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It is extremely exciting to bring your toddler or baby to Disney World! Nothing beats being able to watch them experience it. For me, it is like seeing Disney World anew through their eyes. I’m tearing up just thinking about this! I have some great tips to share for surviving Disney World with your toddler or baby. These will definitely help you make the most magical family memories!
1. Keep to the same sleep schedule
I cannot emphasize this tip enough! Infants and toddlers like predictable schedules and don’t *generally* do well without enough day and nighttime sleep. In order to keep your child happy, stick to whatever times they normally nap and go to bed. I love the SnoozeShade Deluxe for napping in the Parks (read more about it here)! This handy stroller cover will allow your child to get some quality sleep while you walk around or sit back and enjoy an adult beverage. For nighttime, you can request a crib at your hotel or rent a full sized one! We decided to rent one through Kingdom Strollers for our last trip. The crib was conveniently at our resort upon arrival. It was very clean and very comfortable for my son. Highly recommend!
2. Always have snacks
If your child is like mine, then being hangry is an understatement! Avoid unnecessary meltdowns while waiting in line for Peter Pan’s Flight by keeping individually wrapped snacks in your bag. If you need to make formula for your baby, keep the powder pre-measured in plastic condiment cups and pre-fill the bottles with filtered water from the Baby Care Centers (more on them later!).
3. Keep them hydrated
It seems like no matter what time of year you visit Disney World, Florida will be HOT! That intense heat and humidity affects toddlers and infants just like it does us adults. So keep everyone hydrated! Purchasing individual water bottles in the Disney Parks can get pricey very quickly (currently at $3.50 a bottle!). I have a few ways to keep water costs down (read all about them here).
4. Have medicine on hand
You just never know when you need them, so keep those medicines on hand. Seriously. Learn from my experience… My son unexpectedly starting teething during his first Disney trip and developed a double ear infection on his second visit! Thankfully I had ibuprofen in my bag and was able to give him a dose right away. Here’s a great syringe with bottle adapter for quick and accurate dosing. If you need to grab some medicine, you can easily visit a Baby Care Center.
5. Visit Baby Care Centers
Speaking of Baby Care Centers, USE THEM! Each Disney Park has one, so be sure to find out where they are located. They have free filtered water, an eating/TV room, clean changing tables, separate bathrooms, and quiet nursing rooms. Additionally, the Cast Members working these Centers are incredibly friendly and helpful. Sometimes we would just visit to fill up on water and take a snack break in air conditioning! Here’s a great video from the Disney Parks Moms Panel:
6. Do Character Dining later
I was very excited to share a Character Dining experience with my son. I foolishly booked dining for the first day of our vacation… Little did I know he would be scared of the characters! Do yourself (and your wallet) a favor and book Character Dining for later in your trip. Instead, schedule FastPasses to visit some characters early on. This will allow your child time to acclimate meeting them! Read all about my tips for Character Dining to make the most of this experience!
7. Know you won’t get to see everything!
I have so many happy Disney World memories I couldn’t wait to share with my son! For my his first visit, I overbooked our days and became disappointed when we weren’t seeing everything. I quickly came to realize that the best approach to surviving and making the most of a Disney World vacation with a toddler or baby is to slow down! It’s OK if you don’t ride every attraction or meet every character. Instead, take the time to appreciate every moment and everything that you do see. We ended up visiting Mickey Mouse over and over again because my son just positively lit up when seeing him!
I hope these tips help you and your toddler or baby make the most of your Disney World vacation! If you have any tips you’d like to share or have other questions, please feel free to write in the comments below or message me directly.
Cheers!!