Tips on packing for a 1-yr-old for WDW, please

yensid3

Earning My Ears
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Jul 4, 2007
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I dread the task of planning and packing our 1-year-old for our July Disney vacation.
Any tips on:
- how to amuse her in lines? She loves to crawl and cruises, not walking yet. Doesn't like to be held too long because wants to move.

- what about napping? She takes a great 2-3 hour nap in our air-conditioned home in her crib. What to do in the park?? Should we rent a stroller there? Should we pack our big clunky stroller which is padded and reclines?

_What rides can a 1-year-old go on? Does she need a certain height requirement?

- What about the water parks? Can she do anything with a swim diapper? Does she need our intertube from home or do they have something safe we can use?

- any suggestions on helping her to nap at the hotel pool? Do hotel pools allow babies with swim diappers?

-What about helping her with the heat/humidity? And the sun.


Yes, she is coming with us. Any suggestions would be so appreciated. I need to pack soon. Thanks yensid3
 
how to amuse her in lines? She loves to crawl and cruises, not walking yet. Doesn't like to be held too long because wants to move.When ours were younger we took ice in lines with us, that kept them busy, also play and sing and let her walk around the rest of your party in line with you

- what about napping? She takes a great 2-3 hour nap in our air-conditioned home in her crib. What to do in the park?? Should we rent a stroller there? Should we pack our big clunky stroller which is padded and reclines?We always took our own stroller - even the year we had to take two double strollers:thumbsup2 There were a few times we rented a stroller and they never had trouble napping in those either Of course, my kids nap anywhere when they reach their sleepy point - jus tlike their mom:rotfl:

_What rides can a 1-year-old go on? Does she need a certain height requirement?There are tons of rides to go on - only the big ones are off limits - ours always enjoyed the ones with music, lights best, but we always took them on any ride they were able to go on - our DD went on teacups at 7 months and loved it!

- What about the water parks? Can she do anything with a swim diapper? Does she need our intertube from home or do they have something safe we can use? Both water parks have great kid areas and there will be lots to do as long as she likes water

- any suggestions on helping her to nap at the hotel pool? Do hotel pools allow babies with swim diappers?When we were at our hotel pool and they were napping I used this as a good opportunity for me to nap and would carry them up to the room with me or lay them on a lounger next to me - and yes, most hotels allow swim diapers

-What about helping her with the heat/humidity? And the sun.We used ice, ice and more ice to keep the kids hydrated - free at any CS rest. We used a loose floppy hat (which they didn't like to leave on) so we resorted to suntan lotion applied every two hours (more if they got wet) We also walked through stores with AC on our way if possible and took breaks every day in AC rides

Also, we packed three outfits per day or planned on washing when that limit was done. We would wear one to the park, pack one in the bag and have one for when we got back - if it was an all day park day, like our MK day, we would pack both extras in the bag
Don't forget ziploc bags for the wet clothes in your bag


Good luck and have a great time:banana:
 
Our son was just 18 months when we took him in July of last year. Here are my tips. Hope they help.


- how to amuse her in lines? She loves to crawl and cruises, not walking yet. Doesn't like to be held too long because wants to move.

He was still not steady on his feet he didnt start walking until 15 months so he had a ball holding onto the ropes and walking also we sung the songs to him from the rides.


- what about napping? She takes a great 2-3 hour nap in our air-conditioned home in her crib. What to do in the park?? Should we rent a stroller there? Should we pack our big clunky stroller which is padded and reclines?

Yes we took our own stroller. We bought a lightweight peg preggo unbrella stoller that reclined. It was easy to get on and off the buses and it still had a full tray in front that collapsed. We had to go back to the room every day and let him nap. Usually my husband slept with the baby while I went out to the pool or gift shop. It gave me some personal time.

_What rides can a 1-year-old go on? Does she need a certain height requirement?

He was able to get on most of the rides except the thrill rides. The only ride he didnt like was the figment/imagination ride in epcot. The loud noise scared him. He did great with jungle cruse, small world and even pirates. The pop up jets were a big hit along with the kidcot stops in epcot.

- What about the water parks? Can she do anything with a swim diapper? Does she need our intertube from home or do they have something safe we can use?

You had to use disney provided floats at the pools and waterparks. A swim diaper is a requirement for entering any pool/park in disney. They sell them at the gift shops if you forget or run out.

- any suggestions on helping her to nap at the hotel pool? Do hotel pools allow babies with swim diappers?

We had to do naps back at the room for him to get proper sleep. We used to do disney commando style but once you have a baby I dont see how this is possible. Afternoon breaks are a must. They need to get out of the heat and get some sleep or forget dinner or the evening. We learned our lesson very quickly.

-What about helping her with the heat/humidity? And the sun.

lots of water, mister fans, pop up jets at the parks. And SUNSCREEN!!! Also if the hair is fine a hat. Leave the parks/pool for naps and get them out of the extreme heat from 12-2.

One thing I suggest is count the number of days and the number of diapers and then add on a few days worth. We ran out of wipes and they were not cheap in the gift shop. We also brought dish soap, brush, and a drying rack for the bottles and kept them in our sink area. I also packed 2 outfits for each day because they tend to either get dirty or wet. More so than at home. You will have a great time!!!
 
We just took our 18 MO Princess granddaughter to meet the World in May. If you do the baby swap, you shouldn't have to stand in lines much. (Just go to the cast member at the fast pass entrance and ask for a baby swap card. One person stands in line while the other keeps the baby--you can go to a playground, wheel around in the stroller, or whatever. When the first person gets done riding, the 2nd gets to enter through the fast pass line. If you get fast passes first, you can both ride in less than 30 minutes--worst case timing--without fighting the child in line! If there are more than 2 of you, up to 3 people at a time can ride on the baby swap.)

We took some things to amuse her as well, mostly used waiting for the food to arrive at sit-down restaurants. She loved (and still plays with) a little light I got from Oriental Trading Company--it's like what Disney sells right before the night parades and shows, but ours only cost $3. I also got some cheap Disney junk at a dollar store before we went, and she can amuse herself for a long time with a little fan with foam blades--it's so quiet it's now a favorite church toy.

Make sure the baby drinks a lot. We were lucky that it was relatively cool when we were there. Order a battery clip-on fan from onestepahead.com to clip on the stroller. Keep a wet washcloth in a little cooler and use to to wipe off face, hands, legs to cool off. We used a collapsible cooler--a soft-sided lunch bag--and just stuck a ziplock bag full of ice in it each day with juice, cheese, washcloth, etc.

We were ALWAYS at a park at opening time--hard for us to get up but so worth it! One morning, we rode 5 rides in Fantasyland in the first 50 minutes! Then, we'd just go back to our resort for a nap after lunch--and usually we all napped!

If your little one likes a blanket, take a lightweight one from home. We took a blanket and pillow for the Princess and it made sleeping much more like home. Also, some of the indoor attractions are VERY air-conditioned, so we always had a lightweight jacket to slip on her when it was really cold. We also took some microfiber towels--I bought ours 3/$3 at the automotive section of Dollar General. We used them to dry off a bench, our feet, etc. Very handy.

We took some clothespins and a few ponchos ($1 or 2/$1, depending on where you buy them before you go). When rain was threatening, we'd clip a poncho over the stroller when we were going into a ride, show, etc. so she'd have a dry seat when we returned.

Take advantage of the baby care centers. Our favorite was at Epcot--we were the only people in there and got so much attention!

I sew and I'm the grandma, so the Princess has lots of things I've made. One of the best is big changing pads--you can also buy them or use receiving blankets. That way, you never get somebody else's germs/dirt on a changing table. Also, we found a vinyl roll-up placemat. I think that also came from One Step Ahead. It has suction cups and we just stick it on the table at a restaurant, so she can eat off it without us worrying about how dirty the table is or how messy she's making the table! When she's done, we just dump what's left onto one of our plates (after we're done!!) and wipe the placemat off with a sanitizing wipe. We've found servers are so appreciative of the placemat that they often volunteer to clean it for us.

There's probably more. PM me if you have specific questions!
 

Wow! Some great advice on this thread. Our youngest will be 22 months during our trip, and I've been wondering how we're going to do this with him.
 
One thing I forgot to add is we took a portable DVD player to dinner with us and if he started acting up we popped in a disney sing along and he was entertained so we could enjoy dinner. Quite a few moms commented on how they wished they had done this. Someone suggested this to us and it was a huge help.

If you are flying and your tray to the stoller is removable take it off at the gate. Our frineds got lost and they had a huge box of random stroller trays so it must happen pretty often. Ours was not detachable but collapsable so we didnt have to worry about it.

I also bought a stoller cover for rain from Babies r us. He could see through it and still stay dry even if we had a downpour. Very hand. It only cost about $10. It also kept the stoller dry along with our belongings.
 
Some more random hints I've thought of:

We took our own stroller. It was much nicer to have it around the resort, going to/from the parks, etc. The Princess has one of those big ones with the tray in front and to me, it's just a pain in the rear. We bought a Chicco umbrella stroller for $60--it's much nicer than the umbrella one we had when our kids were little. (That made it cheaper than renting one every day we were there, plus we had it all the time and can still use it when we take the Princess places.) It reclines, which really doesn't matter with her because she's too nosey to sleep when there is anything to watch; has a sunshade; and folds up easily. We got an extra mesh bag that hangs over the handles
($10 at Babies R Us) and it was great for holding OUR stuff. Since we got back, I've found a bag that hooks over the handles and has a cup holder and an insulated section. We'll use it next time along with the mesh bag. I've also discovered since we got back a "bottle bungee" which is a fabric thing that you can velcro around a sippy cup or bottle and then the other end velcroes around the stroller, car seat, etc. so the cup doesn't hit the ground when the kid lets go of it. Our stroller came with a tote bag that it fits in, so we put the stroller inside it to gatecheck at the airports. I got the bungee and insulated bag from travelingwithkids.com They have great stuff!

We also took a small tabletop fan (because I like to use one for sleeping) but when we turned it on, it would mask any outside noise--anytime she'd hear the whistle of the boat approaching the dock, she'd wake right up!

Because we go to Disney a lot, and this was our trip for the Princess, we didn't mind time to slow down and take it easy, which is good because I think it's very necessary with a little one. If you've been a commando tourist before, forget about it! The fun of seeing it all through her eyes made it worth it.

We were on the dining plan (free for those under 3) so we scheduled one ADR per day. Those worked well with the Princess, because we knew when we'd eat. We had 2 character meals, but she was scared of the characters. She loved looking at them from a distance but not close up! Once we realized that, we'd just wave them past us--the characters were great with that. They'd wave at her from a distance and act shy. I liked the TS places better with her, because we didn't have to stand in a long line to get food then search for a place to eat. When we did the CS meals, we'd try to go early or late and one of us got food while the other took the Princess and found a table. Finding each other is simple if the adults have cell phones.

As others have mentioned, take lots of clothes. Take lots of shoes. The Princess had 2 pairs of Crocs, and her Mickey ones rubbed a sore place on the side of one foot, so she wore a pair of sandals we'd gotten at Old Navy just before we left (thank heavens!) for almost the whole trip. She always wore a hat when we were outside, and lots of sunscreen. Be careful on the boats if the hat doesn't have a chin strap--it might blow off! She loved sunglasses, but just as a toy--she wouldn't keep them on.

We took enough diapers for the whole trip plus some--used the extra suitcase room for the things we bought! We also took food from home that we knew she liked--cheese, her favorite crackers, etc. You can take baby food, bottles on a plane without coming under the "no liquids" rule. We took an unopened 1-serving size bottle of Gerber apple juice and 3 bottles of milk, plus an empty bottle. We kept it in the soft cooler with ice in a ziplock bag and threw away the ice at security, then got more ice after we went through security. You just show security the bottles--they didn't even question us--we'd just laid them in the bin.

I used a place called gardengrocer.com to order food in advance. We got individual fruit cups, a big bottle of apple juice, milk, yogurt, bananas, a case of water, wine for us, etc. They delivered it to our resort and it was waiting for us when we arrived. Bell services keeps the cold things cold for you until you pick it up.

We took a couple boxes of Gerber Graduate breakfast bars--she loves them for breakfast and snacks. We typically eat breakfast in our room, with or without the Princess. We eat breakfast bars, instant oatmeal, yogurt--much faster than going anywhere to eat, even the resort food court. The line there was always huge in the mornings when we walked by.

The Princess has fever seizures so we took Tylenol in our quart ziplock bag, along with a thermometer. We also had 2 small (8 oz.) bottles of Pedialyte, Little Noses, and Little Coughs in our packed luggage, but didn't need any of the medicine. Still, I'd rather be safe than sorry!

We took at least 1 gallon ziplock bag with us every day. You can stick wet clothes in it, extra food from a meal, etc.

We also took some of her favorite books, plus a few new ones. I found a little slate that she could scribble on, then erase and start over. We also took her favorite doll and a blow-up beach ball--a small one. She's obsessed with balls so we could blow it up after we got there and play with it in the room.
 
I dread the task of planning and packing our 1-year-old for our July Disney vacation.
Any tips on:
- how to amuse her in lines? She loves to crawl and cruises, not walking yet. Doesn't like to be held too long because wants to move.
Hold her hands and let her walk w/you. :) We also did a lot of passing ds off from one adult to another. There's a lot of visual stimulation there so entertaining him wasn't a huge problem for us. When ds got a little older we put a safety harness on him so his hand didn't have to be up in the air all the time and he couldn't run under the queue rails or chains and get away from us (he was a runner! lol). Not for everyone I know but you'll see a lot of toddlers wearing them at WDW so you won't be alone.


- what about napping? She takes a great 2-3 hour nap in our air-conditioned home in her crib. What to do in the park?? Should we rent a stroller there? Should we pack our big clunky stroller which is padded and reclines?
DS was a great stroller napper. We brought our own stroller and used a special canopy cover when he was napping. There are other options too (see links below) .

-What rides can a 1-year-old go on? Does she need a certain height requirement?
Infants and toddlers can ride anything w/out a height restriction. When ds was that age the only attractions that really bothered him were the ones with lots of sound effects. One that sticks out in my memory is Mickey's Philharmagic which not only has loud sounds but also wind and water effects as well.

- What about the water parks? Can she do anything with a swim diaper? Does she need our inner tube from home or do they have something safe we can use?

The resorts all have swim vests the kids can use. I'm not sure if they have ones small enough for a one year old. You can bring your own flotation devices in if you want. ETA: sorry I was thinking resort pools when I originally answered this. We have yet to take ds to a water park but we have never been huge water parks fans anyway. DS is completely entertained at the resort pool anyway. :) There are swim vests at the water parks, I'm sure. They also have areas that are geared more for the younger set.

- any suggestions on helping her to nap at the hotel pool? Do hotel pools allow babies with swim diapers?
You can bring your stroller down by the pool area although obviously there's nothing you can do about the noise other guests might be creating that may keep your LO awake. Some resorts have non-themed pools that might be less busy and therefore quieter to hang out at. We have used disposable and non-disposable swim diapers. Either are fine.

-What about helping her with the heat/humidity? And the sun.
We use a high SPF sunscreen on ds and also bought a this sun shade for our stroller to cover the sides when he was sleeping. One you should check out is the Rayshade HERE by Kiddopotamus which wasn't available when I was looking but I've seen it recommended numerous times on the Dis. There are also fans that can be clipped on to the stroller like this Kelgar Fan here. Or you could use a mister fan ( approx $5-6 at Walmart, or $18 at WDW).
hth
 


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