Like many of us, I am a fanatic Walt Disney World fan…well I’m a fan of anything Disney really but directly speaking, Walt Disney World is my happy place.
I went to Walt Disney World a few times with my family as a child. That’s where I attribute my love and fascination for it.
As an adult I think I fell in love with the Disney parks even more. My husband and I started going together yearly and got pretty good at exploring the parks in record time, getting through most of all the great attractions at each park. We were like two kids running from ride to ride and often, park to park.
Then we had our children and we took them as quickly as we could for their first trip to the World. Our oldest was just short of three and we also took our two month old baby (yes you read that correctly, we took our two month old baby).
Not only is touring the parks drastically different with children but it’s even more of a dramatic change with very young children.
I don’t call myself an expert about touring Walt Disney World but I do have a few pointers and recommendations when you’re about to transition from visiting as adults to traveling with children, especially small children.
Tip # 1-Don’t expect to see and do everything
When traveling with a group of adults large or small, I’ve found that we could take in a lot of what the parks have to offer. While it is impossible to see everything in the parks on any given day, we did manage to get on most headliner attractions and see a lot of the front runner shows that are offered.
When traveling with kids cut that effort at least by half as traveling with children is a whole different ball game. They get overwhelmed, tired or just want to do something else that wasn’t in the plans. On one trip, I was rushing my kids to get on the Nemo ride in Epcot and we ran past the performers in the Japan Pavilion. My then 2 year old really wanted to stop and watch. My first instinct was, “no come on let’s not miss our fast pass”, but something told me to just stop and let her enjoy it. I’m glad I did, I have some great photos and videos of her just enjoying the performance and experiencing something entirely new to her.
Don’t Push
I haven’t always been spontaneous when it comes to touring the parks with my children. There’s been plenty of times I have pushed my kids through to make sure they experience EVERYTHING. As all of us parents can attest, we have the best of intentions, especially in Disney. We want them to experience ALL of the magic, plus with the hefty cost of getting them there we feel we need to get our money’s worth, I get it, I’ve done it at least once on each trip.
But take it from me, I’ve learned the hard way (many times) that pushing your children through the long days on a Disney vacation, (then add the Florida heat and crowds), it is not worth the meltdowns from child and parent alike. Children get overwhelmed, no matter the time nor place. As parents, it’s easy to get frustrated. I’ve at times had this thought: “This is not the way I planned this moment to be…this is not magical!” Oh the horror for a Disney fanatic! My best advice is to not push yourselves and your children into seeing and doing everything. Scale back a bit and let the magic surround you.
There Will Be Meltdowns
I’ve witnessed my children melt down at a Disney park more times than i’d like to recount. So that’s why I recommend that for families traveling with children is to slow down…don’t try and see everything. If your child wants to stop and watch The Dapper Dans sing or the pianist at Casey’s corner play, let them. If it means missing a fast pass, it’s ok; really it is. I’ve learned that letting the kids experience the parks in their own way makes for a more peaceful and memorable vacation.
I have endured my children screaming on crowded buses and in the middle of the Main Street Emporium. It is inevitable to have child meltdowns when on vacation. However, these are learning lessons to use for future vacations.
Tip #2-Take a break
Taking breaks is almost an essential part of enjoying the world with young children. While your hotel accomadations may not be nearby the parks, there are other ways to take a break while visiting. Any kind of breaks are crucial to ensuring your family has a happy, smooth vacation while at the resort.
We have often stayed off property when visiting so we typically rent a car to get around throughout our trip. I have, many times, planned to take a break back to the hotel for a return later in the day. But sometimes that’s hard to do. Depending on where your hotel is located, the travel back and forth may add more time to a short break. Adding the to that break is the journey back and forth from the hotel. The process of coming back and forth to the hotel and the parks includes parking, getting to the main park entrance, getting through security, etc..
Take A Break Within The Park
Due to the above, our breaks came in the form of a longer meal or a quiet restful attraction. For example, we like to experience the TomorrowLand Transit Authority PeopleMover in the Magic Kingdom. It offers a quiet rest off of our feet to refresh and take a small break before hitting the pavement again. There are many other similar experiences like this through the resort to take a restful break.
If you can, take a longer break back to the hotel for a few hours to rest. In the case where that is not as convenient, take time out for a longer meal or a restful attraction. It is definitely worth the visit in terms of scaling back for a bit.
As adults we have also taken some time out time out for breaks. For example, we have utilized a restful spot at the back of the UK Pavilion in Epcot. There, we would watch the crowds rush by while we had a drink and sat by the lagoon.
Planning Is Key, But So Is Spontaneity
It’s necessary to plan out many details of your Walt Disney World vacation as possible. Dining reservations and special event tickets can and should be booked in advance. However. don’t rule out a small level of spontaneity as well. Spontaneity can be very useful when traveling with small children. Take a slow walk down main street. Explore all of the details and let your children marvel in the view of the castle right in front of them. Get in line for that favorite character meet in greet. There’s no better reward than seeing the marvel and excitement in the eyes of your children with these candid and magical moments.
I advise to plan to your vacation out in as much detail as possible. However, also take this vacation with a little room for surprise and the unexpected magic. It’s worth every penny spent.
Do you have any tips or insights on traveling to the Disney Parks with young children? Let us know in the comments below!
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