Advice for a Toddler

[kmg1107]

Hi Folks! We are experienced WDW travelers (usually go down 2-3 times per year) but relatively new doing parks with a toddler (DS 2). We'll be at WDW over Easter and have only planned for Epcot and MK (we don't do every park every visit). We also have Chef Mickey's booked. I'm not rethinking this plan and considering swapping out Chef Mickeys for a visit to HS (specifically for the Disney Junior- Live on Stage and Frozen Sing Along). What do other parents of toddlers think? We won't be able to book FP until just a few days before our visit. I'm thinking a morning would suffice. If we go there right at park open, do you think this is a good plan? We'd likely also try to do Little Mermaid, Toy Store (would try that first), MuppetVision, and maybe Lights Motor Action. TIA!

 

[Robo]

Have a great trip!

 

[dachsie]

I would keep Chef Mickey's no matter what you do. Getting to see the Fab 5 will be fun for a toddler. You can still go to a park and do the other as well

 

[DVCcurious]

Kids that age love Dis Jr live on stage. They go absolutely nuts for it.

I dont see why this is an either/or situation. If you have hoppers then hop from epcot to HS.

We've done character meals and they're great, but you can meet all of them on your MK day. So it's not like if you skip Chef Mickey's he'll miss out on meeting mickey, minnie, pluto, donald, and goofy.

 

[Davie Business]

HS definitely our toddlers least fav. Not much for that age, esp with all the construction. Id keep chef mick - ours loved that. You can always try HS after for awhile.

 

[LuvinDisney83]

I would honestly scrap both Chef Mickeys and Hollywood and Vine. We had the best character experience/food at The Garden Grill in Epcot. We went for dinner and it was awesome! The food was really good and plentiful, plus you didn't have to fight the buffet and and got all you care to eat wonderful food served right to you. The character interactions are the best we've ever had and I've done every character meal at least once, we saw the characters about 4 times and they spend lots of time with my 1 year old. She LOVED it to say the least. I went with low expectations and came out happy as a clam with a little girl who fell in love with Chip

 

[Jarmo]

We planned to hit every park with an almost 2 year old last year... ended up with a half day at Epcot, a couple hours at AK, and every day at Magic Kingdom.

 

[TravelingTotMom]

I agree with the above suggestion of Garden Grill instead for your character breakfast. Great character interactions, you are already at the park, and they bring the food to your table, which makes it easier than a buffet.

My DS is almost 2, and after recently taking him to Hollywood Studios, we actually felt bad and will be skipping that park for a while. It was raining, so the Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground was out. He also wouldn't wear the 3D glasses for Muppets, and forget about sitting through a show (had to take him out of the Little Mermaid)! At that age (as I'm sure you know) it's move, move, move! The Disney Jr. show is cute and lets them get up to dance a little bit, but that's really about it, at least for our DS, at Hollywood Studios right now.

Magic Kingdom is great, and Epcot has a ton of areas for your DS to get some energy out (musical carpet area after Journey into Imagination, the area with the cars after Test Track, jumping fountains behind/beside Journey into Imagination, walking around the aquariums in the Seas, etc.).

If you are thinking about adding a third day, my DS likes Animal Kingdom a whole lot more than Hollywood Studios... there is the Safari, Lion King Show, Nemo Show, Boneyard playground, animal trails, etc.

Also, remember you can do child swap for rides where he doesn't meet the height requirement.

 

[Tara1988]

My son went at 16 months, 2 and 3. We did chef Mickey once, Garden grill at epcot once, Hollywood and vine twice and Tusker House at animal kingdom 3 times. My son loved the Disney junior stuff at Hollywood studios, and that is one of the best character meals as far as interaction and entertainment go. He also loved fantasmic. I wouldn't skip that park, but wouldn't spend a full day there either. Garden grill at epcot was great, but he didn't really enjoy the park. Very few rides, and even fewer that he can ride. He enjoyed spending time in the aquarium, but we have one near home that's just as good. He was totally bored with the world showcase, too young to really appreciate it. We love animal kingdom and tusker house is our favorite character meal. But if you only want to do a couple park days, I would skip it, especially if you have a zoo near home you can visit. We would never go back to chef Mickey. Everything about the experience was awful. From the cast member who acted like it was such an imposition to take our picture at check in, she stand over there and clicked the picture. The food was terrible. Kids were running wild interrupting the characters at other tables. Minnie didn't interact with our son at all because 3 other kids ran over to play with her and pose for pictures, then she moved on to the next table.

 

[AFwifelife]

My 2 year old loved Epcot the most with all the things to do right outside the rides and loved the entertainment around the WS. We did go to HS as well but his favorite part of that park was walking up and down the stairs while waiting for our TSMM FP+s to open up (which he didn't really enjoy).

I do agree with Garden Grill over Chef Mickey. Much nicer to have everything come to you and the characters are awesome there. The 2 year old wasn't a fan of them in the first place but we have some great pictures of him coloring with Dale.

 

[larryz]

My advice for a toddler:

1) Stay in the stroller
2) Don't touch anything -- or anybody
3) Drink your water/juice
4) Don't throw the Cheerios at Mickey
5) Naptime is 2. Bedtime is 9.
6) I don't want to hear the word "no"
7) Someday, you will have kids -- do you want them to be like you?

 

[Baptist]

I agree that HS has little to offer toddlers. The Disney Jr. show is good but there is not much else.

I would keep the Chef Mickey's reservation. It's easy to get to. Just roll your stroller on the Monorail and off you go. I love the Monorail when you have a stroller. No need to fold it up!

With that said, my 2 year old did not want anything to do with Donald. She enjoyed the other characters, but the big duck scared her.

 

[jannalynn_11]

I agree that HS has little to offer toddlers. The Disney Jr. show is good but there is not much else.

I would keep the Chef Mickey's reservation. It's easy to get to. Just roll your stroller on the Monorail and off you go. I love the Monorail when you have a stroller. No need to fold it up!

With that said, my 2 year old did not want anything to do with Donald. She enjoyed the other characters, but the big duck scared her.

+1. Except it was Goofy (her fave!!), not Donald!

 

[abnihon]

My son (age 3) loved CM!!

Am debating next time (when he's 4) whether to even do HS and am leaning towards skipping it...

For character meals next time am thinking Crystal Palace, Garden Grill and Tusker House

 

[Shannon R]

I think it's a toss up depending on your child! My 3 year old (was 2 when we went to Chef Mickeys) absolutely hated the characters getting up close and personal with him, so skipping Chef mickeys would have been ok for us. He however LOVED Disney Junior Live, so that was a must do for us. When we went to HS we did a lot of the shows, and they were all very appealing to him. I think you would be better off scraping CM and heading to HS!!