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[AmyT14]

Hi all,

Ok so as it gets closer to our first DLP trip (less than 4 weeks now!) I really want a plan of what to do and when so we get the most out of our trip and do the things we really want to do so I was hoping for some advice! We should arrive around lunchtime on a Wednesday and will be leaving Sunday morning. There are 5 of us going; myself, my husband and our 3 girls who are 9, 4 and 2 so there are some things (rides!) the 9 year old wants to do that obviously the others can't so we're trying to figure out the best way to please everyone whilst also spending lots of time together!   We are staying in Sequoia Lodge so we have the advantage of the EMH too.

If I list some of the activities/meals we want to do could you possibly advise on the best times to do them:

Rides/attractions:
- The Frozen summer show (all of us)
- Peter pan ride (all of us)
- Tower of Terror (me + 9 yr old)
- Thunder mountain (me + 9 year old)
- Dumbo ride (all of us)
- Train (I forget what it's called!) (all of us)
- Disney Dreams (probably only once and all of us hopefully)
- Parade (all of us) 
- Hotel swimming pool (all of us)
- Meet Mickey and Minnie hopefully
- Shopping!


Meals: (we do have breakfast included)
- character meal (still not sure where though!)
- Pizza planet
- Rainforest Cafe

Also if there are any other recommendations of rides/attractions (I'm sure there were more we had thought of doing but can't remember now!) or places to eat suitable for us all please let me know, I'm getting more confused the more I read!!

Thanks for your time,

Amy 

[polar vixen]

If strongly recommend buzz lightyears laser blast and the new ratatouille ride. If it were me I'd spend the firsts partial and first full day in the Disney parked and then the second full day in the studios. I'd also try to catch the parade in the first day as it really gets you in the Disney mood,  I'd consider upgrading to cafe mickey for breakfast one day to get the characters,  and possibly inventions for a meal.

[AmyT14]

Thank you for your reply - are those rides suitable or us all? I've heard the Ratatouille one is great although my girls aren't big fans, is it still worth it?

Was thinking we should do the more popular rides/attractions the first day or two before the weekend rush!?

[Mileto]

I don't see such good attractions as:

It's a small world
Pinoccio
Sleeping beaty (these two maybe not for the 2years old girl)
Pirates of the Carribean - you and 9 yr old
Cassey's train

Children could play on the adventure island.

[AmyT14]

Oh thank you,forgot about It's A Small World! definitely want to do that one! We had planned the playground for when they're a bit restless and need a good run around or maybe the younger two when i take the older one on one of the bigger rides.

[polar vixen]

ratatouille is fine for all ages,e ven my baby went on, although there is a scene which is a little scary, but not too bad, and buzz is definitely suitable for you all.  Buzz is a good one for early morning hours, and I'd say watch dreams as soon as you';re able, just incase the weather turns!

[Mrsya]

Your list looks fab! I will say as much as you plan to do certain things, it always changes and it feels liberating some days to just go with the flow! You will often find that when the information boards tell you that buzz is a 45 min wait and Pirates is a 5 you'll decide its time for a walk through adventure isle! 

Be guided more by what your family fancies rather than what your itinerary says BUT having said that there are tips and tricks to getting the most out of your 5 days. Use EMH for rides in fantasyland as the wait for Peter Pan can get very long later in the day. Use the fastpass system smartly - one of us nips into studios park to get fastpasses for ratatouille (my 5 year old loved it before he'd even seen the film) while the other adult walks down to the main park to get fastpasses for BTM or Buzz (you can have a fastpass for each park at the sane time and ratatouille is normally for later in the day). Use the waiting time boards and avoid the longer queues. Busiest time is 1-4 so this is a good time for lunch and either shows or walk through attractions - the dragon under the castle shouldn't be missed!

The park quieted after the parade and by an hour before close most rides are walkons.

My biggest tip by far though is babyswitch! We use it for rides that our baby can't go on yet, for adult rides so we can both go on singly, for our son to have two goes without queuing twice. This can also be used in conjunction with fastpass.

Enjoy!

[AmyT14]

Thank you so much for your reply, that's great.

I know what you mean, I don't want to plan too much and get stressed out trying to stick to it! But would like a loose plan of action so we don't wast time idly wandering round trying to decide what to do! Or at least familiarise myself with the map before we go to we have an idea of loose routes to take.

We likely won't stay in the park until close more than once, the little ones won't handle it I don't think but will see how they get on, they're early risers so we're more likely to get the most out of the EMH than we are to be there late (unless they give in and have an afternoon nap at all!).

The baby switch thing sounds good, although I wouldn't want to queue up with the little ones for a ride that the little ones can't go on at all, they hate queuing at the best of times without making them queue for something they can't ride. For the bigger rides one of us is more likely just to go on with the eldest, my husband isn't a big fan of big rides so he's not too bothered anyway!

It's all so exciting - and scary!

[Mrsya]

The children don't have to queue with you for babyswitch unless they're riding. For example on Tower of Terror I queued on my own while my husband changed baby's nappy and looked around the shop then I gave him the babyswitch pass when I came out and he went straight back on the ride while I looked around the shop and bought an ice cream for the children! Everyone's happy!

For a ride like Buzz, I queue with my son while hubby has a wander with baby then we swap so my husband gets to go on with him again.

[AmyT14]

Ooh ok, I misunderstood that then - sounds good! Hoping it will all become clear when we get there!