Disneyland with our Two Year Old?
May 12th, 2001, 07:25 AM
#2
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If you are close a day trip is fine but I guess you'll only enjoy one park. The ultimate park for a small child is MAgic Kingdom. There is plenty to ride. THe Pooh ride, the Lion King, Buzz Lightyear, Peter Pan, train, steamboat, Smallworld(daughter's personal favorite) all of Mickey's town (can't remember the name) they can meet characters there, you must do a character breakfast or lunch, parades, Pirates of the Carribean, Dumbo etc.. My daughter enjoyed all this when she was 18 months old. BUT you know your child and what he/she is affraid of and the guides to the park clearly state if each ride is scary. HAve Fun!
May 12th, 2001, 04:00 PM
#3
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Most 2 year olds are too young to really enjoy Disneyland.
Most likely YOU will enjoy it more than your child.
Weather in late August is likely to be HOT -- take measures to protect you and your little one against sunburn. Heat is tiring; take that into consideration.
Most likely YOU will enjoy it more than your child.
Weather in late August is likely to be HOT -- take measures to protect you and your little one against sunburn. Heat is tiring; take that into consideration.
May 12th, 2001, 07:35 PM
#4
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Jane:
I wasn't going to say anything because I did not have anything positive to say about the two-year -old, Disneyland and you. However, All Toddlers...said it best.
13 years ago I took my two-year -old angel child to Disneyland. It was the absolute worst day of our lives. I was cryin buckets during the electric light parade and so was he. We went in August as well.
When he got older he would ask to go and I would quickly retrieve the photo album of us in tears and him acting a fool. Finally, when he turned 13 we went to Disneyworld in Orlando and stayed for two weeks. We went other places too. We golf, he has done so since he was three, so we had a great two weeks together....
Back to Disneyland...our son turned 15 in April and for his b-day we spent a week in DISNEYLAND. We had THE BEST TIME EVER. My husband did not go. He said in a solem and joking voice that this was something that the two of us had to work out. My husband met us in Vegas after our time with Mickey.
In short...wait.
Happy Travels
Oaktown
I wasn't going to say anything because I did not have anything positive to say about the two-year -old, Disneyland and you. However, All Toddlers...said it best.
13 years ago I took my two-year -old angel child to Disneyland. It was the absolute worst day of our lives. I was cryin buckets during the electric light parade and so was he. We went in August as well.
When he got older he would ask to go and I would quickly retrieve the photo album of us in tears and him acting a fool. Finally, when he turned 13 we went to Disneyworld in Orlando and stayed for two weeks. We went other places too. We golf, he has done so since he was three, so we had a great two weeks together....
Back to Disneyland...our son turned 15 in April and for his b-day we spent a week in DISNEYLAND. We had THE BEST TIME EVER. My husband did not go. He said in a solem and joking voice that this was something that the two of us had to work out. My husband met us in Vegas after our time with Mickey.
In short...wait.
Happy Travels
Oaktown
May 14th, 2001, 05:29 AM
#5
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Jane,
I've been to Disneyland only once, when our kids were probably 8 and 19. But we've been to Disney World many times--and my general impression is that such a busy theme park can be overstimulating for toddlers. We see many toddlers not only in tears but throwing tantrums--and parents yelling.
I took my daughter alone when she was 5, and I felt that was the minimum age. Even then, we spent lots of time sitting on park benches deciding what to do next--it was still quite overstimulating.
All that said, I think the adults might have a good time--just set your expectations low and don't try to do too much. That might make it an expensive day to do less than you'd expected.
Hope this helps.
I've been to Disneyland only once, when our kids were probably 8 and 19. But we've been to Disney World many times--and my general impression is that such a busy theme park can be overstimulating for toddlers. We see many toddlers not only in tears but throwing tantrums--and parents yelling.
I took my daughter alone when she was 5, and I felt that was the minimum age. Even then, we spent lots of time sitting on park benches deciding what to do next--it was still quite overstimulating.
All that said, I think the adults might have a good time--just set your expectations low and don't try to do too much. That might make it an expensive day to do less than you'd expected.
Hope this helps.
May 14th, 2001, 07:41 AM
#6
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I definitely recommend Disneyland or Disneyworld with a toddler. We took our son at 18 mos & have gone back every other year. Our children are now 14 & 17 & they've been to Disney many times. But I can still remember the first time, him in his Mickey ears, watching in awe at the Disney characters going by in the parade. If you are an uptight parent, you'll have problems. "Buckets of tears at the Electric Light Parade"????? What the heck is your problem? That is one of Disney's most magical shows!! But if you are in tune with your children and love being with them and seeing their reactions, then they are never too young for Disney. Ours fell asleep in the stroller & we sat & ate ice cream while he napped, and people-watched. Look around... Disney is MADE for young kids. And there are NOT parents yelling everywhere... that is a total lie. Disney outdoes itself to provide an environment that is child-friendly. I firmly believe that if you cannot have fun at Disneyland, you are a very sad person. And that goes for any age.
May 14th, 2001, 08:48 AM
#7
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Rhonda:
Please do not assess any parent's skills, love or knowledge of their kid because of their experience at a DISNEY ENTERPRISE.
As if you care...I was crying because I was exhusted and if you really read my post...it was the WORST day of MY life with MY angel child.
If you re-read my post which contained lots of very positive pieces about disney... and if you re-read the other posts that you have so neatly "wrapped up" you MIGHT see that your love of Disney had not allowed you to respect the various opinions and experiences of others. To say something is a lie is going way to far but, this is the internet so do your thing.
I do hope that YOUR parenting skills exceed the lovely people skills that you have shown on this thread.
Peace and Happy Travels
Oaktown
Please do not assess any parent's skills, love or knowledge of their kid because of their experience at a DISNEY ENTERPRISE.
As if you care...I was crying because I was exhusted and if you really read my post...it was the WORST day of MY life with MY angel child.
If you re-read my post which contained lots of very positive pieces about disney... and if you re-read the other posts that you have so neatly "wrapped up" you MIGHT see that your love of Disney had not allowed you to respect the various opinions and experiences of others. To say something is a lie is going way to far but, this is the internet so do your thing.
I do hope that YOUR parenting skills exceed the lovely people skills that you have shown on this thread.
Peace and Happy Travels
Oaktown
May 14th, 2001, 09:04 AM
#8
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My husband and I took our daughter to Disney in January when she was 19 months old and had a fabulous time. Disney with toddlers is very doable if you keep in mind that you cannot do the parks commando-style. You have to take it at your child's pace, and plan plenty of rest/nap time. We were able to take our daughter on all the rides that did not have height restrictions with no problem. That included rides such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan, Snow White, It's A Small World, and more. We would get to the park after breakfast, go back to our hotel later on for a nap, and then finish up our day. We opted not to do the baby swap on rides that she could not go on. I personally think that taking a toddler to Disney can be a magical experience if planned properly. There is nothing like seeing it through a child's eyes. After all, toddlers still believe Cinderella is Cinderella.
May 14th, 2001, 09:24 AM
#12
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whatever you do make sure you bring drinks for your child. i remember being at disneyworld with my 3 & 5 yr olds. we could only find OJ or soda inside the parks. my son's beverage of choice was apple juice. there was none to be found. needless to say we stocked up on juice boxes after the 1st day.
May 14th, 2001, 11:03 AM
#14
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We've been considering taking our kids to Disney ever since they were 2 & 6. We decided to wait until they are at least 4 & 8. Our opinion: 2 is too young for Disney.
We have preferred beach vacations with our kids up to now. We feel the 2-year-old would not enjoy Disney as much as when she is 4 or so. My 2-cents.
We have preferred beach vacations with our kids up to now. We feel the 2-year-old would not enjoy Disney as much as when she is 4 or so. My 2-cents.
May 14th, 2001, 12:27 PM
#15
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Is this for you, or the kid? If it's for you, then go and have fun but be ready to accomodate the little one as previously advised. Otherwise, do something else. A kid that age doesn't know Disneyland from a ride in the shopping cart, and trying to pull the bottom apple from the stack on the shelf.
May 14th, 2001, 01:29 PM
#16
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I am only too happy to give objective advice. As mentioned earlier, you must be subjective about your child. My daughter went when she was 2 years old and loved it. At that time she could name Disney songs after hearing only the first few notes; she loved the Disney movies with only light trepidation toward toward witches. The ambiance charmed her as it does to most people.
There are many rides requiring parent presence that will give her bonus thrills beyond Small World. My daughter was the daring, active type which expanded her enjoyment of some rides, but there is plenty of stimulation without those rides. Be sure to bring a stroller (with a highly visible balloon to readily find it) as she will tire from walking and may require a spontaneous nap. What a momentous day!
Enjoy!
There are many rides requiring parent presence that will give her bonus thrills beyond Small World. My daughter was the daring, active type which expanded her enjoyment of some rides, but there is plenty of stimulation without those rides. Be sure to bring a stroller (with a highly visible balloon to readily find it) as she will tire from walking and may require a spontaneous nap. What a momentous day!
Enjoy!
May 14th, 2001, 01:43 PM
#17
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Here's a rule of thumb:
If your child has been exposed to countless hours of Disney television, Disney movies, Disney products, and Disney marketing, he or she is likely to love being immersed in more mindless Disney entertainment.
If your child has not been exposed to Disney (perhaps because you don't park them in front of the TV and instead read real books to them, or because they spend their time learning about their environment or getting exercise in the fresh air), they may find much of what they see at Disneyland strange, frightening or boring.
If your child has been exposed to countless hours of Disney television, Disney movies, Disney products, and Disney marketing, he or she is likely to love being immersed in more mindless Disney entertainment.
If your child has not been exposed to Disney (perhaps because you don't park them in front of the TV and instead read real books to them, or because they spend their time learning about their environment or getting exercise in the fresh air), they may find much of what they see at Disneyland strange, frightening or boring.
May 16th, 2001, 11:30 AM
#20
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I think a coule of people have posted the key to success when you take a small child to Disneyland or Disney World, but it bears repeating in case anyone missed it.
If you take a small child to a large theme park, the key to success is to visit the park at your child's pace - not yours. Take a stroller (rather than renting one) that they are comfortable in, and can even nap in if they get tired. Don't try to see Thunder Mountain Railroad, or Space Mountain, or even Pirates (it's dark and scary to a little kid!). Go to ToonTown, or Small World, or even the Country Bear Jamoree - but only if your child can handle the idea of six foot tall bears singing at them ;-)
The most important thing is to plan your day carefully. DO NOT try and stay at the park all day. It is extremely hot at both parks in summer, and it can be crowded. Go early in the morning (TIP: If you stay at a Disney property, you can many times get into the park earlier than the public), go back to your hotel after a few hours, sit by the pool or nap but RELAX... then go back at dusk. During the summer the parks are open later, and it's cooler in the evenings.
Take pleasure in some of the small thing too - the gardens and pond in front of the Castles, or the bushes sculpted like disney characters. A small child is going to be much more interested in looking at things than going on rides.
And, as others have mentioned - bring your own drinks and snacks for your kids. You may understand waiting in line for something, but it's hard to explain to a toddler.
Another really important criteria for success is to do your research ahead of time. Know when the parks are open and when they close (www.themeparks.com has a great listing for most theme parks and their operating hours). Know which rides are open/closed. Also, just know your way around the park - plan your day and what you think you want to see. Plan some breaks, and some quiet time. Take the time to find out about the park you are going to, and which sections are going to be appropriate for your child's interests. There's a ton of good data on the internet about theme parks - make sure you know about yours before you go.
One more tip for disney visits: SHOP EARLY. If you are staying in a Disney hotel, most Disney shops will ship your packages back to your room, but they need two days. So, if you are there longer than two days, and you do your shopping on your first days, you can ship everything back to your room and not lug it around the park! That stroller might look like it will hold a lot of souveniers, but it will get really heavy as the day goes on. If you are not staying at the hotels, the Disney shops will ship to 'package pickup' at the main entrance but you have to be staying in the park for at least a couple of hours. So, either way, shop early and don't lug that stuff around the park - ESPECIALLY with kids!
I know this is a long post, but as a huge Disney fan, I hate to see anyone have a bad time at the park. It's easy to do if you set expectations that your kids can't meet. My advice on this is pretty much the same for all kids - go at their pace. I survived taking 5 teenagers to Disneyworld <G> so I speak from experience.
If you take a small child to a large theme park, the key to success is to visit the park at your child's pace - not yours. Take a stroller (rather than renting one) that they are comfortable in, and can even nap in if they get tired. Don't try to see Thunder Mountain Railroad, or Space Mountain, or even Pirates (it's dark and scary to a little kid!). Go to ToonTown, or Small World, or even the Country Bear Jamoree - but only if your child can handle the idea of six foot tall bears singing at them ;-)
The most important thing is to plan your day carefully. DO NOT try and stay at the park all day. It is extremely hot at both parks in summer, and it can be crowded. Go early in the morning (TIP: If you stay at a Disney property, you can many times get into the park earlier than the public), go back to your hotel after a few hours, sit by the pool or nap but RELAX... then go back at dusk. During the summer the parks are open later, and it's cooler in the evenings.
Take pleasure in some of the small thing too - the gardens and pond in front of the Castles, or the bushes sculpted like disney characters. A small child is going to be much more interested in looking at things than going on rides.
And, as others have mentioned - bring your own drinks and snacks for your kids. You may understand waiting in line for something, but it's hard to explain to a toddler.
Another really important criteria for success is to do your research ahead of time. Know when the parks are open and when they close (www.themeparks.com has a great listing for most theme parks and their operating hours). Know which rides are open/closed. Also, just know your way around the park - plan your day and what you think you want to see. Plan some breaks, and some quiet time. Take the time to find out about the park you are going to, and which sections are going to be appropriate for your child's interests. There's a ton of good data on the internet about theme parks - make sure you know about yours before you go.
One more tip for disney visits: SHOP EARLY. If you are staying in a Disney hotel, most Disney shops will ship your packages back to your room, but they need two days. So, if you are there longer than two days, and you do your shopping on your first days, you can ship everything back to your room and not lug it around the park! That stroller might look like it will hold a lot of souveniers, but it will get really heavy as the day goes on. If you are not staying at the hotels, the Disney shops will ship to 'package pickup' at the main entrance but you have to be staying in the park for at least a couple of hours. So, either way, shop early and don't lug that stuff around the park - ESPECIALLY with kids!
I know this is a long post, but as a huge Disney fan, I hate to see anyone have a bad time at the park. It's easy to do if you set expectations that your kids can't meet. My advice on this is pretty much the same for all kids - go at their pace. I survived taking 5 teenagers to Disneyworld <G> so I speak from experience.
