Taking our 1 year old to Disney

[wehttamrd]

Are we insane? My partner has a business trip in march and they are having the conference in the Dolphin Hotel. He suggested we take a few extra days and make a vacation out of it. We are taking our 1 year old (He'll be 14 months by march) Is this a good idea? Or are we just setting ourselves up for a nightmare? Will he enjoy Disney at all and will he be able to go on any rides?

 

[wdw71]

You are not insane at all! I know some people say to wait until the children are older but after having taken a young child ourselves I say go for it!
It will be a magical experience for your child and a great memory for the two of you watching the wonder in his eyes. Before we took our 18 month old son in 2008 I thought that we were insane, but it turned out to be a great trip.
The parks are full of rides suitable for a very young child and for those not suitable you can child swap. Our 18 month old didn't know to be afraid of anything so we even got away with riding haunted mansion with him
You do have to plan things out a bit more (but who doesn't love planning disney?!?!?) and you do have to carry a few more things with you but it is all worth it. Just remember to take a break at the playground by Thunder Mountain, the dig at AK or the honey i shrunk the kids playset at DHS so that he can get out of that stroller every once in a while. Also be sure you have a comfy stroller (we rented from Orlando Stroller Rentals they were awesome).
There is a ton of stimulation at WDW as you probably know so an afternoon break for a swim or a nap at the resort is high on my recommendation list. I also recommend quick meals because some of our sit downs were stressful with an over stimulated 18 month old with ants in the pants but you know your child.

If you can slow down and see Disney at your child's pace then you will have a very nice trip with priceless pictures and videos that you will cherish!

 

[mickeysaver]

You are so not insane. You will have a great time. Just come prepared. Know that you are not going for you anymore. Know that the kid dictates the day. Be prepared to find joy in the little things. See the World through his eyes.

Things to not forget to bring for the park each day:
Cover for the stroller, so that the little one can nap out of the direct sunlight.
A bath sized towel comes in handy as cover and as drying/sitting on ground apparatus.
Bring baby snacks that your little one likes.
Bring at least 2 changes of clothing and a pair of PJ's to the park with you, especially if you do not take a mid-day break.
Bring a sippy cup from home that your kid likes.
Bring at least one, "favorite" and you have multiples of it, small toy for company and comfort.
Bring lots of diapers, wipes, and a good zinc oxide based barrier diaper cream.
At Epcot, bring swim diapers, so that he can play in the pop-up jet water fountain.
Bring a warm baby blanket.

Ok, now with that out of the way, things to work on between now and then....
Get him used to wearing a hat and sunglasses if you can. I know it's completely hit or miss, but try.
Do what you can to lose the Binky! We were lucky in that our little one totally gave up the Binky and the Bottle at 12 months with no fuss. Not everyone is so lucky, but it sure is easier to not have to deal with either of those at the park.
Try to get the little one used to using a straw. It does help to not have to depend on the sippy cup all of the time.
Clothing-wise be prepared for a cool morning, a warm day, and a cool to chilly night.
We have found that at the end of a long day at the park that it pays to stop at a bathroom with the little one and do a quick diaper change, with a wipe down and clean up followed by a change into PJ's. It really helps get our little one to relax and give into sleep more easily. Plus, when you are finally back at your room, you just have to plop him down and then you can work on getting yourself more comfy without fidgiting with an overtired, cranky, still park clothed baby. It's not something that everyone does, but trust me, it works and when you are super tired too, it's really nice to have that out of the way, so that you can collapse on the bed yourself.
Bring gloves for you! Those stroller handles can get kind of cold early and late in the day. You may not need them, but it's best to be prepared rather than miserable.

I can tell you more stuff if you want. Like stuff about saving on pre-purchasing PhotoPass, just buy it, trust me, you will use it. Stuff about rides, Baby Care Stations, Companion Bathrooms are your friend, Baby Swap, and more.

Do I think you are insane? Heck no! Go, have fun, just realize from now on with a baby in tow, it's a whole new world. Personally, I like the little improvement.

 

[wehttamrd]

Wow! Thanks for all the advice! I also saw online that there is in-room sitters. So maybe one evening we can go to the parks and out to dinner without the boy. Just a little time away just us would be nice. Thanks again for all the tips. They are much appreciated.

 

[C&G'sMama]

Ditto to what everyone else said.

Both of our kids had their first trips at 18mos old. They were both great. Just plan the trip with your child in mind. It will be a different trip than you've had before and every trip is.

My daughters favorite thing her first trip was the ice machine and being outside all of the time. She's 11 now and we still talk about that trip.

We did baby swap on a couple of different rides. We did 3 or 4 round trips on the monorail with a sleeping baby in the stroller. It was great DP and I could talk, the baby slept and we were all in air conditioned comfort.

Baby stations are great for getting into a cool quiet place when needed.

And yes he'll enjoy rides, shows and just being with his dads and having a good time. And you'll enjoy watching him as he discovers the wonders of WDW.

Have a blast!

We've never done the in room sitting but I know a lot of people have and there are lots of threads about it on the family board.

 

[hematite153]

We are here with our 6 month old at the moment. It's been great, but, I'd pare down even more than others have said.

We stayed out until 6:30 ONCE and have otherwise been headed back to the resort no later than 3:00 (and that included having stopped for a calm lunch).

We also learned to take a lot less with us during the day than others are recommending.

For instance, zinc oxide is a barrier cream and can increase the chances of a diaper rash in a hot, humid environment. We just use cotton cloths and water and give him a bath at the end of the day.

We carry a small water bottle with pre-boiled water and then just carry one or two open cups. (He is breastfeeding, but, has health issues that mean he sometimes needs water to thin out his mucous.) The open cups stack together and are easier to carry, plus, they are what he will drink out of for his life. So, we just skipped the whole bottle/sippy cup thing. (I tried to give him a "training cup" with a plastic piece to decrease spilling and he got confused. I took out the spill prevention and he immediately tilted it back to the right level.)

We do use cloth diapers, though, so, we have to carry those around.

We have taken it slowly and gotten very little done, but, we have all had a good time (right up until I got sick last night and the little one is sick now).

 

[leebee]

We started taking kids to Disney when DD was 5 and my Dneice was 13 months old (my first trip too, not saying how old). We went back again in 7 months, and again 3 months after that! We all loved being in WDW with little kids- the best part is that, because the kids are growing and changing, it's a different trip every time! There was plenty for my niece to be enthralled with, just as there was for DD. I will never forget the two of them, watching Beauty and the Beast, eyes shining, DD saying "Mama, I want to be a dancer when I grow up" and Dniece pointing, saying, "Oooooh, oooooh, oooooh!" all the time. Now that they are 18 and 13, I am SO glad I have those moments etched in my memory!

 

[Waybuloo]

We took our daughter around the world at 15 months and I can tell you - you can do this it's all about your attitude

I'm sure your little guy will love it spending the extra time with you guys And yes, in room sitters are fantastic

Enjoy your trip

 

[ratherbe@Disney]

I agree with everyone else. My daughter is 1 and she has gone twice already. We did a week in May at 7 months. It was a bit hot, so we had to tailor our days so she didn't get exhausted, but she really enjoyed herself. Go slow and follow her pace. Normally we avoid It's a Small World, but she loved it so we enjoyed it because we were watching her.

Have fun!!

 

[jeffmilw]

In my opinion... Your 1 year old may enjoy all the sights, but obviously they won't be able to go on any rides or have any lasting memories of the trip.

So, you are sort of "vacationing for the moment"

Regardless, enjoy the moments!!

 

[wdw71]

In my opinion... Your 1 year old may enjoy all the sights, but obviously they won't be able to go on any rides or have any lasting memories of the trip.

So, you are sort of "vacationing for the moment"

Regardless, enjoy the moments!!

This is not correct at all. There are many rides your 1 year old can go on and will enjoy. I think it would take longer to list the rides the child can ride than it would to list the ones they can not. Plus don't forget all the shows, parades and character meet and greets. Sure the child won't remember any of it but you as parents will and it is not wrong to go and take your child for the purpose of your own memories. The child will have the pictures and the stories told from your memories to enjoy later.

 

[Daisy-J&D]

You'll be fine and will have a blast! My DD has been travelling since 6 months old, no issues. The only thing is that we have preferred SUITE hotels when DD was that young so we could have a kitchen to prepare her food and wash her bottles/sippy cups etc.

 

[Real Disney Princess]

I am 13 and my mom and dad took me for biz trips at that age until now! It was awesome! Have fun.

 

[marilyn23]

This is going to be our third Christmas vacation to Disney. I see lots of people with little ones. At that age it's obviously a trip for the parents but why stay home. Babies are so adaptable; I'm sure you'll have a great trip.

 

[leight]

Dh wanted to take our two girls when my youngest was about 15months and I didn't see the value. Boy do I regret that! I think in someways taking them that young is more for the parent's benefit (they may have a good time but not remember) - but I would love to have some pics or videos of her seeing Mickey or the Princesses at that age!

There's plenty for him to take in and for you to enjoy sharing. I think you should just be flexible and work with his schedule and plan to head back to the hotel when needed- but that's the joy of staying onsite or at the S&D.

Good luck and enjoy!

 

[HillPete]

We took our boys when they were 3 1/2 and 15 months. I'd recommend getting ahold of a baby sling if you can. We popped the little one in there for almost every ride at MK and it was much easier than sitting him on the seats and hoping he didn't take a leap off of Dumbo or whatever! He also slept in the sling a bunch of times so we were able to ride Small World and Haunted Mansion several times without waking him.

Last thing, he hadn't had a haircut yet, so we had it done at the barber shop on Main Street. Oh my gosh did they make a fuss over that baby! They stuck stickers all over him and he spent the whole haircut checking them out and never gave her a moments' grief.

Go! Take the baby! Have fun!

--H