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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Advice please on Orlando with a 3 year old.

14 replies

Sunshine51 · 02/10/2016 13:34

Been to Orlando once prior ds stayed in port Orleans fq loved it.
Really want to take ds next summer when almost 4 is it a bad idea to stay on site? I am aware of the perks of magic, free dining, free transport etc but would a black be better with a little one?
He is normally an amazing sleeper so sharing a room isn't a problem.

OP posts:

mouldycheesefan · 04/10/2016 08:47

What is a black? Do ypu mean a villa?

StrawberrytallCake · 04/10/2016 08:51

I've never stayed on site but have stayed in a villa with 2yo, 3yo, 5yo (different years not at the same time). It was useful to give us some time after dc had gone to bed, also having a pool without a million children bombing into is nice for a little one.

Ours had fantastic daytime naps in the villa too - even up to 6yo, which I think might be difficult on site. With small children the whole day at the park was too much so we went early, left for lunch and when the parks got busy, then went back in the eve if we wanted to.

BertrandRussell · 04/10/2016 08:54

Be prepared for him to hate it. My ds did at that age. Fortunately we were in a villa with friends so we could take turns staying in the pool with ds while everyone else went to the park............

atticusclaw2 · 04/10/2016 08:58

Definitely stay on site. The extras are worth it with little ones and its so much easier just jumping on the buses. The entertainment around the pools is also great for little ones.

Take a buggy though. We used the double buggy up until DS2 was 4 (by which time DS1 was six but it was a life saver when you're out in the parks at a restaurant and they crash)

atticusclaw2 · 04/10/2016 09:00

plus if you stay on site its free dining next year. That will save you a fortune. Free food, snacks (including ice creams) and drinks (in resort). Its worth having the dining just to be able to do loads of character meals for no extra cost and have the characters come to you whilst you're eating rather than queue in the parks.

Original poster

Sunshine51 · 04/10/2016 17:55

Sorry predictive text I meant a villa.
We did dlp in Feb and he asks to go back constantly he is also que trained at Legoland lol so can do upto 30 mins at a push. He really is a pretty easy going kid (except refusing to nap)
I think he would love staying on site and free dining would be amazing I'm just worried we may go nuts lol.
I would defo take a buggy even though he will almost be 4, no way could he keep going that long, plus somewhere to stash all the stuff.

OP posts:

atticusclaw2 · 04/10/2016 18:13

We have been a fair few times now. We never do the parks all day. We generally do a park in the morning, come back and laze around the pool in the afternoon and go back to the parks or downtown disney to eat in the evening and sometimes sneak in a couple of extra rides/fireworks/show etc.

Most of the resorts have quiet pools as well as the more active pools.

I like Saratoga Springs. The resort is very laid back, you can walk over to downtown disney (and there's a bridge now so that you don't have to walk along the road) or get the boat over. Its very chilled and not overly themed (disney horses & fox and the hound but not in your face theming). People say the resort is massive and yes it is but you would only ever go to to the main reception/restaurant area, the main pool and the section where you are staying, you wouldn't wander the whole resort by choice. Animal Kingdom Lodge is the best resort for little ones though. Not much can beat opening your curtains in the morning and seeing a giraffe staring in at you.

Original poster

Sunshine51 · 04/10/2016 18:55

Last time we went just me and hubby we had 10 snack credits left which we spent at goofys. We are not big eaters and it was just such a crazy amount of food!

OP posts:

atticusclaw2 · 04/10/2016 18:57

we've never once managed to use all of our credits either!

mouldycheesefan · 04/10/2016 18:58

We had 63 snack credits left at the end. We did deluxe plan I wouldn't do it again!

atticusclaw2 · 04/10/2016 18:59

We generally have the standard dining plan and its still loads. Deluxe plan is impressive going!

atticusclaw2 · 04/10/2016 19:00

By standard I mean the one in the middle where you get a snack a quick service and a table service for each night of your stay.

atticusclaw2 · 05/10/2016 11:41

Glad we're not there at the moment. Announcement have just gone out about guests gathering food and water, making sure they have cash available and preparing to be shut away indoors due to the hurricane approaching. The parks are on "tie down" removing anything that could get lifted like signs, bins, etc and preparing to close the gates if the weather gets really bad.

We were there for a hurricane a few years ago but it just skimmed the edges of Orlando and all we had was a dull morning and an afternoon of showers. This one sounds like it could be a lot worse.

Tokelau · 05/10/2016 11:50

I think you would be fine on-site with a three year old. There are lots of things to do, and I agree, I would take a buggy because he can't walk miles and miles at that age!

Definitely go for free dining! We stayed at Saratoga Springs this summer and had free dining, and it was great! I don't think you would get free dining at Port Orleans, only the deluxe resorts, but I might be wrong. You might get free quick service dining there, but the full dining plan is much better, that's one table service meal, one quick service meal and one snack per person per day.

We stayed in a villa last year, and while it was lovely, we spent a long time in the car. I think if I had a three year old, I would rather be Disney property.

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