trip with baby

[made75]

i am going to disney next month with my 18 month old daughter. any tips, suggestions on how to get around with a baby? i've vacationed in disneyworld before, but never with a toddler. i'm staying at a resort a mile or so away and will be flying down. a car has been rented as well and i will be going with my parents and adult sister. i would like to take the baby to a couple of parks and even get on a some of rides. what are the best rides/ shows to take a 18 month old to/ on. i hear a bug's life is scary for little ones. any tips/ suggestions would be great. thanks.

 

[ksc37]

You've come to the right place! The people on these boards have lots of experience.

An 18 month old can actually do quite a few rides. We've taken both of our sons to WDW at that age. I think that the Magic Kingdom and the Animal Kingdom are the best parks at that age.

I recommend taking a stroller (not renting) at this age. The rentals are uncomfortable and your daughter will most likely be napping in her stroller at some point.

Also, whatever her nap schedule is now, don't count on it in WDW. We would get to the parks at opening, and they'd be napping in their strollers by 11:00 am (at home they would nap at 1:00). If you want to do a character lunch at the Crystal Palace (which I highly recommend for a toddler!), arrive at the park in the late morning so that she's fresh and not cranky when meeting Pooh & friends.

Good rides for an 18 month old (at least for mine):

Small World
Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Dumbo
Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Teacups (but not too fast!)
Peter Pan
Mickey's Philharmagic (unless she startles easily, it can get loud)
Buzz Lightyear
Jungle Cruise
The park in Toontown - it's a great place for a small toddler to stretch her legs!! My kids love this.

in Epcot, the little fountains between Future World and World Showcase (but bring a change of clothes!!)
The Living Seas

Animal Kingdom:
The Safari
Triceratops Spin
Walking the trails and looking at the animals
Legend of the Lion King
Meeting Mickey & Friends in Camp Minnie-Mickey

Just be prepared to go a lot slower than you are accustomed. I discovered it's best to let them nap in the stroller rather than trying to get back to a hotel room by 1:00 for naps. Usually they would fall asleep on the way back and wake up right around the time we'd walk into our hotel room. Besides, while they're sleeping you can switch off and do some bigger rides.

Also, include some swimming time. That's usually their favorite part of the trip.

Have fun!!

 

[WDWorBUST]

Also - don't count on them napping in their stroller. My dd would happily nod off on our evening jaunts in the park but would not sleep for anything in her stroller at Disney World. We had to go back to the room to nap or she wouldn't nap at all.

 

[tbelfonti]

I'll second the suggestion to bring your own stroller. We brought ours during our last trip in '03 and it was a lifesaver when DD fell asleep on the way back to the airport. She was able to sleep comfortably in the airport and we just gate checked it. Plus I never had to worry that she would wander off in the airport if she was in the stroller.

 

[rt2dz]

Your own stroller is a must. No ifs, ands, or buts about it, imo. Personally, I check into seeing if you can stay onsite for the same $$$ if possible. It can just make life so much easier, especially if you have one that doesn't sleep in the stroller. Luckily, both mine do. If they're tired, they're sleeping no matter where they are or what is going on.

My kids at the baby-preschool age enjoyed (in no praticular order): tiki birds, the railroad, jungle cruise, kilamajora (sp) safari, carasoul of progress, festival of the lion king, triceratops spin, bugs life show (we almost skipped this b/c of the "scary for little kids" & it was a favorite), country bear jamboree, winnie the pooh, peter pan, the characters, buzz lightyear, playhouse disney, pizza planet restruant, character meals (hated CP), the boneyard, & the living seas.

Just remember to always follow your child's lead. If they don't want to do something, don't. You can always baby swap. If your child is tired & whiny, leave/take a break/change the scenery. Right now, that's all I can think of.

 

[frannn]

We took DD2 when she was just over a year. She had a great time with all of the Fantasyland rides, and all the parades. Small World was her favorite ride. We found that she slept on many of the rides. The only time we experienced a crank attack was when she was hungry, so always have small snacks and drinks with you. We took a medium sized stroller that reclined, had a decent canopy, a basket, and a cup holder. This was necessary for naps, and allowed space to keep a small, soft sided cooler while in the park. The stroller we took had both an adult and child drink/snack holder, which was used all the time! I carried an extra set of clothes in her diaper bag, compressed into a medium ziploc. I was able to pick up inexpensive princess costumes for character meals when the Disney Store had their after Halloween sales. We even took her to MNSSHP, where she happily napped while we went on many rides (she had expelled most of her energy bopping along on the bus to the party). Don't forget to utilize the great baby stations that are available in each park. They allow a nice break from the heat, as well as filtered water and a playroom. Our fondest memories on this trip were of watching her having a great time- with the characters, food, rides, and just enjoying the family time. Plus, the Dr had us medicate her on the plane to avoid ear popping (great idea!).

 

[Princess Mommy]

DEFINATELY bring your own stroller! I have gone with both DD's when they were really young~ and they still are-
Jacqueline's 1st trip she was 15 months old & Katie was 4 months old. *blush*
We also brought along bed sheets, blankets & etc from home for the girls & became very familiar with the Baby Care Centers in each park. They are a great place to change them, feed them, etc.