So here’s the backstory...... Questions about going with an (almost) 3 year old.

[Gomer]

One bit of advice I'd like to add from my time with my kids at WDW when they were toddlers is to try to give them something to do that resets their brains out of vacation mode. For a toddler, being in the middle of constant new experiences can be overwhelming. When my kids were young, we'd take a break at the hotel and throw on a DVD for an hour or so with one of their favorite shows or movies from home. Just the experience of sitting in front of the TV, eating a snack, and watching something they are used to had a nice reset effect on them. It was familiar and comfortable and unchallenging. And I think that is something that is hard to find when you are in a place of constant excitement.

 

[DISR]

I've done lots of toddler trips to WDW. I always have to remind myself that what is important to me (or what I think should be important to them) don't always align with what they are interested in or need. We spend lots of time at places like the boneyard instead of on rides. Also, we always found that a shorter trip to Disney coupled with a 3-4 days at one of the nearby beaches was a good combination. We liked to decompress and de-stimulate the kid with a more laid back environment after Disney. We like Clearwater Beach but there are tons of other options in both directions.

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

I'm really glad to have found this thread. We're going for 7 nights in January, and my daughter will have just turned 2. She was super chill during our trip when she was 7 months, but she's so busy now, I don't know how she's going to be (and honestly, she could be totally different in the next 6 months anyway, so I suppose worrying now won't make much of a difference!).

For right now, I know we'll definitely be doing our midday naps, and we'll probably bring some of her favorite books from home so she has some consistency. As of right now, she doesn't like getting wet (and it'll be late January anyway), but we have just started taking her to the playground and she loves exploring (she loves her little toddler slide in our backyard, but doesn't like the swing at the playground). We'll be sure to take time for her to play at play areas too.

We also upgraded from quick service to the standard dining plan, in hopes that a longer, less rushed meal to just relax and eat will help her reset a bit.

This will be an adventure for sure!