Did you know there are children at Walt Disney World? That’s not a surprise, right? In fact, it’s probably a safe bet to say that most visitors to Walt Disney World will bring along a child or two… or more. We can probably all attest to the fact that traveling with children presents considerations that might not exist on an all-adult trip. Every child presents a different and unique set of requirements when planning a trip as complex as a visit to Disney World. A great many things need to be considered including the child’s age, his or her likes and dislikes, diet or health restrictions, and more.
To help you, there are a number of information sources at your disposal. In addition to sections of various Web sites, Birnbaum produces a Walt Disney World for Kids version of the popular official guide. There’s also The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World with Kids by Bob Sehlinger, Liliane Opsomer and Len Testa. While there’s a wealth of research material at your fingertips, you shouldn’t overlook quizzing any family or friends that might have made the trip with their own children. There’s often no replacement for first-hand experience.
I never thought I was someone that would be offering advice in this area until one of my readers suggested it. Jennifer (littlej) Schwing wrote “There’s one thing I’ve been hoping you’d write about ever since your review of (your) trip: What was it like taking your grandson for his first trip?” Jennifer indicated she and her husband were busy planning their son’s first trip and “devouring every real-life account of toddlers and their first time in the parks”. “
Me? But as I thought about it… our first trip to Walt Disney World was way back in 1984 when our daughters were 8 and 5 years old. As a matter of fact, our daughter Stephanie celebrated her 5th birthday on our first day. Our son’s first visit was when he was 4 years old and, at that time, his sisters were 10 and 14. We’ve made a number of additional trips since then and, more recently, we brought along our grandson for two trips when he was 15-months and three years old.
What’s the bottom line? We’ve taken children to Disney World from every age bracket beginning at one and going through adulthood. Experience? Yeah, I guess I have some.
Now I certainly don’t consider myself an expert in this area but, during the course of these several dozen trips with children of all ages, I think I’ve learned a few things. I hope that the list, below, will help at least a few parents in planning their next trip. At the very least, it should inspire you to begin the research on your own. I’m also fairly certain I’ll get a few additions and modifications from readers of this column. Let’s start with…
Planning
I can’t overemphasize this aspect of a trip—particularly a trip with children. I mentioned a couple of the guidebooks for children, above. You can also spend some time on a few Web sites and pick up some tips from the parents that have gone before you.
It’s a great idea to map out a general plan for dining and theme park touring in advance of the trip. Whether your preferences are table or counter service, choose the dining options that are the best fit for your family and budget. Make those table service reservations early—at the 90-day window.
If you’re unfamiliar with the parks and attractions, do your research and determine which rides and attractions are of interest and, most importantly, which should be avoided. Anyone that’s heard the symphony of screaming 3-year olds in It’s Tough to be a Bug knows what I’m talking about. Learn about the height restrictions for various rides so you don’t inadvertently disappoint a child who wants nothing more than to ride Expedition Everest. There’s nothing worse than being turned away at the entrance.
My tips on planning always start with roughing out an idea of which parks will be visited on which days. I would never advocate a minute-by-minute or even hour-by-hour plan but knowing you will visit Epcot on Monday night will help with a touring plan as well as a plan for dining. I’ll also offer a personal plea to all to carve out a little piece of down time each day. This is especially important when traveling with children. Whether it’s time by the pool or napping in the room, you will thank me later.
Extra Hands
If you can, bring help: other adults, older siblings, grandparents, even a babysitter. I can’t tell you how much easier it was when traveling with our then 15-month old grandson to have six adults in the group. Every bus ride was so much easier when Mom took the child, Dad handled the stroller, Grandma took the diaper bag, etc. It also was a lot of help in navigating the trip itself—especially through airports and the challenges associated with airport security checks.
Having a few extra hands around is also important to allow Mom and Dad the ability to ride a favorite attraction or take in a fireworks show while someone else cares for the child for a short period.
Characters
Every child is different. Some will immediately take to the characters and others may run screaming in the other direction. Place yourself in your child’s shoes for a moment. You’re taken out of a comfortable home environment and thrust into a world of sights and sounds that you’ve never experienced. All of a sudden, there’s a six-foot chipmunk waving at you and your mom is… bringing you closer! There’s a diaper change in the works.
We’ve found that the perfect place to enjoy character interaction is through character dining. A breakfast at Chef Mickey’s allows the child to see the characters interacting with other children before they come to the table. The surroundings are also a bit more familiar and mom and dad are there smiling and laughing. Moreover, you don’t have the added problem of 20-minutes in line.
Strollers
You can bring a stroller from home or rent one in the parks. Be advised that stroller rental prices have increased significantly over the past year. A single stroller will now set you back $15/day while a double is up to $31. You can save a few bucks a day if you opt for a length of stay rental. While I’ve never ridden in one (not for a lack of trying), the hard molded plastic doesn’t exactly scream “comfort” to me.
Another option is to buy one at Disney—The World Traveler shop at Epcot’s International Gateway sells a simple umbrella stroller for around $40-$50. If you have your own transportation, you can visit a local department store and buy one. What do you do with it at the end of your trip? You could try to pass it off to an incoming family, ask about donating it somewhere or just leave it and hope that somehow, it finds a way into the right hands. In any case, you’ve saved money off the daily rental fee.
If you only require a stroller occasionally for brief respites in the parks for your older toddler, a rental might be right for you. However, if your child requires a stroller in the parks, my advice is to bring your own lightweight stroller from home. It will be very helpful while traveling through airports, and once you pass through the turnstiles and exit a park it will be invaluable in getting around your resort. A simple walk to the food court with a two or three year old can take forever without one.
Another advantage of having your own stroller along is the storage it offers. It’s so much easier to pack what you need (bottles, diapers, food, toys, etc.) in your hotel room and load your stroller right there. Common sense should also dictate what you store there. It’s never a good idea to leave money or valuables (cameras, camcorders, gold bullion) in an unattended stroller. One item you should pack is a poncho or plastic tarp to protect the stroller from a Florida rainstorm. There’s not much worse than exiting an attraction to find your stroller and it’s contents have been drenched while you were inside.
One disadvantage we found with rented strollers is theft. Whether some folks just accidentally took the wrong stroller (doubtful because we clearly marked ours with our name) or were trying to save the price of a rental, our stroller went AWOL more than a few times. Disney is great about replacing them but it’s certainly an inconvenience.
To combat this, it’s recommended that you personalize your stroller so you can easily identify it in the parks. Try to avoid locks because cast members often have to move strollers or realign the stroller parking areas. Brightly colored ribbons are often used and I’ve heard a few stories on some unique ways to frighten off a stroller thief. These usually involve a prominently placed clear plastic bag containing a diaper soiled with some mixture of chocolate or tea. I’m not advocating… just saying.
Snacks
Try to pack some snacks for the children. Your best bets are nonperishable foods like roll-ups or granola bars. These are great when your child needs a quick snack or as a diversion in a longer queue. It will probably save you a few bucks over buying them in the parks.
During the hottest months of summer, it’s a good idea to freeze a few water bottles and wet washcloths for use in the parks. The water will remain cold as the ice melts and the cold washcloth can be a welcome relief to a toddler (or an adult).
Safety
Each day, take a digital photo or video of your child. In the unlikely event you become separated, having an image of your child in the clothing they were wearing that day could be useful.
It’s a good idea to “brand” your child with some form of identification that would include your cell phone number and the name of your Disney resort. I’d stop short of tattooing but you could use a card in their pocket or on a lanyard or bracelet. K-ID’s BMV Web site (link) sells some pretty unique, and useful, items like shoelace ID tags.
Use some discretion in letting your children run around. There are certainly play areas at the resorts and theme parks where kids can blow off some steam in a reasonably safe, and well-padded, environment. However, I’ve seen kids trip on pavement where they shouldn’t have been running, fall from walls they shouldn’t have been climbing, hit with light sabers that shouldn’t have been swung… and more. Again, I’m just saying.
Kids Being Kids
It’s always a good idea to bring a change of clothes in case your child has an accident or gets soaked playing in one of the water fountains. It might be a good idea to have a first-aid kit with you as well for the bumps and scrapes every child gets. If you didn’t bring one, the First Aid Stations in each park can offer a collection of band-aids, headache remedies, etc. Each park also offers a Child Care center. They can be great for nursing, a diaper change or just a quiet place to get you and your child out of the theme park bedlam for a few minutes. If you have a requirement, they can also store refrigerated medicines for you.
Above all else, keep in mind that it’s a vacation for your child as well as for you. You’re both entitled to have a good time and a little bit of planning will help you achieve that.
That’s my opinion. What’s yours?
