Disney with 6, 3, and 1 year old

TinaS826

New Member
Original Poster
Hello! My husband and I are going to Disney for my first time with the kids in October and I am planning it on my own so am feeling very anxious about it all! I just want to know who has gone to Disney with kids around the same age as my kids? My kids will be 6, 3 and 1 when we go. My 6 year old can go on a bunch of rides my 3 year old can’t. And my 3 year old can go on a bunch of ones my 18 month old can’t. And my 18 month old still needs a nap in the middle of the day. What’s the best way to get the most out of the rides with my kids ages? What do I do with the 1 & 3 year old when I’m taking the 6yr old on rides?
 

Nemo14

Well-Known Member
Hello! My husband and I are going to Disney for my first time with the kids in October and I am planning it on my own so am feeling very anxious about it all! I just want to know who has gone to Disney with kids around the same age as my kids? My kids will be 6, 3 and 1 when we go. My 6 year old can go on a bunch of rides my 3 year old can’t. And my 3 year old can go on a bunch of ones my 18 month old can’t. And my 18 month old still needs a nap in the middle of the day. What’s the best way to get the most out of the rides with my kids ages? What do I do with the 1 & 3 year old when I’m taking the 6yr old on rides?
You should read up about the child swap policy. Basically one adult can accompany the older child on a ride,while the other one waits with the others, the the adults swap roles without waiting in line again.
As a first timere, you should check out one of the many guidebooks available that will help you tremendously with your planning (and planning is a must). I'd recommend either the Unofficial Guide or the Birnbaum book, but there are several others too which will help you out, and post questions here too - we were all first-timers once!

Have an awesome trip!
 

kimberlymautz

Well-Known Member
I agree that child swap is the best! One of you can take one of the "bigger" kids on a ride while the other goes on a 18m old friendly ride and then switch. :)

As far as napping goes it really depends on your kids. When I took my niece (right after her 2nd birthday) with us she wouldn't nap unless she was at the resort so we'd get to the parks right at opening, hang out until after lunch, go back to the resort so she could nap. Some days my daughter (who was 5 at the time) would swim or one of us (her dad or I) would keep her in the park to go on more rides while the other went back.
My son however will sleep anywhere, so when we went last year (he was only 7m old) I just made sure to bring our bigger stroller so I could lay him flat and he'd fall asleep on his own schedule in the stroller. He's very much the same now (we went to the zoo a few weeks ago and he fell asleep laying on the tray), but obviously each kid is different.
 

GenerationX

Well-Known Member
Our first trip as a family was when the boys were 2, 4, and 6. Planning is a must. The mid-day break back at the resort is a must.

We dressed the boys in matching, bright plain shirts each day, as they outnumbered us and we needed an advantage.

We focused on attractions they could all go on for the morning and the first part of our evening tours. As it got later in the evening, typically my wife would take the younger two back to the resort while the oldest and I would stay and go on rides he could go on, but his brothers could not.
 

cw1982

Well-Known Member
The three year old will likely still need a nap at Disney, even if they don't usually at home. Disney is a lot to take in for anyone. Heck, the older kid might appreciate the midday break too!
 

Mickey1984

Active Member
You should read up about the child swap policy. Basically one adult can accompany the older child on a ride,while the other one waits with the others, the the adults swap roles without waiting in line again.
As a first timere, you should check out one of the many guidebooks available that will help you tremendously with your planning (and planning is a must). I'd recommend either the Unofficial Guide or the Birnbaum book, but there are several others too which will help you out, and post questions here too - we were all first-timers once!

Have an awesome trip!
Re child swap, we will be a party of 5 (2 adults, 6YO, 4YO & 1YO) so the 1 YO will not be able to ride most things, can we child swap with 2 children riding the ride?

so me plus 2 children ride, while wife sits with 1YO, and then swap, can the children go on again with wife? or does she only go on by herself?
 

SAV

Well-Known Member
Disagree about the Mid-Day break being a "Must". My kids have been going since they were born and we never went back to the resort. They slept in the stroller after lunch. That decision will be entirely up to you to make based on how your children handle things.

I do agree that Planning will be key for you. Go to your local library and check out the Disney with Kids book and go over it. Also get the Unofficial Guide full book and go over that.
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If you are going in October, it is a little late, but these books will help your learning curve greatly.

Being outnumbered, you will probably need to split up with the hubby at certain times to get things done with each child. Or you just go with the understanding that you will most likely not get everything done at all parks.

Most importantly, Don't stress out over it. Go with the Flow. Not everything is going to happen exactly as you plan it.
 

Rogue1138

Well-Known Member
We went in May with our boys: 4, 2 and 8 months. The oldest was finally able to get on "big boy rides" so if one of us took him, we got the other boys a snack. Our kids were always good with napping in their strollers so we went at their pace. Unless it's your first time going and you don't plan to be back soon, don't rush it. We skipped Tomorrowland entirely this year and didn't even realize it until we got home.

Most important advice is if you make reservations for dining, go earlier than normal. Latest dining we had was 5:30. In years past with the older two, we'd do later dinners and it was miserable.
 

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