Kid-Friendly Travel

If you've never been to WDW, here are a few more tips that apply to all the parks.

--Really pay attention to where you parked. Jot it down somewhere if you have to. All the parking lots kind of look the same, and to ride the tram back to your car, you need to know which character lot you're in. (Row 39 Minnie, for example) I saw quite a few people kind of wandering because they forgot where they parked.

--We bought the Pal Mickey toy for $65. Very cool, but not really worth it. The cool thing is that it picks up signals from around the park and tells you some interesting little tidbits about the park. The downside is that it's hard to hear sometimes, and it doesn't store any of those little tidbits to hear once you're outside the park. So, if you're willing to pay that much for a Mickey doll, then go for it. If I hadn't lost my receipt, I would have returned mine.

--Speaking of souveniers, you can find some really great deals on Disney items throughout Orlando, at much lower prices than in the parks. There's a pretty good one across the street from the visitor center on International Drive. They have everything from pajamas and toys to suitcases and office supplies... all with Disney logos.

--Park Hopper option for tickets is TOTALLY worth it! If you plan to come back again, it could be cheaper to buy more days than you need and upgrade to the 'never expire' so you can use your extra days next trip.

--You should only have to pay for parking once per day. Save your parking ticket if you move your car. Speaking of parking, parking seemed easiest at Epcot.

--We were there on Memorial Day, and it was surprisingly not overcrowded.

--Downtown Disney has two free splash fountains to beat the heat.

--Will Call is any ticket booth, but it's faster to go to the customer service booth. At Epcot, it's to the far right of the ticket booths.

--Use Disney transportation. You can bring your stroller on the monorail, and the boat ride from Epcot to MGM. Riding the Friendships boats from Epcot to MGM (and back) gives a nice view of the Boardwalk, and some of the resorts.

--Prepare for heat! Sunscreen, battery-operated spray fan, stroller shade, frozen juice boxes, etc. Also, prepare for rain. It thankfully doesn't last long, and can be a welcome relief from the heat.

--Hopefully this goes without saying, but wear comfortable shoes... that goes for the kids, too. Our day at Epcot, I walked 10 hours.

--View our other Disney articles here:

--Disney Advice by Diane

--Walt Disney World with Little Ones

--Disney's Animal Kingdom Parade

Copyright Stephany Wiestling 2006-2008. All rights reserved. www.kid-friendlytravel.blogspot.com

A very popular way to find vacation rentals is through eBay. Many people use this auction site as a way to rent their vacation home or time share property. I've found some that advertise as very kid-friendly.
Some of the kid-friendly features I've noticed are:
~high-chairs
~strollers
~cribs
~video game systems
~swimming pool
~Some are in a theme park area and come with tickets.
~Most are condo-style or are single family homes, so they have a full kitchen, separate bedrooms, etc.
Often times you are dealing directly with the owner, so you can get really specific with your questions before and during your stay. Many of them are very friendly and accommodating.

One key thing, make sure you ask all of your questions BEFORE you place your bid or purchase your stay. You can't really back out once you do it.

Here's a small sample of what you'll find on eBay. There are literally hundreds to choose from in just about any destination you can think of.

My top 3 favorite kid-friendly destinations are: San Diego, Orlando and Aruba. I have not made it to Hawaii, but I hear it is also very kid-friendly.



Copyright Stephany Wiestling 2006-2008. All rights reserved. www.kid-friendlytravel.blogspot.com

I'm always on the lookout for ways to save money without compromising our trip. We buy membership passes to the things we use at home that can also help us when we're out of town. For example, we have a membership to our local Children's Museum. We bought the membership upgrade that allows us to have reciprocal admission to other Children's Museums throughout the country. For a few dollars more, we can get in free at most other children's museums. Our local zoo membership also gets us in free or at discounted admission to most zoos around the country.
On my hunt for more deals, I came across this article on memberships that are worth the money. Read the full article here: Six genius family travel buys - Family Travel - MSNBC.com

Copyright Stephany Wiestling 2006-2008. All rights reserved. www.kid-friendlytravel.blogger.com