Disney with a typical 3 year old?

[jcemom]

We took DD at 16 months and I will be taking her again (just the two of us this time) just before her third birthday. I'm sure there will be a "world" of difference between the two.

What is a typical day at Disney like with a three year old? Do you need to take nap breaks? Are they able to stay awake for the fireworks? How many days would be an "ideal" trip (assuming cost and scheduling aren't an issue)? Would she like MNSSHP or be too young to enjoy it?

I know some things are variable and depend on individual personality, but I'd like to hear what your experience was if you don't mind sharing.

What would you do again? What would you do differently? What was a "hit" and what was a "miss?"

Thanks in advance for any help/tips/insight you can give me!

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Our first trip to WDW with DD will be this October. We definitely plan on nap/swim breaks back at the hotel. Sometimes DD can go all day, other times she gets REALLY crabby around 1 pm.

We are going for 7 nights and will work around DD and her temperament.

 

[CEDmom]

We took DD to WDW last May when she was 3 1/2. Her 1st trip was when she was about 2. We took breaks in the afternoon because it was so hot. We were in DL in December and didn't need to go back to our hotel for a break because it was cool enough for DD to just nap in her stroller if she needed to. As far a night time activities DD was usually awake at the time the fireworks would be but the noise terrifies her so we only saw part of them from the WL beach.

We stayed for 5 days and concentrated on MK and Epcot (which DD loved). We also did a non-park day and went on the pressed penny machine seach at some of the other resorts and other stuff around our resort. I think having a relaxing day really helped our DD's mood.

 

[trracers]

We took DD when she was 2, then 4, then 5...

She napped on the first trip, not so much after that. On the first trip half of her pictures with characters signing her book are of her asleep next to them in the stroller!

Take your time and enjoy and just let the child lead as far as how much you can do.

I am so jealous...our trip seems so far away...

 

[bartleby1]

My DD was 19 months the first time and 3 years her second time. We were staying offsite so we were in the parks all day (no midday break). I tried to plan one park day that ended at a reasonable hour (like 7 pm) and then the next day a late park day (stay from open to close and watch the night time show). The day after our late day was a "down" day (swim, shop, etc). She did great but often fell asleep in her stroller in the afternoon. We were there in July, so I think the heat did her in. She also took quick naps in some of the movies and cool, dark attractions (like hall of presidents, where her daddy napped too, lol!) Thankfully, my kids don't usually get crabby when they are tired so we didn't have to deal with any meltdowns.

The biggest difference I noticed between her first trip and second trip was that she had some fears at 3 years that she didn't have the first trip. She was afraid of a lot of the darker rides and petrified of the villians. We bought her a small pen light that helped with the fear of the dark. She was very uptight the first time through a ride to enjoy it because she was waiting for something scary so we ended up riding almost everything 2 or 3 times so she would feel more comfortable and would enjoy it. I had originally planned two days in MK, one day in Epcot, one day in AK, and one day in MGM. We never did make it to MGM because we decided to spend an extra day in MK. Just be prepared to be flexible and you'll do fine. 3 year olds are so much fun because they still believe all the magic and the characters are so real to them. My DD is now 4 years old and is already questioning whether Mickey is real or someone dressed up

Have a great trip!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Last summer all three of my kids ( 2 1/2, 4, and 5) need a nap/swim break. Of course we went in August so the break for them was really a break for us too. Since they were able to swim and rest they were able to stay up later and enjoy the fireworks and the parades. We really focused more on MK (although we were to MGM, AK & BB) but they kept wanting to go back to MK so that's what we did. Have a wonderful time, I think 3 is the best age to experience Disney magic.

 

[jcemom]

Thanks to all of you for your comments and suggestions! I am absorbing all the information, lol. Any thoughts on how many days long the trip should be? I want to have enough days to really enjoy it without feeling rushed (our last trip was 10 days) but don't want to stay so long that DD gets tired of being there...is that even possible, lol?

We'll be staying on-site so nap breaks shouldn't be a problem. How about parades though? I would think that would be a highlight for a three year old, DD just LOVES music, but they are all right in the middle--hottest--part of the day. Did you see them? Which ones are best? The only one we saw last time was Dream Come True and I thought it was just okay, though I do think a three year old would probably enjoy it more. We didn't manage to catch any of the others.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

We didn't do the afternoon parades because that's when we were back to our hotel. We took long breaks. Usually from 2 to 6 then returned for dinner and nighttime show or parade. They loved MK parade and fireworks and they even like Fantasmic which many people warned us would scare small children. We stayed 7 days but that wasn't long enough. We have a 10 trip planned July 15- 25 and a 13 day trip for 2005. Whatever you do have fun!

 

[bigbabyblues]

I haven't been with my kiddos yet, but when we go next year they will be 4 and just under 2.

I'm planning to be at the parks early, then go back to the resort after lunch (or before, if we want to eat there) around noon or so, and rest or swim, or whatever for a couple hours and try to see the afternoon parades at whatever park we're at. Our arrival day I'm planning to go to MGM and see the Stars and Cars parade and do a few things there, probably stay until closing, just depends on how the boys are doing. We'll be at MK two full days with rest breaks during the day, I'm thinking we'll stay away from the dark rides, but we'll see how they do at that point. One full day at AK, plan to arrive before opening (not ee day) and do Donald's Bkst, then start the park when it opens, and we'll stay there until we're done or it closes (want to see the parade), since they will probably close at 5 pm based on this year's closing time. We'll plan to take little breaks at the park that day, in the Boneyard or ice cream and sit down or something. I've planned one entire day at EPCOT with a break in the middle of the day also. That leaves us two full days left, one will be to finish MGM in the morning and maybe back to EPCOT that afternoon, depending on how much we still want to do; we will have a break during this time too. Our last day will be an "extra" day, probably MK though, with a character meal to start; no break since we'll have already checked out of our resort, and then the towncar service will pick us up sometime in the evening (as late as I can manage it, lol). I'm hoping if we do a character bkst a round 10 or so, we'll get to the park late enough that they'll be ok. We'll spend the night at an airport hotel then fly home the next morning.

I think the main thing is not to try to do too much with them, and if they're starting to wear down, accept it and let them rest or whatever they need to do. There can always be another trip, but I don't want my kiddos to be the ones who are so tried they are miserable and no one can enjoy the day.

HTH, Steph

 

[kelscross]

My 3 year old loved it last summer, and my 2 year old hated it. However, the personality difference between them at home is like night and day. We would go early in the morning and then usually go back to the resort for a nap or a swim and then go back in the evening. This seemed to keep them out of the hottest part of the day.

Sometimes my 2 year old would be so miserable that my mom would take her back to the resort and they would hang at the pool while my 3 year old and I would stay in the parks and play.

The 3 year old loved all of the characters and loved getting autographs. She loved all of the rides except the Great Movie Ride (the Alien coming from the ceiling terrified her) and the Snow White ride.

Yes, I wish we could have done more shopping (we did most of our shopping at the resort) and lingered longer at the world showcase, but we still had a fabulous time. As cheesy at it might sound I actually got choked up when we were watching the fireworks in MK for the first time and I saw their faces light up in amazement. That's what it is all about.

Biggest piece of advice: Take it at their pace, not yours. Sometimes the kids would be ready to go back to the resort in a few hours and other times they wanted to go all day. If you're staying a week or more then it will all work out. Believe me when they're happy parents are happier.

Good Luck!

 

[jcemom]

Thank you! DD absolutely LOVED just about everything at 16 months, so I'm hoping she'll still love it at 3! We did Snow White last time, but I think we'll skip it next time, it was a bit creepy.

I think the morning/nap/evening strategy is what we'll go with, though I may try a day or two staying for the parades with a good sit-down lunch to break it up. If she can't make it that long, then we'll leave, but we may try. She loves music and I think she would really enjoy the parades if we could catch them.

While I love the thrill rides, I know there will be more trips to come, so I don't have a problem skipping anything that she can't or doesn't want to do. Of course, I also love Dumbo, Peter Pan and the fireworks, lol.

Right now I'm looking at maybe 8 days but I'm still not sure. DH thinks 6 days is plenty and I'd rather do 10 again. What I'm most concerned about is that DD will get homesick. Even though most of her time at home is spent with me, she can't wait for Daddy to get home from work and she simply adores her older brothers. I'm afraid if I keep her away too long, even with all there is to do, that she may miss them and be unhappy. (Of course we would call home as often as she wanted.) Any opinions?

How about Typhoon Lagoon? Have any of you taken a young child there and is it worth the time and trouble to do so, or should we save that for another time when she's older?

 

[kelscross]

Both of my girls LOVED Typhoon Lagoon!!! We would have stayed longer but we had dinner reservations. This year didn't make any reservations the day we plan on going to TL. The kiddie part is very cool and as parents you can sit right up next to the area in lawn chairs that are close to the ground. Also the area is padded because you know how much you tell them not to run they are still going to run so you don't worry about them getting hurt. They even have a miniture rapid ride just their size.

A definate for little ones!!

 

[jcemom]

Thank you for the quick reply! We'll definitely plan to go then. I don't like water slides so the kiddie area will be fine with me, lol. I am buying an AP this time, but we have somewhere around a million plusses (well, maybe not quite that many) left over from the last trip, so I will start using those up.

 

[3DisneyNUTS]

three words comfortable reclining STROLLER! My son stopped napping right before he turned 3 and we took him to Disney World right after he turned 3 and having the reclining stroller was awesome! He would be running around one minute, climb in his stroller the next and pass out for a good hour to an hour and a half. We took that time to shop and take a break maybe grab a bite. He was very comfortable sleeping in the stroller so we did not have to go back to the room. You have to find a stroller that your child has enough room to be comfortable otherwise I would suggest going back to the room

 

[gianna2004]

A good stroller is a MUST! I'll be leaving next week with my 5yo DS and 2yo DD. Although my 5yo hasn't napped in over one year, the excitement usually knocks him out by late afternoon - just about the time my DD wakes up from her stroller nap! (we stay off-site at timeshare, so afternoon breaks are not an option)

As long as you go at your children's pace and are flexible, you'll do fine!

As far as the parades go, if you can catch an afternoon parade it is a plus, but if you're having fun on another attraction or doing something else, don't stress about missing it. The important thing is that you have a good time.

Leaving May 1st, 2004!
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