Hollywood Studios Itinerary with a 2 year old

[mhp8982]

I'm needing some help with my itinerary.. we are spending one whole day at HS with a break in the middle back to the hotel for a nap after lunch. I have been on all of the big rides.. so we are making this all about our 2 year old son. He won't care about the little mermaid or beauty and the beast.. We have reservations at Sci-fi dine in at 5:45.. so we will be going back. I know we need to start with Toy Story Mania.. but how do we organize the rest? AND we want to see several of the characters.. buzz and woody, jake, the incredibles and wreck it ralph, definitely Mike and Sulley (his favorites) and the cars.. and maybe the scorcerers hat if we have time. We will have already seen Mickey and most likely Minnie.. I just can't get this all together the way I want it. Any thoughts??

 

[mhp8982]

Would you do backlot or lights motors action with a 2 year old?

I definitely want to do the Disney JR show, muppets and Indiana Jones.

 

[WisMiss]

We're skipping the backlot tour, it's too long and my son would be bored (he's 2 1/2). We're doing the lights motor stunt show. I personally think it's boring, but my son loves cars and I think he's going to like it. Plus Lightning McQueen makes a brief appearance during the show which he will love to see. We're also having breakfast at Hollywood and Vine so he can meet Jake as well as Doc McStuffins. He adores "McStuffin,"

 

[snoopy5386]

Definitely do the Disney Jr show too, that's the highlight for both my kids. I'd do the Toy Story meet and greet right after you ride TSMM, the line for Woody and Buzz gets quite long too.

 

[mhp8982]

Yeah.. I almost wondered if we should do the meet and greet before getting on the ride. I plan to use fast pass + for the toy storia mania.. (we get to pick our fp+ tomorrow and I'm overwhelmed!)

I was wondering if the backlot tour might be too long!

I'm having trouble fitting both indiana jones and lights motor stunt show in with their limited times... and us going back to the resort for nap time.

 

[mhp8982]

I'm also having trouble getting the strategy together for all the meet and greets. Woody and Buzz are the only ones I have a decent plan for.

 

[mhp8982]

As a matter of fact, the lights, motors, action thing only has a 1:20 and a 4:30 that day.. and we will be back for nap time by 1:20.. and 4:30 could put us late for our reservations at sci-fi...so it may just not be an option. My son loves cars...

 

[mhp8982]

I really never imagined this one would take so long for me to plan! It's ridiculous.. but I guess it's because the shows have set times. Would you definitely do fantasmic with a 2 year old? I was thinking if we skipped nap time and stayed in the park to see the lights, motors, action.. then we could head back a little early for bed time. maybe shortly after dinner? I just don't want him to be grumpy when meeting characters....

 

[Marthasor]

My DS was3 when he saw Fantasmic for the first time and it really scared him. I would skip it with a 2 year old. If he likes Cars, I would do Lights over Indiana Jones. Definitely meet Buzz and Woody before TSMM, that meet and greet line can get long.

 

[Button]

Try not to overthink your day. Kids have a certain knack of throwing a schedule out of whack. A sudden potty session when a shows about to start etc. Be driven by him on the day. Our first trip our DS was in sensory overload. Those queue fans were way more exciting to him than chip n dale (very frustrating but he was having fun). He loved Streets of America as less crowded and he could run. Spent ages playing with the squirting fire hydrant. Precious memories are made at the most unusual of times. Plus I got to sit and scoff an ice cream.

Disney Junior is a must as for Fantasmic our little dude got grumpy and fell asleep on me. Oh beauty and the beast show is cute too.

 

[Texas Crude]

I really never imagined this one would take so long for me to plan! It's ridiculous.. but I guess it's because the shows have set times. Would you definitely do fantasmic with a 2 year old? I was thinking if we skipped nap time and stayed in the park to see the lights, motors, action.. then we could head back a little early for bed time. maybe shortly after dinner? I just don't want him to be grumpy when meeting characters....

All kids are different, but I'd never keep my 2 year old up late enough for fantasmic unless it was our last day in the park. Can't count on them sleeping in enough the next day to make up for the long night!

 

[sdkuhn77]

If you are staying on property and going to dhs on emh then when the emh start go to the Disney jr live bldg. and it turns into a dance party with many characters all night. We went with our at the time, 2 & 5 year old dd 2 years ago and they got to dance with Handy Manny, Leo, Quincy, Annie, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto. It was an awesome night! Nothing like a late night toddler disco!

 

[jcemom]

At 2 my daughter liked almost nothing at DHS. We could never have spent an entire day there. (That was pre- TSM though.)

Her "like" list at that age (not including MK, long list there):

DHS
*she would have enjoyed TSM had it been there at the time
Playhouse Disney show (now Disney Jr)
characters

AK
Boneyard playground
Triceratops Spin
characters
train to Planet Watch/Conservation Station
goats
birds

Epcot
Figment ride
Nemo ride (she was 4 when this opened, but would have liked it at 2)
characters
Mexico boat ride
pop jet fountains
lights in the pavement at night in Future World

 

[ashg8r]

Not sure exactly where to check this, maybe kenny the pirate, but I think Sulley may only be available in the afternoon? I know we have friends who went in the am and just saw Mike, and when we saw them together Sulley had just joined Mike (while we were in line).
Our 2 year old also loved the Streets of America for running around and playing a little in the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground (if crowded it is kinda tough with a little one, but still fun to do a few things). Meeting Sorcerer Mickey is always a highlight for my kids too (they love his hat)
As mentioned, Disney Jr show is always the favorite for my kids, we usually do it right after TSM and a few character meets.

 

[mhp8982]

I'm thinking we will skip fantastic... It just doesn't seem worth it. Lights, motors action does t fit into our day at all. Wish here were more time options. I've never seen Indiana jones so in kinda looking forward to it. As for Sulley I don't know. On easywdw... It doesn't say they aren't both there the whole time... We will just have to see.

 

[jcemom]

and playing a little in the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground (if crowded it is kinda tough with a little one, but still fun to do a few things).

My DD liked that too. I didn't put it on my list because it so empty when we were there that she could actually play all she wanted. I haven't seen it that empty in a long time. The last couple of times we visited HISTK it was pure chaos lol.

 

[mhp8982]

I have that on the list!