Disney with a 20 month old....

[sublimesting]

So, my DW and I had many conversations over the years about how we'd never take a youngling to Disney under the age of 5. Well, now that we are due for a baby girl in January our tune has changed. Quite simply we can't wait for 6 years between visits so we're taking a 20 month old.
Anyhoo....what's it like?
Can a 20 month old even ride POC or Winnie the Pooh? I know we'll have to do the line swap thing and take it slower with naps etc but what manner of things does one do with a 20 month old? Are there special things to do with them that I wouldn't know about?

 

[Cindy'sBruno]

me and my dh took our dd when she was only 3 months old and she could ride on everything that didnt have a height limit. the only ride i would hold your 20 month old tight on :lol: would be the TSMM in DHS. it is kinda jerky but a great ride and will love all the bright colors! when we went we never went to baby centers because sometimes they were all the way on the other side of the park. there are changing tables in every womens bathroom. not sure about the mens though. also make sure to have a stroller. one that is fairly small and folds up fast and easy for the buses if you are staying on property. we will be going again on Sept 23rd - 29th and my dd will be one. :sohappy: good luck when you go!:wave:

 

[Master Yoda]

As far as attractions go you can take her on anything she measures up for. My youngster's daughters first trip was at 10 days old as she went on PotC, HM, SSE, KS, etc.

The big difference that you are going to notice is your pace will need to slow way down. You will be on your daughters schedule not yours. If you try to do the parks commando style she will eventually crack and make life miserable for you and everyone around you. Take it slow, take time for naps and do not force her onto any attractions that she does not want to go on. Follow those rules and you will be fine.

 

[nolatron]

My wife and I are visiting WDW in two weeks with our 19 month old. We plan to take her on everything she can ride (ie: rides without height restrictions), including POC, haunted mansion, winnie the pooh, etc...

We won't bother with the lineswap since we'll be returning after dark alone (mother-in-law is coming, volunteered to babysit at night after DD goes to bed. yay.), but we do plan on returning to our room daily at 1-2pm for nap time.

We're planning on hitting all the rides as we normally do, but we also know we have to take the day at her pace. We've planned our whole trip with her in mind, from which days to hit what parks to where we eat (mainly, no table service with her). If she doesn't want to ride something, or stand in line, etc.. we won't. We're not going to force her into anything she doesn't want do. Our goal is to give her a very happy and enjoyable 1st trip to WDW.

I think as long as you plan your trip around your 20-month old, you'll have a great time. I see to many people takes their kids to Disney because *they* want to go, not necessarily because they want to take their kids (and force the kids to their schedule) and I think that makes a big difference in how your trip ends up.

 

[wdwmap.com]

We took our 6 month old to DL and she loved some and hated others. POTC she screamed the entire time, so we didn't try HM. But she loved Pooh.

13 months later we took her as a 19month old to WDW and she loved every single ride. LOVED haunted Mansion and POTC multiple times. Shes going back this christmas for a week and we can't wait.

 

[sublimesting]

We won't bother with the lineswap since we'll be returning after dark alone (mother-in-law is coming, volunteered to babysit at night after DD goes to bed. yay.), but we do plan on returning to our room daily at 1-2pm for nap time.

We are hoping for a similar deal with our parents and/or in-laws.

 

[DisneyBunny]

Yes you can take a 20 month old to the parks! We took our little one to Disney for her first trip when she was 13 months old:

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=357959

Again when she was 17 months old...

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=400111

And again when she was 20 months old. (sorry that this Trip report isn't complete... Life has a way of interfereing sometimes :hammer

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=423540

we're headed down for her fourth trip in two more weeks time - (she just turned two!)

We did everything we could do with her, but like others have said - their schedule is a priority!! Keep them on their own schedule as much as humanly possible!! This makes life sane for everyone, and makes for less meltdowns.

It's SUCH a magical age for them. Everything is real and the colors and sounds and sights can be so much for them. That's why we're going again so soon. I don't want to miss this fantastic age with them at Disney. Kids grow up all too fast and will soon be spinning my head off on the tea cups, so I want to enjoy this simple time as much as possible. (Not to mention, they're still FREE at this age.)

 

[sublimesting]

Kids grow up all too fast and will soon be spinning my head off on the tea cups, so I want to enjoy this simple time as much as possible. (Not to mention, they're still FREE at this age.)

My DW and I talked about this too, we are arguing as to who has to take them on the teacups. We ride everything under the sun but the teacups make us both, oh so sick....and it's probably Daddy's responsibility to spin his daughter as fast as he can but oh dear God I am not looking forward to it....:hurl::hurl::hurl:

 

[Master Yoda]

My DW and I talked about this too, we are arguing as to who has to take them on the teacups. We ride everything under the sun but the teacups make us both, oh so sick....and it's probably Daddy's responsibility to spin his daughter as fast as he can but oh dear God I am not looking forward to it....:hurl::hurl::hurl:

I did it. I turned green and nearly puked but I have never regretted it.

 

[disneygirl1]

We took our DS to Disney for the first time when he was 18 months old, and he went on everything with us (i.e. POTC, Dumbo, Pooh, Peter Pan etc...) minus the thrill rides, it was a great first trip for him and we have so many great pictures with him meeting the characters. I bet you will be surprised at how much you will be able to do with a little one in tow. I know I was!!! Have a magical trip!!!

 

[Debbie]

One of my favorite trips was when my little one was 20 months old. He stiffened up on POTC but everything else he enjoyed. And for the first time he said "Mic Mou". Hearing that was music to our ears!
Now he is 14----how the years go by..........

 

[shuflemstr]

I took my cousin to the parks when he was 11 months old. I think it was the most fun I ever had. We stayed in the Contemporary. Out of all the rides that he rode his favorite seemed to be the escalator in the resort. We could never get him off of it. I will never forget holding him on my lap on the plane all the way there and he slept the whole time.

 

[Susan Savia]

Took my son at 7 months of age. He did naps in the stroller. Having a baby didn't change our routine or schedule at all. Some rides we did the swap thing but mostly we did rides that we all rode together.

 

[ligarced]

We took our baby last year and she was 16 months. She loved it went on all the rides. She loved The seas with Nemo. We took them to the character dinners and she loved them. She would yell for them to come back. We have the cutest pictures of her kissing Pluto on the nose. It was a lot of fun. Now she loves Mickey and Minnie and gets excited everytime they are on tv.

 

[hwdelien]

It will be a wonderful trip for you and your 20 month old. My son's birthday is 8/3/2005 and this is him at that age:

There are a ton of rides that toddler can ride as well as play areas and encounters that you'll remember forever. A lot of folks think that they shouldn't take a toddler because "they won't remember it." I say "SO WHAT?" This is your vacation too. There are so many precious moments that would be lost on an older child but you'll treasure forever.

Have fun!!!

 

[andee515]

We have only went to Disney twice. The 1st time; 3 month old and 3 year old. easy, no problems, no fights. 2cd time 7yr old, 3 yr old and 23 month old with mild autism. Lots of fun, not so easy. 3yo wanted to go on everything the 7yo did, disney disagreed...screaming fighting, 23mo got tired easily(10 days 7am-8pm is a little fatiguing I guess...lol) had a few melt downs (daddy had a few as well) But still, a terrific time, I would do it again, my daughters talk about our trip all the time we have such great memories!
We are actually getting ready to do it again in the spring 8yo, 5yo and 3yo. It is always going to be hard to travel with little ones, but you watch them grab hold of Mickey's nose and hug him just once ,with that big look of wonder and awe and it is worth it all the little melt downs and fights

 

[Lucky]

My DW and I talked about this too, we are arguing as to who has to take them on the teacups. We ride everything under the sun but the teacups make us both, oh so sick....and it's probably Daddy's responsibility to spin his daughter as fast as he can but oh dear God I am not looking forward to it....:hurl::hurl::hurl:

Yes, they grow up fast, and before you know it they'll be old enough they won't want to ride Teacups.

I rode it once or twice with ours, and they rode it by themselves for a year or two, but the last few years we walk past it and no one has the slightest interest in it.