Latina Magazine and Growing Up Bilingual blogger, Paula Bendfeldt-Diaz, has been vacationing at Walt Disney World Resort with her children since they were babies. Now that they are getting older, she knows that there are many things that they can experience now – as tweens and teens – in a whole new way!
Here are some of the tips that she gave us:
Get them more involved in planning – As they grow, kids want to be more involved in what they do on vacation. So take advantage of this. Start by checking out the Walt Disney World website so they can give ideas on what things they want to do, see and eat.
Know your kids’ interests and personalities – This will help you pick and choose the perfect things to do for each of them. One might be into roller coasters like Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom while the other may prefer watching nighttime spectaculars like Rivers of Light at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Get ready for thrilling adventures – What a wonderful experience it is to have your kids reach the height requirements on the most exciting rides. And Paula agrees! She even let them go on some of the rides alone because they not only reached the height requirement, they were confident enough to do the attractions on their own. This gives them independence and gives mamá and papá a break.
Expand your dining options – Kids can now go with their parents to restaurants with more interesting options, that are not all quick and casual. They can enjoy the restaurants in World Showcase at Epcot or explore new foods like Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village, with a variety of African and Indian flavors. There are so many options for them to enjoy now that they are getting older.
And last but not least, don’t forget family favorites – Whether they are rides, experiences or even photo locations, there are some favorites that parents and their children will never outgrow. Go and take photos with the characters and ride a classic attraction like “it’s a small world”.
How are you preparing for your first visit with tweens or teens to our vacation kingdom? We want to know!
