Disney Magic or Disney Drama?

By Heather Kempskie

My first trip to Walt Disney World was quickly approaching and according to most parents, I was doomed. I had not booked one (important) thing. I did book our flight and our hotel but that didn’t seem to count.
And then a miracle happened. A piece of mail from Walt Disney World arrived on my desk announcing that a Natick mom had been chosen to sit on the Walt Disney World Moms Panel – an online forum for all things Disney planning. This is a big deal since thousands of moms from around the world had applied. Jodi Grundig of Natick agreed to respond to my most pressing questions.


P&K: Why all the craziness? Why are parents looking at me like I have two heads for not planning my trip from start to finish?


Jodi: With four theme parks, two water parks, world-class entertainment, many signature and character dining experiences, and numerous on-site themed resorts, it’s nearly impossible to see everything in one single trip. Many families enjoy planning their trips many months in advance, and the planning becomes part of the experience. From a practical standpoint, it’s useful to do advance planning so that you arrive at Walt Disney World with at least a rough plan of what parks you’ll want to see, which attractions are must-dos, and what restaurants you’ll want to experience. In addition, many of the restaurant venues are extremely popular and making advanced dining reservations helps ensure you’ll be able to eat there. Most of us have limited vacation time and dollars, so planning ahead can make sure you make the most of those. However, it is a vacation, so don’t stress, and have fun!


P&K: What three things do I need to do right away?


Jodi: I’d recommend that you start out doing research on which parks you want to visit and how many days you want to visit the parks. Next, decide upon which restaurants you want to go to. The character meals, where Disney characters go from table to table greeting families one on one, are extremely popular with families with young children. To do this research, I’d recommend you look at the Walt Disney World Website, the Moms Panel, and various independent guidebooks, such as the Complete Idiots Guide to Walt Disney World, the Passporter, and the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World.
Finally, call Disney Dining at (407)WDW-DINE up to 90-days prior to your arrival to make advanced dining reservations.


P&K: My husband and I have to watch our budget. We had considered just going to Disney World for 3 - 5 days but do you think we should mix it up and go to the other parks?


Jodi: I think you should try to visit all four Disney theme parks — the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. While the park hopping option (which allows you to visit multiple parks in one day) does cost extra, it is worth it. You can definitely do the four parks in four to five days, especially if you go to one park in the morning and one park in the afternoon. As for your budget, consider sharing snacks at the park (my kids love the popcorn, which is pretty filling), bringing your own bottles of water, and setting a souvenir budget for your children.