How to keep little ones occupied while waiting for FoF Parade

[jldeahl]

We want to stake out a nice shady spot with a good view for Festival of Fantasy Parade, so I'm guessing we need to be in position an hour in advance. I'm trying to imagine how I'm going to get a 3 and 5 year old to stay put in Disney World for an hour! Any good ideas out there?

 

[BraveLittleToaster2]

Easy! When my kids were younger we would make it snack time. Get some good snacks and relax. We would sometes buy those globes on a stick that when you push the button they light up or blow bubbles etc. That would also keep them busy. Though, once they knew a parade was coming they typically would be okay with waiting.

 

[unrequited23]

That was when we broke out the misting fan for the first time--my kids were obsessed. That and a snack kept everyone happy.

 

[jacknsally19]

I have purchased little sticker books at the dollar store with Disney characters and let my dd give it to other kids that were also waiting. We also play I spy and sing songs while we are waiting.

 

[Minniemouse07]

Get a few (maybe more) tubes of glow bracelets and let the 5yo give them out to other kids waiting around you. We still do this and my kids are now 12 and 16!

 

[ptlohmysoul]

Disney crazy lollipops. We tried ice cream, but it didn't last very long.

 

[PHXscuba]

Pick a spot on the bench on the elevated walkway on the shady side of Liberty Square. Advantages -- a place to sit down with a little room to run around in front of the bench (the walkway really won't fill in until parade time) an elevated viewpoint a few feet above the ground, and the parade arrives there quicker. Then you can beat a retreat to Adventureland around the corner afterward while many on Main Street are still waiting for the parade.

I've never had to be in that area more than 30 minutes before the parade to have a spot. And of course snacks!

PHXscuba

 

[jldeahl]

Thank you everyone for the great ideas - it's very much appreciated!

 

[Wild4Walt]

Bubble machine ( I think they sell them onsite ) - I Spy - Disney trivia for the older child - and sweets/snacks.

 

[disneyinthespringtime]

Bubbles.

Skin-safe markers for them to draw on arms/legs. We never had this before so they spent a long time doing this.

 

[DisneyMom2000000]

The last three times we were at Disney, we had really bad luck with the timing of FoF and didn't get to see it. I was so bummed! My kids always get cranky and want to fall asleep around then Twice we waited for a long time and the parade was late (like 30 minutes late), another time it was the Monday after the super bowl so we had no idea.. but the FoF wasn't happening, it was just a quick wave from Mickey and a football player. I'm really hoping it works out better next time we go because we LOVE FoF!!! I'm glad you posted this so maybe I will be more prepared for the wait!

 

[kreckl]

Sticker books and snacks. We've also had good luck with tattoos and magic ink books.

 

[cassie58]

We always sit somewhere near Sleepy Hollow, and grab snacks(even now for teenagers it is helpful!) Agree with bubbles, also Color Wonder books/markers w/Disney characters - DD used these waiting in line for Tink years ago in Toontown, making pics for the fairies and princesses when she met them. Also, we used the Disney Encyclopedia of Characters as autograph book, which had pics and trivia about each one, so could flip through that when waiting. And of course any electronic device to play a game or watch a video.

 

[TravelingTotMom]

That's always our Mickey ice cream break!

I usually take the stroller the secure a spot in Frontierland about 35 minutes before the parade starts, and my son and husband go get Mickey ice cream bars. Then he sits in his stroller to eat it (5-10 min), followed by about 5 min. of me trying to clean up the colossal mess he made. But hey, it's tradition - and I carry hand wipes. If I have time, I will also run to get a Dole Whip Float, and then my son also ends up drinking the end of it. It's also a good time to make sure everyone drinks some water.

By that point, they will usually have the honorary grand marshals ride by, and sometimes the Main Street Philharmonic or a visiting marching band will also go by (a few minutes ahead of the parade). In Frontierland, they also sometimes have a Country Bear or two out playing around on the route ahead of the parade, so there is stuff for kids to watch while they wait for it to begin.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Not everyone likes bubbles and find them annoying.

 

[MomOTwins]

Not everyone likes bubbles and find them annoying.

It's interesting, every time I see a kid with with one of those bubble blowers (the kind with the spinning mickey or ariel etc. that they sell everywhere at MK) in a ride queue, there are always about half a dozen kids in the line laughing and catching bubbles, and at least one grouchy person complaining it is getting in their hair/face etc. Sort of a utilitarian dilemma--does the joy of entertained kids outweigh the annoyance of adults? Would the kids be even more annoying to the adults without the bubbles (e.g., rattling the chains that line the queue)? End of the day, as long as Disney keeps selling them, I think it is just one of those annoyances that goes with the territory of being at MK--along with the lines, the heat, the crowds, the bag checks at the park entrance etc.

 

[Marionnette]

It's interesting, every time I see a kid with with one of those bubble blowers (the kind with the spinning mickey or ariel etc. that they sell everywhere at MK) in a ride queue, there are always about half a dozen kids in the line laughing and catching bubbles, and at least one grouchy person complaining it is getting in their hair/face etc. Sort of a utilitarian dilemma--does the joy of entertained kids outweigh the annoyance of adults? Would the kids be even more annoying to the adults without the bubbles (e.g., rattling the chains that line the queue)? End of the day, as long as Disney keeps selling them, I think it is just one of those annoyances that goes with the territory of being at MK--along with the lines, the heat, the crowds, the bag checks at the park entrance etc.

So annoying other people is okay as long as your child is happy? There are places that those bubble guns are okay but a crowded area like a parade route is not one of them. A lot of people don't want to be showered with sticky bubble liquid or have it get in their eyes. There are other ways to entertain your kids that don't involve being an annoyance to those around them. Look for hidden Mickeys. Make up a story about a family visiting Disney World. Have a snack. Plan your next attraction. Take some selfies. Text a relative back home. Read a book, a map or the signs on Main Street. Play rock, paper, scissors. Do some clapping games.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

Easy! When my kids were younger we would make it snack time. Get some good snacks and relax. We would sometes buy those globes on a stick that when you push the button they light up or blow bubbles etc. That would also keep them busy. Though, once they knew a parade was coming they typically would be okay with waiting.

It's funny I saw this because I was just thinking about this. I'm looking at taking my family, Me, DW, and DD (who'll be 6 when we go) next year, and I know we're going to be waiting in lines for rides, even with FastPass. I thought of the I Spy game and some basic Disney movie trivia. But for the parades and stuff, yeah, use it as a snack/rest time. Bubbles is always a good way to keep kids happy.

I have purchased little sticker books at the dollar store with Disney characters and let my dd give it to other kids that were also waiting. We also play I spy and sing songs while we are waiting.

Sticker books are always fun to play with and to keep kids occupied. And if there are enough stickers, your kid(s) can share with other kids who are waiting.

Get a few (maybe more) tubes of glow bracelets and let the 5yo give them out to other kids waiting around you. We still do this and my kids are now 12 and 16!

I thought about buying glow sticks/tubes and what not before we go, but I'd be afraid they'd all be broken and glowed out by the time we got there.

So annoying other people is okay as long as your child is happy? There are places that those bubble guns are okay but a crowded area like a parade route is not one of them. A lot of people don't want to be showered with sticky bubble liquid or have it get in their eyes. There are other ways to entertain your kids that don't involve being an annoyance to those around them. Look for hidden Mickeys. Make up a story about a family visiting Disney World. Have a snack. Plan your next attraction. Take some selfies. Text a relative back home. Read a book, a map or the signs on Main Street. Play rock, paper, scissors. Do some clapping games.

To play devils advocate, and I'm not trying to fan the flames and turn this into a big debate, but what do you think the majority of adults would want: Happy, laughing kids with the annoying bubbles floating around, or screaming kids who are hot, tired and bored? Personally, as an adult I like popping bubbles myself, so I would have fun popping the poor defenseless bubble that got in my way. Just a thought.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...To play devils advocate, and I'm not trying to fan the flames and turn this into a big debate, but what do you think the majority of adults would want: Happy, laughing kids with the annoying bubbles floating around, or screaming kids who are hot, tired and bored? Personally, as an adult I like popping bubbles myself, so I would have fun popping the poor defenseless bubble that got in my way. Just a thought.

Why can't you have both? Kids can be entertained without annoying others around them.

 

[CapeCodTenor]

Why can't you have both? Kids can be entertained without annoying others around them.

You can do both, there's no reason why you can't. And no one said you couldn't. I personally won't be buying the bubble thing for my DD because I don't want to have to carry it around the parks all day.