My husband and I recently took the plunge and brought our 3 year old toddler to Walt Disney World. About a year ago, I started reading up on Disney and what it had to offer for preschoolers. I read three travel guides and trolled “mouse” related websites for untold hours. Two great resources were the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (paperback) and the Disney Mom’s Panel (online). I learned a great deal about the parks, touring plans, meal options, and of course the resorts themselves. In the end, I ended up calling a professional travel agent to book the trip. I sent our agent a detailed list of things I wanted to do and amenities I wanted at our hotel and she paired it with a terrific package. We ended up staying at the brand new Bay Lake Tower which is the Disney Vacation Club option associated with the Contemporary Resort. We are not DVC members, but until the Bay Lake Tower sells all of its time share slots it was available as a hotel. I had heard from other parents that the Contemporary Resort was very convenient (on the Disney Monorail system and close to Magic Kingdom), but very loud. Chef Mickey’s is a very popular character meal and they can serve until 11pm at night. I was glad to have the benefits of the Contemporary without the noise of Chef Mickey’s.
My husband and I visited Walt Disney World in 2002 as part of our Honeymoon. I was amazed how much the parks had changed in just 7 years. Of course as two adults without children, we focused more time on Epcot and the Disney Nightlife. This trip we were more Dumbo focused and asleep every night by 10pm!
There are many schools of thought around Disney and toddlers. I found myself confused and concerned at first when trying to debate whether or not to go. Would my son like it? Would it be overwhelming? Is it worth the money? etc. In reality, it is like everything else around having children. Your kid is unique and different. No book or pediatrician can tell you what will work for your child (in terms of likes and dislikes). Parents have to go with their gut. A pricey proposition if you are wrong. I always tell new Moms that they know so much more than they think they do. Most Moms I know are experts on their children. Trust in that – especially when it comes to planning vacations! My husband and I ran a few “tests” before booking the Disney trip. We took our son to local amusement parks and shows to see how he reacted. The reaction at Disney was similar (except on steroids).
He liked the local parade in town. He LOVED the Disney parades. He likes the local playgrounds and sandboxes. He LOVED the Disney playgrounds. He loved the local amusement park and same went for the Preschool geared rides at Disney. His favorites were the Carousel, It’s a Small World, and every train (several in the parks). What we did not know until arriving is that our son does not like the dimly lit rides. Even though the subject matter was geared to him (Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh) the rides were inside dark theaters. He did not like those one bit and hid his little face in my side. To my surprise he loved the teacups and although a rather shy boy by nature, he adored meeting the characters! In fact, one of the first days we were visiting, one of the characters in the Celebrate parade took my son by the hand and brought him into the parade. My son beamed and I realized that you can’t plan the moments that make Disney “the happiest place on Earth”.
We attended Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party complete with a special Parade “Boo to You”. My son adored the Boneyard at Animal Kingdom. The trip was an amazing success. A success until we were packing to go home. I had been pleasantly surprised that my son had not asked for any of his usual toys, friends, or his special toddler bed. My fear was that he was going to ask to go home long before our trip was over. The opposite happened. He was upset that I was taking him from what he called his “new home”. He did not want to leave Disney. I was shocked. In retrospect, I should have thought this could happen, but my son has always been a homebody so I thought 8 days would be his maximum away from home. Then again, from a three year old perspective why *wouldn’t* he want to live there? Luckily he has had lots of great adventures since we have been back home and visits from his adorning Grandmothers. He still asks about Disney every day. Maybe I should look into the DVC?
Disney has something for everyone. I can say it was magical for my family and I hope if you choose to go, it is for yours as well.
