Disney with twin toddlers? Are we crazy?!

mpoppins4

Earning My Ears
Joined
Mar 20, 2010
Messages
9
Hi! I have finally convinced my husband to agree to take our twins to Disney for their first visit next summer for their 3rd Birthday. I’ve been to Disney multiple times but never with kids. We are tying to make a big family trip with my parents, sister, sil, all coming with us. We are planning on staying on-site hopefully in a dvc villa. We are planning on renting strollers and I had thought taking the magic express would be the easiest/cheapest since we wouldn’t have to rent car seats and a car but now I’m not so sure. We usually do the ddp so we were planning on doing it again and doing mostly buffets so the girls can get a plate. They are not huge eaters by any means so hopefully they’ll be fine sharing with us. Any tips any one,especially those parents of twins, could share would be greatly appreciated.
 
If they're not huge eaters, I'd definitely go BEFORE their 3rd birthday so you don't have to pay for their tickets or for the extravagant price for 3 year olds to be on the dining plan.

Personal experience here, not with twins, but with going with toddlers many times. The dining plan is a lot of sit down meals. And sometimes it's just too much with that age. They're hungry earlier, or they fall asleep in the stroller right before meal time, or they're melting down because of the exhaustion/stimulation. We have learned that we are better off only planning a couple of ADRs during the entire trip and the rest will be quick service so that we can eat when the kids are hungry, rest when they need to rest, and not planning our day around ADRs every day. Kids at that age thrive on their own routines and Disney completely throws them off. I think to make it the most enjoyable trip for everyone requires a lot of flexibility and sometimes adjusting schedules. I think that if you're going with a large group, it requires a lot of flexibility and understanding on their part, too.
 
Since you didn’t mention any other children, I’m going to assume you only have the twins. If that is correct, I say go for it. There’s two of you for the two of them, and it sounds like other family members will be there as well. So you have lots of help if needed. At least with the twins, they’re the same age, probably very similar schedules and development, so it’ll be easier to let their needs “dictate” your schedule as opposed to having one younger child that may need naps more than an older child that wants to keep going. Honestly, I think going with twins will be easier than two young children a couple years apart. (I am a mom of twins by the way. I also have a daughter who is one year older than my boys.)

I think the key issue is that everyone understands that your girls will be the ones running the show, so flexibility and willingness to adapt as needed will be important for all the adults.

Like the previous poster said, I would also try to plan your vacation so the girls are still 2, at least at the start of your trip, so they’re still free!
 
You are not crazy!! We took our 3yr old wild and crazy twin boys in 2016 and it was wonderful. They remember some things but I will have all those memories forever. Used a Joovey double stroller, it has tons of room in the bottom for ALL THE THINGS. We did the dining plan and don’t regret it. DH finished off what they didn’t eat. Going again in December and they’re so excited.
 

Thank you all for your advice! It is definitely appreciated. We definitely plan on going a few days before they turn 3 so they are still free. We are all about saving money. I should have mentioned that all the people we are going with are super laid back and realize the girls will be in control, I’m probably the one who will have the hardest time with that, since it’s such a contrast to by usual commando style for park touring. But this trip I’m so excited to see their faces when they see the castle and characters. They are just starting to get into Mickey and the princesses. My sil that’s going with us is the girls’ nanny so she’ll be a huge help. Plus my parents are my girls favorite people so they will be super helpful as well. I also plan on doing some things as a big group and others just us a family. I also think we will probably take midday breaks to go back to the pool/nap. Thank you again for all your help! What about your thoughts on character meals with kids this age? I’m not sure how they’ll react they love seeing the videos of people meeting the characters but when we met Santa one of them flipped out but they’ll be a year and a half older by then.
 
You are not crazy!! We took our 3yr old wild and crazy twin boys in 2016 and it was wonderful. They remember some things but I will have all those memories forever. Used a Joovey double stroller, it has tons of room in the bottom for ALL THE THINGS. We did the dining plan and don’t regret it. DH finished off what they didn’t eat. Going again in December and they’re so excited.
This makes me so happy! My husband’s whole reason for wanting to wait was that they won’t remember but I kept saying that doesn’t matter, they are free let’s just do it. I’m so happy that your twins remember your trip even a little bit.
 
I have twin DDs and a DS. Our first trip, in 2003, was when they were 4 and DS 6. It is very do able. We did not bring a stroller. They did complain of walking too much and got very tired. We didn't know if we'd be back so we really tried to do and see it all. And we were staying off site so that was the toughest part. With you guys staying on site, renting strollers, taking ME and likely booking ADRs....I think that will make it easier. We are DVC and now have been 20+ times. So that first trip went so well we were hooked. You likely will be in MK a lot so maybe rent BLT, Poly or even CCV/BRV points. BLT, you can walk to/from MK and take monorail (with strollers) to Epcot. Poly, you can take monorail to both. CCV/BRV, you can boat over. If you want to do a lot of HS and Epcot....then maybe BWV would be good. BWV is our fave and we own there.
 
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I have twin DDs and a DS. Our first trip, in 2003, was when they were 4 and DS 6. It is very do able. We did not bring a stroller. They did complain of walking too much and got very tired. We didn't know if we'd be back so we really tried to do and see it all. And we were staying off site so that was the toughest part. With you guys staying on site, renting strollers, taking ME and likely booking ADRs....I think that will make it easier. We are DVC and now have been 20+ times. So that first trip went so well we were hooked. You likely will be in MK a lot so maybe rent BLT, Poly or even CCV/BRV points. BLT, you can walk to/from MK and take monorail (with strollers) to Epcot. Poly, you can take monorail to both. CCV/BRV, you can boat over. If you want to do a lot of HS and Epcot....then maybe BWV would be good. BWV is our fave and we own there.
We stayed at the BW in 2015 on a splurge trip and my husband is hooked he wants to stay there again. It was so convenient to be able to walk to Epcot/DHS. Of the Mk dvc is there one you’d recommend more than another. I’ve stayed at the Poly years ago but none of the others.
 
Hi! I have finally convinced my husband to agree to take our twins to Disney for their first visit next summer for their 3rd Birthday. I’ve been to Disney multiple times but never with kids. We are tying to make a big family trip with my parents, sister, sil, all coming with us. We are planning on staying on-site hopefully in a dvc villa. We are planning on renting strollers and I had thought taking the magic express would be the easiest/cheapest since we wouldn’t have to rent car seats and a car but now I’m not so sure. We usually do the ddp so we were planning on doing it again and doing mostly buffets so the girls can get a plate. They are not huge eaters by any means so hopefully they’ll be fine sharing with us. Any tips any one,especially those parents of twins, could share would be greatly appreciated.
Yes.

Just kidding. We took DD to Cape Cod at 2 1/2. I’m picturing myself chasing her as she would take off running down the beach. The stroller saved us in Provincetown.

It helps that you will have family support. Enjoy!
 
We stayed at the BW in 2015 on a splurge trip and my husband is hooked he wants to stay there again. It was so convenient to be able to walk to Epcot/DHS. Of the Mk dvc is there one you’d recommend more than another. I’ve stayed at the Poly years ago but none of the others.
We have stayed at BRV, BLT and Poly as far as the MK DVC resorts. DH and I have a night at CCV coming up in Oct. We did not like Poly because it was so busy with families and noisy. But the rooms are laid out wonderfully (even though they are studios, they are large and have the 2 bathrooms...we stayed with our twins-19 this past NYE). But the young family vibe would be good for you guys. BLT was also kind of noisy but I loved walking to MK and loved all the dining options being on the monorail. Studios are tiny tiny tiny, like a cruise ship cabin so a 1BR would be ideal there. We have friends who will ONLY stay there, they love it so much. And BRV/CCV is a personal fave of ours due to the quaint peaceful vibe. We don't do MK that much though so the boat option is fine for us. We have stayed BRV and only toured CCV so far but looking forward to our 1 night in Oct to see how we like it. The plus about CCV/BRV is they take less points than Poly and BLT. So less points for you to rent.
 
We did this for our twins(B/G) birthdays in 2016. Our whole family came as well and it was a group of about 17 of us.

This is how we did it and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

Half of us stayed at Poly and the other half at POP.
Being that it was our kids 1st trip and their birthday I had laid out an agenda for the week. Everyone was welcome to join or do their own thing but we were sticking to our agenda based on the kids.
We stayed at Poly for the monorail. That way for 2 of the parks(MK & EP) we could easily hop back in the afternoon for naps and return to the parks if we chose to. The rest of the family stayed in the park typically.
We also had been as a family a number times before so we had the exceptions of doing all toddler things first and if we had time work in some of the other things.
We did Chef Mickey for their birthday breakfast and BOG for supper(probably wouldn't do it here for Birthday supper).
We had a 7 day trip doing MK 2 days and all the other parks with a day of rest.
We also did the dining plan.

I think as long as everyone's expectations are real then it shouldn't be a problem. It is hard for everyone to do everything together all of the time.

Like you mention, the kids may not remember all of the details but you will and that is what we when for. The memories of their faces when the first saw things and the excitement. Our kids are turning 5 this year and they still remember things about the trip although we did go again last year at 4.
 
Our first trip to Disney ever was when our twins were 3! It was really great! I'm glad we did it with just us, though, as trips with others get chaotic sometimes. We were able to focus just on them, and us. I remember carrying them up the stairs, putting them to bed, then sitting out on the walkway drinking wine coolers in the rain watching all the people coming back from the parks. That's the moment we fell in love with WDW. :lovestruc Enjoy your trip! :goodvibes
 
Thank you for all of your advice. I appreciate it so much and it has me even more excited for our tip is possible. My husband is dead set on staying at the boardwalk again or the beach club and who am I to argue lol especially because I figured he'd want to stay at a value for the price. Right now we aren't leaning towards two separate rooms for everyone as opposed to one 2 bedroom villa so we have a little more privacy although I liked the idea of having a kitchen. One more question. Has anyone done a water park with toddlers normally I wouldn't but my girls are definitely water babies and love any kind of pool/splash pad. I probably won't do it we stay at the BC/YC because of the great pool but just curious if it's worth it.
 
We went when our twins were 21 months and our oldest was almost 5 and again when the twins were almost three and our oldest was almost 6.

At almost three and all of those other adults, you will be totally fine. We've always stayed at the Poly (both hotel and DVC) -- its rooms are much larger than those at BC of BW. And the Poly's split bathrooms are very helpful with kids.

One thing that was hard for us is our twins thought the stroller was prison and they refused to nap -- not in the stroller, not in the room. This meant we were having to put them to bed earlier than normal. In a studio, that meant we were in bed around the same time.

We always thought we'd be doing mid-day breaks, but it has never really happened. Because they won't nap and have had a hard time even relaxing during the day, we stay at the parks until 3ish and then are done for the day. Maybe once per trip we go back earlier and hit MK at night.
 
We went when our twins were 21 months and our oldest was almost 5 and again when the twins were almost three and our oldest was almost 6.

At almost three and all of those other adults, you will be totally fine. We've always stayed at the Poly (both hotel and DVC) -- its rooms are much larger than those at BC of BW. And the Poly's split bathrooms are very helpful with kids.

One thing that was hard for us is our twins thought the stroller was prison and they refused to nap -- not in the stroller, not in the room. This meant we were having to put them to bed earlier than normal. In a studio, that meant we were in bed around the same time.

We always thought we'd be doing mid-day breaks, but it has never really happened. Because they won't nap and have had a hard time even relaxing during the day, we stay at the parks until 3ish and then are done for the day. Maybe once per trip we go back earlier and hit MK at night.

We had the same experience. Poly was nice for the double bathrooms and larger rooms but i remember the elevator was small for the double stroller. Doable but an inconvenience.

Like you mentioned except for a couple days, we would just shut it down around 2 or 3 and call it a day.
 
We've taken our twin boys three times (15 months, 2 and 1/2, and 4 and 1/2). We're going back in September at 6 1/2, and they can't wait.

The 15 month trip was the hardest due to the time we went (mid August heat and humidity), and the size of the group (22 of us). There was lots of stroller time, sitting around while they investigated things like flower beds, running around in air conditioned stores, and water play time. We had no schedule on that trip. Only what park on what day. After that it was wander until we found a ride with a short line, or we had a FP. We got there as close to opening as possible, but we're typically done by 3 or 4. Then it was pool time, and everyone (even the grown ups) crashed by 8.

2 1/2 was better. Still a lot of stroller time, but we went in late October, so crowds weren't bad. They boys had a lot of fun with character meets that trip.

4 1/2 was great.....with the exception Hurricane Matthew cutting our days short by two. The boys really got into the parks and the rides (at least one of them did).
 
We've taken our twins for both their 2nd and 3rd bday (plus yearly after that) and I think those were my favorite trips so far. We did the dining plan those years but, since they weren't 3 yet didn't pay for ones for them and they ate off our plates (or we ordered them something to share). We brought our double stroller the first two years then switched to two single strollers, which was SO MUCH easier. We go with my in laws and SIL, which is very helpful. At 2 we would go back to the resort around noon for naps, at 3 we'd let them fall asleep in the strollers and find a place in the shade for them to sleep most days (behind Tomorrowland Speedway was a great place for MK napping).
 
You asked on the water park. If you are staying at the BC you will have a mini water park there to use. Also the GF villas have a great kids water area that would be fun for the ages of your twins. So you might look into what the resort pools offer before you think about an entire day at a water park. It might make it easier for you.

I have three kids, current ages are 9, 9, and 7. We have traveled a lot with all three of them pretty much sense the beginning. Disney trips started when I was six months pregnant with the youngest. A lot of it depends on what you want. Because we had three, we usually had one double and one single stroller. If I had two, I'd probably opt for one single stroller just because they are easier to get around with. When the kids were of the napping age, they usually fell asleep in their strollers. We were never big go back to the rooms and nap people ... the kids would fall asleep on the bus, monorail, whatever and not sleep when we got back to the room - so it was never worth wasting the time to do that.

We also are fans of the cabins at Fort Wilderness. With your family, you would want two cabins, but it could be a nice option where the twins have their own room to sleep in and you and your husband have a space too, plus kitchens in each cabin.
 
We've taken our twins for both their 2nd and 3rd bday (plus yearly after that) and I think those were my favorite trips so far. We did the dining plan those years but, since they weren't 3 yet didn't pay for ones for them and they ate off our plates (or we ordered them something to share). We brought our double stroller the first two years then switched to two single strollers, which was SO MUCH easier. We go with my in laws and SIL, which is very helpful. At 2 we would go back to the resort around noon for naps, at 3 we'd let them fall asleep in the strollers and find a place in the shade for them to sleep most days (behind Tomorrowland Speedway was a great place for MK napping).
Hi! I have finally convinced my husband to agree to take our twins to Disney for their first visit next summer for their 3rd Birthday. I’ve been to Disney multiple times but never with kids. We are tying to make a big family trip with my parents, sister, sil, all coming with us. We are planning on staying on-site hopefully in a dvc villa. We are planning on renting strollers and I had thought taking the magic express would be the easiest/cheapest since we wouldn’t have to rent car seats and a car but now I’m not so sure. We usually do the ddp so we were planning on doing it again and doing mostly buffets so the girls can get a plate. They are not huge eaters by any means so hopefully they’ll be fine sharing with us. Any tips any one,especially those parents of twins, could share would be greatly appreciated.

. To the poster who said the 2 single strollers were better I would like to know more. We are planning to bring our double city mini bc I was thinking it would help so that BOTH my hubby and I both not having to push a stroller thus allowing extra hands on our other 2 kiddos. Was a double to hard to push around or get through crowds? The only single strollers we have left are basic umbrella ones that don't recline or have storage space. Our double has great space, sun shades, and reclines if they want to sleep.
 
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Took DD’s for their second birthdays and fourth birthdays (sixth coming up later this year and YAHOO will be there again). Our twins have very high activity levels and based on that yes you are crazy BUT the look on their faces when they met Queen Elsa (4th b’day) will be one of my most cherished memories until the day I die. If they don’t remember it I will joyfully tell them about when they are older.
 

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