First trip with a Toddler, so many ???s

[1DISNEYLVR]

I've planned many Disney trips and feel like I know Disney inside & out, however, I am now planning my DS's (2) first trip to Disney & I feel like a complete newbie! I've never been with a child this young and have so many questions about what to do.

Should I bring my own stroller or rent one? If you rent one, how do you handle the walking back & forth to the bus and the resort? What if the child is napping in the stroller at that time? For this reason it seems easier to bring my own but then there is the whole issue of dealing with the stoller on the bus, which from what I've seen, can be a real pain on a crowded bus.

Then there is the carseat issue. I am strongly leaning toward bringing his carseat for the plane, but then there is the whole hassle of dealing with carting the carseat around with us. How do you handle that?

Finally, I'm wondering how he is going to do standing in lines. How did your toddlers do with this? DS will be just shy of his 3rd b-day when we go in Sept. I can't imagine him being content standing in line very long.

I should also mention DH is not going with me. It will be me, DMom, DD 12, and possibly DD 19. So I will have helpers, but I will be the main person to handle all this stuff. TIA for any advice or tips!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Welcome! Let me try to answer some of your question. My DD was the exact same age during her first trip.

1) we brought our own stroller. you need them at the airport, at the hotel, etc. Plus, Disney stroller rental prices just skyrocketed...we have a Maclaren...very easy to deal with on the buses because of the carrying strap.

2) Car seat...we never use a car seat when we fly. WAAYYY too much of a hastle. If you aren't getting a rental car, you will never need the car seat again during your trip. DD has flown quite a few times so she knows to sit still in the plane seat.

3) Lines...you are going at the perfect time. Lines in Sept are some of the shortest. The beginning of Sept has shorter lines than at then end but it's still not too bad. We go at the beginning of Sept so we basically walk onto rides. If there is a line, it's so short that DD barely notices. We usually have a snack/drink while we are waiting.

4) Get a comfy pair of shoes and and lightweight bag to carry all your stuff (Nikes, Crocs, and a Baggalini are my votes!)

 

[MNFootballMommy]

We took DD in Dec. when she was 34 months old, so I can relate!

1) Yes, take your own stroller. We bought a Maclaren for the trip (sold two that we already had) It was worth the expense for the convenience. Also, it only weighs 11 pounds and has a shoulder strap, so it is made for travel. We didn't have any problems with it on the busses...

2) Didn't use a car seat, but another option that I have been exploring is a harness/belt that you attach to the plane seat that supposedly does the same thing as the car seat without the bulk. Can't recommend one way or the other as I am still researching it...

3)Lines...DD did get sick of standing in lines, but she was never a problem about it. She would just say, "I don't want to go to a line, Mommy!" There were a few that she even fell asleep in (the Pooh ride in MK, etc.) We just carried her through the line and tried to wake her for the ride. If she wouldn't wake, well...she just slept through it.

4) I carried a messenger style backpack (strap crossed the chest). If DD wasn't in the stroller, we put the backpack in it so that no one HAD to carry it the entire time. Just keep an eye on it and don't leave it in there when you go on the rides...

You will be fine. DS will be fine. I was amazed at how well DD did during our trip. Just set your expectations low and take it slow...let him dictate your pace. Have fun!

 

[Bethy Lou]

For the lines I would make sure I got fastpasses, especially if you get to the park a good bit after opening when they get longer. Some rides do not have fast passes, but it is a definite must for the ones that do!

 

[tjlovespooh]

1) We brought our own stroller for DS when he was 17mo last May. He refused to ride in it 90% of the time but I'd still bring it if I were going again this year. I'd say go with a Mac

2) We did bring DS's carseat for the plane ride only because DH and I knew our little man wouldn't be content to sit on our laps for a 3 hour flight. We figured that at least he would associate his carseat with having to sit for extended periods of time. That being said, it was a HUGE hassle to tote through the airport - especially combined with luggage and the stroller! I personally wouldn't dream of doing the whole airport thing without DH but if I had to I think I'd be forced into leaving the carseat behind - it was just too heavy and cumbersome (we took a Britax Decathalon).

3) Our DS did remarkably well standing in lines. He always either held a hand or was carried (9 times out of 10 it was the former). We never got in a line that had a wait of more than 25 min - Dumbo was the longest at 30min. Also, I brought a bunch of entertainment toys for him just in case (small trinkets that he could fiddle with - I stocked up for months in advance in order to have a good selection for both waiting in lines as well as the plane ride)

Have Fun

 

[1DISNEYLVR]

Thank you guys so much for your tips! I'm so glad I asked.

I'm going to start looking for the Maclaren and definately go with that. I figured we would need to bring our own stroller & am I glad you confirmed that for me.

I'm up in the air about the carseat. I know it will be a huge hassle in the airport but I'm really worried about my little guy putting up a stink about sitting on the plane. As others have said, at least with the car seat he already knows he has to sit & is used to that. I'll have to think about that one some more.

I know lines are not traditionally long in Sept. but free dining does bring in more people. I'm glad to know that no one who has answered had big issues with their toddlers standing in line. My little guy can be quite hyper. He is much different than my girls were at this age.

I am so excited to show him Disney World & to see things through his eyes

Thanks for the good advice. I'm sure I'll be back again with more questions!

 

[2poohbears]

You've gotten some great tips so far!

Just wanted to add a little about how to occupy your child in lines or while waiting for food...

I bring lots of stickers for them to play with...my boys love putting them all over each other. Maybe you and the others could make it fun. Also, for restaurants I bought some table toppers (which helped me make sure the eating area was clean), but they were also great to put stickers on and to color on. You should be able to find stickers and other small toys at the dollar store, or I sometimes find them at the disney store sales throughout the year. We also bought the kiddos some small squirt fans at Walmart. The blades were really soft foam material, so it didn't hurt if you put your finger in them. They wore them around their necks and squirted themselves and each other throughout the day. You could always leave the water out of it if you think that could cause problems.

If you're going to buy a stroller, I recommend the Macs as well. Find one that has a high weight limit on it...some go up to 60 lbs. I didn't think of that when we bought ours, and although our strollers have been great, now that our boys are 4 years old they are at the weight limit on those strollers (35 lbs). Had I bought Macs I wouldn't have to worry whether the strollers would be big enough for our next trip! (of course, I also had no idea we would end up going to WDW every year, either!!!)

 

[jorose01]

Hi!

I want to weigh in on the car seat....BRING IT! I was faced with the same situation this Feb. My DH was on a later flight and I had to navigate the airport alone with my son and all of our stuff - including a car seat (my mother & sisters were w/me). It is a pain in the hinny but get a cart to pile the car seat and other stuff on and ask one of the other peolpe in your party to push the stroller or cart and you will be good to go. Believe me I would not have made it on the flight without it. This was also NOT our first flight with ds and every time we bring a carseat.

Hope this helps!! Have a great time!!

 

[ScotsMinnie]

Strollers - i would really bring your own. The price to rent is huge and you wouldn't have it when out of the parks which would be a pain.

CarSeat - we are going to rent a van with integral car seats so we don't have to think about that one.

Lines - My DD was not too bad in lines. We would play games like I spy but using colours instead of letters (so I spy something red..... etc ). Try to use fast pass as much as you can to minimise how long you have to wait.

As for carrying a big bag around why not put a small bag with changing things (if he still needs them) under the stroller and leave them there while you are on the rides. You shouldn't really need to carry so much with you. You can get almost everything there and you may find that you take too much. Only carry what you really need. Leave the rest (as long as they are not valuables) in the stroller.

 

[las3888]

We took our 10th flight with DS this month. He just turned 3 recently. We used a car seat every time we flew before he was 2 on the plane (I think you have to if you are purchasing a seat for them...maybe I'm wrong...how quickly I forget). Anyways, it was a hassle lugging it thruogh the airport. It was easier when we purchased a carseat bag from BRU for about $20. At least you can sling it over your shoulder to a degree. We found another one that has wheels and it works OKAY. The minute he turned 2, we stopped lugging the car seat and now we check it (we almost always rent a car). We still use the car seat bag and I fill it with diapers and blankets and other bulky things. DS sits okay on the plane without it. He slumps down a bit but he never complains about it. Just our experiences in doing both.

I also recommend a Mac...the volo is only 8 lbs...I mean, it is REALLY light. It doesn't recline, but it is the cheapest in the mac line...there are a few sellers on ebay who sell last year's models for a little cheaper. We are very satisfied with our purchase.

Good luck and have FUN!!!

 

[james'mommy]

personally I love the disney strollers (but not the recent price increase) they are really great for the kids to get in and out on their own plus they are so low to the ground you don't have to worry about straping in and unstraping. we use fast pass as much as possible. we also make sure we're at the park early and we hardly ever go to the parades because the lines are shorter for the rides.

 

[2poohbears]

keep in mind as well - if you are going back to the room to nap in the afternoon (which I highly recommend), then you only have to pack a diaper bag for 1/2 the day. I brought the freebie one we got at the hospital, and I packed it with an extra outfit that was inexpensive & wouldn't hurt me if someone stole it, plus a few diapers, wipes...we left that bag on the stroller all of the time.

 

[JSG]

I feel funny answering, since I have a lot of the same planning questions (especially about lines!) as we're making out first trip with DS2 in a few weeks. But I can answer some of the general travel issues.

We're bringing our own stroller. In fact I just bought a new one, a MacClaren Quest (super discounted at Albee Baby) after reading through a lot of stroller discussions on these boards. We have been using a Chicco umbrella stroller (no recline, handles way too low for me and DH) that we hate, and so the idea of a week in the parks with it was too much for me. The Mac's already come, and I'm really pleased with it. I also ordered two Skip Hop saddle bags for the base (those haven't come yet). I'm excited about them as a solution to the stroller tipping when DS is out and hope they spare us lugging around a really big bag.

I've air travelled twice before with DS, and he had an airplane seat both times. At 6 months he was still in the infant seat (checked the base through, used the seat itself in the plane) and at about 16 months I bought a lighter-weight convertible seat (after reading reccomendations on another baby discussion board) so it would be a little lighter to carry and so I wouldn't have to uninstall my Roundabout. Got one of those inexpensive wheeled carseat travel bags for it. It was kind of a pain, but wasn't really a big deal and I was glad to have the car seat. I don't remember what brand the car seat is, but I can go check if anyone is interested. I believe I got it at Target. It had been suggested because it was a high safety rated seat that was pretty easy to install/uninstall that was a bit cheaper because it wasn't as high end/comfy in the padding areas, etc.

I can't help about lines (yet!) but I agree that our plan will be to bring as many small distractions as possible: stickers, etc. A friend once gave me a great travel tip (better for planes and cars, though) that packs of Post-its (especially the very small ones) were a travel lifesaver. Baby/toddler just unpeels and sticks and unpeels and sticks on the tray table, back of the seat, etc. Like Colorforms, but cheap/easy access, and you can draw on them, too.

My biggest worry is breaks and naps. DS isn't the easiest to get down for a nap and we've never (as adults only) taken midday hotel breaks, so this is going to be a big experiment for us. I figure we'll take it day-by-day and see how it goes. We're staying at Pop, so slightly less quick travel than a MK or Epcot hotel.

And, here's a funny question. We haven't traveled much with DS where we're all staying in the same hotel room (usually visiting family at a house, etc.) At home, he is lucky enough to have his own room, and takes a while to actually fall asleep at night. I'm a bit worried that he'll never stop talking to us and settle down, etc. when we're essentially stuck in the same smallish room at Pop. Any suggestions?

 

[tjlovespooh]

My biggest worry is breaks and naps. DS isn't the easiest to get down for a nap and we've never (as adults only) taken midday hotel breaks, so this is going to be a big experiment for us. I figure we'll take it day-by-day and see how it goes. We're staying at Pop, so slightly less quick travel than a MK or Epcot hotel.

And, here's a funny question. We haven't traveled much with DS where we're all staying in the same hotel room (usually visiting family at a house, etc.) At home, he is lucky enough to have his own room, and takes a while to actually fall asleep at night. I'm a bit worried that he'll never stop talking to us and settle down, etc. when we're essentially stuck in the same smallish room at Pop. Any suggestions?

We stayed at AKL when we went with our 17mo old and went back to the hotel for a nap every afternoon. DH and I both had been to WDW a couple times before DS was born so we went with the intention of letting DS set the pace. We had virtually no expectations and therefore had the time of our lives! Really, it was so much fun to see DS react to the characters (adored them). We both agree we'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.
I too worried about the napping/bedtime routines being disrupted while in WDW. DS has NEVER been a good sleeper either. Much to our surprise, DS slept better for those 7 days than he ever did at home Honestly, the child pretty much refused to sit in the stroller and literally walked all over WDW - no wonder he slept like a baby for the first time in his life! All the walking combined with the excitement definitely helped all of us sleep great at night - despite sharing a room. BTW, we tried to keep DS's bedtime as close to normal as possible. We only stayed out late (9:00) on our last night. It was the adjustment period after returning home that was a little rough - took about a week for DS to get back on his regular sleep routine.
Hopefully this will help ease your worries a bit.

 

[MindyLuvsMickey]

Our DS's first trip was at 22 months and again at 28 months. We drove the first time and flew the second.

We took our own stroller both trips. It was really convenient for us. It was an umbrella stroller so it wasn't a challenge getting it in the buses or monorail. For our upcoming trip, I purchased a Mac Volo. I'm really looking forward to using it. he was always able to nap in his stroller, despite not being able to recline.

Carseats~I lugged DS's huge carseat along on our flight because I thought it would be the safest option while on the plane. I'm not sure if we will be flying for our next trip (depends on gas prices). If we do, I will check the car seat. Despite having two other adults around to help, it was still a challenge to get everything moved around.

As for lines, we really didn't have many problems keeping him content. This year might be a bit different, though. He'll have just turned 4. I'm planning on taking his Nintendo DS Lite along. I know that he'll be quite content to play while he waits.

Have a great time!

 

[SuperGsMom]

I took my DD last year to Disney when she was 2 1/2. I traveled w/ my best friend and my mom. I think having 3 bigger people to 1 toddler is a good thing, and will make your trip much easier.

I took her crazy heavy car seat for the flight in a car seat back pack- Evenflo Triumph 5- if I had known that the booster seats w/ internal 5 point harness would end up being so much lighter, I would have taken that instead- just make sure it's certified for airplane use. You will need the seat later anyway when your son is bigger. That being said- her car seat made the flight so much easier, since it is one of the few places besides her own crib where she will actually sleep. My DD also has allergies, so a nice side effect of the benadryl I gave her was a good nap on the plane. Mother of the year strikes again...

As for the parks, I'm a big fan of my own stroller- good luck getting through the airport without it anyway... w/ a plastic bag w/ diaper essentials,sunblock, snacks and drinks. The refill mugs from the resort were a lifesaver too. half the time, the stroller was more of a shopping cart than a stroller, but it came in handy. We usually parked it in one of the stroller lots, my valuables (money, credit card, tickets) were in my camera case w/ me at all times. We carried almost nothing around, and went back for the stroller when we went to a different area of the parks. DD's stroller folds pretty well and has a strap, so it wasn't too much of a pain on transportation.

I'm a big fan of letting the youngest set the pace. It worked out awesome for us, with very little melting down. Around mid day, the lines get too long, the park is a little too warm, and toddlers could use break. We went back to the hotel for a few hours, maybe a nap, and had dinner there. We saw people coming back to the hotel around 6 pm, screaming kids, frustrated parents, and knew their day was OVER. We headed back out with a happy 2 year old and enjoyed a few more hours, the parades at night, fireworks, etc until closing. As for the lines, I knew any line longer than 30 minutes would be difficult and avoided them when I could. We fast passed a lot. We also managed to get on all the kiddie rides in MK (dumbo, merry go round, it's a small world, etc) with no lines during the fireworks (DD hates fireworks anyway!) I also let her wake up whenever in the morning, and wasn't in too big of a hurry to get there in time for opening.

DD was so tired at the end of the night (and there were many late nights) that she was happy to go to sleep. I brought a DVD player for the plane, but really only used it to play her "night night" music. I made sure to bring her blankies, 3 of her favorite "friends" (which we added to throughout the trip !) She slept in the bed, because she refused to sleep in the pack n play in the room. I laid with her for a few minutes to help her settle down, and she was OUT. We were fortunate to rent points and stay in a 1BR at VWL, so essentially we could leave her in her own room to sleep, but I imagine you could give your son some space by staying out on the porch for a few minutes while he falls asleep- just don't forget your key

Every kid is different, but if you keep your expectations reasonable, and let your little one set the pace, you'll be surprised how well you'll all do. You don't have to see EVERYTHING! Also, if the older ones are big enough to handle it, let them have a little time to do some big kid things while you have a little one on one time with the little one. And take full advantage of all the extra sets of arms and eyes you have. I'm a single parent, so I'm always the one to manage everything- I have to say, it's not too bad. The people I travel with are generally very helpful and help make everything run smoothly.
Sorry for the long post, just wanted to let you know that a 2 year old will make disney a total blast! We can't wait to go back!

 

[crazykids]

I just came back from a trip a couple months ago, I went alone w/ my 2 girls ages 2 & 3. I did not use a car seat on the plane & they had no problems at all. I brought plenty of snacks, color wonder coloring books, & a DVD player. Lugging all of the bags was difficult to do alone, but I managed. I brought a cheap umbrella stroller for the younger one just to get through the airports & I rented a double one when I got to the parks. Since the recent price hikes, I will be bringing my own double umbrella stroller on our next visit! We had a blast & if one or both of them got tired, I just let them fall asleep in the stroller. It was too much of a hassell going back to the room for naps. Once they got back to the room at night, my little one had a hard time settling down so I just turned out all of the lights & let her lay with me until she fell asleep, then I put her back in her own bed. We were always up early & at the parks for opening, so we didn't have too many long lines to wait in. I look forward to our next trip, DH is coming along & he gets to carry all of the heavy stuff!

 

[sk8jdgca]

One thing I brought was a little keychain flashlight. I clipped it on my son and if he was somewhere dark, he could put it on-it was so small it wouldn't bother anyone else but gave enough light for him

 

[disneytab]

HI!!! You are asking some very good questions!! You've gotten alot of great advice. . .here's my two cents.

1-bring your own stroller. If you don't, you'll have to lug everything you want to store in the stroller onto the bus (kid included LOL0, then as soon as you get to the park, you won't be taking pics you'll be standing in line. Also, I think the disney strollers are so uncomfy looking. My kids are way more apt to be relaxed with their own stuff, and way more likely to nap if they have their nice padded chair, not plastic bottom.

2-As someone who travels WAY TOO MUCH with children, I always take the car seat until maybe 4, when they don't associate not being strapped in as "Hey, I can stand up, turn around, walk wherever I want!" I have traveled alone with my son, and now with son and daughter (now 6 and 2 1/2) at least 4 dozen times I'd say. There's nothing worse than watching that mom on the airplane trying to hold down a baby that's screaming to go, go, go! I think it'll make a better trip for the both of you. To travel with the car seat when I'm by myself pushing a stroller, I use the safety harnesses on the back as backpack like straps. . .on my back hands free. this also works on use a large, sturdy peice of fabric or a belt and slide it thru the hole made for the seatbelt. Then strap it on like a shoulder bag.
Also, I've NEVER, EVER been on a commercial flight where they've asked me if the car seat was FAA. I've only been asked once, and it was a charter flight. As a matter of fact, they didn't look, when I said yes they just took my word for it.
As for getting it on the plane, have your mom or older child board ith baby at the last possible minute. You go when they call moms w/small children and get everything set up in the plane the way you want it, car seat, bags, etc. That way baby doesn't have to sit on stuffy plane forever, and you don't have to juggle baby, bags, and car seat.

Have a blast!!!

 

[disneytab]

forgot the question about the lines

Sometimes what we do (I hope some of you still love me for this) is, everyone (which is usually ten or so. . .we're suckers for grand gatherings) gets in line except one person and the baby. When they get near the front, or to where it becomes inconvenient to other people to pass, person and baby (or just baby. . .I hate dumbo LOL) hop in line. We were hesitant to try it at first, but my daughter's first trip (12 months old) she would scream not understanding she couldn't be on the ride/has to get off the ride, etc, and I didn't want her disturbing others in line. Noone in line has ever seemed the least bit upset by this. . .I think they'd rather someone hold the baby off until the last minute than to stand in line with them screaming/squirming the whole time. This works well on dumbo, a long haunted mansion line, small world (until the downward ramp) and the tea cups particularly. It wouldn't work on say, well, anything in adventureland. It also works if you watch for a good place to step in on peter pan, pooh, etc. But just off the top of my head, I can't think of another park it works at. Alot of the lines there are inside.

Of course, this only works with babies LOL. I doubt anyone would have sympathy for teenagers not wanting to wait in line

We also always bring our leapstar in it's little backpack. That's what we play when impatience sets in. . .seems risky to lose/steal, but I've never ever had a problem with that at disney.