love the food, the desserts, the macarena (come on, Goofy, learn a new dance already), and the tradition. We tried Ariel's Grotto once, and left. The food was ick and the characters were non-existent. We've had a TON of luck eating dinner at the Plaza Inn and visiting with the Princesses during our meals. We've seen Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, and someone else all during one meal. The next night.....same thing, only we were seated right next to the princess visiting area, so they kept coming and talking to the girls, and we didn't have to pay a "character meal" rate. We'll for sure be doing Storytellers as well as Goofy's on our Dec. trip. The characters were just eh, but the food is fantastic.

3. Cassidy no longer fits in the Disneyland strollers....hasn't since she was five. She's not a speedy kid, but she gets around okay. The rental strollers are not the most manueverable in the world, but you can get one, ditch it, and get a new one at a different location in the parks, as long as you keep your receipt. So we'll get one, keep it for as long as we need it.....ditch it when we don't, then when we need one again, we go to the nearest rental location and show them our receipt.

4. On our trip in December, Cassidy was tall enough to ride Indy, and she absolutely loved it. I'd say her warm-up rides were the Matterhorn and Space Mountain when she was three, so by now she's used to the bigger rides....Chloe is now tall enough for Big Thunder and Splash, and I think the Matterhorn was her big warm-up. Star Tours was also a good warm-up for the bumpy rides. My girls are pretty gung ho though, so your experience might be different. I think the Matterhorn is a good warm-up, because you can cuddle. Same with Big Thunder.

5. Not sure what else to make it special. We've had "Mickey and Minnie" deliver treats to the room. We've secretly purchased lanyards and a starter pin and left them on the foot of the bed with a note from Mickey, so they see it first thing in the morning. Mickey has also left out autograph books and pens, name tags, a pressed penny book, other small things they've eyed in the stores. I think for the first day it's fun to have the name badge on the lanyard. My kids LOVE to be called by their names by CMs and characters.

It'll be our first time staying at the GCH in December.....we'll be getting there right before you leave. Can't wait! It'll be difficult for us to stay anywhere else after that, I'm sure. ;) Not sure I'll be glowing about HoJo or Park Place Inn anymore.....

Wow! Thanks everyone! Great input...I'm such a planner, if I could plan out everything, I would!
I have a feeling this trip will be unlike any I've taken. I'm really looking forward to seeing the parks through her eyes!

Crazy~She doesn't know for sure right now. We're trying to figure out how to handle it with her brother...who's almost 3. He'll get a special trip as well, but after taking her at 2 1/2 yrs, we want to wait until he's older. He is not as outgoing as she is and even some of the kiddie rides bothered her at that age! We'll talk to her about it when we're up in Ptld for another gramma/auntie trip for her birthday in June! :D I'd love to hear your thoughts after your summer trip! I know where to find you! ;)

Renta~Thanks for the vacation planner's email! I forgot that you had gushed about him before. I'll definately be giving him a few emails. I'd love to meet you and the family if possible!

Stinkerbell~thanks for the input. You and the family will absolutely love the GCH. It has a special place in my heart, that's for sure! ;)
Thanks again everyone!
~kisroo:)