Family With Medals; RunDisney 10K; Stitch Hat; Lilo and Stitch Costume
  • On Feb 19, 2011
    Jon from CT 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.

    My wife and I are taking our four kids, ages 9-infant, to Disney for their first visit. We've made a few reservations, but hesitate to make any more. How do you maintain spontaneity and still avoid long waits at the restaurants?

    Hi Jon, I hear ya.

    I'm all for spontaneity and living in the moment while on my vacations. Trust me on this though, you want to make those Advanced Dining Reservations ahead of time. As a mom of 5 kids, I can assure that having to tell those little ones that they have to be patient for up to an hour to wait to eat when they are hungry...it's not a pretty sight. It's especially hard to get a table on a walk-in basis with a large family.

    Here's what we do: We book one Table Service meal per day. That's it. The only thing I know is which Park I'm in on which day, and where I'm eating my one table service meal. Beyond that, we leave it up to the Magic and open to adventure...whatever the kids want to do. You'll find that just a little bit of planning really makes a tremendous difference. You can still grab a quick service meal for lunch whenever you are up to it and the rest of your day is wide open.

    I believe you'll find that you'll look forward to 6:00pm (or whenever that reservation is for), because you'll know that you have a set time to relax and regroup. Everyone can come together, recap their favorite memories from the day and relax in the air conditioning for a bit. Be sure to book some character dining experiences, as these are extra fun.

    Hope this helps and have a wonderful vacation with your family,

    Kaylene
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Meet the Panelist: Kaylene, Massachusetts

I'm a blessed Mom of five fabulous kids, a Disney Vacation Club member, and an Annual Passholder. I've stayed in every Disney Resort on property, and I've traveled to Walt Disney World Resort with infants, toddlers, tweens, teens, grandparents, and on countless multi-generational family vacations! Learn More About Kaylene

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