WDW tips for a trip with my 2yo DD (m)

[catherines_mama]

I am taking my 2 yo (2 1/2 by time of trip) to Disney for her 3yo Bday. **Just enough before so she's still free ** Trip be prob be in Jan or Feb. Does anyone have any park tips or hits on taking a 2 1/2 yo to WDW. I really want to do a 4 - 5 day trip and hit all 4 parks. Also, as a singlemom I really want to go low budget.

I don't know the acronyms you all have for things, so talk slow please. LOL How do you get the PS seating for Crystal Palace, Char Breakfasts etc.. How do you know what to do when? HELP!!!!

Thanks so much for any advice, thank you in advance!

Deedee

 

[Jordan's MOM]

Welcome Cathrines mama,

We are from the same area! First stop and take a breath because you will get so much information that it can be overwelming. Reading these boards will give your so much info.

I would start first by setting a date and getting a reservation at a hotel. We have been in january and love it. Feb sould be good too. just avoid new years and MLK day and you should have low crowds. As for a resort I would look at one of the All stars. it is a budget resort that is onsite and will allow you to use WDW transportation everywhere you go on site. Our AAA price for last year at the All star movies was 60.61 per night.

Most Ps reservations can be made 90 days out and made by calling WDW dinning and the number is on this site under dinning.Crystal Palace would be great for a 3rd birthday.

For a 5 day trip i would look at a 5 day hopper pass. We have never done a water park in January and with one that little, i think that the parks themselves would be enough. I would also be sure to hit all 4 parks as you have planned. there is something for a toddler at every park.

As for as planning the day, you will want to look at which days are EE and decide of you will be on site and if you choose to take advantage of these days. I would recomand doing EE at MK at least.

Just keep reading the asking question and don't get overwelmed.


Jordans' mom

 

[Cameo]

When planning how many days to spend in the parks, remember that there is so much to do outside the parks that is basically free - visit petting zoo and pony rides at Ft. Wilderness, ride the monorail from resort to resort and just walk around (my kids LOVED the monorail at that age), visit Downtown Disney (Legoland especially), ride the boat transports from the parks to resorts. Maybe you could cut back what you spend on park tickets and do a day of free stuff to save a little money. My kids at that age seemed a little overwhelmed by some of the rides and especially liked to just do the simple stuff - running through fountains, riding the escalator at the Contemporary hotel. They also need some time to just relax so we've always scheduled a down day. Have fun!!

 

[mommystieg]

Here's a link to all the abbreviations

http://www.wdwinfo.com/abbreviations.htm

If you don't have a guidebook you might want to buy one or two or check your local library. This site is a great source of info--don't be afraid to ask questions--we all love to talk about Disney alot
This is also another good site

http://wdwig.com/

To help prepare our youngest for her first trip to WDW we purchased several Disney sing-a-long videos and we also ordered the free vacation planning video. The sing-a-long videos feature the characters interacting with kids and are filmed at WDW and Disneyland so your child can kinda get an idea of what she will see during her visit. Our favorites are
Beach Party at Walt Disney World
Campout at Walt Disney World
Disneyland Fun
Flik's Musical Adventure at Animal Kingdom

Have fun planning and ask lots of questions!!

 

[shepatken]

Howdy,

Try www.mousesavers.com I am leaving in just 9 days for Disney and managed to get a trip for a family of four (youngest is 2 so admission is free for him) for just under $2000.00 - not counting food, of course. I got hotel arrangements via www.priceline.com - $65/night at the Hilton at Downtown Disney. But if you are going in an "off" season - wait and the deals will abound. I've seen deals that pretty much are the same as what I've gotten via priceline. I've been planning for a year - but, yet, I like the internet. And information abounds!!!! Just hit onto the links pages via any Disney website and see how many information pages there are. As far as airfare goes - tuesday or wednesday nights via the internet are "cheaper" days to look. I managed to get tickets (4) for approximately $144 pp from Michigan (taxes & fees included!!!) So, to sum up - INFORMATION ABOUNDS!!! But mousesavers is a great place to start!!!

Sheila Kennedy

 

[Narcoossee]

One cost saving tip we have learned from traveling with our toddler ( 2 1/2). Is to cut out the expensive breakfast. We usually rent a car and stop on our way to the airport at a Super Target, We buy a big box of cereal,spoons, and bowls. If we have a fridge we buy a quart of milk or each morning my husband would get small cartons of milk from the cafeteria ( all resorts have one). We just eat our cereal in our room before heading out for the day. This has also been a great time saver. It allows our little one to sleep later because we don't have to waiste time at a meal before getting to the park in the morning. I also pack our own snacks for the park and fill her large insulated sippy cup with ice and water every morning. If your not going to be able to stop to pick up cereal, we have still found it more reasonable to just buy a bowl of cereal and milk from resort cafeteria's rather than eating a large breakfast.

 

[crisi]

I have the opposite advice from Cameo - you can do a lot of the "free" and cheap stuff at Disney places other than Disney. If you are spending money to get there, and spending money on a hotel room - plan to spend every day in the parks and as many as you can pull off. My kids did get a lot of enjoyment from a lot of the different stuff at Disney, but they REALLY liked rides at 2 and 3. Not the big ones, but Peter Pan's Flight, Dumbo, etc.

But with a small child, don't plan on being there from open to close. If you DD is a morning child, go in the morning and leave (or find someplace to rest) when she gets tired. If she is not a morning child, sleep in and go later.

But do buy a park hopper for yourself, so that if you don't end up in the parks every day, you can use it again later when your DD is a little older. Don't buy a "plus" hopper - your DD is too little to really enjoy water parks in Feburary, you won't be doing Pleasure Island or Disney Quest.

 

[catherines_mama]

This board has been so helpful. Thank you all for your advice and ideas. I am really having fun planning this trip.

Suggestions I love:
See the fireworks from top the Contemporary Observation Deck (probably will do the first night we get into town)
Autograph book: autograph on one side pics on the other.. too cool.
I am sure there are SOO much more to come


Thanks again!
Deedee

 

[deadheadbelle]

We took my son to Disney when he was 2 1/2 & my biggest suggestion would be to split the day up! We would go to one park in the morning, come back to the room for "rest time", then to another park in the afternoon. Also, in order to save $$$, we usually have snacks in the room. We try to have one nice table service/character dinner per day (i.e, Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace, Breakfastosaurus). We are not real big breakfast eaters, so we usually would have pop-tarts in the room & then head out to the parks. We do like the breakfast buffets, so we usually plan them as late in the morning as possible & we eat so much that we aren't hungry again until dinner time!

Have a Great Trip!

 

[kiddoc]

We took DD#1 for the first time when she was 2 years, 9 months old. She loved it! Some of her favorite attractions (from both her first trip and a repeat when she was 3 1/2:

MK--
Buzz Lightyear
Small World
Peter Pan
Winnie the Pooh
Dumbo
Cinderella's Carousel
Aladdin
ALL of Toontown Fair, esp. Barnstormer (might be a little much for
some that age, though)
Indy Speedway
Country Bear Jamboree
Pirates (liked on 1st trip, scared her a little on the next trip)

EPCOT--
Imagination
Honey I Shrunk the Audience
Living Seas
Spaceship Earth
Ice Station Cool (suprisingly, requested as our first stop on the
next trip)
Living with the Land

MGM--
Playhouse Disney
Little Mermaid
Muppets
Fantasmic!
Backlot Tour

AK--
Kali River Rapids (Her FAVORITE ride at all of WDW, but does have
a height requirement)
Kilamanjaro Safaris
Festival of the Lion King
Boneyard
Tarzan Rocks!
Triceratops Spin

I would do at least one character meal--definitely worth the splurge on price. By the way, I don't know if you realize it--we didn't prior to our first trip--but if DD is under 3, she is free at character meals. Compared to buying your meal at a character meal or both of you at counter service, the savings on missing a character meal might not be much. Our favorites are Chef Mickey's, 1900 Park Fare, Crystal Palace, and Cinderella's Royal Table (depending on what characters you are looking for).

I agree with other posters above--we do not spend all day at parks. My girls are both late sleepers and night owls like their parents. So, we usually sleep late and go to the parks mid to late morning and stay until closing/fireworks.

Whatever, you'll have a blast!