HOW TO DO DISNEY WITH A TODDLER

Like I've mentioned before (see Disney World Wedding post), I'm obsessed with Disney. After having babies, we mommas realize how difficult it is to get from one place to the other which meant for me, Disney trips were probably going to stop, right? Nope. My daughter just so happens to love Minnie Mouse just as much as her momma! (Not that I shoved that down her throat or anything). Aubree was six months old on her first trip to Disney and about 14-15 months on her second trip. Though it's crazy tiring to chase a toddler as it is, chasing a toddler around Disney World felt a little more...magical? ;) I've compiled a list of tips that I've come to find worked really well for navigating Disney World with a toddler. 1) MAGIC KINGDOM MUST BE ON YOUR LIST : Magic Kingdom, in my opinion, feels the most like Disney. There's so much for young kids and even toddlers to find that sparks their interest. Aside from the colors and movement that is constantly bopping around Main Street, there are kid friendly rides and attractions that will suit any little one. Needless to say, we spent the majority of our time at Magic Kingdom. 2) GET TO THE PARKS AS EARLY AS THE DOORS OPEN : I say this from a momma who keeps a very strict sleep schedule. Once my little nugget is awake, I try to keep her moving until her naptime. So, keep watch for "magic hours." This is when one park opens earlier than the others. When you have little ones that wake up nice and early, you'll want to go to the park with the earliest open time so you're able to fit in as much as you can before their nap! Also, some of the parks have really great opening shows that kids (and adults) love! If you get their 15-20 minutes before the park opens, you'll be able to absorb all that magic before the park even opens. 3) LET THE BABIES SOAK IT IN : Like I said, the colors and movement are fantastic ways to keep the kids occupied, BUT so many times, we adults are so worried about getting from one place to the other. Take the time to stand on the side and let your babies/toddlers/kids just absorb what's going on around them. Because trust me, THERE IS PLENTY. 4) TAKE IN THE SIDE SHOWS : Some of my favorite parts of Disney World are the side shows. For example, Magic Kingdom has a couple great ones that my daughter absolutely LOVED. There is one show that plays multiple times a day directly in front of the castle. You'll know it's happening when there's a thousand people gathered around the castle entrance (or just look at the list of times on the castle wall!) There are also parades throughout the day that get the kids dancing and singing along. These are so great for kids because they don't have to wait in line to see them. Disney also does a great job of making sure these side shows can be seen from a distance - so take advantage!

5) BRING THOSE SIPPYS : This one is pretty self explanatory, but make sure you pack the necessities for your toddler. That means your cute diaper bag that fits just about one diaper and a wipe isn't gonna cut it ;) Get a a a nice, big, sturdy backpack or bag that can hold all the necessary things you will need because, trust me, you do not want to have to run back to the hotel JUST for that one bottle you forgot. HOWEVER, if you do forget something, there are baby stations (not even stations, full on rooms) that contain various items that you may need for your babe. We popped in one of these stations just for a bit of air conditioning at one point after dancing our way up Main Street for an hour. 6) GO TAKE THE NAP : Another pretty obvious one, but also one that I think gets overlooked. Parents, it's okay to go back to the hotel for a few hours to get in a quick (or long) nap. Trust me, your toddler will be SO much happier. Every park could be explored for hours upon days upon weeks, so doing it all in a day isn't going to happen anyways. TAKE THE NAP. During our stay we parked it up all morning long. Once Aubree was showing she could not handle it much longer, we headed back to the hotel for a nap (all that heat and walking makes the adults just as sleeping, I promise). We typically re-grouped for two-three hours, and then headed back to the park for dinner and the fireworks. 7) FIREWORKS FOR YOUR TODDLER : I have to admit, I have one of those kids that will literally do just about anything. I tell her constantly that she is as brave as a cheetah because (knock on wood) she rarely gets skittish. So, we had no problem with the fireworks...she fell asleep in the middle of them. However, we did have a back-up plan (a couple) in case she got scared. Option #1 is to get baby headphones. Aubree's grandpa (my dad) got her the cutest little headphones that had Minnie Mouse ears on them. We played baby lullabies in her ears when the fireworks started so she wouldn't get startled. Like I said though, that just put her straight to sleep on momma's shoulder ;) The baby stations are option #2. If your toddler or baby gets scared during the fireworks, pop into a baby station where there are coloring books, movies playing, and other things for the kids to do (they even have little snacks!) 8) DON'T GET OVERWHELMED : This is my final tip. Disney World is meant to be an amazing experience and one that your kids will never forget. Try your best not to be that parent that gets stressed out over the amount of people or the crazy wait times. Take it easy, and remember that what your kids are seeing is magic. Xo, J