First trip with toddler- any tips

[mpeanut]

Hi everyone! I am heading to Disney 12/5 for 5 nights with my DH and our 2 year old daughter. We're staying at the Poly. Now, I have not been to Disney in about 18 years (I'm 32 now), but stayed at the Poly a few times as a child. I'm so excited to take our daughter and have some family time to totally unwind and have fun after a very stressful year
I'm normally a super planner, but we just planned this trip a month ago and I'm stressing out that I'll either forget to pack something or I won't have our schedule mapped out in a way that makes the best use of our time while keeping in mind my daughter's need for an afternoon nap. So I bring to you the following questions. Any and all suggestions are appreciated -
1. Will we be able to park hop with a toddler or should we stick to one park per day?
2. Are there any parades that we should not miss?
3. Is there a chance of getting into restaurants without ADRs once we arrive? I have some ADRs booked, but we planned late so didn't get all that we wanted.
4. Is Downtown Disney a place worth seeing with a toddler?
5. Does anyone have a packing list for a toddler that they woulnd't mind sharing?

Thanks so much! I will be hanging out here for the next few weeks...26 days until take off. Yippee!!

 

[jlm]

Hi everyone! I am heading to Disney 12/5 for 5 nights with my DH and our 2 year old daughter. We're staying at the Poly. Now, I have not been to Disney in about 18 years (I'm 32 now), but stayed at the Poly a few times as a child. I'm so excited to take our daughter and have some family time to totally unwind and have fun after a very stressful year
I'm normally a super planner, but we just planned this trip a month ago and I'm stressing out that I'll either forget to pack something or I won't have our schedule mapped out in a way that makes the best use of our time while keeping in mind my daughter's need for an afternoon nap. So I bring to you the following questions. Any and all suggestions are appreciated -
1. Will we be able to park hop with a toddler or should we stick to one park per day? depends on the child, we did
2. Are there any parades that we should not miss?
3. Is there a chance of getting into restaurants without ADRs once we arrive? I have some ADRs booked, but we planned late so didn't get all that we wanted. It is possible...but not always what you want
4. Is Downtown Disney a place worth seeing with a toddler? mainly shopping
5. Does anyone have a packing list for a toddler that they woulnd't mind sharing? bring a stroller!

Thanks so much! I will be hanging out here for the next few weeks...26 days until take off. Yippee!!

We took our youngest when he was 2, nearly 3. He was in an umbrella stroller for the trip. Being flexible is key! When her was tired he would just go to sleep, we know how lucky we were that he did that!
Take breaks when needed, don't do both late nights and early mornings. Our first year we didn't do downtown disney (DTD) and only a 1/2 day at Epcot. It just wasn't a big appeal for us or our younger kids. Now we do more the older they get. You are at the Poly so just a quick ride back from MK. Make sure to plan pool time....it's a highlight for a toddler. Some toddlers are terrified of the characters. My son would only get near Mickey and Buzz Lightyear, otherwise forget it!
Hope this helps!! Have a great time!!
Jen

 

[jlm]

Opps! Meant to say we DID park-hop with a toddler. Would do 1 park in the morning-break for lunch/pool/hang-out then another park in the evening.

 

[mpeanut]

Opps! Meant to say we DID park-hop with a toddler. Would do 1 park in the morning-break for lunch/pool/hang-out then another park in the evening.

Thanks, jlm! I think that is the schedule we are hoping to follow and if we find DD is too wiped out or not in the mood for another park, we can just cruise around some resorts or play at the pool.

I will definitely have a stroller - I even upgraded to a newer umbrella type stroller that reclines more in hopes that she will be inspired to nap on the go.

 

[Minnie_Mom]

Hi! We have been to WDW with our toddlers/babies 3 different times with little ones... once with our then 1-year old DS, once with our then 2-year old DS and a 2-month old DD, and most recently with our 3-year old DS and 1-year old DD. In my opinion WDW is a somewhat easy vacation with toddlers because there is so much to keep them entertained!

1. Will we be able to park hop with a toddler or should we stick to one park per day?
We have always park hopped without problems. We would go to one park in the morning and another in the afternoons after naps!

2. Are there any parades that we should not miss?
Our kiddos have always enjoyed the parades, but not loved them. If we were in the area of a parade, we would stop and watch but never really made plans around them. If you are going to plan to see any parades, I would recommend the afternoon parade at MK and the Spectromagic parade at MK. When we were at MK in Sept, my DD was getting her 1st hair cut at the Main Street Barber Shop when the afternoon parade started. Our DS, 3 y/o, stood outside the barber shop to watch. This was the starting point of the parade and there was no one else around. Most all of the characters stopped to interact with DS. It was a great place to watch!

3. Is there a chance of getting into restaurants without ADRs once we arrive? I have some ADRs booked, but we planned late so didn't get all that we wanted.
We have always made our ressies before going, but have had some luck with changesonce we have arrived. My advice would be to go ahead and make resies to make sure you have some where to go. You can always change them if something else becomes available once you arrive. Just remember to cancel your old ones

4. Is Downtown Disney a place worth seeing with a toddler?
If you have a evening, I would definitely say YES. Our kiddos love looking at the legos, playing in the splash fountain (not sure about in Dec), going to Goofy's Candy Shop, etc. This is a great place for you to do your shopping since you can find most everything here. There are a couple of small rides (cost extra) and I think there is even a Kid's Carnival at the Marketplace (?). We like to eat at Wolfgang's (counter service), then get ice cream before we leave. There is also the boat you can ride to other parts of DTD. A great place to spend an evening when your little one needs that little break from the parks, but you still want to enjoy the magic... also, gives you an evening to get back to the room early and rest!

5. Does anyone have a packing list for a toddler that they woulnd't mind sharing?
*Stroller
*Take n' toss cups (don't have to worry if they get lost)
*Wipeable bibs or disposable bibs
*Changing pads
*Extra changes of clothes (we took 2 outfits per child per day + a couple of extras to keep in the diaper bag)
*Pre-packaged snacks
*Treats (mini M&M's, small lollipops)
*Small toys that will fit into pockets (for waiting in long lines)
*Glow sticks, necklaces, bracelets (great for waiting for nighttime fireworks, parades)
*Meal packs (bags with small toys, stickers, crayons, paper) to help with long meals
*Skip Hop diaper bag (has lots of pockets and clips easily on/off stroller) or any diaper bag with a good organization system and easy to carry
*Sponges with dishwashing liquid (Squirt dish soap onto sponge(s) and let dry. Once dry cut in half. Pack ~1/2 sponge per day of trip.) These are great to wash sippy cups, bottles, etc. Once you run water over them the soap is activated and you have a sponge with dish soap to wash dishes with and you don't have to worry about soap leaking in your bags).
*Shout Stick
*Hand/Face wipes
*Sunglasses/sun hat
*Sunscreen

This is all I can think of for now! Please message me if you have any more questions!

 

[mpeanut]

thanks Minnie Mom! Those are all great tips, especially the sponge/dishsoap idea.

 

[Minnie_Mom]

thanks Minnie Mom! Those are all great tips, especially the sponge/dishsoap idea.

You are so welcome! The dishsoap/sponge tip I actually got off the Disboards before our DS first trip... I have used them on every vacation since then! Idon;t remember who originally posted it, but it is a fabulous idea!

 

[GrammyJudy]

Bring floaties for their arms at the pools too.

 

[dpugrad03]

We took our son when he was 18 months old. We made sure to have an extra poncho to throw over the stroller and it saved it from being soaked several times. We also took a nightlight so if he woke up, he could see a little. I'm a germ-phobe with him, so we took clorox wipes for the hotel room.

If you are flying, consider getting diapers/wipes through garden grocer delivered so you don't have to pack them. That worked well. We also packed all of our clothes in ziplocs - his including diaper for morning, socks, etc. It helped and having the extra plastic ziplocs during the days came in handy too.

A face sunscreen stick.

 

[beccaisqueen]

If you can stay on property, it's great to go back to the hotel for a mid-day nap so everyone is ready to go into the evening.

Also, Boardwalk is nice as mom & dad can get a babysitter for a few hours and be close by for dinner and/or a drink and entertainment.

 

[LilAnn]

Hi everyone! I am heading to Disney 12/5 for 5 nights with my DH and our 2 year old daughter. We're staying at the Poly. Now, I have not been to Disney in about 18 years (I'm 32 now), but stayed at the Poly a few times as a child. I'm so excited to take our daughter and have some family time to totally unwind and have fun after a very stressful year
I'm normally a super planner, but we just planned this trip a month ago and I'm stressing out that I'll either forget to pack something or I won't have our schedule mapped out in a way that makes the best use of our time while keeping in mind my daughter's need for an afternoon nap. So I bring to you the following questions. Any and all suggestions are appreciated -
1. Will we be able to park hop with a toddler or should we stick to one park per day? We were able to park hop without a problem with DD. Typically we would do a park in the morning, hed back to nap/rest/swim midday and then hit up another park in the eevening.
2. Are there any parades that we should not miss? I have to say that DD LOVED the Move It, Shake It, Celebrate It Parade at MK. She happened to love characters this past trip, and you get to join in and dance partway through the parade. She also loved Spectromagic, so we are already planning to see the Main Street Electrical Parade.
3. Is there a chance of getting into restaurants without ADRs once we arrive? I have some ADRs booked, but we planned late so didn't get all that we wanted. We were able to walk in to some at Epcot, but for the most part, we had ADRs for any table service we wanted to eat at and just winged it for the coutner services and other meals.
4. Is Downtown Disney a place worth seeing with a toddler? We loved DTD. Not just for the food options, but it's fun to just walk around and hang out. Of course she wanted to go on the little train over and over again (which costs money). Plus there are a bunch of cute photo ops there.
5. Does anyone have a packing list for a toddler that they woulnd't mind sharing? I think someone already posted a pretty comprehensive list. Personally for us, we packed diapers and snacks in our suitcases so then we had extra room for souvenirs on the way back.

Thanks so much! I will be hanging out here for the next few weeks...26 days until take off. Yippee!!

Have a fantastic time! We have been twice with DD as a toddler and both times were different but so great! I did a TR about my summer trip and the link is in my signature if you want to skim it. Seeing the World through the eyes of a child is priceless!

 

[PJR]

Don't overplan, just plan to do it at her pace.

 

[2girls4me]

Don't overplan, just plan to do it at her pace.

ITA.

We took DD when she was 2, and she loved everything about disney. But we didn't get up early every day and rush out to the parks. Whenever she was up, we got breakfast and went to the parks.

We did use the parkhopper and it helped to break up the day. We didn't do 3 parks in one day, but if we wanted to go to MK then Epcot we did.

As far as packing, we packed enough diapers/wipes for the ride down there and changed her once we got to orlando airport. We went to Target and got snacks and stuff. and a box of diapers.

She definitely was overwhelmed at some points and we just let her tell us when she was tired. We did go the VMCP one night and she loved the parade.

It's a great time, so much fun to see the park through their eyes.

 

[luckygirl539]

Hi everyone! I am heading to Disney 12/5 for 5 nights with my DH and our 2 year old daughter. We're staying at the Poly. Now, I have not been to Disney in about 18 years (I'm 32 now), but stayed at the Poly a few times as a child. I'm so excited to take our daughter and have some family time to totally unwind and have fun after a very stressful year
I'm normally a super planner, but we just planned this trip a month ago and I'm stressing out that I'll either forget to pack something or I won't have our schedule mapped out in a way that makes the best use of our time while keeping in mind my daughter's need for an afternoon nap. So I bring to you the following questions. Any and all suggestions are appreciated -
1. Will we be able to park hop with a toddler or should we stick to one park per day?
2. Are there any parades that we should not miss?
3. Is there a chance of getting into restaurants without ADRs once we arrive? I have some ADRs booked, but we planned late so didn't get all that we wanted.
4. Is Downtown Disney a place worth seeing with a toddler?
5. Does anyone have a packing list for a toddler that they woulnd't mind sharing?

Thanks so much! I will be hanging out here for the next few weeks...26 days until take off. Yippee!!

We have an almost 2 year old and have been twice this year. We are coming again Dec 11th!
1) There is no way we could Park Hop with her. Too much hassle!
2) The MK parade that happens in the afternoon is awesome, because the kids can dance with the characters.
3)I am not sure you will be able to get in without A ressie. We didn't!
4) DD-boring for baby- There are a few things to see, but not much.
Have fun!
Kelly

 

[Playgrnd]

Here is something that easily gets overlooked. Each time we visit people ask us all the time where we purchased our bracelets for the kids. Yes I'm talking about emergency ID bracelets in case one accidently gets lost.

Guests are disappointed when they find out we did not purchase them on site.

The bracelets have 3 languages written on them and are waterproof. They also have plenty of room inside to hold all the proper info.

Our kids wear them around their ankles and have been told if they ever get lost to have the person look inside even thought it clearly says this on the bracelet itself.

http://www.tagmykid.com/if-im-lost-bracelets-yellow.html

 

[Hellokitty343]

Love the safety tag idea! I just placed my order for our trip to Disney with our two year old in December.

 

[amichaell]

1. We took our daughter for the first time when she was two (in May/June of this year). We did some hopping, though not much. We could have probably gotten away without it, though I like the flexibility.

2. My daughter loved the SpectroMagic Parade. So much that she wanted to see it twice, though it was rained out the second night we went. She also enjoyed the parade that is performed at Magic Kingdom during the afternoon (forget the name).

5. -Light stroller. We made the mistake of bringing a heavy stroller. For our next trip in a couple of weeks we are bringing a smaller stroller that is easier to manage on the busses and through crowds.
-Sunglasses, visor...something to help keep the face protected from bright sun.
-Backpack..satchel...something easy to manage that can hold everything you'll need during the day.
-Light snacks, drinks. I prefer non-messy snacks during the day, such as Goldfish, Wheat Thins, etc.
-Name tag with phone numbers. We had ours made at PetSmart from a heart shaped dog tag. Our daughter decorated hers with small beads.
-Wipes
-Spray bottles with fans (depending upon heat).
-Poncho for rain protection.

 

[GrammyJudy]

Bring your own foldable light stroller. Baby lease so they can walk and not get away. Plan a character meal liek chef Mickeys so they see the characters. Make sure they know how big the charactersa are by watching the free palnning DVD

 

[Suziqzer]

DH & I took our son at age 2 I believe for his first trip, & our first trip together. I hadn't been in 12-15 yrs so like you I wasn't sure what we were getting into with a toddler. It went well enough we decided to go back the next year and take a longer trip.

You've gotten lots of good advice so far.

We did park hop and were glad we chose that option. We were only there for 3 days the first trip and found that we preferred Magic Kingdom and Epcot with our son. We did venture to the other parks, but found ourselves going back to his favorites to end the days.

We took a light weight cheapo stroller that we weren't afraid to leave parked with some bare essentials so we could leave it during a ride and be ok if it walked away. Some packed their nice strollers and I enjoyed having our little one... easier to maneuver in crowds & on and off buses too.

We did book ADR's for table dinners, but I think it depends a lot on the time of year you go and how busy it is as to how necessary they are. If you're not set on a certain dinner place, you may be ok just walking in. If you're going with the dining plan, I think I'd schedule most of them ahead knowing you can change them if you end up doing things differently than you expect.

We never made it to Downtown Disney on either of our trips. We found too much to do in the parks to ever wander to see what that was all about. DTD wasn't there when DH & I were kids and went with our parents, so we don't know what we're missing

Have fun! Take it easy as to not wear out the little one on day one, or yourselves for that matter.

My little one is 5 now and in Kindergarten.... we've thought about a mid-winter trip, but don't think we can make it happen this year. Can't wait to go again and see his reaction now that he's a little older!

 

[zendisney]

We found the secret is keeping our dd on her "home" schedule. Meaning breakfast, lunch, nap, dinner, and bed time the same as at home (when we can). We found that if we keep her on schedule there are less tantrums and meltdowns.
We definitely do WDW differently now. I am enjoying seeing The World through her eyes.