Tell me about Disney with a 2 year old please!

[CNMooner]

I am obsessing over the next opportunity we have to go to WDW and I'm thinking DS(1/24/07)'s second birthday would be a good time...but is he too young to enjoy himself? I am not worried about him remembering it because we own DVC and will hopefully go every year. But I'm wondering if we should delay his first trip a bit? Or is 2 years old a good time to start if we take it easy?

Thoughts?

TIA!

 

[joeathome167]

We took my sons, DS4 and DS2 in May, 2005. Our first day 5/1/05 was DS2's 2nd birthday. We had a great time. He was a little hesitant about characters, all our pictures he is sucking his thumb. oh well. He also didn't get to ride a few rides because he was too short, but he wouldn't have riden them anyway. Overall, he had a good time.

He did sleep through a lot of the evening activities (like fireworks).

I am going again this december with those boys and our new DD, who will be 2 yr then.

 

[clm3]

MY DD went when she was 2 and LOVED it. She did tire out, but thats what strollers are for and we took out time. No commando !! She was a little scared of the characters up close, but loved them at a distance. If you take it slow it will be great. Plus she was free

 

[Desnik]

My kids are 9 and 4 and they have been going every year since they were 9 months and 8 months old! So, you know I'm going to tell you to go!! At 2 he'll have a great time and seeing his reactions to things will be priceless. We are also DVC'ers and we really take our time at the parks and take it easy on our trips. That's what's so great about DVC, if we don't get to do something on our trip, there's always next time!LOL At 2 my kids weren't that good at sit down restaurants. So we tried to make the sit downs we went to be character meals. They like the face characters, but the others had to keep their distance! I really have such wonderful memmories of them at that age at WDW. Go, you won't regret it!

 

[karenTX]

DD's first trip was at 18 months! She had a great time and so did we! There was only a small handfull of rides she COULDN'T go on. And we babyswapped on the those when she napped in the stroller. She LOVED all the costumed characters, especially Pooh, but was way scared of the Princesses! Go and have a great time!!

 

[tadamom]

I think it is a fabulous idea to take him at this age. We took our son when he was 3 months away from being 3 and he absolutely LOVED it!! He has talked about it everyday since. We are now getting ready to go again and his little sister will be 2 years and 5 months old!! She is very excited about going!!

 

[SmallWorld71]

DS8 was 2 1/2 on his first Disney Trip and he loved it! He only enjoyed the character from afar like many others but really enjoyed the rides and the hotel. Some of his favorites were the Safari, Dumbo, Peter Pan, playing in the fountains at Epcot and DD, the monorail and the bus to the parks. Just be sure to bring a stroller, snacks and drinks and a change of clothes to the parks with you. Have fun.

 

[luvdisneyalways]

We took both of our girls at 18mths and they loved it. We went last July and are headed back in 17 days!! DD is now 2 and talks about going to Disney World all of the time. When she looks at books with Disney characters she is sure to ask if we will see them at Disney. I say go! And like someone else said...They're free! A stroller that reclines is a must for us, she does still nap, we take our own. (I like knowing who cleans it)

 

[susykt4]

We took DS for the first time at age 2. He was a pretty awful 2-yr-old- VERY independent and prone to tantrums when he didn't get his way. He HATED Santa Claus and crowds. DH and I decided to trade off taking him back to the resort and make the trip all about princess loving DD (4 at the time.)

DS shocked us! He LOVED every second of Disney World. Loved the rides, loved the characters, loved the atmosphere, loved the buses and the monorails. He never had a tantrum once and we never had to take him back to the resort (other than our daily break.) He talked about Disney "Wordel" for a full year until we returned. He's now 4, has been to Disney three times and he and his sister talk nonstop about "next year." I'd say go for it!

We took DD for the first time when she was 17 months and my brother took his daughter for her first birthday (different trips.) We had great times with the babies!

 

[surfer_ed]

Just back with DD2 and DS 2 months. Didn't do too much park hopping. We are DVC as well and managing an infant car seat and a stroller for the 2 kids was a challenge BUT we did do Princess and Pirate night.

I have to say it was one of the most memorable nights I have ever had in the park because of my 2 year old. She had been once before at 12 months but this time she was really into it. Still a little shy of the characters but loved the shows and parades.

I have a priceless 30 second video of her dancing in front of the castle yelling “Me loves it”. She also got to meet her “friend Cinderella” which she is still talking about a week later.

At 2 years of age that was the real castle and she met the real Cinderella. Even if she doesn’t remember it my wife and I will cherish the memories from that night.

 

[EllyLovesDisney]

We took our DD at 9 months, and again at 18 months. At at the 18 month trip she had a BLAST! There was little she couldn't/wouldn't do. She was a little afraid of the costumed charactors up close but she loved to wave at them from a distance
By the end of the week she would start bouncing around in her stroller and getting excited every time we saw the castle and she would beg to go on the "horsey ride" (carousel) She STILL talks about Mickeys house, the castle and the pool!

One piece of advice I will give you is to take advantage of the baby care centers, they are wonderfull. Sometime's dd just needed a little time to play and relax in the playroom in the AC away from the crowds and noise.

We are going again in May, she will be 26 months and we are so excited!
Have a wonderful trip