Disney with a Toddler - Tips & Tricks for a Terrific Trip!

Plan Ahead Tips —

1. Order groceries ahead of time. We order from gardengrocer.com. They’ll deliver groceries right to your hotel and you just pick up at the bell hop. Cold items were in bubble cooker bags to stay cold. It is awesome for the room for snacks, water, diapers, etc. that you don’t have room to pack!

2. Pack pop up laundry baskets! These have been a game changer for us. There is an extensive variety for cheap on Amazon. They barely took any room or weight up in our suitcase and kept us organized in the room. It even inspired us to do laundry on the last night to come home with clean clothes!

3. Pack refillable water bottles. There are free water stations all over all the parks, usually in quick service locations to refill -- This is way better than cost of any bottle of water for purhcase in the parks and keeps you hydrated!

4. Rent a stroller! If you’re on the fence about bringing your stroller, I highly recommend renting. We have rented from KingomStrollers.com multiple times after our first year with a baby bringing our own (huge hassle in our opinion). They bring it right to the bell hop on drop off time slot where you pick it up and include a stroller caddy, rain cover and soft cooler, all super handy in the parks. On return day, you just return it to the bell hop and that’s it! I know some moms prefer to have the stroller in the airport but it was worth the sacrifice to us with no extra hands for our suitcases etc from the car until bag check. 

Park Tips —

1. Every park at Disney World has a Baby Center - Use them, they are AMAZING! Supplies, air conditioning, quiet time to regroup, feed or change the baby in your party... so, so, so helpful to families with littles!

2. Use your Chase Visa to get into Chase meet and greet characters:

Epcot - Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Pluto. This is over by Imagination pavilion, the jumping water fountains and Pixar Short film festival. Hours are 1-7pm

Hollywood Studios - featured a dark side character. It was Kylo Ren when we went. It’s in the Star Wars Launch Bay. 11-4.

NOTE: If you don't have the Disney Chase Visa, it's worth a sign up. Disney points are great to use toward tickets or room fees, plus you get 10% off many stores & restaurants as well as Shop Disney when you spend over $50!

Attraction Tips --

These are just our favorite highlights for each park. Still plenty more to do with toddlers :)

Epcot - 

1. Inside the pyramid in Mexico there’s a boat ride that rarely has any line at all. Its colorful and features Donald Duck. 

2. The Seas with Nemo & Friends, ride is whatever but the aquarium and Turtle Talk with Crush following the ride is pretty neat and all indoors.

3. Colortopia (in the building to the left toward Track side of the Epcot ball when walking in) across from Mouse Gear store. This only goes through 9/8/2019 before it's removed for something new! However, I had to include it for anyone reading prior to that because it is our little guys absolute favorite!

Hollywood Studios-

1. Lightning McQueens Racing Academy, by Rockin Rollercoaster.

2. Disney Junior dance party near Star Wars Launch Bay is nice cool off time and it’s cute.

3. Alien Swirling Saucers is adorable and perfect for the littles to enjoy Toy Story Land!

Animal Kingdom-

1. Bone Yard playground in Dinoland is pretty great. Just be ready to go down slides too. It’s huge.

2. Finding Nemo show near Dinoland was a nice air conditioning break.

3. Rafiki’s Planet Watch was just recently redone. There’s a cute petting zoo area there and a great place to burn off some of that toddler energy.

4. Festival of the Lion King is a great show and worth noting for another perfect place to cool down and enjoy all the colors and music.

Magic Kingdom -

1. Tom Sawyers Island, really shaded and the kids can run around. Lots of cute little discoveries to keep them occupied while you rest a bit.

2. Pretty much all of Fantasyland is toddler friendly.

3. Mickey's Philhar Magic is an awesome show or place for your littlest to nap in the dark air conditioning! :)

Magic Kingdom has the most attractions for kids under 3 or under 38” tall. 

NOTE - Check height requirements for rides before you go.

What are your favorite tips for an easy trip? Let us know in the comments!