One of the most common questions people ask about traveling with children is “How young is too young?” This question is especially popular when it comes to Disney World. And for good reason. While it’s a family-oriented destination, it can also hit your wallet hard. Not surprisingly, many parents hesitate to spend that much money on a trip that their child may not even remember. So is it worth visiting Disney World with a toddler?
Our answer is a resounding YES. (Actually, that’s our answer for traveling with kids in general, whether it’s Disney World or elsewhere.) It’s true that toddlers may not remember everything. But you will remember the joy and wonder they experience. And all those memories will help build a sense of wonder and adventure in children for years to come.
If you’re planning a visit to Disney World with little ones, you’ll obviously be taking a different approach than an adults-only vacation or a family trip with older kids. So what should you keep in mind when visiting Disney World with a toddler?
1. DON'T VISIT EVERY PARK
It is impossible to experience everything at Disney World in one visit. There are just too many attractions, shows, restaurants, and resorts to fit into a single trip. This is why we recommend doing several smaller visits vs. an expensive mega Disney vacation. If you try to do everything, you’ll end up frustrated that you weren’t able to check off everything on your list.
And when you’re at Disney World with a toddler, you will have to slow your pace down even more. Park days are long and exhausting, even for adults. So when visiting with a child, don’t try to squeeze in every park. In fact, we suggest breaking up your visit with some relaxing days away from the parks.
The parks that we think would be most appealing to younger kids are Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. While a toddler could enjoy Hollywood Studios or Epcot, many of the attractions are geared towards an older audience.
2. BE FLEXIBLE AND PLAN YOUR DAYS AROUND YOUR TODDLER
Speaking of slowing your pace down, it’s important to plan your days around your child. Before we had our son, we’d go hard at Disney. We would wake up super early to rope drop the parks, and stay until the parks closed.
But now as parents, we understand that we won’t be fitting in every ride that we want to go on. We’ll likely skip long lines that we would’ve waited in before. We also realize that the fireworks are late and it makes sense to skip them when visiting with our toddler.
We can admit that it’s not an easy transition, especially when you’re used to cramming a ton into your trips before having kids. But slowing down and allowing your child to experience the magic at a pace that is comfortable for them is totally worth it.
3. SKIP THE DELUXE RESORT
The costliest parts of a Disney trip tend to be the park tickets and the hotel. Disney hotels are split into 3 categories: Value, Moderate, and Deluxe resorts. As you may have guessed, the Deluxe category is the most expensive. These hotels have beautiful theming, great pools, high-end dining, and in many cases, are located within walking distance to a park.
While these perks may be worth the high price, the reality is with a toddler, you’re not going to take advantage of many of those benefits. They will likely be too young or short to enjoy the water slides at the pool. Fancy table service restaurants aren’t always the best options with a child, no matter how good the food may be. Plus, value resorts have theming that is more kid-friendly (e.g., giant colorful sculptures of Disney characters).
Our advice would be to just stay at a family-friendly Value resort and save the cash. Your toddler will have a blast in a basic pool and playground, and you can always visit other resorts for their restaurants.
4. NAP TIMES DON'T HAVE TO BE BACK AT YOUR HOTEL
As we mentioned above, one benefit of a Deluxe resort is that they’re usually in close proximity to a park. And when you’re at a park, it can be time-consuming to head back to your resort for naptime, especially if you’re relying on buses.
So if you’re looking for a closer option, check out some of the nearby hotels and relax in a quiet lobby or hallway. For example, the Grand Floridian is a great option if you’re at Magic Kingdom, as is the Yacht Club during an Epcot day. This is a fun way to help your child nap, get an air-conditioned break from the Florida heat, and explore the other Disney resorts!
Another plus is that afternoons tend to be the busiest times in the parks. So this allows you to avoid large crowds and long lines for a bit as well.
5. AVOID CAR SEATS WITH DISNEY TRANSPORTATION
Disney World is one of the most convenient places to travel to with a young child because you don’t need to bring a car seat to get around. If you’re flying, take a Minnie Van (which come with car seats) or a Mears Connect bus (which don’t require car seats) to your hotel.
If you are staying on Disney property, the various free transportation options (the monorail, Skyliner, buses, and boats) also don’t require car seats. Disney transportation is also another fun and free attraction for children. Our son absolutely loves the Skyliner, and to him, it’s just as much fun as a ride you’d find in the parks. That’s why we always say that enjoying the different types of transportation is a fun and cheap way to spend a non-park day.
6. PLAYGROUND HOP
While pools are limited to guests of that particular resort, playgrounds can be used by any visitors for free. Most resorts have a playground that little ones will have a blast exploring. Consider jumping on some free Disney transportation and make an afternoon out of playground hopping across different resorts.
7. TAKE NOTE OF HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS
One of the most disappointing things that could happen on your Disney trip is waiting in a long line only to find out your child is not tall enough to get on the ride. This is why we highly recommend reviewing the height restrictions so that you can plan your day accordingly.
8. BRING SNACKS AND DRINKS INTO THE PARKS
One thing that many visitors aren’t aware of is that you are actually allowed to bring in outside food and beverages into the parks. The official guidelines from Disney World state:
“Guests are allowed to bring outside food and nonalcoholic beverage items into the park for self-consumption, provided they are not in glass containers and do not require heating, reheating, processing, refrigeration or temperature control and do not have pungent odors. Inform a Security Cast Member of any food items when you enter the park.”
So if your toddler has any favorite snacks or drinks that will bring some familiarity and comfort, be sure to pack them for your park days. (And it will be easier on your wallet too!)
9. A CHARACTER MEAL MAY BE WORTH THE SPLURGE
We’ll be honest. Before we had children, we never thought of doing a character meal. It’s not that we don’t like seeing characters. It just wasn’t ever worth the cost to us.
Character meals are pricey. There’s no getting around that. Many times, you’re paying for the experience vs. actual good food. But if there’s one thing to splurge on at Disney World with a toddler, it’s probably a character meal. It is quite a magical experience for young children to enjoy breakfast or dinner while seeing their favorite characters in person!
10. BE MINDFUL OF FOOD ALLERGIES
And while we’re on the topic of dining, Disney World is one of the friendliest destinations when it comes to food allergies. While not every menu item is free from major allergens, Disney does a great job to inform, as well as ensure that any dietary or allergy needs are addressed, especially at table service restaurants.
Our son has a minor nut allergy (that we’re hoping he grows out of!) We make sure to ask the restaurant staff if any items have nuts. And if it’s a table service restaurant, they usually ask about any allergies first. The food comes out with an allergy marker, ensuring that it was prepared with the allergy in mind. Overall, Disney is a place where I feel confident that our little guy will have a safe dining experience.
READY TO GO?
Traveling with young children has its challenges. But we’ve found that the rewards and special memories are far greater. And that always makes it worth the extra stress. Disney World is truly one of those places that every age can enjoy – parents and toddlers alike.
We hope our tips are helpful as you plan a visit to Disney World with a toddler. If you have any questions, please let us know in the comments below, and be sure to check out our other posts on visiting Disney World!