Taking Kids to Disney!

Most of us that take a Disney Vacation have kids and we know it can be the most magical time to see their faces light up when you arrive at your Disney Destination!  We also know that some kids have an easy time and love it and some kids might not enjoy it as much as we hope.  When we took our daughter for her first time, she was 4 years old.  I assumed she would have the time of her life, thinking it was Disney, everyone loves Disney!  To my surprise, she was not impressed.  She didn’t want to ride most of the rides, the characters scared her and she just wanted to walk around and observe.  I wasn’t expecting such a reaction and realized that taking kids, especially if they are young or for their first time, can be overwhelming.  We then took our 2nd daughter when she was 3 years old (our oldest was then 7) and she loved it!  She had no fear and wanted to do it all.  What a difference in experiences with our 2 daughters!  After experiencing both extremes, I learned some tips when taking kids on a Disney vacation.

1)Don’t have expectations: When taking your kids for their first time, don’t have any expectations.  Don’t assume you are going to take picture’s with every character and go on every ride.  When you go in with this assumption and your kids don’t comply, you feel a little disappointed.  Not all kids will think it’s a great as you do, I learned my lesson with that.  Kids can also be afraid and you certainly don’t want to force them into anything, you want them to learn to love Disney!  Your first trip can turn out to be more of an introduction to Disney, so be prepared for that outcome as well.  When my daughter was 4 and afraid of everything, we didn’t make her do anything she didn’t want to and now that she’s almost 10, we’ve taken her back a few more times and she LOVES it!  She even does all the big scary rides now.  With some kids, it will take a few visits for them to become more comfortable and realize that Yeah, Disney is awesome and not scary after all!

2)Characters: One of the BEST things about Disney is meeting your favorite Character!  As we get older, we learn they are just people in costumes, but for young kids, they can be scary.  Both of my daughter’s, during their first trips, didn’t want to go near any characters at all.  As they get older, they don’t mind them as much.  My youngest loves to pose with characters in full costume, but she won’t go near characters that are people (like Princesses).  You just never know how your kids are going to react and that’s ok! Let your kids lead you and if they want to see a certain Character, go for it, if not, then let them observe from a distance and say “next time”.

With Character Dining, be prepared for any outcome.  My girl’s love to watch the characters and sometimes won’t even eat!  Character dining can be expensive at times, so if you want to get your money’s worth, keep in mind that kids sometimes won’t eat very much with Characters roaming around and coming to the table!  You can end up paying for the experience of having Characters right there with you.  Also, some kids won’t want to be bothered by the Characters, they may be too shy or afraid, so also realize that if you are going just for the Character interaction, the kids might not want to do it and just go there to eat.  Of course many kids love to eat AND see the characters!

3) How long at the park? When taking young kids, they most likely aren’t going to want to be at the parks all day and all night.  It’s ideal to spread your time and go over a few days, instead of getting a lot in over a day or two.  Disneyland can be done in 2 or 3 days (when not super crowded) and Walt Disney World will take longer since it’s SO much bigger then Disneyland.  Walt Disney World is likely best to see over 4-5 days (if you are going to all 4 parks).  If the parks are open late, it’s a good idea to take a break in the afternoon, head back to the hotel and rest, eat and rejuvenate in the pool!  Keep a note when your kids usually nap and head back to the hotel for a quick nap too.

At Disneyland, I’ve noticed that the parks are pretty dark at night.  This makes it  harder to get around at times and harder to keep an eye on your group.  Kids can easily get separated and with not much lighting at night, it’s best to start your day earlier than later.  When you take a Disney vacation, it’s easy to think that you want to see and do everything, to get your money’s worth, but with some kids, especially young ones, it’s not ideal for them and they get cranky and tired quick.  You want to make the most of your trip, but have everyone happy and enjoy it too!

4)What to bring: The stroller!  Whether you bring your own or rent one at the parks, a stroller for young kids is a must.  If you bring your own, try to bring one as compact as possible for getting through the crowds.  Also bring a little back pack with everyday items you know your kids will ask for.  These items include – Baby products, small snacks, water bottles (or kids cups/bottles), tissue, handheld games for waiting in line, hats, sunglasses, blankets, hand sanitizer.  Of course, the diaper bag for babies too.

If your kids like to dress up, bring along their favorite Disney costume!  Young kids are allowed to dress up and be part of the Magic at Disney parks!  This is also a great way to make them feel involved and comfortable in the surroundings.

5) FREE Buttons! Upon entering the Disney parks, or at your Resort Hotel, head to any customer service area (shops, City Hall) and ask if they have any Buttons for your kids.  These include buttons that say “First Visit”, “Honorary Citizen”, “I’m Celebrating”, “Happy Birthday”, and are FREE!  Your kids will enjoy collecting an assortment of buttons and wearing them at the parks.  Cast members will also acknowledge them and make them feel extra special.

6) Autograph Books: If your kids aren’t shy to meet the Characters, Autograph books are a GREAT way for kids to interact with the Characters.  You can find these books in any merchandise store at the Parks or at your Resort Hotel.  Be sure to grab a large size pen since they are much easier for the Characters in full costume to hold and write with.  They will thank you for it!  Take the books with you everywhere you go, whether to meet-n-greets or Character Dining, you might even spot a Character walking around!