Keep Your Expectations Low
I think this goes without saying regarding any trip or activity with a toddler to be honest. Don’t have expectations about how your toddler is going to react to the characters, shows, rides, etc. I talked with another mom at Disney who was so disappointed because her toddler was scared of the rides. Honestly, that’s always a possibility and if it happens there’s no point in getting upset about it.
I fully expected Theo to be scared of the characters and I was ok with that. He actually ended up surprising me and loving them, and I got quite a few good pictures with him meeting some characters. Remember that the wait times for shows can be long and exhausting. This means that by the time the show starts your toddler may not be interested in paying attention anymore. If that happens, I’d suggest you or someone you’re with take your toddler to the back for a few minutes to run around and then try and get him or her to sit back down for the show. Sometimes all they need is a little bit of redirection.
Take a Good Stroller
There are two reasons you want a good stroller: it’s ideal for naps and it keeps your child in one spot.
The last thing you want to worry about is wasting time getting back to your room for a good nap. By the time you get there, take a nap, and get back, you’ve lost around three hours of time. There is so much to do at Disney and so many opportunities to wear kids out, I think even the worst nappers will fall asleep in the stroller.
I took my Nuna Tavo travel stroller for Theo. It’s got a really comfortable seat and an almost flat recline, making it the perfect stroller to nap in. Theo took a 1.5-2 hour nap every afternoon in it. While he was napping the rest of our group would use that time to go on rides and I would sit down somewhere and relax for a bit (because 31 weeks pregnant at Disney is no joke).
The stroller was also great because it kept Theo from running around too much. Disney is so crowded, especially over a holiday weekend, so it was nice to strap him in and walk through the crowds without having to keep an eye on my toddler who is known for running off.
Some stroller tips:
- Always park in stroller parking. If the park gets really crowded employees will move your stroller into designated stroller parking to clear other areas of the park. If you don’t know that this is something that they do, you will freak out and think that your stroller’s been stolen.
- Tie a balloon to your stroller. This makes it so much easier to spot your stroller out when it’s parked. Disney is packed with black strollers, so unless yours is really unique looking, it’s not going to be easy to see right away.
Snacks, Snacks, Snacks
I think this is a given if you have a toddler, but seriously, pack all of the snacks!! I would give Theo snacks while we were waiting in line or for the parade to start to keep him happy. You can bring your own snacks in as long as they aren’t in any kind of glass containers. This is a great way to save money and allows you to bring in healthy options that will keep your child’s energy up. Disneyland has a lot of snack stations though that offer some really great choices. Some of the good options were veggies, hummus, cheese, and fruit, so if you don’t bring snacks know that you won’t be stuck surviving off of churros all day (although I love me a good churro).
Safety First
Theo is a pretty typical two year old, meaning he has a short attention span. If he sees something interesting he’s going to investigate. Because of this I brought him a harness/leash. Judge if you want, but I knew there is no way he would stand next to our group the entire time and I wanted to ensure that I couldn’t lose him. This is the toddler harness
Safety tips:
- Get a harness.
- Use the stroller.
- Write your name and phone number on your toddler’s arm in case they do get lost.
Be prepared
Pack everything that you think that you may need, plus extra. They have lockers right off of Main Street, so you can store the things that aren’t necessities and still have them in case of emergencies. For us, being prepared means a minimum of a change of clothes, jacket, shoes, and extra diapers. I also brought my first aid kit in the diaper bag in case of minor scrapes or falls. Check out this post to see what I have in my first aid kit.
Factor in Plenty of Time in Toon Town
Toon Town is perfect because there’s so much opportunity for free play. It’s the perfect place for letting your toddler walk around and explore. They can check out Mickey and Minnie’s houses along with other character houses. There’s also fun sculptures and things to climb on, and there are plenty of characters to meet.
Don’t miss out on the little stuff with no line
The big attractions are always crowd pleasers when it comes to adults and older kids, but honestly little kids can have fun doing pretty much anything. The Disneyland Railroad is a great ride that lasts for 18 minutes but has hardly any wait time. This was one of Theo’s favorite rides and it was nice to be able to just sit and relax for a longer ride.
Take Advantage of the Shows and Parades
There are so many different shows going on for all ages. Two year olds tend to have short attention spans, but a lot of the shows are only thirty minutes which is perfect. We saw Mickey and the Magical Map our first day at the park. This show is just over 20 minutes and we didn’t have to wait in a line to get in which is always a bonus. We also went to the Disney Dance Party at California Adventure. It’s a lot of singing and dancing which was perfect for captivating a toddler’s attention. The kids can go up front and all dance together and Theo had a blast.
Theo parades are another great way to captivate your toddler’s attention. The wait for parades is a bit tough, so have a plan. We watched netflix on my phone and ate snacks while we waited. Once it started though, Theo was in heaven. He was waving and dancing along to the music, it was perfect.
Go to a Character Meal
Character meals are definitely on the pricey side but if you can fit it into your budget they are worth the money. We went to Goofy’s Kitchen for breakfast and the food was so good. It was buffet style and had so many options. There were traditional breakfast items alongside of more innovative dishes like the bananas foster pizza (SO good). The characters come by your table to say hi and you can take pictures. Every so often music starts playing and the characters go up and down the aisles dancing. It was really interactive and Theo had a great time dancing and clapping along to the music.
Take Advantage of Rider Switch
Rider switch is a great method that Disneyland has for families that have young children that can’t ride on all of the rides. While one person waits with the child, the other person goes on the ride. Then you switch “baby duty” and the second person gets to go on the ride without waiting again. Fair warning though, some of the bigger rides require the second rider to wait in the fastpass line. So while you are still saving on the time you spend in the line, you do end up still spending some time in line.
We didn’t really take advantage of this because I’m pregnant and can’t really ride any of the rides that Theo was too small for, but if I was able to then we definitely would have utilized this!!
Go Before They Turn 3
Kids under three are free so if that’s not incentive to take them to Disneyland, I don’t know what is! There’s so much for little kids to do in Disney, and Theo had a great time. Will he remember it in five years… No. But honestly I barely remember family vacations when I was 10, so I don’t really see that as a reason to not go.
This was such an amazing trip and I’m so happy we took Theo. If you are debating taking your toddler to Disneyland… DO IT! I promise you won’t regret it!
