Need itinerary critique & advice from those who have gone w/2 year olds, please....

[iluvtig2]

All of our PS's are made.....Our itinerary is complete(although subject to change)....And, I wanted input & advice, so here goes:

The Cast of Characters:
Me (38), DH (34), DS (2), DB(34), DSinlaw(36), DS(35), DS(40), and DM(61), DD(65)

Hotel: Vistana Villages - A 2 bedroom & 2 1 bedroom units

Dates: 11/30 - 12/7

Day 1- Arrival - Check in - Get Settled - Get Groceries - DD for dinner.

Day 2 - Light Breakfast in room - Early arrival at AK - Must see Lion King, Safari, Big kids on Dinosaur - 10:30 PS at Donald's Breakfastosaurus - Stay til we're ready to leave - Dinner as we please, maybe pizza tonight.

Day 3 - Breakfast in Room - Early arrival at MGM - Must see Bear, Muppets, Little Mermaid - Big Kids on RnR & ToT - Break in the afternoon - Back to see the lights, and perhaps Fantasmic.

Day 4 - MVMCP - 4:30 PS at 1900 Park Fare, followed by MVMCP. Daytime to relax

Day 5 - Do what we want day - Plus - 4:30 PS at Le Cellier for the CP Package with the 6:45 PM show

Day 6 - Grandpa's Birthday - AM in MK (Get Birthday Badge) - Take a break - Birthday dinner at Coral Reef @ 5 PM - Stay for Illuminations

Day 7 - Go back & do our favorites. I am thinking we will end up at MK, but who knows. Our farewell dinner is at Chef Mickey's.

Day 8 - Go home

How does this sound? What have you found to be Do Not Miss things for toddlers?

Thanks for all your help!

iluvtig

 

[Aristocath]

We went this past May with our 2 1/2 and 4 year old boys. I have not been to WDW in December so I am unsure about the crowds but I would say you need more time at the MK with your DS. We were at WDW for 8 days and my boys wanted to go to the MK almost every day! Toontown, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland were huge hits. On day 2, make sure to see the parade at AK- my sons loved it. On day 3, if your DS likes Toy Story, make sure to get to Al's Toy Barn to see Buzz and Woody. Also, the parade there was great for my kids, too. And my rec is if you decide to see Fantasmic, sign up for the Fantasmic Dinner package. It is the only way to go if you have little ones with you. Have a great trip! I wish I were going back!

 

[travelitis]

I have to agree about seeing more of the MK. There is so much more there for the 2 yr. old. Perhaps your group is going to split up a bit? If so that might be the opportune time for more MK. My list of "not to miss" for MK for a 2 yr. old is longer than the same list for all the other 3 parks combined.

AK's Boneyard play area was a huge hit with our 2 yr. old. Any reason the adults aren't interested in "It's Tough to be a Bug" or Kali River Rapids? Not a major attraction, but still a hit with our kids was Flights of Wonder.

While adults might find it dull, in WS El Rio de Tiempo was great for calming a cranky toddler. It's cool and soothing with no wait, and you can usually get 2 rides in a row. The Living Seas is also
a must see for all 3 kids.

At MGM we also love Star Tours which offers the baby swap.

Your itinerary seems very laid-back and flexible. Have a great trip!

 

[vicb]

Have not done WDW with a 2 year old but did with a 3 year old a few years back. We never made it to MGM as all 3 and 6 year old wanted was MK, over and over. We just gave in and they had a blast! So definately add more there. At MGM be sure to hit "Honey I Shrunk the Playground", maybe while some adults do another show or ride. At Epcot avoid Spaceship Earth if your child is at all fearful of the dark. This ride broke down in the total darkness and spooked my child for the rest of our trip! Also be sure to swim a lot if your child likes that and the weather permits. Have a great trip!

 

[new_yawka]

We went with my DS at 14 months and again at 26 months. He LOVED all of the parades and shows.

I agrees the MK, toontown and fantasyland (Dumbo) will be big hits. He also loved character breakfasts (O'hana at the Polynesian is his - and our - favorite). Breakfastosaurus is fun. You might want to consider a second, if you can afford the $$. One word of caution though. 2 is an age when some children will be scared off by a 6 foot mouse (actually, sounds pretty scary to me!). You might want to make sure your DS is ready for it (take a trip to chuck E cheese) before plopping down the big bucks!

Although I don't normally recommend this for young children...my DS LOVED!!! the Pirates of the Carribean...Go Figure

Overall I think you have a good plan...don't cram too much in...flexibility and being able to read the signs when your DS is tired...and when he needs to get out of the stroller and run around.

Have a magical trip!

 

[tjmw2727]

Also wonder about the dinner package and CP with a 2yo. While I LOVED it last year we did it w/out the dinner and my 4yo barely made it through. At 2 and 3 my girls loved every ride in the MK (except those with height restrictions of course) even the pirates and jungle cruise. My 2yo learned the phrase "more boats" and my 3yo loved the country bears and tiki birds more than almost anything else. They also loved the world showcase, making the mask at the kidcot stations and all the live entertainment. I would probably keep the Priority seatings but be prepared to bail if necessary, with all the adults in your party you may be better off splitting up at times. Consider the Beauty and Beast show in MGM and the Boneyard at AK. I usually hit the MK early as possible every park day in our vacation and move to another park by noon. Have a great time!
TJ

 

[iluvtig2]

We are hoping that w/MVMCP, Wednesday on our own, Thursday AM & Friday at MK, that we will get enough MK in our schedule.

We plan on doing as many of the"kiddie" attractions as we can, without overtiring the tots at all of the parks. (Interspersed with a little ToT, RnR, SM, etc!!!!!!)

Some of the party is on a budget, so we are pretty much maxed on the character meals, but hopefully with the Donald breakfast (which I hear is supposed to feature Santa Goofy), Pooh Bear & Pals at the GF, and Chef Mickey's they'll get their fill.

We just went to Chuck E. Cheese's on Monday. Cam (DS) got to meet him live & in person. At first he said, "Mommy, Scawy Mouse!" But within a couple of minutes, he was high fiving and kissing good ol' Chuck on the nose, saying, "Oh, cute mouse, Mommy!!! Give more kisses?" So, I think he'll be ok with the characters.

Thanks for all your input!

We will adjust accordingly

83 Days!!!!!!!!!!!!

iluvtig

 

[deevku]

We brought my youngher daughter when she was just 2....the thing about kids is that they're all unique. Mine hated anything loud (Illuminations, many rides) and dark (many rides)...but absolutely loved (thank God) the characters. To this day, almost two years later, she asks a few times a week to go back to Disney World because she loved the characters so much. To some kids they may be scary....so you may not know until you get there what your 2 year old will like and not like.

We made time in the middle of every day for our two year old to nap and our nine year old to swim. Best decision we made!

Baby swap is excellent! We rode many rides with our 9 year old that we wouldn't have been able to without the baby swap. And our older daughter got to ride twice, once with each of us. The fast pass is also a God-send...because it limited time in lines for big rides, keeping crankiness to a minimum.

The last tip I have is to bring a swim diaper and/or bathing suit for the occasional places to cool off with sprinklers (Mickey's toon town and Epcot) if the weather is warm. Those unplanned breaks are some of the cutest pictures and memories.

good luck and have a blast!

 

[mommystieg]

There is a lot of things at MK that a 2 y\o can ride so definitely spend more time there. A lot of the attractions were very loud so you might consider some earplugs. Our DD always wanted somebody to cover her ears. The Country Bears and the Tiki Room were huge hits. When we left the Tiki room DD exclaimed "Bye, I lub ewe!!" to the Tiki birds. She also loved PoC and Small World. A lot of people thought it would be a waste of money to take such a young child because she won't remember anything. They were sooo wrong!! She loves to look at the pictures from our trip and can name every character in the parades and recognizes the attractions. When she sees pix of the PoC she starts singing "Yo ho, Yo ho" it is a hoot. Just remember to take the cues from your toddler and don't push the limits-the memories will be priceless!!

 

[Lora]

She was afraid of the dark and loud stuff as well. She did not like Little Mermaid or Muppets at MGM. She seemed to enjoy the shows more than most of the rides (except those in Fantasyland). She would say "I wanna see show". She enjoyed Beauty and the Beast and Hunchback at MGM and Lion King in AK.

 

[catwho]

Our DS at 2yo loved everything. We took him to Epcot, AK and MK. (we didn't do MGM that year) Alot of it though is taking things at his speed. Stopping lots and making sure that all his needs are met (diaper, food, sleep) One word: POPCORN. We found a bucket of popcorn (that has the lid and is refillable) to be a lifesaver (plus a cheap souvenir!)

It seems like there are enough parents, grandparents and grown siblings that can share in the "baby of the family" "duty" Our ds would fall asleep anywhere (and even through fireworks) so we were able to spend long hours (open to close) in the parks. Last year (at age 3) we found we needed a monorail ride or two each day to give ds a break (and to ride his favorite ride!) Whose bright idea was it to have the monorail run around Epcot? Everytime that thing passed by ds was pointing and declaring "We are doing that ride next!" We actually had to ride from MK to Epcot just to make him happy!

Another big hint - don't overdo the stroller time. Let him have time to walk around, jump, twirl in circles, be vocal, and hug (anything - trees, people, characters, lamp posts, etc.)

 

[iluvtig2]

Now, I am wondering what the early morning thing is going to do to our touring plan..............

I think the only day that is affected is our Thursday MK.

Any thoughts? I know that a lot of people felt we didn't have enough time at MK, and I have a feeling that this will crimp our Thursday plan.

iluvtig

 

[danacath]

Here are my little bits of advice, for whatever they're worth: Pack LOTS of snacks, take LOTS of breaks, bring a cute flashlight for "dark rides", don't overschedule, and be prepared for a wide range of reactions from your DS. WDW is a fantastic, fun place, but it can also be pretty overwhelming for a tiny tot. Last year my outgoing 2-yo DD was so excited to be going to WDW, but when we got there she was timid about dark attractions after riding through the Jungle Cruise tunnel, didn't want to go near the characters, etc. Still, she had a super fun time, as long as we steered clear of certain things. We respected her feelings and didn't push her to do anything that she wasn't comfortable with. Now she can't wait to go back next year so she can "ride ALL the
rides" and "have her picture taken with Mickey."
BTW, Fantasmic has frightened quite a few little ones in the past. Just wanted you to be aware of this in case you didn't already know. Good luck with your trip-planning!