1  | 

I found this helpful Thank You! Your vote will be tallied soon!

Meeting Leo from the Little Einsteins with my 16-month-old (Lunch at Hollywood & Vine)

It's hard to believe our trip to Disney World is over!  In short, it was incredible.  This trip dispelled all issues I had with traveling to the parks in the past - the crowds, the lines, the heat.  I used a site called Tour Guide Mike and we followed all of his advice, from what park to visit what day, where to eat, and what order to visit each attraction within the park.  It definitely made a difference - we had a wonderful experience all three days we toured Disney.

Attractions
The first morning we visited Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM).  We got there when the park opened and we headed straight for the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show and the Playhouse Disney Live on Stage show.  The Little Mermaid one scared my four year old.  It was our first attraction and as soon as the lights dimmed and the theatre became dark, he was really scared.  I definitely underestimated how overwhelming Disney would be to a preschooler.  From the attractions to all the sights (so many exciting things, everywhere we turned), it took him a day to really get comfortable and start to enjoy himself. 

Next up was the Playhouse Disney, Live on Stage show - which was a huge hit.  Skits from the Little Einsteins, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Handy Manny and My Friends Tigger & Pooh enthralled both my 4 year old and 16-month-old.  What was fun too is that the show is interactive with the audience - kids can shout out answers, dance and sing along.

We spent the next few hours visiting other attractions (the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground and the Muppets 3D show were a hit) and seeing various characters during character greeting times on the Streets of America.  Some of the characters who were there while we were walking by were the Power Rangers, Kim Possible & Ron Stoppable, various Cars characters.  It was a very laid back, line-free morning.

Lunch
We ate lunch at Hollywood & Vine, which is a buffet style restaurant offering visits from characters.  JoJo & Goliath from JoJo's Circus and June and Leo from the Little Einsteins came table side while we ate!  A huge hit, of course, and I can't recommend it enough.  (The food was only average, but I can't complain since my kids didn't care!)  It's also nice to reserve lunch at one of these character buffets - it provides you and your family with a relaxed environment in which to meet characters rather than a long line outside.

We left the park shortly after lunch.  I didn't feel that we had a ton left to do - Hollywood Studios is definitely a mixed park in terms of attractions and with two kids of preschool and under age, we had done just about all there was to see.  When the kids get older, I can see leaving after lunch and going back for the evening.  (Hollywood Studios has a great show called Fantasmic - it's on past my kids' bedtime but we hope to go in upcoming years.)

There's so much more to see and do at Hollywood Studios for older kids but we definitely had a blast with two young kids.   (They even enjoyed watching the High School Musical Float Parade!)  Stay tuned for a write-up on Day Two, Magic Kingdom (our best day!)