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AA Mom And Kids Mickey Ice Cream Bar; DinoLand U.S.A.; animal kingdom
  • On Jan 21, 2012
    Chrystal from PE Asked Note: This answer was provided prior to the change to planDisney and may still contain references to Disney Parks Moms Panel.

    Experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    We are so excited for our 1st trip to WDW! We have 3 children, aged 11, 7 & 2 and will be staying at the A.K.Lodge with the Magic Your Way Park Hopper Option (with water parks) and Dining Plan..any advice about how to plan our trip to maximize our time

    Hi Chrystal!

    Thank you for sending in your question to the Walt Disney World Moms Panel.  I recommend visiting the independent website TouringPlans.com.  That's the website for the research team behind the tour book "The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World".  They are famous in the Disney fan community for producing a crowd calendar that predicts the crowd levels in the parks on any given day; they will have recommendations as to which park to visit on which day during your trip.  That can help provide a framework for the rest of your planning.

    Once you have an idea of what park you will be visiting on which day, you should make Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs).  ADRs are basically a necessity if you want to enjoy the many excellent Table Service restaurants at Walt Disney World.  ADRs can be made up to 180 days in advance online or by calling (407) WDW-DINE.  Since you are staying at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, you should definitely consider making reservations at Boma; my family absolutely loves both breakfast and dinner there.

    For what to do in a park to maximize your time, I suggest looking at their touring plan recommendations.  A touring plan is basically a step by step guide of what attraction to do in what order to minimize your wait in lines.  Their recommendations are based on a lot of math and years of data collection.  As an engineer, I'm a huge fan of their work.

    I hope this helps to get you started!  Write back with more questions!
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Meet the Panelist: Bernie, Maryland

I am an engineer with NASA with prior Air Force service. My wife and I have two boys, ages 13 and 8. At home, I'm known as the "Disney Guy" and I've enjoyed helping guests plan their Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, and Disneyland vacations. Learn More About Bernie

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