Am I crazy?? Disney with a 4yo and 14mo..

[Red_Rider]

Hi All,

I’m looking to find out if other people have gone to Disney with young kids… I’m trying to plan a vacation for my family for the week of Labor Day next year hoping that there will be less people at the parks. There will be four of us, myself, my wife, and two sons (they will be 4.5yo and 14mo.). I am planning the trip with the expectation of us going at my 4yo pace and really only doing the kids rides and going back to the hotel around lunchtime so my 14mo can take a nap and my 4yo can swim at the pool. I’m also thinking of renting a car so that I can avoid waiting for buses and all. Any thoughts or advice from anyone would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks!!
David

 

[LWatson]

If you are then I am worse. We went in Feb w/ our kids for the first time at JUST turned 3y and 13.5m. We are going back in Nov w/ them at almost 2 and almost 4. We liked it the day we had the car at the parks (we drove that trip). We took it slow and did things that the oldest wanted to do (even if it meant riding Its A Small World 3x in a row). Ours nap in their stroller really well...actually one day we were headed out of the parks and they had fallen asleep in the stroller already, so DH & I just grabbed a snack and sat down in a little seating area and let the kids rest. When they woke up they were ready to "RIDE AGAIN".

 

[rascooby]

We're planning a Jan 2010 trip with our 6, 2 and 13 month old. I'm sure it will be crazy, but not much crazier than our normal life. We're planning breaks during the day if we need them and a day during the middle of the week where we either don't go to a park or go for a very short time. We did Disney when our oldest was 14 months and we had a great time. I'm sure it will be a different trip with the little ones, but I look forward to introducing them to Disney.

Good luck!

 

[frtchr]

We went in March with DD 26 months and DS 6 months. We're going again in December. We kept to our kids' schedules because I knew that would be best for us. We took it easy and enjoyed watching the kids' reactions to all the sights and sounds. Hope you have a great trip, OP!

 

[liznboys]

You will find plenty of people on these boards who have taken babies and toddlers to WDW, and love it! We've taken our 4 boys, who are each 2 years apart in age, on several WDW trips over the past several years. So we've had babies and toddlers and preschoolers down there...

You have the right mindset, you are prepared to go slower and be flexible depending the your boys' needs.

I think having a rental car is a good idea. We have tried every way of getting around the world and we MUCH prefer driving ourselves. We feel the more options and flexibilty you have on vacation (especially with little ones) the better!! You can choose to use the WDW transportation sometimes, and sometimes drive yourselves, whatever works best for you in each situation.

Happy planning!

 

[Tracy041500]

Nope you are not crazy at all. The first time we took our boys they were 3 & 15mos. I am a big planner so plan and write down everything you want to do theres tons of help here www.disneyworld.com/prek.
My suggestion is if you don't already have a double stroller get one. And I would try to take the bus. Somtimes it was easier other times for us we drove our car because when we stayed at the All Star Movies the bus seemed overly crowded and I got tired of having to stand with a toddler and holding one while my husband had the stroller and the bags.

 

[imortalcandy]

we went for the 1st time feb last year with a 14 month old, 2 1/2 and 10. we had a double stroller and rented a mini van and stayed 8 days. It was easy mid day they fell asleep in the stroller (they never do that) and we got on almost everything!

 

[Fall1]

We are going on our children's 1st trip next month and they will be 28 month old twins! We can't wait!

We are getting a rental car too, DH and I always get one, so we're sticking to that. I hope it will make things easier.

Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[laughinplace199]

Our first family trip was when DD had just turned 3 and DS was 15 mos. We had a blast!

The next trip, they were 4 & 2. The trip after that, they were 6 & 4. The next trip, they were 7, 5, & 5 mos! There have been 3 more trips after that too.

You will have a ball. Just go at their pace, making sure eating and sleeping schedules aren't too disrupted. Have fun!

 

[Red_Rider]

Wow, thanks for all of the great information. I'm glad to hear that lots of people have done it before and have had great results. Thanks for sending the Pre-K link on the Disney site, I didn't even know it existed, it's going to be a must read tonight at home. Thanks again for all of the info!!

 

[BfloChick]

We went when my boys were 4 and 21 months. We had a great time. Our "secret" was to limit times in the parks and keep shlepping around to a minimum. We really enjoyed spending time in the resort at the pool, and naptimes were a must. I think you can have an awesome time as long as you keep it simple, respect your kids' needs for rest and sleep, and carve out down-time each day. Have fun!

 

[sher92]

Hi All,

I’m looking to find out if other people have gone to Disney with young kids… I’m trying to plan a vacation for my family for the week of Labor Day next year hoping that there will be less people at the parks. There will be four of us, myself, my wife, and two sons (they will be 4.5yo and 14mo.). I am planning the trip with the expectation of us going at my 4yo pace and really only doing the kids rides and going back to the hotel around lunchtime so my 14mo can take a nap and my 4yo can swim at the pool. I’m also thinking of renting a car so that I can avoid waiting for buses and all. Any thoughts or advice from anyone would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks!!
David

LOL...I guess I am crazier than you! We are leaving in two weeks and flying with my DD2.5 and DS 4 mths!! My parents are going too, so at least we'll have some extra help! I'm with you, not going to try to rush it and go at my DD's pace...which basically equates to SUPER SLOW...but this is all for her and I can't wait to see Disney through her eyes!
have fun!

 

[MommaMouse411]

hmm..then I must be nutz....I go alone to disney with my son. He's 17months now..we've been to disney 7 times this year..its not that hard just be prepared for the heat...I normally stay off property so I pack pretty good for the day at the theme park..
For instance..change of clothing for myself and my son because its so darn hot...I bring about 8 bottles of water in a cooler. Snacks of course, food, milk (i always ask for Ice from the drink vendors) also, if it gets too hot or we are need for a rest I go to the baby center. There you can cool off let them relax, change their diaper without feeling rushed or disgusted of the bathrooms. You can feed them there too.. I also bring Gerber microwavable meals (nonfrozen)...There's microwaves there, some baby centers have a stove, fridge, and they all have nursing rooms...

I also bring my travel stroller beacuse it holds alot (bookbag, cooler, etc)...it is a BEAR to get in on the Tram to MK..That's the worse part...so I try to get to the theme parks before rope drop. most people are happy to help me...thankfully..but i bring the big stroller so My son can lay back when he takes his nap...but its doable and it can be fun....you can do almost all the rides...but I do advise to not stand in line for more than 20minutes..I did an hour and it was horrible...I don't know why I stayed but I wanted to see Mickey. anyways, familiarize yourslef with the Fastpasses. Especially in MK...Fantasyland has the most...so pay attention to the time so you can get the next one before you even use the first one you got. The day before 4th of July my son and I did all the rides and only waited maybe 15minutes for each. If you must do character greetings...mornings I think are best...and hang out in toontown by the train stop (they call it the teardrop)...I've heard characters come out there alot...

as for Labor Day weekend..it will still be packed.

 

[natnelliesmom]

Most people go to WDW with young children!!

Just take it easy and relax. Kids love it there and there is so much to see and do. My little ones have always enjoyed our trips. My philosophy is simple- my kids do what I want to do!

Don't listen to the grumps who say they won't remember the trip! Take pictures, you'll remember! They won't remember the hugs you give them either, but does that mean you wait till they are older to hug them?

Go and have fun.

-Sarah

 

[Pirate Chica]

They won't remember the hugs you give them either, but does that mean you wait till they are older to hug them?

 

[AirGoofy]

We have been going last 5 years. Our youngest DD was 15 months. We did the Disney transportation and found it was a good place for children to take a nap. And, at those ages, they are easy to hold. One thing we learned the hard way was to relax - don't worry about rope drops or fireworks every night. Take time to do one each, but keep those naps in there like you planned. Also, there are lots of rides and places at the different theme parks where you can go for the children to take naps.

 

[sweetmonkey]

Nope, NOT crazy! We are taking our 4 y.o and 8 month old next month. And DH will be at a conference so I would be doing it mostly alone! But I am fine with that. I could stay home with them all day while he's gone for a week or I can stay with them at WDW! Um,. . . let me think!

Now, actually last week, my inlaws decide they would join us for a few days of our trip so I will have good help, but still the same rules apply. We will be staying on property, taking it easy, and going back for naps in the afternoons. At this age it is more about reactions and experiences than rides!

Also, people are mostly friendly so be gracious if someone offers assistance -even if just holding the door for you or offering you some fastpasses. And take advantage of rider swap. It is a great way to still do some things with the 4 y.o. that the baby can't do.

 

[ilovevacations]

looks like a great plan.. you might want to divide it into two groups of supervision for the older children as well

 

[Beckypooh1972]

You will have a blast with kids that young. They really get "the magic" at that age. If your 14 month old is walking by then that will help a lot. We took our twins at 17 months for the first time and it helped that they could walk while we stood in lines since you'll have to park your stroller about 99% of the time when you experience an attraction. Be sure to count on a stroller for the 4.5 year old. There is a ton of walking and those little legs will wear out quickly. You actually could start taking some family walks a few months before your trip to get your older child conditioned for all the walking. You'll have a great time! I recommend booking an ADR at Crystal Palace before the park opens so you'll get lots of great photos with fewer people in them.
Also don't miss the Harmony Barber shop for your 14 month old's first haircut. They make a big deal of it and give you keepsake certificate and mouse ears with the haircut for a cheap $12.00. Go there early as it gets busy very quickly

 

[mrsannb]

It's a great time. You'll love it and they will love it! You have the right mindset and idea for enjoying the parks and meeting your children's needs. You may want to go just a bit later, like in October versus September if you don't want to deal with it being quite hot in FL.
My kids are 7, 4, and 20 months and have all been several times. My 4 year old is always asking to go back to Disney World. She tells me when she is a grown up she is going to live there.