Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
38
•
Read the Signs
Most rides post signs
that explain
height restrictions,
if any,
or identify those that may unsettle
youngsters. Save yourself and your kids
some grief before you get in line and are
disappointed. (The ride listings in
chapter 6, “Exploring Walt Disney
World,” and chapter 7, “Exploring
Beyond Disney: Universal Orlando,
SeaWorld & Other Attractions,” note
any minimum heights, as do the guide
maps you can get at the parks.) A bad
experience, whether it be a dark, scary
section of a ride, the loop-de-loop of a
roller coaster, or too big of a drop, can
cause your child long-lasting anxiety. It
can also put a damper on things for the
rest of your day (and possibly even your
vacation).
I've often explained to my children—
irrespective of their ages—that if they
hear screaming, that's a pretty good
indication that a ride may not be the
best choice for them. With younger
kids, you have to be steadfast in your
decisions, though most height restric-
tions will keep those who really
shouldn't be riding at bay. With the
older ones, well, you may have to
indulge them a bit and let them ride
just one—they likely won't make the
same mistake twice. Note that once you
get past the height restriction, age is not
always as much of a deciding factor
when it comes to rides as one might
think. It really depends on your child's
previous experiences and personality.
I've seen 5-year-olds squeal with glee on
rides that I can't even stomach; on the
other hand, I've observed kids as old as
8 or 10 walk out of some of the attrac-
tions with “touchy feely” effects practi-
cally in tears.
•
Take a Break
The Disney parks, Uni-
versal Orlando, and SeaWorld have
fabulous interactive play areas offering
both parents and young kids a break.
By all means, take advantage of them.
They allow kids to expend some of their
pent-up energy after having to wait in
lines and not wander far from Mom
and Dad all day long. They offer a nice
break for you, too (if you can sit down
to watch them, that is). Note that many
of these kid zones are filled with water
squirters and shallow pools, and most
of the parks feature a fair number of
water-related attractions, so getting wet
is practically inevitable—at least for the
kids. It's advisable to bring along a
change of clothes or even a bathing suit.
You can rent a locker ($10 or less) for
storing the spares until you need them.
During the summer, the Florida humid-
ity is enough to keep you feeling soggy,
so you may appreciate the change of
clothing even if you don't go near any
water.
•
Show Time
Schedule an indoor, air-
conditioned show two or three times a
day, especially during mid-afternoon in
the summer. You may even get your lit-
tlest tykes to nap in the darkened thea-
ter. For all shows, arrive at least 20
minutes early to get the better seats, but
not so early that the kids are tired of
waiting (most waits are outside in the
heat at Disney; Universal has covered
queue areas at most attractions).
•
Snack Times
When dreaming of your
vacation, you probably don't envision
hours spent standing in lines, waiting
and waiting (unless you have done this
before, that is). It helps to store some
lightweight snacks in a backpack, or in
the stroller if you have one, especially
when traveling with small children.
This may save you some headaches, as
kids get the hungriest just when you are
the farthest from food. It will also be
much healthier and will certainly save
you money, as the parks' prices are quite
high.
•
Bring Your Own?
While you will
have to haul it to and from the car and
on and off trams, trains, or monorails at
2
