First trip with a toddler

[AllyinWonderland]

I have been to WDW several times before but this October will be our first time taking our daughter (21 months at time of travel). I have a few questions that seem ridiculous and I am sure I am totally overthinking this but I am a planner and need to know what to expect.

1. We are bringing our own stroller because we will need it in the airport and places other than the parks. I know that there is stroller parking throughout the parks but what about when you are eating at a restaurant within one of the resorts? In particular, I know we will have a stroller at Boma, Ohana and Cape May Cafe, we may have one at Citricos as well.

2. I have read that there are baby care centers, are there changing tables in the restrooms as well? If there are places to change diapers in both, which do you find to be most convenient with a toddler.

 

[Heidi K]

1. Don't know, sorry, but hopefully this bumps you up so someone else can answer!

2. Yes, there are changing tables in bathrooms. There are bathrooms everywhere, so these are definitely more convenient.

 

[PocahontasLookALike]

Most resort restaurants will have stroller parking right outside the entrance. Strollers are a plenty at WDW!!!

As far as diaper changes I found them MUCH easier and cleaner In the baby centers. Luckily when a babe is 31 mos diaper changes are not near as frequent as with a newborn. When we took our 17 mos old to DL anytime we passed the baby care center i popped in and did a quick change. It wasn't inconvenient at all!

 

[PocahontasLookALike]

At the resort restaurants there should be a place to park your stroller right outside the entrance. Chances are you'll see other strollers. Just follow suit

When we took our 17 mos old to DL I found the baby centers he best and cleanest places for a change. Luckily at 31 ,so diaper changes aren't near as frequent as with a newborn. Anytime we passed the baby center I just popped in for a quick change. Very easy and quick and not inconvenient.

What time of year are you going?

 

[AllyinWonderland]

At the resort restaurants there should be a place to park your stroller right outside the entrance. Chances are you'll see other strollers. Just follow suit

When we took our 17 mos old to DL I found the baby centers he best and cleanest places for a change. Luckily at 31 ,so diaper changes aren't near as frequent as with a newborn. Anytime we passed the baby center I just popped in for a quick change. Very easy and quick and not inconvenient.

What time of year are you going?

Thanks for the response, I figured they had to have a solution for strollers at resort restaurants but just wanted to double check.

We are going October 28-November 5.

 

[msmama]

THEY HAVE CHANGING TABLES IN MENS ROOMS, TOO!!!

Don't let the men in your party tell you they don't!! Most of them are like counters not the fold down kind (which my son wouldn't tolerate).

 

[nalajms]

THEY HAVE CHANGING TABLES IN MENS ROOMS, TOO!!!

Sometimes this is the best option. The women's rooms tend to have lines.

I'd suggest a big diaper changing pad to put over the changing tables in restrooms. Some people grab a long thing of paper towel, but if you see someone in front of you changing a bm, I just don't feel a thin paper towel does it!

Edited to add: Also not all restrooms have changing tables. I remember some of the small ones at Epcot do not.


Haven't been to Citricos.

Boma will be a bit harder. There's not much hallway room next to the entrance. They may point you to park it outside. Last time we just pulled the stroller to our table. It was a late breakfast and not crowded. Cape May & Ohana, strollers are parked inside the hotel right next to the entrance of the restaurant.

It also helps to bring a bright color towel or scarf to tie around your stroller handle. Faster to pick out when you're in a big parking lot.

 

[jlsmith376]

It also helps to bring a bright color towel or scarf to tie around your stroller handle. Faster to pick out when you're in a big parking lot.

This is a great suggestion. There are so many strollers of the same type at WDW. I don't know if you know this but even when you park your stroller in designated stroller parking areas, the CM's like to rearrange them. The colored ribbon tip always helped us.

We took our stroller to Boma for dinner and it was crowded so they didn't allow us to bring it in. They made us park it next to the entrance to the restaurant, by the waiting area.

 

[DopeyDame]

The cast members will direct you to where to put the stroller if you ever have any questions. Most times you'll see the other zillions of strollers and that's obviously where it should go. Definitely don't stress about that.

In 4 trips with toddlers, we've only used the baby care stations once, and that was just because it was nearby. The bathrooms are fine and, as a pp said, even the men's rooms have changing tables.

 

[AshleeH]

You've gotten some great responses - I'll just add that if you are close to a Baby Care Center, I would use it. Don't go out of your way for it (changing them in bathrooms is fine), but they are very nice if they are convenient.

 

[AllyinWonderland]

Thank you all for the responses. It is great to know that the men's rooms have changing tables too I definitely plan to tie something to our stroller handle so it is easier to find, thank you for the suggestion!

 

[geminierin]

You are going to the right place! NO ONE makes vacationing with a toddler than easier than Disney! We took our son to WDW when he was 20 mths and again at 28 mths, and we just took him to disneyland Paris at age 3. The baby care centers are awesome! They're quiet, have large changing tables with huge sheets of disposable paper, often rocking chairs, and other baby care items. We took our stroller everywhere, even to fine dining restaurants at resorts and we're always directed where to leave it. To mark our stroller, we always buy the Disney character plush key chains and hang them from our stroller. We can always spot ours in a hurry. Definitely mark it somehow as CMs do shuffle them around once there's too many gaps, in a couple of cases even moving the whole lot 20 yards away to a dif area
You're gonna have fun and just know while they welcome everyone, Disney loves families BEST!! Lol

 

[epsmith921]

I believe a previous poster noted this, but buy some of those munchkin disposable changing pads and they are great! My daughter got too long for the ones that come with diaper bags and I like being able to just pick up the whole thing and toss it. Then I always have a big surface that I know is clean. The rapunzel bathrooms are awesome and we used the baby care center at MK and really liked that. It was justs nice I could send my husband to change our daughter and then go off to their bathroom inside for myself. Nice and cool and not crowded. Had to drag the kiddo out a couple times since she loved the tv playing cartoons in there!!