1. You will be tempted to pack everything but the kitchen sink for a day in the Parks. Don't! Think about what would be essential to have if you were out shopping all day with your toddler and bring those things along. Snacks, diapers and wipes (or extra undies if potty training), a change of clothes, sippy cup, hat and sunscreen...little else is absolutely necessary for a day out with a toddler. If it doesn't fit into whatever bag you are carrying, don't bring it! Many people at Disney with a little one rely on the fact that they have a stroller and load it up with stuff. I would never recommend that. Sad as it is, stuff gets stolen from strollers left parked outside attractions. I recommend bringing only what you will be able to comfortably carry around with you all day long and then maybe a few extra diapers and water bottles to be left in the stroller basket.
2. Bring plenty of wipes. Toddlers, unfortunately, like to touch everything. If there is a railing or wall to be touched, my toddler will run her hand alongside it. If there is a bar to hold on to in an attraction, my toddler will grab it. All of those things are FULL of germs! I always bring plenty of extra wipes so I can wipe my toddler's hands down frequently. This is especially necessary if your toddler likes to snack all day long.
3. Take a stroller your toddler will feel comfortable in or rent one there. When my little one was younger I could get away with carrying her around all day in a carrier. Now that she is older it is hard to carry her all day, especially when you have to take her on and off constantly to go on attractions or see the sights in a show. Whatever stroller your bring, make sure it has a good sunshade or buy a sunshade to add to it. Florida sun can be brutal! I recommend bringing the smallest, lightest stroller you can get away with but this is not the time for one of those cheapie, $10-$20 umbrella strollers that are hard to push and offer little to no protection from the sun.
4. Whatever stroller you take, make sure it is easily indentifiable. Tying something really colorful on the handle is your best bet. If you have a popular stroller, you might even want to consider making a laminated sign to zip tie to the handles so nobody accidentally walks off with it. Tying something colorful to the handle will make your stroller very easy to quickly find when it is in a sea of strollers in a stroller parking area. This is especially invaluable at shows like Fantasmic! If you are going to be at the Parks in the evening you might even want to consider adding some type of glow stick, necklace, or bracelet to the handle.
5. If your toddler is mobile, they will want to walk. This can be tricky in a such a crowded place. I often let my toddler walk next to me holding on to her stroller or let her help "push" it at Animal Kingdom and Epcot. This can be trickier at Magic Kingdom where the crowds are heavier and at Hollywood Studios where certain areas can become very congested at times. Use a toddler leash/backpack if you feel comfortable doing so or have a toddler that will not walk holding on to your stroller. Lots of people at Disney will be doing the same thing so nobody will look down on you for doing so and if they do, chances are very good you will never see them again. Disney is, however a lot of walking and your toddler will eventually get tired and climb willingly into their stroller.
6. Seek out places for your toddler to stretch their legs. Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios both have playgrounds most toddlers really enjoy. (Note: the one at Hollywood Studios has a lot of small, dark places in the "ant hill" your child can easily get lost in. I recommend staying very close to them on this one. You won't be the only adult following a child down the slides!) At Magic Kingdom Tom Sawyer Island is perfect for this. There is a playground by Splash Mountain but it is very small and can be very crowded because of its small size. Epcot has playgrounds set up during the Food and Wine Festival and Flower and Garden Festival (and sometimes other times of the year) but if they aren't set up many of the countries have little gardens in the back that don't get too crowded and are great for running around. The maze garden in the back of the United Kingdom is wonderful for this but check the times guide first to make sure there is not a group performing on the stage because the maze garden goes right around it.
7. Have plenty of snacks on hand. Disney does not frown upon taking in snacks for toddlers and goldfish and cheerios luckily travel really well in a diaper bag or backpack. I always make sure I have something for my toddler to munch on before getting in line for an attraction or a show. If the attraction line ends up taking longer than I thought it would the food can easily distract her. While food generally isn't allowed in indoor show venues nobody has ever frowned upon me for bringing in a toddler snack and feeding it to her one cheerio or goldfish at a time (I don't recommend giving your toddler the whole snack cup full. Toddlers are prone to making messes and if a Cast Member sees a potential mess int he making, they might ask you to put the snack cup away, which will probably cause a meltdown.) I've relied on snacks more than once to keep my toddler quiet and happy through theduration of a show.
8. Keep your toddler well hydrated. Toddlers do not always like to stop for a drink and it is absolutely necessary that they do in the hot Florida sun. Bringing along a favorite sippy cup can help immensely with this. This is especially true in Animal Kingdom, where straws and lids are not always readily available and the paper straws they use for the safety of the animals often become something for my toddler to chew on.
9. Think carefully about what Park you want to visit. Some people that are only at Disney for a day or two head directly to the Magic Kingdom and ignore all or some of the other Parks. I've found that Magic Kingdom isn't necessarily the best choice for a toddler. Yes, it has all the classic attractions, but it is also usually the most crowded and the one you will wait in line the most at and the one where your toddler will have the least opportunity to stretch their legs. While Animal Kingdom was not my favorite Park before my daughter was born , it has become my Park of choice since then. It is very baby and toddler friendly with lots for them to see and do, especially if they have the attention span to sit through shows. The Boneyard is a playground lover's dream and has things in it for both younger and older kids. If you walk across the bridge there is a huge dinosaur excavation sand pit that appeals to all ages.
10. Don't be afraid to ask the Cast Members outside of attractions questions. They will be happy to tell you if an attraction is loud, dark, how many people will fit into a seat in a ride vehicle, etc. You know your child better than anyone else and what they will tolerate. If this is a once in a lifetime trip for you and/or your first time going you might want to research the attractions and shows a little before you go and possibly even look some up on youtube, especially if they seem questionable. Just because your friend's toddler enjoyed something doesn't mean yours will too. My daughter LOVES the Haunted Mansion and always has but I have listened to many a toddler scream throughout the entire ride.
11. Make sure your toddler has some type of down time. Disney can be overwhelming even for an adult! Some people choose to leave the park a little while for a nap or to let their toddler sleep in the stroller in a quiet spot. If you are at the Magic Kingdom and it is not a busy time of day consider getting on the air conditioned monorail and riding the loop around and around without getting off if it will help your child to nap. My toddler does not nap in her stroller and we rarely leave the park for a nap. Sometimes we will ride the train around and around the Magic Kingdom for some quiet time or sit indoors in the Animation Building at Hollywood Studios for a good amount of time. If you've been keeping up with an active toddler all day, you probably will need some rest at this point too!
12. Your toddler will either love the characters or hate them. If they react to them as if they are deathly afraid, do not push the issue. Yes it might be disappointing but why torture them when there is so much else to see and do? I recommend not scheduling any character meals your first day so that if you get to the park and find they are scared you can cancel the meal without penalty. Some toddlers like the characters only from a distance but will freak out when it is suddenly their turn to pose next to them. Don't be surprised if this happens and try not to be upset even if you've just waited with an excited toddler in a very long line. Sometimes the toddler will be okay with you holding them for the picture and if this is the case it helps to hold them on the side that is away from the character. The characters are used to dealing with scared children and know how to react in such a situation. Some toddlers are okay with the characters that show their faces like the princesses even if they are scared of characters like Mickey Mouse. If your toddler likes the characters from afar consider taking in as many parades and shows as you can. If your toddler is like my daughter and loves the characters take advantage of it and take tons of pictures!
13. If you want to ride the bigger rides, take advantage of baby swap. This program exists at the attractions with height requirements so that both parents can ride without having to wait twice in a long ride. Have one parent find something nearby the toddler will enjoy and hang out with them there then switch off and let the other parent hang out with the toddler while parent #1 rides. There is no reason to miss out on some of the signature attractions in the parks just because you have a little one with yo that is too short to ride.
14. Be prepared for meltdowns. Like it or not, there probably will be a toddler meltdown at some point. Mine is known for having a meltdown because she does not want to leave the indoor play area at Dumbo to go ride it and then having a second meltdown when the ride ends because she does not want to get off yet. Keep in mind once again that you will probably never see the people around you ever again and many of them have children so they have all been there, done that. Deal with a toddler meltdown as close to the way you would deal with it at home as you can. I strap my toddler into her stroller and find a quiet spot until she calms down. Distraction with a snack also often helps.
15. Toddlers don't wait well in lines. It's a fact of life. The longer the line is, the more likely your toddler probably is to misbehave in it. If a line for an attraction is more than 30 minutes, I usually skip it and come back later. Fastpass is great as well and can help avoid many of the long waits. Take advantage of Fastpass. It is a free service. Familiarize yourself with how it works beforehand and make use of it. I also usually keep a small paperback book or two with me if we are going in to see a show. This can help distract an antsy toddler if I know we'll be waiting a while and it takes up hardly any space at all in a diaper bag.
16. Babycare is wonderful and not just for tiny babies. All of the babycare centers have nice large changing tables and high chairs to feed a toddler in. They also have wonderful nursing rooms with comfy chairs if your toddler is still nursing (the ones at Magic Kingdom and Epcot are communal, the ones at Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom are private). Familiarize yourself with the location of the babycare center in each park and utilize it if you are nearby and need to. They also sell everything you could need for a toddler from diapers and wipes to infant and children's medication. The babycare centers all also have a room with a tv playing where you can just sit in the air conditioning and calm and cool down for a bit. They are great for overstimulated toddlers!
17. If you are not near babycare and need to change a diaper, consider having the toddler's dad change them if he is along for the trip. The men's rooms also have changing tables and while there is often a short wait for a changing table in the women's rooms, my husband has never encountered a wait for one in the men's rooms. Since they get a lot less use these changing tables are probably also a lot less germy. This is especially true at the bathrooms near the water play area in Fantasyland.
18. Take time to stop and experience the outdoor entertainment and shows. What toddler doesn't love a parade, especially one that has familiar characters they can watch from a safe distance. Don't overlook, however, the small entertainment options you come across as you walk through the Parks. One of my toddler's favorites are the dance parties you will find with a band or Deejay up on the stage. She loves dancing to the bands in Epcot and enjoys rockin' it out at the character dance party in Tomorrowland. She is also very entertained by the actors (called streetmosphere) that wander through Hollywood Studios and put on impromtu shows, usually with props.
19. Take tons of photos. Don't concentrate on taking only posed photos with the characters and in front of the icons, take photos of everything your toddler enjoys. They are only that little once and it is so much fun to look back on the memories and remember what brought them joy at that stage of their life. Toddlers will take delight in many little details in the Parks that an adult will often walk right past. My toddler loves the light up sidewalks at Epcot and the confetti and streamers she finds on the ground after a show or parade ends. I have many a photo of her with a huge smile on her face playing around with these things. Consider taking a photo in on prominent spot and going back and taking a photo in that same spot every time you return on future trips to see how the area has changed and how much your toddler has grown. Make sure you get in some of the photos yourself as well. Disney offers a free photopass service throughout their parks where trained photographers snap photos of your family and then give you a card with a code on it s you can log onto a website and view them anytime within 30 days of the time they are taken. Familiarize yourself with photopass as much as you can before you go and if you are there for more than a day or two and/or it is a special trip maybe even consider buying the CD. If you do choose to buy the CD (they often run specials where you can save a few $ by pre-purchasing it before your trip), let the photopass photographers know that you purchased it. This way they will often take more photos. Stop at as many photopass photographer locations you can find and you will get more than your money's worth by buying the CD.
20. Go at your toddler's pace. This may seem obvious but far too many people fail to remember it. I frequently see people crisscrossing the Parks, tired and cranky toddlers in tow. There is absolutely no need for this! Yes Disney is very expensive, but take time to stop and smell the roses. Let your toddler take the lead and if they find something they really enjoy, pause for a while and enjoy the sight of them enjoying it. Save touring the Parks commando style for when your toddler is much older. It will not only tire you out right now but it will most likely tire out your toddler and make them cranky as well. Know that when you are at Disney with a toddler, there is no way you will see everything. Choose a few favorite things and look at anything else you get to as a bonus. If your toddler is getting overstimulated, stop and take a break. Getting dragged from thing to thing all day long is no toddler's idea of fun. Let them spend an hour running around the Boneyard at Animal Kingdom if they want to and keep in mind that there will be a day in to not too distant future where they will see that playground and run right past it. Lose the mindset that you need to see and do it all and just enjoy being at the Parks with your family. Make enjoyable memories of your toddler having fun, not your toddler screaming!
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