Couple q's re: traveling w/ my 4 year old niece

[DisneyFave]

Hey everyone! I'll be heading to WDW with my niece who will be exactly 4 y/o in October for 4 days at BLT or AKV:

Day 1 - arrival (dtd? FWL activities?)
Day 2 - pool, Chef Mickey's, MNSSHP
Day 3 - MK
Day 4 - pool until ME pickup

I have a few questions:

1 - Goodie bags: what kind of items you recommend for a (cheap) goodie bag for the flights from New Hampshire? Where can I buy them for cheap?
2 - In-room surprise: how should I surprise her with the cinderella costume I just bought for her? I want it to be in the room when we first open the door but not sure how to do that and would love alternative fun suggestions.
3 - Thrill rides: she's a little beanstalk and will be 44 inches tall by the time we go, making her tall enough for everything MK except driving at the Speedway (which I don't like anyway). Definitely not taking her to Stitch since it scares even me. I just have no idea how to gauge what will frighten her since she's never been to WDW. At her current age of 39 months, she's extremely independent (bit of a daredevil) and curious and rarely cries. How should I test the waters?
4 - DVC rental: I'm drawn to AKV for the rental price, awesome pool, and activities/grounds that she would love, but I think BLT would be so much more convenient and give me peace of mind to be moments away from our room in the event of a meltdown. She's fully potty trained and I plan to bring a stroller for her. Which DVC would you choose?
5 - Gift purchases: I'm not sure if she'll be at the "auntie will you please buy this for me?" stage yet, but any suggestions for managing those expectations just in case?

TIA!!!

 

[worm761]

Hey everyone! I'll be heading to WDW with my niece who will be exactly 4 y/o in October for 4 days at BLT or AKV:

Day 1 - arrival (dtd? FWL activities?)
Day 2 - pool, Chef Mickey's, MNSSHP
Day 3 - MK
Day 4 - pool until ME pickup

I have a few questions:

1 - Goodie bags: what kind of items you recommend for a (cheap) goodie bag for the flights from New Hampshire? Where can I buy them for cheap?
2 - In-room surprise: how should I surprise her with the cinderella costume I just bought for her? I want it to be in the room when we first open the door but not sure how to do that and would love alternative fun suggestions.
3 - Thrill rides: she's a little beanstalk and will be 44 inches tall by the time we go, making her tall enough for everything MK except driving at the Speedway (which I don't like anyway). Definitely not taking her to Stitch since it scares even me. I just have no idea how to gauge what will frighten her since she's never been to WDW. At her current age of 39 months, she's extremely independent (bit of a daredevil) and curious and rarely cries. How should I test the waters?
4 - DVC rental: I'm drawn to AKV for the rental price, awesome pool, and activities/grounds that she would love, but I think BLT would be so much more convenient and give me peace of mind to be moments away from our room in the event of a meltdown. She's fully potty trained and I plan to bring a stroller for her. Which DVC would you choose?
5 - Gift purchases: I'm not sure if she'll be at the "auntie will you please buy this for me?" stage yet, but any suggestions for managing those expectations just in case?

TIA!!!

Sounds like a fun trip!

1. Walmart has Disney themed grab bags for $1. Also, check out your local Dollar Tree. They always have something Disney themed. Make sure you include a snack in there that she likes. Try to make it peanut free just in case there is someone allergic on the plane. Glow stuff for night time would be ideal too.

2. I am not sure this can happen. You could try calling your resort and find out if you can.

3. There is really no way to gauge. DD was 4.5 last summer. A daredevil that knows no fear. She cried on almost every single ride. Including Peter Pan, Pooh, and Little Mermaid. Don't get me wrong, if you ask her today she will tell you they were fun. But she would cry at the end of every ride claiming she was scared. So you just never know. My suggestion is to go with the flow. We spent a lot of time meeting characters and watching shows.

4. DD loves AKL but she loves all things animals. She probably knows more about them than you and I combined. I would suggest BLT if you feel there may be meltdown issues. But have a plan for meltdowns. Is she hungry? thirsty? tired? overwhelmed? Disney is a LOT to take in. Sometimes you just need a quiet corner for a few minutes. A bottle of water and a snack and secluded bench are fantastic for this.

5. My only suggestion is to make a budget and try to stick to it. But I have no real advice. My DD is pretty spoiled

 

[Lincolnshire]

Funny - we are also going in October and debated renting points at AKL vs BLT! We picked AKL for the pool, food, theming and low cost of the value rooms, but I would still do BLT in your situation because it's so close to MK and your trip is a short one. I think the convenience factor would win out for me especially if you are the only adult on the trip. Being able to walk back after MNSSHP would be especially nice.

As for fears: maybe watch some POV videos of rides on YouTube? And start small - Pooh is a dark ride and my husband thinks the neon rooms are creepy, so we tried that before doing Haunted Mansion. (2 year old loved Pooh, clearly did not like HM but did not cry. We thought Pirates would be too scary and didn't try it last trip.)

 

[squirrel]

Sounds like a fun trip! I have taken my niece's on WDW trips before without their parents.

You should be able to find some coloring books and crayons that are Disney themed at the Dollar store. Stickers are also fun for that age.

I don't know if they will put items in your room for you. I'm assuming it's just you and your niece (no partner or friend with you). I know I had to be sneaky when my niece lost her tooth suddenly and I needed a gift for her. I got wiser the next time when her sister lost her tooth and just went down to the front desk with her and asked for some Disney money!

With your MNSSHP ticket you can enter the park at 4pm. We always arrived at 4 and then did rides for an hour or so and then grabbed a CS meal. I would switch your Chef Mickey's for another night to maximize your party time. Once the party starts at 7pm do all the party activities. If you want photos of 7 dwarfs get in line at 6:30pm.

We would do a nap on MNSSHP night. Since she will want to be up for the party and in good spirits.

My nieces never asked for much so I don't know. Sometimes they were sent with some money other times not.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Such a fun age!!
Know your niece well. Will she be able to stay awake late enough to make the price of the party ticket worth the cost. I would for sure do a long afternoon nap before the party and then plan to enter at 4:00. Will she be able to stay up late for the party and then be able to get up early for MK the next day?

I would stay at BLT for sure. So much easier, quicker and a huge help for such a short trip.

What time will you arrive the first day? Could you switch Chief Mickey to that day? DTD can be a fun night but be aware we tend to spend a lot of extra money there. If you want to choose a fun gift, do the Mr Potato Head box. A good deal and entertainment for the whole trip.
Pool time is good. Ride the monorail, visit the other monorail resorts, switch monorails and ride through Epcot.

Last day, what time is your pickup? Remember checkout is11:00 so think through your luggage and getting dressed after pool time.

Dress in room.....I would let her wake up to it the first morning. Easy to hang out once she is asleep.

Treat Bags......For on the plane, I would look for things that will keep her happy, Disney or not. A few good preschool apps on your phone, maybe a princess color magic book, a magnetic princess set or sticker book or a paper doll book. A few healthy snacks and a few junk ones. For the room and park....disney theme fruit snacks, glow sticks, Disney themes things for the room like body wash, PJ's shampoo etc. I like the disney themed wash clothes and any disney themed snack we can find.

As for spending, we just avoid gift shops in the parks. We walk quickly though end of ride gift shops (i really don't think little guy knew you could even buy the stuff at 4) and don't go into other shops. We have bought the light up night time toys and they are hard to avoid and escape at the parties. We mostly allow one end of trip purchase and just say no if he ask before then.

Rides.....its so hard to tell. Haunted Mansion scared DS at that age but he was fine on BTMR. Maybe start with barnstormer and go from there.

Good luck and have fun planning.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

For gift requests, tell her you will buy her one thing on the last day. If any other days she says she wants something for example: "Auntie I realllllly want a spinning light up Mickey!" , in kid language that usually just means "Auntie, Auntie, I think this is so coool. Look, look, look!" At which point you look at the item, announce that it is indeed very cool, and say something about having to remember that for our last day. You can even take a picture of it to help her remember, but I haven't ever found that necessary. Usually just agreeing with my son that the thing he wants is awesome is enough for him. Works for food items too, if she starts going "I waaaaaant an ice cream!" just agree with her " I want an ice cream too, but I didn't bring any money for ice cream. They sure look good though"

 

[DisneyFave]

Thanks SO MUCH for all of these awesome tips!!! Lots of great ideas I hadn't considered

 

[Maggie at the Fort]

1. For gift bags, definitely the dollar store or the dollar spot at target. My daughter (4.5) is very into the $1 disney jewelry that shows up at target right now!

2. I would surprise her with the costume the day you want her to wear it. She will want to wear it when she sees it!

3. As far as thrill factor, I would start her on Barnstormer. At 3.5 my daughter was shaken up by that one. This trip she will be tall enough for most but we are going to try that one again early on to see how she does. For dark rides, something very small that lights up is a good idea. I have a tiny coleman lantern key chain. It isn't directional like a flashlight but when she got totally nervous on a dark ride she could hold it on her lap and feel better. I liked that it wouldn't distract or bother other guests.

4. Definitely a stroller, and a change of clothes just in case. Even potty trained kids can have trouble when food, sleep, excitement level is all different from at home. No opinions on the dvc.

5. I let my kids earn money for chores (a quarter for sorting and putting away the families socks, or sorting and putting away the cloth diapers etc). Baby brother earns his for putting away wash cloths and helping me empty the dishwasher. (He doesn't really understand it but wants to do what sister is doing). The money all goes in special disney banks. On the last trip, I would ask her if she wanted to think about spending her money on it. It really helped her decide which souvenirs were important.

Have fun!

 

[GrnMtnMan]

I would stay at BLT for sure. So much easier, quicker and a huge help for such a short trip.

+1

One of the things I love most about BLT is you don't have to ride buses. There's a walkway from BLT/The CR to the MK that makes it nice and easy to finish the day without one last long line (for the bus). If the line for the monorail isn't long, you can take that back. Its a nice *OPTION* to have, rather than the *NECESSITY* of taking buses back to your resort.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

Day 1 - arrival (dtd? FWL activities?)
Day 2 - pool, Chef Mickey's, MNSSHP
Day 3 - MK
Day 4 - pool until ME pickup

My son was 4 years -two months on our last family trip. My daughter was 3.5 years when I did a daddy-only trip with her. Here are my thoughts on the itinerary given that:

No point in DTD with that age, unless you want to be buying a lot of stuff. Maybe for the sake of T-Rex or Rainforest, but that's it. They have pool activities/parties at other resorts, and I know BLT has a nightly campfire with marshmallows and outdoor movies.

Howabout Epcot on Day 2, for half a day? My little ones loved Imagination, Nemo, Spaceship Earth, Test Track, even the Mexico and Land boat rides.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

2 - In-room surprise: how should I surprise her with the cinderella costume I just bought for her? I want it to be in the room when we first open the door but not sure how to do that and would love alternative fun suggestions.

The Disney Florist does things like this. Look for the "In-Room Celebrations". I think I've heard these can be custom, rather than the pre-set options they have on the web. Its worth a call.

ETA: ouch, just found this one....for $435. Looks like there are more reasonable options though, like balloons.

 

[DisneyFave]

Howabout Epcot on Day 2, for half a day? My little ones loved Imagination, Nemo, Spaceship Earth, Test Track, even the Mexico and Land boat rides.

You just blew my mind! Epcot is my fave park and I hadn't even considered taking her there. What a great idea! I'm definitely doing that, especially since my niece isn't big into the princesses. This also changes where I'd want to stay. Since we're going late September I'm guessing all the DVC rentals for the Epcot area will be booked, but I'm going to shoot for a BCV studio now.

 

[delfinavacano]

Animal Kingdom is our favorite park, so AKL works out best for us. We prefer Kidani, since it's quieter and has the community hall with loads of activities. (You can actually grab stuff at the community hall and take it back to your room, like coloring pages and some of the activity packet things.) It's super-relaxing and our girls love animals.

For the princess dress, I second the idea of just setting it up "magically" while she's asleep. We have also taken our girls to Castle Couture and let them just pick out a dress and get changed right then. (Our girls wear costumes. A lot.)

Oh, and we have given our kids a budget of X amount. Then they have to figure out what they can purchase with that budget and we work out the math with them.

 

[GrnMtnMan]

This also changes where I'd want to stay. Since we're going late September I'm guessing all the DVC rentals for the Epcot area will be booked, but I'm going to shoot for a BCV studio now.

DVCs in the Epcot area are really tight during Food & Wine. You need to start looking/booking now to get one on rented points.

Alternatively, the Swan and Dolphin can be pretty inexpensive compared to Disney deluxes, but are still walking distance to Epcot.

I personally think that BLT is still the better option considering your plans...its really nice to walk home from the MK, especially after MNSSHP. Plus its a pretty easy monorail ride over to Epcot from the CR....just one stop to the TTC and then over to the Epcot line. But I can also see having access to Stormalong Bay as a major plus for your trip.

Good luck.

P.S....as another poster also noted, you won't need a hopper ticket to do an Epcot morning, so long as you enter the MK after 4 on the party day with the party ticket.

 

[katie111]

Depending on what time you arrive and leave on your travel days I would possibly consider a little more park time. I think Epcot is a great idea. Pool time is great but sometimes my kids (who love to swim) are in a pool for 10 minutes and then they are ready to get out. Then what will you do for the rest of the day? Also, weather could be a factor if it decides to rain on your pool day. Assuming Chef Mickey's ADR is for dinner, that is a lot of pool time. Maybe switch you rADR and do it for breakfast. Or if you decide to switch to the Beach Club, I would do breakfast a the Cape May Cafe.

As for rides, since you are in NH anyways, why not take her to Storyland or Santas Village late this summer and see how she does. This might also give you an idea of her stamina level and to start to prepare you for any meltdowns that may occur.

I would assume the parents would give you some $$ for souvenirs. If so, I would just take the lead from how much they contribute. If it's a lot, maybe she can have whatever she wants. If not, I usually use the previously mentioned technique of letting her pick out something at the end of the trip. My kids usually get a shirt if they ride something new (like Tower of terror) and then they pick out something else for under $50. They love wearing the shirt when they go back to school.

I think either the Epcot are or BLT would be great for your plans. AKL is great but it's rather far removed for such a short stay. Plus being on a long bus ride with a screaming kid is not fun.