What would you do? Help deciding to go or not to go.

[evilqueenmindy]

I say go, and have a marvelous time. I like to plan, but I also frequently go on day trips that I make FP selections for the night before, and grab a table service the night before or sometimes morning of. There’s always SOMETHING available.

You aren’t interested in the big headliner rides, so there will be plenty of FPs for rides you are interested in.
If your son is 4, he will have a blast just doing new things, he won’t know or care if you don’t get on a specific ride or see a specific show (having been to Disney with a 4 year old, I can tell you for SURE he’ll be just as into the Resort pool as he is into meeting Mickey haha)

 

[fla4fun]

January is a lovely time to go. Even if you do wait in line for some of the rides, the weather will be pleasant, which makes the crowds more pleasant. You don’t have to do a ton of planning if you don’t want to. You might not get into the most popular rides or restaurants, but popular doesn’t always translate to better. Everyone enjoys different things ( for example, I don’t like thrill rides, so I never have a problem getting last minute FP, and would take a ride on the Peoplemover over SDMT every time).

I think the best thing to do is for the two of you to sit down together and discuss the pros and cons based on your particular circumstances. Make the decision that works best for your family, knowing that if you do decide to go you can have a good time with or without extensive planning.

 

[eeyoresmom]

OP, I am usually a crazy planner but DH and I are leaving in the morning for a last minute trip to see the holiday decor and I have just one ADR planned. No other plans at all. There is so much to see and do at WDW you will never be bored. A lot of the stress from us planners is because we are trying to decide between so many great choices. We also have the deluxe dining plan so I have been looking at same day availability and am shocked at what can be booked the night before or even day of. I've seen Chef Mickey, Ohana, California Grill etc all week long and this was for Thanksgiving week. Late Jan is a great time to go with little planning. Bring warm coats, hats and even gloves. It does get cold.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We have flight (booked with points), off site hotel reservation, car rental and 6 day park tickets purchased for trip late January for a family of 3 to DW. Our oldest, 14 yr old will not be traveling with us. We went 10 yrs ago and I don't remember doing any planning then.

The 4 yr old who is going, doesn't watch tv and doesn't really know any characters except maybe Elsa (lego set gift), Moana and has read some Mickey & friend and super hero & pet friends books. Of course he is a very inquisitive kid who loves new experiences. Due to an eye surgery I haven't been able to do any planning or reservations and my husband's surgery (minor) last summer as well had made things tough. We are staying offsite due to one of us being GF and lactose free and the other being currently on a very low fat diet so thought (wrongly perhaps, I see now) that a small pantry with microwave etc would help.

Since dining reservations are all but gone and quick service doesn't look very doable in our case, it will be work to pack most food daily. Also 30 days ahead FP may not be as good as 60 days prior (even though it's January). I am dreading the wait times without FP. The period when I would have to select the FP one day at a time, we are traveling, visiting family so it would be problematic though not impossible to keep checking and picking FP rides etc.

According to me, we should pay the 5% restocking fee for the tickets and get all else refunded and think of another time. I don't think we would do DW more than once. Per DH, we must go as we may not have another time during a low period, due to his work and health too is iffy in future and that we should take a chance since the 4 yr has already been told (though he is amazingly understanding and I don't think will mind the postponement to an indefinite date).DH of course has done zero reading and as I just started, I am realizing this needs more planning than even a 15 day trip to Europe! i would hate for this once in a lifetime trip to be below average or poor. What would you do?

We are not interested in any non-kiddie rides. 4 yr old is not yet 44" and does not nap so we would likely be done by 5ish.

Thank you for reading and comments from DW veterans really appreciated.

I would go. You would be surprised how many FP+ will be available for the rides you may want to ride since you've taken all the bigger, thrill rides off the table. We are leaving in 15 days and going at one of the busiest times of the year. I'm still adjusting FP+ and there is a TON of availability for things like small world, Winnie the Pooh, etc. And if your 4 year old is very inquisitive there are a ton of things you can do without even going on rides! I highly suggest doing some of the more interactive programs - Wilderness Explorers in AK, the Pirate Adventure in MK, simply stroll through the aquarium in EP (my DS could spend hours in there!). Honestly, you could probably make the FP+ after you visit your family and still be ok. As far as food, there are many people on these boards who have a variety of diets who have traveled successfully in WDW. Hopefully they can give you some advice on QS places if you aren't finding TS that you like.

 

[floydfamily4]

I took my twins when they were almost 5 and it was the best trip! We stayed off site with a car and when I ask them about that trip it is amazing what they remember. It is especially interesting to me that the things they remember and value are not the things I worked so hard to plan! One of their favorite memories is when we were standing outside of TSMM and the green army men did a thing with the kids. They just turned 13 and we are going back in May but that is what they remember! If you have to cancel I would not return the tickets since they seem to go up every year if there is a chance you will use them later. I hope you go and just enjoy this time with your family but if not, I wish you well.

 

[LSUmiss]

If you bought your tickets through WDW & didn’t book a package, they are non refundable.

 

[DismomK4]

I didn’t get to read everyone’s comments but if it was me I would still go. We are leaving tomorrow from our longest trip we have taken as a family. We spent each morning at Magic Kingdom and had no fast passes for MK except one day and we easily got on rides with little to no wait. When MK starts to get crowded in the afternoon we headed to another park and finished the day out. We did have fast passes for some rides but definitely not all of them and we got to ride what we wanted. Honestly if your child doesn’t know the characters it might be to your advantage because we spent the majority of time waiting in lines to meet characters (vs. hardly any time spent waiting for rides) bc my kids know them all and wanted all the princess autographs. Your family can still enjoy the daytime parades (since you said you would not stay late in the parks) and see characters without having to wait for the meet and greets. Many of the rides are themed around the movies but they are fun even if you don’t know the movie.

 

[wgeo]

Regarding your dietary issues. I have heard that Disney is amazing with accomadating them, although I don't have first hand experience. However, for years we stayed off site and brought our own lunches in every single day. We found it to be very easy, not a pain at all - so if packing a lunch is holding you back I wouldn't let it. We found that a decent backpack was the best choice for carrying the food around - and if you're thinking of bringing a stroller for your soon than bringing food is even easier.

 

[fely1st]

If I were you I would go without a second thought. Beeing at Disney is like beeing at wonderland for me, and I think even more for Kids. Yes, fast pass is a great option but you can do a lot of rides without and have fun the whole day. There is so much to do and see. And like others already said, I think Disney is doing great with any kind of diet issues, just ask. So, grab your family and ... Here we go! Have a magical vacation.

 

[Shanti]

We have flight (booked with points), off site hotel reservation, car rental and 6 day park tickets purchased for trip late January for a family of 3 to DW. Our oldest, 14 yr old will not be traveling with us. We went 10 yrs ago and I don't remember doing any planning then.

The 4 yr old who is going, doesn't watch tv and doesn't really know any characters except maybe Elsa (lego set gift), Moana and has read some Mickey & friend and super hero & pet friends books. Of course he is a very inquisitive kid who loves new experiences. Due to an eye surgery I haven't been able to do any planning or reservations and my husband's surgery (minor) last summer as well had made things tough. We are staying offsite due to one of us being GF and lactose free and the other being currently on a very low fat diet so thought (wrongly perhaps, I see now) that a small pantry with microwave etc would help.

Since dining reservations are all but gone and quick service doesn't look very doable in our case, it will be work to pack most food daily. Also 30 days ahead FP may not be as good as 60 days prior (even though it's January). I am dreading the wait times without FP. The period when I would have to select the FP one day at a time, we are traveling, visiting family so it would be problematic though not impossible to keep checking and picking FP rides etc.

According to me, we should pay the 5% restocking fee for the tickets and get all else refunded and think of another time. I don't think we would do DW more than once. Per DH, we must go as we may not have another time during a low period, due to his work and health too is iffy in future and that we should take a chance since the 4 yr has already been told (though he is amazingly understanding and I don't think will mind the postponement to an indefinite date).DH of course has done zero reading and as I just started, I am realizing this needs more planning than even a 15 day trip to Europe! i would hate for this once in a lifetime trip to be below average or poor. What would you do?

We are not interested in any non-kiddie rides. 4 yr old is not yet 44" and does not nap so we would likely be done by 5ish.

Thank you for reading and comments from DW veterans really appreciated.

Since you say this will likely be a once in a lifetime trip, I'll go against the grain and recommend waiting until your son is a little older and therefore can ride more rides, and when you can plan the trip with more notice. A four year old will not remember this trip when he is older. My son is gluten-free and Disney table service restaurants have always accomodated him seamlessly. I'd recommend staying at a Disney resort for that reason, actually.

Only you know the state of your DH's health, though. Would a few years from now likely be problematic? If not, that's what I'd schedule it for. If so, then I probably wouldn't wait. You can have a good trip with short notice. Get a free basic access account with Touring Plans to use their free reservation finder tool to get ADRs.

 

[Disneylover99]

Life's too short to wait. I'd go.

 

[Micca]

If you're looking for people to talk you out of going to Disney World, you're in the wrong forum. And I'll join right in with everyone else who said you should go.
If you can see your way clear to go--seize the moment! A lot of us here are obsessive Disney planners, it's how we roll. But there are thousands of people at WDW who have no clue what they're doing but have a good time anyway. I'd encourage you & your family to do a bit of reading up on the parks and try to snag some FP and maybe make some ADRs but no need to lose sleep over it. You'll get a lot of help here from park "pros" so don't hesitate to ask. And please let us know how it turns out for you.

ETA: All this planning stuff looks worse on paper/computer screen than it really is.

 

[CaptainKat]

I think you picked a great time to go and can absolutely have an awesome trip without planning to the extreme! I've been on both sides of the planning spectrum; when I only get to go rarely I'm a huge planner, but when I was living in Florida I was able to relax and discover just how much you can get done in a day without much planning. Some of my favorite days were ones where a friend and I decided to go the night before and grabbed whatever FP+s were open.

It's a typically slow time, so wait times will be down across the board, and all but a select few attractions will still have FP available. If there's a ride you want to do that you can't get a FP, plan to go straight there at park open, or just take a couple of minutes whenever you think about it leading up to the trip to check. You'd be surprised what pops up as people shift their plans. With a small kid as far as rides to try for FP, I'd suggest Peter Pan and Pooh in MK, Toy Story in Studios, and the Safari in AK. If he likes Elsa you can try for Frozen, but that may be the one that you can't snag (though I did get lucky about 3 weeks out from a July 4th weekend trip this past summer, so who knows). And there's tons of great interactive adventures outside of the rides that your son would probably enjoy.

Like lots of people stated here, Disney is super great about dietary restrictions. You can find all of the menus online on their site, even for quick-serve, and they're always willing to work with your needs. There's a lot of great info out on the web about healthy meal options in the parks, and the Disabilities board is a great resource on the allergy front. And I'm seeing a lot of slots open for table reservations around that time of month, and those shift around like FP times too, so you should be able to have a good selection there.

Of course, in the end only you can decide what's best for you and your crew. I will say 4 might be a bit young for a once in a lifetime trip for a kid, but it sounds like there are other strong concerns with putting it off as well. whatever you choose, please don't feel like you're behind on planning just because some of us go a little crazy with it! You're already more aware than a LOT of people I've met while working for and visiting the mouse. And you've definitely come to the right place to find advice on your trip. Do what you think is best for you guys, and Disney will always be there, either now or in the future.

Welcome to the DIS!

 

[KenHutch]

Another extreme planner here and if I was given a chance to take my daughter on a short trip with no planning. Its a no brainer I would go (even if it did mean Its A Small World 4 or 5 times in one day). Remember where your going. WDW is the only place where I truly relax just by being there.

 

[E.Jane]

We booked a last-minute trip 2 years ago, in January. We had 24 days to plan everything before we arrived. I was initially disappointed in FP selection I was offered, however, 7 days before our arrival day, a HUGE amount of FP opened up. I scored FP for all the major rides, for all the days/times we wanted. Same with dining reservations. It is a bit of a pain having to check every day, but it is definitely do-able.

Also, January is perhaps one of the slowest months. Not that there's a really slow time at WDW anymore - just not as hectic as other months.

 

[bumbershoot]

The 4 yr old who is going, doesn't watch tv and doesn't really know any characters except maybe Elsa (lego set gift), Moana and has read some Mickey & friend and super hero & pet friends books.

Doesn’t matter. Fun is fun.

We are staying offsite due to one of us being GF and lactose free and the other being currently on a very low fat diet

Disney does well with GF and can do well with dairy free. Low fat is a matter of food choice.

And since you’ll be done early anyway, eat breakfast at the hotel and bring lunch and snacks. You’re not trucking in 3 meals here.

Since dining reservations are all but gone and quick service doesn't look very doable in our case, it will be work to pack most food daily.

Have you looked at ADRs or is it an assumption? QS does pretty well with dietary stuff. Check out the link dug gave you.

Also 30 days ahead FP may not be as good as 60 days prior (even though it's January).

What are you looking for? Since it doesn’t sound like you’ll be splitting up to do bigger rides, and are sticking with the under 44” rides, I can’t see this impacting you much.

 

[bumbershoot]

Since you say this will likely be a once in a lifetime trip, I'll go against the grain and recommend waiting until your son is a little older and therefore can ride more rides, and when you can plan the trip with more notice. A four year old will not remember this trip when he is older.

Sounds like they went when their older son was 4, so it’ll be “even” at least. And many kids can remember stuff from when they were 4. I do, though it’s all bad stuff since that’s what was happening in my life then, but I remember it.

 

[mindeola]

I will just parrot what most have already said- GO! You can still get great reservations and you will not be vying for hard to get FP from the sounds of it. Life is much too short to put off things like this. Go and enjoy! The weather and crowds should be nice then as well.

What are your dates? A quick glance at January 20th for a party of three and there is plenty to choose from: Crystal Palace, Sanna ( my fave!), 50's Prime Time, Kona, Garden Grill, Tusker House and tons more.

 

[dumbox2]

I will say keep expectations with your 4 year old low. We took our twins at 4 and they screamed through EVERY indoor ride. Outside they were fine on teacups and Dumbo but they screamed all the way through Its a Small World. After the third indoor ride of pure misery for us and everyone around us we stopped trying. Instead we hit parades, characters, and people watched.

 

[Eastern]

I have done a few last minute trips; I would go. Lots of ADRs open up a few days to 1 day before the date. Even places like BOG, 'Ohana, Boma, Chef Mickey's, etc. You just have to check, and I agree, sign up for the free Touring Plans reservation finder. Pick the FPs you can and don't stress the rest. Go at rope drop and do everything standby; have early evenings at the hotel.

We get lots done no matter what time of year we go, no matter how much planning. Just be flexible.