Hi Lewis! Welcome to planDisney! I'm excited about your upcoming stay in just a few short months.
As a father of two young daughters, I completely understand your concern. I vividly remember our first
Walt Disney World Resort trip and all of the magical moments that I shared with them. Watching their faces as the Festival of Fantasy Parade rode by (which returns March 9th!) or holding them in my arms for the nighttime fireworks in front of Cinderella Castle. That trip has become a core memory and a time that I will treasure for years to come.
Since the introduction of the
My Disney Experience App and the recent addition of Disney Genie+, the use of a mobile device has become more essential to have. Having access to wait times on attractions is extremely helpful in navigating your day. Also, having the ability to book Lightning Lane reservations to bypass the standby queues does allow you to have more experiences throughout the day. With this said, it does not mean that it needs to take away from your time with your little one.
One recommendation is to get to the park early and ride as many attractions at the beginning of the day. The wait times tend to lower in the first hour or so, which will allow you to ride more attractions with lower wait times. This is especially true at
Magic Kingdom Park since there are more attractions to choose from. (Note: If you are staying at a Disney Resort Collection hotel or other select hotels, you may utilize
Early Theme Park Entry to enter the park 30 minutes before official park opening.) By using this strategy, you will not have to be glued to your phone during this time. Once the park starts to get busier, I suggest getting a bite to eat or exploring some of the shops that will not require you to be on your phone. You can also take a midday break and return to your resort to enjoy the amenities such as the pool. Then later in the day, return to the park in the evening. Wait times tend to dip around these hours as well and you can stake out your spot for the nighttime show (depending on which park you are visiting).
Another idea is to make a list of every ride and attraction that are priorities for your trip. This way when you do utilize My Disney Experience, you know exactly what to look for and do not waste time looking around the App. You can also create a mobile order for food and set the pick-up time at any point throughout the day. When you have some downtime to use the restroom or just take a quick break, you can place the order then so you do not take away any valuable time with your child.
Lewis, there are going to be plenty of times during your visit that you are going to remember and treasure forever. There will be times when you need to access your device, but believe me, this will not take away from the amazing memories you will make.
I hope you have the most magical time with your little one!
Greg