Best tips!

DisneyMagic73

Mouseketeer
Joined
Apr 27, 2004
Messages
351
What is your best tip for traveling to the world with a 4 year old? First time for our DS to head to Disney...we are going to be there is September.....want to make the most of the trip.....DH and I used to go yearly before our son but with Disney prices on the rise dont think we can do every year! What are your favorites to do with this age group......Cant wait to go see Mickey!!!!
 
My last WDW trip was when my daughter was 4. My advice is: know thy child! Know what he can and cannot handle. For example, my daughter, at age 4, had pretty much given up her nap but was used to sleeping 12 hours a night.

We chose certain nights to keep her up late to watch fireworks, etc., but we also knew that she'd probably get cranky on those days, and we agreed to just put up with it.

If your child still naps I'd say try to get back to the hotel in the middle of the day. If not, don't underestimate "down time" in the park - such as a nice character lunch or a show when you sit down for a while.

At 4 my daughter was nuts about It's A Small World, meeting characters, Caroussel of Progress, Spaceship Earth, the KidCot stations, Soarin', The Living Seas, Playhouse Disney! Live on Stage, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage, Finding Nemo the Musical, Festival of the Lion King, Flights of Wonder, and IllumiNations.
 
Here are my 2 cents:

* always have a small cooler bag w/a drink and snack for kiddo -- that way you are prepared when waiting in line, or can avoid a line for food by having familiar snacks.

* bring a change of clothes /bathing suit and plan on time in the water features and spray grounds

* don't forget pool time....kids love the pools as much as the parks!

* give him a flashlight/spinner toy for dark rides

* it took my kids 4 minutes to eat in a restaurant, so keep in mind how much restaurant dining your little guy will tolerate!

Happy planning and have fun!
 
My biggest tip would be just to go with the flow. Let your child guide you to what they would like to do. We have gotten very lucky with 2 kids that don't need to take breaks during the day at Disney and are non stop Disney kids, but not all kids are like that.

A must do at that age to me is Playhouse Disney at DHS and character meet and greets.

I always brought little Disney trinkets that I picked up in the $1 spot at Target or what not for the kiddos when we were in line or waiting for a parade. That way they didn't want the $20 toy in front of them, but still had something new.

I would show him youtube videos of rides ahead of time to get him geared up and ready to go. And depending on how you are travelling there make him a binder full of activities/coloring pages to keep him occupied.
 

Have something small for the child to do/play with when waiting in line. Ive done stickers, coloring, bubbles, snacks etc while waiting in line. I always bring extra for those around us and we get to entertain a lot of peoples little ones :)

Water..water...water.. did I mention water??? Make sure your child is drinking plenty of water. I know mine would get so distracted they wouldn't want to drink. I made sure to encourage water anytime we went back to the stroller. The more they were walking the more I encouraged them to drink.

Pack snacks.. I know mine have issues sitting for a full meal when they get excited so I always kept healthy snacks in my bag for the sudden "mommy Im STARVING" which usually happened about 20 minutes after the lunch they didn't eat.

Follow their lead.. Don't get so intent on seeing what you want to see that you ignore what they are trying to see. Sometimes the most awesome exchanges are when your child sees something in the decorations that you have been to busy or distracted to see.

Book character meals later in your vacations and try out the characters before hand if your child hasn't had much/any exposure to them. Some super shy children bloom around characters and outgoing children will hide. Plan the meals to give you the opportunity to cancel them if need be

Know your kiddos. Mine will not rest at a hotel, if I take them back to the hotel then it was a sure way to ensure hyper children and then grumpy ones later on. If we just let them lay in the stroller they will either rest or take a nap which makes for happy kids later on

Consider pull ups for at night even if your child has been potty trained for a while. Exhausted young children have accidents even when they have been accident free for years (happened to my 6yo niece much to her great embarrassment :( )..

Costumes are cute but not all kiddos find them comfortable. I like to pack an extra outfit for days the girls wear costumes so if they start getting itchy they can change.

Disney bandaids solve all ouches.. Seriously, Ive have benefited so much from a box of mickey bandaids in my bag, again I carry extra and offer them to people if I see there is a need.

Bring LOADS of patience. You are going to need it. Nothing is sadder than seeing a parent losing their cool with their little one at Disney. Bring your patience and if you feel yourself losing it take a break and cool down some. A cup of cold water and sitting for 10-15 minutes usually makes me feel a whole lot more human.

Determine an amount for souvenirs and then put it on a gift card. I always save shopping for the last day and the kiddos can only spend whats on their card. I don't add or help with a purchase. If they can't afford it then they don't get it. Yes, even my little little ones I do the same thing.
 
Just wanted to add that we bring gift cards for the kids to purchase their souvies with. They earn money (fake disney dollars) up to the trip based on chores, etc. We allow them to typically buy one thing a day, depending on how much money they have to spend. But them knowing that they have a set amount to shop with, helps with so many fights over that type of stuff! And usually (since I'm a pushover) we end up buying them ears or a shirt as an extra bonus on.
 
We went September last year with my almost 4 year old and he loved the Casey jr water area near dumbo. Make sure to bring a towel and bathing suit(there is a bathroom right beside it for changing). My son had the best time:) With kids that age I would say just relax and let them explore! There is so much that they wont want to do as they get older so let them do that little stuff now:) Have fun...4 is a great age for Disney!
 





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