Disneyland with a Toddler

[ClaraOswald]

We are staying at the Desert Inn. I heard their breakfast is pretty iffy. We will probably eat in the parks or at Dennys/Ihop for breakfast. The cereal is more for me to snack on.

 

[2tinkerbell]

Add sunscreen to your Target list.

I used to put each outfit in a gallon ziplock bag when I packed (shirt, pants, socks, jacket, etc). It was easy to keep organized that way as I could just grab a bag and put it out when getting ready as well as grab and put it in a diaper bag or backpack.

Good luck! I am sure you will enjoy your trip!

 

[corinne76]

We are staying at the Desert Inn. I heard their breakfast is pretty iffy. We will probably eat in the parks or at Dennys/Ihop for breakfast. The cereal is more for me to snack on.

We stayed there too. The breakfast wasn't great, but it was okay for a quick meal. They had cherrios (or rather the generic kind) which DS gladly ate as snack. They also had apples and I think oranges that we took with us into the park.

We actually went to Walmart our first night and bought breakfast sandwiches and other food. the mini fridge in Desert Inn are bigger than most. So breakfast was covered. We basically went down to get food for snacks

 

[geergirl]

We just got back from a trip with two toddlers (2.5 years old).
-we rented a stroller because it was easier than having one more thing to deal with in the airport. Also, to fold our City Select flat you basically need to remove the second seat and that's just a pain for transport. Also, we took the kids' carseats and used them on the plane so they had something familiar and we had the carseats for the rental car.
-afternoon naps are the greatest thing ever. My kids don't nap in the stroller but were happy to go have a sleep each afternoon even though they did fight it sometimes. They were just so overstimulated and overtired that I think they had trouble unwinding sometimes.
-lots of sunscreen
-we kept everything in my purse or DH's small daypack except for water bottles and sunscreen. Those stayed in the bottom of the stroller. We never had issues finding our stroller or having stuff disappear.
-our girls loved Mater's and Luigi's. They were not cool with the start of Pirates, although they calmed down as soon as they realized the drops were over and enjoyed the rest of the ride.
-they fit just fine in the highchairs when we used them. We tried not to so they were available for families with younger kids but there were one or two places (can't remember where exactly) that the tables and chairs were not a good height or something.
-we just had breakfast in our room every morning. I bought instant oatmeal, bowls, and plastic spoons at Walmart along with yogurt, juice, and fruit. With a towel on the floor it was a picnic!
-our diaper bag was culled down to hand sanitizer, smocks (for bibs when eating ice cream and such), a change pad, a few diapers, and a pack of wipes. Much lighter and easier to manage. If one of them had needed a change of clothes we were within walking distance of the hotel.

 

[Dot2Vegas]

Our trip is in a few months. Just wondering what tips you all have for visiting the parks with a toddler (1.5 year old.) I obviously know the basics - take breaks, go slow, have a stroller, bring some snacks, etc. But I'm sure there are plenty of things I haven't thought of. So, please enlighten me!

When our girls were little (we had three toddlers at one point) we always had what you listed above. In addition I kept wet wipes, Kleenex, Tylenol, Motrin, allergy meds, Ziploc bags for dirty clothes, change of clothes, sunblock, books or toys for the lines and drinks. We took a break everyday at the hotel. Sometimes we would nap, other times we would just freshen up, have a snack and let them run around free of strollers and hand holding.

 

[BayGirl22]

We never had trouble with the high chair sizes either, especially at that age. A 1.5yo should be fine unless he's really big for his age.

Our kids also always nap in the stroller. We stay in the park and DH and I use that as OUR break time. We would use FP and Child Swap to go on the big rides or just sit down and have a drink. I had a list of "chill spots" at one point, you can search my posts. One example is the lobby of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. You can bring the stroller in (not to the show) and its cool and some interesting stuff to look at.

As for strollers make sure you have one with a good recline and sun shade, and its one you don't mind pushing a lot. We usually just rent one from CityStrollers because its easier to get a good one there than deal with ours on the plane.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Add sunscreen to your Target list.

I used to put each outfit in a gallon ziplock bag when I packed (shirt, pants, socks, jacket, etc). It was easy to keep organized that way as I could just grab a bag and put it out when getting ready as well as grab and put it in a diaper bag or backpack.

Good luck! I am sure you will enjoy your trip!

I am hoping the UV index will be low enough that we may not need sunscreen. I know that even as a pale redhead, I still didn't get burnt on our winter trips to Disneyland. So we'll see, I guess.

We stayed there too. The breakfast wasn't great, but it was okay for a quick meal. They had cherrios (or rather the generic kind) which DS gladly ate as snack. They also had apples and I think oranges that we took with us into the park.

We actually went to Walmart our first night and bought breakfast sandwiches and other food. the mini fridge in Desert Inn are bigger than most. So breakfast was covered. We basically went down to get food for snacks

Hadn't though about breakfast sandwiches. Nice idea. I am a big breakfast fan.

We never had trouble with the high chair sizes either, especially at that age. A 1.5yo should be fine unless he's really big for his age.

Our kids also always nap in the stroller. We stay in the park and DH and I use that as OUR break time. We would use FP and Child Swap to go on the big rides or just sit down and have a drink. I had a list of "chill spots" at one point, you can search my posts. One example is the lobby of Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. You can bring the stroller in (not to the show) and its cool and some interesting stuff to look at.

As for strollers make sure you have one with a good recline and sun shade, and its one you don't mind pushing a lot. We usually just rent one from CityStrollers because its easier to get a good one there than deal with ours on the plane.

The stroller we are bringing has an okay recline and sunshade. Though neither are fantastic since we're bringing our cheap stroller. I'm too paranoid to bring a nicer one. And we definitely want one in the airports.

 

[ClaraOswald]

We were thinking Peter Pan would be a good first ride for him. Though I am a bit worried about how he'll do with dark rides. I definitely don't want to start with anything too dark or too loud. I don't recall Peter Pan being super loud.

Thoughts?

 

[prickles]

We were thinking Peter Pan would be a good first ride for him. Though I am a bit worried about how he'll do with dark rides. I definitely don't want to start with anything too dark or too loud. I don't recall Peter Pan being super loud.

Thoughts?

I just got back from a trip with a 3-year-old and a 20-month old. Only you know your baby so you're really the best judge. My kids were both up for any ride they could get on. They both *loved* Mater's. They were both a little bored by Heimlich's in spite of adoring trains (the foliage was really overgrown making it hard to see the decor and it was a really short ride).

Honestly, I think most under-twos are too young to really understand scary unless you have a particularly sensitive baby. My 20-month-old had no problem with any of the dark rides, anything fast, anything jerky, really nothing at all. But she's pretty rough-and-tumble by nature, loves climbing and wrestling and trying to keep up with her older brother. My three year old was willing to try anything too, but he is in the age where he gets "scared". He liked Snow White the first couple times, then decided it was too scary. He still probably would have ridden it again though, given the opportunity. The first part of Pirates scared him, but by the end he decided it was his favorite ride. If he started to get scared of something, I just told him to laugh at it. Witches and monsters don't like to be laughed at after all! Worked for us...

As for the spinning or fast rides, I would judge based on how he plays - is he adventurous? Does he like to be spun around? Does he like slides and the sensation of falling? The answers to those questions will probably be your best guide.

 

[corinne76]

If you're thinking of packing food, you can pick up sandwich stuff at target/walmart too. We brought in about 4 sandwiches each day, no problem. It really cut down on our food expenses. We did eat at the park too because I eat constantly and a single sandwich is NOT going to cut it, but it helped. We also brought a ton of snacks.

We loved breakfast sandwiches too

As far as rides, we did Peter pan first too! Just cause it's my fave
both kids (DS was 2, DD was 5) loved it. In general, DS was afraid of faster rides, cried on Mater's and Luigis. He was fine with dark rides. He only said "mommy, it dark"
I think it depends on the kid, whether they're afraid of the dark in general or not.

 

[ClaraOswald]

He just turned 1. He doesn't seem to be afraid of the dark or anything. The reason I'm kind of paranoid now is because recently we went into a Halloween store and he freaked out. Though, the week earlier we went to the same store and he wasn't bothered at all. He smiled at a zombie baby thing and everything. We were NOT like "oooh scary!" or anything at all because I didn't want him to 'get' it. So I have no idea why a week later he freaked out. He does seem to get freaked out in tight spaces though so maybe that's why.

So yeah, I'm worried about dark rides now.

Not sure if he likes being spun around as I've never felt the need to do that. And he's never been on a slide. He doesn't walk yet.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Looks like I don't need to worry about Luigi's Flying Tires since it will be closed before our trip.

Peter Pan may be down while we are there. So I am trying to decide what my son's first ride should be if it's closed.

 

[corinne76]

Dumbo? Does he likes trains? Casey Jrs train is cute

 

[prickles]

Not sure if he likes being spun around as I've never felt the need to do that. And he's never been on a slide. He doesn't walk yet.

When I said spinning around, I meant, holding him in your arms and spinning as if you're dancing with him. Not spinning the baby like a top. If he's never been on slides or any kind of rides, you might want to try it out before your trip just to get a feel for things. My kids both loved going on slides even before they walked, although I totally understand if you're not comfortable with that. They'd also been on rides at fairs and parks so I had a good idea of what to expect before Disney.

My best advice for Disney with a toddler is to manage your expectations before the trip and don't over-plan. This will be an amazing trip for you because you'll get to show your baby a magical world. But he might not get all of the magic yet. Doesn't mean he won't have an amazing time. If he doesn't like the dark rides, no big deal - there's plenty more to do. Personally, I would hesitate to even go so far as to plan a first ride, just because you don't know what you'll encounter when you get to the park and I really think the key to enjoyment with a toddler is going with the flow. Most of the dark rides have some element of fear at some point, so if you're looking for a sure-hit, maybe skip those at first. But if you're looking for a safe, no-risk first ride I agree with the Casey Jr train or King Arthur's carousel, maybe even Astro Orbiters. If you're looking for something more iconically Disney, maybe It's a Small World?

You'll have an amazing time and make great memories. Enjoy your trip!

 

[crystal1313]

I took my oldest at 10 months and the first thing we did was the Tiki Room. I had a CD in the car of Disneyland music and he LOVED the Tiki Room song....and he loved the show too! IASW is another great "first" ride. Lots to look at and a good song too!

 

[ClaraOswald]

When I said spinning around, I meant, holding him in your arms and spinning as if you're dancing with him. Not spinning the baby like a top. If he's never been on slides or any kind of rides, you might want to try it out before your trip just to get a feel for things. My kids both loved going on slides even before they walked, although I totally understand if you're not comfortable with that. They'd also been on rides at fairs and parks so I had a good idea of what to expect before Disney.

My best advice for Disney with a toddler is to manage your expectations before the trip and don't over-plan. This will be an amazing trip for you because you'll get to show your baby a magical world. But he might not get all of the magic yet. Doesn't mean he won't have an amazing time. If he doesn't like the dark rides, no big deal - there's plenty more to do. Personally, I would hesitate to even go so far as to plan a first ride, just because you don't know what you'll encounter when you get to the park and I really think the key to enjoyment with a toddler is going with the flow. Most of the dark rides have some element of fear at some point, so if you're looking for a sure-hit, maybe skip those at first. But if you're looking for a safe, no-risk first ride I agree with the Casey Jr train or King Arthur's carousel, maybe even Astro Orbiters. If you're looking for something more iconically Disney, maybe It's a Small World?

You'll have an amazing time and make great memories. Enjoy your trip!

Trust me, my husband and I aren't really planning much at all. We aren't super planners. And we've been to the parks more than 200 times so if we miss things it's not a big deal to us at all. He loves when we spin/dance. And he loves when I spin the recliner. There aren't really any fairs or anything to go to around here to try rides. Our zoo has a carousel and a train so we will probably give those a shot.

I was thinking Dumbo could also be a good first one and it's pretty 'Disney.' I think IASW might be kind of long for a first one...just in case he does freak out...haha. I went with my niece when she was about the same age and she loved everything. But all kids are different so who knows.

I am really hoping that since he can sit with us on every ride, that will make things 'okay' for him.

My other niece freaked out around this age on this little kiddie ride at a local amusement park. I think it's because she was just sitting with her older sister while her parents stood off to the side. She seemed okay on rides they were able to sit with her.

I couldn't remember Alice that well, and I knew they changed it. So I watched it on youtube the other day. The stuff inside is so bright that I don't think it will seem dark to him. (He sleeps in the dark and doesn't mind.) And the only loud part is really with the Queen and then you immediately go outside so that might make it okay.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Now I'm even more nervous. Last night we were at Walmart. As we walked through a very quiet area, all of the sudden this life-sized Santa came to life singing loudly and moving. Our son was in the cart and he screamed, started shaking, and crying! I think it scared him because it just came out of nowhere.

We had to walk back by to leave the area so I made my husband walk first so it was start. Then I walked by holding my son. I was singing along with Santa and I waved at him as we went by. He didn't seem too scared.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Just thought I'd update....

Our son's first ride was Alice in Wonderland and he did okay on it and all of the dark rides we went on. He seemed a little scared a few times but not too bad. We skipped Mater's with him. I felt it whipped around too quickly. He didn't even do well when Toy Story whipped us around the corners.

We did end up using sunscreen but just on his legs. My favorite thing we had was this visor extender for our stroller. Well worth the $10 we paid for it!

He napped only briefly in the park a few times. But when he did...that visor was a Godsend.

He loved all of the characters we met. I'm glad we went when we did because now, at almost 19 months old, I am pretty sure he'd be terrified of characters.

The only bad thing about having a newly walking toddler in the parks...there weren't really any 'safe' areas for him to walk around. So he had to be in his stroller most of the time. Which made him a big angry by the end of the day.

 

[DSNY4ever]

Glad you had a great time, isn't it awesome going with kids? Such great memories! We have that same sunshade and love it too.

I am curious about your packing list and what "tape to baby proof the room" is? What do you do with tape?

 

[sillybaer]

Not sure what OP uses, but we use painter's tape. It's the best short-term baby proofing device ever. We tape over outlets. You can also use it to cover sharp corners (either tape cotton balls or make a ball of tape first). I have also taped a phone onto the hook to prevent accidental annoying phone calls. While it wouldn't work for home or for a very determined child, it's great for hotels where you aren't there very long but need a little something to help make sure the baby doesn't get electrocuted while your back is turned for a minute.