Newbie from Australia

Hi we are a family of 3 (10 year old) daughter and we will be in Orlando in October after a Caribbean cruise. We are going thru the process of booking our Disney stay and are worried that we will hate it (yeah I know wash my mouth out), let me explain we are not big on crowds, queuing etc and feel that our daughter might not get as much out of Disney as she would have maybe 3 years ago when she was Frozen crazy etc.
Has anyone else had these doubts as well? We would appreciate the advice.

Hi, I’m also from Australia although no kids and I love it. Disney is great at being for all ages so while your daughter may or may not have moved past the princess phase there is so much else that’s amazing and magical for all ages.

If you go in planning for crowds then that will help to manage your expectations. A lot of people like to cruise after the parks but I think it’s great that you’re doing the parks after you will have had plenty of time to recover from jet lag. Fatigue makes everything harder!

Make sure you research fast passes and book those to help manage the lines. The queues are long but often themed which is good. They also post wait times at the entrance to the rides so you can make informed decisions.

Take breaks, enjoy a swim and some relaxation time each day so you all stay happy before the stress, hunger, sore feet and consequent grumpiness sets in. Planning time at your resort can be a great escape from the crowds of a busy park day. Remember that there’s so much more than just a the rides to keep everyone entertained when doing Disney.

Good luck with the planning and have a great time.

You won't know until you/she tries it. You already here......you are not a 2 hour plane ride away.

My advice is to also do some research and take advantage of FPS. It will be a very busy time!!!! Make a few ADRs and definitely do not try to see it all/do everything. Add lot's of relaxation/resort/pool time.

Happy planning!! You will need to come back to this thread if you go and tell us what you both thought

Welcome to Dis.

10 years old is an iffy stage - it seems like they love something one day and the next, not so much.

I'd let her be part of the planning process so you can see what she might be interested in ( kids always love rides, right? ). If she's into movies, she may like Hollywood Studios, if she likes science or travel then she may want to focus on Epcot. Animals - Animal Kingdom.

You'll be there during Food and Wine which is always a fun activities ( but avoid the weekends since crowds are a concern )

I'd also recommend taking a look at crowd calendars to help you plan. If you have more than 1 day it will allow you to pick parks based on past volume. It's not always 100% accurate but I've found it a good guide. On another note with crowds - HS is expected to be PACKED because Galaxy Edge is opening. So keep that in mind in planning.

Thanks everyone for the advice I will keep researching, how crowded does Magic Hour get?

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Jocelynaus said:

I recommend the touring plans website to plan out your days.

Click to expand...

Thanks I will check it out.