Right now I’m in the middle of planning a trip to Disneyland with my Cars obsessed toddler twins (I know, I am insane). Last time we travelled the (now) middle child had just turned two and we made so many toddler travel mistakes. So here you go, learn from my failures and master taking your toddler (or toddlers) on a successful Disney vacation.
Bring your stroller
This is one area I actually didn’t mess up, but it could have been disastrous. I flip flopped on the idea of actually bringing the stroller at all since we typically wore our toddler at the time. She was tiny and effortless to carry in the Ergo so it seemed like a great way to avoid the burden of a stroller. In the end we did end up wearing the toddler in the airport, but not necessarily out of choice. A family member that travelled with us didn’t bring her stroller (opting instead to rent in the park) and found there was no easy way to contain her heavy 18 month old. The stroller was a huge lifesaver not just as a way to contain the toddler and lighten the physical load of carrying her, but it was also super useful to carry all the toddler crap. Win-win. Click here for more reasons why you should bring your stroller.
Pack snacks
With the exception of candy and ice cream, my toddler didn’t much care for the food options in the Disney park. In fact, all of my kids struggled to find something that was a decent balance of healthy and tastey while we were there. Plus snacks at the parks are ridiciously, budget blowingly expensive.
Toddlers need to eat more often than adults do and when they they’re hungry, watch out. Ward off a few meltdowns by packing toddler-friendly snacks each morning. You should aim to bring about double what you think you’ll need for to recover from an inevitable spill or you needing a snack too. Don’t forget to stay hydrated too.
Dress for the weather
Toddlers are especially prone to temperatures and sunlight so make sure to keep them in mind when you’re spending all day in the park. Something we weren’t prepared for was how chilly it got in the evenings when the sun went down since we travelled in the winter time. We ended up needing to pick up a fleece oneise from the gift shop for the littlest one to stay warm. Make sure you bring everything you need for the varied weather when you head to the park or be ready to return to your hotel to retrieve needed items. Some lightweight and verstile ideas for toddlers are legwarmers and small blankets for cool weather and a portable fan when it’s warm. If you’re using a stroller take special consideration of how it’s being affected by the weather. In the heat use a light weight sun shade but never drape a heavier blanket over top because it can get dangerously warm. Be careful not to park it in direct sunlight when you’re taking a break and stick to shady areas during the hotter parts of the day. When it’s cool don’t forget that the toddler’s going to be cooler than you in the stroller because they’re not moving around.
Cater to the toddler’s nap schedule
This one is going to vary a lot depending on your toddler’s personality. My kids adapted well to being dragged around during naps and past bedtime because they were so excited to be at the park. The toddler napped well in the stroller and it worked out great. Not all toddlers are going to be that way, though! If you think your toddler’s going to need some extra quiet time to nap (and will be a monster if they skip) seriously consider either staying on site or at a place that’s only a very short distance away. Walking distance or somewhere with free transportation is ideal or else you’ll need to budget for those extra travel costs. Also consider how long you’re willing to wait going back and forth and how much time will be lost due to naps. When booking airfare, consider how your toddler naps. If you think they’ll sleep on the plane try and schedule a flight during naptime but if they won’t aim for first thing in the morning.
Go with the flow
Toddlers are unpredicatable and no amount of forward planning can possible prepare you for all the things these tots can throw your way. At some points during your Disney trip you’re going to need to just go with the flow and follow your toddler’s lead. That might mean adapting your schedule a bit to suit their needs or spending a bit of time at the pool instead of in the park. Something to keep in mind when you’re toddler is doing one of those classic toddler meltdowns is that even if you feel judged no one at the park is going to see you again. You and your toddler are part of the everyone that’s welcome at the Disney parks and it’s just as much the toddler’s vacation as it is someone else’s. Do what you can but don’t let a few bad moments ruin your day or trip.
Some bonus tips:
Pack a few treats alongside snacks to help pacify a toddler who saw something they want or needs a small bribe
Bring small toys or activities to play with while waiting in line
Let your toddler have periods of unstructured time to recharge
Make sure if you’re using a stroller that your toddler gets time to run around too
Avoid gift shops when possible
From personal experience adorable toddlers, especially in costume, get special treatment from the cast
The park is loud and overwhelming, keep that in mind and manage your expectations
If your toddler is a runner a baby carrier, stroller, or even backpack harness is a great option
This is a question that comes up a lot for families embarking on their first ever Disney vacation with young children. If you’re a babywearing or family of preschoolers you’re probably questioning bringing a stroller at all. Even if you think you need one, what are the logistics of bringing a stroller into the Disney parks?
Should you bring a stroller to your Disney vacation to Disneyland or Walt Disney world?
Travelling to Disney With a Stroller
If you’re flying, strollers are handy to have in the airport in order to keep your kids safe and carry your stuff. They typically can be gate checked so they accompany you right to boarding. For those who like to travel light, though, a baby in a carrier and a backpack is much easier than pushing the stroller through the airport. It’s all about preference and age of the kids here.
Another thing to consider is if you have a long waiting period between connections or distance to travel inside the airport. A stroller with toddlers or preschoolers can be a lifesaver when rushing to the other side of the airport. It also is a handy place for naps.
Lastly, on our recent Disneyland trip with twins who just turned 4 our double stroller was a great way to contain rambunctious twins through customs.
Walking Around the Parks
A Disney vacation involves a lot of walking. Even the smaller parks are still quite large and you’ll spend a lot of time on your feet, not to mention travelling to and from each park. Babywearing is fine but can be tiring for some people to do all day. Plus most of the time you’ll be visiting in warm weather and that means extra discomfort.
Expecting a toddler to walk everywhere multiple days in the park is simply unrealistic. Not only is it too much physically for them, it’s also very crowded so they will need to stick by you. Strollers can help keep kids safe. Even if they just take turns riding, children under the age of 5 are probably going to need some kind of transportation or a LOT of breaks for your older preschoolers.
The parks themselves are pretty stroller friendly and there aren’t many places that you won’t be able to fit into. In fact, they’re expected. There are, however, certain places you’re not allowed to bring a stroller into.
Update for 2019: With Galaxy’s Edge opening, especially at Disneyland, it’s probably going to be more crowded in certain areas. Disneyland has a tendency to bottleneck and this is exacerbated by strollers. Stick to the right hand side when travelling through crowds.
Stroller Parking at Disney
Around the Disney parks there are stroller parking areas. These are located near attractions that you cannot bring your stroller into and outside of restaurants. Stroller parking is unsupervised but cast members do regularly reshuffle the parking to accommodate more people. The stroller parking is very convenient but sometimes you will have a bit of a hike to and from, which can be irritating. We also used our stroller as a meeting point for our 9 year year old on our most recent Disneyland vacation for any times he rode rides alone.
Shopping With a Stroller
Most places will let you bring in a stroller but it’s cumbersome. Most of the time you end up having one person stay outside with the stroller (and kids) and the other one enter for souvenir shopping. If not, then you’ll probably be ditching the stroller outside the door (like we did) while you shop together. There are some exceptions with the larger stores but any parent who has shopped with a stroller in a boutique knows how that usually works out.
One advantage to having the stroller though is if you’re not staying in a Disney resort (that allows your purchases to be forwarded to your room) you have a place to carry your stuff.
Carrying Your Stuff
When visiting a Disney Park you’re probably going to be going home with a lot of cool stuff, but you also bring a bunch into the park each day. To save on money you’re probably going to want a pack a cooler filled with lunch and snacks, some water bottles (although you can ask for free water in the parks it’s a pain to wait in line), and other practical things like sweaters or hats.
Without a stroller you end up carrying all this in your backpack which means trying to find a place for it when you go on rides and possibly sore shoulders. We left everything in our stroller basket and nothing was ever out of place when we retrieved it at the stroller parking after each ride. Plus no carrying heavy water bottles or food.
Naps and Rest on Vacation
If you have kids that are still napping age and will sleep in the stroller it can save you from having to head back to the hotel for a sleep. With kids of multiple ages this means that they can catch some toddler-unfriendly rides while the little one(s) nap or parents of one or two nappers can enjoy a meal or show with their sleeping children.
Older kids who don’t nap may still need longer rest periods. Again, if you’re willing to take a lot of breaks this isn’t a problem but families of multiple kids may end up with one child who needs to rest while the others are still ready to go. It’s hard to get multiple people on the same energy schedule. Our son, who was 5 at the time, ended up feeling unwell on our trip and took advantage of the stroller a few times.
Should You Take a Stroller on your Disney vacation? You know yourself and your kids
Some kids are easy to wear or have great stamina and behaviour for walking. If your toddler refuses to nap in the stroller for the entire day and only naps in the hotel room taking the stroller is now an extra burden. Other kids have lower energy and are very content to ride in the stroller so it might be a necessity for those families. Think about the last time you visited a local theme park, zoo, or other all-day, large scale event and how your children handled that.
Don’t forget to also include the logistics: how much gear you need to bring or what you’ll just buy in park, who you’ll be with and if you’ll split up, and what the weather is going to be like when you visit.
Heading to a Disney park with your school aged child probably seems like the perfect choice. Toddlers and preschoolers are still pretty difficult and needy but school aged kids offer a lot more freedom. Plus they’ll gain lifelong memories of their adventures at Disneyland (or Disney World). It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, though. Here’s how you can make your Disney trip go a lot more smoothly.
Understand they can’t walk like you
School aged kids, especially middle grade ones, are pretty emotionally mature. You can enjoy things like late nights and won’t have (as many) tantrums to deal with as younger kids. There’s one thing you have to be careful of though and that’s how much walking. Most people end up walking 5-10 miles or more per day while visiting a Disney Park depending on their schedule. Make sure your school aged kid has a lot of opportunities for breaks and you work that into your planning.
Be Food-Conscious
This is especially important if you have a picky eater but it holds true for all families. Make sure you check out the park food information ahead of time and decide if you’re going to eat there or pack your own. There are pros and cons either way but whatever you decide, you don’t want to be stuck with a hungry kid or food that’s gross.
Regardless make sure you pack something you know they’ll eat as a back up. Emergency snacks are great when the lines are long (and they can be very long for food) or you’re quite far away from somewhere decent to eat. Since they’re older a snack might be enough to hold them off but don’t forget that kids need to eat more often than adults do.
Be prepared before souvenir shopping
Chances are your kid is going to have a bit of cash to bring with them on their trip. Souvenir shopping should be a positive (if not overpriced) experience for your school aged kid. Discourage souvenir shopping early in the day, instead saving it for the end (unless you take advantage of the send to your room service). Chances are you don’t have a stroller or anything to carry that stuff in and it’s very tricky to lug too much stuff around. The other thing to remember about shopping is that different items appear in different stores. Make sure your kid has a chance to go in a few before spending their hard-saved cash.
Involve them in the planning
Unless the trip is a surprise it’s a great idea to involve older kids in the planning process, including the budget. Not only is it a fantastic learning opportunity it can also help with the excitement and their cooperation on the actual trip. Settle disagreements ahead of time about what’s important to you and them on the trip and make your compromises. Start with the most important things to everyone and add those to the itinerary. Next, fill it in with less important stuff. Balance the two with practicality (like where they’re located and wait times) and value (how much will this affect your family’s experience). If the trip was a surprise you can still do some mini planning at the start of each day to make sure everyone knows what to expect.
Remember they’re a person with their own personality
Maybe you’re go go go and super excited for your Disney trip but your kid isn’t, or the other way around. Keep in mind their little personality matters as much as yours does and work (as best you can) to strike a balance between conflicting personalities. If possible, try and travel with at least one other adult that shares the kid’s views so everyone’s needs can be met. For example, my son is very low key and needed a break but everyone else didn’t want to waste a day in the hotel.
Thankfully my mom travelled with us and was happy to hang by the pool for the day with him so everyone won. Another day of our trip to Disney World my mom went back to Epcot alone and says it was one of the best days she had there. If it’s not possible to separate then just accept that your kid’s personality is what it is and you’ll have to compromise a bit. Take breaks when you need to or push yourself harder than you’d like. Whatever it is that you’re doing, though, always try your best to enjoy it and have fun. Sometimes those unexpected moments turn into the best memories.
Some more tips:
If you’re flying try and book a window seat
Big kids need their own comfy beds in hotel rooms, bonus points for separate bedrooms
Make sure your school aged kid has their own comfy backpack to hold snacks and other belongings in the park (but make sure it’s not too heavy)
Older kids still get bored easily in line, make sure they have ways to keep occupied
Liquid bandaid over marker makes a great “tattoo” of your phone number in case you get separated
Carry a map and make sure to take note of food or bathroom locations
Most school aged kids should be tall enough to ride every ride in the park
Don’t forgo the kiddie rides just because your kid thinks they’re “too old”, those are some of the best experiences
Try and do at least one fancy meal to really enjoy Disney with a big kid
Even if your school aged kid is already starting to lose their magic (during the age of not believing) a Disney trip can still be a lot of fun. Share your enthusiasm and keep encouraging (but not pressuring) them into having fun.
Packing your own food can save you money but it also poses unique challenges. But, can you actually bring your own food to Disneyland or Walt Disney World? The answer is yes!
You can’t just bring whatever you want into the Disney parks and each one has their own set of guidelines. Here’s what is and isn’t officially permitted, and what you can probably get away with.
“[..] with the exception of food items for Guests with specific dietary restrictions, outside food or beverage items are not permitted in either of the Disneyland Resort theme parks.”
There is a picnic area with umbrellas and tables where you’re encouraged to enjoy your brought-in meal. It’s located across from the lockers so you don’t need to carry your meal around with you while in the park, which is convenient. Disneyland is also a pretty small park so planning to walk back to this picnic area for a meal isn’t incredibly cumbersome. You’re probably wondering at this point what you’re supposed to do about things like snacks or bottled water. While officially you’re not able to bring those items into the park most people agree that they won’t be removed if you have them into your bag. There’s no sneaking anything in, either – a bag check is done upon entrance. If you attempt to bring snacks into the park follow these guidelines:
Be reasonable. Having one bottle of water in each person’s bag isn’t too bad, multiples are a bit excessive. You can always refill it inside the park.
Stay away from glass. Glass containers are not permitted inside Disney Parks.
Soft coolers only. Hard coolers are also not permitted in the parks so stick with something soft it you want to keep perishables cool.
If you’re travelling with a big family maybe try separating the food between family members. It might be overwhelming to see 10 sandwiches all together for them at the gate even if it is only one per person.
A couple snacks are probably going to be permitted into the park but entire meals are likely not.
Disney World
Unlike Disneyland, Disney World is a lot more relaxed on their food restrictions. You’re allowed to bring any food items into the park with the exception of alcohol. The only restriction is what you put your food in.
Glass containers, except baby food jars, are not allowed.
Coolers are also not permitted. Small, soft sided coolers should be ok though (we used one).
Special Exceptions for Babies
Both Disneyland and Walt Disney World have special facilities designed to help parents with babies. What you’ll find there (food-wise):
Access to a sink
Microwave for heating baby food or formula
Shop that sells formula, baby food, etc
Food rules can change at any time so make sure to check before travelling. If you have special dietary restrictions you can also inform restaurants and have special food made.
Did you bring your own food to Disney Parks? We did!
