Our trips will consist of me (25), my brother and his wife (in their 30s and haven't been to DL since the 80s), my nephews (ages 5 and 1), and for part of the time my boyfriend (23). Now, boyfriend and I visit DL often enough to have a routine and know what we like, but I haven't been with an actual child since I was young lol Anyone want to share some kid friendly tips for a 5 year old that's going to celebrate his birthday in the parks?
Here's my tip: He will get tired, and cranky. Plan for plenty of snacks to keep him going--apples, carrots, grahm crackers are best. They'll keep that energy up! Just take it slow and don't push him. We've had some bad experiences with my nephew when he got too tired. A stroller (although he is 5) is probably not too bad of an idea either, for that mid-afternoon lag. Just think how tired we get as adults ... Sometimes I wish someone would push me around in a stroller!
Everybody's got a laughing place
Be prepared to completely change how you do the park. There will be things the 5yo will want to do and need to do. Examples, the Jedi Academy, Fantasyland, ToonTown!, all the characters.... We actually love taking younger nieces and nephews to the park to see the awe in their eyes when they see the park. Like when I took my 4yo niece on Autopia on her first trip to the park and had her get in the drivers seat... He eyes got HUGE and she tells me "My mom NEVER lets me drive!" She had no clue she wasn't REALLY driving. Or how all she can talk about a year later was how cool IASW and TeaCups were, and how Space Mountain was "NOT FUN!"....Originally Posted by CariBelle
Planning 3 trips at once...
Are you going for the day or for a few days? If the latter, then go back to your hotel room for a nap (if close, obviously). We use this trick when at WDW with the kids, but when I was at DLR (by myself part of the time and w/hubby part of the time), I ended up doing the same thing!
I agree about the stroller. My 4yo used one in March. At first he said he didn't want to use it, but when he got tired, in he climbed!
Also, don't expect to see everything. If you get a feeling of the group's expectations and "must sees" as well as if they're willing to split up on occasion, you can avoid mini-meltdowns.
Have a great trip!
Working hard for that next WDW trip! December 2013
Excellent tips everyone! Yes we are staying close enough for afternoon naps (even though I might skip those and ride Space a few times lol) so that's definatly in the game plan. I'll be sure to make sure we have plenty of snacks!
We are there for 3 days (boyfriend and I for 4) so I hope we have enough time for little legs to see everything they want to see.
Malcoln- that's the part I'm most excited about! I know he's going to flip when he sees Mickey, especially since right now he totally doesn't "get" what Disneyland is.
Naps or pool time time are essential for the little ones. Then you can come back and see the park at night. Let them set the pace and go with the flow.
3 days should be enough to see most, if not all, the park. Don't forget that DCA has alot to offer as well. Flik's Fun Fair, Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
and the Aladdin show.
Ooh, good point! I would argue that DCA is almost more kid friendly in terms of attractions, as well as having a lot more of the characters that children these days are familiar with. (Playhouse Disney, Monster's Inc., Disney Channel, etc.) The Redwood Creek Trail is a good place to let him run around in, seeing as TSI is closed, and all little kids have the need to run! (Stifle this need and it only gets worse, trust me.)
Everybody's got a laughing place
Based on my 5-y/o(s) -
DLR:
1- Buzz
2- Pooh
3- Buzz
4- Trains Trains Trains
5- Buzz (NOT TODAY ZURG!)
6- Jedi Training Academy (Don't sell your certificate or I'll give you stink eye.)
7- Autopia
DCA:
1- Monsters Inc
2- Turtle Talk with Crush
3- Redwood Creek
It's Tough to be a Bug is scary.
Like others have said, but it's so true it's worth repeating:
Just be prepared to center your trip around the kids. Some people think that's going to be a big huge sacrifice of painful proportions. Give. Me. A. Break. That's the way it works with kids. Their smiles and hugs and kisses and I love you's are supposed to be enough to make up for it. If that's not going to be enough, get a sitter and don't take the kids. (OOOOH, Adrienne editorialized. Who knew???)
Make sure they don't get too hungry or too tired. Stop to go potty. Don't think you're doing any child any favors by loading him up with sugar. Pick healthy treats - make sure he gets some protein in him!!!
And don't force him to do anything he doesn't want to do. If the adults "need" to go on rides he won't go on, use rider switch or trade off.
You'll have a great time. Expect to just take it a lot slower than usual - IMO, when I get worked up about trying to do EVERYTHING and keep EVERYONE happy, the anxiety just isn't worth it.
Oh, and here's my last tip that I just came up with in the past few weeks or so:
Figure out in the morning what his MUST DO's are. Get those done early when crowds are light OR get Fast Passes to make sure they'll get done.
Adrienne
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I'm curious, I know you said this was on your 5yos, and I know my kids are older, but I am still waiting for the day I don't have to keep an eye on the above 2.... At least now, MickeyDogMom (20) can recognize when her, um, irritablilty (putting it nicely) is being caused by lack of protein.I agree, but also don't make this vacation so strict on healthy foods, they don't get to experience "fun stuff". One of my favorite pics is my niece eating a chocolate ice cream (she wanted chocolate, grandma said to get vanila so it wouldn't stain clothes, but Aunty got chocolate WITH hot fudge in a dish!) She had JUST turned 5 and was sooo intent on it. I explained to grandma, this is her first trip, if she wants chocolate, she gets chocolate! The other niece got strawberry.
Planning 3 trips at once...
Oh, yeah, it's true for any age. It's our jobs as momsI think that it's harder to keep track of stuff like that, for me, when I'm at the parks because I lose track of time and don't realize "Uh-oh, we haven't eaten for awhile..." And then, of course, for adults who aren't used to being with people they have to take care of, it's an easy thing to forget.
Well, yeah - the key is to find balance. I just know that some of the adults in my children's lives seem to think that they're being the "fun" care-takers when they pour sugar down their throats and give no consideration to the fact that sugar without a careful balance of healthier foods is a realllllllllllly bad idea for my eldest son. He might enjoy it when you give it to him but the meltdown from the sugar crash is no fun for anyone, most especially him. He gets really frustrated when he has his meltdowns - nevermind how it affects the people around him. He actually knows now to balance his diet, but when he was younger we had to monitor it for him.I agree, but also don't make this vacation so strict on healthy foods, they don't get to experience "fun stuff".
Adrienne
This Fall I'm "Running" The Disney Dumbo Dare for a cause - click to learn how you can support my fundraising goals and the incentive gifts and prize packages I'm offering to my donors! Thank you!
Parenting in the Parks
Looking for a great way to display your Disney vacation photos? A perfect Holiday gift? Or Both at the same time? Ask me about Photo Panels. Trust me.
Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% what you do with what happens to you.
My Creative Memories Website Don't let your computer become the next shoebox! Print, document, & preserve your digital memories!
A birth certificate shows you were born. A death certificate shows you died. A photo album shows that you lived!
I agree. I know (close relatives) who basically will do the "if its not healthy, you can't have it." CHurros are out, dole whips are out, etc... Not "One treat a day" or anything like that, NONE... It just frustrates me when I see it happening. I feel bad if we have any treats in front of them.
We too do the protein first, to prevent major meltdowns. Interestingly, its not my ADHHHHHHHHHHHHDers that have the sugar issues, its my "neurotypical" child. I can't say she is normal, she is far from normal!!!
Planning 3 trips at once...
I am typical, for an OCD asthmatic claustrophobic.
However I agree that sometimes a treat is neccessary, especially in DL. You walk off any of the sugar you gain anyway.
I'm poetic, more so in mustard. ~MDM
Bring a change of clothes and let him run in the water at DCA. My kids love that and it gets rid of alot of the wiggles.
I have a feeling that's pretty much how my days are going to go! Minus the Jedi Training because "Dark Fader is a pretty scary guy!" lol That's the response I got this weekend when I showed him the park map and mentioned the Training. But I would never think of selling a certificate! I already have scrapbook pages raring to go for this trip!
Thanks to everyone for all the great tips! I'm going to make sure I reread these a couple of times before we go so that I don't forget things haha
We took my 5 y/o nephew on Buzz first thing thinking it would be an ease into the park experience. He hated it. The noise and lights freaked him out and he rode the whole thing with his hands over his ears and his eyes shut. He wouldn't go on anything after that. Be warned.
My five year old hates Buzz. She is very sensitive to noises, especially higher pitched ones.
Her favorites are:
Space Mountain
Thunder Mountain
Splash Mountain
Autopia
Matterhorn
Redwood Creek Trail (The "rangers" at the Smoke Jumpers and Rock Wall have got to know her by now)
Mullholland Madness
Grizzly River Run
Yes she's a little speed freak.
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