Anything for toddler at DH? Epcot?

[Redbudlover]

Hi,

I am taking my DGD who will be 2 1/2 in September by myself for four days to WL. I am a WDW vet but for adults. Last fall her parents and I took her to BC and she loved parades and fireworks and several rides at MK (Dumbo, teacups, the jungle boat ride, etc) And she loved the playgrounds and pool. So I am planning 2 half days and the MNSSHP at MK and a day at AK, which she also loved last fall.

I have another day. What do you all think? Should I take her to Epcot - and if I do what would she like apart from Turtle Talk and the Nemo ride? Or should I take her to HS? I have to tell you I have done the stuff there and have no desire to do it again except for Fantasmic and eating at the Brown Derby. But I didn't do anything toddlers might like when I went. Is there anything there she would like?

This trip is all about her and her Grandmother having fun together. Any suggestions? I don't think she will be 40 inches by then....

 

[mrstomrice]

HS has the Little Mermaid show, Beauty and the Beast stage show, Playhouse Disney Live, Toy Story Mania (in May), Stunt show, Muppets 3-D, character meet and greets, Backstage tour, and the new parade. My DS 3 loved it last year! I don't think EPCOT has as much to offer overall. Also, you have to park your stroller a lot at EPCOT just to get into a building. I vote for HS Have fun!

 

[tjmw2727]

Oh you guys are going to have so much fun. Lets see, there is lots of stuff for kids at both and we just visited with my neice who is 3 so let me try and remember her favorites.

DHS - All the playhouse disney characters that have the meet & greet on Mickey avenue were a huge hit. I know the little einstiens but I didn't recognize the rest, I am sure folks will follow who do. She loved the playouse disney show and the little mermaid show and most of the animation stuido tour esp the incredibles. The new parade was a HUGE hit as it had all the pixar characters and lots of interaction like dancing and jumping. She liked the great movie ride but was a bit afraid during the ailien part. She was to short for star tours so they did a non moving version and she loved it. Keep in mind though that she has a 6yo brother and this makes her a bit "tougher" than most little girls her age. She loved the tough to be a bug playgound but is it quite big and my sil and I were very happy to have my dds' (10 and 12) to keep track of my neice and nephew. She like the muppets show and even wore the glasses but we had seen philharmagic the day before so she was ready We stayed for fantasmic and she loved the show especially the princesses on the steamboat at the end.

Epcot- this is our favorite park including my dd's and my nephew so my neice didn't have much choice but to spend some time here I will break it up into Future World and World Showase.

FW- Nemo and Turtle talk of course were loved, Living with the land was tolerated and she had a blast making cookies in the Land pavilion. She was too small for TT and MS but we had fun doing the make a lanyard stuff in both and she really, really loved the climbing structure in the exit for MS. She liked the imagination ride and all the interactive stuff at the end. All the kids had fun in innoventions, making a robat was a huge hit as was the fire house game. She got very bored and restless during the energy adventure and in hindsight even though there isn't a height restriction we should have skipped it or split up. I sat with her and my 12yo dd during spaceship earth and she thought that was fun as well.

WS - Keep in mind that my neice loves any kind of live entertainment so chilling in the stroller and watching anything was right up her ally. Her hands down favorite is the acrobats at China (a family fav) followed closely by the candy maker Miyuki in Japan. Other favorites were Mo Roccin in Morocco esp the belly dancer and playing hopscotch with some great CM's in UK. She loved the mexico ride and the norway ride and got some wonderful 1-1 time with Alice in Wonderland one evening in the toystore at UK. She really enjoyed the kidcot spots, making and coloring the mask and having it stamped and a peice added in each country.

HTH- if you haven't read through it already allears has a great section on traveling with toddlers/preschoolers on her site here:

http://allearsnet.com/pl/infant.htm

If it were up to me I would do the morning in DHS with a pool break and nap and then the evening at Epcot - if you have park hoppers. Otherwise I think I would choose Epcot with a pool break and then return. IMHO there is just more to do there especially things that you both can really enjoy together like the acrobats vs just toddler specifici things like the playhouse disney stuff.

Its a great decision to have isn't it?? Have a great trip!

TJ

 

[tjmw2727]

HS has the Little Mermaid show, Beauty and the Beast stage show, Playhouse Disney Live, Toy Story Mania (in May), Stunt show, Muppets 3-D, character meet and greets, Backstage tour, and the new parade. My DS 3 loved it last year! I don't think EPCOT has as much to offer overall. Also, you have to park your stroller a lot at EPCOT just to get into a building. I vote for HS Have fun!

Obviosly based on my prior post I disagree about Epcot but just to clarify the only place you can't bring a stroller into is the Land pavilion.

Thanks for the reminder about the Beauty and the Beast stage show that was a highlight for my neice and my dd's. Everyone enjoyed the stunt show except for my neice, my sil had to take a walk with her. As for the backstage tour, nobody really enjoyed that much but least of all my neice, she was totally freaked out by catastrophy canyon

TJ

 

[kirstiebird]

the Little Mermaid show at Disney Studios will always be dd's favorite -- she saw it at age 3 and it was perfect for both of us.

at Epcot, Ellen's energy adventure is great for a 2-3 year old (and adults)-- you are off your feet and the dinoasaurs are over-the-top awesome. small children also seem to like the ride at Mexico and LOVE (and I mean LOVE) watching the minature trains in Germany -- seems like I've spent a good portion of my life watching them (and dh doesn't seem to mind -- just take a look at the girls selling beer in germany!!!).

 

[Beaker74]

Thanks for all the info!! We're visiting in Oct. with DD's 14 months & 2 1/2 years. We haven't been there with them yet and didn't realize all the fun activities for them at EPCOT!

 

[jmatlick]

Our DS2 loves HS over Epcot. At epcot we do have to park the stroller a lot and then drag all are stuff with us. Usually my wife and DS spend a lot of time exploring Mouse Gears, while DD10 and I do soaring, TOT, and MS. The showcase is interesting, but DD and DS would rather do the rides. At HS we can seperate, so it is more focused on the kids. DD and I (both riders) can do TOT, RRC while DS and DW do playhouse disney and ariel (he loves ariel) and they catch some of the characters walking around (which is a huge thrill becasue in his mind they are 'real'). Then we catch back up as a family and do Ariel (yes again), the animation studio, we go back to star tours, walk throught the backlots, etc. I know there are some new things at HS but I can't comment on them. We missed HS when we where there in Feb., becasue DS broke his femur while we were at AK...apparently we didn't realize we had bought the "Hospital tour" tickets when we were planning that trip...

 

[JodyLynC]

My girls were 2 1/2 last time we went to WDW and they still talk about Epcot. World Showcase with the Kidcot stations were just the best for them. They also loved watching the musicians and dancers in the different countries. They also loved the Living Seas (pre Nemo), Spaceship Earth, Imagination, and Living with the Land.

 

[Redbudlover]

Thanks a bunch people, this all helps a lot. Epcot is a big place and I didn't know what she might like. But I think you are right - she would love the belly dancers and performers. I thought she might be a little too young for the kidcot stations, but maybe not.

Anyone else have an experience with a toddler in either place?

 

[tinkandpan]

My kids are 6 and 2 now and have been going since the oldest was 3 months. EPCOt IS one of their favorite parks. They enjoy the world showcase entertainment, the boat ride in Mexico, the trains in Germany, Living with the Land, Nemo and the Seas pavillion and Imagination. The kidCot stations are great and so are all the character interactions. It is so much easier to see characters in EPCOT than any other park. THey also really like innoventions and doing all the hands on things.

HS is more shows- so if your gd likes that you can't go wrong there either. My kids love the beauty and the beast show, and the playhouse disney show. THe little mermaid show can be scary to some (my ds still won't go). THEY HAVE A great parade, all the playhouse Disney characters and the Great Movie Ride is fun too- as is Muppet Vision 3d. LIke i mentioned these are all things that are more sitting than doing so that does change things for some families.

Good luck and have fun!