disney with a 2 year old

[pavlover]

We're thinking of travelling from Australia to Disneyland with our 2 year old next year. I've been twice before (without kids) and really want to take my fiance (he's never been) before we have too big a family! I'm not sure how we'll go with a toddler though... How have other couples gone with their toddlers along?

 

[dizzyami]

We have always gone with the kids, DD(5) has been 4 times and DS(3) has been 3 times. We have always taken another adult with us, but we are only a 5 hour drive and it did not increase the cost of the trip. I would say Disney with a 2 year old is definitely doable, there are many rides the family can enjoy - Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Small World, Toon Town, Fantasyland, Buzz Blasters, Bugs land in DCA, monsters, and I am sure quite a few more. For the big rides though both of you can still ride them, but you will have to get a baby swap pass, and will not be able to ride together. You will need to plan to take it slow, maybe nap in the afternoon (or retire early, I was in Australia when I was 10 and it messed with my sleep schedule pretty bad - not sure of the implications that would have on a two year old - that is also a pretty long flight)

 

[darph nader]

We took my not-quite 2yr old grand daughter in May of last year.She had a GREAT time,was ready to go back in about 2mos. The biggest problem for you is going to be jetlag.Other than that just include a nap time (never hurt me none).But do remember one thing.....HAVE FUN.

 

[ter-moo]

I think going with a 2-yr old is great fun! You see everything differently when it's through their eyes.

One nice thing is they are FREE!

Make sure that you do a "kid switch" or "baby swap" on the rides that tend to have long lines that wouldn't be appropriate for your 2-yr old (or ones where he/she doesn't meet the height requirement). You just ask the CM at the line entrance for one, and they'll show you how to do it. Basically it allows you to have one person wait in line while the other waits with the toddler/baby and then you meet up after the rider gets off, hand of the kid and the other adult goes on.

Stay at a hotel within walking distance so you can go back in the afternoon for naps/a swim/or just a break from all the crowds and stimuli.

Make sure you bring lots of snacks/water to keep your little one happy. And a stroller is a MUST.

Take things slow and enjoy it through the eyes of your child. I'd highly recommend it!!!!

 

[Albort]

yea, if you want to ride the bigger rides, dont forget about baby swap. Just wait in line, then one rides it first, and then you switch... that way both parents can experiance it!

 

[staley7580]

We took our 18mo and she was terrified. She hated everything, the rides, the characters, all the other people, missing her morning nap, not having her regular suroundings. But then after about three or for days she got used to it, and had a little bit of fun. Then we went home and she had to be readjusted all over again. Shes a home body though, hates people and car rides. So we are going to try again when shes older.

 

[booeyjc]

We took our daughter for the first time last week (she turned exactly 20 months that day) and she LOVED it. I think it depends on the child though. My daughter is very easy going and happy. Not a single tear the entire day. She loved the princesses, but was a little afraid of the full costumed characters like Dale and Mickey. She loved watching them, but up close she was a little scared.


We went on:

Snow White
Pinnochio
Carousel
Small World
Buzz Lightyear
Jungle Cruise
Pirates of the Carribean
Haunted Mansion
Winnie The Pooh



We could have gone on more, but were tired and headed home since we bought annual passes anyway.

 

[TravelingJen24]

We live close to Dis and go quite often. If you are going to fly all the way over here, I would do Disneyworld instead if that is an option. I love Disneyland and that is where our hearts are, but there is a lot more to do in Disworld. We just got back with 3yr old and 9month old and had a great time. There is a lot for their age to do. Good luck.

 

[kuusimo]

My older son went for the first time at 2 and his brother was 13 months. 13 months was too young for him. Since then we have been 5 times. #2 son turned 3 in April. Disneyland is his favorite place and asks every day when we can go back. Our take on going with our boys has been to let them run the days. If we had to stick to our agenda we would get frustrated. But letting them tell us what they wanted to do we had a much more relaxing time. We have been on the Pooh ride 5 times straight, as well as Heimlechs choo-choo train 6 times in a row. When mom or dad wants to ride a ride we either split up for an hour or do baby swap. Also my boys LOVE the baby centers where they have the small toilets. You can also get stickers there as well as at the information booths.

You did not say how old the people going with you will be. If you have older teens or adults, you will be fine taking a 2 year old with you. We brought my sister one time and she loved it just because we had my son's ticket to do fast passes with.

 

[lampardcl]

We travelled all the way from Australia in 2001 with our children aged 6,4,and 2. we had a great time, the long flight was hard for the 2 year old.(and mum) But yes i would do it again. We now have 4 children and are planning to return but even a budget trip will cost more than $10000.00 AUD so go while you can.

 

[Zoemakes5]

I LOVE Disney with toddlers! Everything is go go go and their eyes just sparkle and they have so much fun! And unlike other places to go, there is so much that they really enjoy at the younger ages. Small world is a favorite.
It's a different experience at every age. You have to plan differently, include different items in your backpack. Have strollers (or not). Eat slightly differently (if for nothing else because of timing.) When we took ours as toddlers, I particularly liked the excuse for a nap! Now that our little one is almost 5, not likely to get many chances this next time!

 

[everwondering]

We went last week. It was me, DH, 7yo DD, and a 2yo DD.

My best advice on your 2yo:

1. If you're potty training, or if your 2yo is potty trained, expect to spend quite a bit of time in the bathroom. This was probably my worst part of our trip. Almost every time we'd get in line, within 5 minutes, she would blurt out, "I gotta go potty." It got to be really annoying when it felt like I saw more of Disneyland bathrooms than of Disneyland itself. lol I wish she hadn't been potty trained at that point. But what can you do.

2. Don't plan things out too much. I went with a complete itinerary of what I figured we'd do every day, what rides we'd ride, where we'd eat, etc. Totally went out the window within the first hour. She didn't want to go on certain rides. She didn't want to stand in long lines. The absolute worst was waiting for the Princess Fantasy Faire to open. It said it opened at 11am. Well, they finally let us in (just to stand in line again) at about 11:15. We ended up spending an hour and a half in line just to see 3 princesses. Our 7yo loved it. The 2yo did, too, but she was so tired and cranky at that point. This "tip" goes along with the next one...

3. Take time out to just sit and rest. We never went back to our hotel (we just left early each day), but every now and then, we'd just sit on a bench and take it all in. It gave the kids a chance to rest from rides/lines/shows/all the people, and just sit with us. One time we bought a Dole Whip and shared it in a quiet corner while the commotion seemed to pass us by. Another time we got some of those frozen lemonades and just had fun sharing those. At first, I will admit, I was kind of upset because I felt like we were missing it all. But, I think even I needed that 15-30 minute break from the business of a relaxing vacation!

4. Take advantage of times (if any) that your 2yo might fall asleep in the stroller. Ours did this every day - usually late afternoon. We took the time either to take our 7yo on rides that the 2yo didn't want to do or just spent the quiet time shopping.

Hopefully some of this helps.