Disney with 2 y.o. and 6 Month Old

Leave kids with grandma so you can enjoy Disney. Kids won't remember it anyway and you will have a better time.

I sure hope you have fun. Not much there for a 6 mo old to really enjoy except maybe It's a small World. Personally, I wouldn't take any child under the age of 5 or 6 there. We've been many times and I've seen way too many stressed out parents of toddlers and babies. So here's my advice if you are going: don't expect your 2 year old to get much out of the trip. She/he will be thrilled to see Mickey but will hate the lines so.... don't push, do what you can and allow for a lot of down time at places where your toddler can stretch her/his legs. Take advange of the child swap option so you can both ride the rides your 6 mo old can't. Do not under any circumstances put your 2 year old on a ride that isn't appropriate for her. There is a reason they have height/weight and age limits on certain rides.

My advice - wait til they are at least 5 or 6! Disney is a FABULOUS family vacation - but beyond overwhelming (and lost!) on little ones. The parents end up miserable, and for the most part, so are kids. Save your money and have a once in a lifetime trip when they are a little older.

Your kids will have a blast at Disney. My boys are 7 and 4. We have been going once a year since they were 3 and 1. Watch their the expressions on their little faces when you walk into the Magic Kingdom. It is a wonderful experience. We don't stay on the disney property. It is cheaper to stay somewhere else. We rent a house so bed time is very smooth. Or the Nickelodeon hotel is great too. Anyway the parks have nice strollers to rent but they are very expensive so what we have done in the past is get one that someone hasn't returned to the stoller rental when they leave the park. If you are going to buy one I perfer the side by side strollers because they are easier to push. We had the front and back one and used it once and sold it. Its like pushing a bus around. Also if you do buy one you can use it to get through the airport then check it at the gate when you board the plane and they will have it waiting for you when you your flight lands. Napping can be difficult but don't get frustrated with it. Take your time in the morning. Don't wake the kids up early. Bring with a favorite bedtime blanket or something they associate with bed time and just walk them around til they fall asleep. There is alot to see. Also put a blanket over the stroller to keep the sun out. We have also left the park and went back to the house when everyone needs a nap not just the kids. That can be really hard being you have to board the trams and you have to close the stroller to get on unless you want to walk but it can be a long walk. Also Bring frozen water bottles with too. The water can get pretty spendy. I hope this helps. Have a blast and what ever you do, don't miss the fireworks. Watch for tinkerbell.

My advice would be to wait and go when your kids are older, but if your trip is something you and your husband want to do and it's planned, then go. There won't be much that a 6 month old can do except look at all the action going on. I would suggest staying on Disney property if you can change that part of it, or maybe the next time you go. Especially with small kids it would be much easier and you can use Disney transportation. We haven't gone for yeras but ther eused to be a book out that was called something like"Doing Disney With Kids". If you have AAA ask then if they have it. It's well worth planning ahead for exactly what rides, etc. you can do. One of you will have to stay out with the baby for many of them and even your 2 yr. old will only be able to do some of them. Make sure you have a game plan! Have fun =)

You have obviously had a lot of responses but I will add my two cents. We went in November with a 13 month old who had just started walking and her 33 month old brother. They had a fabulous time (and so did mom and dad). Like anything else you do, take your time and don't sweat the small stuff. There was much more to do at all the parks than we could have possibly anticipated. The baby will be able to go on most of the rides at Magic Kingdom, my daughter rode everything her brother did with the exception of the roller coaster in Toon Town and a water ride in Animal Kingdom. The Fast Passes are an absolutely must have. We did those on every ride we could and planned accordingly. Also, at every park there is a playground which we made sure to get to so the kids could have plenty of opportunity to run around. The big surprise was MGM. They have a Playhouse Disney show my two year old loved, as well as a Muppet adn Little Mermaid Show. We also got to meet many of the characters which he loved (Little Einsteins, JoJo, etc).

We stayed on the Grounds, but getting to our Hotel from Magic Kingdom was not convenient, so when they fell asleep, we just found a quiet place off the beaten path and waited it out. No big deal for us.

My one year old spent most of the time in the baby carrier and loved being out in the world and seeing the sights. We would feed them dinner at the Park and get them in bed. Other residents at the hotel got used to seeing my husband and I out in the hallway having a bottle of wine and room service. We never thought we would take our kids so soon but it just worked out that way. Most nights before bed, my son will ask us to talk about Disney world. He still talks in detail about the rides, characters and shows.

As for stroller, we brought our Phil and Ted Stroller (LOVE IT) and the carrier. I wouldn't rent, they looked like a pain to maneuver and not very comfortable.

Good luck and have a great time.

Hiya,
We are going March 18-24. It is our second time there. Last time I took our umbrella stroller. We used it to manuever through the air port and you can use it as one of your carry ons. We are renting a stroller there this time. You can get them for the whole week for about $10.00. Here is a site you can go to with questions. http://disneyworldforum.disney.go.com and type in traveling with kids in the search.
For naps I let my daughter sleep in the stroller or you can always get a hand stamp and re-enter the park.
There are alot of rides your baby can go on. The ones that have a height requirement usually have parent swap so parents can take turns without having to wait in the long line.
Have a great time!

I totally disagree with people who say to wait to bring your kids to Disney!!! I was there in December with a 3 1/2 year old and 3 1/2 month old and we had a GREAT time! My now almost 4 year old still talks about wanting to live in Disney. If you haven't already, take a look at the Unofficial Guide to Disney which has touring schedules with young kids (with nap times) and ride suggestions -- we didn't follow it exactly, but close to it and it worked. And Disboards.com has lots of discussion about strollers and tips for families. For our baby, we used a carrier (we had an Ergo, Bjorn and wrap that we alternatated) and then had an Maclaren umbrella stroller that reclined a bit for our oldest. My baby LOVED It's a Small World - as did my older daughter. There were a ton of rides we could take the baby on -- anything without a height restriction worked fine -- like just about any ride in Fantasyland.

Why are you taking them to Disney World? Are you meeting others there or is it for them?

We've just returned from our third trip and BY FAR the best. The kids are 7 & 10. At 5 & 8 they were just ok, and at 3 & 6, it was an outright waste of time and money. The earlier trips were about how to catch naps and get back to the hotel. A lot more work than fun. And we were always on the property so we could easily get back with Disney transportation. Our first trip, the 3yo was learning to skip. She could have done that a lot of places that would have been required less running around and less money and more fun.

The Magic Kingdom will be the best bet for the 2 yo. The Animal Kingdom second. Epcot and the Hollywood Studio will just be beyond her. And a lot of the stuff with themes appealing to young children are too bumpy or loud for many that young.

I LOVED LOVED LOVED our vacation there this year. And you will see a lot of families with very young children there. But the truth is, it's more likely to be enjoyed by children who have some stamina and a sense of story and adventure. For goodness sake, many of the rides require you to be over 42" tall. I'm sorry to rain on your parade, but if there's a chance you can change your plans, I strongly advise that Disney is better enjoyed with somewhat older children. ESPECIALLY if you aren't staying on the Disney property.

We just got back from Disney this week 5 year old, 3 year old and 6 month old. For the baby - invest in a good sling or bjorn carrier - it worked wonders! Your 2 year old probably won't be able to make a full day - don't push it. Let him lead the schedule of the day, stop and rest or go back to the hotel. The magic kingdom is the most overwhelming and it is so loud! Save that for the end of the trip if you decide to go there. Going to the other parks first will let everyone get used to the events. Also, there are baby care centers in every park. Take advantage of them. You can go in, warm up or cool down depending on the weather, potty, watch tv, change diapers, feed a meal in peace by nursing or high chairs. Use those centers as a break for everyone. They are staffed to help you out and clean and quiet. I even used it for a time out one day when my 3 year old was having a melt down and he just need to lay on the floor and kick and scream for 5 minutes. Hauling strollers around is not fun. I would suggest 1 stroller that they could share / sleep in and you can put your bags underneath and then a carrier for the baby. Have fun and don't push it. You won't see all of disney no matter how much plannig you do. Also, the food at the parks is great. Look into the disney dining plan for the adults. Both of your kids could eat for free off of it and I think you can get it with your park admission. We were able to do our character meals at the parks and at other hotels (Grand Floridian) which was so cool.

We took our daughter when she was 12 mths. We stayed at the contemporary hotel and loved it. We are going back in three weeks this time with a 22mth old and a 4 mth old. We are stayed in a rental house with enough rooms for everyone. Making bedtime a lot easier! Anyway, my daughter loved it. We did breakfast with the characters at our hotel. It is opened to the public and I highly recommend it. We also did it at the Swan hotel, but it was nothing like the Contemporary. You can do reservations or just show up. There are rides like "It's a small world" infants can ride on. If you go to there web site Disney world and look at park and map info it will tell you if the ride is suitable for young ones or not. Good Luck and have fun!

Hello-
I don't think your children are too young at all. We took our daughter there for her first birthday and she LOVED it. We are also planning a trip this spring for her 3rd birthday, and we also have a 6 month old son now. We have a Graco Quatro Tour Duo stroller (It's a double stroller) that the kids love sitting in it and we plan on taking that with us. We rented a stroller last time, but the strollers they have are made out of hard plastic. It was fine, but probably a little uncomfy for naptime. Our daughter did sleep in the rental stroller last time, but we had to add a lot of towels under her for some added softness. This time we decided to bring our own sroller along since we will have the two kids. If you are looking for more Disney advice take a look on www.disquides.com. They have a ton of advice and info on there. Good luck and I'm sure you'll have a blast.
Oh, and as far as rides go for the 6 month old, there are a ton that he can go on as well. Basically all the "kiddie" rides that the two year old can go on.

Once you are at the Disney park, it is not easy to go off the grounds and come back. It takes quite awhile to enter and exit the park. The best with young kids is take a little later start and do not plan to see the whole park in one day. There are lots of things to do and see. Take your time and do not get frustrated with your kids if they get tired, take a break. It will make the whole time miserable if you push through and they are getting crabby!

There are a lot of rides you can take the baby on and Disney also has a baby swap policy so one can ride the roller coasters and the other can hold the kids, then swap without getting back in line.

Fast pass is another good choice. You go and get a fast pass tickets when the lines are long. The pass will give you a time window later in the day that you can come back and get on without getting in line.

We did the Jeep Wrangler® All-Weather Twin Sport Umbrella Stroller that reclines. It was great and we got it on sale for $75 at Toys R Us. They are way expensive at the park ($18 per day rental) and there is stroller parking everywhere.

At Epcot Center, there is a joke that babies can't make it through the ride in the Epcot ball without falling asleep. The cast member told me the exact moment my baby would crash and she was right within seconds. We had a good laugh. There are shows and slow rides in every park, if you don't want to take them back to the condo to sleep, I would hit one of these mid afternoon if you think they will fall asleep. You can also just walk them around in the stroller. Disney can suck the energy out of anyone, they will probably fall asleep in the stroller.

For a list of rides, their descriptions and what you can ride with the kids, go to www.disney.go.com/travel or www.allears.net.

** Something I did that I was SO glad I did was buy all their souvenier stuff ahead of time and bring it with me. I hit up the Disney store and got hats on clearance for 75 cents each. I picked up autograph books and Disney PJs for everyone on eBay. I went to Walmart and got them glow sticks for the parades, Disney character pens & stuffed animals & dolls. I made them matching outfits out of Disney character fabric. You could also buy something from the Disney store or Target for them to wear, but the point is if they are dressed in bright, matching, Disney clothes they are easier to keep track of and they are excited about their clothes. At one point, we almost lost our senses in the "Disney magic" and were tempted to by $28 t-shirts for each of our kids. Having matching outfits for the kids already kept us in check.

Have fun!
S.

I took 2 2 year olds (DD and her cousin) to Disney with a double McLaren that both seats could recline and it was a pain to move through crowds with the double wide stroller. I wouldn't do it again with that stroller, although we had a BLAST and even single parenting 2 twos, they remember it was a fantastic time for all of us! Teacups, Small Wonder, Merry Go Round and just walking around...there's a ton to do with little ones!

I would try the Phil and Ted's Stroller with the double kit. It's a single stroller with a seat that can be added. It's easy to fold and reconfigure it through different positions and would give you tons of options for either/both kids to nap. Here's the stroller:

http://www.simplyforgiggles.web.aplus.net/Merchant2/merch...

I also just took my now 5 yr old DD and 6 month old DS to NYC and really liked the Eurotote:

http://www.simplyforgiggles.web.aplus.net/Merchant2/merch...=

I used it as a carrier when I didn't want to hassle with the stroller in the subway and I used it for my DS to sleep in and play on. It's very versatile. I used a Moby wrap when he was younger, but he sleeps better on his back now.

Hope that helps!

T.
Mom to Aviva (5) and Raphael (6.5 months)

Don't bring a stroller specially for the kids. They rent the best strollers out there that are comfi enough to nap in. Just bring some soft blankets for padding. And bring enough to eat and drink in a backpack, because it costs an arm and a leg to eat and drink in the park and usually it isn't anything healthy or nutritious. You can store it in your rented stroller, because they are big! There is plenty to do with the smaller kids, they only won't remember anything, so I hope you have other stuff going on where you stay. We went when our kids were 2 and 4 and they were done after a couple of hours. And it's exhausting because all you do is walking and waiting in line! It costs about 200$ to get into the park. I've heard that Seaworld is the most child friendly for that age, because the roller coasters are more for older kids. You also have a free area close to Kissemee that has a lot of stuff related to Disney where you can walk around that is fun. What Disney also does is that you can make reservations for the rides, so you don't have to wait in line for ever. I can't remember what it is called, but I'm sure it's on their website with tips etc. Have fun and make sure you think it's worth all that money. It's more for the adults at that age than for the kids. When we went the kids enjoyed swimming at where we were staying, but could have cared less for the park. If I had to do it over again I would have waited with the park until the youngest would have been 4 or 5. I didn't think it was worth the money honestly...A.

If you are already heading to Disney, my advice is too late. I think two years old and six months is too young for this expensive, overly stimulating trip. Disney is too overwhelming for the two year old and the six month old will only be bothered by the noise, heat and long hours you are just "waiting" in line for the next ride. If the trip is for your kids, try a calmer atmosphere, where you are not spending so much money where everyone can relax and enjoy the trip. If it's for you and your husband, go alone. Disney can be fun for you, but 2 and 6 months, not so fun.

Having just moved from Florida a year ago, I've got a little experience with the whole Disney thing. If you are staying on Disney property, I would suggest renting one of their double strollers for the park. They are convenient, well shaded, and easy to push through the park since they have oversized wheels. Also, I think it's possible to rent them for the entirety of your trip. They may seem a little expensive, but after pushing around an umbrella stroller for three days, I will tell you it's just not worth the back ache.

As for attractions, there are several rides that you will be able to take your little one with you. It's been awhile since mine were that little, but there are some great shows and fun things for them to do as well. I would suggest doing as much research on their website as possible so you don't spend your time at the park figuring out where you want to go and what you want to do. You might even be able to find a book at the library that can give you details about what's available for all ages.

I have to say for our family it was the favorite vacation. I absolutely loved Disney and would recommend it for parents and kids alike! Have an incredible time.

Another great site with reviews and info. from people who have been to Disney over and over is www.mousesavers.com. I'm sure if you do a search on their site for traveling with toddlers you will find a ton of helpful tips. Have a great trip! K.

I've been to Disney World, and Disneyland, and your 6 month old will be able to go on some of the rides on your lap! He'll be able to see the parades and the characters also! Don't worry, Magic Kingdom is great for baby's too. No idea about strollers, but be careful....sometimes bigger strollers are harder to get around and can become more of a hassle than you imagine.

We just got back from the Magic Kingdom, with our two year old. We also go every year because my in-laws live in Orlando. My advice would be to go at the kids pace. If you need to leave because your kids are tired or cranky, do it. They are pretty good about letting you in and out of the park.

As for strollers, I would recommend taking whatever your kids are familiar with. The airlines are great about helping you, and it's best for the kids. We bought a travel stroller and my little one HATED IT, this time we took our regular stroller and he was totally fine. I don't know if you have a double stroller, but I wouldn't recommend using theirs - they are plastic and the kids in them look SO uncomfortable.

There are a lot of things that your six month old can ride with you at Magic Kingdom. We also hit Epcot and MGM last year, and while there were less things, they also have a neat baby swap feature where one parent can ride, one can wait and hold the baby and then you can switch. Just make sure you ask questions of the staff, but everything is completely family orientated.

Have fun! Its' beautiful and WARM this time of year!

E. W,

We didn't go to our first Disney trip with our kids until they were 4 and 7 years old. We went in the summer and noticed younger children in strollers that were miserable from the heat and long lines. Please be sure to go when it's NOT too warm. There are hardly any shady places and the heat is extreme. Also long lines and confining spaces are terrible on the infants. There were several shows that were fun for all aged children that your 6 month old and 2 year old would enjoy. There was comfortable seating and air-conditioning. Make sure to take advantage of the speed-pass options on some of the rides. You don't have to wait in lines then. Good luck with your trip!

A.