To Moms of toddlers who have done Disney with them?

[Denine]

I understand barely making it through the first year!

DD, almost 26 months has been to WDW 7 times. I couldn't do it without DH though. She has always been difficult. She hates being in her stroller and has to walk, from the time she learned how. She will nap in it if she is tired enough. There have been trips when she was in no mood to wait in any line, so we either went on rides with no lines or didn't go on any. Luckily we have annual passes and are DVC members and don't feel obligated to go on or see everything. We go at her pace. This last trip was the worst. She was teething the whole time on the cruise and wouldn't eat or drink or sleep. She got a cold once we were in WDW and was miserable still. It may have been very different if she had been feeling better.
We did drive (from Ohio) and she was great on the drive down. She was sick for the drive back.

We have been home since Oct 29th and DD is still sick. Her cold turned into a double ear infection and she had diarrhea the whole time on the antibiotic. She has been off the ATB for over a week now and is into her 7th day of diarrhea, most like caused by a virus. We are still waiting for the test results.

 

[sarahsmom73]

Our DD was 2.5 and she was Wonderful!!! We just took her at 3 years and 3 months to Radio City Music Hall in NYC (4 hours in the car 1 hour 30 min by train)and she was wonderful for the whole trip! I think if you pack things to do, pack favorite snacks, the WDW part is pretty easy as there is SOOOOO much to see!

 

[crisi]

Mine were 2 1/2 and 3 1/2. My 3 1/2 year old was (is) the "darter," my 2 1/2 the "dwaddler" (still is - they are 5 and 6 now). We had a great time, but made the wonderful decision to cross paths with my parents for half the vacation - so about the time my own children were ready to drive me nuts, Grandma swooped in to help.


Honestly, while the trip was wonderful, the trip 18 months later was much nicer. My son got over his character anxiety. They were more willing to try different things. They listened better, didn't get tired as fast.

 

[PAFamily]

We have gone every year since my DS was 1 and my DD was 3. We have tried other family trips (resorts, California etc) and it was MUCH more difficult then going to Disney. We go every year and have a wonderful time- all 4 of us. My kids have yet to have a meltdown at Disney, they are so into the magic they tend to behave. It has been a blessing to us to have wonderful family memories year after year of the most magical place on earth.

 

[Sleuth]

We went to Disney last May with our two boys, ages 3 and 1. I was a little concerned too that it would be a difficult trip. We flew from Detroit, had several layovers there and back and it was trying at times on the trip, but my husband is so good about helping that it was all forgotten once we got to Disney.

We travelled with our double stroller, which we had the kids in most of the time. It was so hot in May! The kids just layed back and enjoyed watching the sites. The only time we got them out is for rides- this way they weren't running around wild and we were stressed chasing after them. We were pleasently surprised how well behaved our boys were, but I think the heat had something to do with it too, it wore them out.

They behaved better than the in-laws to behonest! Just make sure you have a good support system and help from another adult and you will be just fine. If you are driving a long drive, that will likely be the worst part of the trip. Good luck!

BTW, the boys were so incredibly well behaved we are going back in February!

 

[HenDuck]

First of all, hugs to you. Being a mother is the hardest job in the world. Don't let anyone tell you anything different. IT IS HARD. Period!

I had post-partum blues too. I think I cried everyday for the first month of DS' life. Maybe longer than that. It is a real condition and needs to be respected as such. It is important to reach out to other mothers who have been there too. Then you realize that you are NORMAL.

It will get easier and, at the same time, there will be new and different challenges ahead of you. Enjoy each stage of your child's life because each is special.

Ok, now, about Disney...

We took DS to DL at age 3 1/2 in April. We felt it was good age, even though he was not potty-trained yet.

He is a cautious child and a pickey eater by nature. I was worried about how he would react to the characters, the food, the rides, the weather.

He went with the flow and had a GREAT time. He comes by his Disney obsession biologically through his mother (me ). He knew all the characters and fell in love with Belle. He rode a lot of rides. Didn't like the dark rides but at least rode each of them once. Loved Dumbo and Autopia. Loved the train especially the part where you get to see the dinos.

He was a trouper. Got up early and took a power nap every day. Stayed up late to see Fantasmic and the fireworks. He had a blast and we all had a blast watching him.

My best advice to you for taking care of a small child as well as going to Disney with one is to be flexible and don't have unrealistic expectations. Don't get down on yourself if you can't "make" your child behave. They just don't work that way. Don't be bummed out if you take your child to Disney and he/she runs from all the characters. I didn't like them the first time I went to DL either.

My other advice would be "divide and conquer". If you do go to Disney with your small child, bring in the reserves. See if grandma and grandpa will come too. The greater the adult-to-child ratio, the better. Don't be afraid to ask for help, ever.

Stop and smell the roses.

Good luck to you!

 

[ahutton]

I also had a very hard time after my first DD, she had terrible colic and it seemed it would never go away. I also thought something was wrong with me, and it wasn't. We just had a major life change that I hadn't adjusted to yet, and she was having a tough time adjusting to her world too. I was on medication following the loss of a baby when DD2 was conceived, and elected to stay on it through my pregnancy and following. It was the best choice I made. DD2 had horrible reflux, without medsI don't know how I would have survived her screaming in pain for hours every day until the doctors found a balance of medication that worked. Knowing my PPD issues, and being pregnant with #3 right now, my doctor and I have already discussed meds after I deliver to help balance me out.

Doing a trip was part of what helped me with DD2 when she was having such a hard time. We got out of our normal environment, saw extended family who reassured me that we would survive, and had a wonderful time. DD2 was 3 weeks old on that trip. I never would have had the confidence to even try it with DD1, but I imagine the results would have been much the same. There is so much to enjoy at any age there, whether in a sling or stroller or even on their own tennies! Our very active girls sleep like rocks at WDW, and being in a less stressful environment does us all good. No thinking about what I should be doing - because that time is to focus on them and having fun.

 

[lmhall2000]

I am sooo sorry to hear about your ppd...a big hug for you on that one....

Here's our story...

Disneyworld with 2 year old and pregnant
Disneyland with 4 year old, 2 year old and 1 year old (yes we were busy)
Disneyworld with 6 year old, 4 year old and 3 year old

My tips...I personally would not drive with a child under 3 for more than 4 hours without a big big break in the drive....I mean 1-2 hours playing outside at a park (30 minutes at McDonald's just won't cut it)..letting him run off that energy...their little bodies just can't handle such a long ride and it's tough on the parents...so if you go with that in mind and don't hold yourself to a schedule..you should do well.

Also, as long as your spouse is a good order taker (Honey, could you hand me the wipes....honey do you mind taking him to change his diaper while I finish my sandwich....could you grab the juice cup on your way out, etc. etc.) then you'll both have a great time!

It can be so magical with a toddler...ya just have to be willing to work on their schedule and not overplan a day. And I also highly recommend staying on the monorail for quick jaunts back to the hotel.

Being free to spend a day at the pool just splashing about could be a great day for a toddler...listen to their needs (wet pants, hunger, sun in their eyes, thirst...) and you'll find a smooth vacation...

Underplan, let them relax and play, schedule meals in restaurants according to their "good" hours, and keep plenty of handy snacks available....goldfish, bananas, drinks...

Enjoy...we would GLADLY go again at their ages and don't regret a minute of it...there's something so sweet about a baby reaching for Mickey's nose and that precious grin on their faces...

Tara

 

[Alysa]

Spirited babies - gotta love them! My sister has an angel baby at the same time and it is quite funny wtching the two of them together sometimes. Chalk and Cheese.

Things that helped:

1. Keeping as close to her schedule as possible keep nap times the same, bring her bed linens and bedtime books. Skip fireworks until she is older and get her to bed on time.

2. Get a room with a kitchen if you can. If you are not a DVC member, try renting points from someone. Vero with a galley kitchen vs. AKL without one mades SUCH a difference. Our good eater shut down at AKL and would only eat grapes and mac and cheese.

3. If you are more than 4 hours away by car - fly! Try to tie-in your travel time to a nap. P.S. Either infant gravol does not make kids sleepy or she would have been a basket case without it because she only slept about 30 minutes each way.

4. Bring a bag of toys from the dollar store she has never seen before as well as her favourite snacks for the 1-1/2 that she is awake on the plane!

Have a wonderful time and enjoy this special time when Disney magic is reallly real to them!

 

[kelscross]

Last year my girls were 1.5 and 2.5. They had a blast although the heat really got to my youngest. I would recommend going during a time of year when it is cooler.

Also, it was really crowded so we would walk around until we found an attraction that didn't have as long of a line.

All, in all they had a wonderful time and still talk about it.

This year we went in September. It was not crowded at all they were 2.5 and 3.5. I got a little "me" time because when they would go to sleep I would sit on the balcony and enjoy myself.

We stayed at the Poly this last time and I would recommend it for anyone with small children. You can't beat the location and transportation. It was so nice to be able to wheel the stroller on without waking the kids.

You'll have a great time!

 

[krystyana]

Our son was a little over a year the first time he went to disney. He absolutely loved it. I think it's important to try to stick with their schedule, we tried to stick to his normal naps and bed time as much as possible. We paced it around him (I'm usually much more regimented) and let him play in the dancing water and the playgrounds and sometimes he just napped in the stroller. I don't think he remembers any of it but he was great and we all had a wonderful time! Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[TSirgey]

I would make sure that your child is ok with sleeping somewhere in a porta-crib. We went to Canada for a relative's graduation when my daughter was 18 mos and it was torture. She refused to sleep in a pack and play and we almost drove home to PA in the middle of the night!! Needless to say, we waited until our dd was 3 before we went to WDW. We had a blast. At around age 2 when she went into a bed, we thought about taking a vacation. Before that, if there wasn't a real crib, we didn't stay there!!

They are so occupied with everything around them, that it will probably be great stimulation for an active toddler. My daughter had a blast and can't wait to go again!

 

[Alysa]

TSirgey
You can actually arrange a crib ahead of time if your child will not sleep in a pack and play - I know you can ask most of the delux hotels for one or you can have one delivered to your room by a rental company - Mummies Friend or something - I am sure of the actual name but someone else in the post will be certain to remember it...

As for us - we just took her quilt and bumper and set it up in the pack and play and that seemed to do the trick. I think she was so zonked from all that fun that she would have slept in a bus station!