Indoor Fun in Orlando: Monkey Joe's Pointe Orlando

8/11/13 Update: Prices have gone up! It is now $6.99 for ages 2 and under, $10.99 for 3 and up.

When it is raining or just too hot to go to the playground, we often head to Monkey Joe's. Monkey Joe's is a chain and there are currently two Orlando area locations. We visit the one that is closest to us (and the tourist area) in Pointe Orlando on International Drive.

When you arrive at Pointe Orlando you follow the signs to park inside their parking garage. Coming in from the International Drive entrance you want to park on the far end of the garage because that will put you closer to Monkey Joe's. Monkey Joe's will pay for the first three hours of your parking if you get your parking ticket validated at the Monkey Joe's entrance desk but if you stay longer than three hours parking costs $3.00 for two additional hours, $4.00 for three, $5.00 for four, and $6.00 for anything over four hours. We can easily spend three hours in Monkey Joe's so if you want to take advantage of the free three hours of parking, make sure you pay attention to the time!

After you park the car Monkey Joe's is just a short walk away on the bottom floor, left side of Pointe Orlando (the side farthest away from International Drive). Strollers are allowed inside and I always bring mine due to the walk. Prices to play at Monkey Joe's vary depending on the age of your child but for ages two and under it is only $5.99 for a day of unlimited play (you can not, however, re-enter once you leave even if it is on the same day). If you are bringing along infant siblings there is no charge for children under two that do not play. They also sell frequent bounce passes that brings the price down to about $5/visit (which is a better deal for the three and under crowd than the specials often offered on daily deal sites). Make sure you bring your child's socks because kids are required to wear them at all times.

When you enter Monkey Joe's you pay and fill out a release form at the entrance desk. They do not keep the forms on file so you have to fill one out every single visit. In exchange for your money and a completed release form they give you a bracelet for you and your child(ren) good for unlimited play. They check this bracelet on the way out and make sure the parent matches up to the child(ren) they are leaving with so do not let your child rip it off! When my daughter was really young they would sometimes give us a sticker for her back or a stamp instead so ask if this is an option if you have a young toddler that will most likely try to rip the wristband off.
The front half of Monkey Joe's contains the snack bar, game area, prize redemption desk, and a seating area. There is also a seating area with more comfortable chairs adults can use while their children play but you can not see your child from that area if your child is playing on the bounce houses so I have never seen anybody actually using it.

All of the games at Monkey Joe's require you to spend additional money. You have to pay $5 up front for a "banana card" which can then be loaded up with "bananas" to spend on the games. Most games cost 2.9-3.9 bananas but a few are more than that so I suggest looking at how many "bananas" the games your child is interested in cost before you decide which banana package to purchase. You can keep the card and reuse it at subsequent visits, which is a good idea since you would have to pay $5 at your next visit for a whole new card.
The games are all your typical arcade games and games of skill. My toddler enjoys skee ball and any other game that involves throwing a ball or pounding on something. Each game spits out tickets, which you can redeem at the prize counter for prizes.

Fortunately my toddler is still young enough that she likes to "play" the games without me having to actually spend any money. She is happy punching the buttons and throwing the balls and has no idea that she is not actually playing and therefore not going to win any tickets. If you have an older child, however, you will probably have to spring for a "banana card."

The main attraction at Money Joe's is the bounce structures, which are located in a big open space behind the game area. Monkey Joe's has a good variety of bounce items, and almost all of them involve some type of thing you have to climb up and a slide. There are no visible restrictions posted as to how many children can go in a bounce item at one time, so if it is busy you will want to make sure to keep a close eye on younger children that can easily get trampled.
The back right corner of Monkey Joe's is reserved for the youngest bouncers. This area contains three bouncing structures that have signs posted on them stating that they are for children under three. (Unfortunately, I have never seen them actually enforce that policy and have seen many older children using these bounce structures, although I'm sure if you complained to a staff member they would probably point out the signs and ask the older children to play elsewhere).

The first of the three bounce structures is the one that is most like a traditional bounce house and the best one for younger toddlers. It has no slides or "steps" that need to be climbed, however, it has several colorful blown up sea creatures in it that your child is free to try to climb on. When my daughter was a year old this one was her favorite because it has plenty of room to crawl, run, and bounce in it. It has a snail and a sea monster you can attempt to climb up and sit on and a very tiny alligator "slide" that is more like a small ramp she enjoyed crawling and climbing on. At two she enjoys trying to climb up onto the back of the snail and sea monster and can climb the snail independently but still usually needs help with the sea monster.

Now that she is two my daughter prefers the other two toddler bounce structures over this one, both of which have slides and something you need to climb up to get to them. At 34 inches tall she is able to play independently in both of these structures now and climb up and slide down without help but when she was under eighteen months I had to help her climb up them most of the time, especially the one in the corner next to the sea creature bounce. The one next to the sea creature bounce has one slide and the other one has two so that you can race a friend down. The one with the one slide has more of a small obstacle course on the inside vs the one with two slides is more open like a traditional bounce house.

Once she hit age two it became very hard to keep my daughter contained to the toddler area. She is a bit of a daredevil and now prefers the older children's bounce structures to the toddler ones. Parents are allowed to assist children under four on the bounce structures if it is necessary, but at twenty five months old and thirty four inches tall she was able to do everything in all the bounce structures independently except for the bounce structure with the big Monkey Joe in front of it. Some of the tall slides are rather fast for a toddler but that did not seem to bother her at all.

The favorite bounce for my toddler and most of the other children seemed to be the pirate ship. The pirate ship contains one slide and a climbing wall next to it you need to go up to get to the slide. The bottom of the slide has a few inflatable pirate theme items in front of it such as a treasure chest that you have to walk around to get back to the climbing wall. This bounce structure gets rather crowded at times so this is the only one that I usually climb into with my daughter to make sure she doesn't get trampled by older children. There are chairs and even a few tables scattered throughout the bounce structure area so for the most part you can sit close to where your child is playing and keep an eye on them.

When my daughter gets hungry we stop for a snack. I don't think you are supposed to bring in outside food but they do not check bags and have never frowned upon me feeding my daughter cheerios, goldfish, fruit pouches, and other typical toddler snacks at one of their tables. They have plenty of different snack and more substantial food choices on their menu and it is reasonably priced and the pizza and other things I've tried have actually been pretty good. There are plenty of tables and chairs and the party rooms are completely separate so we have never had any trouble finding a place to sit.

If you choose to have a birthday party at Monkey Joe's they have several (five?) different party rooms. Most of them line the far wall of the bounce structure area but are completely private from each other and then one is located near the toddler area. I don't think I would want to be at Monkey Joe's when all of them are in use because I imagine the place would be quite crowded.

The best time to visit Monkey Joe's with a toddler is on a weekday when school is in session. We have gone many times during this time period and have been one of only a handful of families in there. I have never been on a weekend but I imagine that is when they have the bulk of their birthday parties. During the summer Monkey Joe's is often used by camp groups and it can get very crowded when this is the case but if you call ahead any inquire if any camps will be there that day they will usually tell you if they are expecting any. It is sometimes also noted on their events calendar on their website when large groups are expected. The camp groups usually come in when Monkey Joe's first opens and leave by 3 pm, so during the summer I take my toddler after her afternoon nap time, which is usually when florida experiences its rainstorms and we can't play outside anyhow.
Monkey Joe's is a great place for a little one to let off some steam on a day when they can't go to an outdoor playground. My daughter has loved this place since she was tiny, however, I have seen many younger toddlers that are afraid of the bounce structures so I recommend just trying it once before you buy a frequent user pass or a multiple visit deal on a daily deal website. When she was under eighteen months my daughter enjoyed the toddler bounce houses but she was just as happy running around in circles exploring the place, which you can do at many indoor places for free (the mostly vacant mall adjacent to Bass Pro Shop comes to mind!). The $5.99 price, however, is very reasonable so I was okay with the fact that she wasn't quite ready to do a whole lot of bouncing even when we'd come to bounce with some of her slightly older friends. Probably one of the best parts of all about Monkey Joe's is regardless of what age we've visited at and what she's chosen to do with her time there, I've always gotten a good nap out of her when we left for nap time or bed!

Ten Things My Toddler Loves to Do at Disney's Magic Kingdom with Little to No Waiting in Line

Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom can be very overwhelming to a toddler. It can also, however, be tons of fun. Taking a toddler requires some special planning because most toddlers have very strong likes and dislikes and don't enjoy being confined to a stroller too often or having to wait in very long lines. Here are ten of my two year old's favorite things to do at Magic Kingdom and how we manage to do them without waiting in really long lines.

1. Tom Sawyer Island- This is perhaps one of the most overlooked attractions in Magic Kingdom and one of my toddler's absolute favorites. You have to take a raft to get to the island, however, there is usually a very short wait (if any at all) for your raft ride. Tom Sawyer Island is one of my toddler's favorite places because it is one of the few places in the Park where she is allowed to run around and roam freely. It is like one big imaginative playground without the playground equipment and she loves to explore it! Tom Sawyer Island always has minimal crowds, so as long as you have someone to chase after the toddler and keep up with them, it is okay for your toddler to roam around and explore. (Added bonus: the island also has some really nice rocking chairs to sit and relax on so if you have more than one adult one can chase the toddler while the other relaxes.) Tom Sawyer Island really is one of the most relaxing, uncrowded attractions in the Park (as long as you are not the adult chosen to chase the toddler!).
   
2. The Parades- My toddler enjoys the afternoon parade (usually shown at 3:00 every day) and if you move away from Main Street and back towards Frontierland you can usually find a good spot to see it from without waiting a really long time. Break out a snack and let your toddler sit and enjoy it while they wait. Even more than she enjoys the afternoon parade, however, my daughter enjoys the Street Party Celebration. The Street Party Celebration is a mini parade that winds down Main Street several times during the day (check the daily times guide for exact times). Unlike a traditional parade, the Street Party stops in the area around the castle and invites the children to come out and dance with the performers and several different Disney characters. There is no need to wait a long time for a good spot because once the parade stops the children are invited to come out into the street and dance their little hearts out. My toddler loves doing this. If we stay late enough the nighttime parade is also a hit with all its colorful lights and the wait for it is made a lot easier with a light up toy or two to play with (ones brought from home purchased at the Dollar Store work just as well as the ones Disney sells in the Park).
   
3. Meeting the Characters- This is one thing that with toddlers can be either completely hit or miss. Either they will love the characters or they will burst into tears when they find themselves anywhere near one. My toddler loves the characters and always has since she was a tiny baby. Several of the popular characters like Mickey Mouse and the Princesses have fastpass available to make the wait to meet them minimal. If your toddler has a particular favorite character that does not utilize fastpass at their greeting location (i.e Buzz Lightyear or Ariel) I highly recommend getting there first thing when their character line opens for the day. Another great way to meet some characters without waiting in a long line is to book a character meal. Magic Kingdom currently offers meals with Winnie the Pooh and friends in the Crystal Palace and meals with the princesses at Cinderella's Royal Table in the castle. Although these meals usually book up well in advance it never hurts to walk up and ask if they have any availability right at the very beginning of a meal period (the time they begin serving breakfast, lunch, or dinner). Sometimes they have cancellations and if you ask before they get too backed up they are able to squeeze you in. (Added bonus: If the meal is a buffet like the Crystal Palace your child under age three eats off of the buffet for free!)
   
4. Peter Pan's Flight- This Fantasyland attraction is VERY popular. If you are going to the Park when it first opens in the morning I highly recommend hitting this ride first. Luckily is also has Fastpass available. If you ride it first thing in the morning and find your toddler loves it, you might even want to grab a fastpass to come back and ride it again later on. There is nothing loud, dark, or scary about this ride. It is a nice little ride on a flying ship that is fun for everyone!
5. The Tomorrowland Transit Authority (aka the Peoplemover): This is the ride you see up above your head snaking through Tomorrowland. It is extremely mild and slow moving. It is also one of the quickest loading yet least popular rides at the Magic Kingdom so it is a safe bet that you will encounter little to no line (unless you find yourself in the unfortunate situation where the ride has temporarily broken down). The Peoplemover allows you to see inside some of the attractions in Tomorrowland like Space Mountain and Buzz Lighyear. There are no loud parts, however, there are some very brief parts where the ride goes quickly through an area of total darkness and this scared my daughter a little when she was 1-1.5 years old (handing her a light up toy or turning on the flashlight mode on our phone usually easily solved that problem). At age two though those are probably her favorite parts of the whole ride!
   
   
6. Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin- This Tomorrowland Ride is also another favorite of my toddler's. If you ride the Peoplemover first you will get a brief preview of what you will experience on this ride. The Buzz Lightyear ride's line can get long but it moves fairly quickly. This ride does, however, also have fastpass so I suggest taking advantage of it. This ride is set up like a giant, ride-on video game where you are sitting in a "spaceship" shooting a gun at targets and earning points for each target you hit. There are two guns/car and also a control to make the car spin slightly and move from side to side so you can better aim at the targets. If you are riding this with a toddler, however, do not expect to play competitively against another adult. Your toddler will love shooting the gun repeatedly and hearing the lazer gun noise as they attempt to "shoot"different targets. They might even enjoy using the control to move the car around. There is nothing loud, dark, or scary about this ride.
7. Riding the Steam Train- The Steam Train circles around the park and makes stops in Main Street Station, Frontierland, and Fantasyland. You can bring your folded stroller right on the train with you if you would like to use the train as transportation to get to a different land. We usually ride the steam train around the complete loop at least once every time we visit the Park. What toddler, after all, does not enjoy train rides? I don't recommend riding too close to the front since this is a real steam engine and my toddler is bothered by the flying particles. The back is a safer bet and they will often choose a little one to stand at the very back and scream "All Aboard!" before the train sets off towards the next station. The steam train is a very good resting option for tired toddlers who might doze off on it for a nap. It is a quiet, relaxing ride and you can stay on it for as long as you'd like so it is a nice option to enjoy while your toddler takes a quick nap. It is also a nice rest for weary feet if you do the complete loop since it takes a while to do so.
   
8. Dumbo the Flying Elephant (and Aladdin's Flying Carpets in Adventureland, which is pretty much the same ride with a different theme)- This ride is a classic toddler favorite! If you would like to ride it with a minimal wait, fastpass is available. This ride also, however, has a wonderful indoor, air conditioned playground that serves as the waiting area for the standby line. When you get in the standby line for this ride you are asked how many are in your party and are given a beeper. You then proceed into the air conditioned room where the indoor playground is. The indoor playground has a toddler area but it is VERY tiny and probably best suited for those under two. Older toddlers will want to climb up into the playground structure and I highly recommend having an adult or older sibling follow them since it is easy to lose them in the slides and climbing nets and you need to be able to find them quickly when your beeper goes off indicating it is time for your ride. There is plenty of seating in this room so if you don't have to chase your toddler you can enjoy a nice, relaxing break. Once it is time for your Dumbo ride your beeper will vibrate and you need to bring everybody in your party to the loading line. You will then wait a short while (usually 15 minutes max) in an outdoor line/holding area until it is time to board your elephant for a spin through the air in circles. Nothing frightening at all about this ride (and you can control your Dumbo if your toddler does not want it to go too high), however, be prepared that your toddler might possibly have a meltdown when the ride is over because they enjoyed it so much. I often get a fatpass and then wait in the standby line while I am waiting for my fastpass time to come up so that my daughter gets to ride twice without waiting too much in between and that seems to help a little bit.
   
   
   
   
9. Casey Jr. Splash and Soak Zone- This recent addition to the Magic Kingdom is nothing like a traditional splash pad and can be a godsend on really hot days. Your child will get soaked playing in here so it is best to put them in a bathing suit or make sure they have a change of clothes. There are no lines involved and it is easy to sit on the sidelines and keep your toddler in full view as they play (there is not, however, a wall or anything else fully surrounding it so keep that in mind if your toddler likes to run/wander off). The Casey Jr train squirts water in all directions and dumps water in some sections as well. It would be very difficult to keep a toddler fairly dry in this area. The surface of the splash pad is rather slippery, so please make sure to keep a close eye on your toddler. I also do not recommend this attraction for toddlers who tend to drink more splash pad water than they play in.  I have seen many babies playing in this splash area in nothing more than a regular diaper and this is one of the reasons the water is VERY heavily chlorinated. Be aware of this if your baby or toddler has very sensitive skin that might be irritated by the chlorine as well and play at your own risk.
   
10. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Ariel's Undersea Adventure dark rides-These two rides are very toddler friendly. They are called "dark rides" because of the type of ride they are, not because they are dark inside. You sit in a ride vehicle and journey slowly through scenes where you will see Pooh and friends or Ariel and their storybook world. My toddler particularly enjoys the area in Pooh where your car "bounces" along with Tigger. Both of these rides have VERY brief dark parts that some toddlers might find frightening but they are very quickly over. In Winnie the Pooh it is the part with the Heffalumps and Woozles and in Ariel's journey it is the part when you meet Ursula and her eel friends. Neither ride is particularly loud though or has any surprise elements (other than the brief periods of slight darkness) that would catch your toddler off guard. Both rides have fun, interactive lines but both rides also have fastpass so I recommend taking advantage of it so you will have little to no wait.

Although there are many more, those are ten of the things that my two year old toddler most enjoys at the Magic Kingdom that usually involve little to no wait. 

You might be wondering why I did not include Small World on this list. Small World usually has a short line because the ride loads very quickly and the boats hold a lot of people. Truth be told, it was one of my daughter's favorites when she was a tiny baby (under a year old) but now she can take it or leave it. At two she tends to prefer the more fast paced things at the Magic Kingdom vs just sailing on a boat through rooms of colorful dancing people, listening to the same song over and over again. We always ride it at least once but that is enough for the both of us at this stage of her life. 

Other rides she really enjoys a lot (that may or may not have a long wait) are the Haunted Mansion (which will probably scare more sensitive toddlers...at least let them check out the interactive que line if anyone in your party is planning on riding), the teacups (beware if you don't like spinning rides because the faster you spin it the more your toddler will probably like it), the Paddle Wheel Boat that rides in a circle around Tom Sawyer island (great for those days when I don't want to chase her on Tom Sawyer island...it's rarely busy so she can roam freely and there are plenty of stairs to climb up and down and several decks to explore), the Jungle Cruise (a more fast paced boat ride than Small World!), Pirates of the Carribean (another fast paced boat ride that has some loud and slightly dark parts that may scare more sensitive toddlers), Prince Charming's Carousel (don't all toddlers love carousels?), and the Tomorrowland Speedway (which she can ride on but she is not yet tall enough to "drive"-check height limits for both riding and driving before gettig in line to avoid any meltdowns). She is eagerly awaiting the day she is tall enough to ride Goofy's Roller Coaster, which has a 35 inch minimum height requirement, but in the meantime there is plenty of other stuff to keep her occupied. Hopefully by the time she is tall enough she will be better about waiting in lines but otherwise there is always fastpass! :-)