Disneyland with a 19 month old?

[august]

Is 19 months entirely too young for Disneyland? My DH, 19 month daughter and I are going to San Diego in July and were considering a day trip to Disneyland. Are there any rides she will be able to go on (she is already 32in so I am guessing she will be about 34 or so then)? What else is there to do in Disney for a child so young?

 

[annhjk]

We did Disney World with a 21 month old and he had a blast - he even liked the characters! He wasn't able to go on the "big" rides, but my mom was with us so she sat off with him. Really, he only missed the rides I wouldn't have wanted him on. There is so much to see and the wonder of Disney is all around. I had people tell me that he was too young to remember it, but I didn't do it for him to remember, I did it for me to remember what he thought of it.

 

[nun69]

a day trip would be OK...we went for 8 days last year and DD was only 13 months, but we never made it from open to close with her...she did like all the little kiddie rides that she was able to ride, but wasn't to sure about the characters...but I think you guys would all anjoy it...

 

[lillybug]

We took our dd when she was 15 months. She was able to go on every ride that doesn't have a height restriction. She did very well, and smiled the whole time we were there! She loved all the characters, especially Tigger! She slept in the stroller when we weren't going on rides, and she was with us from opening to closing everyday, with just one 2 hours break in the afternoon.

Child Swap was a lifesaver for dh and I, so be sure to take advantage of that little perk.

She still gets SO excited when she spots a picture from our trip! So I would definitely take your dd!

 

[ShawnaF]

No way - it's fantastic for them! We took my daughter for her first birthday (and every birthday since) plus a few trips in between too. It was AMAZING! They can do most of the rides actually (look at the height requirement stuff for the 38" and above and you'll see that the restrictions aren't many) and it's amazing! I cried so many times - it was amazing and magical and she LOVED it at a year!

My girlfriend in San Diego has taken her babies once they were ready to leave the house for long periods and she wasn't concerned about them getting sick, so since 9 months her son has been riding rides and HE loves it!

They love the walking in between places and the visual is excellent for them as well! Do it!!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

We took our first family trip to DL as a day trip from San Diego when DS was about 16/17 months. It was great!

I "wear" him, so he spent most of the day in the mei tai, up where he could see everything at an adult eye level (or so). He was able to look around all he wanted, but also feel safe because I had him in my arms, so to speak.

You won't have the option of it's a small world in July, but at that age my son was totally fine even with the scarier dark rides like Snow White and Pinocchio (his mother, however, was not happy with them, LOL). He went on everything without a height restriction, and then we used child-swap so that we could go on the "big" rides without each of us having to wait in a full line.

I say, if YOU want to go, then go! If you are only going "for" your child, then don't at that age, IMO. We wanted to go, he was free, so it was obvious that it was a good thing for us to do.

We went again same time the next year, and a few months later he started talking about that trip. We went again same time in '07, and then again in December, and suddenly he's talking about things we ONLY did back during our trip when he was 1. I don't have pictures developed, we don't talk about the other visits all that much, and the things he recently popped out with have blown our minds. We didn't *think* he had remembered that first trip, but now it seems that he did!

Have fun!

 

[staley7580]

We took our dd for the first time when she was 18mo. People kept telling us that she wouldnt have fun, and she was to young. Poo. She loved it! We went on the Astro orbiters OVER and OVER again! We have been back 3 other times, and she just loves it more and more with each trip. GO!!! It will be VERY magical for you!

 

[Crazy4Disney72]

Is 19 months entirely too young for Disneyland? My DH, 19 month daughter and I are going to San Diego in July and were considering a day trip to Disneyland. Are there any rides she will be able to go on (she is already 32in so I am guessing she will be about 34 or so then)? What else is there to do in Disney for a child so young?

Definitely take the day trip, your DD will love it! My DD's first trip to WDW was at 7 months and she loved it, all the colors and the music, just everything about it. Her next Disney trip was to DL at 17 months and then a month later at 18 months to WDW. I have some of my best memories from those early trips with her, the looks on her face, she just loved it all. By the trips at 17 and 18 months, especially 18 months, she was talking and it was adorable to hear her call for 'MMM Mouse' every time she saw Mickey or Minnie. She loved It's a Small World so much that we had to make sure we didn't go near that part of Fantasyland unless we were willing to ride again because we could not deny the 'dolls, pease, dolls, PEASE!' she would say while she excitedly pointed towards IASW! I'm getting tears in my eyes remembering....please go and make some wonderful memories! Even if your DD doesn't remember it forever, she will enjoy it while it's happening and YOU will remember it forever!

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

I hope so... we're taking our 14 month old in April! We've shown her some rides and characters on Youtube and she gets so excited about them. We're sad that Small World won't be open, but I think even if she doesn't "get" the rides, she'll love the colors and lights and music and such. Besides that, she's free now, so it's a good time for us to go. We'll just take lots and lots of pictures (like normal for us), and she can remember it through those if she doesn't actually have memories. It'll be fun... go!

 

[mariezp]

She will love it! We took my DD for her first trip at 18 months and my grandson at 16 months. They both did great and loved everything!

 

[Monkey Monkey]

We took DS for the first time when he was 8 months old, and he really enjoyed it. There is just so much to look at and kids get excited when they see their parents happy!

I think he was about 17 months old the next time, and again, he had a lot of fun.

He's 2.5 now and I have an AP. I can't go on the "bigger" rides, but we have a blast every time we go, even moreso now that he is familiar with the characters.

Even just walking around the park(s) all day is enjoyable, IMO. The first time we went as a family, we didn't go on a single ride, and had no regrets!

 

[AndyLL]

You can ride all rides that do not have a height restriction.

Our 14 month on loved everything especially the characters. (and they loved him)

Don't be afraid to take her on rides like Pirates or HM even though they seem like adult rides. The music and rides are strangely hypnotic to babies and it'll help associate happiness with the music of the rides for future trips. Our son typically fell asleep on pirates.

You might cover her ears in HM in the stretch room.

Andy

 

[bumbershoot]

Don't be afraid to take her on rides like Pirates or HM even though they seem like adult rides. The music and rides are strangely hypnotic to babies and it'll help associate happiness with the music of the rides for future trips. Our son typically fell asleep on pirates.

You might cover her ears in HM in the stretch room.

Andy

I agree.

When under 2, DS didn't mind Pirates, Snow White, Pinocchio, etc. Alas we couldn't do HM b/c it was mid-September and they hadn't opened it for the holidays yet.

When he was 2, he was a bit more awake during Pirates, and needed to suck on my shirt (he's an extended nurser, but didn't want that, but he's never sucked a thumb or used a plastic pacifier, either, so I guess my shirt did it for him!) to get through the ride. His eyes were HUGE. I refused to go on SW or Pin. We tried to go on HMH, but the people screaming in the stretch room freaked him right out, and by the time we got to the ride vehicles he was in panic mode, so we had to use the chicken exit. (Do NOT use that! Go on the ride instead. The exit is painted black, has long, dim, interminably long and twisty hallways, and by the time we finally made our way out, my family was done with the ride, and BOTH DS and I were in tears!!!!!)

When he was 3, well, he went on POTC once and hated it. Has refused to go again. Though now at 3.5...um...he's seen the first POTC movie and loooooooves that movie, and is now jazzed about going on the ride, because the movie has made him brave. So he'll go on it for his 4th birthday trip. Still haven't gone on SW or Pin again, and in December I went on HMH and was VERY glad I hadn't gone on it with DS (though the exit still was scarier IMO), and in Jan I went on normal HM and he would have liked it better. But he still says "no" when talking about HM.


My point is...they grow and change, and what you can take them on when they are still very young might not be allowed by them when they are older.

 

[grumpyvet]

Our first trip was when my DD was 18 months. She had a blast....but with her facination with ALL of the benches in DL, we (adults) felt we missed the park. She HATED any ride that went into a dark place..including Toadie and Pooh. The little kid rollar coaster...barn something..terrified!!! Characters were freaky too!!
So, she enjoyed Toon town, Astro and Dumbo. Oh, and ALL the benches!! I think we sat upon, climbed upon and admired every bench in the park!!! When you are looking to stop for a moment to rest, it seems that benches are few and far between, let me assure you they are not!!!

So, I have lots of amusing memories of the day....great photos of the DD with a variety of benches...but can't say the day was a total success!!

So, go go go, but don't be disappointed if your DD is in the minority here (like mine) and not "okay" with everything!!

Oh, DD is SO over the fear thing now!! She first rode ToT and SM when she was nearly 4---favorites!!! Now at 7--it's the Maliboomer every time!!!

Have fun!!!!

Another great park for that age is LegoLand!