Disney with a 2 year old.... I'm kinda scared...

[jessrose18]

great advice thanks!

 

[hookedonears]

As many have said here, every child is different. Our 2-1/2 year old daughter rode everything she was tall enough to ride, including Haunted Mansion, Pirates and loved it. Wife worked well deflecting attention from possible scary parts. We started out real slow, "It's a Small World", Tea Cups, Dumbo etc. Got to have a good poker face, she looked for concern in our eyes. She hesitated one second when she heard the screams on Goofy's Roller Coaster, while walking in the queue, but I smiled, told her it was going to be fun and we kept going, she trusting our judgment. After that, she wanted to ride it over and over again. Grandparents helped out allot. We really had no real problems.

 

[Kathryn777]

Is he your only? I would let him walk and go at his speed. But bring the stroller for when he gets wiped. We took our then 2.5 when he was our only and he walked the whole time. We would park the stroller (not an expensive one, with no valuables in it) and come back a few hours later and move it to our next location. It was really pleasant. It was thanksgiving so super crowded but he stayed close in crowds. We chose (and still choose) to stay out of the stores if the kids are with us .

Our biggest issue with our 2 year old was the older kids riding (which is just lousy and hard to balance no matter how you work it).

 

[WDWOswald]

Is he your only? I would let him walk and go at his speed. But bring the stroller for when he gets wiped. We took our then 2.5 when he was our only and he walked the whole time. We would park the stroller (not an expensive one, with no valuables in it) and come back a few hours later and move it to our next location. It was really pleasant. It was thanksgiving so super crowded but he stayed close in crowds. We chose (and still choose) to stay out of the stores if the kids are with us .

Our biggest issue with our 2 year old was the older kids riding (which is just lousy and hard to balance no matter how you work it).

I can't imagine any scenario that we could allow him to walk around the parks with us. He would run away in an instant. The other option is the leash option. I think once he gets to the end of the leash he'll throw himself on the ground and have a tantrum until we go exactly where he wants us to be. He is incredibly strong willed and almost nothing breaks his resolve if he wants something. It is encouraging to hear that so many of you have had positive experiences. I have to use my imagination to picture him actually behaving himself though. For instance we went to a coffee shop last night. He wouldn't sit with us and only wanted to run around the shop and do things he shouldn't be doing (playing with the merchandise, trying to run out the door, etc.) Of course we could contain him, but he would throw an epic tantrum when we did. I'm nervous our entire trip will be one long epic tantrum

 

[WDWOswald]

We have made trips with 2 year olds twice (one on their birthday and the other at 2y2m)...While I thought other ages were easier (4months and 12 months were better than 17, 2y, 3y, 4y etc! I think 5 was Okay...), it was totally managable!

We brought familiar toys like monster trucks and match box cars to play with in line and just in calm spaces (there are plenty of them really!) and plenty of snacks, and a change of clothes everywhere we went!

The stroller was non-negotiable for us and I found that at 2 they were both able to understand that they had to stay in it when Mommy said to! This totally worked for them when we were in Disney (stay there or we are leaving; stay in or no Mickey etc).

My kids are both runners - turn your head for 2 seconds and they are gone! So we also used a harness leash when they were out of the stroller - and any refusal to put that on got them buckled in! They were exposed to this at home and were fine there and continued to be totally fine at Disney as well.

How do you get your 2 year old to understand that when mommy says no they have to stay in the stroller? Mommy says no means absolutely nothing to our son! He'll scream his head off until he gets let out- even if it means screaming for 2 hours straight. If we give our son cars to play with in line chances are he will throw them about 50 feet away when he is done playing with them. He isn't super into snacks but would drink a gallon of milk every day if we let him. A 24 month old doesn't understand phrases like "stay right here or we are leaving- or no mickey"

 

[WDWOswald]

I think that knowing their currency is HUGE!! For my youngest - her binky was her currency, and we broke all of the 'at home in bed or car' rules we had for vacation! She would do ANYTHING if it meant she got to have that pacifier!! It definitely worked for us.

Also - agree - having a strategy for tantrums is important. We did not leave the parks for them (infact - we often didn't even go back to our rooms for a nap!). We would just find a secluded place to calm down / there really are plenty of nooks and crannies away from everyone / everything for the kids to snuggle and calm down. We also sometimes hopped into the baby care center for some air conditioned tv.

At nap time - we would sometimes go to a quiet part of the park and they would fall asleep in their stroller (my first would do stroller naps at home, my second only at Disney!). This time was often a great time for rider swap rides!

We also put a sticker or tattoo on them daily with our phone number..I put the stickers on their backs so they weren't in our photos. I brought a sheet of clear mailing labels and wrote in them with a silver sharpie - so it was not overly visible but enough for emergencies. My DD liked to wear them in her belly and I have the most hilarious picture of her showing Rapunzel her belly!!

Stickers are a great idea!

 

[Lisa F]

well, disney is full of kids having tantrums so you don't have to worry about that. tantrums are a way of life with little people who can't express their strong emotions in any other ways. Anyone who has kids gets it. But I agree that trying to remove some of the things that cause the tantrum to happen is good. Make sure the kiddo is fed and hydrated even if he is grazing on snacks during the day. Do your best to make sure he naps (is he the type who will nap in a stroller? if not, you HAVE to build that into your day).

BTW removing your child from the situation when they are having a tantrum is not for the sake of teaching them not to tantrum. Tantrums are pure and simple an entirely developmentally appropriate way of communicating for kids that age. The reason you remove your child from the situation is so that they don't bother anyone else... shoppers, other people in a restaurant etc. Toddlers tantrum and you should not feel obligated to remove your child from Disney to prove a point. there is a lot of noise and chaos and people can move away from you if that is the case (of course in confined spaces be considerate)! but you are not going to teach your child that they are getting away with something if you don't remove them right away. That barely registers with them I think, most research say that tantrums and necessary and healthy and to just let them burn themselves out on it.

But I'm going to be honest. My kiddo is 7 now but we took him when he was about 9 months old, then around 18 months when he was still mostly wearable (yes we did babywearing) but a little mobile and then took a break until he was about 6. some of that had to do with personal issues but honestly it would have been hellish when was 2-3. Probably by 4 he would have been fine. 6 - 8 is really prime time with him. I think that at this age he will never remember the trip so the trip is going to be for YOU. YOU need to have realistic expectations of what he can and can't do and be ok with that. if not I recommend putting it off til he is a little more verbal and responsive to commands. It is really not a matter of how HE is going to be that is your fear... it is how you will feel about it. If you can't feel ok and at peace with the worst case scenario I wouldn't spend the money.

 

[mousegear]

We travelled with my sister's family when her son (our nephew) was just 2 years old. We really worried about him because he has such a wild temper tantrum compared to his older brother or my son. At the time, he would just have a meltdown anywhere, almost once a day and screaming on top of his lungs and lie down on streets, stores, etc. We've learned to ignore his tantrum (act like it) so he learns that tantrum is not the way to get your own way. Our nephew also did not like to be on his stroller and wander off on his own. Before we went to WDW, my sister consistently talked to him about his behaviors and that if he goes off on his own, it maybe difficult for us to find him. He was speaking in full sentences at the time, BTW.

Guess what? When we were there, he behaved wonderfully. We would let him walk and let him burn off the energy for awhile. And then he would ride his stroller. He would always hold hands and not once had a tantrum. We always started with rope drop and promptly took a break and went back to the resort after lunch. He took 2~3 hour naps and we would then swim at the resort. We sometimes went back to the park after dinner or sometimes we just went back to the swimming pool. It worked out great~! So just plan ahead that you are not going to be part commando and much slower pace.

 

[cel_disney]

How do you get your 2 year old to understand that when mommy says no they have to stay in the stroller? Mommy says no means absolutely nothing to our son! He'll scream his head off until he gets let out- even if it means screaming for 2 hours straight. If we give our son cars to play with in line chances are he will throw them about 50 feet away when he is done playing with them. He isn't super into snacks but would drink a gallon of milk every day if we let him. A 24 month old doesn't understand phrases like "stay right here or we are leaving- or no mickey"

Well - my kids understood 'make good choices or there is no Mickey' just fine. But - they are daycare kids and are used to following teacher rules all day. They would never throw toys. They both were more than capable of throwing a tantrum or running off (I have had to put target on lockdown for my youngest!) but we did plenty of role play at home - looking at videos of Disney and walking thru expectations and consequences.

We also played ALOT of red light green light - at 2, it was a fun game that also worked for me. Now - at 5 and 9, I still can say 'RED LIGHT' from anywhere and they will stop dead where they are. I could be yelling their names and 'stop' or even 'ice cream over here' and they wouldn't hear me at all - but 'red light' and they freeze!

We used a harness (referred to as a leash here on the dis!) at home before our trip and explained to them that at Disney it was really important that they use it and stay safe - we didn't want anyone to steal them or for them to loose us (instead of us loosing them - them loosing us).

I think you would be very surprised at how capable your 2yo's is to process the information if you give it to him. (Ahead of time and with plenty of time to process and discuss again).

As for whether they will remember? Well - I will never forget that about 8 months after our trip, our photo album was finally finished and arrived. There was a photo of my DS playing in the playground near the boneyard and he looked at that picture and said 'hot slide' - you betcha - that was the hottest slide I have ever touched! And he totally remembered! We use those photos to look at prior to our trip when he was three as well / to help get him prepped for the next one.

And remember to look at YouTube videos of character greets - they are much bigger than they are on tv!

 

[WDWOswald]

Well - my kids understood 'make good choices or there is no Mickey' just fine. But - they are daycare kids and are used to following teacher rules all day. They would never throw toys. They both were more than capable of throwing a tantrum or running off (I have had to put target on lockdown for my youngest!) but we did plenty of role play at home - looking at videos of Disney and walking thru expectations and consequences.

We also played ALOT of red light green light - at 2, it was a fun game that also worked for me. Now - at 5 and 9, I still can say 'RED LIGHT' from anywhere and they will stop dead where they are. I could be yelling their names and 'stop' or even 'ice cream over here' and they wouldn't hear me at all - but 'red light' and they freeze!

We used a harness (referred to as a leash here on the dis!) at home before our trip and explained to them that at Disney it was really important that they use it and stay safe - we didn't want anyone to steal them or for them to loose us (instead of us loosing them - them loosing us).

I think you would be very surprised at how capable your 2yo's is to process the information if you give it to him. (Ahead of time and with plenty of time to process and discuss again).

As for whether they will remember? Well - I will never forget that about 8 months after our trip, our photo album was finally finished and arrived. There was a photo of my DS playing in the playground near the boneyard and he looked at that picture and said 'hot slide' - you betcha - that was the hottest slide I have ever touched! And he totally remembered! We use those photos to look at prior to our trip when he was three as well / to help get him prepped for the next one.

And remember to look at YouTube videos of character greets - they are much bigger than they are on tv!

I don't know how many 22 months old understand "do this or no this in a future place called Disney World" - now in six months he'll have changed a lot I'm certain. And what child doesn't throw toys, bottles, blankets, etc. etc. on a regular basis? Thank you for your advice though and I'm hoping all the stimulation of the parks is enough to keep him happy for at least a while during the day =)

 

[TravelingTotMom]

My DS will be 2 in April, and we have been going once a month (passholders a couple hours away).

Right now, the biggest thing has been to give him some time out of the stroller to get some of that toddler energy out.

Luckily, there are a lot of places to do that:

Magic Kingdom - playground in Dumbo, splash pad area in Storybook Circus, small playground by Splash Mountain

Epcot - this park probably has the most options: play areas after Journey into Imagination and Mission Space (go in the exit), hedge maze in the United Kingdom, aquariums to walk around after the Seas with Nemo, cars to sit in after Test Track (go in the exit). DS also likes to dance to any of the performers around the World Showcase. There are also two additional playgrounds built for the Flower and Garden Festival.

Animal Kingdom - In the Boneyard, there are slides for smaller kids to your right after you enter. Also, leave your stroller and take the Wildlife Express over to Rafiki's Planet Watch. When you get off the train, let your toddler walk the 5-min. walk to Rafiki's, where there is also a petting zoo with goats. If it's not too crowded, we also let DS walk by himself along the animal trails.

Hollywood Studios - This is our least favorite park w/a toddler. The Honey I Shrunk the Kids Playground is closing April 2.

Also, at DS's current age, we skip shows b/c he doesn't have the patience, and with the exception of character meals (or Biergarten with the band), counter service is a better option for us.

And make sure you make FastPasses for your must-do rides to avoid waiting too long with a toddler in line (we won't enter anything over 20 min. with ours).

 

[Mainemama]

I have had a tougher time at 3 than 2, but my toddler was happy to be I. The stroller in busy places. Now, she is a runner. Any opportunity to slip away and she is gone! I definitely wear running shoes in the parks and have been known to drop a backpack so I can catch her. (No one ever tries to stop an escaping toddler. It is crazy! You think seeing a mom chasing a running kid would inspire someone to block her path.) I say arm yourself with lollipops, gummies or whatever other contraband will lure your kid into the stroller. Also set clear expectations of when it is non negotiable (we insist on Stroller from monorail to park entrance, etc.) buy a flashy toy or spray fan or whatever other thing will feel like a fu. Play thing and only allow it when the boy is in the stroller. Allow the random toddler walking whenever you have the luxury of time. And accept that ere will be times whe. You do throw in the towel, abandon the touring plan, and chill in the room. We find by splitting up a couple of times during vacation (one parent with toddler), we can focus on what the kid needs and also give a little more adult freedom to the other parent (we split so one of us takes two older kids for more mature experiences.) you never know, too, is what I have found... Behavior at Disney is often very different than at home.

 

[cel_disney]

I don't know how many 22 months old understand "do this or no this in a future place called Disney World" - now in six months he'll have changed a lot I'm certain. And what child doesn't throw toys, bottles, blankets, etc. etc. on a regular basis? Thank you for your advice though and I'm hoping all the stimulation of the parks is enough to keep him happy for at least a while during the day =)

Maybe the reason this was not hard for us was that by time my kids had gone on their 2nd birthday trips they had already been to Disney multiple times as well as other local amusement parks...coupled with watching countless YouTube videos of other well behaved children enjoying Mickey, Minnie, Little Einsteins, and Winnie the Pooh (that's who was in Disney Jr when they were little!) - they knew exactly what they were getting and what they would be passing up if they didn't behave. The prize of meeting these characters and going on rides (Small world and Tomorrowland Speedway were practically currency) was definitely worth making good choices.

I can't relate to the throwing things...my kids had other vices by that age! I remember when they were 8-12months I had their sippy cups on a strap so they couldn't throw it and loose it while I wasn't watching, but by 2 - we were well past that! (throwing at daycare would be a major offense too!) At 2 the bigger problem was the complete inability to share ANYTHING (with us or others in line) or to handle the kid next to us in line having something we didn't...but they still always were able to understand 'we will go see Donald Duck after lunch if you make good choices!'. It was important that everyday I had something to bribe them with (this goes with currency being important!)...

Looking back at pictures and videos before writing this (just to make sure I wasn't confused) - the trips when they were 3 and opinionated and strong willed AND HEAVIER were much harder!

I'm sure you will have a great time!

 

[Kathryn777]

I can't imagine any scenario that we could allow him to walk around the parks with us. He would run away in an instant. The other option is the leash option. I think once he gets to the end of the leash he'll throw himself on the ground and have a tantrum until we go exactly where he wants us to be. He is incredibly strong willed and almost nothing breaks his resolve if he wants something. It is encouraging to hear that so many of you have had positive experiences. I have to use my imagination to picture him actually behaving himself though. For instance we went to a coffee shop last night. He wouldn't sit with us and only wanted to run around the shop and do things he shouldn't be doing (playing with the merchandise, trying to run out the door, etc.) Of course we could contain him, but he would throw an epic tantrum when we did. I'm nervous our entire trip will be one long epic tantrum

Sorry I just saw your reply. The key is vacationing WITH them not against them. My kids wouldn't do well in a coffee shop setting so I'm unlikely to take them somewhere like that. Someone above posted areas they can run around, take advantage of it. I don't find my kiddos run away in disneyworld they are too busy and they seem to realize they'd get lost quick. One of mine did wander past a ride when we were walking from stroller to ride but freaked as soon as he realized he couldn't see us.

The way we get our kids to walk where we want is, it usually goes "ok, see that ride right there? Want to go on it? Ok let's go" and they go there... Because they want to ride. If they detour, we grab a seat on a park bench and do a mini time out and then we try again. Mine are now 9, 5 and 3. And we've been doing Disney with them since the oldest was 2. And my oldest is an incredible handful and hated strollers. And I mean haaaaated them. There was no way we were doing Disney with him in one for long. So he picked the next spot and we went there.

We did not and do not shop with the kids. We do have to do restaurants but we don't do sit down meals. Ever, even now. We've done two character meals in 7 years because they are busy enough that my kids are fascinated with what is going on. We do quick service, and bring a couple plastic bags so we can pack up quick if things go south. There are a few places that have stuff going on that marginally keeps their interest (pinnochiohaus, cosmic rays) for a little while.

We do kid vacations and center them around the kids. If I want an adult centered vacation I don't take my kids to Disney. If your child won't behave in a coffee shop you can expect they won't behave in a Disney restaurant either, with so much outside they want to see. Pack food, take containers to carry food and eat somewhere kids can play. Make your expectations realistic. Shop when one parent has the kid doing something else. Zip right through the gift shops at the exit with the promise of the next show or the next ride.

If there is a tantrum find a corner, ride it out and start over. Yours won't be the only one freaking out

 

[ktlm]

My DD (just turned 10) was a high energy "spirited" toddler and was a holy terror at age 2 and 3. To our surprise, she was an angel at WDW- much better behaved than she was at home. She had very few meltdowns- the only 3 I can recall at age 2 and 3 were 1) at age 2, a huge one when we make her take an afternoon break the first day of her first trip (we quickly learned that stroller naps in the park were what worked for her), 2) at age 3 at MVMCP at 11:30 p.m. when she wanted to ride Barnstormer again and we told her we were going home and going to bed (don't feel sorry for her- there was no line and they were letting her stay on over and over she had ridden it 14 times in a row- I managed 11 or 12 and DH couldn't handle another one after 14; and 3) when we left MK and got on the boat to go back to WL and catch ME to fly home and leave WDW- she threw a fit the entire boat ride- ugh. Maybe you will get lucky like we did! If she got a little cranky in the parks (which wasn't much) it usually meant she needed something to eat or drink. He may be a bit too young, but what I would do if she got non food or drink related cranky or threw a fit- I would take her to a bench or some more "quiet" place and sit her down and tell her that we weren't moving until she quit. I would tell her that we could be doing something fun, but we weren't going to do anything until her behavior stopped and that it was up to her when we would go do fun things again. She usually shaped up very quickly.

As far as the stroller, don't stress too much about it in advance. DD did not set foot in the stroller from the time she hit 12 months and could walk, not at the zoo, the mall, or anyplace else that involved a lot of walking. She hated the stroller unless she was behind it pushing it. I was worried about WDW, but the minute she saw how big WDW was, she surprisingly jumped in the stroller and let us push her everywhere. She quickly figured out that she could get from fun thing A to fun thing B a whole lot faster in the stroller. He may surprise you there too.

DD was a runner too. It was so bad that we had squeaker shoes for her at home (which I'm sure the people around us at the mall or in stores loved). She was fearless and could care less if she couldn't see us. She was a very early talker and would talk to anyone at the mall, so it was a total social hour for her as she had certain employees that knew her that she wanted to find. I was worried we would lose her at WDW. I bought rubber bracelets that had had "Mom" or "Dad" and our cell phone on them. You can find them on line, although I don't think she wore them that much. She actually did stay by us at WDW when she was out of the stroller- I think it was because WDW was so big and unfamiliar. You might get lucky there too. I was happily surprised.

If he won't get in the stroller at WDW or still tries to run- bribery can work wonders. DD loved the popsicles from the ice cream carts at Disney. I know that if I wanted her in the stroller or to stay next to me, if I promised her a popsicle or bought one and told her what to do to get it out of my hand or keep it, she would have done it. You could bring little toys or something he loves from home too for bribery if you don't want to spend the money at WDW.

So, don't stress, it may turn out to be a fantastic trip. DD was an older 2, than your DS on her 2 year old trip, but that was possibly my absolute favorite trip. I loved watching her experience everything at that age!

 

[phtktz3]

I have taken my grandson every year of his life with the first trip being his first birthday. This year will be his 4th trip just after his 4th birthday.
When he was 2 he really didn't fuss much about being in the stroller but when he did we just found an empty quiet area where he could run around.
One of the places we did this was at MK in the area where they hold the dessert parties. There is never anyone sitting there so we were able to just let him run
in circles and get all his energy out! It is always pretty cool in this area too with plenty of seating for the rest of the family.
I think we will have more of an issue this year with him not wanting to be in the stroller.......only difference is....he is now old enough to understand there are
consequences for not behaving :0).

 

[mickeyluv'r]

You might be surprised. Often when you take kids out of their element they react much better than you'd expect, especially if you give them a path to success.

Create an atmosphere of success, by creating a plan of things he wants to do. Do tell him you might have to deviate from the plan, but at least come up with a plan of ways to REWARD him.

Keep praising the positive, and try your best to ignore negative behavior.

Instead of punishing the bad behavior, redirect him. "We will go on Dumbo as soon as you are ready."

Focus on success, positive outcomes, and rewards. If he wants to ride DUMBO, then help him get to the ride he wants to ride, rather than trying to force him to ride something he doesn't want to do. When you have to do something he doesn't want to do- keep reminding him of the specific goal/reward he WILL earn. "If you go potty, we WILL go on Dumbo next. You want to ride Dumbo, right? Well lets hurry up and go potty so we can all ride Dumbo together!"

1.DO discuss with him why tantrums and running are a special danger at WDW. That doesn't mean you expect perfect behavior, just try to help him slowly learn the BENEFITS of positive behavior.

2. Remind him that he is a good child, and you want to keep him safe.
3. Develop a plan for what he should do if he doesn't see you. Maybe at age two, his plan should be to stay put. (later he could try retracing his steps to the last place he saw you). While this might not work at age two, it might work, and is a path to success.
4. Keep in minds that the parks are very secure. Cameras for one. I he has a magicband, he is wearing a tracking device that it IS being scanned all over the parks. Probably all over WDW. If he does run of or get lost, comfort him, tell him you were worried, and keep trying to get him back to a positive place.

5. WDW is a LOT of walking. In short, a tired child is less apt to run away. Give him opportunities to run around.

I also agree that food is important. If he hasn't been tested for a food allergy, you might want to try it. Further, high glycemic and highly processed foods are not good for anyone. It is especially important to avoid eating those foods by themselves.

Not long ago, I was working with a child who was having a very bad day. I asked what he had for breakfast. The ONLY food he'd had that day was sugar-bomb cereal! All by itself. no wonder he couldn't concentrate.

LASt, keep your own focus o success and what works.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

He isn't super into snacks but would drink a gallon of milk every day if we let him. "

THIS!!!!

Very often, children with food allergies CRAVE their allergen most of all. The reaction it gives them is almost like taking the high a drug addict gets.

If he hasn't been tested for a milk allergy, talk to your doctor.

Constant temper tantrums and throwing things isn't how most children behave at any age.

Most often children misbehave because some need of theirs isn't being met. Most often, the problem is that they don't know how to communicate what they are feeling. They act out of frustration.

Attention reinforces often behavior. Punishment reinforces behavior almost as much as rewards. If you want a behavior to end, ignoring it is often most effective. Or even better- finding a way to turn it around.

Another strategy is to give him attention before he misbehaves.

But really, try talking to your doctor. Books can also be helpful.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

I don't give in to tantrums and I don't put up with DD not listening. If she gets mad and cries about the stroller then she just has to cry. I don't really care if it bothers anyone else. They were toddlers once and probably threw the same loud fits. But if you give and and try to coddle them, they will play you like a fiddle. DD's protests are short lived because she knows I will not react until she is calm. I don't argue with her, don't punish her, I just act like I don't notice. Then, when she's behaving properly, we talk about it and how much I appreciate her good behavior. It has worked well for us. There have been very few fits.

I don't get why people are so scared of their kids' tantrums. It's just tears and screaming. Nobody will die or be permanently damaged. It's ok for kids to get mad and frustrated and work it out, but it shouldn't lead to them getting their way.

OP, you will probably experience some tantrums on your trip, but overall you will have good memories. And don't worry whether your kid's tantrum is bothering others, they'll get over it. It's not worth stressing about.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Guess what? When we were there, he behaved wonderfully. We would let him walk and let him burn off the energy for awhile. And then he would ride his stroller. He would always hold hands and not once had a tantrum. We always started with rope drop and promptly took a break and went back to the resort after lunch. He took 2~3 hour naps and we would then swim at the resort. We sometimes went back to the park after dinner or sometimes we just went back to the swimming pool. It worked out great~! So just plan ahead that you are not going to be part commando and much slower pace.

Good point, WDW has many safe places for children to basically run around.

I've been on many vacations with autistic children.

Sometimes you run after them, and have a calm discussion about why running isn't safe.

Mostly though, the way to success is creating pathways to success for them on their terms.

If the child hates shopping, you limit shopping. Or as others said- you reward good shopping behavior.

Instead of punishment- you remind the child that you WILL do another fun thing as soon as they are ready.

The distance between MK and the nearest hotel is at least 15minutes. By the time you get him there, the child won't understand the connection.

On the other hand, by age two, if he screams in a restaurant- and you take him outside- he will comprehend some connection. At that point, one option is to tell him you will go back inside when he is ready. Tell him he will get what he wants- more Dumbo- when he calms down.

Mind- taking such a child to a long sit down meal is probably setting him up for failure.

OH - I should add - almost ALL WDW restaurant have colorful kid menus and crayons.

You might also try an inexpensive drawing board. Playskool used to make a great magnetic drawing board called a Doodle Pro (mini?). It is NOT the water board, not the big board with loose parts, not electric, and not Etch A Sketch. This one is small and uses a stylus that is attached. You erase it by moving a lever, and it only costs about $10.