Strategies for taking small children for their 1st trip?

[snyderla]

I am really excited about taking my grandkids, dgs 2 and dgd 4, for their first trip to WDW. (my daughter and son in law will be going too, his first trip, daughter hasn't been since she was 13). I haven't ever taken young children before, so I would love some hints and ideas on how to have an absolutely wonderful trip. I have been to WDW several times and seen the melt-downs and don't want to put them thru that. Any ideas on any and all areas of the trip would be greatly appreciated. We are staying at PC and driving down from Illinois.

I want to make them a scrapbook, too, any ideas for photo shots?

Thank you very much...
Lori

 

[2minny]

Magic Kingdom first thing in the morning, home in afternoon for nap and swim, return in the evening for fireworks/parades/dinner. I'd spend a few days at Magic Kingdom. Epcot and mgm will be fun for them too. I'd just make time to go back to the room for a few hours of rest each day. You'll get a ton of great pics with characters and in front of the castle! Take a stroller or rent one (both kids will want rides at times). Don't forget sunblock and hats! How fun to take the grand kids for the first time!

 

[lisareniff]

Magic Kingdom first thing in the morning, home in afternoon for nap and swim, return in the evening for fireworks/parades/dinner. I'd spend a few days at Magic Kingdom. Epcot and mgm will be fun for them too. I'd just make time to go back to the room for a few hours of rest each day. .....

Ditto! Go to the parks at opening and leave early afternoon for a rest. Sometimes the kids enjoy the resorts as much as the parks. If the kids are used to having meals at a set time, try to remember that and anticipate their hunger times. Nothing worst then a hungry child (well, maybe a hungry tired child!). For us it was breakfast upon waking, lunch at 11:30, snack at 3-4 and dinner at 6.

 

[WDW LOVR]

I would do all the other parks you want to do before taking the kids to MK. If you go there first they may not appreciate the other parks. I agree with the other posts that say go early, take a break and go back later.

Things also got a lot more fun for us when we stopped trying to go at a pace to do everything and just let the kids dictate what we did, like ride the People Mover (it'll always be the people mover to me) as many times in a row as they wanted to.

 

[trirae]

I'm not sure where you are planning to stay. We stayed offsite with a 20 month old, a 3 yr old, and a 6 yr old. I do think a house/condo or DVC is very nice with small children. It gives them more room to actually play and be kids when not at parks.

We didn't have major meltdown times at the parks. Actually at that age, I tend to think they are so in awe that tantrums seem to be worse a little older when they have more expectations of what they want to do/get while they are there.

Really watch for any early warning signs of overstimulation or tiredness; then head out quickly, and you should be fine. They will have a blast. Of course, lower your own expectations of what you can do. The younger one may want time just to sort of run around. Standing in line is hard on them, so if you try to do too many, it gets rough, but that's all common sense.

Enjoy!

 

[kilee]

We took my neice in 2003 when she was 16 months old. She did really, really well. We didn't have 1 single melt-down in the 8 days we were there. The only 2 we had were on the plane each way. So, pretty good in my opinion.

Anyhow, we really went at her pace. We didn't do afternoon breaks as we were staying offsite. We did break the #1 rule and went from opening to closing everyday w/ her. Worked with her, but not always the best advice. It was hot, so be sure to slather those little one's multiple times throughout the day w/ high SPF sunscreen, and don't forget to push the water w/ them. After every few attractions we'd look for out of the way places. We'd let her out of her stroller and let her just "do her thing". She'd walk, sometimes play w/ her toys, and snack. She slept well in her stroller, so she always took a nap. She HATED characters, so we only have pictures of her sleeping w/ in her stroller w/ them. Biggest thing was we had to be prepared to always leave if she didn't do well.

 

[TwingleMum]

The best advise is to stay onsite. I have 3 DS under 4 years old. My twins were 10 months old last time we went. I kept everyone on their schdule . We left the parks in the noontime hours. We took naps ,relaxed and swam. Then we went to the parks for a few hours. Maybe 3x during our 11 day stay I kept them out late and we saw the evening parades and fireworks. Otherwise they went to bed at their regular time. They were a joy. They enjoyed everything and no meltdowns or whining. And they seemed to enjoy all the sights and sounds. Realize you won't get all that you want to do accomplished. Set reasonable goals 1 or 2 must do's each day. You can't expect to take a 2 and 4 yr old out to a character breakfast, run around a park all day and then see fireworks. I'm exhausted just typing it. Pick either early meals or late fireworks. Don't stay out for fireworks and then try to get up early the next morning. Go at their pace.
Stop and smell the MK. You may have this idea what they like. But they might be thrilled and happy running through a spitting fountain. Enjoy what they do. Each park has somethings your crowd will probably love. MK~ the sights,sounds and people little children love. Toontown where Mickey lives is a big favorite. The Winnie the Pooh ride, Cinderellas carousel, Dumbo, maybe Buzz Lightyear. A big favorite was the MK steam train. They love riding it around the park. My boys also love the monorail or as one twin calls it the momorail. MGM~ Playhouse Disney & Honey I shrunk the kids playground (not the show -too intense for little guys. Epcot~ My 3 yr old loved ice station cool, cranium command, and snacking at the different countries. AK~ my guys love this park. They love the leisurly pace and all the animals. Loin King show was a fav. Hope this helped didn't mean to ramble.

 

[julia & nicks mom]

I am going to have to disagree about going to MK last -

I took my kids to the opening of the MK - which is 15 minutes before the park opens at the train station - and NOTHING will ever compare to that moment for me or them

to hear Julia squeal- mommy - there's mickey & minnie and just get so excited set the tone for the rest of the trip and then to see the castle - I just really think that is the best way to start the trip

the first day was the only time we went anywhere in the morning )except late PS seatings for the princess breakfast - I let them sleep in and we didn't rush around to leave. Then we were able to enjoy the day in the parks - my kids napped in the parks (I am SOOO lucky) and if I realized they had not slept and needed to - we headed back to the resort and relaxed - reading their moods is the best thing to do

 

[Local_Girl]

My advice is a bit different than what you've heard thus far...we took our DS11 and DD8 for the first time when they were 3 and 1. Interestingly, what we thought they would love, they often only had a mild interest in. DS was fascinated with what was on the ground...sticks, rocks, etc. and climbing into the foliage. DD was very agreeable for the most part, and I don't remember any major meltdowns with her. We did the baby swap and DS was able to ride BTMRR, which turned out to be his favorite, the little daredevil! Anyway, have a wonderful trip! And don't forget the sunscreen!!

 

[powellrj]

the best advise I can give you is to follow their signs. If they are ready to leave, leave. Don't try and stay for just one more ride. Even if leaving is as simple as a snack under an umbrella table. Don't pass a bathroom without stopping in. Even if they say they don't have to go, have them try (I know this one first hand!). Don't make them go on anything they seem scared of. Nothing is worse than a parents telling a child, "its really not that bad" If you follow their lead, your trip should be fine! You have plenty of adult hands so that will make it easier.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

The first time we took our little ones they were 2, 4 and 5. My best advice:

1. Stay ONSITE!
2. Get to parks at opening, leave early afternoon/late morning for a swim and/or nap break
3. Make at least one sit down meal PS per day. BTW children under 3 are free at buffets
4. At MK start with Fantasyland first and go over to Toontown as soon as they open (usually around 10). That way you won't have to wait in huge lines to see the characters.
5. Use fastpass
6. Don't try to see everything. Take time to enjoy WDW and enjoy watching your grandchildren.

HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME.

P.S. My little ones really didn't like EPCOT, but loved MGM. There are lots of shows at MGM for little ones - Playhouse DIsney, Little Mermaid, Muppets, and Beauty and the Beast. My kids also loved the Spectromagic Parade at MK and the fireworks.

 

[mommystieg]

P.S. My little ones really didn't like EPCOT, but loved MGM. There are lots of shows at MGM for little ones - Playhouse DIsney, Little Mermaid, Muppets, and Beauty and the Beast. My kids also loved the Spectromagic Parade at MK and the fireworks.

We had the opposite experience. DD#2 has been each year since she was 2 and she really loves Epcot. Her only "must do's" at MGM are Playhouse Disney and Beauty and the Beast. Ursula in The Voyage of the Little Mermaid scared her the first time we saw it and now she refuses to go.

- Don't take your kids to see Honey, I Shrunk the Audience as their first 3-D show. We did that in 2002 and our girls still haven't quite recovered from that. If you are unsure whether the kids will enjoy some of the 3-D shows, just sit near an exit--that way you can make a quick getaway if you have to.
- Be aware that some of the shows and attractions are very LOUD--at age 2, DD#2 was more frightened by loudness than darkness.
- Try to catch all of the different parades.
To prepare our youngest for her first trip, we purchased several of the live action sing-a-long videos:
Disneyland Fun
Campout at Walt Disney World
Beach Party at Walt Disney World
Flik's Musical Adventure at Disney's Animal Kingdom
These videos show the characters interacting with kids and the Disneyland Fun one shows many of the park's attractions. I think this really helped her when she met the characters. The free vacation planning video was also one of her favorites.

 

[MickeyFlirt]

We take our 5 yr old DD often every since she was a baby. I would say stay on site. I don't see where staying off site saves that much money anyway by the time you pay for gas to drive back and forth and parking-anyway got off topic. Take a nap break around lunch. Take advantage of the shows and play areas as this will give all of you time to take a breath. Watch them for clues to see if they are tired as sometimes they won't say and if you wear them out half way through the trip the other half can be miserable. I also plan a day for relaxation-staying around the resort usually. MK in the morning and evening we try to avoid there between 12:00 and 4:00 and always do they EMH moring there as you can get a lot of rides done in fantasyland if it wasn't for this we might not be able to tolerate riding the dumbos because of the long lines and they are a must for DD.

 

[ajcolorado]

I want to second the suggestion that you have your kids watch the Disneyland Fun and other similar videos. My youngest doesn't always do well with new situations - she felt much, much better with having some things familiar.

Remember that you can transfer your stroller rental from one park to another, if you are parking hopping. You don't have to pay twice. Just ask at the stroller rental place when you return the stroller and they'll tell you what to do.

Set your goals accordingly: the goal is to have a good time, not to hit the park commando style. If that means riding Peter Pan's Flying Boats three times in a row, then that's okay.

If you want to get the picture on Dumbo's Flying Elephants, get to MK in time for opening and walk directly to Dumbo as soon as the park opens. It is the slowest loading ride in the park and the lines can be horrific. Doing it first is the only way to get it done. One parent can wait in line with the kids, the other can zip over to Winnie the Pooh or Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin for fast passes and then come back to the line. Don't get sidetracked by the characters on mainstreet - make a bee line for the Dumbo ride.

Remember that you can "Child Swap" on rides that your children are too small or too scared to ride. Just tell the attendant and they will tell you where one parent waits while the other rides. Then you swap. You don't have to go through the lines twice.

Our kids could handle any scary character (pirates, dinosaurs etc.) by our telling them "It's not real. They're plastic and they have batteries" I dont' know if it'll work with yours but it's worth a try.

Remember that Mickey's Toontown Fair opens after MK opens. The best time to get Character Pictures is to get to Toontown as soon as it opens and go through the character pavillions.

We tried to hit some rides in an speedy manner when the parks open. Then We would get some lunch and try to get a show or two in during the middle of the day. We needed the down time and a little quality time in an air-conditioned space. Then my kids were generally rested enough to go for some more rides.

My little ones really enjoyed the Chinese Acrobats at the China Pavillion in Epcot. The acrobats are children - which really impressed them.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I have to agree about the Disneyland and Disney World sing a long videos. They really get the kids used to the sights of WDW. My kids watched them for a long time before we even thought we were going to WDW. It made the MK seem more familiar to them when we went.

 

[Carolinagirl1063]

Our first trip to WDW in August 2004 DD was 3 almost 4, was a big success. We did:
MK days 1 & 4
MGM day 2
DTD/rest day 3
rest/change hotels day 5
AK day 6
USFL day 7
IOA/drive home day 8.

I think MK has to be first it really psyches them up for the whole trip! Remember, even the best laid plans fall astray when dealing with young children...be willing to be flexible and follow THEIR lead. My dd loves the character encounters more than anything! She loves rides, but at WDW she prefers autographs and pictures of the characters. We went in February and May of this year and are going later this month, we now go to Chef Mickey's on our arrival day for dinner. If time allows we go to MK long enough to meet the characters right in the front before we go eat. My dd loves this plan! She is always willing to go to the other parks since our last day is always MK.
She only tolerates Epcot for 1/2 day at the time. The park is too big for her and not much interests her after we find "The Beast" This usually takes a while though, she is willing to do anything in order to see him.

You will see Kodak picture spot signs around the parks, these are your obvious photo opportunities I look for opportunities when dd isn't expecting pictures. Some of my favorites from our trip in May:

close up on the carousel of DD and the horses head
dd on the boat crossing the lake in Epcot
DD in France in the library at Epcot
DH holding a sleeping DD in the line for the busses at the end of our last day at MK
DD and DH in Toontown with Mickey

Our dd loves the character meals too, I do as many as our budget will allow.
We have found 10 am and after 8pm good times for Toontown characters. DD was first in Toontown in May and got a personal tour of Mickey's house from the mouse himself on his way in to the judge's tent!

DD also loves the playground at MGM even gave up AK in February to have a second day to go there. She likes all of the shows there too. We did Epcot instead of AK and MGM in May. She liked the Fantasmic show better than Wishes. She loved the Spectromagic parade too. She likes the daytime parades but says she gets too hot

I hope you find some of this helpful!
Lisa

 

[ccgegg]

Looks like you already have plenty of advice. I'll reiterate staying onsite. PC will work, depending on the type of kids they are. But a 1br condo at SSR (your DVC home) would be much, much better. You can't appreciate enough having the kids sleep in a separate room so you don't have to tiptoe around.... not to mention the full kitchen and washer/dryer (kids get dirty). This also allows you to pack about 1/2 the clothes you normally would. But perhaps SSR is not an option for you at this point.

As for all the suggestions to take a break, we never did with our DD2 and had zero meltdowns. But each child is different. Ours was perfectly fine napping in the stroller as we meandered thru the parks. Anyway, nobody knows better than mom & dad about what their kids can handle. I personally find it funny how many people suggest taking a "break" by going back to the resort and swimming. Kids swimming at that age seems rather exhausting to me, for both the kids and parents. But again, each kid is different.

Have a great time!

 

[julfre]

Be careful of what ride you go on first. My niece went on Mr Toads Ride(closed now) when she was six and freaked out during the train part and didn't want to do anything else the rest of the day. Avoid Snow white until you see how they handle other rides. That one has a witch and is scary to many kids. Also, some kids are afraid of the characters. Don't be surprised if they are afraid of them and don't want to go up to them. Try to meet a character out on the street to see how the kids react before you wait in line at toontown for them.

The only other advice is to remember that this is for the kids and go at their pace. From you message, I don't think that will be a problem for you. Many of the meltdowns are because the kids are tired and the parnets want to get X number of rides done in X timeframe and just drag the kids around. As other posters have said, playing in a fountain for 30 minutes may be the highlight of the trip for them. The trip is a success as long as the kids have fun even if you don't see that many rides or shows.

 

[Daydreamer]

My advice would be to see Disney through their eyes. Don't get caught up in trying to show them everything, let them move at their own pace. For my oldest DD's first trip I spent three days trying to make everything perfect for her and it was miserable for us all. When I finally settled down and let her move at her own pace things went much more smoothly and I saw many precious things I know I would have missed.

 

[Texan Mouseketeer]

I took my 4 year old son and 10 month old daughter:

Bring earplugs for the loud shows, it helps

Also, know your kids, like everyone is saying here. I knew the #1 thing that would make my son have a meltdown would be lack of sleep. So we just said oh well to going to any firework shows or late night parades and we plan on doing all of those next trip. My daughter I can already tell is going to be a night owl and will be able to function on little sleep while my son still needs 9 to 10 hours at night if he is to be an agreeable person at all during the day!

Have a great time!