Tips for taking 2 & 3 yr old nephews to parks

[Principessa1284]

I already posted on the family board and got a few good tips, but I could definately use some more! DBF and I are local to Orlando, and are taking his 2 & 3 year old nephews to the parks for a weekend. I know the parks very well, so knowing which rides/shows are good won't be an issue. I do not, however, know much about kids that age in general. We've already gotten 2 strollers (1 cheapy umbrella one, and a slightly more expensive one with a cup holder and storage under the seat), and have gotten some shelf stable / temp resistant snacks.

Anything else? I could use all the help I can get. I'll definately bring my camera and my patience .

Oh PS - the 3 year old is potty trained, and the 2 year old is getting there but still wears diapers. DBF has experience and has promised to handle diapers.

 

[nikkers]

My DD is (2 1/2), we just got back from WDW last month. We were very lucky not to have long wait times for rides. The longest time we stood in line with her was 25 minutes for Dumbo. Our 1st full day there we went to MK. DD was very into the characters. DH stood in line with her for over an hour to see Winnie the Pooh and friends at MK. That was way too long. By the time it was her turn she was no longer excited. We found Epcot and Animal Kingdom were great places to meet characters. We stood in line for 15 minutes at Epcot's character spot and met Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto and Donald. Also, stood in line for 5 minutes at the Toy store in England to meet Winnie the Pooh and friends. She hugged them and gave them all high fives. If you go to AK, there were no wait times at Camp Minnie and Mickey while the Lion King show was going. She also loved the character meals.

My only other advice with kids that age, is to not rush them. We went on our kid's schedules. We wanted them to enjoy our vacation. If we stayed out late we didn't rush them in the morning. Or if we got up early, we didn't stay out late. My kids can be very grumpy and not cooperative when hungry or tired.

Good luck and have a great vacation!

 

[Unibits]

We just did Disney last December with our 3 year old. The best idea is to let them run off nervous energy when ever they can. If it is their first trip, the are going to be "wound up" for the first few days. Make sure that you get them to eat around their regular mealtimes. Although it will be diffficult, try to get them to have nap time. Remember, to get them to slow down, you need to slow them down. We found a long trip on the Walt Disney Railroad at the MK and the Monorail around the property excellent ways to get them to pass out. We took the excitement away and then they slowed down. You may also want to consider a smaller soft sided cooler bag with juice and snacks, more the normal food from home in case you happen to run into the "I don't like that" arguement.

Hope it helps