Raelynn’s first trip to Disney was when she was 10 months old.
A lot of people may be reading this and thinking why waste your time (and money) on taking a little one to Disney? Well besides the obvious reason of the millennial kid in me loving all things Disney, I stand by the mantra of although its memories she won’t remember its memories dear to me that I’ll always remember.
Last year we decided to become season pass holders and honestly its hands down one of my top 3 moments of last year. We decided to do this because I wanted to find something we could consistently do as a family that would push me out of the house and enjoy doing carefree things with Raelynn.
If I’m being completely honest, going to the grocery store is a whole ordeal with a very opinionated 1-year-old so why in the world would I commit to going to Disney World with this same 1-year-old.
It may seem like a lot but I promise you mama if you breathe, let your hair down and plan accordingly going to Disney World with a little one can be a magical experience.
Prepping For Your Trip
For us, the hardest part about planning a trip to Disney is the prep work. Because we only live 45 mins away from the castle, I don’t have too much experience when it comes to booking plane tickets or hotels. Nevertheless, prepping is still a big ordeal for us.
Because we do take staycations here often I can suggest for you to check priceline.com for good deals on hotels in the area. Disney, of course, has a handful of resorts on their property but they can get kind of pricey. There are tons of hotels off property that offer free shuttle service to the park, just check with your hotel before you book.
I also would suggest downloading the Walt Disney World app to keep up with all things about the park. Here you can order up to 3 FastPass+ at a given time (which are completely free btw), order food to avoid long lines, and my favorite check wait times to get a good idea of how crowds are. In the past year, we’ve learned the best times of the year to go are late Jan-Feb or Mid Sept-October.
My biggest “prep” advice for you would be to budget ahead of time what you want to buy at the park but also know you can buy a lot of good things before your trip as well!
Tickets— Disney tickets are super expensive and probably the number 1 reason why so many parents shy away from taking their kids. Trust me I get it, we luckily live in Florida and can take advantage of the Florida Resident pass holder specials. If you don’t live in Florida, look into going during non-peak seasons, prices are usually inflated during the summer and around the holidays. Tickets are also usually cheaper online than they are in person, so try to purchase tickets before you make it to the parks. Lastly if your little is under 3, they’re free! This is usually verified through the honor system, so if you’re traveling far you don’t have to bring a birth certificate or anything like that.
If you’re planning a trip to Orlando and you’re hesitant to buy tickets or if you simply can’t afford tickets, you can still experience all the magic at Disney’s resorts and Disney Springs. Disney Resorts all have unique experiences and restaurants you can enjoy without being a resort guest. In the summer during our pass holder blackout season, we explore the resorts and check out what they have to offer. Keep in mind you can not utilize the pools and water areas.
Disney Springs is also completely free and has a lot of cool things to walk around and experience. During the holidays we love checking out the Christmas Tree Trail. Disney decorates tons of trees themed as different Disney characters along with a “snow” experience and a dance party. It’s a lot of fun for all ages and hands down one of our favorite holiday traditions.
Merchandise– I have a huge weakness when it comes to Disney’s ears. I love a good pair of authentic ears and if that’s you too great, but know there are tons of people that find just as cute (if not cuter) and creative ears on Etsy for a fraction of the price you’re going to pay in the parks. The same goes for popular matching Disney t-shirts, which if you are looking for matching Disney shirts check out @whgcreations on Etsy/IG! I also don’t buy Raelynn’s Disney merchandise from the park. The great thing about Disney being so popular is that you can usually find cute t-shirts and outfits at Target, Kohls, and H&M. I also bought all of Raelynn’s princess dresses for a really good deal after Halloween from places like Party City.
Food– One of my favorite things to do at Disney is trying out different snacks and because I know I’m bound to buy a couple of snacks while I’m at the park, I never really plan on eating full meals there. A lot of people don’t realize you don’t have to spend $50 on a burger and fries in the park and you can bring your food. There are tons of places outside of the park you can grab a bite from. Shawn’s favorite pizza spot is actually across the street from one of the park entrances, so we often find ourselves there at the end of a long day at the parks.
Packing our diaper bag is also a whole ordeal which I will share in another post! So stay on the lookout for that!
Navigating through the Parks
Once you’ve made it in the park there’s always that initial feeling of being overwhelmed and wondering what in the world are we going to do first.
Our first couple of times going to the park with Raelynn we had no idea of what she would like or completely shy away from, so we tried a little of everything. For your initial 2 FastPass+ I would suggest to book 1 ride and 1 character meet and greet. I wouldn’t necessarily bother booking a FastPass for a show just because they’re usually easier to get in. Try all 3 of these “experiences” though to get an understanding of what your little one likes and doesn’t like so you won’t necessarily waste time at the next park. We’ve learned with Raelynn to not make any of us suffer through any of the shows because she’s just not going to sit still long enough.
There are a ton of rides you can get on with a little that doesn’t have a height requirement. Check out the graphic below if you’d like to know which ones. I was surprised at how much we could do with Raelynn our first couple visits.
If you like riding rides or have older kids with you, you don’t have to miss out on all the fun just because you have a little one in tow. Disney has a really good rider switch policy for most of their rides. The way this works is when you reach a ride, ask a cast member outside the ride about their rider switch policy. Traditionally they will have the first adult (or group) to wait in line and assign the second adult (or group) a FastPass for the ride that way your party doesn’t have to wait in line twice. Last year my sister-in-law and I wanted to check out Smugglers Run a couple of weeks after it came out and we were able to use this method to ride it with Raelynn in tow! She simply got into the single rider line first (which was only 15 mins because we went during non-peak times) while I waited outside the ride with Raelynn and a FastPass. It’s super easy and convenient and allows you to enjoy the park as a whole family!
After a long day in the park…
Guys, remember carpe diem!
One of the biggest lessons having a kid has taught me is to roll with the punches. I love to plan and I love to always know what’s going on; when plans fall through I’m usually super hard on myself. Since having Raelynn I’ve learned that things don’t always go according to plan and life won’t always (if ever) be perfect.
Babies are going to cry in the park and toddlers may throw a couple of tantrums. The good thing about it happening in Disney is that there are probably 100 other toddlers having meltdowns as well LOL.
Raelynn loves animals and every time we go to animal kingdom I take her to the safari ride. Somehow though, EVERY SINGLE TIME we get on the jeep and start riding she falls asleep facepalm. But, carpe diem. I still take pictures with her and Shawn and say welp, next time.
Whether good or bad, it’s all memories you get to have with your little and you’ll love sharing with them 20 years from now!
xo.
Michelle
Wow that was very informative. I loved the break down and the super cute pictures of Raelynn. Great job!