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INTRODUCTION :
This FAQ page is designed to help you plan a trip to Disney with your
child, not whether or not you should take your child to Disney.
Each child is different and reacts to stimuli differently than other children
their same age. This page will help to guide you as you search for useful
information on how to have a wonderful trip with an infant or toddler.
Deciding to Go
Is it possible
to take a trip to Walt Disney World with an infant or toddler and still
have a great time?
What do
you mean plan and prepare? Can't I just run down to Disney and not worry
about things?
What
is the purpose of taking an infant if he/she isn't going to remember anything
about it?
I have
been to Disney before and have seen kids and families screaming and not
having much fun at all. Won't any trip with a child be like that?
Where
should I start my planning?
Will I
still be able to enjoy the Disney experience if I am taking care of a
child the whole time?
How can
I tell if my child is ready to take a trip like this?
Preparation
When is
the best time of the year to visit with a baby?
Where should
we stay?
Should
I bring a stroller on the trip?
Transportation
Should we have
access to a car during our stay?
What are the laws
regarding children riding in cars in Florida?
Inside the Parks
What
is the admission cost for an infant?
How do I
protect my infant from the intense Florida sun and heat?
Can I
take snacks into the park?
Where do
I go first in the parks?
What
if I want to ride an attraction that my child is too small to ride?
What
is FastPass and how will it help me?
What
are the baby stations?
Where
are these Baby Stations?
Why should
I leave the park to take a nap?
What are
some good dining options?
Character Encounters
I
can't wait for my child to see the characters, is there anything that
I need to keep in mind?
What if
my child loves the characters, how can we get a really close experience
with them?
Other Issues
Does
Disney offer baby-sitting services?
Veterans' Tips
See
what others have done to make their trips more enjoyable.
Deciding to Go
Is
it possible to take a trip to Walt Disney World with an infant or toddler
and still have a great time?
Absolutely!!! It has been done
many, many times by many, many families successfully. You will
need to plan accordingly and prepare yourself to take care of your child
in a very unique situation. Disney can be overwhelming for the
average adult, but without the proper care, it can be even more so for
an infant or toddler.
What
do you mean plan and prepare? Can't I just go to Disney and not worry
about things?
A trip to Disney takes
a great deal of planning in itself. But with an infant/toddler the demands
of the trip will require even greater preparation to ensure that you and
your family have a fun and rewarding vacation.
What
is the purpose of taking an infant/toddler if he/she isn't going to remember
anything about it?
The purpose is to enjoy spending
time with your family at the Happiest Place on Earth. Depending upon
the age of your child, they will remember some experiences. There are
many different lights and sounds to keep them interested as you visit.
It is quite enjoyable to see your child engrossed by the attractions.
It is a priceless
moment when they see the castle, or the Spaceship
Earth for the first time -- how their eyes light up and they start pointing
and squealing, and it is a great photo opportunity.
I
have been to Disney before and have seen kids and families screaming and
not having much fun at all. Won't any trip with a child be like that?
Not at all. A carefully
arranged trip with adequate preparation will ensure that you will have
a great time. This FAQ will help you to plan the many phases of your
trip until your child is older.
Where
should I start my planning?
Well first you should
realize that this trip will be different from any other trip you have
taken or will ever take to Walt Disney World. You child's happiness and
well being will have to take precedence over your own desires to see every
single attraction at Disney. If you can relax on your trip and realize
that you are not going to see every single thing, then you can have a
great time. If you are the commando type that must see and do everything
from sun up to sun down, then you might want to consider waiting for your
child to get a bit older.
Will
I still be able to enjoy the Disney experience if I am taking care of
a child the whole time?
Of course. You won't
be able to see quite everything, but with some planning and flexibility,
you will be able to experience the majority of attractions in and out
of the parks. It just takes a little more work and a little better planning.
Remember that you are taking this vacation to spend time with your family.
Including your baby in your trip can be a very rewarding experience as
you see their reaction to all the stimulation of the parks.
How
can I tell if my child is ready to take a trip like this?
You know your child best. Certainly if you have any medical questions,
discuss them with your doctor.
Here are
some things that may help you learn if your child is ready for a theme
park:
You need to take a look at
the schedule or patterns of your child. This will help you to plan
around their nap/meal/sleep schedules and habits. Disney is not the
place to try new schedules with your child. It will be much easier
to follow their schedule than for them to follow yours. Some things
to ask yourself:
How do they act in a public
place?
Do large and loud crowds frighten them?
Does the dark frighten them?
Do they have scheduled nap times or are they flexible?
When and what do they eat?
Are they fussy or do they seem to be more calm?
Have they traveled before and how did they do?
What type of toys or props helps to comfort them?
How do they sleep in a strange location?
Have they been on an airplane/train/bus before?
These are just some of the questions
you need to ask yourself about your child. Most are just common sense
and none should preclude you from taking your child to Disney.
Thinking about them will help you to plan a little better
and make sure that all involved have a good time.
Preparation
When
is the best time of the year to visit with a baby?
With proper care, any
time of the year can be enjoyed, but there are a few times that are better
than others. It is best to visit with a child when it is less crowded
and cooler. See the Historical Attendance and
the Weather pages for some additional information.
Having a young one gives you lots of flexibilty about when to go as school
calendars aren't an issue yet.
One of the best times is in December
up to the week before Christmas. The crowds are light, the weather cool,
and the parks are decorated for the holidays. Another good time is in
January after the first week until mid-February.
Additionally, from the end of
spring break (early April) to Early May before school lets out is good.
Early October through early November sports great weather and low crowds.
Summers tend to be very crowded
and extremely hot. It is very taxing on anyone, but especially so on
a small child. Holiday periods are very crowded and make pushing a stroller
very difficult. Long attraction lines lead to restlessness and limit
the amount of attractions that can be experienced. Spring Break is very
crowded and warm.
Where
should we stay?
All the Walt
Disney World Hotels are great and go out of their way to make
sure you have a great trip.
Something to make your trip easier
is to enjoy one of the home-away-from-home or Disney
Vacation Club resorts. These resorts offer extra amenities that
can aid in the care of an infant. Some of these include; a kitchen to
cook meals and refrigerator to store formula and milk, separate bedroom
to offer the child peace while napping, and larger living rooms to give
your child space to play.
Consider staying in a lagoon
view room over at one of the Magic Kingdom hotels, either The
Grand Floridian,The Polynesian,
or The Contemporary if you can
afford it. "Our two year old daughter would sleep and my husband
and I would go out on our verandah with snacks and watch the water parade
and fireworks over the Magic Kingdom. (Barbara Anderson)
The Beach
Club, Yacht Club and the Boardwalk
Villas are great places as they are only a five minute walk
to Epcot and slightly longer walk to the Hollywood Studios. There is
also a boat to take you to Epcot or the Studios (figure about 20 minutes).
Should
I bring a stroller on the trip?
Bringing a stroller
is a definite with a small child. Remember that Disney does not rent
strollers outside of the parks. So if you are touring the resort hotels,
the Boardwalk, or the Downtown Disney area and you do not have a stroller,
you will have to carry a tired little one. You will want to have
a stroller available.
Renting a stroller
within the parks versus carrying your personal stroller into the parks
is a personal decision. Read the Stroller
FAQ for further details.
Transportation
Should
we have access to a car during our stay?
While many people like the freedom
from having to drive while at Disney, it is probably best to have a
car if you are planning to take an infant/toddler. Flexibility is the
key with an infant/toddler and having your own transportation will aid
you in being able to change plans at a moments notice.
A few reasons to have a car with
an infant/toddler:
You can make a quick getaway
from the parks if necessary. Sometimes waiting for a bus with an infant/toddler
is not the best situation. With your own automobile, you will be able
to leave immediately.
Some bus rides can be very
long. Holding exhausted children, bags, strollers and souvenirs while
hot and sweaty for a 30 to 45 minute bus ride is not very fun. In
your own transportation vehicle, every one has their own seat and
is much more comfortable, plus all of the junk goes in the trunk.
You will have immediate transportation
if you need it when the busses are not running.
You will be able to change
route if necessary very quickly. As unpredictable as kids are, this
is an important feature.
You can leave your car seats
in your own transportation. You don't have to transfer car seats from
taxi to taxi to go off-property. Cab drivers will not allow a child
to ride unrestrained in their cab.
You can go off-property if
needed. Many times off-property restaurants are less crowded and offer
a more relaxed dining experience.
For more information to help
you decide about your transportation, see the Transportation
Options page.
What
are the laws regarding children riding in cars in Florida?
Make sure you read and understand
the law for the State of Florida (and any state you may be driving through).
Florida
Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle - Child Passenger Safety and Occupant
Protection at the bottom right of this page are important links
to Florida information.
Florida
Safety Belt Law
Child
Restraint Requirements - (The
First Paragraph) Every operator of a motor vehicle as defined herein,
while transporting a child in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways,
streets, or highways of this state, shall, if the child is 5 years of
age or younger, provide for protection of the child by properly using
a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint device. For children
aged through 3 years, such restraint device must be a separate carrier
or a vehicle manufacturer's integrated child seat. For children aged
4 through 5 years, a separate carrier, an integrated child seat, or
a seat belt may be used.
Inside the Parks
What
is the admission cost for an infant?
Infants and toddlers under the
age of three are admitted to the parks free.
How
do I protect my infant from the intense Florida sun and heat?
The Florida sun, heat, and humidity
is always a factor when you travel to Disney.
Because most pediatricians recommend
not using sun screen on infants, make sure that you keep the direct
sun off of your child by shielding them with a stroller cover. Make
sure that you allow air to circulate. Dress your child in light colored
clothing that is cool.
Keep your child hydrated at all
times. Ask your pediatrician what you need to give your child to keep
them from dehydrating. This is critical as the heat can be dangerous
to a young child.
Venture into the air conditioned
shops and attractions at frequent intervals to help keep everyone cool.
Get a battery-operated portable
fan to help keep everyone cool. Some even have water bottles attached
that sprays a mist of water in addition to cooling. They really work
well to beat the heat, but try to buy one before you reach the parks
as they tend to become expensive on Disney property.
Can
I take snacks into the parks?
Disney does allow you
to bring snacks and water into the parks but NOT in glass containers!
It is very advisable for you to bring some of your child's favorite small
snacks in resealable sandwich bags in their diaper bag for a quick treat
when needed. When your child gets a little hungry, then you have a snack
that they like and you don't have to stand in line.
Where
do I go first in the parks?
You will want to arrive early
to make sure that you can get as many attractions in as possible with
as few lines as possible. This is best accomplished first thing in the
morning right when the park opens.
A great idea is to get a park
map and mark the attractions that you think the children would like
to see and the ones that you are sure that they wouldn't. That way you
will be sure to visit each attraction that you wish to see. In addition,
start in the back of the park first. Many times it is uncrowded at the
beginning of the day as most guests ride the first attraction that they
see. (Dave Reich)
What
if I want to ride an attraction that my child is too small to ride?
Try the baby-swap. The baby
swap is designed to allow both parents to experience an attraction that
your little one may be two small to ride and not have to wait in line
twice to do so.
It works like this. At the entrance to the attraction, you mention to
the cast member that you would like to do a baby swap. They will instruct
you on how to proceed on that particular attraction. You will all go
into the attraction line and one parent will ride the attraction while
the other stays with the child. When the first adult is finished, they
will take the child and the second adult will then ride. This is especially
fun for an older brother or sister who is large enough to ride the attraction.
Many times the cast members will allow the child to ride with both adults
which gives the child the chance to experience the attraction twice
without having to wait in line.
This procedure is changing for
many of the rides that are now offering FastPass so be sure to ask the
CM at the entrance of the attraction which procedure you are to follow.
What
is FastPass and how will it help me?
FastPass is a great system which
helps you eliminate some of the longer lines by receiving a time frame
in which you can ride the attraction with out having to wait in the
longer traditional queue. For more information on FastPass visit the
FastPass FAQ.
The FastPass system lets you,
as a parent, plan more efficiently around longer waits by getting a
time frame to return to the ride and enjoy other portions of the park.
Although the Fastpass line can involve some waiting, it is generally
less than the traditional queue.
FastPass is a great way to keep
your child motivated through the longer lines, a fussy period, or even
getting them to nap. By knowing when you're going to go on Winnie the
Pooh, you can use that as incentive to take a nap, eat, or give them
something to look forward to during a tough time of the day.
What
are the baby stations?
Baby stations are cast
member staffed areas in each of the four major parks that are set up for
helping you to care for your child. They have changing areas, high chairs
for feeding, breast feeding rooms, adult restroom, hot water, sinks for
washing, and a room with toys and videos for your older children. These
amenities are free for guest of the parks.
In addition, the stations can
supply, for a small charge, emergency items that you may have forgotten
to take to the park that day. Things such as, formula, diapers, Disney
baby clothes, children's medicines, and other small necessities to help
you get through the day. Use these stations often to get away from the
hustle and bustle of the parks and to get off your feet.
These are not day care facilities
so there is no place for your child to nap, but they are a great place
to get your baby out of the sun for a few minutes. You will love these
stations once you use them.
The First Aid Stations are usually
adjacent to the Baby Stations!
Where
are these Baby Stations?
Magic Kingdom --
at the end of Main Street, behind the Crystal Palace Restaurant on you
way to Adventureland. It is tucked away in a small courtyard near the
first aid station.
Epcot -- on the backside
of the Odyssey Restaurant on the walkway from Test Track to Mexico.
This is a very neat station as many times the workers from the Mexican
Pavilion come over to relieve the cast members. It is great to talk
to them about their travels and country while you are taking a break.
Disney's Hollywood Studios
-- just inside the entrance near guest services on the left as
you enter.
Animal Kingdom -- near
the Creature Comforts gift shop on the left side of The Tree of Life.
Why
should I leave the park to take a nap?
A mid afternoon nap is
a very good idea for all involved in the trip, not just your infant or
toddler. A Disney trip is very tiring with all of the walking that is
done. In addition, the parks are very stimulating which causes additional
fatigue for everyone. Arriving when the parks open, enjoying the attractions
with the smaller crowds and then leaving in the mid afternoon to go back
to the hotel is one of the better ways to feel refreshed throughout your
stay. After a short rest for recharging, you and your whole family will
feel much better for the evening activities. Return to the parks and you
will notice quite a difference between how you feel and the guests who
did not rest during the day. Many will not be enjoying their evenings.
What
are some good dining options?
Check out the Kid
*Friendly* Restaurant page for some great suggestions. Also
you can check out the latest offerings of each restaurant on Disney
property on the menus
page.
Character Encounters
I
can't wait for my child to see the characters, is there anything that
I need to keep in mind?
Character experiences with your
children can be one of the best events of your trip. There are a few
tips to remember. The characters are very large (compared to a toddler)
and can be very intimidating to small children. Do not try to force
your child to hug Mickey's neck if it is obvious that they don't want
to have anything to do with him. Although a toddler's behavior can be
considered unpredictable at best, you can try to prepare them for their
first meeting with a Disney character.
Some ideas include:
- Get the Disney Vacation
Video and let the child see the characters on TV so that they know
what to expect. The animated character is very different from the
live character.
- Talk to your child about
the size of the characters. It depends upon the maturity of your
child, but continual positive reinforcement about the "Big
Mickey" or "Big Minnie" at the park can help prepare
your child for the meeting.
- Watch movies or Disney Channel
with the various characters in the show. Talk to your child about
how "nice" the character is and how they want to be friends
with your child. This can help to create a favorable opinion of
the character before the child ever sees them.
- Take your child to a themed
restaurant in your local area if possible. Some have characters
which are lesser known but are offer the same type of feeling that
your child will experience at Disney. Judge from their reaction
to these large characters how they might do at the parks.
- While at the park, allow
your child to see the characters from a distance and see how they
react. If they seem to accept the character with no problem, then
you can approach a little closer. If the child is very reluctant
to get closer to the character, then wave to Mickey from a distance
and head to another attraction. Your child is not quite ready to
have a close up experience with a six foot, costumed character.
Their time will come and they will eventually come around, if not
on this trip then on another.
- It may be a good idea to
avoid the "Villian" characters until you know your child
is ready to meet them.
These may help to make that first
experience magical rather than terrifying. By gauging your child's reaction
to these large animals, you can help to make this a great trip for you
and your child.
What
if my child loves the characters, how can we get a really close experience
with them?
You might consider having
enjoying a character meal. This is a meal that will be visited by the
characters of a certain theme. Read all about Character
Meals and also the Character
Meet and Greet FAQ .
Other Issues
Does
Disney offer babysitting service for infants and toddlers?
Unfortunately, Disney does
not have organized child care programs for children under four years
old. However there are some alternatives. Read about these at the
Child Care FAQ.
Veterans'
Tips
In addition to the tips below, be sure and check out our Tips
Database!
Victoria
L. Moynihan suggests: If you can, purchase small window clings for
the Airplane window. They are reusable, and keep my little girl busy
peeling and resticking them to the window for most of the trip! When
she gets bored with them, I tell her a little story about them, and
animate it with the characters. This refreshes her interest. It is
also good for the LONG van ride to Disney. She puts them on my Mom's
van window. A sheet usually costs around two dollars.
Karen Cangero adds that Downtown
Disney is a nice place for families to have a fun, but low-key
outing. There's a small playground at the start of the walkway leading
to Rainforest Cafe, which is just the right size for toddlers. Lego
World is a fun stop too, plus there are a lot of places to sit down,
relax, eat ice cream, etc.
Joy Zeh mentions, I have breast
fed at LOTS of locations in WDW including: on the bus (!), in a rocking
chair outside the gift shop near Splash Mountain, during stage shows,
on Tom Sawyer Island (find a quiet bench), in the exit area of Tower
of Terror & right outside the gift shop. Done discreetly with
a strategically placed blanket, no one can tell you are breastfeeding!
Joy also reminds us that for
toddlers there are plenty of places where they can GET WET! Especially
the Little Mermaid autograph area & Donald's boat play area, just
across from Mickey's house (Magic Kingdom). I have found it helpful
to have my kids wear a bathing suit under their clothes, and to pack
a small towel & dry undies in my fanny pack. Then when it is hot
and we are at the play area, just pull their clothes off, let the
kids run around & get wet (don't forget sunscreen), and when they
are finished go in bathroom or behind discreetly placed shrub pull
off wet suit (don't forget a plastic bag to put it in), put on clean
panties & dry clothes, & off to another attraction.
Craig Putnal says do not expect
to even come close to following any kind of "Disney or Die"
program. It won't work, and everyone will be miserable. Pick out one,
possibly two key attractions daily. Make sure you are at them early.
Dave Reich adds a number of
great suggestions. First make sure to get a map of the park(s) you
plan to visit and mark off the attractions you think the children
would like to see, the ones you think they may be too scared, the
ones that may be too popular, the "older kid" rides such
as Space Mountain, and list them in preference and location so you
can see as much as you want, and make sure to hit the attractions
the kids will like the best. Any of the Disney guidebooks, or AllEars.net
can help you with what's where. Another interesting factoid is that
you can do much better with the lines by getting there early and get
to the BACK of the park as soon as possible. The attractions will
be less crowded earlier in the day when people are going on the rides
as soon as they get in the gates.
Taking snacks into the park
is a must. Often times when the kids want to eat, they get cranky,
and waiting on a line to get food makes it worse since the only thing
worse than a child crying that they are hungry is one who also has
to wait on a line with nothing to do but be hungry. Drinks are easy
to get at a moment's notice, and you might want to take a container
full of cereal or carrots along with you.
Also, at many attractions and
shops in the themeparks, Cast Members (CM's) have rolls of stickers
of everything from the Disney characters. The shops around the parks,
at the resort properties and even Downtown Disney have CMs with these
little gems. Don't be shy about asking for four or five of them. They
will calm a child like (Disney) magic.
Use the "parent swap."
Give each adult some "quality alone" time while the other
parent takes care of the kids. Being alone for an evening without
spouses and children really gives you an opportunity to look around.
We also give each other a half day to ourselves. I head off to the
spa while he does something special with our daughter and then on
his half day, he usually heads to the golf course while I do something
special with our daughter. (Barbara Anderson August '00)
An alternative to a stroller
for infants and lightweight toddlers is a sling. Our two year old
walked a lot, but at times she got tired and we put her in the sling.
She could nap there and going through lines was a breeze because she
didn't have to stand. When we took our 9 month old son we put him
in the stroller, but when we had to park the stroller we would just
pop him in the sling.
Your first priority is to plan
around your child's schedule!
Consider arriving at the
park as soon as it opens. The crowds will be the most manageable right
after the parks open. You will see more attractions with less waiting.
Enjoy the park for a few hours and then head back to the hotel for
some relaxation and naps. This is not only good for your child, but
you as well.
Remember to respect the people
around you. If your child is tired, irritable and screaming at the
top of their lungs, don't try to wait it out. Yes, you spent a great
deal of money, but so did the other folks around you. A screaming
child means that something is wrong, they may be hungry, they may
be wet, or they may be tired. Whatever the problem, take the time
to remove your child from the situation and fix the problem. A few
moments with your child can save everyone a great deal of frustration.
Allow some fun into the schedule
rather that continually following a rigid touring plan. Let the children
play in the fountains at Epcot and the Downtown Disney. Go back to
the hotel and play in the pool. Revisit attractions that your child
particularly enjoyed. When asked what their favorite part of
a trip to Disney was, many small children answer The Pool!
Thanks
to JeffC for his early work on this page.
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