Dec. WDW w/toddler planning help please

[PurpleQueenCheetah]

Hello all!

I am in the beginning stages of planning a trip to Disney World with my family and I have many questions. The last time I was at Disney World I was an adult and it was 14 years ago, I know a lot has changed. I'm sorry if my post is too long, I really appreciate any advice or help you can give me.

My husband, my parents, and my then 19 month old son are going. We are going either the first or second week in December and will be arriving on a Wednesday and staying until the next Wednesday. We don't have reservations yet, but it will be on site.

I know we will need to plan around nap times. We plan on going back to the hotel for naps, leaving the park at 1p and coming back after nap time is over. I think I am over scheduling us and am trying to figure out how to plan the park itinerary for everyone.

I baby wear and have an ergo baby, if anyone has any advice on baby wearing while in the parks I would appreciate it. I was planning on wearing my son on my back, facing forward.

Currently my son does not like costumed characters so I'm not sure if we should do the character meals or not. If we don't do the character meals I was planning on breakfast at the on site hotel, unless anyone can recommend some must eat breakfast locations. We will have at least the regular/plus meal plan, possibly we will get the deluxe, not sure yet.

Since we are staying for 6 nights we can do one park in two days if we need to. I have never been to boardwalk is that worth going or should we break another park up into another two days? We might be getting the park hopper tickets, not sure yet.

If there are any Christmas things that you can think of that we must see I would appreciate any advice.

In the Magic Kingdom: If we are doing a character meal I was thinking breakfast at the Crystal Palace in order to get in early. I know we must see the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, the Haunted House ride, the Jungle Cruise, Tiki room, Country Bear Jamboree, and It's a Small World. After reading around on here I am a little concerned my son won't be able to handle the Pirates or Haunted House. Does anyone have advice on that? I also saw on here that the dumbo ride is very popular with toddlers. I was wanting to plan the Magic Kingdom out so that we aren't running back and forth running all over the park. My husband also wants to do the Stitch Escapes ride, which again I've seen on here really isn't appropriate for toddlers. Are there any other rides that we should or shouldn't do with a 19 month old? Besides the roller coasters, obviously. I've already decided we aren't doing the Hall of Presidents and we aren't doing the Carousel of Progress. My mom likes riverboats so we will try to ride the Liberty Square boat if there is time. Of all the times I've been to Disney world we never used the train in the Magic Kingdom, if you can recommend any ideas for using it to get around that would be appreciated. Recommendations for where to eat in park are also appreciated.

Epcot Center: My husband really wants to do all Epcot Center and doesn't want to miss anything. I know there are a few rides my son can't ride, like the car track and the hang glider ride. I know the must see for us are going to be Captain EO, Ellen Energy show, and Figment's Imagination ride. I know there is a lot more to do here than that but I'm not sure how to plan how long the north part will take. I know my husband doesn't want to miss out on the southern, world tour, part either. Do you think it is a good idea to do this part after nap time or should we have a full day for this part?

Disney Hollywood:
I know we must do the Indiana Jones show, my husband wants to do the Star Tours but my son will not be big enough for that ride. Are there any new star wars rides or things we can do with a 19 month old? Is there anything here that really, a 19 month old will enjoy? I know I like the Indiana Jones show but I don't know if my son will like it or not at this age.

Animal Kingdom:
Is it a good idea to get an early reservation at Tuskers to get in to this park early? I've only been to this park once and don't remember it very well. From looking at the map it looks like it is mostly a zoo, so I imagine the earlier we come here the more animals we can see before their own naps, though we will be having nap time during the afternoon as well.

Thank you so much for reading my long post. I really appreciate any advice you have for us!

 

[khertz]

I know we will need to plan around nap times. We plan on going back to the hotel for naps, leaving the park at 1p and coming back after nap time is over. I think I am over scheduling us and am trying to figure out how to plan the park itinerary for everyone.

I think you have the right idea here. We took my son at 12 months, 19 months (to DL), 2 years old, and 3 years old, and we pretty much leave for a nap every day. There are some days we stay in the park and have to depend on a stroller nap, but we try to leave when we can so he can get a better sleep. I think it's better to plan on leaving for a nap, but if your child doesn't need to and does fine napping in the stroller, then great, you get extra park time you didn't plan on!

Currently my son does not like costumed characters so I'm not sure if we should do the character meals or not. If we don't do the character meals I was planning on breakfast at the on site hotel, unless anyone can recommend some must eat breakfast locations. We will have at least the regular/plus meal plan, possibly we will get the deluxe, not sure yet.

I would suggest planning any character meals for further into the trip. Then you can try it out in the park, and if your child freaks out for the characters, you have time to cancel. Better than planning a character meal on your first day, finding out he hates them, and you wasted all that money on the meal.

If there are any Christmas things that you can think of that we must see I would appreciate any advice.

Definitely see the Osborne lights at DHS! They dance to music every 15 minutes or so, and little ones really love it! The adults do too. Also seeing the Castle lighting, which happens every night at MK. There is a cute little show that goes on and makes it fun instead of just flipping them on.

In the Magic Kingdom: If we are doing a character meal I was thinking breakfast at the Crystal Palace in order to get in early. I know we must see the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, the Haunted House ride, the Jungle Cruise, Tiki room, Country Bear Jamboree, and It's a Small World. After reading around on here I am a little concerned my son won't be able to handle the Pirates or Haunted House. Does anyone have advice on that? I also saw on here that the dumbo ride is very popular with toddlers. I was wanting to plan the Magic Kingdom out so that we aren't running back and forth running all over the park. My husband also wants to do the Stitch Escapes ride, which again I've seen on here really isn't appropriate for toddlers. Are there any other rides that we should or shouldn't do with a 19 month old? Besides the roller coasters, obviously. I've already decided we aren't doing the Hall of Presidents and we aren't doing the Carousel of Progress. My mom likes riverboats so we will try to ride the Liberty Square boat if there is time. Of all the times I've been to Disney world we never used the train in the Magic Kingdom, if you can recommend any ideas for using it to get around that would be appreciated. Recommendations for where to eat in park are also appreciated.

We love doing early breakfasts at Crystal Palace! It's so fun to get those empty park pictures before checking in. We have always been let in at about 7:45 am so we have a little time to do that before going to check in for our ADR.

When my son was 19 months old on our DL trip, he was fine with both HM and Pirates. He was too young to really understand he should be scared. The Stitch attraction has a height requirement, so your son won't be able to ride anyway. I wouldn't recommend it anyway, it's a pretty terrible attraction! My son loves the train, and rides everything without a height requirement. We skipped long shows with him at that age too, because I didn't think he'd sit through them, so I think skipping Hall of Presidents and CoP is okay. We did CoP when he was 2 and he liked it!

Epcot Center: My husband really wants to do all Epcot Center and doesn't want to miss anything. I know there are a few rides my son can't ride, like the car track and the hang glider ride. I know the must see for us are going to be Captain EO, Ellen Energy show, and Figment's Imagination ride. I know there is a lot more to do here than that but I'm not sure how to plan how long the north part will take. I know my husband doesn't want to miss out on the southern, world tour, part either. Do you think it is a good idea to do this part after nap time or should we have a full day for this part?

Keep in mind, Ellen is almost 45 minutes long, and once you're on, you're on to the end. So it might not be the best idea for little ones. If you are not rider swapping the things your son can't ride, Future World won't take you long at all, especially early in the morning when waits are shortest. My son loves the Seas pavilion with the Nemo ride and Turtle Talk, and the Figment ride. We enjoy walking around World Showcase and meeting characters, and the boat ride in the Mexico pavilion.

Disney Hollywood:
I know we must do the Indiana Jones show, my husband wants to do the Star Tours but my son will not be big enough for that ride. Are there any new star wars rides or things we can do with a 19 month old? Is there anything here that really, a 19 month old will enjoy? I know I like the Indiana Jones show but I don't know if my son will like it or not at this age.

If your son ends up liking characters, DHS is ripe with them. We spend a lot of our DHS time doing that. They have characters out by the hat all during the day, and you can meet Buzz & Woody, Phineas & Ferb, Lightning McQueen and Mater, Jake & Sofia from Disney Jr. Mickey & Minnie inside the animation building, etc. He loves the Disney Jr. Live show. We have never taken him to see Indiana Jones, so I can't comment on that. He also enjoys riding Toy Story and seeing the Muppets 3D show.

Animal Kingdom:
Is it a good idea to get an early reservation at Tuskers to get in to this park early? I've only been to this park once and don't remember it very well. From looking at the map it looks like it is mostly a zoo, so I imagine the earlier we come here the more animals we can see before their own naps, though we will be having nap time during the afternoon as well.

DS enjoys the Safari and animal trails that AK has. He also loves riding the train over to Rafiki's Planet Watch and seeing the animals out there (they have a petting zoo). He also enjoys digging in the Boneyard and playing in the playground there. We haven't done the Nemo show with him there, but he loves the Festival of the Lion King show. I know that's gone right now, and not sure if it will be back before your trip or not.

We didn't use the baby care centers as much at that age, but be aware they are available and can be a nice place to wind down for a few minutes. Most have a play room available, and their changing tables are huge compared to the ones in the restrooms. The AK and MK ones were our favorites.

My best advice, and something that helped me a LOT, was reading trip reports of people who took children of a similar age! I found lots of tips there, and thought of things to pack that I never would have thought of on my own. I have a few links to my own in my signature. The first trip that we took my son was our 2011 trip.

 

[PurpleQueenCheetah]

Thank you khertz! I will look at those trip reports. I'm new here and still learning about this forum. I appreciate the advice, thank you!

 

[jmm476]

Let me just start by saying you're going to have a blast seeing WDW through your son's eyes. We took my daughter for her first birthday and again for her second birthday (and then again 2 month later) and they were some of my favorite trips to the World! I think every kid is different when it comes to nap time. On our first trip with DD, we attempted to go back to the hotel room for nap time, but DD wouldn't hear of it and would stay awake. So after 2 days of that, we gave up and let her pass out in the stroller/baby carrier when she couldn't stay awake anymore.

The great thing about napping in the carrier is that we were still able to do some things while she was sleeping (I was carrying her in front of me in a sling). We sat through shows and longer attractions like Carousel of Progress and the American Adventure. Sometimes those were the attractions we would do so she would fall asleep.

As far as characters, again it depends on the kid. DD loved meeting characters each trip, but I know plenty of kids that are scared of the non-face characters like Mickey. I would not recommend a character meal if you don't know how your son will handle it, same as the previous poster. My DD was scared of the Mad Hatter at 1900 Park Fare breakfast and was trying desperately to get away from him. Thankfully we were paying the bill and about to leave so she wasn't tortured for long. But the Mad Hatter was also really good at reading how scared she was and didn't get too close, except to get a picture with me.

Does your son like rides and ride-like motions? My DD does and she loved every ride we brought her on, although some of them caused a moment of panic before she realized she liked it. And not in the rides I expected like Pirates or Haunted Mansion, but on Dumbo and Peter Pan. Within 30 seconds of being on Dumbo, she was asking to go again. Peter Pan was a different story, I think because of the dark and having to look down on the scenes?

No matter what, it's magical seeing the magic through their eyes. Just remember to take it slow and let them experience things in their own way and time and you'll have a fantastic time!

 

[ammag]

My son was 15 months and then 28 months. He absolutely loved everything both times! First time he stayed about 2 feet away from characters, second trip he loved them he even kissed daisy and Snow White. We went back to hotel to nap our first day of first trip ( with 5 yr old daughter too) and nobody napped, everyone got grumpy. For us it was a big time waster both my kids napped in the stroller fine. I actually loved it when one or both kids slept in the stroller (rental not the hard disney ones) my husband and I got to relax a bit. I did have a muslin blanket to hang in front to keep him in shade. Actually. OMG day after AK both kids were fast asleep at downtown disney we had a little romantic date

My biggest advice is to let small kids have run around free time. Play in the rose garden, the playgrounds, walk around the stores and try of silly hats, etc. no lines, no expectations but to relax. Casey's splash area was super fun but I did bring flip flops and a change of clothes luckily the kids were soaked! The gift shop at pirates is great fun, and the best play area I think was in animal kingdom, the Dino dig play and dig area. I loved the seats in the shade too! Slowing down to do things like watch the ducks in Epcot, looking at the train display in Germany, all the little things that make disney such a great environment can be really fun to little ones.

Also it's easy to get dehydrated if it's hot out we ended up buying the little Mickey straws you can screw onto a water bottle. This helped even over the kids own water bottles at getting them to drink and cost about $3.

 

[khertz]

Thank you khertz! I will look at those trip reports. I'm new here and still learning about this forum. I appreciate the advice, thank you!

You're welcome, I hope you have a great trip! Since you have some time before you go, make sure you check out the Disney for Families board also. Lots of tips about traveling with little ones to be found there.

 

[glassslippergirl]

It sounds like you are planning a great trip. Try not to overplan. Choose your hotel, decide which park for which day, make ADRs, schedule FP+, and be done. Let the rest come spontaneously. Toddlers are hard to predict, so go with the flow. We planned to do mid-day rests on DS's first trip, but the hotel was so new to him, no naps happened, so we stayed in the parks and let him sleep in the stroller.

I wore DS in lines and meeting Mickey and the princesses, but he was only 10 months old, so it may be different. I liked having the option of wearing him; he was much easier to transport, and I think he felt more secure meeting characters. Your child will be walking by 19 months, so I am not sure how willing he will be to be worn.

I recommend scheduling a character meal for the end if your trip. Then, early in the trip, visit a character or two in the parks. See how your child reacts. If characters are a no-go, you will still have time to reschedule the character meal for another dining experience.

You can save some $ by eating cereal in your room for breakfast. That goes better with my son, too. There are services in Orlando that will deliver a grocery order to your room. I recommend this if you won't have a car. Be sure to order bottled water-- the hotel water is gross.

I'd recommend two days for MK. Save some time on your arrival or departure day to visit the resorts with big Christmas displays-- best is at Grand Floridian. There's a life sized gingerbread house. BC and YC also have good displays. Grown ups might like the Candlelight Processional at Epcot. We absolutely love it, but I don't know your child's patience level for a 45 minute show. I would not schedule a whole day for BW. You will probably want the extra day for MK-- a lot of good kid stuff there.

It's hard to say what rides your child will not like. Give it a try-- especially if there is an "escape route" he the child does not like it. You might find that your best memories come from watching the Dapper Dans or watching your child chase the lights in the concrete in Epcot. Go with the flow and have fun.

 

[5Hfan]

Thank you khertz! I will look at those trip reports. I'm new here and still learning about this forum. I appreciate the advice, thank you!

don't forget the Winnie the Pooh ride and Peter Pan. Oh we brought a pair of foldable ear muffs for our toddler, and that really helped him not get overwhelmed with loud sounds (fireworks, philharmagic, canons on pirates) so he could enjoy the sights better!

And you never know about characters, we thought our one year old would be terrified, but the first time he saw chip and dale he literally ran to them with arms out for hugs all around. Seriously the whole line behind us was going "awwww".

Your thinking ahead and figuring things out now, make some basic frameworks for the days, and then enjoy things as they unfold and be flexible. Disney through children's eyes is beyond magical!

 

[PurpleQueenCheetah]

Thank you everyone for your advice! I think I have been over planning everything. I was trying to cram as much as possible in the day as I could but after reading y'all posts I've realized that won't be fun for my son, and therefore won't be fun for us. I think we are going to do our best to chill out and follow his lead. I was trying to make spreadsheets and plan every thirty minutes, lol. I've settled down now after reading these posts. I'm thinking first day in the Magic Kingdom we will take the train from Main Street to Fantasyland and ride Dumbo then let my son watch the characters at the circus tent meet & greet for as long as he needs to get used to them. And no hard plans.

Will they let us just stand around and watch them meeting other people until my son is ready to see them, if he ever is?

I like the idea of ear muffs, I never even thought of that.

Thank you everyone for sharing. I am going to be reviewing trip reports for ideas. If you want to post anything else on this thread I certainly won't mind

 

[Bluegrrl]

Our DS went to Disneyland at 9-ish months old. We did tons of things! We live in Florida so he has been to Disney many times, so we have almost "perfected" a toddler trip method. It's actually easier to take a child that age since they are easy to carry and sleep well!

Rides like HM, Pirates, Small World, Spaceship Earth and Safari are great since they have lots of cool things to point to and look at on the ride. DS has always loved the POTC, although this year I think the fire scared him (but the drop didn't, go fig). Small World is fantastic, he adores the ride. He could also ride Dumbo and Triceratops Spin forever. Ariel is also a big winner. And the Railroad - big winner. However, the biggest winner ride was the tram from the parking lot to the park. Simple things, right?

My advice is to keep to your son's schedule as best as possible. It's not easy when you are on vacation, but it sounds like you have a handle on it. On the flip side, don't get too obsessed about it either, because baby might get a little too wound up anyway. You may get a little surprised - we went to the dessert fireworks party, and I thought that DS would freak out and cry. We went anyway and he slept straight though them. Another time when he was older we saw the fireworks and he loved them! So there.

Also, you don't have to go everywhere together. On one family trip, my brother, sil, husband and mother went to the park and I stayed at the hotel with ds. It wasn't a big deal - we BOTH needed naps! Staying onsite is a big plus in this situation. It's a big pita to go back and forth from an off-site place.

When we decided to go to late events, like MNSSHP or MVMCP, I stay at the hotel and we both chill and take very late naps so we have energy for the late night. He usually ends up crashing in the stroller anyway.

Baby centers are fantastic places to chill out and the CMs there are quite kind and helpful. The rocking chairs leave a little to be desired, but hey- it's a nice AC place.

With regards to characters, at that age, DS started to become OBSESSED with Jake and the pirates (Still is, and now Sophia is his current crush). The characters are very good with kids. We went to Hollywood and Vine to see Jake, and while he liked looking at Jake from a distance, seeing Jake in person was a bit much. The first round seeing him wasn't that great - he freaked out a bit. But when the dance party started, he ran to Jake with no problem. So there. He did like the face characters - all the princesses (such a ladies man!) and the musical acts like Rusty Cutlass in Adventureland. Winnie the Pooh and Friends were also a bit much for him the first time around, but he got used to them eventually.

Good luck, and if you are breastfeeding, remember Florida is a "right to whip it out" state, so feel free to bf anywhere. Have fun and remember to just go with the flow. And sometimes, the tram ride is the best ride!

 

[ammag]

As for the earplugs, I had to do the same for my daughter as she hates loud noises. I bought those earplugs that help with air pressure in the airplane..which totally worked...then used them for the fireworks. We ended up leaving midway done anyhow because the kids were done, and she doesn't like the fireworks anyway, second trip we skipped them all together and had an almost empty fantasy,and it was incredible! Usually though we were back to the hotel around 6 and to bed by 8 to make sure the littles were happy the next day.

You have the right idea...plan, the let it go elsa style if and when it doesn't go as planned.