If you are the mother (or aunt or grandmother, etc.) of a little girl between the age of 2 and 7, you’re probably well-versed in the Disney princesses and their various attributes and back stories. As the mother of two little girls, ages 2 and 4, I know that Pascal is Rapunzel’s companion, and that Sleeping Beauty’s given name is Aurora.  I also know that planning a Disney World trip for your little preschool princess can be a daunting experience.  You want your daughter to have a memorable trip, but you also wonder whether you’re doing enough or too much of the “princess thing.” You also want to know what things are “must see” and which you can skip.  You might also wonder where you should stay and how to decide what hotel is best for your family. The bottom line: there is so much information out there that it’s hard to digest it all. I don’t pretend to be a Disney expert. But, having just returned from Disney World with my four-year old princess-obsessed daughter, I can offer my opinions about what worked for us and why. [Read more…]

WHEN TO GO: Disney World is generally pretty crowded, but there are some obvious times that are more crowded than others.  Summer, spring break, Christmastime, Thanksgiving, and any other time when school-age children are bound to be out of school means that families around the country (and the world) are Disney bound. [Read more…]

The most important thing to decide after you determine WHEN you’re going to Disney World is WHERE you’re going to stay during your Disney holiday.  The best advice I can offer: stay at a Disney property.  Disney has a variety of options at every price point to accommodate your budget. While the lower cost hotels are further from the Magic Kingdom (seemingly and not shockingly the most crowded and popular of the parks in WDW), you still get the benefits of staying at a Disney resort. [Read more…]

MEETING THE PRINCESSES:  If your daughter is as princess-obsessed as mine is, the character meet and greets will be a staple of your holiday.  If your daughter just has to meet Elsa and Anna, I strongly recommend you use a Fast Pass. Fast Pass is essentially a reservation that you can use to book your “must do” things in advance. [Read more…]

DINING PLANS:  As you might imagine, pretty much everything in Disney is expensive.  Unless you plan to bring your own food – which some people do – it’s probably best to get a Disney dining plan, especially if you plan to do character meals.  [Read more…]