what are you supposed to do with toddlers in the mornings?

[LMHB]

Am just wondering if anyone will have this problem. We are going this week, and with the later openings of the parks, am not sure how my toddlers will handle the time before the parks open. Common knowledge (in the past) has always said to get there half an hour earlier than whatever time they say they are opening. I wonder if that will still be true, I don't want to wait around in a line any more than I have to with them. I cannot BELIEVE Epcot is not opening until ten. We HAD planned to save money and have breakfast from the cooler in our room, but that doesn't take very long. We are now doing ONE character breakfast, but cannot do that every monring....too expensive! Even with that, our character breakfast is at 7:30 - the latest time we could get at 1900 Park Fare, and that is our Epcot day.

Does Disney realize that little children often rise at 6 or 7AM?????? If we can't get into the parks until nine or ten, they will be ready to conk out by 12, at the LATEST 1:00. Arghhh!!! An hour really can make such a difference. I still can't bwelieve it....10:00!!!!! (for Epcot)
Thanks!

 

[Jennifoofoo]

Our DS will turn one on our trip in 2.5 weeks. We plan on going to the pool in the mornings and then hit the parks after his nap. That way we can tour from 3 until closing and not have to rush back to the resort. On a few mornings, we have planned character meals at the resort or at the parks. The resorts also usually have a playground with swings and such that you could use too. Please post how your vacation turned out with your toddler. I'll be looking for helpful hints before we leave!

 

[Traveliz]

Things to do with toddlers in the mornings.

Take the long way to the park you are going to -- trying to use several different types of transportation and using a set of clues to have the toddler help you get there. There are boats, buses, monorails, trams that can be incorporated into this.

Have a breakfast picnic - still have your breakfast out of the cooler but take it to a table near the pool and make a big deal out of having a breakfast picnic.

Visit the playground at your resort.

Have some toys set aside for playing with in just the morning. Make that the time you write and send postcards or call grandma or grandpa; if that would apply.

Watch the Disney Channel - might be a treat if they are ordinarily at preschool or busy in the mornings.

I am sure there are more things but at the time I can't think of any -- I realize some of these ideas apply to older preschoolers but with some creative thinking there are some things that can be done in the morning!

Good Luck
Liz

 

[susy]

I would have to agree with Jennifoofoo. If they still take two naps (mid-morning, mid-afternoon) , I would spend the morning maybe letting them play in the playground or pool at the resort, take their morning nap and eat , and then go to the park. Hopefully you can stay till closing if they will take their afternoon nap in the stroller or find a quiet place to "rock them", like the river boat or Tom Sawyer's island. Then put them in the stroller and continue.. If your baby only takes one nap, I would still do the same thing. Do something simple in the morning (like take a nice walk to the playground, maybe rent a boat or surrey bike at your resort). After they nap, I would then hit the park until closing. The less back and forth you have to do, the better.

 

[Heather]

I've been worried about this as well. My kids are 2 and 6 and almost always up by 6:30. I wil probably let them watch a bit of the Disney channel, as suggested, but the playground is a GREAT idea . . . as long as the weather is good (which on our last two trips, has NOT been the case). My idea was to go to a resort near the park we plan to start the day at (okay, with Epcot opening so late, this really only will apply to MK) and let them play around the resort. We did this before a dinner at the Poly on our last trip and the kids had a great time just checking out the resort for up to an hour. Not a great long term solution, but for those who are desperate, maybe it'll kill an hour.

Does anyone know if, with the demise of EE, they are still opening up certain parts of the parks (like Main Street in MK) a bit earlier than "regular" opening time? If MK is to open at 9, does it really now only open at 9? What a chilling thought . . .

 

[lindaso]

I have the same problem. My kids are 4 and 22 months and the toddler usually takes an afternoon nap. We had planned to go back and nap him while the 4 year old swims but now we might just stay at the park and let him fall asleep in the stroller and one of us will take DD on rides. If they still wake up early, I guess we could get our swimming time in then...provided it's not too cold in the mornings in 3 weeks. That one hour really does mess a lot of things up. I was planning on getting lots done in that first hour.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

I am worried about this too. Does anyone know of a playland McDonalds? I thout that would take some time and run off some energy. Does the McD near All Stars have an inside playland? What about a Discovery Zone kind of place? I too have a very early raiser, we always went to ee because we were ALWAYS up and ready! Not that DH and I would mind a little sleep in time.

 

[Traveliz]

No the McDonalds near All Stars doesn't have a playland - however the all stars all have playland -- not as elaborate as McDonald's but they are still playgrounds. The McDs at DD doesn't have a playland either but there is a play area at the Lego store - however those stores don't open til 9:30 or 10 and by then parks are open or opening.

I know the McDonalds on International has a playland but that is a bit of a drive and I have heard mixed reviews on that particular store.

I don't know of any Discovery Zone places - but I know the one we had opened at 10 also.

Liz

 

[campingcorgi]

If you are planning to do MK, you can always head over to Fort Wilderness first. There are lots of playgrounds there, and a FREE petting zoo. You can walk around and see the peacocks and ducks, and check out the nice barn where they keep the Disney horses. Then you can catch the boat over to the MK when it gets opening time.

Fort Wilderness also has a really nice, not too expensive buffet, the Trails End.

Barbara
216 days till I go home to FW!

 

[SandraC]

My kids could ride the monorail all day! Try a couple loops before entering the park.

Resort hop!

A nice stroller for coffee.

My problem at Disney World is that I never have ENOUGH time, but too much time.