Mom With Kids After RunDisney; Mickey Fantasia Hat; Donald Duck Hat; Goofy Hat
  • On Nov 1, 2013
    Leah from NY 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 heading to WDW in March 2014 for a week. I am a little confused as to how to plan dinners and fireworks with our 5 year old son. Transportation may be an issue as the bus rides could be long. Should we go to the expense of renting a car?

    Hi Leah,

    Travelling with young children is fun, especially to Disney, but it can be unpredictable. The key to a great vacation is to be flexible, but have a plan. If you are traveling in March, it's possible that you will be there during a busy Spring Vacation week, so the parks will likely be a bit more crowded than usual, but I don't think you need to rent a car if you don't want to incur the extra expense. Here's what our family does.

    We plan all of our dinners and any character breakfasts in advance. We generally try to get to the parks for opening or even head to Extra Magic Hours. You can get a lot of attractions in during the first couple of hours and then slow the pace for the rest of the day.

    We leave shortly after lunch to go back to the resort to swim and just relax for a couple of hours. We generally try to make dinner reservations for 5:30 or 6:00 with the plan of seeing any fireworks during the evening. However, we don't always make it to the fireworks. There are some nights where it's just been too long of a day. Yes, the evening shows are spectacular, but if your little one is overtired, he probably won't enjoy it anyway.

    At the end of the night, there are HUGE crowds of guests going back to the resort. The lines are long. However, the folks at Disney plan for this, and you do get on a bus back to your resort relatively quickly.

    Renting a car can be advantageous, but it's not necessary. Our family has never done it, and while we don't love the large crowds at the end of the evening, they are manageable. Rather than spending money on a car, I would suggest upgrading to a resort that is within walking distance of at least one park.  The resorts on the Boardwalk are a walkable distance from Epcot and Hollywood Studios. The Contemporary has a walking path to Magic Kingdom.

    Hope this helps. Have a magical vacation!
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Meet the Panelist: Diane, Georgia

After spending 25 years in RI, my husband and I relocated to GA with our youngest, who is now in high school. I took my first trip to Walt Disney World when I was 11 and I have traveled many times since then with all different party sizes. From creating our first itinerary as a honeymooner to later creating magical experiences for our multigenerational family gatherings, every aspect of planning a vacation has been pure joy to me.  Learn More About Diane

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