Disney with a one year old

[Garyjames220]

Hey

So we are planning in going to carribean beach resort for two weeks at the end of next year with a one year old, we are from UK

I just wanted a bit of advice on if you think this trip is wise or would a all inslusive be better

Also it's going to cost about £7000 pounds which is a hell of a lot to us, so really needs to be worth it

The one thing on our mind we are a bit worried about is we would like to take turns in going on 2/3 thrill rides a day but we worry it's not going to be the same because we are queuing by ourself mybe a hour or 2 a day for them and the experience will be by ourself. Is it crazy spending 7k to then be alone yourself a few hours a day queuing, but we wouldn't want to no go on a few thrill rides

We were thinking in doing and child minding a couple of nights or even taking the child minder round the park with us a half day or two

Would you let this put you off going, also is two weeks mybe to much because it's more wee rides all the time? is there enough to do? We don't fancy going any less though as it's a long flight

Let me no what u guys think

 

[Tink9721]

The one thing on our mind we are a bit worried about is we would like to take turns in going on 2/3 thrill rides a day but we worry it's not going to be the same because we are queuing by ourself mybe a hour or 2 a day for them and the experience will be by ourself. Is it crazy spending 7k to then be alone yourself a few hours a day queuing, but we wouldn't want to no go on a few thrill rides

Why not just book fastpasses for the thrill rides and go on one at a time while the other one stays with the baby? You're still riding by yourself but the line will only be a few minutes. Then you can wait in line together for the rides that you can all do.

 

[Garyjames220]

Why not just book fastpasses for the thrill rides and go on one at a time while the other one stays with the baby? You're still riding by yourself but the line will only be a few minutes. Then you can wait in line together for the rides that you can all do.

Yeah I thought of that but just hope the rides with the baby aren't then to long a wait if we don't have fast passes

 

[corgi_monster]

Disney’s Rider Swap program will allow you to wait in line as a family. Parent A rides while Parent B holds the baby. When Parent A disembarks the ride vehicle, Parent B hands the baby off to Parent A and Parent B gets a turn on the ride. You can read more here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/rider-switch/

I’ve taken both my children to Disney parks when they were infants and the memories are priceless.

 

[Daisy7425]

I think it boils down to what YOU want to do. Do you want to go to Disney badly? If yes, then go! Tons and tons of people travel to Disney with one year olds.

Personally, I would not take a trans-Atlantic trip to Disney with a one year old. The main reason is that while I enjoy Disney with kids (ages 9 and 6), I'm not a fanatic and there are other places I'd rather go. I also find travel with a one year old to be difficult (flying with a lap child, naps, diapers, picky eaters, etc), but again - many people travel happily with a one year old.

Yes I think there is enough to do for two weeks. Keep in mind, though, if you go at the end of the year, Christmas and New Years are the absolute most busy times/days of the year.

Your concern of queuing several hours a day alone doesn't sound like a problem to me, but that's because I enjoy being solo some times. When we went to Disney last year, my husband stayed at the park one evening while I took the kids back to the room and he said that was his favorite part of the trip. Lol!

 

[Daisy7425]

Accidental double post - sorry

 

[Tink9721]

Yeah I thought of that but just hope the rides with the baby aren't then to long a wait if we don't have fast passes

Okay but you're either going to be waiting alone for the thrill rides or waiting together for the other rides. Get fastpasses for your top priorities and then look for same day fastpasses for everything else, or just wait in line. That's really what everyone has to do in Disney, with or without a baby.

Disney’s Rider Swap program will allow you to wait in line as a family. Parent A rides while Parent B holds the baby. When Parent A disembarks the ride vehicle, Parent B hands the baby off to Parent A and Parent B gets a turn on the ride. You can read more here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/rider-switch/

From my understanding, a child can't enter the line if they're too short. So parent A would wait in line and ride alone while Parent B waits with the baby outside of the line, then they switch. They wouldn't be able to all enter the line together.

 

[Garyjames220]

Okay but you're either going to be waiting alone for the thrill rides or waiting together for the other rides. Get fastpasses for your top priorities and then look for same day fastpasses for everything else, or just wait in line. That's really what everyone has to do in Disney, with or without a baby.

From my understanding, a child can't enter the line if they're too short. So parent A would wait in line and ride alone while Parent B waits with the baby outside of the line, then they switch. They wouldn't be able to all enter the line together.

Did it spoil your experience at all of not doing the ride with your partner next to you though.

 

[Tink9721]

Did it spoil your experience at all of not doing the ride with your partner next to you though.

I’m single with no kids so can’t really say how I’d feel in that situation. But I travel with my mom and I always do all of the thrill rides alone because she has back problems. Riding solo has never bothered me at all. There are plenty of other rides, shows, etc that we do together at Disney. The 20 or so minutes I spend by myself to ride a thrill ride really isn’t a big deal.

 

[HarleenQ]

You can use the single rider line for several rides which will significantly decrease the wait. I'd probably do that and use FP+ for rides with the baby.

Would it be my ideal trip to do it this way? No. But there's SO MUCH to do as a family aside from rides that I also wouldn't let it keep me from going.

Disney’s Rider Swap program will allow you to wait in line as a family. Parent A rides while Parent B holds the baby. When Parent A disembarks the ride vehicle, Parent B hands the baby off to Parent A and Parent B gets a turn on the ride. You can read more here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/rider-switch/

I’ve taken both my children to Disney parks when they were infants and the memories are priceless.

Parent with the baby can't enter the line. They wait outside, and go in when the first parent comes back out.

 

[mjkacmom]

If the trip is at Christmas/New Years, I’d say no way. I have 5 kids, at that age I would’ve taken #1 and #3, but not the other. #4 was terrified of people at that age and cried if strangers looked at her or talked to her, and since she was a twin people looked and talked.

 

[Feberin]

Did it spoil your experience at all of not doing the ride with your partner next to you though.

I know this wasn't directed at me but my husband and I have done rider swap several times at various theme parks and I do think it's more fun to ride together or with someone else. Our oldest daughter is finally big enough for rollercoasters and loves them. It's been a lot more fun riding with her than alone.

I think a big question is when would you go back again. I definitely think Disney is doable with a one year old but if that's the only time you're going for years waiting until they can recognize more character and do more rides makes more sense to me. When we went with a four year old and almost two year old we fast passed like one ride a day for us. Those lines tend to have longer waits so it makes more sense to get a fast pass for them then one of the family rides with shorter waits. We'd also spend the time during rider swaps doing disper changes, snacks and such not necessarily rides.

 

[corgi_monster]

Parent with the baby can't enter the line. They wait outside, and go in when the first parent comes back out.

You’re right, I stand corrected. WDW puts the rider switch on your band. I think it was UOR that had the nice waiting area at the loading stations for the parents utilizing the child swap program. The years of sleep deprivation that comes with having a 3yo and 1yo have messed with my memory

 

[Garyjames220]

You can use the single rider line for several rides which will significantly decrease the wait. I'd probably do that and use FP+ for rides with the baby.

Would it be my ideal trip to do it this way? No. But there's SO MUCH to do as a family aside from rides that I also wouldn't let it keep me from going.



Parent with the baby can't enter the line. They wait outside, and go in when the first parent comes back out.

I think we are going to go for it

 

[Garyjames220]

I know this wasn't directed at me but my husband and I have done rider swap several times at various theme parks and I do think it's more fun to ride together or with someone else. Our oldest daughter is finally big enough for rollercoasters and loves them. It's been a lot more fun riding with her than alone.

I think a big question is when would you go back again. I definitely think Disney is doable with a one year old but if that's the only time you're going for years waiting until they can recognize more character and do more rides makes more sense to me. When we went with a four year old and almost two year old we fast passed like one ride a day for us. Those lines tend to have longer waits so it makes more sense to get a fast pass for them then one of the family rides with shorter waits. We'd also spend the time during rider swaps doing disper changes, snacks and such not necessarily rides.

It was be last trip for a while, but I think we are going to go for it instead of waiting years. Anything can happen in life so I think putting it off years doesn’t sound great but see where your coming from. Just need to save hard again if we really want to go back

 

[2019TripIdeas]

We just got back from a trip to WDW and honestly, given your scenario and particularly the cost and travel time, I wouldn’t do it.. yet.

We travel relatively extensively with our young kids (ages 5, 3, 2.5) and spent far less $ going to Europe for 2 weeks last summer with our young kids than it cost to do a 10 day trip to WDW. Likewise, nine days in Hawaii last year with our young kids was also more fun, wayyy less stressful and far less expensive than WDW. I am totally of the mentality TO travel when they're young, as much as possible. It's such an awesome time for us in terms of family bonding, seeing new places, etc.

That said, we've personally decided against doing WDW with young kids again until everyone is at least 44". It is just so SO expensive to deal with all the negatives (crowds, less than stellar food, lines, buses, shoddy hotel room, etc). It's hard to compare where that $ could go in the real world (we're currently pricing out a trip to Bali with our 3 kids for less than we spent at WDW!) versus a world that's essentially make believe. Stepping back, yes, our kids absolutely had a blast at WDW and in past trips to DL, but they also had a blast playing on playgrounds in London, or watching the ducks at our neighborhood park. Little kids see magic everywhere and it doesn't have to cost as much $$$ as Disney charges.

I think if you have kids that are thrill junkies and really good at going with the flow, there's more value to it, but you obviously won't know that for a while. Likewise, if you and your spouse are diehard Disney people, I'd be more inclined to do it (we aren't, ha and I'm sure than influenced our sticker shock).

 

[StarSeven7]

We just got back from a trip to WDW and honestly, given your scenario and particularly the cost and travel time, I wouldn’t do it.. yet.

We travel relatively extensively with our young kids (ages 5, 3, 2.5) and spent far less $ going to Europe for 2 weeks last summer with our young kids than it cost to do a 10 day trip to WDW. Likewise, nine days in Hawaii last year with our young kids was also more fun, wayyy less stressful and far less expensive than WDW. I am totally of the mentality TO travel when they're young, as much as possible. It's such an awesome time for us in terms of family bonding, seeing new places, etc.

That said, we've personally decided against doing WDW with young kids again until everyone is at least 44". It is just so SO expensive to deal with all the negatives (crowds, less than stellar food, lines, buses, shoddy hotel room, etc). It's hard to compare where that $ could go in the real world (we're currently pricing out a trip to Bali with our 3 kids for less than we spent at WDW!) versus a world that's essentially make believe. Stepping back, yes, our kids absolutely had a blast at WDW and in past trips to DL, but they also had a blast playing on playgrounds in London, or watching the ducks at our neighborhood park. Little kids see magic everywhere and it doesn't have to cost as much $$$ as Disney charges.

I think if you have kids that are thrill junkies and really good at going with the flow, there's more value to it, but you obviously won't know that for a while. Likewise, if you and your spouse are diehard Disney people, I'd be more inclined to do it (we aren't, ha and I'm sure than influenced our sticker shock).

No offense but it’s really hard to label Disney as being really expensive because price is so dependent on how people choose to vacation. For us, Disney has always been a relatively cheap vacation and that’s why we’ve chosen to go there so often. We are a family of 4 and we stay at a value hotel (or off-site) and eat most meals at counter service and even take some food in. My DH and I did a trip to Hawaii 2 years ago and we got a great deal In The off-season and we spent about the same for 2 of us as we do on a week at WDW for 4 of us. (And that includes flights, hotel, tickets, food, souvenirs, etc). Every time we price out an all-inclusive it’s way more than WDW. So it really depends on what choices you make! WDW can absolutely be super expensive but it doesn’t HAVE to be.

 

[2019TripIdeas]

^ Absolutely true but I think our trip costs sound pretty comparable to the OPs. We stayed mod/Deluxe (POR and BWI, though there was almost no difference per night; like $20/difference) and I’d imagine that’s on par with caribbean beach or close. We did 7 day hoppers which I’d imagine to be less than tickets for a trip for 2 weeks from abroad. Flights from west coast. Split meals at Counter service, a few ADRs and one character meal ($500 bill on that alone!). All in, were talking around 9K for us and I find that absurdly expensive when we’ve done international trips for less.

 

[StarSeven7]

^ Absolutely true but I think our trip costs sound pretty comparable to the OPs. We stayed mod/Deluxe (POR and BWI, though there was almost no difference per night; like $20/difference) and I’d imagine that’s on par with caribbean beach or close. We did 7 day hoppers which I’d imagine to be less than tickets for a trip for 2 weeks from abroad. Flights from west coast. Split meals at Counter service, a few ADRs and one character meal ($500 bill on that alone!). All in, were talking around 9K for us and I find that absurdly expensive when we’ve done international trips for less.

Yikes, that's definitely a lot! We usually go for $4000 or less for 7-10 days and that's including EVERYTHING! I just see a lot of articles that talk about how Disney is so expensive and you can travel abroad for cheaper but then they pick the most expensive Disney hotels to compare which can be misleading!

 

[Feberin]

Yikes, that's definitely a lot! We usually go for $4000 or less for 7-10 days and that's including EVERYTHING! I just see a lot of articles that talk about how Disney is so expensive and you can travel abroad for cheaper but then they pick the most expensive Disney hotels to compare which can be misleading!

Yeah we did Disney for $3,000 last time we went since we drove, stayed at All Star Sports, packed lunch every day and bought one souvenir per person plus one ornament per person. It's costing us a lot more this time though because we're doing a lot of character meals so we decided to go for the dining plan. We also have four kids vs two kids and one over 10. I always roll my eyes when people say Disney is so expensive then spend a similar amount renting a house at the beach during the middle of summer.

However I think for international travelers it's going to be pretty expensive. Especially if you're staying two weeks.