First time to WDW with a 20 month old (and I'm pregnant!)

[WBN246]

So we'll be traveling to WDW this July for the first time in over 15 years (I was a pre-teen the last time I went!)... and this time will be very different as we'll have a 20 month old and I'll be about 5 months pregnant. It will be a relatively short trip-- 3 full days and two half days (we have a 5 day park hopper pass and are staying at Coronado Springs.)

I am super excited but also nervous about how it will be with a 20 month old... We have made some dining reservations already and I can make my fastpass selections in a few more days.

What tips do you have for this short trip? What are the must-have fastpasses for a 20 month old? What is your favorite restaurant for toddlers? What about breakfast restaurants? Any ideas will be appreciated!

 

[Jarmo]

With a 20 month old I'd say your top fast pass priorities are Peter Pan, the Safari, and Toy Story MM. Maybe the Character Spot as well.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

I really love the furry Pooh characters at Crystal Palace, but my son was terrified of all characters until he was three, so I'm not sure about a character meal for a 20 month old.

MK fast passes: dumbo, Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, little mermaid

 

[WBN246]

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[lucyddr]

http://disboards.com/threads/disney-with-twin-toddlers-our-guide.3329925/#post-52288783
I have an entire post about our favorite restaurants when we went with our twin 20 month olds last year! Hopefully you can get some useful information from it. We are going back this year, but only spending 4 park days and 2 waterpark mornings. I would start showing them Winnie the Pooh DVDs, Frozen, and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episodes now, so that they recognize the characters.

Have fun!

 

[little miss minnie]

Utilize the baby care centers for diaper changes, or even just to cool down and take a break. As for fastpasses, I'd say Winnie the Pooh, Little Mermaid and/or Nemo, Peter Pan, Small World, and Character Spot (if you think they'll be interested in seeing Mickey, Minnie and Pluto)

 

[AspenLL]

I second the baby care centers. They were a blessing. Our 13mo loved restaurants that were loud and a lot going on. He is such a people watcher so that kept him occupied. As for rides, I would definitely say Peter Pan, Small World, Winnie the Pooh, Nemo and Little Mermaid. Character meets are good, too. My LO liked Haunted Mansion and Pirates, too.

 

[Lilylogan]

At that age my daughter's favorites were

- Fantasyland especially the carousel
- Hotel pool especially splash pads
- Water parks - kids areas and lazy river

She also loved any rocks, dirt, landscaping and lizards

Being July and pregnant and I would work in plenty of pool time.

 

[FallsChurchDad]

With the 20-month-old and being pregnant, my biggest tip would be to consider flipping the usual approach, and doing play areas (Dumbo play area, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Boneyard) at the beginning and end of the day, when they are less crowded. When those play areas are crowded, there are just too many big kids, so the little ones will only enjoy it when it is less crowded.

Sample plan: if you rope drop MK (although it is really not necessary at that age), you could bee-line it for Winnie the Pooh, since the queue is fun for little ones, then ride Dumbo with no wait, then go back and do the Dumbo play area until your kid is done, at which point you can ride Dumbo again. Then do Tea Party, Carrousel, and Philharmagic, interspersed with FP+'s for Under the Sea and Peter Pan, while also letting your child wander a bit (literally smelling flowers, etc.) That's a lovely, simple morning. Then lunch, ride Buzz with your third FP+, and head back to the hotel for a nap / pool time. Zero lines, all day!

One tip with the park hopper is to consider Animal Kingdom at night. Even though it closes early, it can be a lot of fun with young kids, especially at night when it is not crowded. With the Boneyard, Safari, Tough to Be a Bug, Triceratop Spin, all the animals, and some great character meets (like Baloo and Louie), there is a fair amount to do, and you don't necessarily need to use any FPs or arrive early to do it. That can free up your morning and FPs for other parks.

 

[jacknsally19]

I probably wouldn't use a fp for Dumbo. The 'line' is a play area that is really fun for the kids. I have taken my DD when she was 12 mos, 23 mos, and 2.5... (crazy right?) Anyway, the play areas are great. I found that she always really liked the shows and parades. So the Lion King and Finding Nemo are great at Animal Kingdom. She loved the Disney Jr show at HS - although I feel like that park is pretty weak for toddlers. If your little one is into the disney jr characters, hollywood & vine is an awesome character meal. At magic kingdom, the parades are great. The Festival of Fantasy parade is really good so I would try and see it. She also really likes the Tiki room and the singing bears (? not sure whats it called). Its a Small World and Carosel are probably her favorite rides at literally every age.
I think that Epcot has always been fun for us because of the outdoor shows in World Showcase but I'm not sure thats going to be fun for you in July. It might be too hot. My DD loved Biergaarten for dinner because of the show.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[allegoricduck]

When my daughter was 18mo, we booked these fastpasses for a MK/Epcot trip:

--Anna and Elsa
--Cinderella and Rapunzel
--Pooh
--Peter Pan
--Buzz Lightyear
--Dumbo
--Spaceship Earth (not really needed)
--Character Spot (not really needed)

We didn't do any character meals, which was good because she was scared of the masked characters. She liked the princesses (except for Rapunzel for some reason).

Her favorite thing was the play area at Dumbo.