Should I bring my 2 year old to Disneyland?

[emmalou987]

My husband, myself, 5 year old, and 2 year old with my SIL and her family in May. All of her kids are older. She has said that her family will not watch my child so that we can go on a ride together. ie splash mountain. Should I leave my 2 year old home with Grandma and make our trip a lot more stress free? What is your experience in taking your 2 year...should I bring him? Why or why not?

 

[amyg1975]

That is not very nice of your SIL to say.

We have taken our daughter since she was 8 months old. At age of 2 she had a blast at the parks, and we had fun with her. You can get a rider swap pass so that you and your husband can both go on a ride with your 5 year old. But will it be easier to leave your 2 year old with grandma so that it is more stress free? Yes. It really depends on what you feel you want to do.

 

[VandVsmama]

You should listen to this podcast --> http://www.disunplugged.com/2016/01/25/dis-unplugged-podcast-012416-disneyland-show/

It's all about going to Disneyland with little ones who are in the "free years"...aka under age 3, so admission is free.

I think that you should bring the 2 year old. Given your SIL's refusal to watch your 2 yr old for a few min while you go on a ride, you should probably assume that SIL & her family might want to venture off on their own for part of the day when you are at DL/DCA. And if that happens, it's TOTALLY ok. Your family...even if the trip is just with your 5 yr old...will probably be touring the parks at a different speed than your SIL's family. So just give yourself permission to have SIL's crew wander off and do their own thing for a couple of hours. It will likely make for a more enjoyable trip for everyone.

Will it be easier to leave the 2 yr old with Grandma? Of course it will. But you should also expect your 5 yr old to talk non-stop about DL to your 2 yr old when you return from the trip.

Since your SIL & her family won't watch 1 of your kids so you & DH can go on a ride together, you'll need to use Rider Swap. It looks like they officially called it Rider Switch Service now. https://disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/rider-switch/ We've used it before and really liked it.

Instead of looking at the Rider Switch as a negative (i.e., "spouse and I won't be able to ride together!"), you could actually look at it as a positive. For example, it's hard sometimes when you have 2 kids who are 5 and 2 to have special moments with just mommy or daddy, where the child doesn't have to share Mom or Dad with his/her sibling. This is what you can use Rider Switch times for. My kids are 8 and 10 and we still do the "go on a ride with Mommy or Daddy" thing and it's 1 of our kids' highlights of the trip.

With your kids being 5 and 2, they are both still in that magical age where all of the characters at DL are the real deal. Once kids hit age 7, they start to have doubts...although my 8 yr old YDD still believes. It's really wonderful and there's nothing quite like it. You'll have plenty of years to go on rides with just you and your spouse. But your kids are in the "magic years" for just a brief amount of time. I think that you should take advantage of it.

 

[otten]

Is your 2 year old 2, 2.5 or almost 3? If it's the latter two I'd definitely bring him. I'd be more on the fence if he was just 2 but I'd still lean towards bringing him. Taking little kids to Disney is so magical. The first time we went to Disneyworld was for just a day when my kids were 10months and 3.5 and it was so much fun. We didn't do any of the roller coasters but it was such a great day as a family. There are lots of smaller rides you can do together.

Our youngest will be 2 months shy of 3 when we go and she's so excited. She's been carrying our guidebook around everywhere.

 

[Winnowill]

Two year olds enjoy Disneyland just as much as older kids. They can't do as much, of course, but the magic is still there. I would totally bring him, especially since he gets in for free.

 

[tarheelalum]

I'd leave the 2 year old at home.

 

[cruisehopeful]

My husband and I always brought our under 3 year olds. We did rider switch. We'd wait in line together and then one gets on the ride while the other stands aside with the baby/toddler. Then, we switched when the first ride is over.

There are many rides that a 2 year old will enjoy. There was a time when I took my daughter (under 3 at the time) to Disneyland once per month for a day visit. The only thing that makes it harder now is that it is so crowded. My daughter used to be able to walk ahead of me and I could still see her. That wouldn't happen today.

 

[maltdizzy]

Will they watch the 5yo if he doesn't want to ride some rides? Are they going to want to frequent the same areas of the park that would entertain your 5yo? Will both families have to compromise or will you split up at times? This is why we don't travel with other families anymore, instead we "overlap."

There is plenty at the parks to do with a 2yo, and it is great seeing the parks through their eyes (plus, they are free!). Our kid first went to DL at 1-week-old and practically grew up in the parks. But it does mean a different touring plan. Ultimately, this is a matter of do you want to take your 2yo?

 

[figment_jii]

I've also gone to the parks with little ones that were under 3. I really enjoyed getting to "see" Disneyland through their eyes and their interests. Yes, it'll mean that you and your husband won't get to ride any of the height requirement attractions together, but there is Rider Switch (his older sister enjoyed the "just with mommy/daddy/auntie"-aspect of Rider Switch) and it's a chance to do attractions that you might not normally do (e.g., everything in FL, Bug's Life Land, the Main Street vehicles, character meet & greets, etc.).

There is a Baby Center in both parks with a training potty (if you're working on that) and pretty nice changing tables. We used those whenever possible for the little ones.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

I have done it with 2 year olds two different times. While we did SOMETIMES have someone to sit with the 2 year old it wasn't always. Rider switch definitely makes it possible and doable. I would take your 2 year old. (And I say this even after I absolutely had a couple melt downs with my youngest. She was intense at that age LOL) The magic in a 2 year old's eyes is sorta amazing.

 

[Glynis4]

My kids will be 5 and 2 when we go to Disney later this year. I can not imagine leaving the 2 year old behind. Yes, it will make some rides a bit more complicated with having to use rider switch, but I like what previous posters have said about using that as special "1 on 1" time. Also, the 5 year old would not be ok with leaving her little sister behind haha. Ultimately it's up to you though

 

[GatorChris]

I've taken my all my kids to DL/WDW from the age of 1.5. Sometimes that meant I'd have to watch the youngest while the wife took the other child/children. Shoot, we still have to do that with 48 inch rides, which the youngest still can't ride. And it's perfectly OK. You'll be back one day to experience everything with kids all over the 40 inch mark, and that trip will be awesome. But there's lots that the 2yo can do at DL. Never leave a man behind. You'll just get to the parks and all you'll be thinking about is how much the 2yo would've loved "that" ride.

 

[Catvondita]

Personally when I start having kids I wouldn't take them until they are about 5-6. 2 years old from what I've read and heard are a lot fussier and temperamental because of that "Terrible two's stage". Also at that age would they really remember the trip? Ultimately if you are okay with taking it easy at the parks and prepared to cut the trip short just in case you should be okay. It will be easier without bringing them but also would you still have as good as a time if they aren't there?

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

My husband and I always brought our under 3 year olds. We did rider switch. We'd wait in line together and then one gets on the ride while the other stands aside with the baby/toddler. Then, we switched when the first ride is over.

I don't think this is true. Disney won't even let a too short child in the line, so I don't see how you could have all waited in line together. And any ride without a height limit, the 2 yr old can go on. I don't want the OP to think this is possible.

That said, I would absolutely bring the 2 yr old. Use rider switch as others have suggested - it lets your older child ride twice! And given the attitude of you family you're traveling with, I wouldn't be shocked if you tour separately for a lot of it and I think you'll want your 2 yr old there. There is a lot your family unit can do together!

It's none of my business, but I wouldn't want to share my vacation with somebody who is already so dead set against helping you.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Personally when I start having kids I wouldn't take them until they are about 5-6. 2 years old from what I've read and heard are a lot fussier and temperamental because of that "Terrible two's stage". Also at that age would they really remember the trip? Ultimately if you are okay with taking it easy at the parks and prepared to cut the trip short just in case you should be okay. It will be easier without bringing them but also wouldn't you still have as good as a time if they aren't there?

To each their own, but my kids absolutely remember their trips from that age! My youngest just turned 6 and I couldn't imagine all the memories with her I would have missed out on if we hadn't brought her along. We've never had to cut a trip short because of one that young. And for me, no I wouldn't enjoy the trip just as much without one of my children. I would constantly feel like something is missing.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

To each their own, but my kids absolutely remember their trips from that age! My youngest just turned 6 and I couldn't imagine all the memories with her I would have missed out on if we hadn't brought her along. We've never had to cut a trip short because of one that young. And for me, no I wouldn't enjoy the trip just as much without one of my children. I would constantly feel like something is missing.

If I hadn't brought my 2 year old we wouldn't have won the dream suite Never taking that chance again HAHA!

 

[coaches24]

I took my daughter at 2 for her first trip and it is still one of my favorite trips of all time. My daughter still remembers Minnie leading her around toon town and Donald Duck accidentally bonking her on her forehead with his beak. She had a BLAST at that age and there were many rides she was able to go on. And if no one else will watch her you and your husband can take turns doing single rider or ride swap. Thats what we did (My now ex wife and I) with rides like Space, Indy, splash etc where DD was too small or too scared to ride.

The pics in my sig are from DDs first trip when she was 2.

 

[jeneric997]

We've only been to WDW, but I started taking my kids when they were 9 months (older) and 6 months (younger). So I've taken plenty of trips with a 2 year old. I would absolutely bring your younger one and as a pp said rider switch is a great and the older child gets to ride twice!

Your younger one costs you nothing and there are so many rides they can ride. Both my daughters were 40 inches before they were 3, so they rode everything they could.

Plus think of all the pictures with characters. I have so many pictures of the girls at that age and I can't imagine only having just one of them in the picture.

A side story- my parents took my sister to WDW without me when I was an infant- I remember seeing pictures as a kid and being upset that I wasn't in them! As a parent I totally get why they didn't take me, but man did I give them grief about it!

 

[bumbershoot]

I would take the 2 year old and leave the SIL behind.

 

[agamble]

If this is your only trip to Disneyland this year (you are not local APs who go frequently) I would absolutely not bring one child and leave the other. As someone mentioned above your 5 y/o will go home and talk non-stop about Disneyland. And not just for a day or a week, but forever. My children can't stop talking about it and they haven't been in two years, so I know their memories are mostly based on pictures. And boy does my son get jealous when we look at the pictures at Disneyland before he was born. I can't imagine taking one child and leaving the other unless the other was a young baby who wouldn't know to be jealous. At two they are definitely able to understand being left and being jealous. And it could carry on for years.

We have had DAPs twice and also gone for a 4 day trip once, so our older two have both been several times, though it's been two years now. We took our oldest daughter for the first time at one, our son actually went as an infant since we wanted to take the older again, and we're taking all three kids this summer and our youngest will be one and a half. Disney with kids is fun. My kids were actually a LOT of fun to take at two. I am really looking forward to our AP year coming up because we get to watch youngest enjoy the parks as the other two did when they were younger.