Taking toddlers to Disneyland

kmc217

We are taking the girls to Disneyland for the first time next week and I'm looking for any tips/hints/recommendations. We are staying with my sister (she lives 20 min away) so will not need a hotel and were planning on only one day but may decide to do two days. My girls are 1 and 3.

sherpa

That place is MADE for toddlers. You'll be fine. If you don't pack your food in though be sure to make reservations the day before. The restaurants fill up fast. There is one called Blue Bayou has great cajun food but you have to have a reservation. It's also the only place in Disney that serves beer.

PrncesWife

We just got back from there.  It is so much fun at that age! 

The best tip I got was to pack the diaper bag as usual, and carry a smaller purse/backpack etc with your wallet, phone, camera, etc.  This way you carry the smaller bag on all the rides and can leave the big diaper bag under the stroller and only pull it out when you need something out of it.  I've gone 6 times with DD and this system works well.

There are changing tables in all the bathrooms, but there is also a baby center on Main Street (there's one in California Adventure also).  This has a nicer changing table, private curtained areas with rockers for nursing, microwaves to heat up bottles etc.  I never used it but my sister is a big fan.

 I also bring snacks for DD so she can eat on the go, I know it's healthyish and it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg to feed her.  Most restaurants have toddler meals in addition to kids meals, which are smaller and cheaper.  DD loves them and does a good job of finishing them (I usually substitute the sliced apples from the kids meals for the applesauce in the toddler meal because DD won't eat applesauce).

Oh and as for restaurants, I've never made a reservation.  We usually just eat at the counter service restaurants.  And the Blue Bayou is closed (through Novemberish, not sure when you are going) because Pirates is down for rehab.

janbrady

Everything is decorated for Halloween right now and on Main Street the characters are even in costumes. If you want, you could dress your DD's up to get some supercute pictures. For comfort you could bring other clothes to change into too.

Definitely get there at opening and hit Fantasyland first for Dumbo and Peter Pan. My DD also loves the Casey Jr train and It's a Small World. The 3 year old would like Autopia (little cars), but the 1 year old is most likely not tall enough (32" is the height requirement. DD also likes the Jungle Cruise and Winnie the Pooh in other parts of the park.

At those ages if you focus on what they want to see you'd probably be OK with one day. Although it is nice to be able to go home and nap midday to avoid late afternoon meltdowns!

Ivana_Stolichnaya

We went there last month and had a blast. 

If you want to get pictures with the characters, we had the best luck tracking them down at night near the exit.  Mickey, Minnie, Goofey and Pluto were all in the same general area at the same time.  They have it nicely organized where you stand in a line so you can get a picture of your little one without a mob of 20 other kids jumping in the shot.

They also let you bring in food and water bottles.

 

QueenNini

We just got back from a trip to disney with my 1 and 3 year old. My 3 year old had a blast, my one year old didn't like the characters up close. I packed snacks for us, but they sell fresh fruit there if you don't want to bring it in. I agree w/PP take a smaller bag with your wallet so you don't have to lug a big bag on the rides. If you have time you can do character dinning, the characters come to your table and you can take pictures and interact with them.