We have been bringing our girls to Disney World for some time now. Our oldest who is 5 has been to Disney World 6 times and my youngest who just turned 1 has already been twice. So traveling to the parks with children is something I know pretty well.
Having said that it has been a learning process for us. Some things we have tried were an utter disaster while others were great ideas that we use time and again. I wanted to share some of the Quick Tips we have learned to help make your trip much more enjoyable.
- Rent a stroller – Our last trip we opted to leave our stroller at home and go with a stroller rental company. Matt from Kingdom Stroller Rentals was nice enough to hook us up with the stroller you see above, The City Elite Double. While it was much larger than our stroller from home. It was nice to have extra room in our trunk on the drive down and all the amenities on board really made for a great vacation! Our only complaint was the size and the difficulty of bringing it on the older buses at Disney World. It was a tight squeeze…
- Head back to the room for naps – Almost every day we would head back to the room to take a nap, freshen up, go for a swim, and have lunch. My wife would nap with our little one and my 5 year old and I would explore the resort or head down to the pool. With a short break during the hottest time of the day our little ones were less cranky and we all felt energized to be able to stay at the parks later.
- Visit the Baby Care Centers – Every park has a Baby Care Center. They are free to use and perfect if you are nursing, need to change a diaper, let little ones go potty, you can even give your little ones lunch. I have consumed many a family meal at a baby care center. If you forgot something or ran out you can purchase anything from Goldfish to Diapers and Wipes. Also they have toys for all ages and Disney movies or tv shows playing in the play room. Remember to use hand sanitizer afterwards!
- Nurse on dark rides – My wife was a pro at nursing our little one on the dark rides. If you ask a cast member to be seated at the rear of the boat or vehicle about 99% of the time they say no problem and will have you step aside till that spot comes available. To see a list of rides that are perfect to nurse on click here.
- Visit the parks early – We get most of our riding done as soon as the park opens or an hour early on Extra Magic Hour Days. It is cooler outside, less people, I am up at the butt crack of dawn anyway, and I can’t wait to get to the parks! You have to figure I am gonna be going back to the room around lunch time so if I am tired I can sneak in a little nap.
- Don’t stay out to late – Finally I can’t tell you how many fussy children I see at the parks after 9pm. It is obvious the kids are tired but the parents are trying to squeeze in one last ride before they go. Also if your waiting for the fireworks like Illuminations: Reflections of Earth to start you can hear the faint cry of the sleepy baby. I myself am guilty of this so I am not trying to criticize your parenting but have learned if you keep your kids on their normal schedule it makes for a happy baby.
- Head to Guest Services – As soon as you get to the parks on the first day head to Guest Services and get a Happy Birthday Button for your little one, even if it isn’t their Birthday. They will get so much attention from Cast Members it is CRAZY! This is our tradition we like to do is pick up Happy Anniversary buttons for us and Birthday Buttons for the girls. While your there you can pick up Park Maps, and Times Guides too!
That is all I have for now. Hopefully these tips will help make your next trip even more enjoyable. If you have any more we would love to hear them in the comment box below.
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