Most important tips for WDW w/20-month-old?

[EG528]

My 20-month-old son and I will be staying at Orange Lake Resort from Feb. 1 thru Feb. 10 (with extended family). We are just planning a one-day trip to the Magic Kingdom due to costs and DS’s age. I’ve read the Unofficial Guide and have taken some tips from that. We plan on going to MK on Thursday, the 3rd, bringing our own Pliko stroller and staying until late morning; going home for lunch/nap and possibly returning in late afternoon. Since Dumbo and It’s a Small World will be closed I guess we’ll just hit some of the other things in Fantasyland, TTA (I like this one for the rest it gives), the Railroad and Mickey’s Toontown (maybe). If time permits then maybe we’ll do the Jungle Cruise and the Magic Carpet thing. I am not interested in meeting characters, unless DS sees one and seems excited about it, so I won’t be planning character meals or anything.

Besides any suggestions/warnings you have about the above, what are the most important things I need to know before heading to the MK with a 20-month-old? I’m usually a very good planner (and I’ve been going to WDW since the late 70s … although last trip was in 1993 w/out children), but this trip is kind of last minute and we both have been sick so I haven’t devoted as much time as I normally would.

Thanks in advance!
Kristy

P.S. I must admit I don't even know if I want to go to WDW after reading the post about how everyone always gets sick there. Hopefully my DS will get spared since he is recovering from some kind of virus he got on Monday.

 

[disneygoof]

Find the baby care center early and use it often. I'm assuming he's in diapers, of course, and the changing tables are huge, lined, and they have all the kiddie necessities for sale there. Even if he were trained, if you needed to change his clothes for whatever reason, this is the place to go.

 

[all4fun]

My ds was 20 months on our last trip. He loves the characters. There were times we saw then and quickly turned the stroller the other way just so ds wouldn't see them, lol! (We did two character meals and a lot of character greets since our 7-year old neice was also with us).

We took him on everything that doesn't have a height restriction. He loves Winnie the Pooh, and seemed to even enjoy Pirates of the Carribean. Whenever we needed help getting ds down for a nap, we just hopped on over the the haunted mansion (we were there multiple days). Those doom buggies never failed to put him to sleep . I also highly recommend staying for Wishes if you can (unless loud noises really bother your ds). My ds was a little afraid at first but warmed up when I started clapping and acting excited. Of course I would have just left if he got hysterical or anything like that. We had a wonderful time.

I also carry hand sanitizer and "clean up" whenever I felt necessary. I'm not totally fanatical about it, but since you're not always right next to a bathroom with a sink, it's nice to have and helpful in staying well. I also agree with the pp - the baby centers are wonderful. If you're not near one though, the regular bathrooms are well-maintained. I would just get some of those disposable liners for the diaper changing stations.

hth, Cheryl

 

[EG528]

Thanks for the tips! Do you think I should try for a character meal? I figured it would be too late to reserve this, but maybe I should reconsider. So far, DS seems to be okay with things like Santa and the Easter Bunny, but only if he doesn't have to sit in their laps.

I have to admit I am kind of looking forward to just going to MK and not having a big agenda. For once, I hope to go with the flow. Ok, with a loosely-sketched plan.

 

[mdsouth]

EG528,

I am thinking along the same lines as you. I have a DD 22 months that I will be taking to WDW soon. I haven't planned on any character meals since I have read and heard that the characters can be seen frequently in the parks. I think meeting Mickey and some of the others in Toontown should suffice. She may or may not be thrilled with them and that way I am not out Big $$ for the character meal. When she is older I can take her back and do the character meals. For this trip, I am trying to make it as relaxing as possible without lots of time constraints/and planned activities.