This was our first time taking ER on a big trip since she's been out of the baby carrier. Having a busy and mobile preschooler along drastically affects the scope of a trip anywhere, let alone a place as big and varied at Walt Disney World. I was overwhelmed by all the information on their website almost the first moment I opened it. It was hard to organize it all and time consuming with so many different links.Luckily, I got the email from the Lisa M. Battista suggesting I review her book Beyond the Attractions: A Guide to Walt Disney World with Preschoolers. I was relieved to have a great resource targeted right to us, helping us plan for our trip to Walt Disney World. It was so handy that we took along with us and referred to it each night when making our plans for how we'd tour the parks the next day.
My husband especially like the suggestions for attractions geared toward ER's age range. The short descriptions of preschooler friendly rides, helped him decide where to go while I was at the conference. In fact we mainly stuck to the Battista's recommendations at the Magic Kingdom with It's a Small World, Cinderella's Carousel, and Dumbo the Flying Elephant all being hits.
Equally valuable was her insight on which rides would potentially scare ER, specific warnings for various rides were given helping narrow down which ones might upset her. With so many new rides since we'd visited last, the heads up were helpful as some sound fairly harmless like Stich's Great Escape or It's Tough to be a Bug. No parents wants to be stuck half way through a ride with a terrified and crying child.
Other great tips for our family included the following suggestions:
- Walking from the Polynesian to the Transportion & Ticket Center to catch the bus to Epcot
- Bringing small toys to keep ER occupied during waits for rides
- Ways to get the best use out of the Fast Passes
- The character greeting list, it's how Brad knew how to find Cinderella for ER
- Must Do List in Appendix F, broken down by age range
- Kid friendly restaurants, especially clarifiying that Cinderella doesn't actually attend the meal at Cinderella's Royal Table.
- Good places your kids can run off some steam at each park. i.e. identifying the playgrounds
Disclaimer: Thank you to the author Lisa M. Battista for the reviewers copy of this title. This post relates my own unbiased experiences and opinions with this book; yours may differ.
5 Friends Said:
That looks like a great book even if your kids are older. We're not planning Disney until Princess is 5, but I'll look this up in a few years when we're ready for it.
We could have used that book. Lu cried and shook during the Nemo ride. We thought it was going to be tame but...watch out for those mean sharks!
How does it feel to be back? Have you had a moment to breathe?
thanks for sharing this book review! oh do i dream of the day we take the boys to disney!
I actually carried the book in my backpack during the trip. I then could consult it as we waited in line or had something to eat to see what activities would be good next.
As someone who had never thought of how someone as young as ER would interact with all the different types of events at disney it was very helpful for me in planning the activities while Katie was busy.
This book might come in handy with Adela. Jason is talking again of going to Florida even though two months ago he decided not to because of finances.
What a funny guy.
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