First Time with 21 Month Old Tips Please

[nautical05]

Our family has been many times. We have the honor of taking our 21month old granddaughter this year for the first time. We are staying at AOA. We have the DP and have made ADR's. Any tips would be appreciated!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Our family has been many times. We have the honor of taking our 21month old granddaughter this year for the first time. We are staying at AOA. We have the DP and have made ADR's. Any tips would be appreciated!

if going to AK a sippy cup with attached straw or spout as plastic straws including ones on juice boxes are not allowed in park. I never got to use but the straps that attach sippy cups to stroller so child can not drop when you are not looking

 

[JodyLynC]

What kind of advice are you looking for? Does your GD have any favorite characters? When my DDs were 2yo, they LOVED Mary Poppins! We booked the Park Faire breakfast and tried to see MP wherever she was in the world. My DDs loved It's a Small World, Pooh, and Peter Pan rides. We watched the MK Fireworks from the Poly beach.

 

[nautical05]

I am looking for best things to take in to parks. Her favorite character is Minnie and Mickey. There is a FP for a character greet I think? The AK tip is a good one. I remember they do not allow plastic straws. What types of food/snacks did you keep in the stroller? What would be a good ride for her (Dumbo, Small World)/ Does everyone take their toddlers back to the resort for a nap? I know every child/family is different. Just trying to get some basic ideas. Thank you

 

[Stitch2007]

Just got back with my 21 month old. Use the baby centers at each park for diaper changes. They are great! You can also fill up sippy cups with water there too. My DS loved Winnie the Pooh ride , small world, the carousel, dumbo. We didn't do anyfireworks

 

[Stitch2007]

My DS napped in the stroller this trip. And we did fast passes for Mickey in Epcot

 

[cet13]

We just got back this week. My 22 month old LOVED Small World .... try to get at the front of the boat. She loved all the Dumbo-like rides (we road Aladdin (MK) and TriceraTop spin (AK) multiple times) and the carousel. She liked Peter Pan, Pooh, and the teacups. She didn't really love the characters. She really liked the Nemo show at AK and the Safari. The Nemo ride at Epcot was also a hit. Make stops at the cooling stations and let her play in the water.

I'd get one of the spray fans and one of the bubble wands as well!

Bring applesauce pouches, goldfish crackers, a bumpkins sleeved bib, and extra clothes. Renting a stroller is a great option.

Plan indoor sit down lunches and afternoon breaks! I'd not FP character greetings - help her have short lines on rides instead and do a character meal or two. Tusker house at AK is a great character lunch (Mickey, goofy, Donald, daisy), is right outside the safari, and the food is great for adults

Prepare her for turns - it will be your turn, than other kids' turns. It's not a concept they really have at this age!

Happy to give more info and answer questions.

 

[Stitch2007]

Oh and my son wanted nothing to do with being in the stroller. He wanted to Ben out and walking which was difficult because there were so many people and he would just take off. We found places like the hotel lobby and by dumbo in the magic kingdom where the circus wave never shirts water for him to run around.

 

[jpeterson]

Her favorite character is Minnie and Mickey. There is a FP for a character greet I think?

The AK Minnie & Mickey M&G is a good option since they are both there. Tusker house is also a good choice for Mickey but Minnie is not there. She is at Chef Mickey's along with Donald, Goofy and Pluto.

 

[KrazeeK120]

if going to AK a sippy cup with attached straw or spout as plastic straws including ones on juice boxes are not allowed in park. I never got to use but the straps that attach sippy cups to stroller so child can not drop when you are not looking

A sippy cup with an attached straw is fine at AK. I was just there 2 weeks ago and took 2 into that park.

My son was 18 months on our trip, but I think an 18 month old and 21 month old have similar needs. My son did great with stroller naps. We went back to the resort one afternoon and he absolutely would not nap in the crib. He was too excited. We found it was better to let him fall asleep in the stroller.

We ate at Tusker House and Garden Grill and he loved them both. Keep in mind that a 21 month old can't have a dining plan, so make sure to budget for her meals (although she will be free at buffet/AYCTE places).

The other thing that worked really well for us was keeping bedtime close to home. It meant early nights, but the benefits of having a well-rested toddler really cannot be overstated.

We just tried to go at his pace. We still got to do a lot (including some E-ticket rides while he was napping) and it was a wonderful trip! Have fun!

 

[westie55]

I also just returned from a trip with my 21 month old DS. For us, stroller naps work best. My son does not nap well in a crib and doesn't sleep on command, so returning to the resort would be a waste of time. He'd probably fall asleep on the bus then be awake. He liked all of the rides we took him on without a height restriction. The moving dark rides are more engaging for him because there's so much to look at than something like Dumbo that just spins around in a circle. He loved the safari at AK. For snacks, I brought goldfish and some yogurt melts. He did very well eating food from the park and although he can often turn down meals at home, he ate consistently at meal time in Disney. This was NOT the case when I took him at 16 months. At that age, I had a hard time getting him to eat any solid food. He just wanted milk and puffs. DS has been afraid of characters since 16 months. When I took him at 11 months, he was fine. Be prepared for your LO to either like them or hate them. My son loves looking at them from afar, but does not want to be approached by them or he starts to say, "No! No!" and cries. If you are planning multiple character meals, I'd make them 24 hours apart at least so you can cancel the second one if you don't want to pay so much when you can't get photos. Mickey and Minnie meet in AK and at Epcot. You can get FP+ for both. I would definitely have a stroller. I recommend taking your own. Even flying, it's easy to gate check. Bring diapers, wipes, sippy cups, spare clothes, snacks, sunscreen. Stop for meals before your LO gets hungry. We had a great time! I hope you do as well!

 

[cet13]

I wish my daughter was a stroller napper! Definitely rent a stroller or bring a good one - a cheap umbrella will not do the trick.

 

[katyjeka]

Traveling with a toddler is such a fun experience..honest!! Kids make you slow down and appreciate the details that adults are usually to hurried to notice. Our trips before kids were commando style but it took our 3 year old one day to change that. She loved all the little details and stopped to watch everything.(throwing all my touring plans for the day out the window) That's what make WDW so wonderful. It's so much more than rides and is beautiful with surprises around every corner. Every child is different so the only advice I have based on our experiences is to appreciate the parks through your granddaughters eyes. She will make you appreciate things you've seen before and notice things you've probably missed. If you miss a ride oh well, it will probably be there next time. We always take a change of clothes with us as our girls love to play in the water. After our second we decided why not join them, so if they are splashing around we cool off as well. Why not??? Have a great trip.

 

[kboo]

My ODD was 21 months old when we first brought her to WDW! I remember asking a lot of questions about stroller naps and what to do about naptime. Every child is different. We tried stroller naps and they just didn't work. So, even though we were staying offsite we drove back every day for a nap in a pack and play in a cool, dark room. It turned out ok because on that trip we had thunderstorms every afternoon. For naps, you'll really need to see how they do and whether they will nap in the stroller or not. Because of the nap situation, we usually went early to the parks, went back to the condo for lunch and nap, and went back in the late afternoon for dinner and a few rides.

I agree with PPs, don't try to take in too much all at once; it's easy for them to get overstimulated. We did ride the carousel many, many, many times. Never mind that we have a carousel at a park near our home... Also, we were able to find space for her to walk/run/play on her own - there's not a ton of options in MK, but we had a great time at Innoventions at Epcot and also just letting her walk with us at various times in future World and World Showcase. We went to Restaurant Marrakesh for dinner and she had a blast dancing with the belly dancer.

Characters were also iffy - she did fine with the princesses, but Tigger, et al., not so much. (see photo below...) We did one dinner at Crystal Palace and that didn't go over so well. It wasn't until the following year when she was almost 3 that the "fur" characters became a big hit. But again, every child is different. We found that visiting the parks with a toddler really forces you to slow down and notice some of the amazing attention to detail all around WDW. I think when we went to AK we barely made it past the animals as you walk in - you know, that part everyone runs past at rope drop. We watched ducks and other animals. At least it was shaded there. You will have a wonderful time!!!

As for snacks and drinks - We used a tommee tippee explora insulated cup that was attached to the stroller with a strap. SOmetimes it was ice water, other times milk. For snacks, we brought raisins, cheerios, goldfish, grapes and a few pouches. Since we weren't usually in the parks for very long stretches, we mostly wanted to keep her hydrated.

 

[Maggie at the Fort]

Lots of great trips already.
Try not to have too many snacks they aren't use to and if they don't feel like eating don't push it. Too much strange food combined with all the rides can upset little tummies. We learned this the hard way one time!
On a related note, a change of clothes and plenty of wipes is a good idea.

More fun, bring some little toys for surprises and I like to stock up on glow sticks before a trip too. The short fat ones seem safer at that age I think.

At that age she will love a lot of rides but be prepared... It might be something you didn't plan on that she loves the most (the bus ride, the ducks etc.) And she might find something scary that you didn't expect. They already surprise us!!
By that age my older two did not take stroller naps but fingers crossed on the youngest!

 

[kboo]

Lots of great trips already.
Try not to have too many snacks they aren't use to and if they don't feel like eating don't push it. Too much strange food combined with all the rides can upset little tummies. We learned this the hard way one time!
On a related note, a change of clothes and plenty of wipes is a good idea.

More fun, bring some little toys for surprises and I like to stock up on glow sticks before a trip too. The short fat ones seem safer at that age I think.

At that age she will love a lot of rides but be prepared... It might be something you didn't plan on that she loves the most (the bus ride, the ducks etc.) And she might find something scary that you didn't expect. They already surprise us!!
By that age my older two did not take stroller naps but fingers crossed on the youngest!

Yes - a complete change of outfit in a gallon size ziploc bag, in case they get wet or worse. You can use the bag for the soiled clothes after.

The ducks!

 

[kteeter]

So others have said the sippy cup with water but make sure you offer it to her often, you don't want them to dehydrate. We brought a stroller fan and light blanket for the stroller... if they nap turn on the fan and cover their legs so as not to get burned. Baby center was awesome for changing diapers but if you are out in the park we brought a towel from hotel to use on other changing surfaces. Plus we brought a wash cloth that was wet so we could cool her off or wipe hands etc.

Buffets are a great choice. Crystal Place, 1900 Park Fair, Chef Mickey, Garden Grove, Tusker House, Hollywood and Vine (Disney Jr) as you can get her a small plate no cost. Soft food like fruit, yogurt, fish, cooked veggies, cut up chicken, noodles were great for her to eat on her own. Some of the places even gave us a small glass of milk for free. Our DD had no problem with the characters when they came visiting, so it all depends on the child.

Let them play... If you like big rides, do baby swap, our DD loved playing in the exit areas of Mission Space, Test Track, Splash Mt. or even in the waiting lines like Dumbo, Pooh and Haunted Mansion. For a little water fun Casey's splash pad (MK) was great and same with a fountain on the bridge in Epcot.

We took a battery operated glow wand (Red, White and strobe) from the camping section, worn on a lanyard, there was no bite risk if it went into the mouth as no chemicals made it glow. It was great on dark rides too (Haunted Mansion, People mover and Epcot Ball ride).

It was great having my mom with us, she had a blast with Granddaughter and you will too.

 

[minijenny]

These were my toddlers' favorites in each park:
MK- Carousel, IASW, Casey Jr. Splash Pad, Winnie the Pooh, Tom Sawyer's Island
EP- Finding Nemo, Gran Fiesta Tour, the trains in Germany, splash pad on bridge, sidewalk lights by Illuminations and SE
AK- Safari, The Boneyard playground, all the trails
HS- Muppet Vision 4-D, other favorites are now gone- Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground and Backlot Tour

I agree with previous posters that extra snacks, wipes, and changes of clothes are essential. Also, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, and a large hat with tie or velcro strap.

I found it much less stressful to go into the trip knowing that we would be following a toddler touring pace rather than try to force the kids to keep up with the adults. It's amazing what they will stop and notice if you give them a chance. Let them wander and explore hidden treasures, and definitely let them rest when they need it. My kids never like to stop and take breaks, but when they needed one we would grab a lemonade or an ice cream bar, find a shady spot and just chill. The hotel pools are always a hit with my kids, so as long as the weather is good afternoon breaks for swimming are non-negotiable.