Disney World Parks question

[Neera]

Hi,

If you have visited the different parks which one would you recommend for a 4 yr old - Magic Kingom or Sea World??

TIA.

[hippiechickinsing]

I prefer Magic Kingdom. There are a lot more rides for younger children and a wider variety of shows. I visited both with 5 year old and 7 year old nephew and niece in June. We left Sea World in the afternoon, feeling as if we'd seen all we were interested in. We stayed at Magic Kingdom the entire day. I asked them which park they'd like to go to on their next trip and they both chose MK. (I was glad, because it's my favorite, too.) 

[OkiMom]

Depends on the child. Mine didn't like sitting still until the shows started and my younger one was to short for almost all of the Seaworld rides so Seaworld was a bit of a bust for us (although they LOVED seeing all the animals!). Magic Kingdom enchanted my older one and she had so much to look at that she behaved really well and was more helpful. We didn't do a lot of the rides but she loved the decorations and all. They were almost 3 and 1 when we went last.

[What Next?]

Yep, depends on the kid.  We took dd to Magic Kingdom at 4 and she LOVED LOVED LOVED it.  But I'm a compulsive planner and I knew EVERYTHING about every ride, every restaurant, every show, every route to get from here to there...  I knew where to go to feed the ducks to get downtime.  I knew where to find the one restroom in the park that has child-size toilets.  I knew which lines at the cafeterias would be shortest.  I knew which rides would have the shortest lines at what times of the day.  I had 3 specific locations ideal for watching fireworks, and 3 different locations for watching parades.  My husband is in awe of me.  My daughter begs to go back.  I beg to go back!  Yes, I've been before, but going with a preschooler is like visiting a whole new park.  For my SPD daughter, it was IMPERATIVE that I knew all this.  If we had tried to "wing it", we would have had a very different experience!

Which brings me to my next story.  A year later, my SIL and BIL took their almost 4yo to MK and SW.  HATED HATED HATED Magic Kingdom.  I condensed my notes to the absolute essentials in 2 pages and implored them to read it on their 1000 mile drive.  But did they?  Of course not!  They went on an inappropriate ride and essentially ruined their day.  My nephew couldn't overcome the trauma.  Poor kid!  Next day, they went to Sea World and absolutely loved it!  They raved about it when they got home.  My nephew couldn't stop telling us (over and over and OVER) about every single amazing things the dolphins did.

So, I recommend considering your child's interests, and doing some research either way.  The DISboards forum is a fantastic resource to learn more about MK and what a 4yo would enjoy there.  I'm sure there are other venues for learning more about Sea World. 

Either way, have a great time!

[leighi123]

My 3yr old loves both, but we had a season pass for seaworld b/c there was plenty for him to do there, and we dont do disney movies so he doesnt know any of the characters and that is a BIG part of disney.  

[Neera]

Hi,

I was wondering if you still have the 2 page notes and if u don't mind passing it on, (if its possible to scan and email) that would be great. I looked at the MK WD site and I don't know if it's me but I could barely find much info on the rides. There was info. about the characters, the parade, the castle and the pvt. meeting with the princesses but I totally missed reading about the rides. Well, it could well be me with my to be 4 yr old constantly interrupting me. As much as I love being organized too it's q. hard to do with dd.

To the other pp who mentioned their dc not knowing the characters, mine knows a couple but is not crazy about them, which is why I was thinking of Sea World instead.

thanks.
 

Originally Posted by What Next? 

  I condensed my notes to the absolute essentials in 2 pages and implored them to read it on their 1000 mile drive.  But did they?  Of course not! 

Edited by Neera - 1/7/11 at 11:59am

[tylerdylan]

We went on a Make A Wish trip to Florida last year.  I planned it for a year so it would be perfect.  A month before we went I scratched Sea World off our list in order to have more time at Disney World.  My boys (age 2.5 and 5) LOVED the Magic Kingdom.  In fact, with our extra day we went back and repeated Magic Kingdom a second time.  We have Marineland near our home in Canada, which is along the lines of Sea World and the boys enjoy the first show or two and then they want to do rides.  Luckily Marineland has enough rides for their age group to satisfy them.  Sea World does not.  I am happy with my decision.  Of all the parks we did during our trip - Animal Kingdom, MGM, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure - Magic Kingdom was a favorite for both of them. 

All that being said though....we had Make A Wish passes that allowed us to skip all the ride line ups so we got to do every ride and more than once in one day.

[What Next?]

Sure I'd be glad to share!  Check your pm's for my email.

I'd like to add my dd didn't know the characters either, except for princesses.  Characters can be a major part of your day, if you do character meals and autographs, but they don't have to be!  Yes, the rides are themed, but they're still enjoyable even if you don't know the stories.  Many of the rides are pretty standard carnival rides (carousel, tea cups, the Dumbo flying ride).  The shows are really fun too - Tiki Room and Mickey's Philharmagic 3D especially.

I usually find the "magic" on every trip (I've been 5-6 times - we have family in FL).  Twice, we've stayed for a 1-week stay on-site.  When I get chills and goosebumps, it's not because of characters or a ride or anything commercial.  It's usually a mixture of music and scenery and general good-feeling.  It often happens during the parades - and I am NOT a parade person! - because the music and the floats are just so amazingly beautiful!  But once it happened in a big crowd walking from here to there - for no reason at all!  Last trip, I had a euphoric high that lasted an hour while we lounged in the Fairy Garden at Epcot (a temporary garden for the Flower Festival).  I think it's easy to get swept up in the RUSH at Disney, but it's really quite a peaceful place if you can force yourself to slow down.  Once you take time to feel the peace - enjoy the landscaping, admire the sculpture, people watch - THAT'S when the trip becomes a great memory.  It really has nothing to do with characters.

And if the craziness of MK doesn't appeal, dh and I are absolutely in LOVE with Epcot.  Our last trip, we spent 3 whole days there.  There's plenty for a 4yo to do (and plenty of delicious treats to sample around the "world"), and they have a cool electronic Kim Possible game to entertain older kids now.  Epcot might be my favorite place in the whole world.  Animal Kingdom is pretty amazing too: a safari ride, wildlife walks, conservation, environmentalism... oh, I want to go back!

The best info is at disboards.com
Money saving tips can be found at mousesavers.com

Originally Posted by Neera 

Hi,

I was wondering if you still have the 2 page notes and if u don't mind passing it on, (if its possible to scan and email) that would be great. I looked at the MK WD site and I don't know if it's me but I could barely find much info on the rides. There was info. about the characters, the parade, the castle and the pvt. meeting with the princesses but I totally missed reading about the rides. Well, it could well be me with my to be 4 yr old constantly interrupting me. As much as I love being organized too it's q. hard to do with dd.

To the other pp who mentioned their dc not knowing the characters, mine knows a couple but is not crazy about them, which is why I was thinking of Sea World instead.

thanks.
 

Originally Posted by What Next? 

  I condensed my notes to the absolute essentials in 2 pages and implored them to read it on their 1000 mile drive.  But did they?  Of course not! 

[staceychev]

allears.net is a good source, too.

I'd always choose MK over Sea World, but I grew up going to Disney every four or five years, so it's a pretty magical place to me. I was so excited to share it with my daughter this past year. 

Whichever you choose, definitely bring a stroller. We're not big stroller people, but those parks are huge for little legs. The stroller, and the fact that we kept her fed and hydrated, is what really helped prevent melt-downs! 

[OkiMom]

Other than Mickey Mouse (thanks DH for introducing DD1 to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse) DD didn't recognize the characters. She loved them though since she loves animals and most of the characters are animals and she loves animals. If the characters don't scare your child (DD1 was scared when she saw them the first time but quickly warmed up) the fairy character place is kind of fun if there isn't a really long line. The themeing in the waiting area before the fairies is really neat. The girls haven't seen the movies either but both girls liked the rides. I would ride them first if you can for some (like Snow White and Winnie the Pooh) to make sure that it isn't something that will scare your child. My girls loved them but the poor kid that was sitting behind us was scared to death of them (a tip if your kid gets really scared, wait a while before taking them on another ride, I was shocked when they ended up in line behind us on both rides. The second ride he was shaking in fear before it even started!)

Also, check the website for closure updates if there is anything you know your child will like. That way if its closed you can warn your child ahead of time instead of dealing with a meltdown because the ride they wanted to ride isn't available.

If you need any help planning things you can PM me. I love Disney, weve taken our girls quite a few times (DH's parents live 30 minutes from it and Ive taken 2 2-3 month vacations to visit them in the last 3 1/2 years). We are making a stop there in April/May before we move to North Carolina, its the only thing DD1 is excited about, well other than seeing her grandparents/aunts. Shes already convinced them they have to go with her to visit Mickey.

[Neera]

Thanks everyone. It is MK without a doubt. We also went on You Tube and checked out some videos there. Dd definetly recognized some characters. Who doesn't know Snow White? :) We've also watched all the Toy Storys and Monsters Inc. Didn't know they were Disney movies. Okimom I'll pm u if I need any extra help. I did get a whole lot of stuff fm What Next.

don't know if this is a silly question. Where do you leave all ur stuff -- stroller, backpacks etc when u go on the rides?

Thanks.

[leighi123]

Originally Posted by Neera 

Thanks everyone. It is MK without a doubt. We also went on You Tube and checked out some videos there. Dd definetly recognized some characters. Who doesn't know Snow White? :) We've also watched all the Toy Storys and Monsters Inc. Didn't know they were Disney movies. Okimom I'll pm u if I need any extra help. I did get a whole lot of stuff fm What Next.

don't know if this is a silly question. Where do you leave all ur stuff -- stroller, backpacks etc when u go on the rides?

Thanks.

They have "stroller parking" near each ride, everyone leaves all there stuff there, and an employee helpfully re-parks your stroller in a compleatly different place than where you left it.  (still in the stroller parking lot, but not where you thought you put it).    You get to hunt for it when you come out.      I usually leave my wallet at home and only bring the $/card I will actually use, which I keep in my pocket along with my camera.  In the stroller (that we only use for theme parks) stays the food, sunscreen and water, I dont bring anything other than that. 
 

[Drummer's Wife]

You'll be happy with MK.  If you've ever been to Disneyland, it's pretty much identical to that park.  Sea World is just okay, IMO, even as an add on.  I definitely wouldn't chose it over a Disney park.

You can just leave your stroller and other stuff in the designated stroller parking spots next to each ride.  That's what everyone does.  I do take a smaller bag/purse/backpack that contains our most important stuff like phones, wallet, camera, etc.  But that can all be fit in something that won't take up much space on the rides.  You can put it by your feet or on your lap - or over your shoulder - depending on the seating arrangment of the ride.  They also have lockers you can rent at the park, though we've never done that b/c the things we take into the park tend to be the things we would need to have out multiple times a day.  Otherwise we leave stuff in the locked car.   

[OkiMom]

When you park your stroller make sure you are actually parking it IN stroller parking, not just anywhere. Stroller parking is usually marked or you can easily tell what it is from the mass of strollers around the area. There are also signs that say "no stroller parking" in areas, its a good idea to follow it. If you park it someplace it shouldn't be parked it will be moved to the nearest stroller parking by a cast member. They aren't being a pain, they are required to do it for safety reasons. My 2 SILs work(ed) at Disney and they hated moving around the strollers but safety was paramount. I always leave jackets, food, etc in the stroller, anything I would mind losing gets taken on the ride with me. If you leave anything in the stroller make sure you put in under instead of leaving it on the seat, that way if the stroller gets moved or bumped into by someone nothing falls out and gets lost.

[Neera]

V. helpful info. Thanks a lot.

[What Next?]

I used a good suggestion last time.  We brought a collapsible cooler with extra water and a PB&J for dd.  When we decided to buy sandwiches at 10 am (Main St. Bakery), pop them in the cooler.  Eat when hungry - that is, avoid the mad chaos at lunch!  We also had a backpack with our jackets, ponchos, sunscreen, fidget toys, sunglasses, etc.  Both the backpack and the cooler stayed in the stroller - here's the good part - CLIPPED ONTO ONE OF THE BARS underneath the stroller.  It's a small thing, but a very effective theft deterrent.  You can buy a spring-loaded carabiner in Walmart or Target's camping section, EMS, REI, even dollar stores.  99.9% of the guests at Disney are honest.  But do you really want to go buy a new backpack, sunscreen, sweatshirt, etc. while you're on vacation?  I do know s/o whose daughter left a sweatshirt on a stroller seat (not underneath) and had it stolen.  Make sure your belongings are stashed inside a zipped bag.

Another theft deterrent (if you're bringing your own stroller) is to lock the brakes.  It makes it just that much harder to walk off with it.  We also decked ours out with a bright scarf and a sign with our name (and glow sticks at night).  The unadorned strollers are generally harder to locate and easier to "lose". 

As for bringing stuff on the rides, it's no problem to bring a backpack, but child carriers often won't fit.  Personally, I just stick a carabiner on my camera, stash my $ and KTTW card in a hidden pocket, and leave everything else at the stroller.
 

Originally Posted by Neera 

 Where do you leave all ur stuff -- stroller, backpacks etc when u go on the rides?

Thanks.

[PatienceAndLove]

When you go to MK, def make time for the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor! It is interactive and VERY funny.  If you have time for Epcot, Turtle Talk with Crush is also really fun.

MK has a "main stage" show that is also, IMHO, a must see.  It is in front of the castle. Singing, dancing, etc.  DD loved it! And we, like others, ended up spending a second day at MK.

[staceychev]

Originally Posted by PatienceAndLove 

MK has a "main stage" show that is also, IMHO, a must see.  It is in front of the castle. Singing, dancing, etc.  DD loved it! 

We went when DD just turned five. This stage show actually made her cry tears of happiness. It was the cutest thing I ever saw---and of course I cried, too, and DH even wiped away a tear or two! Such suckers for the magic, we are! You can get a show schedule when you go into the park that will list what time all the special shows and parades are throughout the day. You definitely want to make sure you catch at least one of the parades. 

Anyway, if you have an iPhone, there are also lots of apps you can download. We bought the Undercover Tourist one. It has maps, and includes info on what rides are closed that day, and has line lengths that are pretty accurate. Definitely worth the couple of bucks we paid for it. 

[Neera]

sorry, didn't mean to revive this thread but just wanted to thank everyone for the great tips.

staceychev, i saw your post too late. we didn't watch the show even though it was on because it was going on as we entered and we thought we should get on with the 'important' things first. hopefully, next time. WhatNext you had any and every info. I could've asked for, the scary rides, the boring ones and what heights they accepted, so it was a great help to have read your material.

[staceychev]

But did you have fun, Neera? I hope you did, since you said "next time"!