Like many of us, I am a fanatic Walt Disney World fan… well I’m a fan of anything Disney, but directly speaking, Walt Disney World is my happy place.

I went to the the world a few times with my family as a child and that’s where I attribute my love and fascination for it.

My husband and I started going together yearly and got pretty good at exploring the parks in record time, getting through most of all the great attractions at each park. We were like two kids running from ride to ride and often, park to park.

Traveling To The Park As A Family – A Whole New World

When we had our children,  we took them as quickly as we could for their first trip to the World. Our oldest was just short of three and we also took our two-month-old baby. I know what you’re thinking, but the two month old was the most well-behaved guest on the trip!

Not only is touring the parks drastically different with children, but it’s even more of a dramatic change with very young children.

I don’t call myself an expert about touring Walt Disney World, but I do have a few pointers and recommendations when you’re about to transition from visiting as adults to traveling with children, especially small children.

Don’t Expect To See and Do Everything

When traveling with a group of adults large or small, I’ve found that we could take in a lot of what the parks have to offer. While almost impossible to see everything in the parks on any given day, we did manage to experience most headliner attractions and see a lot of the front runner shows that are offered across the World.

When traveling with kids, cut that effort at least by half. Traveling with children is a whole different ball game. They get overwhelmed, tired, or just want to see something else that isn’t in the plans.

Take for example, one trip, I was rushing my kids to get on the “The Seas with Nemo & Friends” ride in Epcot and as we ran by the performers in the Japan Pavilion. My 2 year old really wanted to stop and watch. My first instinct was, “Come on let’s not miss our FastPass”, but something told me to just stop and let her enjoy it. I’m glad I did. I have some great photos and videos of her just enjoying the performance and experiencing something entirely new to her.

I haven’t always been that spontaneous, though. There have been plenty of times I have pushed my kids through to make sure they experience EVERYTHING. We as parents have only the best of intentions, especially in Disney. We want them to experience ALL of the magic, plus with the hefty cost of getting them there, we feel we need to get our money’s worth.

I’ve learned the hard way that pushing your children through the long and hot days of a Disney vacation is not worth the meltdowns from child and parent alike. Your children (and you) will get tired and cranky – no matter if Mickey Mouse is standing right in front of you. I’ve at times thought: “This is not the way I planned this moment to be… this is not magical!” Oh, the horror for a Disney fanatic!

Take It Slow

I recommend that for families traveling with children to – slow down. Don’t try and see everything. If your child wants to stop and watch The Dapper Dans sing or watch the pianist at Casey’s Corner play, let it happen! If it means missing a FastPass, it’s ok; really it is. I’ve learned over the past few visits that letting the kids experience the World in their own way makes for a more enjoyable and memorable vacation. 

Yes, I wish my 2-year-old could have visited the “Enchanted Tales With Belle” attraction when I had a FastPass for it, but watching her throw her cookies across the Emporium floor due to exhaustion was just not something I wanted anyone else to experience.

I’ve learned this lesson the hard way, via thrown cookies, a screaming toddler in a crowded Disney bus, and in another incident where I feared my child might actually bite one of the Princesses at breakfast (another story for another post.)

Take a break

Taking breaks is almost an essential part of enjoying the world with young children. These breaks can be as simple as heading back to your resort for a rest or swim in the pool. Or, I’ve found taking a break within the park can be just as beneficial.

We often stay off-property when visiting so we naturally have a car to get from park to park throughout our trip. I have many times planned to take a break back to the hotel for a return later in the day. But that’s hard to do, especially with how lengthy that break might be once we retrieved our car and made it back to our hotel. Then, add that process in getting back to the park. Park the car, get the strollers out, get to the main park entrance, go through security… and so forth.

So our breaks often come in the form of a longer meal or a quiet restful attraction such as the “Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover” in the Magic Kingdom (if it’s not super crowded, you can ride this one multiple times). These options have provided a quiet rest off our feet for a bit to refresh.

I am not against taking the longer break back to the hotel for a few hours, but sometimes its just not easy (and quick) to get back to your resort. In this case, longer meals or more restful attractions are definitely worth it in terms of scaling back for a bit.

Even as adults, we have taken some time for rest at the back of the UK Pavilion in Epcot. We’ve enjoyed a drink while sitting by the lagoon just behind the Rose and Crown Pub.

Plan for the Unplanned

It’s very necessary to plan out all the details of your Walt Disney World vacation, what with dining reservations made 180 days in advance as well as FastPasses selected at 30 or 60 days out. The need for advance planning for a WDW vacation is a must. However, it often turns out that a small level of spontaneity is also necessary when traveling with small children. It sometimes is better to loosen the reigns a little when planning your vacation.

Take a slower walk down Main Street and let your children marvel in the view of the castle right in front of them. Get in line for that favorite character meet and greet. I can tell you there’s no better reward to this small bit of spontaneity than seeing the marvel and excitement in the eyes of your children. These candid and magical moments are truly amazing.

Take your vacation with a little room for surprise and the unexpected magic. I’ve seen it happen and it’s worth every penny spent.

Stay tuned for more tips and suggestions for traveling to Walt Disney World with young children. In the meantime, what are some of your suggestions for touring the parks with children? Let us know in the comments below.

JenniferP