Hi Prudence! Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel.
Like you I have a five year old. While my five year old is normally very active I have found that with all of the excitement that the Walt Disney World Resort offers, his “batteries” seem to run low quickly. When we vacation, we typically spend the majority of our time at Magic Kingdom Park. There are so many attractions and entertainment opportunities for children of this age.
We always rely on the
Complimentary Resort Transportation at Disney. I have never rented a car. The transportation system is really easy to use and I have found it to get me from my resort hotel to the theme parks usually within 15-25 minutes. The buses typically run every 15-20 minutes so it doesn’t usually seem like too long of a wait for a bus. If you rent a car you will still have to drive to the Theme Park, park your car, and most likely take a tram to the entrance. So for my family the bus system at Disney is a more hassle free way to get to the Theme Parks.
One other tip that I would like to recommend is to either bring or rent a stroller. While most five year olds may not typically want to sit in a stroller, they are perfect for when they run out of energy! Even my high energy kiddo is very happy to sit occasionally in the stroller, especially at the end of a long day. Lastly make sure to take a break in the middle of the day. Head back to the resort hotel for a quick nap or a swim break. Allowing for some time to just relax and unwind makes for a much happier experience! Trust me…I have learned this the hard way!
I hope that you have the most magical vacation!
~Heather~