Orlando 1

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orried that your kids are too young or that you’re too old to

enjoy Disney and beyond? Afraid you may experience barriers

blocking your access or lifestyle? In this chapter, I dispense a little

advice for travelers with specific needs.

Traveling with the Brood: Advice for Families

If you have enough trouble getting your kids out of the house in the

morning, dragging them thousands of miles away may seem like an

insurmountable challenge. But family travel can be immensely reward-

ing, letting you see the world through smaller pairs of wondrous and

curious eyes. Orlando loves kids and welcomes them like no other city

in the world. In addition to its theme parks, Orlando has plenty of

smaller kid-friendly attractions. All but a few restaurants offer lower-

priced children’s menus (see Chapter 10 for more info on kids and

dining), and most hotels love their younger guests, providing pint-size

pools and, in some cases, special gifts and programs. (See Chapter 9 for

kid-friendly hotels.)

Despite Orlando’s reputation as one of the kid-friendliest places around,

you may find some of its attractions a bit too edgy, sophisticated, or

intense for kids, including many of Epcot’s exhibits (see Chapter 13) and

many of the primo thrill rides at Islands of Adventure (see Chapter 19).

Likewise, you may find other attractions, such as Discovery Cove (see

Chapter 20), somewhat cost-prohibitive, even for adults.

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Traveling with tots

Traveling with young children can often bring you more stress than

relaxation on your vacation. Consider that younger children have special

needs. They require frequent bathroom breaks and have very short

attention spans. (Does the phrase, “Are we there yet?” ring a bell?) Here

are a few general suggestions for making travel plans for you and your

youngsters:

Consider age — are your kids old enough? Do you really want to

bring an infant or a toddler to an overcrowded, usually overheated

world that he or she may not appreciate because of his or her age?

The large number of stroller-pushing, toddler-toting parents in the

parks suggests that many people think the experience isn’t too ter-

rible, but I’m warning you anyway. If your child or grandchild is

4 years old or younger, he or she may be able to appreciate only

some of the parks’ offerings, though a good deal of Disney’s Magic

Kingdom is geared to youngsters (see Chapter 12). However, some

of the costume-wearing characters may intimidate very young kids.

And no matter how organized you are, little ones are going to slow

you down. Ask yourself whether your kids are the right age to make

the most out of a trip that costs the equivalent of a developing

nation’s GNP.

Accommodations for the little ones. Kids younger than 12 (and at

times up to 17) can usually stay for free in their parents’ room at

most hotels. Look for places that have pools and other recreational

facilities so you have the option to spend a day or two away from

the parks without incurring too many additional expenses. If you

want to skip a rental car and aren’t staying at Disney, International

Drive is the next-best place for centralized rooms, restaurants, and

attractions. The I-Drive trolley makes frequent runs up and down

the thoroughfare, hotels often offer family discounts (see Chapter

9), and many provide free or moderate-cost shuttles to Walt Disney

World, SeaWorld, and Universal Orlando.

Sitter services. Most Orlando hotels, including all of Disney’s, offer

some form of baby-sitting services (usually from an outside serv-

ice) and several feature counselor-supervised activity programs for

children who’ve been toilet-trained. Baby-sitting rates usually run

$10 to $15 per hour for the first child, and often offer a discounted

rate for additional children.

Plan ahead for character dining. If you’d like to eat a meal with

a cast of Disney characters while at Walt Disney World, make

Advanced Dining Reservations when you reserve your hotel room

(or even earlier as they book up quickly; see Chapter 10 for more

details about character dining). Once you’re in WDW, check the

daily schedule for character meet-and-greets (all the major parks

post the information on their guide maps or on boards near the

parks entrance) and make sure that the kids know when they’re

going to meet their heroes because doing so is often the highlight

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Chapter 6: Catering to Special Travel Needs or Interests

of their day. A little planning can help you avoid running after every

character you see, which only tires your little ones and gives you

sore feet. And remember — the “in” thing is getting character auto-

graphs, so take my advice: If price is no object, buy an autograph

book at the parks (it doubles as a good souvenir) or buy one at

home and bring it along.

Keep tabs on the little ones in the land of Mickey. Getting lost

inside a theme park is easy no matter what your age. For adults and

older kids, make sure that you arrange a lost-and-found meeting

place as soon as you arrive in the park. Attach a name tag to younger

kids (on the inside of their clothes) and find a park employee as soon

as you’ve been separated from your party. I list lost-and-found loca-

tions in my descriptions of the major theme parks in Chapters 12 to

16 and 18 to 20. Consider carrying along a pair of two-way walkie-

talkies to help keep in touch with everyone.

Pack to toddler-proof your hotel room. Although your home may

be toddler-proof, hotel rooms aren’t. Bring outlet covers and what-

ever else is necessary to prevent an accident from occurring in

your room.

Stay safe in the sun. Don’t forget to bring sunscreen for the entire

family. If you forget, buy sunscreen with a 30 SPF or higher rating

before you go out in the sun. Slather your young children — even if

they’re in a stroller — and make sure that you pack a hat for infants

and toddlers. Likewise, make sure that everyone traveling with you

drinks plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

Remember ride restrictions. Most parks explain their height

restrictions for certain attractions or identify those that may unset-

tle young children. (I also list these restrictions in my discussions

of the major theme parks in Chapters 12–16 and 18–20.) Save your-

self and your kids some grief before you get in line and experience

disappointment. Remember that a bad trip down a darkened tunnel

or a scary loop-de-loop can make your youngster cranky for the

rest of the day.

Take time out for a show. Catching an inside, air-conditioned show

two or three times a day provides a nice break for everyone, espe-

cially on hot and steamy summer afternoons. You may even get

your littlest tikes to nap in the darkened theater. Be sure to arrive

at least 20 minutes early if you want good seats, but not so early

that the kids go berserk waiting. (Most of the waiting areas are out-

side, even if the show is inside.)

Pack a snack. When dreaming of your vacation, you probably don’t

envision hours spent waiting in lines. Unfortunately, doing so is

inevitable. Store some lightweight snacks in an easy-to-carry back-

pack, especially when traveling with small kids. You’ll save yourself

headaches and money.

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Part II: Planning Your Trip to Walt Disney World & Orlando

Bring your own stroller. Although you have to haul it to and from

the car and on and off trams, trains, and monorails at Disney,

having your own stroller can be a tremendous help. It’s with you

when you need it — say, back in the hotel room as a high chair, or

for an infant in a restaurant when a highchair is inappropriate. And

it’s an absolute lifesaver at Universal Studios Florida and Islands

of Adventure, where you face long walks from the parking lot to

the ticket booths. Your stroller should be lightweight, easy to fold

and unfold with one hand, have a canopy, be able to recline for

naps, and have plenty of storage space. The parks offer stroller

rentals for between $7 and $15, however, these are hard and

uncomfortable. They don’t recline and have little or no storage

space for kid gear. And they are absolutely inappropriate for infants

and toddlers. They are good, however, if you have older kids who

just need an occasional break from all the walking. For infants and

small toddlers, you may want to bring a snugly sling or backpack-

type carrier for use in traveling to and from parking lots and while

you’re standing in line for attractions.

Take a break. The Disney, Universal, and SeaWorld parks all fea-

ture some rather unique play areas that offer parents a rest and the

kids a place to continue to have fun. Schedule two or three visits to

these spots a day, depending on your stamina. Many of these zones

include water toys, and some parks have major water-related rides,

so packing a change of clothes for the whole family is a good idea.

Rent a locker ($5–$7) and store your spare duds until you need

them. During summer months, the Florida humidity can keep you

feeling soggy all day, so you’ll appreciate the fresh clothing, espe-

cially if you’re headed out for dinner afterwards.

Plan playtime for parents. Walt Disney World and Universal

Orlando offer a ride-share program for parents traveling with small

children. On many “big kid” rides, one parent can ride the attrac-

tion while the other stays with the kids, and then the adults can

switch places and the second parent can ride without having to

stand in line again. Notify a staff member that you want to take

advantage of this program when you get in line.

Finding kid-friendly tours

Many theme parks design tours for the younger set that include great

sources of age-appropriate entertainment.

SeaWorld has justifiably earned its reputation as a park that makes edu-

cation fun with a variety of tours. One of the most interesting is the Polar

Expedition Guided Tour. This hour-long journey gives kids a chance to

come face to face with a penguin and get a behind-the-scenes look at

polar bears and beluga whales. Saving a Species, another hour-long tour,

allows you to see some of the park’s rescue and rehabilitation work with

several species, including manatees and rare sea turtles. And shark fans

will enjoy the Predators tour. All tours are kid-friendly, although the latter

two may appeal more to older children. SeaWorld tours are offered on

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Chapter 6: Catering to Special Travel Needs or Interests

More fun options for kids

Many of Disney’s resorts offer special options for the young set. Here’s just a sampling

of the best programs for kids:

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort offers a Pirate Cruise Adventure, where children

ages 4 to 10 depart from the Grand Floridian Marina to visit exotic “ports of call”

to follow clues and collect “buried treasure.” Most kids will have a jolly good time.

It’s offered Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and the $28

price tag includes lunch. Grand Adventures in Cooking invites up to 12 youngsters,

3 to 10 years old, to make dessert in a two-hour decorating class ($20 per child,

usually Tues and Fri). The Wonderland Tea Party gives kids the same age a one-

hour primer in cupcake decorating — with their fingers! They also feast on heart-

shaped PBJs and sip apple juice “tea” while they play with Alice and the Mad

Hatter ($23 per child, weekdays).

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge features daily Junior Researcher (animal famil-

iarization) and Junior Chef (cookie decorating) enrichment programs that are free

for children staying at the lodge, as is the nightly African storytelling. Both pro-

grams are geared to potty-trained children ages 3 to 9; if you’re interested, ask

about them at check-in.

At Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, you can take advantage of a special family option

that both kids and adults enjoy: The Flag Family program. If you’re selected, the

entire family can traipse up to the Wilderness Lodge’s roof in the morning (times

seem to vary, so ask) and raise the American flag that flies over the resort. You

get a picture, a certificate, and a fabulous view. If you’re interested, ask at the

front desk upon check-in.

For information on all of the above programs, call % 407-827-4321 or surf the Net to

www.disneyworld.com for more information on all of Disney’s family offerings.

a first-come, first-served basis, so reserve a place at the Guided Tour

Information desk when you enter the park. They cost $15 per adult,

$12 ages 3 to 9, in addition to park admission ($60 adults, $48 kids). Call

% 800-406-2244 or go to www.seaworld.com for more information.

At Walt Disney World, the Family Magic Tour features an interactive

scavenger hunt and costs $25 per person, plus park admission ($60

for adults, $48 for children 3–9). Call % 407-939-8687 or go to www.

disneyworld.com.

Making Age Work for You: Tips for Seniors

Although Orlando is kid and family oriented, many of its hotels, restau-

rants, and attractions also roll out the red carpet for older travelers,

especially those coming with grandkids. The theme parks don’t offer

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discounted admission to seniors, but several attractions do, as does the

city’s public transport system. You can find other discounts from several

sources listed in this section.

Members of AARP (formerly known as the American Association of

Retired Persons), 601 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20049 (% 888-687-2277

or 202-434-2277; www.aarp.org), get discounts on hotels, airfares, and

car rentals. AARP offers members a wide range of benefits, including

AARP: The Magazine and a monthly newsletter. Anyone over 50 can join.

Many reliable agencies and organizations target the 50-plus market.

Elderhostel (% 877-426-8056; www.elderhostel.org) arranges study

programs for those aged 55 and over (as well as for a spouse or compan-

ion of any age) in the United States and in more than 80 countries

around the world. Most courses last five to seven days in the United

States (two to four weeks abroad), and many include airfare, accommo-

dations in university dormitories or modest inns, meals, and tuition.

Recommended publications offering travel resources and discounts

for seniors include: the quarterly magazine Travel 50 & Beyond (www.

travel50andbeyond.com); Travel Unlimited: Uncommon Adventures

for the Mature Traveler (Avalon); 101 Tips for Mature Travelers,

available from Grand Circle Travel (% 800-221-2610 or 617-350-7500;

www.gct.com); The 50+ Traveler’s Guidebook (St. Martin’s Press); and

Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely

Can’t Get Unless You’re Over 50 (McGraw-Hill), by Joann Rattner

Heilman.