first toddler trip-Help!

[KyGirl]

We're taking our (then) 18 month old DD to Disney for the first time the first week of December. We are so excited to share our love of Disney with her! She is already a pretty huge Disney Jr. fan, especially Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Doc McStuffins.

Anyway it's been strange to think of the parks from her perspective. We've gone on several trips as adults which were mostly about the big rides and fancy dinners but obviously this is going to be a much different trip! We keep thinking of little things and wondering about how it works with our little one so I've got a few questions. And some of these are probably dumb.

1. For the 3D shows like Mickey's Philharmagic, do they have glasses that will fit tiny faces? Will she be able to get the the 3D effects?
2. Also in shows, if she freaks out for some reason will they let us out? She's generally pretty brave and we're planning to skip ITTBAB but it's still sort of an unknown. And I also wonder if she'll have the patience for some shows, like Lion King. I don't think she'd be scared but she might not be able to sit still for that long. We have a weekly wrestling match during church. Will it be a huge deal for us to leave if we need to? I never paid attention before if people were exiting before the end.
3. We were planning on letting her blow off a little steam at some of the playgrounds (like the Boneyard or the Honey I Shrunk the Kids one) because she loves playing on park equipment here at home. I was just reading about them and noticed that they all have an age requirement that is at least two, which she won't yet be. Is this strictly enforced? Or are they so rough and wild that we wouldn't want her in the mix anyway? I never even peeked in on these because we didn't have any interest before so maybe they'd be too much for her anyway. Although at the parks around here, she insists on climbing by herself and doing the big slides, and NO HELP! Kind of a daredevil.
4. Can we take her up into the Swiss Family Treehouse? Are all those bridges secured on the sides? Again, I never paid attention when we just had tall people!
5. What else am I missing here about seeing our well loved parks through a toddler's eyes? I've read several threads before about taking babies and toddlers and I've read lots of tips but I still feel like there will be a lot of things that will take us by surprise. I'm even having a hard time imagining how different it's going to be to have the stroller, the diaper bag, all the stuff. We've always been the type to leave the hotel with our KTTW in our pockets and be on the move all day. I'm guessing those days are over!

Thanks in advance for your help and advice!

 

[ShayBells]

We're taking our (then) 18 month old DD to Disney for the first time the first week of December. We are so excited to share our love of Disney with her! She is already a pretty huge Disney Jr. fan, especially Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Doc McStuffins.

Anyway it's been strange to think of the parks from her perspective. We've gone on several trips as adults which were mostly about the big rides and fancy dinners but obviously this is going to be a much different trip! We keep thinking of little things and wondering about how it works with our little one so I've got a couple of questions. And some of these are probably dumb.

1. For the 3D shows like Mickey's Philharmagic, do they have glasses that will fit tiny faces? Will she be able to get the the 3D effects?
2. Also in shows, if she freaks out for some reason will they let us out? She's generally pretty brave and we're planning to skip ITTBAB but it's still sort of an unknown. And I also wonder if she'll have the patience for some shows, like Lion King. I don't think she'd be scared but she might not be able to sit still for that long. We have a weekly wrestling match during church. Will it be a huge deal for us to leave if we need to? I never paid attention before if people were exiting before the end.
3. We were planning on letting her blow off a little steam at some of the playgrounds (like the Boneyard or the Honey I Shrunk the Kids one) because she loves playing on park equipment here at home. I was just reading about them and noticed that they all have an age requirement that is at least two, which she won't yet be. Is this strictly enforced? Or are they so rough and wild that we wouldn't want her in the mix anyway? I never even peeked in on these because we didn't have any interest before so maybe they'd be too much for her anyway. Although at the parks around here, she insists on climbing by herself and doing the big slides, and NO HELP! Kind of a daredevil.
4. Can we take her up into the Swiss Family Treehouse? Are all those bridges secured on the sides? Again, I never paid attention when we just had tall people!
5. What else am I missing here about seeing our well loved parks through a toddler's eyes? I've read several threads before about taking babies and toddlers and I've read lots of tips but I still feel like there will be a lot of things that will take us by surprise. I'm even having a hard time imagining how different it's going to be to have the stroller, the diaper bag, all the stuff. We've always been the type to leave the hotel with our KTTW in our pockets and be on the move all day. I'm guessing those days are over!

Thanks in advance for your help and advice!

1. They are all one size but she can wear them. But be warned. The movie is LOUD my kid freaked at 2 years old. And it's not just the LOUDNESS. It's the things flying at you, the puff of air, the water. It's scary so weigh those cons before you take her in.

2. Yes you can leave. I did with mine. Just make sure you get a seat close to the exit. If you don't know we're the exit is ask a CM

3. I've never been in the boneyard but my kid went in the honey one at 8 months. It's not bad and there's one at Splash if you want to do rider switch and wait with her in the play area

4. I dot know haven't been since I was a kid.

5. It's gonna be hard but so worth it. I recommend a stroller fan (if its hot in December.. Not sure) And just make sure you bring te essentials in a bag and hang it on the stroller that way you aren't lugging things every where. Have a little plan but take your time. Try YouTube videos of characters before hand. I have seen kids freak lol. My kid has always loved them. Show her the planning DVD that has good shots of characters and what to expect. And know that you can sit on most rides with her in your lap. Don't try to fit everything in. Just go, take breaks, and have a blast. Nothing compares too seeing your child smile at Disney. It's amazing and well worth the price and the pain lol.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[CapnJacksGirl]

How exciting! This trip is going to put Disney into a whole new, wonderful perspective for you! We took our youngest when he was 11 months old and he's been at least once a year since then (now 6). We're actually getting a grown-ups-only night out on our upcoming trip and THAT'S going to be weird!

As for your questions:

1. I don't recall ever seeing two sizes of 3D glasses anywhere. My DSs always wore them just fine. When my youngest was a wee one, he sat on my lap so I think that made it easier to manage the glasses. And I think you're right to skip ITTBAB. We had to leave that one twice before we got through it without tears.
2. You can generally leave a show if you need to, except for Lion King. If there's a question about her making it through that one, I'd skip it for this trip. One of my DSs had to go to the bathroom toward the end of Lion King on our last trip and getting a CM to let us out was almost impossible.
3. I wasn't aware of any age requirement for the playgrounds. You could always ask if you are concerned. That being said, I'm not a big fan of the HISTK play area, just because it's so hard to keep track of your kid in there! Now that my DSs are older, I just find a spot to sit near the exit so that I know they can't leave without me seeing them. Beyond that, it's difficult to keep an eye on them....or tell them it's time to go! We haven't done Boneyard but the openness of it seems easier to manage. My DSs, for some reason, really liked the little play area under the train tracks by Splash Mountain. It's nothing special, but they loved it!
4. We haven't done Swiss Family Treehouse, but I can't imagine the bridges being unsafe for kids. Sounds nearly impossible at a family theme park.
5. Don't miss the jumping water fountains near Captain EO and Figment at Epcot. My DSs could spend hours there. Great place for them to run around since it's a fairly large area with rarely any people. Rides on the PeopleMover are great for relaxing too. I hear the play area near the Dumbo queue is fantastic.....can't wait to see that one myself! If your DD likes animals, make the trip out to Conservation Station at AK. The petting zoo area is really cute and fun for kids. You will definitely go at a different pace on this trip, and it's best to follow her lead. I think you'll discover a lot of things you didn't notice before too!

Oh, and having a stroller was always a positive for us. I loved having a place to put things! Just make sure you know how to fold it up quickly when the bus is arriving. One parent takes the stroller while the other takes DD and the diaper bag. Easy peasy!

A couple of great things to have in the diaper bag......those plastic stick-on table covers that you can find at Target or Walmart in the baby section are great for CS places. Those tables rarely get cleaned and I felt better having a plastic cover down when my kids often dropped things on the table and ate them anyway. I'm by no means a germophobe but those tables are gross. Never underestimate the power of a pack of fruit snacks. Any small, easy to pack snack that you can whip out in a queue is invaluable. Earplugs are great to have on hand at fireworks times. Some kids aren't bothered, others are. My DSs were used to wearing ear plugs at race tracks all the time so we popped them in and didn't worry about the noise. And glow sticks.....grab some at Dollar Tree and bring them along so you don't get stuck buying some $15 waste of money. My DSs always love sharing them with kids around them. Having friends to talk to always helps pass the time! And always have a full change of clothes in a ziploc bag. Fits easily into the bag......wet or messy clothes off and into the bag, clean clothes on.

Both our kids were content to just go wherever whenever so we went to the parks at RD, stayed until we were done each day, and headed back to the resort usually early evening. The kids were more than content to nap in the stroller or in a show. HoP and Finding Nemo were especially great nap times! We stayed out until park closing twice during our stay, once for Wishes and once for Illuminations. They would watch them fall asleep on the bus back to the resort. Worked out fine....just be prepared to carry her to the room! We never did mid-day breaks, but that's a family-by-family decision. Only you know your child.

That's more than you asked, but I figured I'd throw it out there! Happy to answer anything else you think of too! Enjoy your trip! Maybe we'll run into you.....we're there that week too!

ETA: If you want to buy DD a balloon, I'd recommend doing it on the way out of a park on your first day. Having a balloon tied to your stroller all day is a huge pain in the behind! Get one on the way out, it'll stay nice all through your trip and she can enjoy it in the room. We always give ours away to families that are checking in when we are checking out. I've heard others who deflate them and take them home to reinflate. I'd rather share the magic and save another family $10! And on the subject of tying things on strollers, I highly recommend tying ribbons or something you can easily find and recognize on your stroller handles. The CMs do move them regularly and finding your City Mini in a sea of them is sometimes a real challenge. I bought a roll of cute baseball print ribbon on our first trip and tied around one handle of the stroller then stretched it across and tied it to the other handle. Made finding our stroller much easier and I'd like to think it made it easier for others not to mistake ours for theirs.

 

[dismom9761]

I think a lot of thing with toddlers depends on the individual toddler. I will say I took my youngest at 18 months and none of the shows scared her. She was extremely active(diagnosed hyperactive in first grade) but was mesmerized at Disney. Haw a great trip!

 

[Deb & Bill]

On Swiss Family Robinson treehouse, you'll need to carry your child. She won't be able to walk by herself.

In the playground areas, there will be kids of all ages, so you'll want to keep a close eye on her.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

We took our son when he was 22 months and 34 months.

1. He was scared by Philharmagic the first year. We skipped it last year as a result. The puffs of air and squirting water were no good as far as he was concerned. Please do skip ITTBAB. We thought it would be OK because our kids are Bug's Life fans. Yeah, not so much. Parenting fail there.
2. We've never had to leave, so not sure.
3. The Boneyard is a favorite of my kids. I never noticed an age limit. However, I do remember my daughter (5 at the time) having to go "rescue" our son somewhere when he got confused and couldn't figure out how to get down from somewhere on our first visit. There are smaller play areas on the ground for less adventurous kids.
4. Swiss Family treehouse is absolutely safe, and totally interesting for kids that age!
5. Do be prepared to slow down. Don't underestimate the importance of taking breaks from the parks. Don't overpack for the parks, but be sure to have a couple of changes of clothes. Our son managed epic blowouts on both of our trips. Ick. Of course, both times it was when we were taking advantage of Rider Swap and I was the one stuck cleaning up all the poo. Bring ziplock bags to store soiled clothes in. You don't need to pack a pharmacy with you when going to the park. If your child falls ill, just go to first aid. We had to do that last year (son spiked a random fever at DHS) and the nurse was excellent and very kind. They have all kinds of medication on hand there.

Traveling with a stoller does have its disadvantages, but it's also very convenient to have a place to keep all the stuff you need. Just be courteous of other guests and prepare to move more slowly than you're used to and you'll be fine!

 

[Brian_WDW74]

I've moved this thread to the Disney for Families board.

 

[Tigjam630]

It is so much fun to see Disney through the eyes of a toddler! My DH and I were in the same boat as you last January, bringing our 18 month son for the first time. Everyone else has given great tips.

Our son loved the interactive queue at Dumbo and Winnie the Pooh. I think he preferred the queue to the ride in some cases! He was scared of the characters...he did warm up a little to Minnie, but she tried to give him a hug and he pushed her away :-( But all kids are so different! We traveled with friends who had a 9 month daughter and she loved the characters!

Instead of lugging around our diaper bag we brought a cheaper string backpack and put diapers, wipes, sunblock, hat, changing pad, and a zip lock bag with change of clothes inside. It fit perfectly under our stroller. Then I carried a small messenger bag with snacks on me and had a water bottle in the stroller as well. We also had glow sticks from the dollar store that we brought out during night time shows.

Another fun thing we did was take our son to to Main Street barber shop for his first haircut. They have a first haircut package ($18 I think?) and wrapped and saved strands of his hair, gave us a certificate, and gave him a pair of first haircut ears. Our son is very active, but they did an amazing job keeping him entertained!

 

[gert]

Philharmagic was the first attraction my daughter (then 3 years old) ever experienced at Disney. She was terrified of it. Completely petrified. We had trouble getting her to go on anything for the rest of the trip. The one thing I wish I had done that first trip - earplugs. Earplugs, earplugs, earplugs. Also, earplugs.

(earplugs)

 

[LindseyLou2222]

Just wanted to wish you luck!
I'm in the same boat except DD will be 25 months old. I think we'll even be there at the same time.

 

[tinkerbell615]

We will be traveling with our DGS next summer who will be 18 months. This will be his first trip. We hope he will be okay meeting Mickey. He has a huge stuffed Mickey and several small ones and he loves Disney Junior. He LOVES Mickey. We took our DD when she was 2, but that was 19 years ago, so this is new to us all over again. I am glad KyGirl started this thread. I am getting some great information.

 

[disneyfan1992]

Not to hijack your thread, but where do PP find ear plugs to fit a toddler size ear?

Do chain drugstores like CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, etc. carry small child size?

 

[CalSea12]

This thread is pretty awesome! I am hoping my dd would be ok with characters, she has met a polar bear character at the fair, and Chester Cheetos at the store and loved them both.

I'm also wondering how she will be with rides and shows. She went on some rides at Lego land and did great. She also watche a 3d show at Lego land that squirted water, blew air, and had loud noises at first she was shocked then she thought it was hilarious. So here's to hoping she's ok at wdw

Btw thanks so much for the tips, esp the nurse tip bc I was going to basically pack my medicine cabinet everyday lol

 

[CalSea12]

.

 

[wallskm]

Our youngest was 16 months at his first visit. He was pretty good though he didn't care much for being in the stroller! He did not do well during the shows so we didn't do many of those. He just couldn't sit still for that long! He loved the playgrounds but they were very busy and more geared for older kids so I was nervous he would get run over! The rides were a hit as were the characters. He wasn't scared a bit. Good luck! We had a great time, hope you do too!

 

[msmama]

One thing to remember with toddlers is that they get a lot of their emotions from you. I've you're acting nervous that she might get scared, she's more likely to get scared. That said, my 5 year old still sits on my laps during 4-D shows, "just in case."

My son was 10 months his first trip and he played in the boneyard and honey I shrunk the kids playgrounds. That said, if it were super busy I probably wouldn't have let him. When you enter the boneyard, go to the right and there's a small toddler sized slide.

Slow down...go at her pace. You may spend an incredible amount of time looking at ducks and that's ok (and you will have time to comiserate with the parents of the other children looking at ducks and how you could have saved a lot of money by letting her look at ducks closer to home).

Have fun!!

 

[msmama]

Not to hijack your thread, but where do PP find ear plugs to fit a toddler size ear?

Do chain drugstores like CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, etc. carry small child size?

If you get the ones that are squishable (not harder plastic) they squish down to fit smaller ears. The ones I have are labeled "foam ear plugs." They're the kind that are ok for noise, but not water. I'm sure I got them at some kind of drug store like you mentioned.

 

[CapnJacksGirl]

Not to hijack your thread, but where do PP find ear plugs to fit a toddler size ear?

Do chain drugstores like CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, etc. carry small child size?

I use the orange rubbery ones that come in a little plastic case at Target and WalMart. I'm sure Walgreens, CVS, etc have them too. I can't recall the exact name, but they are bright orange, I think Air-something is the name. The case has 12-16 in it. Super convenient to carry around.

I take one of them, cut it in half and it's perfect for little ears. The package says not to cut them but I think that's a liability thing to make sure you don't cram something so small into your child's ear that you can't get it out. I have been cutting these things for 8 years now. My oldest is just now getting big enough that I don't feel comfortable using only a half. For toddlers, half is perfect. They work really well and don't come out nearly as easily as the foam ones. Highly highly recommended by this family......and we're at a dirt race track every weekend. I know noise control!

 

[3pletprincesses]

as for 3d glasses, there's only one size for everyone. Unless things have changed over the past few years, I was told it wasn't recommended to use 3d glasses on kids under 4yo by a very nice CM. When we got back from our trip, I asked the Dr about it and she says it had to do with eye development back in the old days when 3d was new but no research found it to be really related to it. I never checked it further. My talking my 18 months old and she wants to wear them, she can

 

[HHMcG]

Great questions. (Sign of a good plan.)

I've been to The World multiple times with infants and 2+ year olds, but never 18 months. That was just a tough age for my kids, mobile enough to not want to be in the stroller but not old enough to move very fast in the direction we needed to go. Here's my two cents:


1 - No smaller 3D glasses. The big ones will kind of fit on a little face. But my kids just did not like wearing the glasses but they still enjoyed the show. Let your DD take the lead deciding if she wants to wear them.

2 - You can leave any show. Yes, some shows request that you don't leave but if a toddler is unhappy that can be more distracting to the performers then someone exiting. Just ask a CM to escort you out.
That said we never had to leave a show (except one time when DS was 4 and HAD to potty right that minute) At young ages the kids would sit on our lap and be mesmerized. Even if they get squirmy, there will be other squirmy kids there too. And I have to add The Lion King show is one of my kids favorites - totally amazing, so don't write it off.

3 - I didn't even realize the playgrounds had age restrictions. I have not seen them enforced, always a few toddlers in there. Just stick close by your DD and she should be fine. It shouldn't be too crowded when you visit.
These playground are a HUGE hit with my kids at all ages. The unstructured play time they offer is a huge relief to the kids after being stuck in line, in a stroller, on a ride, ect. I try to schedule one in every afternoon (followed by a relaxing show to recharge our batteries).

4- Swiss Family Tree House is secure for little ones. However it is alot of walking on difficult terrain (stairs, bridges, ect.) usually with a line of people following you. You would need to carry DD a lot of the way. We usually skip it since it is not a family favorite. If it is a family favorite be prepared to carry DD.



I think you picked a great time to visit, not too hot or too crowded. As others have said prepare to slow everything down. It is good to have some plan but be prepared to change it all the time.

One more thing, we watched this video alot before trips to help the kids get a visual of what to expect. It shows some rides, some characters, ect. It is Disneyland and dated but it gets the point across. They still watch it all the time. Check out YouTube videos also.