Travelling with 18 month old

[brightspark]

Hi everyone, well it's been a while since I was on here.. pregnancy and small child meaning that we've not been to WDW for a while... and now I'm trying to persuade DH to take us in January!

We have DVC points, so planning on staying in Beach Club Villa's I think...

But lots of other questions about travelling with a child and how much we will be able to do and how we should plan our time. Will be visiting tour guide mike as he worked really well for our last trip (as a couple) but hoping to get advice from those of you here who've travelled with small ones.

Questions so far are:

1. If we go for 2 weeks, how many days should we get tickets for? We would only do WDW not any of the other orlando attractions.
2. How much of the day do you realistically think we will manage in a park?
3. Do we need to take our pushchair? How comfy are the park ones? Will a toddler be comfy enough to sleep in one?
4. The plane journey (I'm trying not to think about this) any tips? Do we get an extra seat? What about a sky cot?
5. My boy is super awkward eater at the moment, so any tips for food? He won't even eat chips!!! He loves spag bol though! How easy is it to buy things like yoghurt in the resorts....

All help gratefully received
Thank you

 

[Pooh Bear Hugs]

A comfy buggy is essential I would take one you know is going to be suitable. There are plenty of places to get healthy food so no need to try to get then eating chips, though a couple of time wont do any harm.

 

[orangetiggs]

I have just had twins and we are planning on taking them next sept and they will be 9 months old then.

We are not getting an extra seat for them and will be using sky cots

we plan on taking our pram as the park ones are just plastic so dont recline etc, maybe buy a cheap umbrella fold one so if it does gets damaged on the flight its not alot of money. we wont be taking our expensive double we shall buy a cheap one just for holidays

 

[mcarthur205]

My youngest is nine now, but we took her to Florida when she was four months old (no parks that trip) and 18 months old (WDW and Sea World).

1. I would probably get 7 or 10 day passes if you're not going to any other parks.

2. We generally went to the parks early in the morning and stayed until early afternoon. We stayed onsite at the Wilderness Lodge, so we went back to the hotel for nap time, swim etc, and returned to the parks around 5pm until about 8 or 9. We only saw the fireworks once or twice as DD was tired and I didn't want to keep her out late. If I let her sleep in the stroller in the evening, she would wake up refreshed on the way back to the hotel and it took ages to get her settled for the night.

3. We bought an umbrella stroller at KMart and used it in the parks. I don't have any experience with the current rental strollers at WDW.

4. You'll only get a seat on the plane if you pay for it. I used a sky cot for DD at 4 months but paid for a seat when she was 18 months. No way would I sit with her on my lap for 9-10 hours at that age! The sky cots we used were just glorified boxes with a couple of airline pillows and blankets. Fine for a four months old but not for a child over a year old.

5. We didn't have any trouble finding food for DD to eat at 18 months. She wasn't a fussy eater though. When she was four months old it was a little more awkward though, with formula and food on the flight. I had a lot of hand baggage LOL!

Hope that helps!

 

[T16GEM]

We always go in January and it's a lovely time to go....

1. This year we got the 14 day Ultimate Ticket, and we did 2 days in each park and a couple of water park days. It gave us the flexability that we needed to come and go as we pleased.

2. We would take it easy in the morning and then get to a park by maybe 11 - 11.30 and stay till close, both DD and DS are very good about sleeping in their buggies and did so when necessary.

3. Which brings me nicely onto - TAKE YOUR OWN BUGGY!!! The ones in the parks have no cushioning at all and look mighty uncomfortable! We take two umbrella ones and they are a lifesaver, you will be very glad of them in the airports too as it makes life much easier!

4. We never bought extra seats for ours until we had to, the cost was just too much to bear! DH and took it in in turns to have DS on our laps this year as DD had to have a seat - I think your child may be too big for a sky cot - but don't quote me!

5. Not sure about yoghurts at the resorts but you can get things like that in some of the parks, the best thing we found was to take a little ice bag and one of those blocks that you can freeze (bought in Walmart) and then we took fruit, yoghurts and little sandwiches out with us for the kids, they aren't into fast food and like your little one our DD will not touch chips! We also have a little Thermos food flask which we sometimes took some macaroni cheese in for them as they like that and it was something like 40p a can at Walmart. You can buy these from jo jo maman bebe.

 

[babystar]

TAKE YOUR OWN PUSHCHAIR!!!! It will be essential at other times (airport, walking around DTD) We have always taken our pushchair from home, this way I know how comfy my DD finds it, if it reclines which is very useful if your child "crashes out" and also you will know if it has shade.

I have paid for a seat for my daughter and also had her on my knee a few times. My DD is quite squirmy so both times she was crawling all over me anyway!! If you have a child on your knee the airline should give you priority for a bulkhead seat.

Jan is a lovely time and you will have a ball with a 18 month old!!

 

[Elise79]

we took DD at 9mths & 15mths.

Take your own buggy - it is so much better as the park ones are hard plastic with no recline. It is also handy at the airport.

We are always up and out for park opening then back in the afternoon for a nap then back out for dinner and fireworks. we did a few hours at the parks every day. If going for 14 days I would get a UK 14 day ticket.

Food - DD is easy to feed and just eats what we do so we never had a problem.

The resorts generally only provide pack'n'plays you will need to take your own blanket. I also take our travel cot matress and fitted sheets.

On the plane DD gets her own seat now (which we have to pay for) as she only just fit in the skycot at 9mths.

With using your DVC points at such short notice you might have to flexible as to which resort you stay at.

You will have a fab time - I can't wait to go back with DD in April.

 

[brightspark]

Thank you so much for all these lovely replies... you've all been so helpful, and it so encouraging to know that you've all successfully managed to travel with little ones... my friends are currently telling me I'm insane to even consider it! How have your little ones coped with the enormity of the characters?

So, we will definately get a umbrella fold buggy to take with us, I had been thinking that we'd probably appreciate it around the resort too.

Useful info re sky cots etc. I had been hoping we might get him to sleep in it on the way back... but looks like that's out. He's not huge, but definately not small. I think DH is budgeting for a seat - extra space for all of us, and I can't see DS sitting on my lap all the way there.

Helpful re cots in the rooms too - we will take bedding and the travel cot mattress...

If BCV aren't available then we will go elsewhere, but early Jan is usually quite quiet - we loved it when we were there before, even though we did end up wearing gloves, hat and scarves on a lot of days!!!

We were wondering about jet lag and time differences... debating starting later in the day and keeping him up longer in the evenings so we get to do more of the evening stuff, but on the other hand parks are quieter in the mornings so less queueing... will have to think about that. We def don't want early evening napping or he'll never go to sleep...

 

[Elise79]

With the time difference - going out DD would not nap on plane! we just let her have a short nap in the car then she was in bed 8pm local time (same as her normal bed time at home.) she slept till about 6am. we just took advantage for waking to hit the parks early.

she would nap from about 3 till 5 in the room of an afternoon which meant she was able to stay up for the fireworks.

With the characters it took her a couple of days then she LOVED them! I was chatting to some CMs while we were there and the general concenus seems to be it takes little ones 3 days to get comfortable with them.

Have you considered staying closer to MK? my bet would be you will spend fair more time there than anywhere else!

 

[brightspark]

Elise thanks for this. Interesting about the 3 days to adjust to characters... will keep that in mind
I think late afternoon naps may be the way to go... How did you get on with entertaining her on the flight? I suspect ds will just want to charge up and down the gangways which could be fun - although that might keep him quiet. I'm most worried about him getting too tired and just grizzling...
We spoke to DVC guest services and our only options are Old Key West and Saratoga Springs in Jan... so guess that's where we'll be!

 

[jockey]

We have travelled with our kids since they were 10 months old to WDW. As others have advised bring your own stroller, we use a maclaren and our DD, who will be 22 months this trip sleeps in it well. We also bought a little bear type back pack that doubles as reigns in walmart for $10 and its fab!

For the flight I always pack lots of goodies to keep the kids busy, I get the Crayola magic pens that only write on paper, mini aqua mats, books, plastercine etc. If you are relaxed your little one will be! I also use disposable bibs and changing pads on the flight and to save bringing a huge nappy bag for changing I pack a nappy and wipes into a nappy sack then all I have to bring is some cream too - it can be tricky doing changes in a small space.

The baby centres in the parks are brill, yogurts etc widely available, we always found WDW restaurants fab for catering for our DS who was a very fussy eater. We go to the parks early, take a break in the afternoon and then go back early evening.

We stayed at SSR last Jan with DD when she was 10 mths. Jan is a fab time to go especially with little ones, small lines and not too hot.

 

[brightspark]

We booked our rooms!!!! We are going 20th Jan for 2 weeks... 10 days in SSR one bed and 4 days at BCV in a one bed. SO excited

Now need to work out what we need to take - oh and book flights.

A friend has said that BA do bouncy chairs for under 2's... but they are on first come first served basis - so a bit worried that we wouldn't get one and then we'd be stuck. Virgin seem to do car seat type things in the seats... anyone used either of these or got any tips?

jockey - didn't know about the pens that only draw on paper - sound like a very good idea.

 

[Clare D]

When we flew to Chicago in July Owen was 16 months old and he was as good as gold on both legs of the journey. We also flew internally from Chicago to Orlando and again we had no problems. We packed a bag full of stuff but to be honest he wasn't really interested. On the way out we just had plenty of trips around the plane and the cabin crew were great. We didn't have a seat for him either.
We were lucky and each time we were seated in the bulk head seats (where they have the sky cots) so ask when you check in/book your seats if you could have seats there. It meant we were right by the loos and had plenty of room.
We took our own buggy and car seat (due to the fact that we were relying on family in Chicago) and it worked well for us as Owen had his own space for a sleep.
As we stayed onsite and it was August we came back to the room in the afternoon for a sleep and then headed back into the park again after tea, this worked really well for us.
I have friends who think their kids are too little at 6 but I know from previous trips with our oldest that each time we have been has been a different trip for him and for us that's what makes our memories.
Owen by the way didn't like the characters so we just steered clear at the character things we did.
Have a great trip

 

[Elise79]

Glad to hear you've booked

We used the virgin chair for Chloe - it was fine on the way out but was not reclined enough for her to sleep properly on the way home however it was a godsend for take off and landing. It is a 5 point harness which meant it kept her in her seat. If she had been on my lap it would have been a battle!

If you have any other questions - I will be happy to help. My best piece of advice is just relax and they will do the same