What I Wish I Knew Before Taking My Toddler on Their First Trip to Walt Disney World

paigelandrum
3 hours ago
8 min read

Contributed by Paige Landrum

If you have been to Walt Disney World as a teen or adult, but have not yet taken young kids, this one is for you.

I am a Disney veteran.. I’ve grown up coming to Disney and I even used to be a Disney Cast Member. But I also am not too proud to know when I’m wrong, and I was completely SHOOK at the things I did not realize when I took my two toddlers to Walt Disney World for the first time. A truly humbling experience to say the least.

I don't want it to sound like Disney trips with toddlers are hard, they just require a different approach. You’ll spend less time in line for Tron and Everest and more time dealing snacks and riding “It’s a Small World.” I think it’s important to go into a trip with toddlers with the right expectations.

Here’s what I wish I would have known before my first trip to Disney with a toddler, learn from my mistakes so you can go into your trip feeling more confident and prepared.

1. There are Stroller Parking Rules

Of the hundreds of times I had been to Walt Disney World prior to kids, I had never considered that you cannot take strollers into ride lines or restaurants, but quickly found out there is designated stroller parking.

Disney requires strollers to stay outside most attractions, and Cast Members frequently reorganize stroller zones, meaning your stroller can get moved while you're on the ride, and may be in a different place from where you left it. It makes it easier if you have a tag of some sort to help find your stroller quickly.

Also, I’ve learned the hard way that stroller parking is often uncovered, so you’ll want to pack that stroller cover after all.

2. Waiting in Line with a Toddler is not for the Faint of Heart

Waiting in line was already tough before I had kids, but trying it with someone who can’t rationalize time, has no concept of personal space, and wants to touch, lick, or climb on every surface is a whole different game. To help combat the wait times I utilize Lightning Lanes as much as possible - you will likely still have a wait, but it may be 5 - 10 minutes instead of 25 or 30 minutes.

Now, what about those 5-10 minutes that will inevitably feel like 30? I try to bring a few things in line to help, usually either Dum Dum lollipops or small handheld toys. It also helps that some queues have interactive games, like The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. In this case also bring the hand sanitizer!

3. Character Meet-and-Greets Can Be Scary

I couldn’t wait for my 2-year-old and 11-month-old to meet characters for the first time and planned so many coordinating outfits, only for reality to hit that at least one out of two kids would be too scared to get close every single time.

It turns out many toddlers freeze, cry, or hide when meeting characters (we’ve done all three) and that’s completely normal.

A few tips I can offer, based on experience:

Start with face characters like princesses. Since these characters can talk and do not have overly large facial features, they can be less intimidating. See above, this is a case-by-case basis.
Don’t start with a character meal. Sigh, I know. I typically recommend booking character meals because it's a great way to meet several characters in one sitting, without waiting in line. My disclaimer here is do not make this your first character meeting, unless you are okay with your kid not liking characters. If they cry at every interaction, you have to be okay knowing you spent money for them to hate lunch.
Let your toddler watch from a distance first. Since I have two kids who go everywhere together, a lot of times my oldest would go to the character (although in her early days, she was timid and wouldn't talk), while my youngest would just watch from afar. She's warmed up to them over the last year of visits, but still isn’t running to them for hugs yet (except Maribel!).

When they do warm up, those photos become priceless but understand that may not happen on the first meeting, first day, or even your first trip.

4. You Need to Pay Attention to Height Requirements

Not all rides are toddler-friendly, and some do have height requirements. Always check before promising anything. We love Magic Kingdom so much because it has the most “no height requirement” rides. EPCOT also has a decent selection, but Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios have the least (2 each) actual rides that toddlers can ride (but lots of other fun things!). Knowing this ahead of time can help put your day in perspective.

I recommend mapping out which rides your toddler can ride ahead of time, so that you don’t get their hopes up for something that they aren’t tall enough for.

Although some rides don't have height requirements, remember…

5. Some “Toddler Rides” can be Scary

A ride being gentle doesn’t mean it’s toddler-approved, ask me how I know!

Some of the no height requirement rides that my kids have found scary are Pirates of the Caribbean, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.

Now I will say my kids go in phases, at one point at least one of my kids even found the Ariel ride scary because of the Ursula scene, or the Nemo ride because of “the sharks.” If your kids are sensitive to things like that, it's best to prepare them ahead of time.

6. You Better Practice Folding Your Stroller (With One Hand) Ahead of Time

I’m pretty passionate about this one, because I have learned a lot on this topic. If you are taking advantage of the free Disney Transportation on property, it's important to know when you need to fold your stroller.

Strollers do not need to be folded

On the Monorail
On the Ferry from the Ticket and Transportation Center to Magic Kingdom
On the Skyliner (exception is double side-by-side strollers)

You will need to fold your stroller before entering:

Disney Buses
Disney Trams to the parking lot
Most boats (depending on capacity, sometimes they will let you leave it open, but the child will need to come out)
The Skyliner if you have a double stroller that is side by side.

Learn from my mistake - something I did NOT do before my first visit with toddlers was take into consideration how easy my stroller was to fold. Meaning, how much stuff do I have to take out of it before it will fold, how easy it actually is to fold, and how light is it to carry while folded while also making sure my kids aren’t running into traffic.

Since then, I have found the holy grail of double strollers - it is comfy for the kids, but is light, I can fold it with one hand, and it is so compact that I ALWAYS get compliments in the bus line about how people can’t believe it's a double stroller. I recommend finding a stroller that you LOVE, one that isn't bulky, has a good turn radius, one that will allow your kids to nap, or at least relax, and has room for your things.

I’m not sponsored by Jeep, but I praise this double stroller on all accounts.

7. Overstimulation Is Real, Your Toddler Needs Downtime

As a teen and young adult, I never considered how overstimulating Disney can be, but when I took my kids for the first time I realized it very quickly. Between music, crowds, characters, colors, sounds, and heat… the sensory load builds fast.

I think it's important to know this ahead of time and plan how you are going to combat it. I always recommend taking a midday break. For our family, it makes the most sense to go back to the room and rest for a few hours, pull the blackout curtains, crank the sound machines, and hope for a nap. At the very least, they get some downtime.

I also understand that this doesn't work for every family. If you can’t leave in the middle of the day with your kids, I recommend finding some shade and encouraging a stroller nap. If your child naps regularly, keeping that routine will make your days much smoother. Resting in the middle of the day makes evenings, dinner, and nighttime spectaculars much more enjoyable, in my experience.

8. Mobile Ordering is Changing the Game

Again, something I never considered previous to kids. Before kids, I would wait until I was hungry, and then decide what I wanted and maybe even wander around until I passed something that looked or smelled good. As a toddler parent, the thought of doing that with my kids is laughable and borderline psychotic. If I don’t have a plan of what they are going to eat BEFORE they get hangry, we have lost.

For us, mobile ordering makes finding lunch a lot easier. I know where to find chicken tenders at every park, and we usually opt for that because it’s a trustworthy choice for my kids. Once you do the mobile order, you will get a notification when your order is ready, and you proceed to pick up. It absolutely beats standing in line to order and then waiting again for your food to be prepared.

9. Baby Care Centers for the Win

Every park has a Baby Care Center, think of them as magical sanctuaries when you need a quiet place that is air conditioned. Inside, you’ll find private nursing rooms, changing tables, and a kitchenette with microwaves and bottle warmers. If you aren't going back to your resort midday, this is a great alternative.

The Baby Care Centers also have items available for purchase like diapers and wipes.

10. Your Toddler Will (Probably) Want to Play More Than Ride

This is the biggest pill to swallow in my opinion. I can’t speak for all toddlers, but my kids in particular (now ages 3 and 4) really just want to go to the pool or playground.

In fact, an actual conversation I had a week ago in the car went like this:

Me: “Girls, I’m planning out our next Disney trip, what do you want to do while we’re there?”

4 YO: “Go to the pool!”

Me: “Okay yes we can do that, what else?”

3 YO: “PLAYGROUND!”

Me: ……..

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying cancel your Disney plans and hit up your local park or pool instead, because even pools and playgrounds are more magical at Disney, but I say this to remind you it’s important to plan some resort time too. Toddlers crave unstructured play, embrace the slower moments. For us, those generally become the highlight of our toddler’s trip.

If you’ve got more questions about planning your next family vacation to Walt Disney World with toddlers, I’d love to invite you to my growing community here: Toddler Moms Plan Disney Trips and Cruise Vacations. Here we talk about all kinds of topics from which shows your toddler loves to favorite character meals or best resorts for young kids.