Nov trip with 2 yo. How many days?

[branv]

This will be our first trip with a child, who will be 2yr 2 mos on our trip. We've been multiple times before having a child, and could usually easily see/do what we wanted in 4 days of park time. This is, of course, a whole new ball game. Heck, now we even have to figure out FP+ for the first time.

We don't have unlimited funds, but are trying to balance getting the best touring plan while still affording our fave, Wilderness Lodge. We do plan on midday breaks, because we liked those even before the kiddo.

Right now, it seems like there is so much in refurb/pending at AK and DHS, that those are really half day parks for now, especially with a toddler. Am I wrong? And with DS being so little, Epcot seems a half day as well. MK two or three days? With so many half days at the other parks, would we even need the mid trip "day off" that is usually recommended for touring with toddlers? Oooph, my brain hurts.

Please help! Any and all tips are very much appreciated.

 

[disneypolybride2008]

you have it all correct already. we liked doing a character meal for a late breakfast. we did a sat-sat and by the last day we were ready to go. this time i want to do 1/2 days everyday. we'll do the 3 fast pass pluses and a character breakfast, then resort pool time and then dinner, maybe she'll make it to see fireworks. However the trip of her at age 2 is priceless. We had 5pm dinner reservations and headed back to the hotel right after and dd2 went right to sleep. she wouldnt nap at all, there was too much excitement. she wouldn't sleep 12 hours like at home, she was up at 5am ready to go. so going all day w/ no naps is why we ended up going back to the hotel right after dinner. she was the happiest kid there though. now she'll be 4 when we go in Oct and our new little girl will have just turned 1.

 

[VbChristy]

We actually just do half days with our boy. Try not to think about the cost of the park. Now for our trip where my son will be 2 years, 3 months (this will be like his 4th trip) we may an hour in the evenings. Pre or post dinner. My son doesn't sleep in strollers at night- he just hasn't so far, but he will sometimes for a nap... So at night, we just get him back for his normal bedtime. It does mean an early evening as his bedtime is like 7:30. But for all of us to be happier- we just find it better to make sure he gets sleep.

Yes, HS is half day; AK is half day. Epcot is half day. And MK is 2 -3 half days. I think you have that right. If you are not really doing many thrill rides, because your toddler clearly cannot do it.

Have fun. It is a totally different trip- but FUN FUN FUN

 

[msmama]

I disagree with Epcot being half day for 2 year olds. Epcot, in my opinion, is the BEST park for letting littles stretch their legs. There's so much going on in MK that they're pretty much in a stroller or in a line the whole time.

Epcot, they can actually explore on their own. My son could have spent half days each in the Seas and at the jumping waters alone!! There's the play area after the Figment ride, the play area after Mission:Space, Innoventions (my son could also probably spend a few hours playing at the firetruck) and we haven't even started on World Showcase where there are TONS of nooks and crannies to explore!!

Like pp said, I don't do full days, at most I do rope drop to dinner time and we stick/stuck pretty close to normal bedtime.

And don't forget the time stopped to watch ducks. I think every parent at one point has the thought, "I spent HOW MUCH to come and watch ducks?!?!?!" at WDW.

 

[branv]

Thanks so much everyone! Glad to see I'm on the right track. We're still debating the cost of an extra night at WL, but it sounds like even if we can only do 6 nights/5 park days it won't be the worst. Since we'll be close to MK, perhaps even the day we do AK or HS we can do a nap then an hour or two at MK before bedtime.