They say you never take the same child to Disney twice. This idea makes me emotional when I think about it! I just got back from my 1 and 4 year old’s first trip to Disney World.
There were moments that were so full of magic and wonder that probably won’t grab their attention the same way in a few years. My baby was mesmerized by the figures on It’s a Small World. Watching my 4 year old bounce with Tigger at our character lunch at Crystal Palace was a core memory in the making. Winnie the Pooh has been his favorite since he was two, but I feel his interests are starting to change.
This was the perfect timing to meet and see him be excited about the interaction with those characters. A trip when they are older will be so much fun. But the way they experience the magic at this age is something special to watch.
What if they don’t remember it?
Some people might say, “you spent all that money and they won’t remember it!” But my husband and I will. We are both Disney adults who grew up on 90s Disney movies. I did the Disney College Program Internship and worked at Epcot. We spent Christmas of 2019 at Disneyland as part of our Honeymoon. We are Disney people and believe the price tag (while something that needs to be budgeted and saved for) is worth it.
Side note: children two and under are free. However, if you think Disney is a one and done vacation, consider waiting until your children are tall enough for all of the attractions you think they’ll enjoy.
It’s a different trip with kids, and that’s okay
Just between us Disney adults, let’s break down. This trip was very different from the trips that I’ve been on in the past. Before kids, my ideal Disney day was getting to the park ASAP to get the best wait times, try the newest snacks and keep riding rides until fireworks.
With the kids, we slowed down and noticed different things. The baby care center in Magic Kingdom is Alice in Wonderland themed with so many cute details. We found that on one of our many potty breaks. We also spent a good 10 minutes watching my toddler explore the pixie dust lights on the ground at Epcot. And another chunk of time playing in the interactive water exhibit at the Moana Journey of Water attraction. We hit up all the playgrounds, of which there were a surprising amount. The cool thing about this is that I didn’t feel like anything was missing.
Sharing your happy place with your kids
It’s true that vacation as a parent is just doing what you do at home in a different location. My toddler got just as excited about the playground at our resort as he did about the carousel. And my baby still woke up in the middle of the night. But it’s way easier to shake off the morning grogginess or deal with toddler mood swings when you have Mickey waffles waiting for you! This trip filled my cup in a very special way.
Bringing your kids to a place that is nostalgic for you is a very special experience. I remembered my first time on a rollercoaster as I took my son on his first ride on the same rollercoaster. I remember working my internship in my 20s and seeing all the families on vacation, wondering what having my own family would be like. It is beyond surreal to then be back in the same place that I used to work, pushing around my two kids in a stroller.
A few recommendations
This trip was an amazing experience and if you’re on the fence about taking young kids to the Disney parks, I highly recommend it! Here’s a few recommendations if you’re just starting to plan your trip:
Disney World in Florida has 4 parks: Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Animal Kingdom. Check out each park’s attractions to see what you’re family would like best. We devoted an entire day to Magic Kingdom and then split a day between Hollywood Studios (for the Toy Story Land) and Epcot: aquarium, Frozen, Moana and more!
For a resort hotel, Art of Animation is a great choice with young kids. The Cars area is straight out of the movie! Our Little Mermaid themed room was so cute!
There’s companies that rent strollers so you don’t have to bring them on the plane.
You can book airport transportation with car seats.
If you’re new to Disney, you can utilize a free travel agent. I highly recommend Courtney Trimble. She has a wealth of Disney knowledge, which was perfect for someone who hadn’t been in 5+ years, and helped me book & schedule everything I needed, especially keeping on top of the deadlines for booking dining and ride passes.
