1 Year Later - Top 10 Things for Toddler

[Brygida]

We recently visited WDW with our 16 month old son. Using his screeches of delight, screams when we were about to leave, and the sheer joy/awe on his face, I have come up with the following list of his favorite activites during our 6 day stay.

#1 - Pooh's Playful Spot at MK - especially the fountains of water shooting up from the ground - lots of screeching and smiles

#2 - Thomas The Tank Engine train table at toy store in England, EPCOT - So engrossed, he would not leave. Had to carry him out kicking and screaming.

#3 - Pools at Wilderness Lodge - Toddled straight for the pools every time he saw them.

#4 - Cinderella's Carousel at MK - Tried to run... fell... tried to run... fell... till he reached it.

#5 - It's A Small World - fascinated by the clock in the loading area.

#6 - Seeing a zebra and then an elephant at Safari in Animal Kingdom - dumbstruck at the live animals that were close enough.

#7 - Castaway Creek at Typhoon Lagoon - happy, wriggling, almost fell asleep in my tube.

#8 - Pooh and friends meet at toy store in England EPCOT - when his turn was up and I walked him out, he turned around and walked right back.

#9 - Getting a Mickey Mouse balloon on Main Street - I attached it to his stroller for hours of entertainment.

#10 - Strolling around the walkways, geysers, waterfalls at Wilderness Lodge - Actually, being in his stroller anywhere in WDW, could cause him to spontaneously erupt in smiles as he turned to look at us pushing him.

Brygida

Okay. 1 Year Later, my toddler was 2 years, 4 months old. His favorites now, which he would ask for *all the time* are:

#1 - It's A Small World - At the end of the ride he would look at me and ask, "Another Small World?" - we would go on this 2-3 times in a row. He can now sing the song with enough clarity so that you can understand most of the words. During a particularly sweltering afternoon, after waiting 45 minutes for a Disney bus to arrive at MK, we got on and were packed like sardines. He starts singing the song, and after a few minutes people around stopped their conversations and said "Hey, he's singing the Small World song." Laughter followed, and then several adults joined in the sing-a-long that my toddler had started!

#2 - Animal Kingdom - Pangani Forest Trail - He loved this because of the multiple displays of right at his eye level.... especially the fish (underwater viewing and in the clear ponds).

#3 - Animal Kingdom in general - At the safari, he loved looking for the elephants, zebras, giraffes, and other favorites. I think he loved this park the best, because of the animals everywhere. He identified each one as we walked by. He enjoyed playing on the dinosaur, he enjoyed Pocahontas and Her Friends show, he enjoyed the parade. He did not seem as enamored about the petting area at Conservation Station as last time. He lost interest during the Lion King show.

#4 - EPCOT miniature train display in Germany - I would let him run between the trains as they rolled through the miniature town - He would run from one to another saying, "Another Train!". He cried when we had to leave (the display is outside and you can only stay so long in the sweltering August sun).

#5 - Thomas The Tank Engine train table at toy store in England, EPCOT - So engrossed, he would not leave. Had to carry him out kicking and screaming. Same story as last time!

#6 - Monorails - "Monorail." "Another monorail." "Monorail Gold." "Monorail Black." He especially liked when we got to ride up-front in a monorail!

#7 - Trains - Around the MK or in AK, it didn't matter. He could here the whistle from anywhere in the park.

#8 - Parades - MK afternoon parade, SpectroMagic, AK afternoon parade... He loved them all. He did his little happy dance while announcing all the characters to me.

#9 - Classic Characters - Mickey, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, Daisy, Minnie, Chip & Dale - We had breakfast with them (Donald's Breakfastausaurus), lunch with them (Garden Grill), ran into them at the parks, got pictures at Toontown. He loved naming them, hugging them, high-fiving them.

#10 - Peter Pan ride - This is the only other ride he asked for by name!

 

[amarberry]

Great list! My DD's last trip was in January when she was 18 months old. Her favorites on that trip were very similar to your son's favorites last year. She'll be 26 months old when we return next month and I am guessing that many of your son's top 10 will be my DD's as well!

I have to ask...what is the fascination with toddlers and trains! My DD is crazy about them right now. We rode the Chicago commuter train into the city last week with her and she was absolutely giddy about it. I forsee many trains rides on our trip in September!

 

[tacomaranch]

Our 3 yr old DS also loves Thomas the tank engine. I thank you for letting me know about the trains in Germany. We will have to go and visit.

Nice trains, nice cold beer!

 

[las3888]

Thanks so much for the post and the update! My DS will be 18 mos this next week when we go, so I expect some of the same from your 1st post....I am always in awe of how much they change and so curious about what they will be like in time. I imagine we will see some of the same that you saw in yours next year. Thanks for updating...it's interesting!

Also, thanks so much for the info on Thomas. DS is a HUGE Thomas fan. I had no idea they had Thomas at England. We went to a "Day out with Thomas" this past weekend here bcuz he is SO into Thomas. Almost felt guilty bring a packing a few Thomas books for him today (going to WDW, felt like we should have Mickey and Pooh, etc.) We will DEFINITELY check that out and I probably wouldn't have known about it without your post!

 

[las3888]

PS - We haven't managed any parades yet since DS is only 18 mos and naps in the afternoon, but at 2 years or 2.5 yrs, is it easier? How do you manage the parades? Just curious...thanks!

 

[brat5063]

Thanks for sharing. We are going in 10 days, my son will be 2 1/2 and this is his first trip. I really enjoyed reading your post.

He is a huge Thomas fan. Thanks for letting me know about the store in England. He will love it. I know the trains are going to be one of his favorite parts about the trip.

 

[Brygida]

Thanks so much for the post and the update! My DS will be 18 mos this next week when we go, so I expect some of the same from your 1st post....I am always in awe of how much they change and so curious about what they will be like in time. I imagine we will see some of the same that you saw in yours next year. Thanks for updating...it's interesting!

Also, thanks so much for the info on Thomas. DS is a HUGE Thomas fan. I had no idea they had Thomas at England. We went to a "Day out with Thomas" this past weekend here bcuz he is SO into Thomas. Almost felt guilty bring a packing a few Thomas books for him today (going to WDW, felt like we should have Mickey and Pooh, etc.) We will DEFINITELY check that out and I probably wouldn't have known about it without your post!

My DS is also a HUGE Thomas fan. I brought all his Thomas trains and several Thomas books with us... but you know, he never touched them! In the room it was mostly down time and watching Disney Channel or the WDW info channel (requested by him as "Another Disney World?"). At restaurants, all he wanted was his Disney buses (they sell a 3-miniature pack for about $8 that he played with endlessly). Occasionally he played with his Stitch Light Chaser (was about $13), a plastic horse (about $4 in Germany), or Mater from CARS (about $6) that I bought him. So if you have $30 to spend on him for gifts, buy small ones, and use them for sit down meals at restaurants.

 

[Em_in_FL]

We go to EPCOT all the time... and the Thomas setup in England is a major problem for us because my boys always NEVER want to LEAVE...

We have to go watch the trains in Germany every single time as well... we usually spend at least 15-20 minutes there...

BOYS and their TRAINS... a LOVE AFFAIR!

 

[Brygida]

PS - We haven't managed any parades yet since DS is only 18 mos and naps in the afternoon, but at 2 years or 2.5 yrs, is it easier? How do you manage the parades? Just curious...thanks!

My 2 year, 4 month old occasionally will even skip his nap at home (without having any major meltdown) and just go-down for the evening a little earlier. He does fine sort-of picking his own naptime. You can try putting him down or go for a drive in the car, but even that does not usually work anymore.

It so happened that one day he had an early short nap (before lunch), we went to the park in the afternoon and voila he was up for the parade at MK. Another time he had a very late afternoon long nap. I thought he might be overly tired so I went back to the hotel room and he woke up about 6pm. After checking his temperament, he was wide awake and doing a happy dance! I plugged him back into the car, fed him dinner at GF, and met up with the family for SpectroMagic and Wishes at MK!

Everything needs to happen when they are awake and not cranky or it won't work. Happily, my DS is pretty good about knowing when he needs a nap and is a great sleeper through the night. So we follow his lead on vacation.

Last year (when he was 16mo), we HAD to leave the park every afternoon so he could nap. If we had pushed him, he would have had a meltdown.

 

[ctnurse]

My DS not only loves trains but loves buses. I keep telling him that we are taking a plane to WDW and all he says is bus. I hope we will be able to get off the bus. I was wondering about naps too. DS will be 2&1/2 in Sept when we go. He needs his afternoon nap and was hoping he would sleep in the stroller. Cute story about Its a small world song. DS favorite song is the wheels on the bus. Big surprise. Thanks for the top ten list.

 

[vacation4me]

Thanks so much for sharing this list. We are taking our 2.5 year old daughter in October.