How To Travel To Disney World With A Toddler

Tips for traveling to disney world with toddlers

Growing up in South Alabama, Disney World was an easy drive for our parents, so we went a LOT (40+ times?). We’ve loved watching the area grow and parks transform as Disney produces new blockbusters.

As soon as the next generation was born, we knew we had to get a Disney trip on the books so we can enjoy the magic through their eyes! Although your toddler may not remember the trip, they will love hearing the stories and seeing the photos as they grow up, and it was such a joy as a parent (or grandparent) to share this experience with them!

How to travel to disney world with a toddler 2 (2 of 2)

Stay On Property

If you choose to stay on property, you get the benefit of leveraging Disney’s transportation options. By using Disney’s bus, boat, and Skyliner systems, you can seamlessly get around the resort without the headache of finding parking and long walks through the lots. When we were there, the Disney Princess Half Marathon was going on, so many roads were closed to cars, however, the busses were still in operation, taking any guesswork out of the day for us.

Disney also gives their hotel guests the benefit of extended hours at the parks. If you plan on going to a park, this is a nice added bonus to get to your favorite ride before the line gets long in the afternoon.

There are over 25 resort hotels on property at various price points and room styles to accommodate small and large families. For this trip, we chose to stay in a family suite at the Art of Animation hotel. Our suite had 3 beds, 2 full bathrooms, and a kitchenette. This resort is great for toddlers because it has a large zero entry pool, a large splash pad, 2 additional pools, and two playgrounds on property. We also loved that this hotel was on the Skyliner route!

SHOP DISNEY CLOTHES FOR GIRLS

Tips for traveling to Disney with a toddler

Don’t Overbook Yourself

Toddler or not, the biggest mistake people make when they plan a trip to Disney is overbooking their trip. The parks are fun and exciting, but there is a lot of walking, standing in lines, and fighting crowds that can be challenging.

For this trip, we decided to only go to Magic Kingdom and save the other parks for another time. Magic Kingdom has a large assortment of rides fit for a toddler and isn’t as spread out as some of the other parks, making it easier to get around with a 20-month-old who wants to walk. Magic Kingdom also has shows almost every hour with the original Disney characters, which was very fun and exciting for Caroline and didn’t require waiting in line.

The days we weren’t at a park, we spent our time at the resort pool, exploring Disney Springs, playing mini golf, or walking around the Epcot area hotels. We were hoping to do a character breakfast one of the days, but they sell out quickly, so I recommend booking one as soon as you begin planning your trip, if you’re interested!

Bring Your Own Travel Stroller

Disney parks have strollers you can rent, but they have a hard plastic seat and don’t recline. Therefore, if your toddler wants to nap, you will likely need to hold them. We also noticed they don’t have much storage space for a diaper bag/purse. Finally, you need to check in/out your stroller before you enter/leave the park, which is the last thing you want to do when you arrive or when your toddler is sleepy after the fireworks show and you are trying to book it to the buses to go back to your hotel.

We brought our UPPAbaby Minu on this trip because the storage space was large enough to hold my diaper bag. You must fold up the stroller before boarding the busses, and this stroller makes that easy because you only need one hand to break it down.

SHOP MY STROLLER & DIAPER BAG

The Harness Is Your Friend

I used to feel bad for the kids wearing a “leash” and thought the parents were crazy… BUT now that I have a toddler that wants to run and boycotts her stroller or being held, I knew this would make everyone’s day easier!

Caroline felt like she had the freedom to explore and run, and we knew she could never go far and our arms could get a break. You cannot bring your stroller into the ride queues, so this toddler leash allowed us to put Caroline down, but keep her from running far ahead or behind us in line (although she tried).

SHOP MY TODDLER LEASH

What To Pack

Growing up, I always remember our dad sporting our neon LL Bean backpack on every trip (You couldn’t miss him – what a trooper!), and now that I have a child of my own – I totally get it! These are some of the items I recommend packing for your trip!