Kids First Trip to Disney...advise

Hello,
I didn't read all the responses word for word but it sounds like you have a lot of good advice and ideas of your own.
We went in April with our 4 and 2 year old boys. We had a lot of fun.
I did get and use the Unoffical guide to Disney book and found it very helpful. It gave us a plan before we even got to the park. We didn't have to waste time decided what to do or where to go, we knew.
I would agree with other poster on shipping some stuff to your hotel - you can buy items online from Amazon and ship them there or just buy them wherever you normally do and pack and ship yourself.
The stroller on the buses can be difficult (we have a tandem double too) but remember probably 25% of the other passengers have stroller too it's not like your the only one, people are good about it. I would definitely recomend taking it and not renting the rentals are $30 a day for a double and you have to leave it at the park gate so that means going to the buses or parking lot without it and carrying all your gear and possible kids too.
We did take a break everyday midday for lunch nap and some playground or swim time, this was invaluable.
I would also suggest since you are going as a group deciding what your plan is - is this trip about the kids, are you planning to ride adult rides too, is it okay if the group seperates etc. Decide those things up front to make the day easier.
Good Luck and have a blast!

Hi,

We went to Disney, Florida. We stayed at The Animal Kingdom Lodge. First off, you will LOVE the lodge. If you get one with the view of the animals like we did, its the coolest thing to wake up and see them out there from the balcony. BRING A STROLLER THAT WILL FIT BOTH KIDS. If you don't want to lug yours , you can rent one. They are around 15-30 a DAY depending on the size you need. They have doubles with covers for sun. Its not too hard to get onto the bus, everyone will move and I THINK you are the first ones let on if I remember correctly. (NOT sure about that)Plan to have lunch when your little ones nap. Or, you can go back to the hotel to do it and come back. The resort is all inclusive so the bus that takes you back and forth from the parks to the room is ready every 15 minutes. So going back to the room, cooling off and relaxing with all your things there isn't too far fetched. Definitely bring sun block for you and the kids. You will come to find out you can get your own routine going within the first day. Have snacks in the room too. Bring quarters to the park for lockers if you need them. Bring water or you can get it there of course for way more money. Try to bring something small for the kids to do while waiting in line. We brought our DS. Thats probably not appropriate for your kids ages. Maybe their fave animal or little game? If you eat at the restaurants they offer at Disney you will spend a lot of money. Its great food though. The stroller is the biggest thing we did not think of. Our kids are 4 and 8 and they BOTH rode in it at times. We rented a double everyday after the first day of them complaining. Its a full day, every day. TRY to plan a day just to go to the pool downstairs. At the pool they have fresh towels and little life vests for the little ones. They also have night vision at night to see the animals. There is always something to do!! Have fun!!

I forgot to add this: If the ride you want to go on has a wait time that you don't like you can go get a ticket (EZ pass) for the ride and on the ticket it will tell you when to come back for a minimal wait. You will then come back at the designated time (which gives you up to an hour like for instance come back between 4 and 5) and go into a different line than the others. Its basically still waiting for the ride but you can go do other things and come back and get into the other line with minimal wait time. Make sure you get a ticket for each person and don't loose them. Also, make sure you keep your Disney passes handy you will need to manually enter EACH one in at the entrance. If your child's name is Ethan, then Ethan's ticket gets sent through the ticket pass, then Ethan goes in. Same for each person there after. I had my hub go through first then the kids then me.

My daughter went on her first plane trip at 7 months, and when we picked the flights we were strategic at picking the times. So that it was around a nap time or a feeding time. It didn't always work exactly like that, but she did wonderful. It just worked out that when we were going up or down it was about time for a bottle.
A friend of mine just took her 3 month old on a plane trip and she suggested to have extra clothes for everyone, have food always at the ready.
And for while you are there, plan on taking family nap time. And use the services of you parents to help with the older one. Try to keep some of your schedule normal, but add special stuff in. It is vacation for everyone afterall.
Have fun

It will be wonderful and exhausting at the same time. I have done it and "riding the wave" is key. Lugging the stroller on and off the buses is hard work, but people are generally very helpful. As far as naps and tantrums. The babies just napped in the stroller and we did not experience any meltdowns. I think that because there is so much to do, they rarely loose it and just go.go.go..!! :-) Recognizing that if there is a break down and you head home, you probably won't be back for several hours, if at all. I always carried beverages and snacks for the children in a cooler. Spray bottles are good as well. Wear the coolest clothes and most comfortable shoes you can find. Nursing is the best because you can always comfort the baby and feed them whenever. Remember to take extra money to buy extra beverages or popsicles in the event you run out of what is in your cooler. Just no glass containers. When I went I had a 4 year old and an 8 month old, plus my husband has to ride a scooter. We also went with several other families with children and had a blast. You will sleep soundly each night. Oh, we also found some of the sit down shows to attend to get cool, shaded cool down moments as well--at least one session per day. And you can always spend a day at the hotel at the pool. Enjoy and take plenty of photos. :-)

Hi, C.! A trip to Disney sounds fun to me!! My girlfriend just came back a couple of months ago, and she has a 13, 9 and almost 2 year old. Her first piece of advice was to buy anything Disney here at home from the Disney store. She had to buy a Princess dress for her little 2 year old, because she said EVERYONE had a Princess dress on! It was $60 in the park!! She saw the same dress in Wal-Mart here at home when she returned for $15!! Mickey Mouse ears were $30! Crazy! Anyway, that's a suggestion... buy what you can before you get to the park. Have a blast!

Hi C...just wanted to offer a little advice. For your plane ride nursing your baby is great as well as the snacks and backpack for your oldest.If your 3 yr old can sip through a straw or have them sip through the straw during take off and landing.We did this with both our oldest when we went to disney and it helped w/ swallowing to clear their ears.When getting on the monorail at the parks make sure you get in the handicapped lines.They usually offer more rooms for strollers especially doubles.The cast members even have ramps to help get them on if you need them.The busses you may need to fold the strollers and carry the kids on.They can get crowded,and keeping it open is not really an option.If you all are renting a van or a car that may be an option also.Although disney offers transportation to the parks we found just driving to the parks for us was easier.We have a sit and stand plus my oldest is in a wheelchair.This way we were able to be on our schedule w/ waiting in long lines and trying to fit all of us into one monorail.Plus as a disney resort guest you get free parking.WHile in the park take advantage of the fact that your resort is so close.If you need to take a break during the day by taking naps if it gets to intense.You can always go back to the park later.Also if your able to do the character meals especially at chef mickey;s(if your 3 yr old is not afraid of character's)at the contemporary resort,it is a bit pricey but worth it.If you plan do that make sure you make your reservations soon.Also one more thing..if you have a van or car there is a super walmart in kissimee, and if your room is the ones with the kitchenette(we looked into vacation club there and at the contemporary)you can get your groceries there although milk is somewhat expensive.Course if you are doing the dining plan it is kind of a mute point.Plus, they have an array of disney merchandise.They do not say WALT DISNEY WORLD..most just say disney or disney dreams but alot of the stuff is pretty much the same as in the parks at a fraction of the price.For ex..in the park an autograph book and pen runs about 12.95..you can get an autograph book and pen at walmart for like 5.It saved us alot of money shopping there.Good luck to you and have an awesome time.We are going again in feb for our 5th visit.~K.

We are headed to Disney too. I got the Official Guide to Disney book and it is awesome I highley suggest it. I also borrowed the unofficial Guide from the library and I recommend that too. I have a friend who goes every year (crazy I know) but she said do exactly what the book says. It tells you when you have little ones to go in turn right go to this ride and then this ride and so on. I feel much better about the whole experience. On the flying I took my son when he was 11 months we just gave him a bottle on the way up and down that seemed to work for him. I bought him some new toys also for the flight that I wrapped in tissue paper which he loved playing with. And we took snacks that he rarely had that were "special" snacks. Also his favorite books that he enjoyed looking at. I think too I had the attitude I have a child here we are gonna make the best of it. It's only for 5 hours not a lifetime people. You get to leave us. Also the books tell you where the children care centers are in each individual parks which is helpful. I know the more info I have the more I feel prepared. Have fun. I know I am soo excited to go.

Disney is such an amazing trip, especially to see the Magic of it through the eyes of a litte one! I second the advice on www.allears.net that site had great tips on thigs to pack vs purchase, how to handle the busses, etc. I'd also suggest that you check out www.tourguidemike.com . Mike used to be an official Disney Tour Guide, but now has his own company that does private tours of the parks. His site can give you plans how how to best tour each park with small kids so that you wait in lines for the shortest amount of times. He also then tells you when to schedule your dining reservations (yes you need reservations MONTHS in advance for ANY Disney sit down (aka air conditioned) restaurant). His site also tells you which parks are the best to visit on each day of your trip based on historical crowds, extra magic hours, etc., so I'd advise figuring out your agenda (which park on which day) before you schedule any reservations anywhere. You can print off tons of information, and they have menus on both sites for all the restaurants so you can be sure that the places have something that your 3 year old will definitely eat! We really liked Cinderella's Royal Table at Magic Kingdom, The Sci-Fi Drive In at Hollywood Studios, and have heard amazing things about Chef Mikey's character meals at the Contemporary Hotel. I also heard 1900 Park Fair at the Grand Floridian is an amazing Character Meal. Have a great time!!

I just went to disney in may with a 4 and a two year old. First of all take your diaper bag. Pack bottle at least one bottle of water for each of you in the bag. Second take the stroller, I wasn't going to until I checked out the rental prices. At 30 a day it may be more cost effective to bring your own. My youngest will sleep anywhere so he fell asleep in the stroller and he was good to go. I really found Disney to be the most unfamily friendly at times. We went to SeaWorld and when the kids fell asleep in the stroller we could go to one of the shows because they had special seating for parents with babies sleeping in the strollers. With Disney you could take the sleeping child out of the stroller and carry them in but you always had to leave the stroller in the designated parking area. In the animal kingdom check out dinoland they have a lot for the younger kids there. The magickingdom had the most attractions that my kids loved. Alot of them at the other parks the kids were too small to ride.
The kids loved the toystory ride in Hollywood studios, any train ride, the carosel and small world at the magic kingdom. Have fun.

Hi C. - what a fun trip! We took our 5 and 3 year olds to disney this March. The best advice we got and used was to get up early and get into the parks, leave at lunch and head back to the hotel to eat, swim and nap (maybe!) and go back to the parks in the late afternoon. That schedule gave our kids and us a much needed break from the heat and the crowds. Have a great time!

Hi C.!

I agree with a lot of what the other moms had said. Definitely look at www.allearsnet.com (I know that one mom had mentioned it already, but gave the incorrect address). They have a great section about traveling with toddlers and infants. Each park has a baby care center. I hear they are FABULOUS and are well worth finding and using. The website also has a wonderful tips section that you can search.

There are a lot of places that you can "escape" to while in the parks to get away from the crowds to let your little ones calm down. Being at a resort that is away from most of the parks and a bus ride to and from just about everything, it might be difficult to get back to the resort for nap time. Catching some zzz's in the stroller might be the best thing. And I highly recommend taking your own, even if it is a hassle. It is a lot easier to lug that thing around in the short amount of time than 2 tired babies around and in and out of the parks.

I have a lot of tips that I am more than happy to share, but do not want to monopolize your time. One big suggestion that I have for you is shipping things ahead of time. We shipped diapers, wipes, snacks, ziploc baggies, clothes (we went in January), etc. so that we didn't have to check luggage or wait at baggage claim. It was great. We did carry on snacks, etc. but it was definitely worth the extra money to ship. And now with all of the baggage fees, it definitely is great.

Please let me know if I can be of any help. I love helping people with their magical vacations.

Have fun!!
K. O

First off - Congrats on the trip. We are taking our kids in July (they are now 3 and 5) but we took them before when they were 3 and 18 months. I would check out www.allears.net for some great advice on taking young children. Have you been to disney before without kids? Are you staying at a Disney Resort? If you are it will just be a bus/monorail ride back to the hotel for a nap or afternoon swim. Sometimes we just let them sleep in the stroller and "push" through the grumpy times. Disney has some Baby Care areas in each park where there is AC and changing tables, as well as rocking chairs and rooms for nursing if you want more privacy. It's a little overload. Let me know if know if you have any other questions. Make sure you make your dining reservations early so you can get a time that will accomodate your family. We always try for an earlier time so there is less of a wait in the park. I'm sure you will have a great time!
Good Luck planning!

We have done Disney with out daughter twice. Once at 11 months and once at 18 months. Yes lugging your stroller on and off the busses is hard, but well worth it for your kids to be comfortable in their own stroller. As for naps and tantrums. It is harder to get back to the hotel for a nap than we thought. By the time we got to the room we wasted more time than we wanted to. The best idea is to find a "show" or ride that is dark and airconditioned. We would give my daughter a bottle, her blanket and she would fall asleep in our arms. Then after the show we would put her in the stroller asleep and walk around until she woke up.