It's easy to understand why so many people love taking their families on vacation to Walt Disney Worldmost magical place on earth). But as a self-proclaimed Disney adult who has been visiting the parks frequently both before and after becoming a mom, I can't pretend like a vacation there while chasing around a toddler or preschooler is easy. It's still fun, but it's definitely not as relaxing as drinking around the world in Epcot without pushing a stroller was before my daughter was born!
Now that she's 3 years old and we've taken double digit trips to Disney together, it's a lot easier because I've figured out a lot of tips and tricks along the way to make it a less stressful adventure. Just showing up and hoping the day goes well doesn't work, but if you're willing to plan ahead, you can cut down on a lot of the drama that comes from family vacations with little ones.
Planning a family trip to Disney soon? Learn from my mistakes and take these tips into consideration. I promise you can have just as much fun on this vacation as your kids do!
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Download the My Disney Experience App
As soon as you start planning your trip, be sure to download the My Disney Experience app. This is your key to everything (including your hotel room if you decide to stay on Disney property). Through the app, you can look at a map, make dining reservations, book Genie+ reservations (more on that later), and more. It's going to make your life a lot easier both during planning and during your visit to have this resource in your pocket!
Plan Meals Ahead of Time
If you're a parent to a toddler, there's a good chance you have a list of foods they will eat – and a much longer list of foods they will not. It's always recommended to make dining reservations for Disney World ahead of time (up to 60 days in advance of your trip), but it's also important to check out the menus of anywhere you might want to eat to make sure something your child will be interested in is offered.
The good news? This is Disney World, a kid's paradise. Almost every restaurant includes options such as chicken tenders, pizza, hot dogs, and mac and cheese.
Pack Double the Clothes
However many outfits you would have packed for your child normally, go ahead and double it — and yes, it will be worth the extra space it takes up in your suitcase. It's hot in Florida, and the snacks can be messy, so assume your child will need to change outfits at least once each day. It can't hurt to bring yourself some extra clothes too, because it's nice to go back to the room and put on nice, fresh clothes for the second half of your day after getting sweaty.
You can also do laundry on site at the Disney resorts, which helps if you need to travel as lightly as possible.
Bring Snacks
Guests are allowed to bring their own food and drinks into the parks (except for alcohol), so feel free to pack snacks and bottled water for the day. You might also want to bring your child's favorite snacks to have on hand in your hotel room, and that way, you'll know that no matter what happens, you have at least a couple of options of things they'll definitely eat.
Stay on Site
Although it's true that you can save money by staying off Disney property, when your kids are little, it's worth the extra cash to stay on site if you can. You'll have access to Disney transportation, including buses, the monorail, the Skyliner, and boats, making it easy to get back and forth to your resort for naps and breaks.
If budget is a consideration, the value resorts at Disney are actually really nice, and many times of the year, you can find them for well less than $200 per night.
Prepare for the Journey
In my experience, one of the hardest parts of traveling with a toddler is the "getting there" part. Whether you're flying or road tripping, you'll want to be prepared. Bring more snacks than you think you need! I've also found it works really well to stop by a dollar store or somewhere like Five Below before the trip and stock up on a few cheap surprises that go a long way when travel boredom hits.
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Have a Low-Key Arrival Day
There's a very good chance your travel day is going to be a bit stressful, and even if you just have a short flight to take, it's probably going to be exhausting. Although some people like to maximize their time by going straight into the theme park, in my opinion, it's actually a better idea to plan for that day to be a chill day. Go hang out at your resort, go to the pool, get the lay of the land, and go to bed nice and early. If you want to shop and eat a yummy meal, go to Disney Springs — there's even a splash pad.
Bring a Diaper Bag to the Parks
Even if your kid no longer requires a diaper bag when you go places at home, trust me on this — you will want to bring one to the parks, even if it's just a backpack stocked with the essentials. You'll need sunscreen, maybe even a change of clothes, and diapers and wipes for those who aren't potty trained yet, and it's a good idea to throw in some snacks and maybe a simple toy or two to keep the little ones entertained while waiting in line.
Use the Genie+ Service
The Genie+ service comes at a separate, daily, per person cost, but it's so worth it if you want to make wait times shorter. You can make reservations for one attraction at a time, allowing you to skip the line and save a lot of time. You can learn more about it here (and it's worth reading up before your trip so you can make the most of it while there).
Follow the Same Schedule You Do at Home
So many toddlers thrive on routine — mine included. It can be helpful to keep your child's schedule as close to what it looks like at home while you're traveling — or at least the same general times for waking up and going to bed. If they usually take a nap, try to keep that nap around the same time of day, too.
Plan a Pool Day
It may be tempting to jam-pack constant activity into every day of your trip to make sure you can see and do as much as possible, but if you're going to Disney for more than a few days, use one of them as a rest day. You'll probably be walking upward of 20,000 steps per day, and that can become exhausting, so taking a day off to sleep in, go to the pool, and chill can make the second half of your trip much better.
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Know Where the Bathrooms Are
Whether you've potty trained your child or your kiddo is still in diapers, you already know that being a mom to a child in this age range often means needing to get to a bathroom — fast. It can be helpful to look at the park map and familiarize yourself with where the bathrooms are, and many of these locations offer a family bathroom with changing tables that come down from the wall for a bit more space and privacy.
Schedule In Daily Rest Time
If your child still takes a nap, it's a great idea to go back to the room and let them nap in the air conditioning. But even if they don't nap, it can be good for everyone to take a midday hotel break. It's when the Florida sun is at its hottest, and everyone can hang out a bit and regroup before enjoying the evening.
Use the Baby Care Centers
Each Disney park has a baby care center, which is stocked with any baby essential you could think of for purchase, along with private breastfeeding areas, TVs playing Disney movies with plenty of child-sized chairs to go around, bathrooms with toddler-sized potties, and actual changing tables that are free to use. Even if your kid isn't a "baby" anymore, this is a great area to catch your breath and take a break, so use it!
Follow Their Lead
When a vacation is this expensive and takes this much planning, you're naturally going to want to get the most bang for your buck and do everything and see everything. But when you have a toddler along for the ride, it's not going to happen — and what's the point of running around to do everything if you and your kid are miserable the whole time?
Let your child set the pace and pick a few priority attractions for each park. Sometimes, they're going to want to run around for 20 minutes with a bubble wand. Use this time to get a cocktail or an iced coffee and enjoy the atmosphere. I promise it's all worth it.
