Must dos for a 1-year old?

[kcchica]

Our sons first trip will be sept 27-oct 2.... which unfortunatley is when they aren't showing any parades. We have never been huge parade people, but I figured it would be great for our little one. I was looking for other ideas on things that little ones this age really enjoy to do? Of course we will try the rides in FL, TT and bugsland, but curious about other ideas.

 

[DLR29]

Be cautious about Snow White, Mr. Toad, and Pinocchio in Fantasyland. All 3 are pretty dark (in lighting and in storyline) and they can scare the little one.

He'll love Winnie-the-Pooh in Critter Country and also Jungle Cruise in Adventureland. Buzz Lightyear even if he can't hold a gun is great because of all the colors and sounds. You could even try Pirates or Haunted Mansion if he is ok with the dark (and loud noises for HM).

In DCA definitely ride Monster's Inc. King Triton's Carousel is very colorful and fun for little kids too. If he can walk, you can lead him around the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail or S.S. Rustworthy.

 

[NicksMommy]

Dumbo should be a hit! Also do disney playhouse live mini show in DCA!! I think this year is Minnie's birthday story line. My son at one was scared of characters but loved the rides! I was worried about taking my son on the tea cups but he loved those too, he laughed the entire time!

Have fun, disney has really geared the parks for families with young children, and remember about the baby center, they have everything you need to have some down time with your baby diaper changes, feedings, etc... it's really nice, they also sell things that you may have forgotten... ( I forgot desitin, my son never had a diaper rash until we got inside disneyland!)

 

[Mugglemama]

It kind of just depends on the temperament of your baby. I've been taking all 4 of my children on all the rides that they are permitted on since they were infants, and they've always enjoyed themselves. The only exception I would say, is the entrance room on Haunted Mansion, none of them ever loved that - but were willing to deal with it to go on the rest of the ride, lol. Mine are a bit "hardy" though, lol. Although I would gladly sit out with them if they didn't want to ride, they're always pulling us through the lines.

If you wanted to gradually see what your baby is okay with as you make your way through the park, I wouldn't start with POC or HM because there's just too much dark for too long - if they don't like it, you can't get them out quickly. Rides like Pinocchio and Snow White (which are dark, as DLR29 said - in fact, they are the style of ride that is known as a "dark ride"), but they are short, so at least your out quickly if the baby doesn't like it. My children have been riding those literally since they were babies, and have never once been upset in one of them. All babies are different though.

Hey! Maybe this will help....just about every ride in DL has been made into a video on youtube....just type in the different ones you want to see, and "ride" along. That way you know what's inside each one, and can determine before you go which rides you think your little one will do okay on.

Hope that helps!

 

[kcchica]

The video idea is good, but honestly we have been on every ride... we are more thrill seekers (hopefully he will be too).. but we will have to take it a bit slower this time and maybe focus more on the kid friendly rides.. since the trip isn't "all about us" anymore

I am sure he would love a parade.. we arrive the 9/27 in the afternoon, but don't plan on doing the park that day.. we have 5 day hoppers and are doing sun-thursday.

We haven't done the bear playhouse thingy in dca, so that wil be new.. hopefully he will enjoy that!

 

[Corpsebride]

I think the story book boat ride would be good for your baby. Everything is little. And Casey's Train. Theres really not much to the ride but its a ride and its mellow and fun.

 

[bumbershoot]

On my son's first trip at 1, he liked everything, even Snow White. I, however, did not like SW or Pinocchio, and we haven't been on them since.

Jungle Cruise, POTC (though DS nursed and slept through that so it might not really "count"), Pooh.

ToonTown only has the two rides. One has a height restriction, and I don't think I would take a 1 year old on Roger Rabbit. So for me, at least, TT with a one year old would be restricted to the non-ride stuff of characters if you're into that, the play areas if he's walking (be careful of the bigger kids, they tend to run!)...heck, I might even suggest the Chip and Dale Treehouse thing for a 1 year old, b/c they tend to love everything. My then 3 year old and I were horribly disappointed by the "treehouse", but if we had gone to TT when he was 1, he wouldn't have been.

Casey's definitely, Storybookland, maybe Alice. I doubt I would have taken DS on the teacups at 1 (and we didn't but I think they were down on that visit so it wasn't an issue). He enjoyed Dumbo definitely. The carrousels, though I think we just sat on one of the bench things on the carrousel at that age, rather than worrying about holding him on a horse. If IASW is open for your trip, that most definitely. Nemo *maybe*, depending on his mood and when the last diaper change was (try to not time it for a major diaper incident, for instance)- no one wants to be in a sub with a crying kid OR a kiddo with a full diaper. (that was also moot when DS was 1 and 2 b/c Nemo wasn't open yet)

The train, definitely, though be prepared to cover ears during the dinosaur part.

a bug's land yes, but maybe not "it's tough to be a bug". And probably not the bumper cars in there (though they don't actually move very fast, if at all, LOL). Their "teacup" ride in there can't be spun to go faster, so we like that over the true teacups, but our guy is 4 now. We never went to DCA until he was 3 (what were we thinking? now we love bug's land more than Fantasyland) so again we weren't faced with the decision to take a little one on a spinny thing like that.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

While the schedule doesn't show it yet, there will be a parade every afternoon or early evening of your trip in both DL and DCA. Also, if you're there on a Friday/Sat or Sun night, there will also be fireworks, weather permitting.

My one year old enjoyed everything that didn't have a height restriction. She slept through Pirates, but loved Peter Pan, Casey Jr., and Dumbo. She also couldn't get enough of the characters at the character breakfast at Plaza Inn. However, when she was one, DL featured the characters from Winnie the Pooh and my DD followed him everywhere.