Family With Medals; RunDisney 10K; Stitch Hat; Lilo and Stitch Costume
  • On Oct 14, 2009
    Amy from MA 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.

    Hi Karen! I'm going to Disney with my 5 yr. old son Jan 17-24, 2010- 1st time for both of us! What will the crowds be like because of the holiday, and do you have suggestions of what parks to do on specific days? (17th & 24 are travel days) Thanks so

    Hi Amy,

    Thank you for your question!  I recently returned from a trip with my 4 1/2 year old son, and it was really amazing to experience Walt Disney World with him.  I will say that I was actually amazed at how low-key he was.  He preferred things like the WDW Railroad, Swiss Family Treehouse and the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground over the more adventurous attractions.

    The MLK Jr. holiday weekend is certainly a popular one, there are a lot of people that take advantage of the lower rates "off season" rates and enjoy a long weekend.  I think by Tuesday you'll see a drastic reduction in the crowd levels...so just be patient on that first day and I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time

    We have always found plenty to keep us busy on the travel days, so I would take the time on the 17th to simply enjoy your resort and explore what it has to offer.  Personally I always like to keep my park days very flexible, however if you don't have a park hopper you need to be a little more concrete in your planning.

    Magic Kingdom is always the first park we visit.  Regardless of the day, or the amount of time we spend there, it is simply the "roots" of  WDW and the perfect way to start our vacation.  Since there are evening Extra Magic Hours the night of your arrival, I would plan on being at the park for opening the next day (hoping that most guests will close down the park Sunday night and opt to sleep in Monday).  We tend to leave the park by early afternoon, and either head back to our resort or hop to another park.

    We very rarely spend an entire day at a park.  I find that the kids hold up much better when given a change of scenery (and a little down time) during the day.  We will often go back to the resort for a rest, or park hop to break things up a bit. 

    I'd love to be more specific for you, so feel free to send me a follow up question with further details of your trip (resort, tickets, interests or "must do" activities).
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Meet the Panelist: Karen, New Hampshire

Ahoy matey!  My name is Karen and if there is such a person as the all-American Disney Mom, I'm it. I am a proud card-carrying member of Disney Cruise Line's Castaway Club and I would love to help you plan your Disney Cruise Line vacation! Learn More About Karen

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