Washington Post article on Disney vacations

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of you posters have told me you are Republican, without telling me you are Republican.

Why not just type , “the poor will always be among us.”

Hilarious coming from someone who thinks that affording Disney is a basic human right.

As a general rule , if you are driven to hyperbole…your stance is quite weak.

And your stance is what? Disney should be free to the public?

Equity baby!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Side question: what do kids do while waiting in line? Look at phones?

They lose their GD minds. I have really great, well behaved kids, but it's a LOT to ask a 2 year old to wait in line 45+ min. 90 min? Shoot me. And then you repeat all day for 12 hours straight. But to answer your question, we play games on our boogie boards, color, eat a million snacks. I really wish we could have strollers so my 2 year old could nap, but no it's fine if I hold her for HOURS every day. Just schedule a chiropractor appt when you return.

All of my friends whose kids have even minor diagnoses like ADHD or Autism get special medical exemption to cut the line. I actually think this might be why lines are longer for everyone else. One friend made it up and it worked although you do have to have a brief interview with Disney to get the medical pass.

You're asking for trouble by bringing 2 year olds. My kids are older and we're going for the first time to WDW in a few months. The youngest is 8. We've done Disneyland several times and have mastered Genie+ such that we almost never wait in a line more than 20 mins. Knowing how much patience is required for the heat, lines, and crowds why do people bring babies and toddlers? It's setting them up for failure.

I brought all four of my kids annually, starting when my oldest was 2. It has nothing to do with the age. This PP made her 2 year old wait in 45+ minute lines all day? That was the problem. There are lots and lots of activities and rides at WDW that do not require those wait times. With a 2 year old, you go early in the morning and hit a bunch of rides while others are trying to get to the park, then you leave and go back to the hotel for a nap and then return in the late afternoon. Use Genie+ and LLs. Choose your parks and park hopping wisely to go opposite from the crowds, etc. And don't go during peak periods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m super organized. I had our recent Disney trip planned to a T. I was up getting our genie reservations at 7am, I’d booked all the best character dining. I was on my phone booking new passes every 2 hours.

Even still, dh was so over it. The crowds were out of control (we went M-Th during the lowest week of the year) and we often waited in line 45-90 per ride. My 2 year old lost her mind at having to wait in lines like this. My biggest beef is with child swap. Dh would go with one kid while I waited with the other two and then I would go with the other kid while he waited with the toddler. Doing this took foreeeeeever. You used to be able to walk on (rightly so, we already waited once!) but now the wait was 20 min each time.

I don’t think I can ever convince my easy going husband to go back to Disney. We’ve been 2x a year for years. It’s just straight up miserable now. Dh thinks they’ve allowed too many people in for the rides that they have.

Oh yeah and not one character was walking around. You either pay $$$ for character dining, wait in long lines to meet them or wave while a parade goes by.

We had the same experience last year, I love planning and watched dozens of videos to understand it all, no problem. We’ve probably done 6-7 park visits over the years, but the latest updates make everything more time consuming. Got up at 6:45 every day. Got all the virtual queues. Still, my easygoing DH is “Disney’s out”. Even the kids said I’m staring at my phone too much and I’m missing out… and they were right… one of my kids wants to go back to just strolll around, but that’s not really feasible. One thing we noted is that everyone, very large groups, have disability passes, large increase in those.. They go in front of everyone and even with genie reservations we waited a long time sometimes.

Agree on people abusing the DAS pass system. Seems like every podcast trip report had someone in the group with one. Some disabilities are legit, but too many game the system and are allowed to bring something like 6 companions with them. Also, the scooter/wheelchair people are allowed to bring all their party (could be 12-15 on the buses, jumping in front of other people waiting). That needs to be limited to 2-3 companions at most.

Yes, DAS was out of control. Huge groups. And every person 60+ seemed to be on a scooter with a very extended family.

Then we saw one family of 3 with a severely disabled child struggling toward the DAS entrance, when a DAS group of 15 or so laughing, walking, 20 something’s jumped in line in front of them. That was not magical.

You can’t tell DAS from Genie+ at the scan in. Both use the lightening lane. Also, DAS groups are capped at 6 and they are very strict. We have DAS and you couldn’t tell from looking at us whether we were using that or Genie+.

The only way you can tell is that when you scan into the lightning lane, the person with the DAS needs to scan in first and it flashes a different color so that the cast member can verify that the right person is using the pass (they take a photo when you get approved for the DAS). Then everybody else accompanying them can tap in and it glows green as usual.

We just got back from a trip to Disney World with a family member who has PTSD and qualified for DAS. If you saw us getting into line or heard us talking about what ride to get a DAS pass for next, you might have thought we were "abusing" the system because my family member wasn't struggling or visibly disasbled. That's kind of the point -- the DAS (plus appropriate medication) allowed them to enjoy the vacation; without it, they would have had a very hard time with the crowds and it wouldn't have been possible. We had more than 6 people in our traveling group, and we rotated who accompanied them on the rides using DAS, and stood in standby lines at other times while the DAS person took a break, but it was great that the DAS allowed them to ride with their spouse/kids, just like non-disabled guests. This was our first time experiencing the DAS program, and I was so impressed with how it made the vacation possible for my family member.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m super organized. I had our recent Disney trip planned to a T. I was up getting our genie reservations at 7am, I’d booked all the best character dining. I was on my phone booking new passes every 2 hours.

Even still, dh was so over it. The crowds were out of control (we went M-Th during the lowest week of the year) and we often waited in line 45-90 per ride. My 2 year old lost her mind at having to wait in lines like this. My biggest beef is with child swap. Dh would go with one kid while I waited with the other two and then I would go with the other kid while he waited with the toddler. Doing this took foreeeeeever. You used to be able to walk on (rightly so, we already waited once!) but now the wait was 20 min each time.

I don’t think I can ever convince my easy going husband to go back to Disney. We’ve been 2x a year for years. It’s just straight up miserable now. Dh thinks they’ve allowed too many people in for the rides that they have.

Oh yeah and not one character was walking around. You either pay $$$ for character dining, wait in long lines to meet them or wave while a parade goes by.

We had the same experience last year, I love planning and watched dozens of videos to understand it all, no problem. We’ve probably done 6-7 park visits over the years, but the latest updates make everything more time consuming. Got up at 6:45 every day. Got all the virtual queues. Still, my easygoing DH is “Disney’s out”. Even the kids said I’m staring at my phone too much and I’m missing out… and they were right… one of my kids wants to go back to just strolll around, but that’s not really feasible. One thing we noted is that everyone, very large groups, have disability passes, large increase in those.. They go in front of everyone and even with genie reservations we waited a long time sometimes.

Agree on people abusing the DAS pass system. Seems like every podcast trip report had someone in the group with one. Some disabilities are legit, but too many game the system and are allowed to bring something like 6 companions with them. Also, the scooter/wheelchair people are allowed to bring all their party (could be 12-15 on the buses, jumping in front of other people waiting). That needs to be limited to 2-3 companions at most.

Yes, DAS was out of control. Huge groups. And every person 60+ seemed to be on a scooter with a very extended family.

Then we saw one family of 3 with a severely disabled child struggling toward the DAS entrance, when a DAS group of 15 or so laughing, walking, 20 something’s jumped in line in front of them. That was not magical.

You can’t tell DAS from Genie+ at the scan in. Both use the lightening lane. Also, DAS groups are capped at 6 and they are very strict. We have DAS and you couldn’t tell from looking at us whether we were using that or Genie+.

The only way you can tell is that when you scan into the lightning lane, the person with the DAS needs to scan in first and it flashes a different color so that the cast member can verify that the right person is using the pass (they take a photo when you get approved for the DAS). Then everybody else accompanying them can tap in and it glows green as usual.

We just got back from a trip to Disney World with a family member who has PTSD and qualified for DAS. If you saw us getting into line or heard us talking about what ride to get a DAS pass for next, you might have thought we were "abusing" the system because my family member wasn't struggling or visibly disasbled. That's kind of the point -- the DAS (plus appropriate medication) allowed them to enjoy the vacation; without it, they would have had a very hard time with the crowds and it wouldn't have been possible. We had more than 6 people in our traveling group, and we rotated who accompanied them on the rides using DAS, and stood in standby lines at other times while the DAS person took a break, but it was great that the DAS allowed them to ride with their spouse/kids, just like non-disabled guests. This was our first time experiencing the DAS program, and I was so impressed with how it made the vacation possible for my family member.

The point is, my family knows the DAS person must go first and as soon as the cast member acknowledges, the rest looks like Genie+. It would be very hard for someone without DAS to tell the difference. We don’t discuss our DAS out loud where others could hear us. People complaining that large “DAS groups” of 15 people are “cutting” other groups is made up fantasy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're going to Disney World this summer because of a family wedding. The wedding couple are getting married in one of the hotels. We would never ever go back to Disney if it wasn't for that. Our kids are teens boys. But, the wedding couple absolutely love Disney and Universal. So, off we go.

We've been to Disney Hong Kong a couple of times and that park is doable. But, Disney World? Ugh.

Total aside, but we're planning Disney Hong Kong for the summer. Any tips? Is it doable in a day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They need to let fewer people in. Cap the admittance/attendance numbers but keep prices the same. It’s ridiculous to pay almost $200 per ticket (once you include genie+) and still have to wait in such long lines and be on your phone all day strategizing.

This!!

They could totally cut down on line length through this mechanism , but why when they can convince people to buy fast passes on top of the already exorbitant price of the Disney experience.

What about a family that can barely afford it, so they have to bypass the fast passes? They just get left in the dust all day by rich kids who can step in front of their kids for all of the good rides??

The business model really turns me off. Why feed the greedy monster?

I know, right? And what about the kid who really wants to ski at Deer Valley, but can't afford to, an so has to content himself at Liberty and Whitetail? DV, and Delta, should lower the prices!

And I always wnted to spend a week on a yacht off the coast of France, but we can't just swing it. That shoudl be a lot cheaper.

Its cheaper for us to go to Copenhagen for a week than go to Disney. So....Disney is overpriced. And we get to go to Tivoli which actually inspired Walt Disney with Disneyland!

Also, we arent discussing the cost of entry. The PP is talking about tiers of access within the park. Everyone who enters the park should be treated the same while using park amenities. It would be like having to pay for a clean restroom and if you cant, then you get a porty potty. Or in this case, someone paying to be able to skip you in line.

First of all, your argument would just mean the price of the ticket goes up for everyone regardless of their preferences.

Second of all, a trip to Copenhagen is a totally different vacation than a trip to Disney so the comparison is nonsensical. Also flying to Copenhagen cheaply takes up 2 whole days of the vacation vs a 2 hr direct flight to MCO …

I've been to Copenhagen (and Tivoli). Copenhagen was a cool city, but Tivoli can't compete with Disney even if it did inspire Walt.

Seriously. We did both Copenhagen/Tivoli and Disney last year. Tivoli was fun but it was definitely no Disney, and to compare the two is crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My SIL lives close to the one in Irvine and they have a local's annual pass so when we visited them they took us for the day. They are pros, they go all the time (they have no kids), sometimes to just watch the fireworks. Their special pass allowed them free parking, early entry, discounts on merch, food and other things, and some fast pass (or whatever it's called) privileges. It was a random weekday in February (not near President's Day weekend), and it was insanely packed, mainly with we concluded were out of the country tourists based on the different languages we kept hearing.

My kids were mid-elementary school and not huge Disney movie fans, but do like some Star Wars so we did some stuff over in that area but after a few hours we had had enough. My kids just weren't into it at all, the waiting, the people, everything. My SIL said "oh, this isn't that crowded at all"

I cannot imagine the heartburn if we had made an entire vacation around it and spent thousands of dollars. It is so expensive, and apparently never not crowded.

There is no Disney park in Irvine.

Way to miss the point.

When I am quite sure that you knew exactly what was meant.

No, not necessarily. People say "Disney" when they are actually talking about something else---like when they say they want to see the Harry Potter stuff at Disney (when it's really at Disney's competitor, Universal.)

For all I knew, PP might have been saying "Disney" when they went to Wild Rivers and then the Pacific Symphony's "Star Wars" concert at the Irvine amphitheater.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They need to let fewer people in. Cap the admittance/attendance numbers but keep prices the same. It’s ridiculous to pay almost $200 per ticket (once you include genie+) and still have to wait in such long lines and be on your phone all day strategizing.

This!!

They could totally cut down on line length through this mechanism , but why when they can convince people to buy fast passes on top of the already exorbitant price of the Disney experience.

What about a family that can barely afford it, so they have to bypass the fast passes? They just get left in the dust all day by rich kids who can step in front of their kids for all of the good rides??

The business model really turns me off. Why feed the greedy monster?

I know, right? And what about the kid who really wants to ski at Deer Valley, but can't afford to, an so has to content himself at Liberty and Whitetail? DV, and Delta, should lower the prices!

And I always wnted to spend a week on a yacht off the coast of France, but we can't just swing it. That shoudl be a lot cheaper.

Its cheaper for us to go to Copenhagen for a week than go to Disney. So....Disney is overpriced. And we get to go to Tivoli which actually inspired Walt Disney with Disneyland!

Also, we arent discussing the cost of entry. The PP is talking about tiers of access within the park. Everyone who enters the park should be treated the same while using park amenities. It would be like having to pay for a clean restroom and if you cant, then you get a porty potty. Or in this case, someone paying to be able to skip you in line.

First of all, your argument would just mean the price of the ticket goes up for everyone regardless of their preferences.

Second of all, a trip to Copenhagen is a totally different vacation than a trip to Disney so the comparison is nonsensical. Also flying to Copenhagen cheaply takes up 2 whole days of the vacation vs a 2 hr direct flight to MCO …

I've been to Copenhagen (and Tivoli). Copenhagen was a cool city, but Tivoli can't compete with Disney even if it did inspire Walt.

Seriously. We did both Copenhagen/Tivoli and Disney last year. Tivoli was fun but it was definitely no Disney, and to compare the two is crazy.

I am not comparing them. Disney is just built up in my opinion and is not worth the heat, cost, crowds/long lines or stress/planning. Its also become this pinnacle of American experience, which is why the demand is there. Furthermore, quite a few people who I know who go more than 1x year have started saying the same things and that the experience is no longer magical. Maybe it is because they have been so many times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I read that with interest. As a European, I've been to EuroDisney many times (and Tokyo Disney once), and it's far simpler. I had no idea the US parks were so complex! It hardly seems enjoyable...

This is the life hack. Go to Europe for summer, enjoy EuroDisney in delightful weather, then take your kids to a REAL castle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They need to let fewer people in. Cap the admittance/attendance numbers but keep prices the same. It’s ridiculous to pay almost $200 per ticket (once you include genie+) and still have to wait in such long lines and be on your phone all day strategizing.

This!!

They could totally cut down on line length through this mechanism , but why when they can convince people to buy fast passes on top of the already exorbitant price of the Disney experience.

What about a family that can barely afford it, so they have to bypass the fast passes? They just get left in the dust all day by rich kids who can step in front of their kids for all of the good rides??

The business model really turns me off. Why feed the greedy monster?

I know, right? And what about the kid who really wants to ski at Deer Valley, but can't afford to, an so has to content himself at Liberty and Whitetail? DV, and Delta, should lower the prices!

And I always wnted to spend a week on a yacht off the coast of France, but we can't just swing it. That shoudl be a lot cheaper.

Its cheaper for us to go to Copenhagen for a week than go to Disney. So....Disney is overpriced. And we get to go to Tivoli which actually inspired Walt Disney with Disneyland!

Also, we arent discussing the cost of entry. The PP is talking about tiers of access within the park. Everyone who enters the park should be treated the same while using park amenities. It would be like having to pay for a clean restroom and if you cant, then you get a porty potty. Or in this case, someone paying to be able to skip you in line.

First of all, your argument would just mean the price of the ticket goes up for everyone regardless of their preferences.

Second of all, a trip to Copenhagen is a totally different vacation than a trip to Disney so the comparison is nonsensical. Also flying to Copenhagen cheaply takes up 2 whole days of the vacation vs a 2 hr direct flight to MCO …

I've been to Copenhagen (and Tivoli). Copenhagen was a cool city, but Tivoli can't compete with Disney even if it did inspire Walt.

Seriously. We did both Copenhagen/Tivoli and Disney last year. Tivoli was fun but it was definitely no Disney, and to compare the two is crazy.

I am not comparing them. Disney is just built up in my opinion and is not worth the heat, cost, crowds/long lines or stress/planning. Its also become this pinnacle of American experience, which is why the demand is there. Furthermore, quite a few people who I know who go more than 1x year have started saying the same things and that the experience is no longer magical. Maybe it is because they have been so many times.

People who go again and again are the people who clog the parks up. But apparently Disney can't price those people out, they will keep paying no matter the cost. It's an addiction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're going to Disney World this summer because of a family wedding. The wedding couple are getting married in one of the hotels. We would never ever go back to Disney if it wasn't for that. Our kids are teens boys. But, the wedding couple absolutely love Disney and Universal. So, off we go.

We've been to Disney Hong Kong a couple of times and that park is doable. But, Disney World? Ugh.

Total aside, but we're planning Disney Hong Kong for the summer. Any tips? Is it doable in a day?

How old are your kids? It's do-able in a single day if you go for the long day. Disney HK is a bit farther out from central HK so staying at a Disney property is worth it. We did 2 nights at the Explorers Lodge hotel and had tickets to the park for 2 days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They need to let fewer people in. Cap the admittance/attendance numbers but keep prices the same. It’s ridiculous to pay almost $200 per ticket (once you include genie+) and still have to wait in such long lines and be on your phone all day strategizing.

This!!

They could totally cut down on line length through this mechanism , but why when they can convince people to buy fast passes on top of the already exorbitant price of the Disney experience.

What about a family that can barely afford it, so they have to bypass the fast passes? They just get left in the dust all day by rich kids who can step in front of their kids for all of the good rides??

The business model really turns me off. Why feed the greedy monster?

I know, right? And what about the kid who really wants to ski at Deer Valley, but can't afford to, an so has to content himself at Liberty and Whitetail? DV, and Delta, should lower the prices!

And I always wnted to spend a week on a yacht off the coast of France, but we can't just swing it. That shoudl be a lot cheaper.

Its cheaper for us to go to Copenhagen for a week than go to Disney. So....Disney is overpriced. And we get to go to Tivoli which actually inspired Walt Disney with Disneyland!

Also, we arent discussing the cost of entry. The PP is talking about tiers of access within the park. Everyone who enters the park should be treated the same while using park amenities. It would be like having to pay for a clean restroom and if you cant, then you get a porty potty. Or in this case, someone paying to be able to skip you in line.

First of all, your argument would just mean the price of the ticket goes up for everyone regardless of their preferences.

Second of all, a trip to Copenhagen is a totally different vacation than a trip to Disney so the comparison is nonsensical. Also flying to Copenhagen cheaply takes up 2 whole days of the vacation vs a 2 hr direct flight to MCO …

I've been to Copenhagen (and Tivoli). Copenhagen was a cool city, but Tivoli can't compete with Disney even if it did inspire Walt.

Seriously. We did both Copenhagen/Tivoli and Disney last year. Tivoli was fun but it was definitely no Disney, and to compare the two is crazy.

I am not comparing them. Disney is just built up in my opinion and is not worth the heat, cost, crowds/long lines or stress/planning. Its also become this pinnacle of American experience, which is why the demand is there. Furthermore, quite a few people who I know who go more than 1x year have started saying the same things and that the experience is no longer magical. Maybe it is because they have been so many times.

People who go again and again are the people who clog the parks up. But apparently Disney can't price those people out, they will keep paying no matter the cost. It's an addiction.

So? Some people go to the Outer Banks every summer and apparently they can’t be priced out either. Resorts in Hawaii or the Caribbean, same thing. What’s your point?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Side question: what do kids do while waiting in line? Look at phones?

They lose their GD minds. I have really great, well behaved kids, but it's a LOT to ask a 2 year old to wait in line 45+ min. 90 min? Shoot me. And then you repeat all day for 12 hours straight. But to answer your question, we play games on our boogie boards, color, eat a million snacks. I really wish we could have strollers so my 2 year old could nap, but no it's fine if I hold her for HOURS every day. Just schedule a chiropractor appt when you return.

All of my friends whose kids have even minor diagnoses like ADHD or Autism get special medical exemption to cut the line. I actually think this might be why lines are longer for everyone else. One friend made it up and it worked although you do have to have a brief interview with Disney to get the medical pass.

You're asking for trouble by bringing 2 year olds. My kids are older and we're going for the first time to WDW in a few months. The youngest is 8. We've done Disneyland several times and have mastered Genie+ such that we almost never wait in a line more than 20 mins. Knowing how much patience is required for the heat, lines, and crowds why do people bring babies and toddlers? It's setting them up for failure.

Because I too have older kids? My 5 and 7 year old are over the moon with Disney World. Sadly Disney doesn't offer daycare where I can drop the littlest off for the day.

Also, the 2 year old LOVED Minne and Mickey. She also really liked the rides that she went on too.

You could just wait until your 2 yr old is older.

OK? But I'm not. My 5 and 7 year olds want to go right now while it's still magical for them. And Dh and I don't want to split up with our vacations. FWIW the 2 year old only waited for rides she could ride, the rest of the time her and I played outside while the others rode Tower of Terror or Space Mountain or whatever.

I'm in a lot of Disney groups and the Disney DAS (the disability pass) scam is alive and well. It's no wonder it seems 10% of the park is on a ride on scooter. It's great that they let some autistic kids skip the line, but they're making it more miserable for everyone. If the lines were shorter for everyone, the autistic kid could easily wait 15-20 min.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been holding out on Disney for various reasons. One, their prices have gotten higher than I feel it's worth. Two, I don't like to plan my vacations with military precision, and although WDW is a comfortable drive from our house, so is Universal Studios and it's not as complicated. Three, I'm not that into Disney icons. And finally, their political agenda is tiresome.

All that said... after posting on a previous Disney thread about how Disney can KMA, I just booked a trip. I'm growing tired of Universal and plan to take a break til Epic opens, and I need a park with a similar wow factor. Since Disney brought back their old CEO, I've been warmer to them. And at a recent earnings call, they acknowledged that their relentless social engineering program is turning off consumers and that they need to go back to just... telling great stories. So I checked the prices on a whim and saw hotels are about half of what they used to be. Meanwhile, Universal is experiencing record demand and their premier hotels are going for $800ish per night. So Disney is making good on their claims that they will bring prices back down to earth. I'm willing to put aside my frustration with their crappy, over engineered website and give them another shot.

We go every year and I’m curious as to which hotels are 1/2 price. Certainly not the deluxe. I honestly have hard time believing ANY of them are 1/2 price.

The Swan. I should have specified. I usually check the resort hotel prices and also the Swan. But this time I was in the Marriott app and checked it on a whim and booked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Side question: what do kids do while waiting in line? Look at phones?

They lose their GD minds. I have really great, well behaved kids, but it's a LOT to ask a 2 year old to wait in line 45+ min. 90 min? Shoot me. And then you repeat all day for 12 hours straight. But to answer your question, we play games on our boogie boards, color, eat a million snacks. I really wish we could have strollers so my 2 year old could nap, but no it's fine if I hold her for HOURS every day. Just schedule a chiropractor appt when you return.

All of my friends whose kids have even minor diagnoses like ADHD or Autism get special medical exemption to cut the line. I actually think this might be why lines are longer for everyone else. One friend made it up and it worked although you do have to have a brief interview with Disney to get the medical pass.

You're asking for trouble by bringing 2 year olds. My kids are older and we're going for the first time to WDW in a few months. The youngest is 8. We've done Disneyland several times and have mastered Genie+ such that we almost never wait in a line more than 20 mins. Knowing how much patience is required for the heat, lines, and crowds why do people bring babies and toddlers? It's setting them up for failure.

Because I too have older kids? My 5 and 7 year old are over the moon with Disney World. Sadly Disney doesn't offer daycare where I can drop the littlest off for the day.

Also, the 2 year old LOVED Minne and Mickey. She also really liked the rides that she went on too.

You could just wait until your 2 yr old is older.

OK? But I'm not. My 5 and 7 year olds want to go right now while it's still magical for them. And Dh and I don't want to split up with our vacations. FWIW the 2 year old only waited for rides she could ride, the rest of the time her and I played outside while the others rode Tower of Terror or Space Mountain or whatever.

I'm in a lot of Disney groups and the Disney DAS (the disability pass) scam is alive and well. It's no wonder it seems 10% of the park is on a ride on scooter. It's great that they let some autistic kids skip the line, but they're making it more miserable for everyone. If the lines were shorter for everyone, the autistic kid could easily wait 15-20 min.

np. I was with you right up until you said the autistic kid could easily wait 15-20 mins. There you are wrong. You'd be giving me side eye and on here complaining if my autistic kid had to wait with your 2yo for 15-20 mins in line.