CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 55 FEaTurE 1 Take advantage of military discounts, if applicable. Don't just plan a trip online. Call Disney and inform a representative that you are military. Most Disney resort rates will plummet upon receipt of this infor- mation. Shades of Green is a Disney hotel specifically for military with rates based on rank, but is oen at capacity. If you opt to stay off Disney grounds, many unaffiliated ho- tels have a government rate for military, so ask. Finally, buy park tickets through MWR for a fraction of Disney's price. Call 910.396.8747 or visit Bldg 4-2171 (the AAFES Mini Mall) on Reilly Road. 2 If non-military, carefully consider whether your children have the stamina for the "park hopper" ticket option. is is a hey extra fee per ticket that allows patrons to visit multiple parks in the same day. Small children may become overstimulated aer only several hours, so spending the morning in one park and the aernoon in another park can be difficult. Sometimes, the only reward for tenacity will be exhausted kids who need to sleep late the next morning. Which brings us to… 3 Take advantage of the Magic Hours. Disney hotel guests are allowed into the parks one hour before and one hour aer park hours. ere are minimal, if any, lines for rides as the stifling hoards have yet to roll out of bed. Take this opportunity to ride all of the rides that have traditionally long wait times in the middle of the day. 4 Pack convenience items. ink of all of the items you and your children realistically use over the course of several days. It may feel excessive to de- vote an entire bag to sunscreen, pain reliever, chil- dren's shampoo, children's pain reliever, triple antibiotic ointment, bandages, plastic rain ponchos, bottled water and hand sanitizer. Sure, you can buy these items in your hotel's shop, but they will come at a hair-raising markup. 5 Carefully consider your family's eating habits and which (if any!) Disney meal plan will be cost-effec- tive. For some families with small children, the cost makes little sense. Expecting tired children to sit Tips for parents from moms who survived "The most magical place on Earth" ChilDREn FAll inTo TWo CATEGoRiES: those who have been to Disney World and those who want desperately to go there. Even if they don't yet know they want to go, they want to go. Parents, it is best to accept this law of nature early – maybe even before parenthood - lest be caught unaware by the pleading gibberish of your cherubic 2-year-old in the Disney Store. What they mean can be loosely translated into "This is not enough. I need to meet Mickey Mouse and hug him at the expense of my college fund." Prepare now for the delicate balance of money hemorrhaging, tantrum thwarting, sunburn prevention and, admittedly, timeless fun. While parents are groomed to think ahead, some humble advice comes only after propelling a double stroller over the hallowed ground and living to tell the tale...

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