Traveling with 17 mo: NEED ADVICE

[gjpc2006]

We will be traveling with my 17 mo son this Nov. He will be traveling with his two Grammas, his aunt, and me (his mom). First trip for us all but more concerned about what he may or may not be able to do. Here are a few of my questions:

1. We are staying at the poly, do we need to rent a car to go back and forth for naps?
2. Any rides (other than height restricted rides) that I should not take him on? Took him to Disneyland when he was 8 mo no probs on any of the rides, but maybe it will be different this time?!?
3. Shows to see or skip?
4. Places in the parks to just kick back and relax for awhile (like his nap)?
5. Places to run around and just play, i.e. playgrounds?
6. Character meals? Have lunch plans for Garden Grill, should we keep them?
7. Are kids his age typically afraid of the characters?
8. Will room service bring a good stiff drink to the room once he is asleep?
9. Anything we absolutely shouldn't miss?
10. Any photo opportunities we must have?...maybe this deserves it's own thread...

I think I could go on and on...HELP!! Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[monorailsilver]

1. We are staying at the poly, do we need to rent a car to go back and forth for naps?

No a quick ride back on the monorail should do it (or the bus if you are at MGM or AK)

2. Any rides (other than height restricted rides) that I should not take him on? Took him to Disneyland when he was 8 mo no probs on any of the rides, but maybe it will be different this time?!?

I took my kids on pretty much every ride. My dd didn't want to go on the Haunted Mansion last summer so we didn't. Both got a bit freaked on Snow White & the Pirates but we made it fun for them.


3. Shows to see or skip?

We didn't waste our time but that is us. If we saw a street performer we did watch for a few, until our kids got tired.

4. Places in the parks to just kick back and relax for awhile (like his nap)?

I am sure there are but we make it a point to go back to rhe room for naps for all of us.

5. Places to run around and just play, i.e. playgrounds?

At the Poly there is no playground but there is an area where water squirts up from the ground & my kids loved it (they were 4 & 22 mo last year). There are different areas in the parks to play-like Donalds Boat in MK & Honey I shrunk the kids set in MGM. There really wasn't time to just kick back for us since we do the park in the am & then return for our break & then go back. Sometimes my kids played in the sand or swam depending on how long their nap was.

6. Character meals? Have lunch plans for Garden Grill, should we keep them?

I would.

7. Are kids his age typically afraid of the characters?

It depends on your kid. My dd was 15 months when we first took her. She was very verbal at that age & could pretty much verbally tell you the names of almost all the characters. She leaped out of our arms to go see Pooh (etc..) but as soon as she saw Cinderella she was afraid as well as the Fairy Godmother & the other face characters.

My friend that lives in Orlando met me for dinner one night at Chef Mickey's & they frequent the parks but her dd who is the same age & they even have the same birth date didn't like the characters.

For my ds's first trip last summer (he was 22 mo), he didn't like the characters. He would only go by them if we were near him & holding him.

8. Will room service bring a good stiff drink to the room once he is asleep?

LOL, I have no clue!

9. Anything we absolutely shouldn't miss?

Well you will miss something. My suggestion is to try not to make sure you see something especially with a little one because you will go crazy trying to get there vs keeping the baby happy. I do love to watch the fireworks from the Poly beach & the water parade from there too.

10. Any photo opportunities we must have?...maybe this deserves it's own thread...

If you are digital, just snap away.

Have fun too..

 

[gjpc2006]

thanks monorailsilver!!

 

[LAL77]

Hi there. We went last year with my 1.5 yo and my 2.5 yo. They loved our trip! It was tiring for all of us but absolutely wonderful. We're going back in December! So.... Here are a few more answers to your questions for you:

- Any rides (other than height restricted rides) that I should not take him on? My daughters did not appreciate us taking them to It's Tough To Be A Bug or the Little Mermaid shows. Lots of kids love them, but my girls were scared to death! Also, we never tried anything "grown up" with them such as the Haunted Mansion or POTC. There is SO much at all of the parks geared toward children of this age.

- Places in the parks to just kick back and relax for awhile (like his nap)?
We went back to our resort for naps. Our girls were exhausted. They would have never made it to the fireworks without a full nap. Shoot - my husband and I loved the naptime too!

- Character meals? Have lunch plans for Garden Grill, should we keep them?
My 18mo liked Chef Mickeys, Breakfastasaurus and CRT the best. She was completely overwhelmed by Crystal Palace. Sorry, I can't speak to Garden Grill.

- Are kids his age typically afraid of the characters?
My 18 mo was definitely shy with the characters at first. She didn't warm up until seeing Ariel. Maybe find a "face character" to warm up with? Otherwise just resign yourself to being in all the pictures and holding him.

- Will room service bring a good stiff drink to the room once he is asleep?
Haa haa haa. We stayed at Coronado Springs Resort and in the lobby there is a walk up carry out window with yummy margaritas.

- Anything we absolutely shouldn't miss?
I would say the earliest breakfast seating at Chef Mickeys. It's brutal waking up for it, but it's SO worth it.

I hope you have a wonderful trip! Good luck! -Lesley

 

[gjpc2006]

Thanks Lesley. I sure did ask for a lot of info. Appreciate you taking the time!

 

[alloyd1170]

My dad & I just took my DD 15 mos a few weeks ago. It was DS 4.5 yrs 3rd trip.

1. DD normally naps 3-4 hours at home. At WDW, we tried to see how she would do. We stayed at CR and never had to go back for naps. She would simply doze off in her stroller for about an hour. This is when we would grab a late lunch, go shopping, or take turns riding rides. There was just so much for her to take in she fought naps. All she needed was an hour and she was ready to go. Our days started around 8-830 and went until 10-1030 each night. As soon as both kids hit the pillows they were out. Take note-both my kids are seasoned travelers and good sleepers. Should you need to return to the Poly, simply take the monorail or boat (or the bus when needed, though lugging a heavy double stroller was not fun on the bus).

2. DD loved every ride she went on (those without a height restriction. In that case, we used baby swap). She never got spooked, even on HM. We rode Small World so many times. She actually pushed her brother almost knocking him down because she didnt want to wait in line! She also loved the carousel.

3. DD loved the fireworks (Wishes, Fantasmic, we skipped Illuminations) and Spectromagic. We didnt see any other parades. As for the 3d movies, she didnt keep her glasses on so I dont know how much she really got out of it. Shes not a tv watcher (except in the car) as shes always on the go.

4. At MGM theres a little nook behind the well at Indy Jones. I found it to be cool and quiet. As I said before, when she napped, we had lunch. It wasnt crowded and I was allowed to bring the stroller in to the restaurants. DS used to nap in Spaceship Earth.

5. At MGM theres Honey I Shrunk the Kids. Its really for older kids, like 3+. I was always paranoid Id lose DS. Thankfully theres only one way in/out so I parked myself there! At AK its Dinoland and the Dig. Weve managed to avoid it as its a giant sandbox. CR has or had a playground (if they havent torn it down yet as theyre going to do something with the north wing where the playground is). In Nov I dont think the water play areas would be very fun unless its warm outside.

6. We always do Chef Mickeys for breakfast on checkout day. This past trip on a whim we got into Crystal Palace for dinner. Both were excellent. We eat lunch at Liberty Tavern too (no characters, but great food).

7. DD was afraid of the characters. Well not so afraid she cried, but she didnt want to be touched by them or go near them without me. She loves Ariel and would not be alone next to her. Id say she was most comfortable with Mickey. DS was the same way at 2, but by 3 was fine. He was also afraid of Santa at 2. I tried to prep DD (and DS for his first trip) by showing them the free planning dvd and several of the Sing Along dvds with live characters. Now that we are back, DD enjoys the Sing Along videos even more. We are going back in Feb so Im anxious to see how she reacts to the characters and what if anything she remembers.

8. Dont know about it, but with the extra help you will have, why not head to the resort bar! Better yet, bring your own stuff. I had a fridge in my CR room, though it wasnt very cold.

9. You will miss a lot probably. With little ones, you have to be very flexible. Its all about them. When they get fussy, its time to go. We were lucky in that DD never fussed (except when DS bugged her). MK is probably your best bet for doing a lot. Small World, Carousel were DDS fav (same for DS and me when I first went at 3 yrs old). Believe it or not, its the simple things that we take for granted every day that will probably be the most interesting to you little one. DD went nuts whenever she saw a bird or duck, and believe me, there were lots of them around!

10. In the 6 days we were there, I took over 300 photos, plus we took advantage of the photopass people for another 100 photos (we bought the cd). Each night, I went through my pics and deleted the bad ones to make more room. If you go the photopass route, let them know that you plan to buy the pics, or the cd and they will take several shots. I swore we did more than 100 but thats what they came up with. Do take lots of pics as both kids like to look at their pics in photo albums. It helps them "remember" too.

Have a great time!

alison

 

[GoinToDisney]

I went last November, when my dd was 17 months old, and it was the BEST age to go. She loved it!
1. We are staying at the poly, do we need to rent a car to go back and forth for naps?
My dd napped in her stroller, and even on some of the rides. She napped in my arms in the line to some of the rides. I was worried about it at first, but she was never miserable. She is not the type to be over-stimulated. She loves to look around, etc.

2. Any rides (other than height restricted rides) that I should not take him on? Took him to Disneyland when he was 8 mo no probs on any of the rides, but maybe it will be different this time?!?

I think that at 17 months my dd didn't know enough to be scared. We did take her on Pirates, and it was one of her favorites because she loved looking at all of th eanimals and "silly guys" on there.

3. Shows to see or skip? See Philharmagic


4. Places in the parks to just kick back and relax for awhile (like his nap)?
There definitely are places. Usually while my dd napped, the adults would do child swap for Big Thunder Mt, and Splash Mt.

5. Places to run around and just play, i.e. playgrounds?

Pooh's Playful spot in Fantasy Land was great. This year we are going to check out the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids one in MGM.

We only did Magic Kingdom when she was 17 months because she didn't really sit for shows very well, and dh and I aren't HUGE fans of Animal Kingdom. (We can go to the Philly Zoo with our membership and save the ticket for MK)

6. Character meals? Have lunch plans for Garden Grill, should we keep them?

Yup. We LOVED the Crystal Palace lunch. Good food an ddd LOVED the characters.

7. Are kids his age typically afraid of the characters?

My dd liked us to hold her when she visited them, and did not like the Princesses. At that time, she was very shy around new people, and they were just people to her. Anyone who looked like a big stuffed animal, she loved.

8. Will room service bring a good stiff drink to the room once he is asleep?

You might be surprised. I was exhausted, but it was much easier than I imaginied because I didn't let myself worry about strict bedtimes, or naptimes, and just followed her lead. She just really surprised me.

9. Anything we absolutely shouldn't miss? My dd's favorite ride was Buzz Lightyear, and the adults loved tha tone too. Wishes were great.


10. Any photo opportunities we must have?...maybe this deserves it's own thread... Just the typical ones, and try to get pics of your whole group.

I think I could go on and on...HELP!! Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.
My suggestion for meals is to pre-pack zip-lock bags with a plastic placemat, disposable bib, take and toss spoon and fork, a paper towel, and a small baggie of baby wipes. Also, I would add crayons and paper to that bag, so everythign was ready. For diaper changes (messy ones) I packed ziplocks with a disposable changing pad, diaper and a snack-sized ziplock of baby wipes. I used the big bag to throw it all away. I had about 10 of the meal bags and diapers bags made up for the trip, and it was great.

Stickers were great for keeping her busy in lines. I also had some little dinosaurs from the $ store that she liked. Have fun!!!

 

[labdogs42]

We have taken our DS to WDW twice now. Once at 15 months and once at 19 months. He had a fabulous time on both trips and I'm sure your son will, too!

1. We are staying at the poly, do we need to rent a car to go back and forth for naps?

I wouldn't think so. My DS napped in his stroller most of the time. When he was starting to get tired, we'd take him on a dark ride (e.g. Spaceship Earth, Haunted mansion) or into a show (Hall of Presidents, Carousel of Progress) and he would soon be asleep in my arms, we'd pop him back into his stroller and he'd sleep like a champ for about 2 hours! We used this time to take turns riding things like Space Mountain, Test Track, etc. Or even just hanging out in the sahde and having a nice snack!

2. Any rides (other than height restricted rides) that I should not take him on? Took him to Disneyland when he was 8 mo no probs on any of the rides, but maybe it will be different this time?!?

My DS didn't like Tough to be Bug or Voyage of the Little Mermaid. He wasn't thrilled with Triceratop Spin, either (but he did like Dumbo). The teacups don't have a height restriction, but that might be a little much for such a little one, too.

3. Shows to see or skip?

See Playhouse Disney for sure!! My DS loves Wishes, Spectromagic, and the daytime parade. If you get a great seat up from for a parade, I think you can't go wrong with those!
My son wasn't really into the Lights Motors Action Stunt show. I'd skip that one.

4. Places in the parks to just kick back and relax for awhile (like his nap)?

Park the stroller under the nearest tree and hang out. Like I said before Hall of Presidents is a great nap inducer!

5. Places to run around and just play, i.e. playgrounds?
Pooh's Playful Spot -- MK
Donald's Boat -- MK
Fountains in Epcot (by Test Track and in the middle between FW and WS)
Laughing PLace (by Splash and BTMRR in MK)

6. Character meals? Have lunch plans for Garden Grill, should we keep them?
YES -- My DS loved this meal on our last trip. He loves characters.

7. Are kids his age typically afraid of the characters?
DS wasn't too sure about them on the first day of our first trip, but after I held him to introduce him to Chip and Dale, he couldn't get enough of characters after that. I have tons of pictures of my son with characters and they are priceless.

8. Will room service bring a good stiff drink to the room once he is asleep?
Maybe?

9. Anything we absolutely shouldn't miss?
Taking your time to see Disney through your DS's eyes.

10. Any photo opportunities we must have?...maybe this deserves it's own thread...
Well, the castle, the other park icons, and the characters, of course! We got the photopass CD on both of our trips and it was great. They will take tons of great pictures for you and you can get them all on CD for $99. It ismy favorite souvenir from both trips. It is nice to know that you have all those character pictures captured by them!

One more hint -- if your DS ends up liking the characters, go to Character Connection in Epcot. You get all the main characters in an indoor area with an air conditioned waiting line. You can't beat that!! Have fun!

 

[gjpc2006]

Thanks to all for the helpful info. One more question...what is photopass?

 

[labdogs42]

Thanks to all for the helpful info. One more question...what is photopass?

Photopass is Disney's new digital photo service. They have photographers around the parks near all the major icons and at many of the character greeting areas. The first time you get your picture taken, they give you a card (looks like a credit card) and it has a number on it (tip -- write this number down in case you lose your card!), then every other time you get your picture taken, the photographer scans the card to keep all of your pictures together. You can go to the photo centers in any park to view your photos. You can buy individual prints for something like $12 for a 5x7 or you can do what I did and order a cd of all the pictures from your trip for $99. I got about 125 pictures on my CD last time so I was thrilled. I got our picture any chance I got! Let me know if you need more info!

 

[*Seanaci*]

1. We are staying at the poly, do we need to rent a car to go back and forth for naps? Nope. Like someone else said, use the monorail or the bus. If you're taking a stroller: You can leave your child in the stroller while on the monorail...we were allowed to leave my son in his when we went last month. On the busses, you'll have to collapse the stroller...which is pretty easy since you have so many adults going...just divide and conquer...have one person carry your son, one (or two people) get the bags, and the other person gets the stroller. There were 5 of us (not including my son) when we went, and this worked perfectly.

2. Any rides (other than height restricted rides) that I should not take him on? Took him to Disneyland when he was 8 mo no probs on any of the rides, but maybe it will be different this time?!? The only ride we didn't take my son on was Snow White. My mom said that one was pretty scary...so I didn't want to take a chance. Other than that we took him on pretty much everything else and he had a blast.

3. Shows to see or skip? We didn't do many shows. We did see Spectromagic, which our son slept through. As well as Illuminations, thought he slept through half of it. Other than that, we really didn't make time for any.

4. Places in the parks to just kick back and relax for awhile (like his nap)? My best advice is just keep an eye out for places that are off the beaten path, where you could go park his stroller for him to nap. Often times, we'd park hop just before he was ready to crash and walk around places where there weren't many people.

5. Places to run around and just play, i.e. playgrounds? Babycare centers are probably your best bet if you want him to be able to run free by himself. Other than that, we'd strap our Monkey backpack leash to our son and let him walk behind the stroller for a bit till he was tired and ready to ride in the stroller again. Staying at the Poly, you should check and see if any of the other Monorail resorts have a playground...if so, hop on and take a ride.

6. Character meals? Have lunch plans for Garden Grill, should we keep them? Keep them. We did Crystal Palace for breakfast and our son loved it.

7. Are kids his age typically afraid of the characters? I know from talking to the character handler at the CP breakfast, typically children under the age of 2 don't really like the characters. BUT, don't let that stop you from letting your son see them for far away first. You may be pleasantly surprised as we were. We saw Pluto first and stood about 50 feet away from him, our son standing on his own so he got an idea of the size. He ended up LOVING the characters. In fact, the aforementioned character handler was impressed with how well he intereacted with the Pooh characters at breakfast...she said she'd never seen a toddler so young take to the characters the way our son did. And I have great pictures to prove it.

8. Will room service bring a good stiff drink to the room once he is asleep? Probably not. That might be something you have to go sit at the bar with.

9. Anything we absolutely shouldn't miss? Not that I can think of. I mean, all the rides he can ride, take him on. If he'll tolerate the characters, wait in lines. If he'll sit through shows/parades, take him.

10. Any photo opportunities we must have?...maybe this deserves it's own thread... Photopass, hands down. Just make sure you use it...look for the photogs. We had 2 passes between the 6 of us, were in teh parks for 5 days, and ended up with a whopping 38 pictures. Not worth it to buy the CD in our opinion, so we uploaded pics we took to the Photopass site and combined those pics with the photopass pics to make a picture album.

Honestly. If you have any other questions, feel free to PM me.