Though plenty of people hate this label, I will embrace it: I am a Disney Adult. Walt Disney World was a huge part of my childhood, and I have so many happy memories there as a kid that continued into adulthood — so much so that a few years ago, I purchased an annual pass (even though I live seven hours away from the parks) and never looked back.
For me, Disney magic is real, and I’ve always felt like it was something I wanted to share with my own children. In 2019, I found out I was pregnant with my first baby, and I immediately started planning her first trip, shopping for tiny Minnie mouse ears and researching the best theme park-friendly strollers to add to my baby registry.
Some people don’t believe that it’s worth it to bring a child to Disney at such a young age, but these trips to Disney aren’t for her — they’re for me.
A lot of people questioned why I'd take my daughter to Disney so early in her life.
My first trip to the promised land happened when I was 5, the summer before I started kindergarten, and it was a good age to go — I was excited to see Cinderella and eat a giant turkey leg and I know it must have been easier on my mom, who didn’t have to worry about diapers. But I’ve always known that I’d never be able to hold out that long before taking a kid of my own.
“It just seems like a giant hassle to me,” one of my friends said while I was planning Penelope’s first trip. “Why spend all that money for a trip she isn’t even going to remember?”
Before her first trip, I had never traveled with a baby before (giving birth during the COVID-19 pandemic kind of sets you back on a lot of normal mom experiences) and comments like these planted seeds of doubt into my head. I adored Disney, but what if bringing a baby made it stressful instead of fun?
There’s no way to get around it: A Disney vacation with a 1-year-old is a lot of work.
The first time I took Penelope to the most magical place on earth, I packed basically everything she owned, including a travel mini crib and her actual high chair from home. I wanted to have anything and everything I needed, and fortunately, my husband drives a giant truck with plenty of room.
Once we arrived in Florida, it took forever to unpack, and Penelope screamed the whole first night, sleeping somewhere unfamiliar for the very first time. The next day I was stressed about keeping her on her nap schedule and making sure she always had enough sunscreen on, and those comments about her being too young for these trips crept back into my head.
But that night, she slept fine, and so did I — and the next day we finally got into our traveling groove. Since then, we’ve been back, and I’ve learned to go with the flow, pack a lot less, and follow Penelope’s lead. She’s a lot more chill than I am, so I have a lot to learn from her!
There’s nothing like seeing my favorite place on Earth through my daughter’s eyes.
Regardless of how much work traveling with a 1-year-old is, it’s absolutely worth it, and recently, she joined my friends and I on a girls’ weekend, fitting right in with the group. I wanted to be a mom for a very long time before I actually was one, and being at Disney World with my daughter is something I’ve imagined for years. It fills me with disbelief to sit on the grass in front of Cinderella Castle with Penelope in my lap — I’m here, I’m doing this.
Penelope was 15 months old during her most recent trip, and she was totally in her element. She had a blast waving at total strangers, ate more cake pops than any toddler probably should, and stared, wide-eyed, at Ursula as she rode Voyage of the Little Mermaid, which I think is her favorite ride so far. And the look on her face when she saw Moana standing right in front of her? Absolutely unforgettable.
Penelope won't remember these trips, but I always will.
Years from now, Penelope will only know she visited Disney at such a young age because of the stories I tell her and the photos I show her, but the memories I’ve made are ones I’ll have for the rest of my life. I will never forget how it felt to see her witness her first fireworks over the castle in amazement and how I teared up in the moment. I will never forget the grin on her face every time the monorail takes off from the station.
As moms, we’re so often made to feel that everything we do should be for our children, but it’s okay to do things because we want to do them too. Life and motherhood and everything it involves can be so stressful and even feel impossible at times, but spending time with your kid doing something you both love will really remind you what all of this is for.
I will never forget bringing my toddler to Disney World, and I can’t wait for our next trip.
