We are taking my 2 1/2 yr old son to DisneyWorld in May for 5 days (M-F) any advice, itinerary, dining options? He should nap from 2-4pm each day, any advice on transport back & forth from the parks & the Polynesian Village? Thanks!

Unless for some unknown reason you HAVE to go, don't bother with a 2 1/2 year old child. You'll be carrying him all day (AND cranky AND crying) and he sure as heck isn't going to be able to ride rides or remember that he was even there.

He should enjoy Mickey's Toontown Fair, which is located behind Fantasyland.
He'll probably also like It's a Small World, Winnie the Pooh, the Jungle Cruise and train ride. For dining, the Pooh characters come to your table at the Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom. I know the monorail runs between the Polynesian and MK, and it also runs between MK and Epcot. You'll need to take your resort bus to the other parks.

Brings drinks for him. It's been a while but when I took my 3 yr old, they only had OJ, and soda at the park and my son would only drink apple juice at the time. Go to the parks in the morning, return to the hotel in the afternoon so you can rest and he can nap, then return to the parks in the evening for dinners and less crowds. The afternoon is the most crowded anyway and the Polynesian is a nice place to relax. Make reservations at the 'character' breakfasts and dinners in advance.

Wow, thanks for all your help. Is it hot in May, do you think we should rent a stroller, he likes to walk. Is there any place inside the park where we could have him take a quiet nap for awhile. Sorry about all the questions, but we are all so excited.

I took my daughter to Disney Land in Ca when she was 2 1/2..she is an adult now.She has absolutely NO memory of going to DisneyLand.

If the criteria for doing something with your kids was that they remember it when they are adults, we wouldn't celebrate birthdays and Christmas until they are at least six. Just be sure you go at the kid's pace -- lots of breaks for snacks and naps. Don't force him to do anything he doesn't want to do, like approaching the characters. Sometimes they are a bit scary for little ones. Absolutely bring a stroller, you will need it in the airport for starters and that is waaaay too much walking for even a five year-old.

Why did you post this exact question twice within one hour Dana?

(Actually, the posts are 2 1/2 hours apart. Obviously, she didn't hit the "next 50" button to find her thread on the next page.)

My advice...

Take some fruit or crackers for snacks so you aren't at the mercy of whatever you can find for sale. (I think fruit is especially good because of the high water content which brings me to my next point...)

Carry bottled water for him so he can drink a lot and stay hydrated. Small children can become dehydrated easily and sometimes don't ask for water until they are so thirsty they can't stand it

I also recommend going back to the hotel in the afternoon rather than trying to let him nap in his stroller.

And finally: Don't try to do too much!!!

Go to wdwig.com - WDW Unofficial Guide page and go to the Infant/Toddler FAQ. LOTS of tips on traveling with little ones at WDW that many parents have contributed to. You will have fun as long as you go at his pace, take breaks. Instead of renting a stroller, what I did was take an inexpensive fold-up umbrella stroller. Tie something colorful on the handle so you can spot it easily in the stroller corral at ride entrances. Take advantage of the baby swap on rides he is too little for. Read the wdwig Toddler FAQ for mroe tips.

Actually, the second posting of the question wasn't me, it is someone else using my name, really mature.
Thank you for all the advice, but does anyone have any more specific info, like how long it takes to ride the monorail from Polynesian to Epcot and back in the afternoon? Are there long lines to get back to the hotel from the parks? Are any of the character breakfasts better than any others? What waterpark has the best children's area with slides? I fully intend on going back to the room for his nap, that is why I wanted to stay at the Polynesian, I thought it was the most convenient, any advice otherwise?
And beenthere: I take my son to Disneyland here in CA, and he has plenty of rides to go on, he loves it, but thanks for your input.

We took our son in May (years ago) when he was almost 3. We left early in the morning, taking advantage of early entry --went straight to FantasyLand to try to avoid the very long lines at Dumbo and the other Fantasyland rides. We did character breakfasts, which he loved - he was so excited, he could barely eat. One of my favorite memories of him at that age happened at WDW. He loved Snow White and the 7 dwarfs. We were in line for Dumbo (again) and he spotted Snow White. Since we were close to boarding, we did not get out of line to go see her even though he was crying and begging to see her. He calmed down, rode Dumbo, never taking his eyes from her, then got off the ride and made a beeline for her. She was just leaving, but he managed to grab her around the knees for a hug. She reached down, lifted his head, gave him a kiss and said "I love you honey". He was in a daze the rest of the day. Although he doesn't remember it now, he likes to be told about it. Bring water, juice, snacks, sunscreen, definitely rent a stroller, it's a lot of ground to cover. It gets quite warm in May. We would head back to the hotel for a nap, followed by a swim, then back to the park as everyone else was leaving for dinner and a few more sights and rides. From the Polynesia you should be able to take the tram back. As a little souvenir each day, we would buy a little character that he had seen that day - under $5 and available at the souvenir stands. Have fun!

We have taken our kids a number of times at a variety of ages. First, ignore all messages that tell you not to go - unless they are paying for your trip, you can do whatever you want. Second, get a stroller. Put your stuff in it. When he whines that he is tired, he will ask to ride in it. Bring water, juice, Goldfish, etc. Be there when it opens, but do not be one of those same families I have seen 8 hours later dragging over-tired kids to "just one more ride". Go back to hotel when he is tired, even if it is at noon. Take a nap, swim in the pool, watch cartoons on TV - this is a vacation not a marathon. It is unlikely he will nap anywhere in WDW unless he falls asleep in the stroller. Avoid real restaurants, no matter how "kid-friendly". After waiting in line, being hot, the last thing a kid will do is sit at a table and color while waiting for food. If you get him something to eat early in the meal, he will want to leave as soon as YOUR food comes. Get takeout, buffet food, etc. If you are flying, bring him food. With airline delays and reduced services on planes, it could be hours in the airport, plane, etc. with no food and a tired kid. Have a great time. My constant Disney advice to people is to forget about bragging rights to having seen the most attractions - you can't see everything, probably don't want to, and are supposed to be there to have a good time.

When we were there, the Contemporary seemed to have the best characters at their breakfast. The time it takes for the monorail depends on the crowd levels. The ride itself is short, but you might not get on the first train to come along.