First time with infant/toddler

[samserena]

Hi Everyone,

After some more advice.

Our next trip will be our first since having our baby (could anything be more exciting!). He is going to be around 15 months at the time.

I know a lot is going to be different but I'm a planner so I want to get my head around it.

From experience what can you tell me about that age at the parks (more about how to break up the day, what to expect from them than rides/activities etc).

And whether it would be worth spoiling ourselves a little bit in regard to where we stay if we're going to be spending more time in the room?

TIA x

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Congratulations! You'll find out more before your trip what kind of baby/toddler you have. That will definitely affect your DLR planning, since I've found that it works best to go with the little one's schedule instead of trying to force him/her to keep my schedule. Our two were so different, so planning was equally different for a trip with each. Oldest was go, go, go with rest breaks, like Tiki Room or Mr. Lincoln, but no naps. Youngest had to have long naps in the afternoon and that affected our hotel choices. DH would take the oldest for pool time while I stayed with youngest. Also, we had to bring food for the oldest (can you say picky eater?!), while the youngest was happy to eat whatever we gave him. Like I said, because you'll know your little one best, you'll have a pretty good idea of what kind of planning you'll need to do closer to the date of your visit. Don't forget about the Baby Centers in the parks. The CMs there are so nice and helpful.

 

[samserena]

Thank you!

 

[Musthavecoffee]

Hi!

-At that age, we took my son and he rode everything in with no height requirements (even dark and loud rides), played a bunch in toontown, and at DCA he loved the splash pad at Bugs life.

-Has your son been around characters? I know some kids are very afraid of them that's something to consider if you are doing character dining...

-we decided to stay at the resort hotels that trip because we didn't want to hassle with a really far walk or taking a tram ride with the stroller. I really think it is worth it because of EMH , we got a ton things checked off our to do list before it's too crowded, and then Walk back to the hotel and put the baby down since he was one of this absolute quiet time/darkroom nappers...

Like theluckyrabbit said you know your child best. I remember the first time going back to Disneyland after we had a kid and it was a totally different experience but seeing their smiling face is worth it! Good luck panning and have a wonderful time!

 

[smartlabelprint]

We took our 18 month this year. I'd spoil yourself regarding the room. Get a suite. They have them at Camelot inn. We stayed in their normal room. The benefit is a quick walk away for naps.

This time were trying Homewood suites convention center.

Relax! It's so different.

 

[Caseheidi]

One piece of advise I received when planning our first Disney trip with our little one was to do one day outings close to home. You will find out how well they do (and get them use to) being in the stroller all day. Trips to the Zoo, Farmers Markets, local fairs/amusement parks. Museums and such. This helped in a few ways. One, DD was more use to this type of environment and two, I knew how she reacts and what I need for her on a full day outing.

As PP said, each child is different and unique, so no-one can give you the perfect advise, but some things we noticed are...

How does your little one do in large crowds? We found DD would become over stimulated, and it helped her to hide in her stroller with a blanket blocking everything out.

How does your child deal with new foods? Our first trip, I think DD lived on grapes and goldfish. It was about all we could get her to eat.

What things from home must your child have to feel safe? We found that having familiar blankets and toys helped when overwhelmed, scared or just plain tired.

Disney is exhausting for adults. For these little ones, it can also be scary and overwhelming. Some of my favorite memories of being at Disney with a toddler involve just finding a quiet uncrowned spot, and just playing with DD. she really needed us to slow down and be more normal with her then playing at Disney. We sang songs, told stories and just behaved in the middle of the park as we would at home.

 

[azdisneylover]

Some advice I can give is:

Keep your child on their normal schedule. This will make your trip a better one for everyone. Sunscreen and water/liquids! Sunscreen - Apply and reapply often, for ALL in your party, not just your baby. Set a timer on your phone if need be. Make sure you have a type of lip balm that has an SPF factor of 15 or higher too. Water/liquids - again, set the timer if need be to make sure everyone is drinking enough fluids. If you feel thirsty, you are starting to dehydrate and need to get fluids in fast. Disneyland has fruit platters that are great to share along with something else for breakfast or other meal, or just for a quick snack alone. Tomorrowland Terrace (forget what it is called now, it's a Star Wars themed name) has the fruit platter, as well as Flo's in DCA. Plenty of good salads in both parks too. Eating the fruits and veggies will replenish needed fluids and minerals and vitamins.

If you are bringing a child's favorite blanket/toy, take a few pictures of it, and perhaps put your last name in a secret spot to identify it encase your child and it gets separated.

Pack double of child and even adult medicines you are thinking of bringing. Ibuprofen and Actephenimine (sp) as well as stuff for diarrhea, constipation, allergy meds, etc. Yes, you can get it at most sundries in the hotels/motels, but, you are paying through the nose for it and it is nice to have the stuff right there, instead of having to drive somewhere late at night to get something.

Relax and know you will go to the parks again when your little one is a bit bigger to ride other rides. So, if you do not get on something, or see something, it is okay, you just jot it down on your list for next time. Take lots and lots of pictures because when your baby gets older, there is a chance they will NOT want their picture taken, plus it is fun to scrapbook your trip!

Have lots of fun!

 

[samserena]

Thank you everyone!! Great stuff

 

[samserena]

We're going to do a trip to the theme parks in Aus between now and then.

Just to give us a better idea. Even though 11months vs 15months could be a totally different baby! Either way I'm sure we'll learn something.

 

[ClaraOswald]

We took our son in February 2015 (trip report in signature) when he was not quite 17 months old.

I agree that you have to kind of go with what works for your child. Some kids are likely to nap in their stroller, for example. Others, not. And you may have to wait and see how it goes once you get there. We went back to our room (Desert Inn across the street, parlor suite) after lunch each day. Partly because it would get a bit warm. Some days he napped, some not. Either way, we hung out in the room for a while. He was a late walker and was still not super steady on his feet so he spent most of his in-park time in the stroller. The hotel was a great way for him to stretch his legs for a while and run around in the room. We brought plenty of toys with us...some favorites, some new.

We thought our son would hate characters. He freaked out when he saw a fake santa at Walmart before our trip. So we didn't plan to meet any. Then we went over to Big Thunder Ranch and he saw Jessie from Toy Story and he ran right over to her. It was unexpected, but nice. We plan to take him next year (age 3) and once again, we won't plan to meet characters because you just never know.

We brought our video baby monitor since he slept in the other section of our suite. We ordered a pack n play from amazon for $40 and had it shipped to our hotel (it was cheaper than renting a crib.) We bought diapers/wipes at Target but those can also be shipped from amazon or somewhere beforehand if you can't make it to the store. We also brought things to baby proof the hotel room...outlet covers and painters tape (to tape drawers closed.)

Our son wasn't good with using a plate at meals. So we had disposable placemats that we'd stick to the tables and he would eat his food right off of them. Easy and clean. We also brought disposable bibs and silverware. We had his sippy cup that we'd put milk in and meals and then just rinse and use for water at other times. We brought little snacks for him between meals...but we also got snacks in the park too (the kids Powerpack at some quick service places is great.) We didn't do any table service places because we knew our son wouldn't want to sit there that long.

We always brought an extra outfit in the parks, just in case.

Rides were so-so for him. He didn't really "get" it. He seemed to get a bit scared on some of the dark rides but he didn't freak out. He enjoyed Small World a lot and the brighter rides like Buzz Lightyear. We skipped some things he technically could have gone on like Pirates and Haunted Mansion because we didn't want to push our luck. I figured the screaming on the elevator of the Haunted Mansion would terrify him. And Pirates is such a long right that I didn't think he'd want to sit still for it.

Are you flying? I recommend bringing a car seat onto the plane. That's probably the best advice I was given before our trip.

This is long. I'll stop now.

 

[samserena]

Thank you ClaraOswald - some great info here.

Definitely flying - already freaking about the approx 15 hr flight . With the car seat suggestion are you talking checked baggage?

 

[avalon451]

Wow, lots of good info and advice here. My kids are nearly grown, but I'm finding myself nodding my head to all of the things, and wishing I'd thought of some of them when they were littler.

One other thing, we always traveled with a white noise machine when my kids were little (or had a fan going). It drowns out any alien sounds which might startle them out of their naps or night time sleep. My kids found it very soothing, and so did we.

If you can swing it, staying at the Grand Californian would be pretty sweet with a toddler-- so close, lovely rooms and great service. We stayed there just once, on our first trip, and I was glad we did, because my oldest got very sick the first day, and we spent a lot of time in the room with her-- DH and I switching off with the other two. If you have to be stuck in a room a lot, that's a nice room to be stuck in! But the hotels right across the street are just as close, and possibly closer depending on where in the labyrinth of GCH you are staying. BWPPI, Park Vue and Desert Inn are all right at the crosswalk.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Thank you ClaraOswald - some great info here.

Definitely flying - already freaking about the approx 15 hr flight . With the car seat suggestion are you talking checked baggage?

No, I meant to use on the actual airplane. For one thing, it's the safest way. If there is any sort of turbulence or god-forbid some sort of emergency landing, it's best to have a small child strapped safely into their seat.

But also, it can be helpful because children are just used to being in car seats*.

Since you are from another country though, I am not sure how your seats are compared to ours. I've never taken a child on an international flight. But I do know that here you have to have an FAA approved seat. Also not sure if your seat could be installed safely into a rental car if you are getting one.

The seat we used for our son was actually one we purchased specifically for the trip. It's a seat that is often used on planes. Very light weight. It's called a Cosco Scenera. But again...not sure how things work if you're coming from another country.

(*Plenty of people travel without the car seat and that's fine. But this is just my preference.)

 

[beachdreamr1229]

I have been taking my twins to DL since they were 1 year old and my son since he was 2. It's different. Not as easy, but so worth it. Enjoy your trip!

In terms of hotels, if you can afford it, stay somewhere that you will be comfortable. Onsite, we've had the best luck with our children at DLH since there's so much kid-friendly theming, but still enough to keep adults happy. Offsite, HOJO premium rooms (the ones with the view of the fireworks) are our favorites. We also found that the Courtyard across the street from HOJO is very comfortable and spacious.

What to expect at the parks is hard to say since as others have said, every baby is different. Definitely plan on taking a break halfway through the day either to go back to your hotel for a nap or find a quiet place in the parks for a nap (under the swings at DCA tends to be a fairly peaceful if not quiet area and the landing near the water across from Matterhorn at DL). Try to have some snacks like crackers available for waiting in line and a good sippy cup to fill with milk or juice. If you're bringing your stroller from home, great! If not, I recommend renting from one of the stroller rental places in the area that has City Mini's. The strollers at the parks are good, but you can't take them offsite if you're staying offsite.

My kids all rode everything they could at that age (didn't learn to be fearful until around 2). Good starter rides are the carousels, Bug's Land stuff since it's outside, Dumbo, Small World, or the Jungle Cruise. My kids also loved Pirates, Haunted Mansion, and most of the dark rides. I would recommend not spending too much time planning reservations at sit-down restaurants. Maybe one character breakfast or something, but my kids don't sit still at restaurants and have always done much better with counter service.

Make sure you pack--sunscreen, baby acetaminophen, children's benadryl (can also help with nausea if your baby gets motion sickness), extra clothes, plenty of diapers (though you can get them through the baby care centers at each park), a couple of toys to play with, and clothing in layers since it can range in temperature from 50 at night to as high at 90 during the day depending on how things are going.

Have fun! Know that you may have to be more flexible. Having a general plan is great, but having a specific schedule can be hard on a toddler. Go with the flow and follow his lead. Good luck!

 

[farmfresh]

Definitely flying - already freaking about the approx 15 hr flight

Don't blame you...it's a long time in the air! You may already have your flights organised but obviously night flights are best for that age group. And as I see you are from Melbourne, you may find Air NZ an option, and they offer a sky couch, which is essentially three economy seats that can be modified to form a shared sleeping area...perfect for toddlers, as it can work as an unstructured play area.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Regarding strollers, diaper bags, other things of your own: don't bring anything super new or nice into the parks. Strollers and diaper bags do get stolen. Basically, don't bring anything you can't afford to lose. Our oldest needed a blankie, but we knew we couldn't risk losing his real one. So we started teaching him to use "spares" (cotton diapers from Walmart -- washed many times with our detergent so they would feel soft and smell familiar). We would pack a bunch, then when he inevitably lost one, we would just give him another one. Also, if you plan to use Benadryl or something similar for the long flight, start testing it out long before your flight date. A friend of mine gave her toddler Benadryl for a red eye flight from LAX to JFK... Murphy's law struck hard. It made her daughter extremely loud (continually shrieking for fun) and hyper, not sleepy, thus incurring the glares of a plane load of people for five hours. My friend said it never occurred to her to try the medicine out beforehand, but that she had definitely learned her lesson for the next time.

 

[NannyBeBe]

My twin daughters are grown now, but we started taking them to DLR when they were 18 months old. Then when the grandkids came along, we started them at that age too.

Disneyland is very visual. Little ones will be overwhelmed by all that they can see. While you may be excited to get your child on Dumbo, he may be thrilled by a pretty flower or some other bit of something that to you seems unimportant. My advice is to let him do whatever is exciting to him. He will have a wonderful time and you will have wonderful memories.

If he enjoys the water, I would suggest the HoJo. They have a nice water area that includes a wading pool for the little ones. My grandkids loved it when they were tiny.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I know this is probably common sense but definitely don't give your child any medication without discussing it with your pediatrician first.

(I also know someone whose child gets hyper on antihistamines. My son has needed them for allergies and they don't see to effect his mood at all or make him sleeping or anything.)