"I don't want to go!!!"- 2 year old meltdown

[RebeccaMA]

Sigh. At Home Depot this weekend the cashier gave my 2 year old DD a sticker with Mickey Mouse on it. I said something like "Oh Mickey Mouse! Only 2 more weeks and we get to go see Mickey's house!"

I know my dd was overtired at that moment, but the tantrum started. "I don't want to go to Mickey's house! I don't want to go on an airplane!" etc...

Now I'm a little worried that we might have one of these tantrums at the airport or something. Yikes! Should I just keep my mouth shut from now on about our plans?

Only 10 days to go.

 

[tink68]

Ok I feel your pain. We are going in October with our 3 year old and I am really worried about the plane ride. I think he will love DW once there but you always hear these stories about some kid throwing a fit so the family is thrown off the plane. I really hope this is not my kid. :lol: I have been talking up DW but not the plane too much because I am afraid of freaking him out. I also plan on packing a few surprises for him to keep him occupied on the plane too. Good luck and have a great trip. :wave: Sheri

 

[Monty]

Only advice is to avoid discussing the trip until it's time to go and make sure she's well rested when the time comes. Same applies while you're there, pace your vacation around her schedule, if she needs a nap, go back to your resort and nap... Cranky kids make the experience less enjoyable. for everyone.

You may find she adapts quite quickly once she's in the World and has a great time, but if she's not, don't force her. Kids remember trauma much longer than happy times it seems.

I'm sure you can have enough good times if you let her set the pace. Have a wonderful trip!

 

[RebeccaMA]

Yeah I have surprises packed and my dd does a great job once we get somewhere new. It's the getting in the car, and getting out the door, etc that can be tough. I'm hoping that our flight is early enough that she will be too tired to fight much and will just go along with what is going on because she'll be tired.
My big fear is that she will throw a tantrum at security because they will make her take off her shoes and hand over her babies and everything.

 

[tink68]

Yeah I have surprises packed and my dd does a great job once we get somewhere new. It's the getting in the car, and getting out the door, etc that can be tough. I'm hoping that our flight is early enough that she will be too tired to fight much and will just go along with what is going on because she'll be tired.
My big fear is that she will throw a tantrum at security because they will make her take off her shoes and hand over her babies and everything.

:lol: I have that fear too with my sons shoes. He hates to take them off. I am taking that day off so I can make sure he has a nap because our flight leaves around 4 and we get in late. 35 more days for us! :sohappy:

 

[KristieLC]

Good Luck!! I am glad we are not flying just because you never know how a kid will act the first time (or 2nd, 3rd etc.) they experience something like the airport. I would just say that as hard as it is, try not to stress. She may feel your stress and act on that. Also, two year olds are unpredictable enough - no sense getting yourself all works up! Have a great trip and I hope it goes smoothly for you.

 

[RebeccaMA]

I'm not a big fan of flying either, but the time factor vs. driving makes it pretty unavoidable. I have so little time off from work these days for a vacation, and I want it to be used for vacation not driving up and down the East coast.

 

[UberPlannerMom]

I'm not a big fan of flying either, but the time factor vs. driving makes it pretty unavoidable. I have so little time off from work these days for a vacation, and I want it to be used for vacation not driving up and down the East coast.

Oh but you know there is no better way to be well rested than to spend at least two days of your five in the car! And those relaxing gas prices are so wonderful!:ROFLOL::ROFLOL::ROFLOL:

We are flying and it is going to be my sons first time but I am not at all worried about the flying issues. He is going to wear his little crocs so it won't be rough to get the shoes on and off and he just loves loves loves planes. Getting him to go look at the inside shouldn't be all that hard. I just hate the thought of the waiting between when you check in and go through security and when you get to get on the plane. I just know my hubby is going to expect to plop his behind on a chair and just stare at the gate and will stress when I try to walk our son around keeping busy. Oh well!

 

[cemeb4dk]

my 2 year old daughter has always done well with the whole security and airport thing. Maybe we are just lucky. But if you have not planned yet, the greatest thing to bring on a plane trip for the little ones is a portable dvd player. It was alife saver for my daughter. Usuallyyou can plug it in somewhere while you wait to board and then once the plane is up you can pop in a movie and its peaceful flying.

 

[RebeccaMA]

I hope my dd will wear her crocs, but I don't know if she will. She is a shoe DIVA at her young age, and she may insist on wearing something else.

Hopefully the lines at the food places will be short enough that we will be able to get breakfast after we go through security. That should take up some time before we have to board. Looking at the planes will take up some more time, if dd is awake. I hope we can keep her stroller with us until it is time to board. Fingers crossed for that!

 

[cemeb4dk]

she can't be in her stroller through security. The stroller must fold up and go on the belt to be scanned. Then your Dd must either be carried or walk through the metal detector. Then once you get to your gate tell them you need a gate check for your stroller, then just befor eyou load the plane they will have an area for you for your stroller. Then once you get off the plane just wait outside the plane( in the tube that gets you form gate to plane, can't think of its name right now) and they will bring your stroller there.

 

[Kelsybelle]

I hope my dd will wear her crocs, but I don't know if she will. She is a shoe DIVA at her young age, and she may insist on wearing something else.

Hopefully the lines at the food places will be short enough that we will be able to get breakfast after we go through security. That should take up some time before we have to board. Looking at the planes will take up some more time, if dd is awake. I hope we can keep her stroller with us until it is time to board. Fingers crossed for that!

I know just how you feel! My daughter was 20 months this past April on her first trip to WDW and I was nervous about the airport and flight down as well. I dressed her in some really easy on and off sandles that took no time at all to get through security, although crocs are a good idea too. She is not the type of child that likes to stay idle in your arms, so taking her out of her stroller was something I wasn't looking forward to. To my surprise she did great, I think the hustle and bustle of the airport kept her attention! We kept her right in her stroller right up until the minute we boarded the plane (ask an attendant at the kiosk where you wait to board your plane for a claim ticket, pop it on your stroller and leave it folded up in the walkway next to where the door of the plane is.)
I found that once she was sitting in her seat (in her car seat) with her snacks and favorite blanket, that 20 minutes into the flight was out like a light! I never had to pull out any of the surprises I packed for her! My husand and I were so relieved! Good luck to you and enjoy your trip!
I'm from MA too, are you flying out of Logan Airport?

 

[Beccone]

We were nervous about taking my son on a plane as well this past summer so we decided to do the autotrain. We packed our car up, put it on the train and had a great trip down. We had a big bedroom, with our own bathroom, enough room for my 3 younger children to move around (my 13 yr old had his own little room next to ours), we had a nice dinner in the dining car and watch Kung Fu Panda in the lounge. The kids loved it, we went to sleep early and when we woke up we were in Florida.

 

[RebeccaMA]

Yeah I know all that stuff. I was just saying that I'm hoping to keep her in her stroller as much as possible in the airport. Easier to move her around and keep track of her etc. I know she will have to get out for security.

 

[RebeccaMA]

I found that once she was sitting in her seat (in her car seat) with her snacks and favorite blanket, that 20 minutes into the flight was out like a light! I never had to pull out any of the surprises I packed for her! My husand and I were so relieved! Good luck to you and enjoy your trip!
I'm from MA too, are you flying out of Logan Airport?

I'm not dealing with the car seat and stroller. Too much! Bad mommy, I know, but I just can't handle too much stuff, even with DH's help, and we can get a free car seat rental with our rental car.

And nope, not flying out of Logan. Flying out of Bradley thankfully.

 

[UberPlannerMom]

I am packing our car seat. None of the four car seats we have qualify to be used on the plane. And when you really think about it how much is a car seat going to help if the plane crashes? So yeah...

As to the shoe divaness- maybe if you let her decorate her crocs she would be more apt to want to wear them?

 

[Kelsybelle]

3099655][/B]I am packing our car seat. None of the four car seats we have qualify to be used on the plane. And when you really think about it how much is a car seat going to help if the plane crashes? So yeah...

As to the shoe divaness- maybe if you let her decorate her crocs she would be more apt to want to wear them?

This is true! I had my daughter in it because she is used to being in it on long car rides and where she had her own seat on the plane I figured if she was in her car seat she would be less likely to want to escape!

 

[RebeccaMA]

Well since we are booking our rental car through AAA and using Hertz, we can get a car seat for free to use while we are in FL. I don't see the point in lugging ours. I also think the 3 of us will be more comfortable without the car seat. DH can spread out a little, and if dd wants to lie down a little in my lap she will be able to.

As to the crocs, she has Dora crocs, but really I'm not worried about it. If it takes her an extra minute or two to put her shoes back on, oh well. I'll be busy gathering up all our bags, unfolding the stroller etc anyway.

 

[slappy magoo]

I've only been a dad for like 7 weeks (and 3 days and 3 hours, but who's counting?), so even I'll admit I don't know jack squat. But I'm thinking, it might be good to find out if your kid's mini-meltdown is a genuine fear of flying or just a momentary bout of crankiness. Are you close enough to an airport, and do you have the sort of time necessary, to go visiting with the wee one? You might not be able to go all the way in to the airport itself, but maybe you can hang out in the parking lot for an hour or so? This might sound kind of dumb, but make a picnic out of it, and don't say you're going to the airport at first, just that you're going to a car picnic (or maybe there's a park close enough to your airport that you can eat AND see planes, I don't know). As you're looking at planes, talk to your daughter about where you think those people in those planes are going, and occasionally throw in a "I bet THOSE people are going to Disney maybe." Just chit chat, nothing to work her up over. But if she starts having a meltdown at seeing planes or getting close to the airport, you'll know you'll have your work cut out for you. But gauge her comfort level that way first, if you can. And on the way TO the airport, if she's not asleep, keep her as engaged as possible, so she doesn't think about the trip all that much. Try not to talk about the trip, as that might remind her she's going to WDW which means getting on a plane. Talk about anything and everything else. Once there, read books, sing songs, if you don't mind her watching tv/movies and you can throw some on your mp3 player or laptop (if you're bringing 'em), go for it. Just make sure you don't get stressed, and hopefully that'll help her not get too stressed. Good luck.

 

[RebeccaMA]

Well I don't live near any airports, but thanks for the thought. We did go once several weeks ago when my DH had to go on a business trip, but that's about it. I'm sure she was just having a meltdown. She might be a little scared of going on the trip too, but as long as she knows that DH and I will be with her she'll be okay. She's too young to have any real concept of what WDW is all about, so I am just keeping things simple. We are going on an airplane, we are going to stay in nice hotels and eat yummy foods, and see fish and Mickey and Pooh, and ride trains and boats and buses... that's way plenty for her.

Congrats on being a daddy!