Braving the World with infant and toddler for the first time!

[lawgirl]

We are travelling in Sept for a week at WDW with our infant and 2 yr old toddler. Not too sure what to expect from them, and we usually have a pretty strict schedule and routine at our house, so don't want to disrupt naptimes and night time if we can avoid it.

Any tips from all you parents out there who are WDW veterans? Do I even dare think about taking our Sit and Stand double stroller with us (we are driving not flying this time)? Are there places in the park we can chain our stroller up when getting on rides and eating (like a bicycle chain or something like that)? Or is it better to just rent a stroller there?

Do we even dare try to attend MNSSHP with the 2 kids?

Thanks for all the help!

[ANG]

Don't be scared!

We've taken out eldest at age 5 months and then again at 19 months. This fall we're taking him back at 3yrs and our youngest first time at 18 months. I'm a big scheduler at home as well so I understand the concern.

Everyone has a different opinion on strollers. IMO, your best bet since you are driving, is to bring either 2 single strollers or a double that can recline for BOTH kids. Your infant may do quite a bit of sleeping and will need a cushy ride. Have you considered using a baby carrier for the infant? Makes it far easier to get on and off rides if they are sleeping. They sometimes also feel more soothed during loud rides/shows if they are close to you. I don't advise you to lock up your stroller(s). Cast members need to be able to move it to keep the stroller parking organized. I personally have never had a problem with someone stealing it. My rule of thumb, don't bring your best stroller and don't leave anything in it that you would be super upset to lose.

Learn the locations of the baby centers if you already don't. These are AWESOME! They have full sized changing tables that are disinfected after each use. Air conditioning on hot days and a nice place for the toddler to burn off energy out of the stroller. They also have a bathroom for you and a lower toilet for potty training. It's a good place to feed a bottle or nurse.

Sept. will still be crazy hot. Bring misting fans from home (way too expensive at the parks). Hit the parks early before opening so you can go back to your resort and cool off during the hottest parts of the day (also allowing for naps). We opted out of the halloween party this year. Hallowishes don't start until like 9pm, I believe, which is WAY too late for my kids. Don't expect to keep your toddler up late and then have them function well the next day (experience here!).

Also your benefit of driving is bringing lots of snacks that you know your kids already love.

[BrerGnat]

DO NOT bring a sit and stand if your older child is only two. You will need somewhere for the 2 year old to comfortably fall asleep, possibly at the same time that the infant needs to sleep. Don't rely on carrying the infant in that heat...not safe for you or the baby and you won't want to anyway when it's that hot.

I agree with bringing two separate strollers so each child can sleep reclined if needed. The WDW rental strollers are not suitable for infants. They are hard plastic with upright backs and no support.

My opinion: don't break the schedule. That means don't go to MNSSHP. It's too late, likely and your kids are too little to really get much out of it. I'm sure you're not going to let your infant eat candy.

[Disney Doll]

it's very doable if you have appropriate expectations. On our first trip as a family of 4 was in Sept when the kids were 9 months and 23 months. It was a great trip!

1. I second the cautions about the sit and stand. My kids are now 2 &4 and we still don't use the sit and stand at WDW. There's just too much stroller time for a bench seat to be enough for the older child. You need an actual seat and preferably one that reclines for napping. We really like the two stroller option so that's what we usually do. The WDW rentals are made with older kids in mind. Like previous posters have said, they're hard plastic and no recline so I'd definitely bring your own. Not to mention that you could buy your own for what you'd pay to rent for a week.

2. I highly recommend shade extenders and clip on fans for the strollers most especially in Sept. I am telling you we got so many comments about the stroller fans. We were literally the envy of every stroller family. The shade extenders allowed our kids to be in the shade almost all the time and it was nice to pull it all the way down to make the stroller a little darker if we had a stroller napper.

3. We also used a wearable carrier for our 9 month old and found it really helpful. It is hot so you don't want that to be your only option, but there were a lot of times when we would park the stroller before hitting an indoor attraction and it was great not to have to carry the baby all the time.

4. Sticking with your normal routine is a big help and at that age an afternoon nap break is going to be important.

5. We always do MNSSHP when we go in fall and we did it even when our kids were young. In our case the time change helps some because our kids are usually still on Oklahoma time which means we can stay up later in Florida without it feeling late. We leave immediately after the fireworks so we never stay until midnight. A lot of people say that you don't get your money's worth that way, but it's a fun event that we enjoy and we make it work with our kids. We take a late nap and then stay up just about an hour later than we normally would. Then, we sleep in the next day.

6. The baby centers are amazing and for what ever reason they seem like they are under utilized. I always feel like I've stumbled on some hidden gem because they are always so empty. They have big, nice changing tables, full sized high chairs, dedicated rooms for nursing moms with rocking chairs and low lighting, and they have a TV room with cartoons. They are wonderful quiet, cool spots in an otherwise hectic, hot park. They also sell baby items if you find that you've forgotten something.

7. The heat is going to be brutal so prepare yourself for that. Go early to beat the heat and crowds then head back for naps and return to the parks around dinner. EPCOT and MK have great splash pads for kids to get wet so bring extra clothes and let them get soaked.

[gatorboardgirl]

We are travelling in Sept for a week at WDW with our infant and 2 yr old toddler. Not too sure what to expect from them, and we usually have a pretty strict schedule and routine at our house, so don't want to disrupt naptimes and night time if we can avoid it.

Any tips from all you parents out there who are WDW veterans? Do I even dare think about taking our Sit and Stand double stroller with us (we are driving not flying this time)? Are there places in the park we can chain our stroller up when getting on rides and eating (like a bicycle chain or something like that)? Or is it better to just rent a stroller there?

Do we even dare try to attend MNSSHP with the 2 kids?

Thanks for all the help!

not take my

I would have to agree with everyone and not take your sit n stand. If you are worried about space for traveling I would say def. rent. There are a ton of places in orlando to rent from. I would get a city mini double that way both children can recline and it has an extra large sun shade I have been researching places to rent for a while now for my trip in Dec. and found the cheapest was babies r us travel rentals so far...still researching though.
Hope this helps

[diz_girl]

I'd agree that two single strollers that recline are the way to go, not the WDW rentals. So you can get a pretty decent reclining stroller for less than the price of renting for a week. Babies 'r Us sells the Lamaze LS-50 stroller for $50, which is less expensive than four days of renting a single stroller, and it gets good reviews. There's free shippping for orders over $100, so you can get two strollers, plus something inexpensive to get you over $100, then shipping is free.

I have a MacLaren Triumph, but it's more than three times the price and really too high if you're only going to use it for one trip. I'd expect that you're driving to all of the parks, so you don't have to worry about how well they fold. But we actually have four strollers at home for our two boys (DS4 and DS1). We have two jogging strollers and two umbrella strollers, so you can never have too many strollers.

I like the baby centers too. They're quiet and cool. My favorite is the one in AK. Also recommend a baby carrier for lines and rides, but they do get uncomfortable when it's hot.

As to whether or not to go to MNSSHP, I'd say go! First of all, the kids are free, since they're both under 3. They can enjoy the first hour or two, then fall asleep in the stroller. I'd recommend Peltor Junior earmuffs hearing protection for your two, which is great for fireworks viewing. We had them on our youngest in November (then 10 months) during the MK fireworks (is it back to Wishes now?), and he stayed asleep. If your toddler happens to be awake during Hallowishes, then the earmuffs can keep the noise down and they won't get scared and can enjoy the show.

But don't take the kids on all of the rides all night long. I saw this during EMH on our last trip and some parents were dragging their babies and toddlers on rides at 10 p.m. and many kids were miserable. Everyone does not have to ride every ride together, so don't feel compelled to do so. Just have one adult ride the ride solo while the other stays with the kids, then switch places. The kids can sleep in the strollers while everyone is having their pictures taken with the characters. Also, staying until midnight with the tots may be pushing it, so maybe exit the park around 11 and you can have them in their beds by midnight.

[Tigerinvestigator]

Like previously stated the baby centers are a life saver. We got to know all of the workers there by name. My best advice would be to avoid the most crowded times by going early and returning to the resort for naps in the hot part of the day. Avoid the crowded busses at night if possible, especially with double strollers. We always stayed late and waited for the last bus out of the parks to avoid the crowd.

[lawgirl]

Wow! So much great advice. I should have clarified that we have the Sit and Stand Deluxe version that actually has the full seat for both kids...front and back have seats, not just that bench. I guess I'll see how comfy it is for my 2YO before we pack it...and good pointers about not chaining the stroller up, I hadn't thought about them having to have access to move them.

And yes, I'll be bringing the Baby Bjorn. It was a life saver with my oldest son.

We'll probably only spend 1-2 days at the parks and then the rest of the time at the AKL, enjoying the pool and playground.

And don't worry, my 2 YO has never had candy before, and I don't eat candy myself, so I can guarantee you he is not getting any at MNSSHP!

Thanks again for all the tips. I really appreciate it, and am hoping for the best!

[buzznwoodysmom]

Our first trip with our kids was when they were 2 years old, and 9 months old. We had a fantastic time. We went in December so didn't have to worry about the heat.

I brought two reclining umbrella strollers from home and my kids did wondeful with those. I don't remember the brand they were, but they were around $50 each. They had a nice sun shade, a decent sized basket, and it reclined. I also purchased the rain covers for them and that was a great thing to have on a few of our trips. Not just to keep the kid dry if you get caught in a rain shower, but also to keep the stroller dry if you have to leave it out for a show during rain.

I know this isn't a popular method, but we completely threw the normal schedule out the window. The kids fell asleep in strollers after normal nap time several times and then were wide awake at normal bedtime so we kept on going. It didn't disrupt our normal schedule once we got home, they simply fell back into a routine, but my kids were very easy going as babies. I know several kids that just can't tolerate going off schedule. Even tho we didn't stick to our normal schedule in the parks we did pay attention to our kids needs and pretty much let them take the lead. We ate when they were hungry, didn't plan too many meals that first trip, and if they were cranky we left the parks, but it didn't happen very often.

We even did MVMCP! We took a long nap break back at the resort and then went to the party. My kids did fine with the party. The baby of course fell asleep in the stroller, but my 2 year old had a blast and hung in there till midnight, a first for him.

At that point in our life we didn't know that we'd go back to WDW so many times with our children. We knew we'd return when they were older, but didn't realize it would turn into a yearly trip for us. I think if I had known what the future would hold for us, we may have taken things a little slower, opted to not attend the party, but we wanted to make sure we did as much as we could incase this would be our only trip for a long time. I don't regret anything about that trip. To this day, it's one of my fondest trips!

[Tri Minnie]

We have been to WDW with little ones, and I agree with much of the advice of the previous posts. I must say that I also find a baby carrier to be invaluable!

On our most recent trip (early December) we stayed at Kidani and found the resort to be a great fit for our family. We opted not to do the Christmas party at MK and instead stuck to having them in bed at their regular time.This was also really helpful because it allowed us to be at the parks at opening and cover a lot of ground before it became too crowded. We also had a Combi double stroller and had no trouble with it. However, as previous posters have suggested, I am considering two singles for the next trip.

We are soon headed back with an infant, an almost 2 year old, and an almost 4 year old. I will let you know how it goes and any new things I learn along the way

Have fun planning your trip.

[indytraveler]

It has been awhile since we went with kids that young. Ages now are 18, 16, & 12.

Individual strollers worked best for my group. A double when we had to and carry when needed. From previous posters it looks to be some good advice. I'd have to say we threw our schedules out the window when we did the parks. It wasn't very often that both or all 3 were asleep at same time. We took turns with either mommy or daddy time on the rides with the one who wa awake.

You know your kids and can tell what and how they feel. If its nap time and they aren't sleepy keep going. Your 2yr old will let you know when to nap. WDW is a very stimulus place so their schedule may not be the same as back home.

Relax and enjoy your vacation.

[Fastpasssteve]

I think the most important thing about taking young ones to the parks is flexibility. You may start the day with a schedule, but one has to be sensitive to the rhythms of the children.

Remember why you are there: To have a great family vacation filled with HAPPY memories. If you leave the parks frustrated and with crying children, it's time to re-evaluate the schedule.

Taking naps in the afternoon back at the resort is one of the best ideas ever. Some pool time, some nap time...then most kids can go back in the evening. Bring strollers for both kids. The kids will fall asleep when they want to. They're kids. No biggie. Seeing the fireworks from in front of the castle might turn out to be one of the most cherished memories for years to come.

[BrerGnat]

The advice to follow your children's lead is spot on.

You know your kids best, and I assume you have a strict schedule at home for a good reason. You have to do what works for your family, and understand that this vacation will be a LOT of hard work for you and your husband. I think that is something that a lot of people are not prepared for when going with infants/toddlers. The first couple "vacations" we took with our kids were a notch higher than "miserable". I guess we had all these visions of our kids being so happy and pleasant and easy, and in reality, the kids you have at home will be the same kids you have on vacation, and likely a little worse because the world as they know it has gone away and they are in this new, strange place. Therefore, keeping some semblance of the routine they are used to is a great comfort for them.

I know a lot of people have very flexible kids and they just are able to go with the flow when they travel. Many kids, though, are the opposite, and have a VERY hard time with travel, new places to sleep, and excessive amounts of stimulation. One of my sons didn't nap past 2 years old, but that didn't stop him from being tired and cranky. So, we had to stick with our 7pm bedtime, even on vacations. It wasn't until our last trip in Dec that we even SAW fireworks at WDW; our oldest son is almost 8...

Don't try to do it all. Slow down when your kids show you signs that they want to, and don't push beyond your limits. Your plan to spend a lot of time at the hotel sounds like an excellent one.

[TexasRoni]

All good advice~! I've traveled with small children (from ages 1 all the way up to 15 and everything in between!). I actually found that having to sit out a ride or two made me stop and see the little things and made the trip even better. I was able to take some really great pictures from the sidelines while watching over my little ones napping in their stroller. Me and my husband took turns on the bigger rides like Everest and TOT - using the single-rider lane cut the wait time in half too! Individual strollers is a great idea - you can divide and conquer - depending on what each child needs at the time!

[Gator]

Your children will adapt to the new schedule at WDW.They may not take the normal naps that they do at home, but they will still have fun looking at all the new things. Plus, just getting out of the house is great for most kids.

I wouldn't do the big party. We did it with our first child when she was 17 months. She did pretty good, but the next day was awful. We didn't wake up until noon, and even then she was very cranky.

We didn't do it with the next kid, and we won't with the third either. It's rough enough those nights at Epcot where you don't get back to the room until 10 or 10:30. Don't push it at the parties.

[lawgirl]

Such great advice!!! Keep it coming! I think one thing that will work in our favor is that I am definitely a WDW veteran (my first trip was when I was 9 months old), and my dad has been going since opening day. So, needless to say we've pretty much "been there, done ALL that" and then some when it comes to WDW. So, for me, it's more about being together and enjoying the simple things, and possibly catching a ride or 2 if it works out. We are all for flexibility and our main focus is our kids, so this time we will just be chilling alot and making sure all their needs are met!

We will probably spend alot of time at the hotel, taking advantage of the gorgeous pool and landscaping and animals, and just enjoying being together and being out of the house!

Guess we will just wait on the party and see how everything is going with our schedules. I've been before so it's not a huge deal to me if the kids aren't ready for it this year.

Thanks again for all the help!

[Disney Doll]

Wow! So much great advice. I should have clarified that we have the Sit and Stand Deluxe version that actually has the full seat for both kids...front and back have seats, not just that bench. I guess I'll see how comfy it is for my 2YO before we pack it...and good pointers about not chaining the stroller up, I hadn't thought about them having to have access to move them.

We have one of those too and I still don't use it for Disney. The front seat only reclines very slightly because there is another seat directly behind. I prefer a good amount of recline for both seats in case both kids fall asleep in the stroller which happens fairly often even though we don't keep them out late.

[mermaidmarian]

Glad to hear you are veterans - I think that makes knowing how to plan with little ones that much more intuitive.

Some great advice above, to which I will add (having taken both a 3 year old and a 6 month old - totally different kinds of kids, on their first trips): Please take some time to think about the temperaments of your children, whether they are comfortable in hot or crowded situations, whether they are frightened by loud noises or strangers and remember above all else, to honor as best as possible their internal schedules for rest, food and sleep. I know quite a few familes whose entire Disney experience was ruined by an inability to adjust their plans and expectations to the children's schedules and needs.