Waiting in lines with toddlers?

[CLR4321]

I have an almost 2 and almost 3 year old. How do I keep them occupied while waiting in lines??? Aside from the queue play areas, I am at a loss. We will bring the tablet for sure. My almost 2 year old will likely throw it down tho. Ideas???

 

[MSSANDRA]

If you really think your child will throw the tablet, I would rethink that one. Almost all lines have concrete floors and the chance of breakage is huge. First, I would try to minimize your waits. Try to work around the trip crowds calendar to pick the least crowded days, and plan to be there at rope drop. Plan your FP rides well. When you are in a line, try to keep them busy and engaged. Many lines have things to look at. Play a very simply i-spy. Look for colors or hidden mickeys. Use the time for a snack or drink. Most snacks have to be finished before a ride, but eating in line is fine and there are trash cans most times near the entrance. Take fun things that take a while to eat and give it too them VERY slowly. I use to always take disney themed fruit snack. Other ideas would be dry cereal, raisins, animal crackers, tiny cracker shapes simply tiny cookies or candies. Please avoid peanut butter. We have had to leave lines before due to the stuff. Lines keep moving and walkways are dirty so not a lot of toys will be helpful. We have handed DS, now 8 our phones a few times when lines were long, but I would not do that if there is any concern he might throw it. Sometimes using a toddler baby wrap of carrier can be helpful and at least contain the child.

 

[Trip planner]

I packed various small cheap toys from target's dollar spot: slinky jr's and silly putty and wiki stix. While we waited at ohana we had an entire group of kids playing with the wiki stix.

 

[CLR4321]

Mssandra, my daughter (almost 3) would use the tablet. She's not the one who would throw it down. That would be my almost 2 year old (son). We have been to WDW and DL quite a few times, so am pretty familiar with the line queues. I wish that Disney would install movies to watch while in line. I do think it is great that they have installed some interactive line queues. Those will keep my almost 3 year old busy for sure.
I think the I Spy idea would work for my daughter. We are using a plan from Touringplans.com for the first time ever, just to see how it works out on the first day, and are lining our days up to go to the least crowded parks. Even then tho, we are going to have some 6's, a 7, and a 9. I think 2 days will be 5's. We always say we will do rope drop, but never do, because we don't want to pull ourselves out of bed LOL We are saying it again this time....we'll see what happens!

 

[maxiesmom]

I think you will be surprised at how little they need to keep them happy in line. There is so much to look at (movies are very unnecessary) and the lines move fairly quickly. We have never brought anything along, we just talked and played eye-spy. Talking about the fun you are having, what rides you love or can't wait to do, or about your favorite characters can take up a lot of time.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

I don't know what type of device you have, but is it possible to invest in an otter box type case for it and just roll it into the price of the vacation? Also, you can find instructions for "busy bags" on Pinterest. My son has medical problems that require many doctor appointments, sometimes several in a week, and I use busy bags to keep my 3 year old entertained. You would be amazed at the things you can do with some pipe cleaners and drinking straws.

 

[ElenaRN]

I thought the lines would be an issue for our DD. To be honest it hasn't.
We go in the fall so lines are not terrible. Usually though DD, who is very outgoing, just makes friends with the kids in front or in back of us and it occupies her.

 

[tzolkin]

I think you will be surprised at how little they need to keep them happy in line. There is so much to look at (movies are very unnecessary) and the lines move fairly quickly. We have never brought anything along, we just talked and played eye-spy. Talking about the fun you are having, what rides you love or can't wait to do, or about your favorite characters can take up a lot of time.

This is very true.

Our first trip my youngest was just under 2 and after researching on the Dis I was convinced that I needed to bring things to entertain the kids in lines, so I loaded up on stickers, pipe cleaners, little toys/treats, etc. By day 3 when we had never once found a need for anything in the bag we decided to leave it all at the resort.

Many annual trips later we have never found it necessary to bring anything to occupy our kids in lines at Disney. They are perfectly happy to discuss what we have done so far/what they are looking forward to and to look around at what's in the queue. We also do try to minimize waits by making use of rope drop and FP.

 

[shm_helene]

I agree, I never needed anything! The lines move steadily and therein a lot to lookat or do, including make friends

 

[DaughteroftheKing]

Ditto the others that you may not need a lot for the lines.

Ispy
20 Questions
Make silly faces
Itsy Bitsy Spider song
Guess the number (hide hand behind back, child guesses how many fingers you are holding up)
Where is Thumbkin song
5 Little Monkeys Swinging on a Tree song

 

[LockShockBarrel]

The interactive lines arent really that engaging though. For a slightly older child maybe, and the Haunted Mansion one for anyone is fine. Most of the things you have to stand by for a minute or so to get or appreciate, and its not like they are ever present so that you're playing the entire time you're in line.

 

[Ava]

Personally, I wouldn't want to carry a tablet into the parks. Too much chance of it being broken or lost/stolen. All we carried around were snacks and drinks, that was enough. Doing whatever you can to minimize waits via FP+ and a touring plan will be the most important. Unless your kids will be absolute beasts if you get them out of bed for rope drop, I'd do it at least for your higher crowd level days. You can get so much done in that first hour or two before the parks get busy, then go back to the resort for a break after lunch. Spending the hottest, most crowded hours of the day napping the in A/C or swimming really made a difference in my family's mood.

 

[mscardullo]

I was wondering what to bring as well

 

[puffkin]

We've never needed anything in lines either and my kids have a tendency to be a bit "wild". The do pretty well in the WDW lines...although with careful planning we almost never wait in lines longer than 20 minutes.

 

[baseballnut]

I think you will be surprised at how little they need to keep them happy in line. There is so much to look at (movies are very unnecessary) and the lines move fairly quickly. We have never brought anything along, we just talked and played eye-spy. Talking about the fun you are having, what rides you love or can't wait to do, or about your favorite characters can take up a lot of time.

This. Lots of snacks and smart use of FP+. My 2yo never had an issue. A fun break of running through the water by dumbo helps, lol, just bring a change of clothes. Lines are a good time to chill out and talk. You'll be fine!

 

[CLR4321]

Lots of great ideas! We do have an otter box on the Tablet, or it would have seen its demise long ago LOL As far as playing in the water, it will probably be really cold (first week of Jan). I think I will bring some random stuff to play with just in case, but I hope that my kids are like those of yours who did well in the lines. I didnt think about having my daughter socialize with people in line. She is very social, so i am sure she will find some other kids to hang out with while we wait

 

[dsneygirl]

If the sign says more than 20 min I don't get in it. We started taking my son at 3 months and have been many times since never took anything in line.

 

[kimberstampin]

Definitely try to go as early as possible and take a break in the afternoon. It usually rains anyway and a decent nap back at the resort/hotel makes everyone easier to get along with when you go back to the park for the rest of the evening. I've seen way too many people with kiddos simply wiped out and pushed beyond what they can handle. At that point, nobody in the family seems to be enjoying themselves.

 

[ftmtok]

We took our daughter to Disneyland multiple times between 1-3yrs. I always bring snacks and a small thing of bubbles! The kids around her in line love popping them as well easy and small.

 

[maxiesmom]

We took our daughter to Disneyland multiple times between 1-3yrs. I always bring snacks and a small thing of bubbles! The kids around her in line love popping them as well easy and small.

Oh boy, you had to say the B word!!!

Please do not bring bubbles for use in line. People are not too appreciative of them getting on their electronics. Plus, some children will chase them and can easily hurt themselves on the queue chains. Not to mention, some people are allergic the solution. Bubbles are not a good idea in a line where those who don't like them can't get away.