Whether we’re Annual Passholders, Disney Vacation Club owners, or planning an infrequent or first-time visit, all of us are rookies at one time or another. We might be taking our first trip with a baby, a first trip to a new-to-us park, a first trip with new circumstances. Because few of us are perfect, we will misstep. Thinking about some of my own missteps and mistakes, I asked the Parenting Panel this week: What have been the lessons you learned from your Rookie Mistakes?
Mary Kraemer, a travel consultant with CruisingCo/MouseEarVacations, loves to travel with her husband and four children. She is an avid Disney fan who visits Disneyland several times a year and Walt Disney World and the Disney Cruise Line as often as possible! Mary shares from her experiences:
LOL… I can think of several mistakes, and not all of them are “rookie.”
My most chronic mistake involves raingear. I pack it, regardless of the weather forecast. I consider it as a “rain preventative”—you know, it’s better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. Except that I sometimes manage to have both of those situations happen. There are a few times when I’ve packed raingear, and it spent the entire trip in the back of the minivan… instead of with us in the park, where we needed it for rain, wet rides, or spray from water shows. As a result, I have quite an impressive collection of Disney ponchos from over the past 10 years or so…and, somehow, I don’t think anyone will be interested in a museum display of these overpriced plastic ponchos.
I broke my own parenting rule of Not Forcing Kids To Go On Rides when we visited Disneyland Paris, when I experienced the pressure of “We Might Not Be Back Here For A Very Long Time, If Ever.” My littlest child is a coaster gal, and her challenge is being tall enough to be allowed on the ride. Her older brother and sister, who are twins, are not thrill seekers, but had been on rides such as Space Mountain at Disneyland. We’d been on the Disneyland Paris’ Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and my kids loved it. So, I brushed aside their protests and practically shoved my two protesting kids onto the DLP version of Space Mountain (with its over-the-head shoulder restraints) and the coaster shot them into the (very) dark ride with its loops and corkscrews (and, to be fair, it was pretty bumpy). The little one came out with her eyes shining, a big smile on her face, and the chant, “Can we go again? Can we go again?” but the twins… not so much, with angry faces and tears rolling from their eyes. OK, they survived, but it scared the bejeebers out of them, and definitely sent their day into a far less magical place than we wanted. I took a peek at one of their journals and got to read, in no uncertain terms about how angry that child was at me. Very bad parenting choice.
We made a huge rookie mistake when we went on our first Disney cruise. We tried to see and do it all, and we came off the ship totally exhausted. Lovingly referred to as the Disney Death March, which can be applicable to any Disney park as well as the ships, it involves getting up early in the morning with an overly ambitious agenda, going full tilt (if not at a run) from one activity or attraction to the next, staying up far too late at night (well, there’s fun things to do then!), and doing it again the next day. Instead of coming off the ship rested, relaxed, and happy, we were somewhat stunned from exhaustion (we had a good time, mind you, but it took awhile to let all the fun sift through our tired brains). I always advise clients to pick and choose the things that interest them the most and not try to do everything, because I know from personal experience that this can be a thoroughly draining way to vacation. Disney offers so much to do that you can’t see and do everything…giving you lots of incentive to come back again!
Emily Loftus is a wife, mom, portrait photographer and former Disneyland rookie from Reno, Nevada. Emily writes:
Ah! The rookie mistake, we’ve all been there. Hopefully my misfortune will save you from some of your own.
What was my biggest rookie mistake? Skipping nap time and other acts of generally upending my young child’s schedule, simply because we were on vacation. Now, some kids do sleep well in their strollers well into their elementary school years. Some kids don’t throw tantrums. Some kids don’t become emotionally volatile when they are tired. But, if you have normal children, I cannot encourage you more to take an afternoon break and let that poor child sleep. Plying him with another churro is not a substitute for the sleep he so desperately needs. Even big kids who don’t nap daily anymore still need naps sometimes. And when they do nap, sometimes they can last until that magical late-night, no-one-is-left-in-the-park moment. The one where you can almost envision Walt himself enjoying a popcorn and a leisurely stroll up Main Street. It’s a magical moment so often not enjoyed by us parents, because we had to take our fussy (possibly even screaming) child back to the hotel for sleep.
A rookie mistake I’ve often observed is skipping the shows completely in favor of nothing but rides. I’ve been to Disneyland countless times, with dozens of friends, family members, and their children, and, during that time I have observed a constant: Families who focus on rides alone wear themselves out. They’re running from ride to ride, Fastpass, standby, run some more. Some of this can be fun, but an entire day just wastes your nerves—and your feet. You go-go-go and you don’t really stop and enjoy your vacation. To be fair, when I’ve visited Disney with teenagers in tow, the teens have always run off to do their own thing. But I’m not a teenager anymore, and my kids aren’t teenagers yet. Disney shows are top-notch and the venues offer a respite for your tired feet and a break from weaving through crowds, plus indoor venues are air conditioned. Lots of the shows offer little personal moments that enrich your vacation experience.
Finally, I think that the most common rookie mistakes are the things you forget: Sunscreen, water bottle, camera, camcorder, hat, sweatshirt, an umbrella or rain poncho, snacks like Goldfish or Puffs for babies and toddlers, socks, a spare pair of shoes… the list goes on and on. The little forgotten things cost money, money that is usually budgeted down to the penny. The last thing you need is an $18 bottle of sunscreen, so don’t forget it. I’m famous for packing one pair of shoes for the entire trip. Not a good plan. Now, I have Mickey Crocs, Mickey sneakers, and Mickey flip-flops. Each time I had to buy shoes (usually due to enormous blisters) I had a nearly identical pair of shoes at home, that I easily could have packed. Be prepared. Check the weather, plan for multiple scenarios, or budget the funds to buy the extras. Any option works.
Most of all, though, enjoy yourself. Your babies won’t be babies for very long. Take pictures, make memories and have fun!
Parenting in the Parks columnist Adrienne Krock’s three boys are now 11, 9, and 6. They’ve been visiting Disneyland since they were each just weeks old. She has been a day camp counselor and elementary school teacher. Now she’s a mom and a Cub Scout leader and has been a Disneyland Annual Passholder for 15 years. Adrienne adds:
I have narrowed down my choices to three memorable mistakes. I may have had more missteps but I think mistakes are bigger.
#1. Disneyland: The Roger Rabbit Incident
When my oldest was a baby, he occasionally rode Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin from the comfort of our Baby Bjorn baby carrier. I loved that carrier. The babies stayed securely with me or my husband, or whichever friend had possession at the time (usually Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix) I felt (and still feel) that my babies were perfectly safe inside the Bjorn while we rode any ride (without a height restriction) in the parks. But between our eldest two children, the Brandon Zucker tragedy occurred on the attraction and, among other changes Disney made to the ride, all riders on Roger Rabbit were required to be able to sit up on their own to ride.
When my middle son was still a baby, we visited with family and decided to ride Roger Rabbit. I remembered having no problems with my eldest and so we took the baby along. The cast member asked if my son could sit up on his own and he could. For the most part. And so I put him on the bench and away we went.
The ride was utterly miserable. I spent the whole time gripping to my child for dear life. Sitting up alone was not enough to keep such a young baby secure on that ride! Having held my children on many Disney rides, I know I could have held him on my lap and he would have been fine, but the regulations for Roger Rabbit forbid that. So we finished the ride, we got off, and I have never taken a baby on Roger Rabbit since.
We always follow the Disney restrictions for height or ages on attractions, even when we think they may be a bit too much. But, in some cases, we really need to consider if our children are ready for some of the restrictions.
#2. Walt Disney World: The Time Zone Shift Incident
Our vacation to Walt Disney World last fall was our first trip there ever. While Doc and I have traveled a bit throughout the country (and world), our children never had experienced a shift of time zones quite as severe as flying from the Pacific to the Eastern time zone.
But sleeping in hotels, we knew! While vacationing, or at most times for that matter, our children rarely sleep in. Their internal clocks seem wired to wake up early. In hotels, especially at the beginning of our journeys, they are usually too excited to sleep in late. And for that matter, I usually sleep poorly in hotels, as well. I often find myself waking up throughout the night checking the clock to see how close we are to morning.
After arriving in Orlando, we settled into our beds in a Family Suite at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort, and Doc and I discussed setting an alarm. We had heard stories about the noise level at All-Star Resorts. We knew our children’s sleep patterns. We very naturally assumed that if we kept the alarm turned off this once, between our children and fellow guests, we would wake up at a decent hour to get started on our day. And so with that, we went to sleep with no alarm set.
The next morning, when I finally opened my eyes expecting the clock to read 7:30 a.m. or 8:00 a.m., I flew out of bed when I realized that we were nearing 11:00 a.m.!
Within minutes our family showered, grabbed a bite to eat and packed ourselves into our rental van heading to the Magic Kingdom. So much for that plan!
Since that day, we always, always set an alarm in a hotel room. Even if we need to turn it off, we have it “just in case.” I wish I could say this was a rookie mistake. We should have known better. But really, 11 a.m. My kids?
And finally #3: Walt Disney World: We’re Walking!
I include this story for two reasons: One: I like funny stories. And Two: for the two or three people left on Earth who may not have read it yet, it’s new to you.
If those of you reading this have never been to Disneyland in Anaheim, I must explain now that it is possible to walk from the furthest point of the entire Disneyland Resort to the opposite point, in 30 minutes or less. The Main Gates to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park are mere yards apart. We regularly walk from the large parking structure that services the resort to the Main Gate, as well as from several of the local hotels.
If you have never been to Walt Disney World in Florida, I must explain that right in front of the Magic Kingdom there is a giant lake. The lake is huge. Trust me. Huge.
Once waking up that first morning of the no-alarm clock incident, we pulled into the Magic Kingdom parking lot armed with our AAA Diamond Parking Pass. Diamond Parking is a benefit offered by AAA with packages booked through their travel agents. The only thing closer to the parks than Diamond Parking is handicap-accessible parking (although, I must note that at the Magic Kingdom, the internal Disney bus system does not drop off guests at the parking lot. The bus drop off is very close to the Magic Kingdom Main Gate).
We gleefully drove our rental van past the cars much further back and the guests climbing aboard the parking lot trams. Climbing out of the van, I could see a short sidewalk path to the ticket booths and knew we had no need for Parking Lot Trams. As we started to walk, I called Swanie, another MousePad member and friend who had completely coincidentally planned her vacation overlapping ours. We needed to coordinate where we might meet inside Magic Kingdom for lunch since the “Krock Pots” had slept right through breakfast and wasted the entire morning. Swanie asked me how we planned to get to the Magic Kingdom. I answered quite simply and logically, “We’re walking.”
Swanie replied: “No, I mean, how are you going to get to the park?”
I suspected our cell connection was bad so I repeated louder and slower: “W-E’R-E W-A-L-K-I-N-G. We have Diamond Parking! We parked right here!”
Swanie repeated her reply louder and slower. This confused me. Swanie is a marathon athlete. She knows what walking is. This was not rocket science. She knew about the Diamond parking, too. Finally Swanie changed her reply to: “No. You can’t walk. You have to take something.” Later, she added “You have to take a BOAT or a MONORAIL.”
As we walked farther, I finally understood what she meant. We saw the big lake. Diamond parking or not, we had to take something.
Rookie Mistake Learned: You can’t walk from the parking lot to the Magic Kingdom.
Mistake #3 has a postscript: In March 2010, I completed the Princess Half Marathon at Walt Disney World. And from the time I passed through the Magic Kingdom toll booths until we arrived at the park I kept thinking to myself: “I’m walking to the Magic Kingdom.” Oh yes, you can!
Scott, his wife Kim, and two sons (11 and 16) live in Texas and are frequent visitors to Disney World since 1994. Scott and Kim are always planning “the next trip.”
Disney is truly a magical place. A huge rookie mistake is not understanding this message on your first trip. You can read all the advice in the world, and plan every detail of your vacation, but Disney magic is not easy to “get” until you’ve actually been there. Disney is a place where families will have a great time. There are usually huge expectations on a first Disney vacation. I think this is because many view the expense and effort of a Disney vacation as a “once-in-a-lifetime” event. Walt Disney World is not something that can be taken in fully in a few days. Our first “once-in-a-lifetime” Disney vacation now has become a regular event whenever budget and schedule allows. Losing the “once in a lifetime” mentality helps to quiet the “we have to do it all” attitude.
On our first trip, we were on a mission. This would entail early rising, marathon dashes to main attractions, criss-crossing the parks, and late evenings. Our feet blistered and our leg muscles felt like we had spent the four days skiing Colorado slopes instead of strolling down Main Street to the Castle. Our “four parks in four days” schedule required back-to-back roller coaster rides, which left all of us nauseated and our youngest declaring, “I’m not riding anymore roller coasters!” and to stick to this for the next five years. Tempers did flare in the heat, and I do have an unfortunate recollection of reprimanding our children in front of the speeder bikes at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to, “start enjoying themselves, because this was the only time they would get to do this stuff—so they better just buck-up.” We can laugh now—but we see this same parental “you better have fun” attitude every time we go to the parks. Our first trip also included leaving our only camera at Mexico. Luckily, it was right where we left it once we realized it was missing.
Our first Walt Disney World trip was, nonetheless, a great time—our favorite vacation ever and one we repeat as often as possible! What we’ve learned is there will always be another Disney trip, so relax, enjoy the kids, and enjoy all the little magical extras Disney does so well.
Here are our 10 top tips for how to avoid rookie mistakes:
- Relax! Enjoy yourself and enjoy the time with your family.
- Simplify what you bring to the parks. Organize “who carries what,” with the kids carrying very little to nothing. This minimizes the chances of losing items. Staying on-site helps in this regard, because you can send purchases back to your hotel and not have to carry them throughout the day. Strollers make excellent pack mules.
- Respect the needs of each family member (including little ones). Rest, take potty breaks, get the snacks, and buy some of the trinkets as appropriate throughout the day.
- Set limits. Agree ahead of time on snacks and spending. Expect it to be more than you think, so be flexible.
- Don’t forget to periodically do an inventory check. Cameras, lanyards, hats, sunglasses, and tiaras?
- Use the extra magic hours. Especially in the mornings.
- Don’t force your kids to do rides. Encourage them to give it a go, but if it’s still too scary, take advantage of the baby-swap system. However don’t call it “baby swap” in front of the kids.
- Don’t expect everything to be perfect. Allow for a little grumpiness and the buses to run a little late sometimes. Have a magical day!
- Don’t forget to get into physical shape before the trip. You will walk, carry, and ride more than you think. Any prep work to get in shape before the trip will really pay off.
- Don’t forget you still have to be a parent and supervise your kiddos. Do our part as parents to keep Disney magical.
Chris, also known as GusMan around the MousePad boards, is an avid Disney fan and believes that frequent flier and hotel rewards programs exist so that he can use the points to supplement his Disney vacation budget. He loves to help people get the most out of their Disney vacations by sharing his experiences, which he tries to do as often as possible. Chris writes:
It was once said to me that history makes a great teacher. And when it comes to Disney vacations, this is good advice. It is almost embarrassing to think about how we arranged and executed some of our past vacations, yet the events that took place did not make the trips any less magical.
The Mrs. and I were talking about this very topic the other day and how our touring changed over the years, especially since our family has changed as well in the same amount of time. We thought of many different examples of things that could have gone a little bit better:
- Never assume that the attractions that you loved as a kid, your kids will love equally as much. A prime example of this is when I went to WDW for the very first time when I was about 8 years old. My father and I rode Space Mountain and loved every minute of it. It is a cherished childhood memory for sure. When I first went with my daughter, also when she was 8, I did a lot of coaxing to get her to ride Space Mountain with me as well. She came off the ride somewhat in shock, and looked into the video camera later and said that she never wanted to ride it again.
- Never downplay the intensity of an attraction just because you really want your child to ride it with you. Or maybe the best way to put it is—if you have never been on the ride yourself, don’t make stuff up. And while I know I will not win a “Best Father of the Year Award” for admitting this, I did just that with my daughter. The attraction: Rock-n-Roller Coaster. I heard the phrase “Dad—get me off this thing” screamed at the top her lungs all throughout the ride.
- Never assume that touring during the peak summer times is going to be the same as when first vacationed in the cooler spring, fall, or winter months. This happened to us during our first summer trip a few years back. After several shorter trips in October, December, or February, we decided to try a longer trip in August. As a family, we were not prepared for the heat, the crowds, or the inability to keep up with our usual pace. This resulted in some crabby kids, and some exhausted parents. After the first few days, we had to come up with a game plan to both mentally and physically deal with the differences in how to deal with things. (Our solution included water parks.) While I tend to believe that people know how hot it can get in Central Florida, until it is experienced first hand, I am not sure its impact can be really personified.
- Planning, planning, planning. Failure to do so is folly. This is where I think we had it easy, but I also think is a downfall for many first timers. Because Disney parks are ever-changing, first-timers need to realize that guide books from five years ago are not going to give you a fully accurate picture. Restaurants change, attractions change, refurbishments happen during the same time of your trip. But getting a good, current picture of what the parks offer today can really help you plan out what you and your family may want to do, see, or eat. Spend time talking with your family, or go over planning videos or guidebooks, and get feedback from your children and other family members. Make lists of things that caught the families attention and make them a part of “must-do” list. Regardless, have backup plans as well, just in case. In essence, if you don’t have a plan, you will waste a lot of valuable time trying to make decisions when you could be enjoying attractions. And if you have impatient children, that can spell disaster.
In my opinion, vacationing at Disney is different every single time. That is one of the things that makes it so great. You learn from your experiences and you find out what works best for you and your family. But most of all, you must remember that no matter what you do, during every single trip, there is always the potential for having an extremely magical time.
* PS – Space Mountain and Rock-n-Roller Coaster are now some of my daughter’s favorite attractions. I guess things worked out in the end.
It’s your turn—keep the discussion flowing!
Visit the Parenting on the Parks section of our MousePad discussion board, and share your opinions about this topic (link), or send your suggestions via e-mail (link). Reader-submitted tips might be used in a future article, and you might be selected to participate in an upcoming panel discussion!
