US East Coast 2018: A Parent’s Guide to Surviving Disney (& Having a Blast)!

Thanks to our uncle’s most generous gift of a week of timeshare in Orlando, the three cousins and their entourage of parents and grandparents all got the chance to visit Disney World this time round!

Due to the varied interests of our boys and their 2-year-old cousin N, we decided to divide and conquer in order to save costs and to make the best of our limited time there. Different combinations of adults and children went to the Magic Kingdom, the Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios as well as Universal Studios and Kennedy Space Center during the week. Our sister, who figured out the complex algorithm, took pains to ensure there were breaks in-between for the grandparents to rest, as well as taking into account early closing times for the various parks. It all worked out well, and everyone enjoyed themselves.

Here are some tips we have for surviving and conquering a trip to the theme parks:

1) Plan ahead and do some reading - This will ensure that you make the most of those costly entrance fees to the parks. What characters do your kids love? For our boys, it was the Star Wars and Toy Story experiences we knew they would appreciate. For Little N, Anna and Elsa were going to be the highlight. Also check the crowd calendar and opening and closing timings to schedule your visits to different parks.

2) Do some pre-trip logistical prep - Florida is hot, hot, hot! It can be unpleasant queueing for a long time in the heat, so bring - caps, sunglasses, water, comfy shoes and socks, portable fans, and sports towels which can keep you cool. Pack sandwiches and snacks to save costs. They are all allowed in the park. And make sure the kids sleep early the night before, as the day ahead will be a long one! If you have a baby or toddler, bring a stroller with a cover so he can rest or nap in it, or go back to the hotel for nap time and come back in the late afternoon when the park is less busy. Dress comfortably! We were wondering how the cute princesses survived in their lacy gowns the whole day long, but a possibility is bringing the change of outfit along and only dressing up before the Character Meet and Greet.

3) On the actual day - Go as early as you can. We did not anticipate the length of time it takes from the car park to the theme park entrance. Magic Kingdom, in particular, takes one 30-45 minutes to get in or out from the parking lot to the actual entrance. This involved a tram, a ferry or monorail, and a bag check at the gate. And remember the same applies for closing time - even more so, as one gets squashed in the flood of people all leaving the park at the same time!

4) Plan for the "must-sees" and the "it’s-ok-if-we-skip-this" attractions - We had two or three rides we aimed to accomplish for each theme park, and told ourselves any of the others would be an added bonus. For the boys, fighting Darth Vader was something they had been looking forward to for months before the trip, so we made sure we went straight away to the Traders’ Post to book a slot for the Jedi Training!

5) Manage expectations - of ourselves and of our kids. It is impossible to cover everything each park has to offer, and there is no perfect plan! Allow for contingencies such as the weather, toilet breaks, tantrums. And give one another some slack!

6) Take plenty of breaks - We gave plenty allowance for rest stops, especially when the sun got too hot. We realised there were two "witching hours" for potential kid meltdowns. One was just before lunch, when they were exhausted and hungry, and the other, in the late afternoon and early evening when they had already had a long day out. We found that retreating into an air-conditioned shop for some respite, or an ice cream treat for the kids, helped to lift everyone’s spirits.

7) About memories - Get ready your cameras for the important moments, such as Character Meets and Greets. My sister ordered autograph books and lanyards with badges on them for the kids from Etsy. The boys had fun getting autographs and also exchanging badges with cast members.

8) Make use of your Fast Passes - Disney has an amazing system of crowd management in the form of Fast Passes. You are allowed to book up to 3 Fast Passes prior to your visit. These give you a reporting time for each ride, so that you can skip the main queue and go straight in. You are allowed to modify your Fast Pass timings and selections if needed on the app or at kiosks. Try not to book your fast passes later in the day at first, because they need to be all used up before you book new ones.

9) Test the rides - There are rides you may think are not scary, but which your toddler might find terrifying. Our little niece was scared at the Winnie the Pooh ride because of a scene with the Heffalumps. Our boys are not major roller coaster fans, and found the Seven Dwarves mine train nerve-wracking!

10) Lastly, let your hair down and enjoy the moment - There is so much magic in Disney and Universal to be appreciated. As an adult, I found myself with a newfound appreciation of the cutting-edge animation and technology which go into each ride, and the whole customer-oriented ethos which in particular Disney has. As entrepreneurs, we have much to learn from them! For the kids, just seeing the magic in their eyes was worth it. Our boys still jabber on about defeating Kylo Ren, and my little niece makes us smile when she says, “I’m gonna bring back summer!” The most unexpected rides were their favourites too. Z loved the People Mover in Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland as it provided a brief respite from the crowds. We were amazed to see how it ran under, over or beside some of the other rides like Space Mountain. It was cool to hear the people screaming just above us! Another unexpected family favourite was Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. They are still singing ,“It’s a beautiful tomorrow!” They also loved the Kali River Rapids at the Animal Kingdom, and were very proud of themselves for completing a "gentle" ride which doesn't get one too wet.

The fireworks display at Magic Kingdom always gives the "feels"!

Always a nice way to end off your Disney experience!

The Previous Page - Where Children Learn Through Play. Read here.
What's Next? - Space: the Next Frontier. Read here.
From the Beginning - Start reading the record pages of our US East Coast Travel Adventure here.

Comments

Malacca with the Kids: March 2015

Malacca has always been our go-to place for a short getaway. Most of the time, it's been without the kids. We love soaking in the ambience of Jonker Street and strolling by the river. Of course, the food never fails to draw us back to this laidback town with its sleepy atmosphere. The facade of Malacca has, however, changed over the years. Imposing mega malls loom over two-storey shophouses. I would probably have not brought the boys along as the streets are narrow and traffic seemingly never ebbing, but when I googled "Malacca for Kids" this time round, there were quite a few options for the kids to enjoy. Of course, the main reason why we decided to go was because we were attending my dearest cousin's wedding dinner. This brings back memories of how my cousins and I used to hang around at Chinese restaurants. We would be so thrilled to be on an actual stage... And our choice of accommodation was largely influenced by the water play area which our hot

Setting Up a Finnish School in the Home

The issue of private tuition has again come to the forefront after a senior education official pronounced in parliament that the Singapore education system is "run on the basis that tuition is not necessary". Ms Indranee Rajah, Senior Minister of State for Education, added that schools provide "comprehensive levelling-up programmes" as well as remedial and supplementary classes to support weaker students. In the days that followed, mainstream and social media agencies were abuzz with reports from parents and students alike, many of whom disagreed with Ms Indranee's assessment of the education scene. They argued that private tuition is already a multi-million dollar industry, and that its very existence disputes notions that tuition is unnecessary. From the perspective of an educator in Singapore, I can understand the comments made by the Senior Minister of State, especially since it is the responsibility of the Education Ministry to teach our school childre

"Monkeying Around": A Review of My Gym Singapore

Our 2/1/2-year old son E has always been an active child. When he was an infant, E would crawl around and get into all sorts of mischief, until one day when he discovered that he could climb on his poor Daddy, in an inspired moment of pretend play - Daddy was his mountain and he was Sir Edmund Hilary - the first person to scale Mt Everest! It was therefore with great excitement that we we heard that Parenting on Purpose had been invited by My Gym Singapore to participate in a series of four classes. We agreed at once; knowing that our little boy would thoroughly enjoy gym class - this was also a chance for our exuberant toddler to work off his energy and hopefully fall fast asleep after getting home. Our little son having a swing of a time at gym class. My Gym has an interesting educational philosophy that emphasises building self esteem in children. This is an excerpt from the company's website: The philosophy that guides My Gym’s programming and breakdown for clas

Schooling for Gold: a Parent Reflects on Singapore's First Olympic Gold Medallist

50.39 seconds. The (less than) one minute of time that made history for the small island nation of Singapore. Millions in Singapore and around the world watched as 21-year-old Joseph Schooling defeated his long-time idol and heavily-decorated Olympian Michael Phelps, the man described as "the most-decorated Olympian of all time". Indeed most of the international news footage had been previously focussed on Phelps, given that the American is expected to retire at this year's Rio Olympics. The New York Times even ran an article with the headline: " Somebody (His Name’s Joseph Schooling) Finally Beats Michael Phelps"! For Joseph Schooling, it could not have been a prouder moment, as he not only bagged Singapore's first and only Olympic Gold, it was also a race that proved he had not only matched, but also beaten his childhood idol. Indeed a 2008 photograph of 13-year-old Schooling standing side by side with Michael Phelps has been spreading like wildfire o

Hong Kong for Kids: Our Dorsett Wanchai Experience

It was only a few months back when we had our lovely holiday experience in Hong Kong. We had then stayed in the Cosmopolitan Hotel, a lovely place located at the northern tip of Hong Kong island, near the world-famous Ocean Park. Most people have asked us why we chose Hong Kong as a destination for our kids given the island's reputation as more of a food and shopping paradise. We shared with them that there is actually more than meets the eye to this territory known affectionately as the "Pearl of the Orient". The view from Stanley, one of our favourite spots in the beautiful city of Hong Kong. Rooms in Hong Kong are small, and we had a hard time looking for a place to stay that could meet the needs of our two very energetic children. We settled for the Cosmopolitan Hotel, given that it was one of the few hotels that had affordable prices for its Family Quad Room, a large room that could accommodate all four of us comfortably. We were pleasantly surprised when we r

A Safe Space: Adventures in Fostering

Fostering challenges traditional notions of what a family is and what a family should be. At the end of the day, what is your idea of "family"? The younger child seemed a little troubled during bedtime. "Mummy..." he said. "Yes Darling," replied Mummy. "It will be very sad when R has to go home to the tummy mummy and daddy one day." "Yes, Darling. It will be very sad." "But it's all up to God, right?" "Yes it is. You know that R's tummy mummy and daddy can't take care of any child right now? That's why R is with us." "Yes I know. R is with us just for awhile. Not like Kor Kor and I. The four of us are a forever family." "Yes we are. So how will you feel when R goes back to the tummy mummy and daddy?" "It will be sad, but it will be all right." The older child, who was a silent participant in the conversation, decided to speak at th

The Father I Will Never Be

We recently went on a holiday to Fraser's Hill, one of the less-visited places in Malaysia. For Sue and I, this is a place that is filled with memories. It was, for her, a childhood oasis, a place where her family would visit year after year, and build many precious memories together. It was, for me, a special place where I visited with a band of dear brothers during our university days, and where we set a stake in the ground, to declare that we wanted to surrender all of our days to the glory of God. It was, for Sue and I, the location of our honeymoon, the place where we enjoyed our first few days of marital bliss; the place where we chiselled our marriage covenant and planned for our future as one. This is how I remember Fraser's Hill. Shrouded in mist and somewhat mysterious; a grand legacy of days gone by. I remember my first visit there as a single young man, not yet a quarter of a century old, but yet imbued with the desire to be the best father I could be sho

The Insecurities of a Homeschooling Dad

Social media can be very deceiving. We scroll through the news feeds of people we know (or of celebrity bloggers and content experts), and assume that they are living perfect lives. With every holiday photo they post, every food picture presented, or every insightful article they write, we slip into social media envy and assume that our friends are enjoying the time of their lives. And many people assume that of me as well. They seem to think that I am living the dream life with a wonderful job and wonderful kids. And when I meet people at my various engagements, I seem to get the nod that I am the model citizen of social media society. A recent holiday in Disneyland. After long queues under the hot sun, we were quite the "model" family! There is some truth to this. At this moment, I can say that there is no other job I would rather do; to be my own boss and to conduct training workshops for others, sometimes with my wife; what more could a man ask for? And my kids? T

Parenting Your Child for Marriage

It's not often that the Father of the Bride gets to speak at a wedding. Oftentimes, the only words are in response to the question, "Who presents this woman to be married to this man?" In that instance, it is normally a mild-mannered man, one who shuns the attention of the moment, who barely manages to whisper out the refrain, "I do." A precious photo of a very special couple. This was completely not what happened at a wedding I was at almost three weeks ago. In response to that question, the Father of the Bride seemed to have an entire speech prepared for the Groom, "I present to you the key to my daughter's heart, " he declared. "I have protected her heart all her life until this point, and now I am handing over this responsibility to you." And with a firm voice, he presented this solemn reminder: "Remember that you will not be able to do this on your own, but only with God's help, and by spending time with Him daily.&

Of Yellow Ribbons & Fathers for Life - the Legacy of Jason Wong

Tie a yellow ribbon 'round the ole oak tree It's been three long years Do ya still want me If I don't see a ribbon 'round the ole oak tree I'll stay on the bus Forget about us Put the blame on me If I don't see a yellow ribbon 'round the ole oak tree The old folk song Tie A Yellow Ribbon is based on a delightful American story that tells of an ex-convict who returns home to his loved one after serving time in prison. Prior to his release, he had requested for her to tie a yellow ribbon around a tree outside of the town where she lived. And if there was no ribbon there, he would simply go on his way, understanding that she might never forgive him. However, when he passed by the tree, there were 100 yellow ribbons, symbolising that his sweetheart had forgiven him, and that he would be welcomed home. Learning to love and accept one another. The popular Yellow Ribbon Project is based on this premise. Founded in 2004 by Senior Prisons Of

Parenting on Purpose

Search This Blog