MVMCP with toddlers?

[mom2jcc]

Has anyone attended MVMCP with a toddler? Please share your thoughts about the experience. I am worried about being out past bedtime.

 

[WDWorBUST]

We did at both 13 months & 25 months. She absolutely LOVED the parade. We just took it easy the following day and were fine.

 

[frtchr]

We took our DD at 11 months, and she had a ball. She isn't a stroller sleeper, so when she got tired, we just left. She made it longer than we thought she would because there was so much to see!

 

[seeking pixie dust]

We're going with my son who will be almost 2, and daughter 5. We plan on returning to the hotel for a late nap, and I think that will get us to at least 10pm. My son will fall asleep in the stroller, so that might also help us.

 

[DISNEYFOS]

We've done both the MVMCP and MNSSHP with young kids. I think my oldest was 2 for the Christmas party. This past Oct we took my 4 year old and my then 4 month old to the Halloween party.

We typically took it easy during the day..then entered the park at 4PM. We were able to walk on all rides so that was really good with young ones.

We left right as they were doing the fireworks to beat the crowds... They pretty much slept in their stroller. My 4 year old stayed up but slept later than usual the next morning.

We've never been very good at keeping to bedtime schedules on vacation..

 

[james'mommy]

We've taken my DS5 several times and when he was littler he would fall asleep before the fireworks and stay asleep. We usually just kinda chill the next day so we can recoup from the party.

 

[Hasil72]

You know your kids best. If you think they can handle the late night (mine can't), go for it!

I'm not trying to be the party pooper, but we saw so many parents flipping out on their little ones by 10pm because they were tired, cold, and melting down, it was sad.

Whatever you decide have a great time!

 

[Minniemouse07]

Took dd to MVMCP when she was 17mo, MNSSHP when she was 2.5yo and then we went to MVMCP in December when she was 6.5yo and ds turned 2yo (it was his birthday).

Here is what we do...

Lay low that day. Hang at the pool, play minature golf or send your child on a Pirate Cruise (that's what dd did this year). We slept late, had a late breakfast, hung out and then EVERYONE took a nap!

We had a large, late lunch at MK and then we were off!!

We didn't stop for dinner, just snacks as needed. Both kids had a great time and stayed up until MIDNIGHT!!!! ...crashing only as we left the park. Dh carried ds in the baby carrier (we loved the Beco... easy to carry our 30lb 2yo!) and dd was in the stroller.

I would NOT do a park early in the day and then do MVMCP later with small kids...maybe when they are teenagers!

Any of the parties are "must dos" for us if they occur when we are visiting WDW. They kids have SUCH a good time and we are able to walk onto all the rides in Fantasyland...which is so not happening during a regular visit!

 

[olivia's mommy]

Took dd to MVMCP when she was 17mo, MNSSHP when she was 2.5yo and then we went to MVMCP in December when she was 6.5yo and ds turned 2yo (it was his birthday).

Here is what we do...

Lay low that day. Hang at the pool, play minature golf or send your child on a Pirate Cruise (that's what dd did this year). We slept late, had a late breakfast, hung out and then EVERYONE took a nap!

We had a large, late lunch at MK and then we were off!!

We didn't stop for dinner, just snacks as needed. Both kids had a great time and stayed up until MIDNIGHT!!!! ...crashing only as we left the park. Dh carried ds in the baby carrier (we loved the Beco... easy to carry our 30lb 2yo!) and dd was in the stroller.

I would NOT do a park early in the day and then do MVMCP later with small kids...maybe when they are teenagers!

Any of the parties are "must dos" for us if they occur when we are visiting WDW. They kids have SUCH a good time and we are able to walk onto all the rides in Fantasyland...which is so not happening during a regular visit!

I might be hijacking this post (sorry ) but what goes on at the party that your 17 mth old liked? My DD will be 18 mths when we go in September and I didn't think we would go to the party but now I am intrigued!! Thanks!

 

[Minniemouse07]

I might be hijacking this post (sorry ) but what goes on at the party that your 17 mth old liked? My DD will be 18 mths when we go in September and I didn't think we would go to the party but now I am intrigued!! Thanks!

I think dd's favorite thing that night was riding Pooh OVER and OVER. There was NO ONE on line so at one point they let us just stay on and ride again! We just went from ride to ride in Fantasyland and walked on everything.

She loved the parade, the fireworks, the cookies and just being there.

Other rides she liked at that age (and ds liked in December) were Small World, the Jungle Cruise (which is generally not open for the party..but we rode it before the party officially started), Pirates, Dumbo, Aladdin, and Haunted Mansion.

Back then they gave you a free 5x7 photo and I just pulled it out... dd is wearing her mickey ears and grinning from ear to ear!

This past trip ds spent his 2nd birthday at MVMCP and I think his favorite thing was Mickey's Philaharmagic. Dd really liked it when she was 2.5 as well (it wasn't there when during her first visit at 17mo)... but ds took it to a new level.... that and Muppets 3D. The child cried when we had to give back the glasses each time! Dd is now pushing 7yo and she loved riding Barnstormer multiple times, ds was too short to ride just yet.

I think this age is perfect for any of the parties... you get to concentrate on the rides they love and do them OVER and OVER... and they are FREE since they are under 3yo!!!

I know a lot of people think the parties are a waste of money but I find all the special stuff really great (parade and fireworks especially) and the ability to walk on to most of the rides is just icing on the cake!

 

[MomtoAlexnWilliam]

Our kids are normally in bed and asleep by 7:30. If we're not on way to bed by then both of them experience complete and total meltdowns!! So we've decided to skip the party. It doesn't start until 7pm and I'd hate for a meltdown to start at 8pm and we have to leave - and waste about $200.

We'll go when they are a bit bigger! No sense in making us all cranky!

 

[mom2jcc]

Our kids are normally in bed and asleep by 7:30. If we're not on way to bed by then both of them experience complete and total meltdowns!! So we've decided to skip the party. It doesn't start until 7pm and I'd hate for a meltdown to start at 8pm and we have to leave - and waste about $200.

We'll go when they are a bit bigger! No sense in making us all cranky!

This is what I am afraid of as well. Thanks for your input.

 

[mom2jcc]

Thanks to everyone for responding. It is interesting reading about your personal experience with your toddlers. I think I will just have to wait until the trip to purchase tickets or not. I just can't judge this far in advance...I don't want to waste the money if we can't enjoy it.

 

[rt2dz]

We did MVMCP last year with the kids 6, 3, & 2. We had no problems. I think A LOT of it has to do with your expectations.

We slept in that day, had a long lazy brunch offsite, went to Downtown Disney and then head over to the park at 4 for the party. We had ADRs for 4:20. My littler two were happy and pleasant until they fell asleep in the stroller—one around 10:30, the other a little after 11 PM. We then made sure they slept in the next day too! They each napped in the stroller at DtD.

Of course, we don’t follow a rigid schedule and my kids are fairly adaptable in that manner. My oldest and especially my youngest are flexible in just about everything.

We’re doing MNSSHP in October and MVMCP in November.

 

[dsneygirl]

We did the party last Dec when DS was 18 months. He finally crashed after the fireworks (so maybe 9:30) but he can pretty much sleep anywhere and DH and I just kept going.

 

[Magical Mama]

We did the party last Dec when DS was 18 months. He finally crashed after the fireworks (so maybe 9:30) but he can pretty much sleep anywhere and DH and I just kept going.

That has to be the most adorable pic ever! He's so precious!

We plan on going to MVMCP this year with my DS who will turn 3 two days before the party. We plan on sleeping in that day and just hanging around the resort with a late nap in the afternoon. We have ADR at LTT at 6:20pm so we won't head to the park until then. And when he gets tired, then we've seen as much as we could and will just go back to the hotel. I just know he wants to see Santa so I figured it's worth it. Even if we only see a little bit of the party, you never know when we'll be able to come back, so it's better than nothing! Plus, my son stays up til 11pm at home if he's taken a late nap, so he may be ready to party!