Disney World with a 1 year old....???

[boodsadel]

HI! I know this has been discussed before, but humor me please!!! We just booked a 6 day stay at POP Century for the week before Memorial Day (May 22-27). It is myself and my husband, and our little guy Eli, who will be turning 1 the day we leave! We are SO excited to be taking him there, as we are Disney World freaks. But, we are also nervous we won't think of everything we need for him.

SO.... I'm looking for ANY tips you might have. Like..

What did you pack for your baby?
What did you feed him (he's starting table foods... but NOT junk food!)?
How did your babies do? Were they crabby and overwhelmed?
What did you do that your babies LOVED?
Any flying tips?? (This, I am horrified about! )
Any nice places you've found in the parks to take naps? :snore:

Anything!!!!

Thanks in Advance.. I know you guys will come through for me! :kiss:

Dawn

 

[WDWEric]

Kids are nver to young to enjoy the magic, My son will be 1 on June 11, I can't wait to take him to WDW, It will be so great!!! Have a great time!!!!

 

[Master Yoda]

We had our youngest daughter at WDW at 10 days old. Plan your day around your little guy. Take plenty of time to head back to the hotel for naps or find an air conditioned place at the parks. Don’t try to do everything all at once or your child will snap. You might want to bring some food with you since most of Disney’s kids choices are of the healthiest ilk. MK has plenty of rides in that your little one can go on. (i.e. ever dark ride in fantasy land PoTC, HM, JC Tiki Room etc) Try not to be too overprotective and have fun.

 

[shoppingnut]

I recall seeing another thread where they talked about flying with babies and to ask your dr. about giving them a drop to dymatap or something to help with their ears.

For food, etc. pack the snacks, cherio's in the suitcase and by the end of the week you'll have plenty of extra room for soveniers. If you don't want to carry everything down with you, you could take a trip to the SuperWalmart on rte 192, open 24/7, they have a full grocery store in this one and pick up diapers, etc. Another idea is to buy the stuff ahead of time and ship it down to your resort so it is there upon arrival, this way you won't have to worry about going out to a store. Be sure to call the resort to be sure you address the box properly.

At any of the sit down restaurants, you can get side dishes ala carte, such as mash potatoes, string beans. In the MK Cosmic Rays has an adult chicken dish (just like Boston Market) and if he likes chicken, you can give him some of yours, the portion is generous.

While in the parks, just pace yourself, don't try to do everything, make a plan for each park. For instance MK, say you decide you must do Jungle Cruise, Small World, Pooh and Potc with him, so once you've completed those rides, anything you do after that will seem like a bonus. Also because it can be exhausting for anyone to go to WDW, if he happens to be sleeping later one morning don't try to force him awake, let him sleep a bit otherwise he'll be miserable and so will you. I've seen many people in the parks with kids that you know have been out since the crack of dawn and didn't get enough rest which is clearly exhibited by the child's meltdown. We did this with my nephew and it worked fine, he generally would sleep maybe 30 mins more then at home.

Have a great time.

 

[phweature]

We had my then 1 year old daughter to WDW in December, and I was thrilled with how wonderful Disney is with even the smallest kids. The Baby Care stations are awesome, make use of them, they have everything you could need. She loved the fountains, the lights, and the ducks. Make sure you take LOTS of pictures they are priceless, we look at them on a daily basis. The food is suprisingly baby friendy, but do take things you are sure he is going to eat, Cheerios etc... The airlines are also really good with babies, that was terrifiying for me too. Our Pediatrician said no to Dimetap or Tylenol, but you can check with yours. We made sure we had an extra seat, by buying a ticket for her and that helped a lot. This has been said before, but go by you baby's schedule and let him set the pace, don't try to push to do too much. You can also go on any ride without a height restriction. Good luck and Have a wonderful time!

 

[coasterphil]

For the plane ride, hope that he is asleep during takeoff and landing. Otherwise try giving him a bottle as that should calm him and reduce the pain on the ears. Thats what our family always used and what the doctor recommended.

 

[Gaiusrex]

What did you pack for your baby?
What did you feed him (he's starting table foods... but NOT junk food!)?
How did your babies do? Were they crabby and overwhelmed?
What did you do that your babies LOVED?
Any flying tips?? (This, I am horrified about! )
Any nice places you've found in the parks to take naps? :snore:

Dawn

Last trip, we took our 13mo daughter
-We packed lots of diapers. We didn't want to buy them down there, and they leave you extra room in the suitcase for the return trip (more space for souveneers on the way home. Passifiers. Hats. Sunscreen. etc.
-At 13mos she was still breastfeeding and eating finger foods. Character dinner buffets were awesome and FREE for the little one. Most restaurants have some type of food they can eat from carrots to french fries; chicken fingers to mac and cheese.
-My DD was a dynamo, then she would crash. At that age, they don't usually fear too much.
-My Daughter loved the carousel and the Pooh Bear ride. She was game for most of the rides, and she was so-so with the characters. Some characters she loved (like Minnie and Mickey) some she hated (Like Gepetto and Ariel).
-The plane ride was rough. I would suggest ear plugs (for you) :lol: . Someone on the plane had a portable DVD player, and that kept her occupied for and hour. I'm buying one of those before my next trip.
-My daughter napped in the stroller or on me. I had to do the whole World Showcase carrying 20 lbs of sleeping baby. My back was killing me. My only respite was sitting on the Maelstrom (through which my DD never awoke).

 

[Nut4Disney]

We took our son at 12 months (he's now 2 and has been 4 times). For the plane ride try giving him/her a bottle right after you board. Also we rented a DVD player (came w/ free Tigger DVD) at the airport we departed from. You just return it when you arrive at MCO. I think it was like $20 plus deposit. It kept him occupied the entire flight. Just wait until they are 2 and won't stop kicking the back of the seat in front of them.

 

[Dwarful]

Bring with you your diapers, wipes, sunblock and finger foods like cheerios, or individual packets of gold fish crakers etc.,!
Also bring along and use FREQUENTLY...SUNBLOCK. You also might want to grab one of those battery operated spray fans. the blades are soft so he won't get hurt, but the cool mist of water can be a relief for little ones on especially hot days.
Also make sure to keep him well hydrated.
There are lots of places your little one might just nap...we rode the TTA 3 times straight because our little one fell asleep and we decided to just enjoy the break w/ a great view.

 

[Kadee]

One idea you might want to consider: get one of those little fans that attach to strollers. Little ones get miserable when they get hot. This might alleviate any potential "melt downs." I hope your family has a great time!

 

[stinkyface]

My little guy is almost one (will turn one on may 8) and without really intending too, we have scheduled THREE trips this year that involve travel. This weekend we are flying to Kansas City, MO to see relatives, checked with our pediatrician and was told its okay to give him some benadryl one hour before take off (they said it doesnt really help with the ears but makes them drowsy). Also, they stressed to try to have him suck on something during takeoff and landing, whether it be breastfeeding or s__________g on a pacifier. One month from now we are flying to California which is a much longer trip from where we are so hopefully he will do okay this weekend or we will truly be dreading that one!

(the system took out the word that i used to describe what he does with a pacifier-funny!)

 

[amykissangel]

My parents have taken us frequently and there's always been a younger kid - EAR PLUGS ARE A MUST!!! Make sure you get the child kind. They keep the inside pressure the same, and don't let the outside pressure in - at least that's how the doc explained it to my Mom.

My sister was 1 when we first brought her- all she could talk about for two years (I'm serious) was the tea cups, the horsies, the water (fountain at Epcot), the prettys (fireworks), and the Funts (Dumbo the Elephant.) My mom even bribed her when she was potty training - "Alyssa, if you go on the potty like a big girl, we'll get to go to Disney World again." Her eyes lit up like it was Christmas and she was potty trained b4 the day was over :~) Have a FANTASTIC time!

 

[cj2me]

We took my Daughter when she was 10 months old, then again when she turned one. We are also going this year for her 2nd Birthday---14 MORE DAYS.

My advice as far as the Characters go: Be careful not to push your son on them, they are very big and overwhelming for a little one. Let him get used to the characters from afar and then each time bring him closer and closer.

HAVE FUN AND ENJOY IT!!! I've always loved WDW and consider it my second home. But when you see it through your child's eyes for the first time, the magic is Overwhelming.

 

[shoppingnut]

I've seen those earplugs, Walmart sells them and there about $4/pair and you can use them a few times.

 

[Laura]

What did you pack for your baby?

-I know you are supposed to wean them from bottles and formula when they turn one, but we had our vacation a week after my daughter turned one so we just waited till we got home to wean her. So every day we just packed a little thing of forumla, some empty bottles, and some bottled water in the backpack. That was easier than dealing with milk and sippy cups. And of course we packed diapers and wipes. Be sure to pack extra clothes in your backpack - we didn't think about that and ended up buying her a new outfit when the diaper leaked one day. The best thing we packed was some of those water misting foam fans (from walmart). She played with it a lot in the stroller and it kept her cool.


What did you feed him (he's starting table foods... but NOT junk food!)?

-Hmmm...I'm trying to remember. I think we just brought baby food (now they make the plastic ones you can just throw in a backpack), and also fed her a little off our plates.


How did your babies do? Were they crabby and overwhelmed?

-She did good. We went in mid July so it was quite hot. At one point when we had to wait in the awful crowd and blistering heat for an hour for Spectromagic she got really overheated and even threw up. That was unpleasant. But I mean the crowd was so thick there would have been no way for us to get out of it, so we just stayed put. We should have been smart and just skipped the parade. We had no idea it would be so hot waiting for it until we were already jammed in the middle of the crowd. Other than that incident, she really did great and enjoyed the attractions and slept in the stroller between them.


What did you do that your babies LOVED?
-She loved the 3-D movies and the kid's shows (like Tiki Birds). Even though she didn't wear 3-D glasses she still loved them. She was very entertained with almost every ride she went on.

Any flying tips?? (This, I am horrified about! )
-I've flown with both my kids without my husband many times. It's hard, but flights are not very long so its over with quick. For little ones the sound of the plane usually puts them right to sleep. I'm assuming you'll have someone with you to help out so it should be easy. I've never had my husband with me when I've flown with my kids, so if I can do it solo with 2 toddlers a few times, I'm sure you'll be fine with 1 toddler and some help!

Any nice places you've found in the parks to take naps?
-Our daughter usually would fall asleep in the stroller and then we'd just carry her while she was sleeping onto different rides. Spaceship Earth is a great one to go on with a napping baby!

 

[ypcat]

We went last August with our 18 month old and 6 year old sons. For meals, we tried to hit the buffets since kids under 3 eat free. As others have said, there are some relatively healthy foods that kids will eat. We also brought a backpack with plenty of diapers, a spare outfit, and some fruit snacks. He was using sippy cups, so we just filled it up with ice from the hotel and got water...but he preferred drinking from our water bottle anyway.

On the plane, I was able to get a really good deal on tickets, so we bought a seat for him and brought a car seat. This was really good, because I am not sure that he would have sat on our laps for the two hour trip. The car seat was a pain to lug around the airport, but I think was definately worth it.

In the parks, the baby stations were great. However, while we were in the Tiki birds, someone had put an ad for the baby lounge on our stroller. There were 2 at MK, one behind the restaraunt near PotC and the other by Space Mtn. The SM one was closed for refurbishing, but the other one was very nice. Comfy chairs and couches, coloring books/puzzles, a TV, and a water fountain with ice cold water :slurp: Not sure if the other parks have similar lounges, but we had never heard of them in our prep to go. At Epcot, Innovations was a popular spot. While the toddler napped, the older boy played the Toontown video game or went with me to other attractions like Test Track.

Good luck and have fun. I'm sure your 1 year old will have the time of their life.

 

[DisneyPhD]

Hey there, our baby is going on her 2nd trip to WDW, all before she turns 9 months old! (she went at 7 months too, read trip report. http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?p=955355#post955355)

It will be her big sisters 6th trip (not counting Vero Beach last year when I was 7 months pregant, we didn't do any WDW parks that trip, just DTD and the beach.)

Bring your own stroller, get a rain cover for it. Make sure it folds down nicely and has a canapy. Don't get a cheap umbrella one, but a quaility one that relcines is ok (not as good for a 1 year old.) We like the combi travel savy. If the basket isn't so good be sure to get a bag that hang nicely off the back, and get a soft cooler bag to hang off it too. Go to the store and get there favorite snacks. Consider some of the gerber graduates stuff and jar baby food since buying full kids meals will be more then you need. You can also let them eat off your plate and buffets are GREAT for kid and babies (and free under 3.)

Have a good way to carry the baby while in line, hip holder, baby bjiorn, sling, what ever works for you. Our babies 1st trip we had this stroller that was a stoller and back pack. We loved it. Let me see if I can find a link to it. (I will post back later.) Anyway it worked very well for us. She was even able to sleep in it and it was very small. We are very tempted to bring it again this next trip, but we have a double stroller too.

Bring anti bacteral wipes to wipe things down.

If you use a passie, bring extras and even a clip so it doesn't hit the floor or fall off the stroller.

As said before, don't ween before going. Breast feeding is real easy, but bottles are much easier then milk too. Infact don't make MAJOR changes before going.

There is a lot a baby that size can do and enjoy (almost everything without an height restrictuion.) Don't miss small world. Yes, go acorrding to baby schdule, but at the same time this might be your last time of getting to do the things you want to do, so make sure you get some of that in too. (They get more demanding as they grow!)

Bring your own swim dipars, they cost alot there.

If the baby has been sick, runny nose at all before you go take him to the Dr before you go to have his ears checked. Talk with Dr. about giving him some medicaiton like dimtap for the flight if he is congested at all. This will keep his ears open (and possibily make him sleep, test it before hand to be sure it dosn't get him wired.)

Good luck. I am really looking foward to our trip, one week from tmw! WDW here we come! :sohappy:

 

[luvorlando]

The earplugs for flying to keep the pressure equalized are called Earplanes and are made by Cirrus Healthcare Products. They can usually be found at Walmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, etc., or you can buy them online. They are made in child (ages 1 - 11) and adult sizes. I highly recommend them! You'll need a pair for trip to Orlando, and another pair for the return flight.

For backup, in case he won't wear the Earplanes, have something for the him to drink out of that forces him to suck, like a bottle or no-spill sippy cup. Safety Pop lollipops are good too.

Bring things to keep him occupied while flying. A small cookie sheet with magnetic letters, colors and coloring book, portable dvd player, picture books, plush toys, you get the idea.

Bring food and drink with you on the plane. (Be careful if you bring any carbonated drinks, the pressure of the plane can cause them to give you quite a spray when opened. :lol: ) But, because you never know how long you may be sitting on a tarmac before you actually take-off or after landing, it's always best to be prepared for rumbly tumblies.