Take Your 2-Year-Old to Disney! Aug '17 TR * COMPLETE 1/10/19

heathsf

DIS Veteran
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
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Yoo-Hoo! Welcome to my Trip Report!
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We just got back from our most magical trip yet. My post-Disney depression is realer than real this time around so I'm looking forward to reliving the memories here to help me cope.

Who:
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Me! I'm Heather and I'm a Disney-obsessed teacher from NJ. I'm also a Disney Travel Planner. This was trip #11 for me and even though it was way different than all my other trips as an adult, it was hands-down the best. This was my first trip to WDW as a mommy and it was by far the most magical.

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DH aka Bobby. This was trip #3 for him. His first two trips were against his will (according to him). He likes to pretend he doesn't like Disney and never wants to go but when we're there he always seems to be having a great time. I think it's all an act to cover up his secret love for WDW. He's definitely afraid if I find out how much he really loves it, he won't be able to stop me from booking multiple trips a year. This was the first trip that he actually told me he had a great time. And I still had to force that admission
out of him.

And finally...the star of this TR
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Our DD Ryann (pronounced just like Ryan). She turned 2 in the spring and this was her 1st visit to WDW! We took her to Disneyland for two days when she was 10 months old because we had a wedding in nearby Huntington Beach. She loved seeing the characters on that trip but she didn't really understand what was going on and doesn't remember it. That trip was magical for me too, but doesn't come close to the magic of this trip. DD loves a LOT of characters but her favorites right now are Peter Pan and Tinkerbell.

Our friends from our last trip will also be making some appearances throughout this TR. "M" is my coworker and also one of my best friends. She and her husband "S" are Disney-lovers but have not yet reached my levels of crazy. Their daughter "A" is two days older than DD and they're adorable together.

Where:
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Coronado Springs Resort

When:
August 23 - August 29

Why:
I always told DH that the plan was to bring DD to Disney before she turned 3. He used to say he wanted to wait until she was 5, and I would say that 5 will be a great age too, but we're also going to take her before she's 3 ::yes:: I don't think he believed me that she wasn't "too young" and that there would be "nothing for her to do." These are things I've heard a lot - not just from him - and they're just so wrong. If you know you're only going to take your child once, then I can understand waiting until they're a little older, but I know we will be back and she had an AMAZING time. So to those of you who may be thinking about it, BRING YOUR 2 YEAR OLD TO DISNEY! I hope that all the pictures and videos I took will be enough to help her remember it, but even if she doesn't, I will. This trip was filled with magical moments and special memories that I will always cherish.

It wasn't a perfect trip, and things didn't always go according to plan. I wish we could have stayed longer and spread our plans out a little bit more. There were a couple of toddler meltdowns and a couple of adult meltdowns. There was lots of food but we still ended up with leftover snack credits :scratchin DD has food allergies and we had some really great restaurant experiences, as well as a few hiccups. I have too many pictures and lots of videos. I can't wait to share it all!
 

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Chapter Links

Day 1
Chapter 1 in which we are finally going to Disney World
Chapter 2 in which we all eat dinner at a restaurant
Chapter 3 in which I must be crazy

Day 2
Chapter 4 in which the magic begins
Chapter 5 in which we are practically perfect in every way
Chapter 6 in which pixie dust will help you nap
Chapter 7 in which Pooh ate, and ate, and ate, and ate, and ate, and ate, and ate, and ate, and ate!
Chapter 8 in which the night ends happily ever after
Days 1 & 2 Video

Day 3
Chapter 9 in which we Visit Arendelle
Chapter 10 in which I'm thankful for Rider Swap
Chapter 11 in which My Butt Gets Frozen Ever After
Chapter 12 in which 'Ohana means a Safe Meal for the Whole Family
Chapter 13 in which There Are No Tumble Monkeys
Day 3 Video

Day 4
Chapter 14 in which Buzz Isn't So Scary
Chapter 15 in which It's Snowing and I'm Crying
Chapter 16 in which We Find a New Snack
Chapter 17 in which I'm a Little Black Rain Cloud, Of Course
Chapter 18 in which We've Got Some Imagination

Day 5
Chapter 19 in which There's a New Welcome Show
Chapter 20 in which Roo Gets a Poncho
Chapter 21 in which We're All Mad Here
Chapter 22 in which The Rain Rain Rain Came Down Down Down
Chapter 23 in which He's a Little Teapot
Chapter 24 in which We're in the Sky with the Fireworks

Day 6

Chapter 25 in which We Relax
Chapter 26 in which We Finally Go to a Park


Day 7
Chapter 27 in which It's Our Last Morning
Chapter 28 in which I Attempt to Set a Fastpass World Record
Chapter 29 in which We'll See Ya Real Soon

Epilogue

 
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My favorite trips were the 2 we took when my ds was 2, seeing WDW through their eyes is amazing.
 


Following! We are taking our LO on his second Birthday and I love hearing about others experiences with a toddler in tow!
 
Hi Heather! Can't wait to hear all about your trip. We first took Casey when she was 2 and a half too and I couldn't agree with your assessment more. She fully understood what was going on and even more so remembered it on our next trip.

Now I'm going to go pour myself a drink and await your first post :drinking1
 
Oh, following along! We go to Disneyland a lot (we have family in California), and enjoyed our trips with our littles just as much as we do now that they're older. They're only going to WDW for their second time in February, but it is SO much fun with kids. The first time I took my oldest to Disney was when he was 15 months old. He may not remember it, but he enjoyed it and I enjoyed seeing attractions with new eyes - the Tiki Room, Small World, etc. that were absolutely magical for him! We also love CSR and it is my favorite resort so far on property (we haven't been to many - just OKW, POR, and CSR). Can't wait to read the rest!
 


Joining in! While our boys were a little older their first trip, we have so many special memories of going to Disney as a family. Enjoy every minute and cherish these early years, it goes by so fast!
 
Following! I took a 2 year old to Disney last year and he loved it! I always said I wanted to go to Disney before ds2 was 3, but my reasoning was I wanted to go wholeness he was still free! :laughing: Can't wait to read the rest!
 
Following. I took my 2 year old to WDW last year (along with her 5 yo brother) and she still talks about it! And one of the best parts of bringing them under 3, is that they are free!! Can't wait for all the pictures, videos, and memories. One of my biggest regrets was not taking more videos.
 
Hi Heather, I'm here! You are so right about bringing 2 year olds (and even younger ones!). While Ricky was 4 on our first trip, Christopher was 11 months. We went again when he was 13 months old and then a month after he turned 2. It was adorable watching his reaction to characters, parades (when they had them everywhere) and on some rides the first couple times but that trip right after he turned 2 was truly magical!
Can't wait to hear all about your trip :)
 
Joining in the fun! Just took my 3 year old niece to Disney and it was amazing!

I hope I get to take DD when she's 3 too! ;) Thanks for following!

My favorite trips were the 2 we took when my ds was 2, seeing WDW through their eyes is amazing.

It really is! Thanks for joining in!

Following! We are taking our LO on his second Birthday and I love hearing about others experiences with a toddler in tow!

Welcome! I hope this TR will help you prepare and get excited! When is his birthday?

Hi Heather! Can't wait to hear all about your trip. We first took Casey when she was 2 and a half too and I couldn't agree with your assessment more. She fully understood what was going on and even more so remembered it on our next trip.

Now I'm going to go pour myself a drink and await your first post :drinking1

I hope you weren't up drinking all night waiting for me! :rotfl:

Oh, following along! We go to Disneyland a lot (we have family in California), and enjoyed our trips with our littles just as much as we do now that they're older. They're only going to WDW for their second time in February, but it is SO much fun with kids. The first time I took my oldest to Disney was when he was 15 months old. He may not remember it, but he enjoyed it and I enjoyed seeing attractions with new eyes - the Tiki Room, Small World, etc. that were absolutely magical for him! We also love CSR and it is my favorite resort so far on property (we haven't been to many - just OKW, POR, and CSR). Can't wait to read the rest!

Thanks for following! Where are you staying in February? That's awesome you get to go to DL a lot. I really appreciated how much more condensed it is when we took DD. I loved being able to take a quick walk back to the hotel for a nap.

Joining in! While our boys were a little older their first trip, we have so many special memories of going to Disney as a family. Enjoy every minute and cherish these early years, it goes by so fast!

Thanks for joining! It really is going by so fast, and I just love this age.

Following! I took a 2 year old to Disney last year and he loved it! I always said I wanted to go to Disney before ds2 was 3, but my reasoning was I wanted to go wholeness he was still free! :laughing: Can't wait to read the rest!

Thanks for following! That was one of my selling points to DH: she's free! :lmao:

Looking forward to hearing about your trip!

Thanks! Glad you're following along!

Following. I took my 2 year old to WDW last year (along with her 5 yo brother) and she still talks about it! And one of the best parts of bringing them under 3, is that they are free!! Can't wait for all the pictures, videos, and memories. One of my biggest regrets was not taking more videos.

Thanks for following! That was one of my selling points to DH: she's free!! DD is still talking about the trip and I hope she continues talking about it.... all the way until our next trip! :rotfl:

Following! Your daughter is so cute!

Thank you! And thanks for following along.

Hi Heather, I'm here! You are so right about bringing 2 year olds (and even younger ones!). While Ricky was 4 on our first trip, Christopher was 11 months. We went again when he was 13 months old and then a month after he turned 2. It was adorable watching his reaction to characters, parades (when they had them everywhere) and on some rides the first couple times but that trip right after he turned 2 was truly magical!
Can't wait to hear all about your trip :)

It really was SO magical! I'm so glad you're here! :goodvibes
 
Chapter 1
In Which We Are Finally Going to Disney World

M and I got manicures the day before we left and I treated myself to a gel (my second one EVER - it's like magic!)
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I slept terrible the night before we left because I was TOO EXCITED TO SLEEP! Oh how I wish I had DH's sleeping abilities. My alarm was set for 6 am but I didn't need it. I showered and did some last minute packing and soon it was time to wake DD. But first I had to wake DH and see if he wanted to get up to wake DD with me. She really doesn't like being woken (who does!?) but when I said, "Where are we going today?" she hopped right out of bed and said "Disney World!" I had seriously been imagining this moment in my head for months and it was everything I had hoped it would be.

We gave her a Minnie Mouse backpack with some activities for the plane and she said, "I love it!" which was super adorable. And then she wanted to play with everything right then and there. Oops, I guess I didn't think that part through. We got her dressed and downstairs for breakfast and finished up the last of the packing and were out the door at 9:07, just 7 minutes behind schedule which is *very* impressive for me.
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Watching out the window for Grandma to pick us up and take us to the airport

If you read my previous TR, you are familiar with our friends M and S. We went to WDW with them in 2014 right before M and I got pregnant. My due date was 8 days before hers but she ended up having her daughter, "A", two days before I had DD. We are still very close with them and the girls play together all the time.
I booked their Disney trip before I knew we would be going in August. DH had agreed to take a trip in December which would mean that I would have to take a few days off from work and it would have to be a short trip. I eventually decided it was too stressful to take the days off and I really wanted to go for longer than 4 or 5 days so I somehow managed to get him to agree to another August trip (even though we both said "never again in August" last time). The dates that worked out best were the same dates that M and S had booked so we decided to book the same flights so we could travel together. Originally, they were staying at All-Star Movies but a few months before the trip they decided to switch to Coronado. Our plan was always to spend most of the trip apart, as we figured it would be too difficult to coordinate everything around two very different toddler schedules. We had a few things planned together though.

Sidenote: M knows that I am writing this TR but I have told her that I will not use their full names or post any identifying pictures of A.

While we were in the car, I was texting with M who was already at the airport. She said that the line for security was super long and moving slowly. I started to get nervous that we hadn't left ourselves enough time. Just as we arrived, she texted that they were through and it had taken 40 minutes. We checked our bags quickly and then headed to security. We were pulled from our line to join a new line they had just opened and were done in literally 5 minutes. M was pretty surprised to see us so quickly :laughing:

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DD and A were both so excited.
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I had asked for early boarding to clean our seats/area because of DD's food allergies and was happily accommodated. I had read before we left that Jet Blue is really great about this. We boarded with the first group and I had plenty of time to wipe everything down. DD was SO excited to touch everything so I was glad I had cleaned everything first. We took off exactly on time and were scheduled to land 15 minutes early. DD was great and the flight went by surprisingly quickly. She was starting to get antsy by the end of the flight, but who could blame her?

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I got the headphones for less than $10 on Amazon just for this trip.

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Sticker book from Barnes & Noble. It held her interest for maybe 10 minutes.

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This was the winner of the trip. She LOVED this. It's called Melissa & Doug Water Wow. Thank goodness I saw A playing with this a few days before we left and was able to order it on Amazon. That brush gets filled with water and then you just paint and the colors show up. When it dries it turns back to black & white like new and you can paint all over again. This was the best!

We did land 15 minutes early, went right to the Magical Express check-in which was practically empty, and right onto a Mickey Bus, as DD calls it. The bus was almost full and we only had to wait about 10 minutes before we were on our way.

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DD was overtired and hyperactive (isn't it funny how those two always go hand-in-hand?) I could barely keep her sitting in her seat but it was adorable to see how excited she was. She was talking non-stop about going to the hotel. DH was sitting across the aisle from us, relaxing with his eyes closed. I got a text saying our room was ready and I didn't get any of my requests. We were on the top floor of building 2 (I had requested ground floor in building 3) but looking at the map, it seemed like we were very close to the bus stop so I was happy about that and excited to check out the room and location. It's a funny thing though, a map can be misleading...

(continued in the next post)
 

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Coronado Springs was the first stop and even though we could have skipped the registration desk and gone right to our rooms using our Magic Bands, we had groceries and strollers to pick up and I had to show ID to verify my room rate so we decided to take care of that first.


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I finally got to see this hidden mickey with my own eyes. See it?
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Also hidden in this picture are DH and DD :rotfl:

The groceries and strollers were back where the ME dropped us off, in the luggage area so I left DD and DH to play and watch TV. The CM in the luggage room told me that the groceries were going to be too much for me to carry by myself so he would have bell services deliver them in about 10 minutes. Perfect. We all headed to our rooms which were next to each other. We walked past Casitas Buildings 1 and 3 which are partially under construction. Every room at Coronado is being completely redone and they started working on the preferred buildings about a month before our stay. I was pretty upset when I first saw that on facebook but other than being a bit of an eyesore, it really wasn't a big deal. Building 2 is behind 1 and 3 and overlooks the parking lot but is very close to bus stop #2. Once we got close to where our room was located on the map, we started looking around for a nearby elevator. And we looked, and we looked, and we looked. We started following signs for an elevator and eventually we wound up back at building 3! We were sweaty and frustrated at this point because we had to completely backtrack in order to get up to the 4th floor and then walk from building 3 to building 2. This wouldn't be so bad if we were coming/going to El Centro (the main building) but to get to the bus stop we would have to walk in the total opposite direction to take the elevator and then double back toward the bus stop, basically walking twice the distance. It wasn't THAT long of a walk but we were paying extra for a preferred room location and this was very inconvenient.

These pins were waiting in our room was which neat.
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The room was nice (even though it was an older room) and I enjoyed the light above the headboard. The king bed felt huge compared to our queen at home and the room felt more spacious than a value. I also really liked the doors that separate the room from the vanity area.
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One of the nice things about building 2 was that there was no construction noise back here whatsoever. After discussing it some more we decided we were really unhappy that we had to walk twice as far due to how far away the elevator was, and stairs were not an option with the strollers. I'm not one to complain but I was really upset about our room location. M called the front desk to see if there were any other rooms available to switch to. We were given a few options and chose to downgrade to a room with 2 queen beds in building 3, close to the elevators. There was only a very slight price difference but we were credited a few dollars each night. We now had a connecting room which was nice and the location was WAY better. But the best part of this was that we were also given 3 extra fastpasses to use in Magic Kingdom tomorrow! :hyper:

M, S, and A had to hurry to Disney Springs for a dinner reservation at T Rex. We waited for bell services to deliver our groceries and a pack n play for DD. We were originally planning to swim and I had packed our bathing suits in our carry-on suitcase but decided we were all too tired and it would be better to try to get DD to bed early. About 5 minutes after we made this decision it started pouring, so I'd say we decided correctly! We headed out to Pepper Market and I snapped some pictures along the way.

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Looking back at Casitas 4 and 5
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This is where they're building the 15-story tower

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Looking across the lake at the main pool
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But first I had to wake DH and see if he wanted to get up to wake DD with me. She really doesn't like being woken (who does!?) but when I said, "Where are we going today?" she hopped right out of bed and said "Disney World!" I had seriously been imagining this moment in my head for months and it was everything I had hoped it would be.
:love::love::love: What a dream. I still remember waking up Casey the first time we went and it was just about the same. Good news for you is their excitement does not dwindle!

f you read my previous TR, you are familiar with our friends M and S. We went to WDW with them in 2014 right before M and I got pregnant. My due date was 8 days before hers but she ended up having her daughter, "A", two days before I had DD. We are still very close with them and the girls play together all the time.
How awesome the girls are the same age!!!

I had asked for early boarding to clean our seats/area because of DD's food allergies and was happily accommodated. I had read before we left that Jet Blue is really great about this.
Wow, I never even thought about allergies and having to wipe things down. Glad to hear they were so accommodating.

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DD was overtired and hyperactive (isn't it funny how those two always go hand-in-hand?) I could barely keep her sitting in her seat but it was adorable to see how excited she was. She was talking non-stop about going to the hotel.
Awesome picture!!!! Ryann is adorable.

e started following signs for an elevator and eventually we wound up back at building 3! We were sweaty and frustrated at this point because we had to completely backtrack in order to get up to the 4th floor and then walk from building 3 to building 2. This wouldn't be so bad if we were coming/going to El Centro (the main building) but to get to the bus stop we would have to walk in the total opposite direction to take the elevator and then double back toward the bus stop, basically walking twice the distance. It wasn't THAT long of a walk but we were paying extra for a preferred room location and this was very inconvenient.
How ridiculous!!! Why would they not have an elevator in each section Makes no sense at all.

We were given a few options and chose to downgrade to a room with 2 queen beds in building 3, close to the elevators. There was only a very slight price difference but we were credited a few dollars each night. We now had a connecting room which was nice and the location was WAY better. But the best part of this was that we were also given 3 extra fastpasses to use in Magic Kingdom tomorrow! :hyper:
Good for you for saying something and it sounds like you ended up with a much better location. Can't wait to see what you use those fast passes for!
 
I love it! We are staying at CSR again for our upcoming trip in February. We have never stayed in the Casitas buildings - we stay in the Cabanas. Cabanas is a bit of a walk to the main lobby building and the Pepper Market, but we don't eat at the resort a lot, so that doesn't really matter to us. We like Cabanas because of the proximity to the pool - we eat breakfast at the pool bar each morning and then go to the parks. Your trip report is making me so excited for our trip! My kids LOVE the pool area at CSR!
 

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