A few toddler related questions

icesk8abc · Oct 13, 2015

We are sailing on the Disney Wonder out of Galveston in 51 days (not that I am counting), and I'm trying to get everything together, at least in my brain. We sailed on the Fantasy in 2014, but I wasn't thinking toddler at the time so I didn't notice some of these, or they may be different on a different ship. Could you wonderful experts help me with a couple of things?

1. Bibs - Bring them to dinner or do they have them?

2. Changing Tables - Do the bathrooms around the ships have changing tables or do we need to return to the stateroom for that?

3. Toddler Time - All of the recent Wonder Navigators I have seen list Toddler time 3 times a day in Captain's Closet in the Oceaneer Club. When I check the Navigator, these are not open house times. Has anyone attended this? Is this an area that they can close off? What types of activities do they have? Does anyone have a picture of this area or toddler time? (so 4 questions in 1, sorry)

4. Did your toddler (ours will be 18 months) like the characters or were they terrified? We've been trying to show her pictures and videos of us meeting the characters which gets her excited, but we aren't sure what will happen when she sees them. Any tips for character interactions with a toddler?

5. Would it create an inconvenience for our servers if we asked for our daughter's food not to be brought out until ours is? When we were on the Fantasy, the kids around us always got their food very early. Ours does better with food throughout the length of the meal (we would share our appetizers and soups if she didn't have one) rather than eating and then waiting the rest of the time. We don't' want to create a problem though. It would even be ok if they just kept it at their workstation. It doesn't really have to be hot for her.

Thanks everyone!

Trera · Oct 13, 2015

icesk8abc said:
We are sailing on the Disney Wonder out of Galveston in 51 days (not that I am counting), and I'm trying to get everything together, at least in my brain. We sailed on the Fantasy in 2014, but I wasn't thinking toddler at the time so I didn't notice some of these, or they may be different on a different ship. Could you wonderful experts help me with a couple of things?

1. Bibs - Bring them to dinner or do they have them?

2. Changing Tables - Do the bathrooms around the ships have changing tables or do we need to return to the stateroom for that?

3. Toddler Time - All of the recent Wonder Navigators I have seen list Toddler time 3 times a day in Captain's Closet in the Oceaneer Club. When I check the Navigator, these are not open house times. Has anyone attended this? Is this an area that they can close off? What types of activities do they have? Does anyone have a picture of this area or toddler time? (so 4 questions in 1, sorry)

4. Did your toddler (ours will be 18 months) like the characters or were they terrified? We've been trying to show her pictures and videos of us meeting the characters which gets her excited, but we aren't sure what will happen when she sees them. Any tips for character interactions with a toddler?

5. Would it create an inconvenience for our servers if we asked for our daughter's food not to be brought out until ours is? When we were on the Fantasy, the kids around us always got their food very early. Ours does better with food throughout the length of the meal (we would share our appetizers and soups if she didn't have one) rather than eating and then waiting the rest of the time. We don't' want to create a problem though. It would even be ok if they just kept it at their workstation. It doesn't really have to be hot for her.

Thanks everyone!

1. We bring our own bibs. I have never been offered one at dinner.
2. I have found the bathrooms to always have changing tables.
3. We did toddler time once and it was a few toddlers running around and some toys. We haven't been to another one since.
4. Our DD was terrified of the characters from her first interaction in her first birthday until she turned two and a half. Now she loves the princesses and does pretty well with the others.
5. I think you will find the servers will do what is best for you. We like our DDs food out quick because she is a slow eater but if you want them to wait, just tell them.

Good luck.

tivo4me1 · Oct 13, 2015

Someone else with more current information (I traveled on the Wonder out of Galveston in September 2013 with a two-year old) may have better information, but here's what I recall...

1. Bibs - I never saw "Disney" bibs, and never asked for one, we brought our own disposable bibs (through "Babies Travel Lite", which I think is no longer operating with Disney).

2. I don't recall seeing changing tables in the public bathrooms, but we always chose to change our little one in our cabin, since viruses/bacteria can really proliferate in the public bathrooms on the ship - after a personal bout with Norovirus on another cruise line, I avoid those public bathrooms like the plague....

3. This has changed since our cruise (then, most "toddler time" activities were in the Promenade Lounge, small little dance parties, sing-alongs and such, and there were very few open houses in the clubs), so someone more current might have better info for you.

4. My daughter (2) was guarded around the "big head" characters (Mickey, Minnie and the like), but warmed a bit as the cruise went on. Unlike some little ones, though, she absolutely HATED any of the "face" characters (princesses, Peter Pan, etc.), with Belle (for some unknown reason) being the worst. We're hoping for better on our B2B cruises on the Fantasy coming up in November/December (she's 4 now, and we've force-fed her more than a few hours of "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" to get to know the main characters).

5. Absolutely not! We did something similar on the Wonder, although my daughter liked to start off eating something immediately, so after we spoke with our servers, they had a place of cut fruit for her as soon as we walked in, then served her meal when ours was served. Worked like a charm in our case.

Good luck!!

Rich from California

Quellman · Oct 13, 2015

1. Bibs - Bring them to dinner or do they have them?
Always brought my own. I know they do sell them in the gift shop. Our guy was never really a messy eater either. That helps.

2. Changing Tables - Do the bathrooms around the ships have changing tables or do we need to return to the stateroom for that?
They are around the ship, but I didn't check all of them. I did change him in the restroom outside of Palo and Remy on the Fantasy. I would suspect there are plenty of spots on board to do it without going back to the room.

3. Toddler Time - All of the recent Wonder Navigators I have seen list Toddler time 3 times a day in Captain's Closet in the Oceaneer Club. When I check the Navigator, these are not open house times. Has anyone attended this? Is this an area that they can close off? What types of activities do they have? Does anyone have a picture of this area or toddler time? (so 4 questions in 1, sorry)
Generally they are closed off and are secure programming for toddlers only. Usually balls, toys, other things. @Trera said they won't be back. We found them to useful and a fun time. I can only speak for my own kid, but he loves toys and activities. I can only bring so much to the port, so any excusse for him to play with balls, dance, or whatever is a good time in my book. Though we mainly just used open house in the nursery for this.

4. Did your toddler (ours will be 18 months) like the characters or were they terrified? We've been trying to show her pictures and videos of us meeting the characters which gets her excited, but we aren't sure what will happen when she sees them. Any tips for character interactions with a toddler?
We did not wait in many lines for characters, just because waiting in line can sometimes be challenging. Last December we did Chef Mickey at 17 months and he responded well. We recently did Aurora at EPCOT and he did fine with a face character as well..

5. Would it create an inconvenience for our servers if we asked for our daughter's food not to be brought out until ours is? When we were on the Fantasy, the kids around us always got their food very early. Ours does better with food throughout the length of the meal (we would share our appetizers and soups if she didn't have one) rather than eating and then waiting the rest of the time. We don't' want to create a problem though. It would even be ok if they just kept it at their workstation. It doesn't really have to be hot for her.
They'll accommodate you no problem with dinner.

My Responses in Blue.

cdoc29 · Oct 13, 2015

Just off the Fantasy with an 18 month old in September

1) We brought our own bibs

2) Yes there are restrooms with changing tables

3) Toddler time is organized play activity for your toddler that is free. the counselors get a couple of items and people come by with their toddlers. We did one on goofy sports deck were they had a bunch of balls and stuff to roll and throw. There were about 5 toddlers and it was a great way to share experiences with cruises in the same situation as you cursing with a toddler

4) Out toddler wasn’t sure to like or not like, As long as mom and dad were right there she seemed to do fine, My 4 year old was very specific about the characters he wanted to see.

5) We never asked but I so know what you mean by your question. The way the service is on Disney they probably won’t have any issue accommodating this request.

ladypiph · Oct 14, 2015

4) It depends I have seen young ones respond very well to all the characters.But my DS more recently in the last year has allowed the characters into his personal space. At his first character meet he was 15 months and would not let Mickey near him (although he loved watching him on TV) now he is 4 and will give all the characters hugs and high fives. Happy Planning.

PandL · Oct 14, 2015

ditto on what everyone else said but more of my thoughts on toddler time...

Our toddler loved toddler time it wasn't a whole lot of anything special but it was a closed off area that had some toys and he was free to run around and play with other kids and do what he wanted. We were able to sit and chat with other parents without having to chase him down. Our biggest challenge on the cruise was our toddler is incredibly independent and wants to walk and run on his own. There are a lot of situations where the crowds were just too much for him to "be free" Toddler Time was an opportunity for us to get to spend time with him and not have to hold him.

As for characters I think it depends on the kid. Ours LOVED the characters and got so excited when he saw even the pictures of them. When we met them he ran right up to them on his own and gave them all giant hugs and kisses. I saw a lot of older kids a lot more shy, but our son has no fear and doesn't know a stranger.

A few toddler related questions

icesk8abc

Mouseketeer

Trera

DIS Veteran

tivo4me1

Earning My Ears

Quellman

Donald Duck

cdoc29

Cruising with the Crazies

ladypiph

Mouseketeer

PandL

Earning My Ears

Share this page

DIS NEWS & UPDATES

New DISboards Threads

GET UP TO A $1000 SHIPBOARD CREDIT AND AN EXCLUSIVE GIFT!

Latest posts