Tips about Disney Cruise Line and Kids
As regular visitors (from England) to the World, I know how many Mickey stickers you can be given on one trip. So this year, instead of putting them on our t-shirts, we took all of them home and my 7-year-old son gave them to his classmates as a "vacation present". There were enough for the whole class and they all immediately stuck them on to their homework folders, rather than on their clothes, so they can keep them. It was also a much healthier alternative to the usual sweets that the other children give out after they've been on holiday. - Louise Herrick
ANIMAL KINGDOM - To encourage our children to take some time and enjoy the magnificent Tree of Life, we created a Tree of Life Scavenger Hunt Game. Prior to our trip we created a list of 50 or so animals that we thought might be found on the Tree of Life. We made two copies of the list and then at the Animal Kingdom divided the family into two groups for the game. After deciding on a meeting place and time (20 minutes is plenty) each team travels around the tree marking off animals found. The team with the most animals wins. Note for each minute late, there is a penalty of one animal. Last time, the winning team each got a $10 souvenir. Another time the winning team got to choose the next ride. Have fun! - Diane Parkansky
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We had a fantastic trip aboard the Disney Fantasy with our young sons. We brought our own sand toys and snorkel gear on the trip to save some money. Also, if your itinerary has Castaway Cay as your last stop, keep in mind that your beach gear and swimsuits may not have time to totally dry before you need to get your luggage packed and in the hallway for collection on the last night. It is also hard to get the sand completely out of everything. Bring zipper-top or plastic bags to wrap those items in before packing in your suitcase. - Heidi G.
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Meg Beriau shares some tips for 5- to 8-year-olds:
We go to Walt Disney World a couple of times each year, thanks to our DVC membership, and have learned a lot over the years:
-- One trick we found that works great is that we bring our MP3 players to the fireworks, if the noise is too much for the younger ones they can listen to their Disney favorites without the loud sounds, especially at Epcot!
-- Glo-Sticks! This is family favorite. I always stock up before we go, double bag them in checked bags and carry them along to the parks. They are always a big hit with the kids and it makes it easier to see the kids when things get dark at night or in rides. If a child jumps out of the stroller, you can see them better with a glo necklace or bracelet.
-- Crocs, the official footwear for our kids at Disney! We put socks on with them for plane travel, but they are great when we get to sunny Florida! I like that the toes are protected, but not sweaty and if they get wet, it is not a big deal since they dry quickly.
-- We also pack snacks and small cereal boxes in the carry on bags. It makes a cheaper and usually preferred alternative to the expensive snacks available in the parks. The kids can have a dry cereal in the morning before we head off to grab breakfast and we have the smaller portion snacks to offer all day in the parks without waiting in line and spending a lot of extra money.
We go to Walt Disney World a couple of times each year, thanks to our DVC membership, and have learned a lot over the years:
-- One trick we found that works great is that we bring our MP3 players to the fireworks, if the noise is too much for the younger ones they can listen to their Disney favorites without the loud sounds, especially at Epcot!
-- Glo-Sticks! This is family favorite. I always stock up before we go, double bag them in checked bags and carry them along to the parks. They are always a big hit with the kids and it makes it easier to see the kids when things get dark at night or in rides. If a child jumps out of the stroller, you can see them better with a glo necklace or bracelet.
-- Crocs, the official footwear for our kids at Disney! We put socks on with them for plane travel, but they are great when we get to sunny Florida! I like that the toes are protected, but not sweaty and if they get wet, it is not a big deal since they dry quickly.
-- We also pack snacks and small cereal boxes in the carry on bags. It makes a cheaper and usually preferred alternative to the expensive snacks available in the parks. The kids can have a dry cereal in the morning before we head off to grab breakfast and we have the smaller portion snacks to offer all day in the parks without waiting in line and spending a lot of extra money.
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Our last trip to Walt Disney World was our first with a little one. I thought I did such a great job packing, remembering all the important baby things -- special toys, sippy cups, favorite blanket, pacifier, and all that. But I completely forgot to bring one important thing -- dish detergent to wash those sippy cups and pacifier! Now that we are planning our next trip for the fall, I have that on the top of my list! - Elizabeth Doda
Consider putting the kids in their pajamas before returning to the parks for the evening. That way when you get back to your room they can just get into bed! Less work for Mom and Dad and it makes for an easy transition to bed for the tired little ones! - Diane
My kids don't like riding in strollers, so about three months before our first trip to Disney, I started taking the kids on daily walks. I explained that we do LOTS of walking in Disney and we needed to build up our stamina. We went on walks five days a week. We'd talk about what we would see and do at Disney while we walked. My youngest had just turned 5 before the trip, and he had no trouble keeping up with all the walking in the parks. - Margaret Erath
AllEars® Reader Laura Taylor sends in these tips for those traveling with toddlers:
-- The marketplace inside of the Mexico pavilion at Epcot is a great place to sit down and cool down if it gets hot, or to avoid the rain.
-- Our toddler always wants to hold the camera and take pictures, but it's too expensive and he might break it. Instead, we buy two or three little disposable cameras, and let him take his own pictures. It's nice to see what he sees from three feet high.
-- Souvenirs can get expensive when traveling with children who want everything they see, so I spend the months leading up to our trip shopping the Disney Outlet online, and our local Disney Stores for clearance items. I ship them to our hotel so they are there for pick-up. When my son opens the box, he thinks Mickey left him some presents, and he doesn't want to buy things quite as early on the trip.
-- Building the magic tip: "Mickey" mails my toddler a postcard every month before we go to Disney. He says things like, "See you soon!" or "Can't wait to play with you!" My son gets excited that he has mail from Mickey, and can't wait to get down to see him.
-- Avon's Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus is wonderful -- it's sunscreen, it's insect repellent, it comes in spray and wipes, and it smells like baby lotion. Oh, and it's waterproof. We take it everywhere and load up on it for Disney trips.
-- It gets hot in Florida, and hot babies are no fun, so we bought a little battery-operated fan. We stuck it between the canopy and the tray on the stroller -- instant air conditioning. Everyone thought it was a clever idea, and the baby stayed comfortable, even during naps.
-- Take a stroller cover, or some extra ponchos to cover your stroller. Two years in a row now I've forgotten one, and during a ride the stroller got soaked by an afternoon rainstorm. It will rain in Florida in the afternoon, and soggy strollers are nobody's friend. We ended up buying some beach towels for the baby to sit on.
-- The marketplace inside of the Mexico pavilion at Epcot is a great place to sit down and cool down if it gets hot, or to avoid the rain.
-- Our toddler always wants to hold the camera and take pictures, but it's too expensive and he might break it. Instead, we buy two or three little disposable cameras, and let him take his own pictures. It's nice to see what he sees from three feet high.
-- Souvenirs can get expensive when traveling with children who want everything they see, so I spend the months leading up to our trip shopping the Disney Outlet online, and our local Disney Stores for clearance items. I ship them to our hotel so they are there for pick-up. When my son opens the box, he thinks Mickey left him some presents, and he doesn't want to buy things quite as early on the trip.
-- Building the magic tip: "Mickey" mails my toddler a postcard every month before we go to Disney. He says things like, "See you soon!" or "Can't wait to play with you!" My son gets excited that he has mail from Mickey, and can't wait to get down to see him.
-- Avon's Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus is wonderful -- it's sunscreen, it's insect repellent, it comes in spray and wipes, and it smells like baby lotion. Oh, and it's waterproof. We take it everywhere and load up on it for Disney trips.
-- It gets hot in Florida, and hot babies are no fun, so we bought a little battery-operated fan. We stuck it between the canopy and the tray on the stroller -- instant air conditioning. Everyone thought it was a clever idea, and the baby stayed comfortable, even during naps.
-- Take a stroller cover, or some extra ponchos to cover your stroller. Two years in a row now I've forgotten one, and during a ride the stroller got soaked by an afternoon rainstorm. It will rain in Florida in the afternoon, and soggy strollers are nobody's friend. We ended up buying some beach towels for the baby to sit on.
Toddler Tips by Kelly Ostroski
Toddler Tip #1: Traveling with a 16-month-old who loves to walk and doesn't want to stay in her stroller is a challenge. However, we found a perfect spot at Magic Kingdom and Epcot to allow our daughter to run around, yet not be in the way of other park-goers. At the Magic Kingdom, to the right of the castle, is a walkway down toward the water. There are park benches and a big open space that we had all to ourselves. The ducks kept us quite amused, too.
In the evening, it is hard to find well-lit areas to allow your toddler to amble along without being in the way or lose footing. We found the perfect place in Epcot. The lit circular courtyard in front of France is the perfect place for running around. There was nobody around and with the poster-covered lamppost being a light, it was perfectly lit to make sure our little ones could see where they were going.
Toddler Tip #2: This tip is for those traveling to the World with small ones using a double stroller. We took our double jogging stroller for our 3-year-old and 16-month-old. We couldn't have survived the week without it. Though our stroller fits perfectly through normal doorways, we did encounter a problem with the monorail system. Some of the monorail lines (namely the red line) have not been converted, so extra-wide strollers will not fit in all of the cars, only those deemed for wheelchairs. So, if you have a side-by-side stroller, you might want to ask the attendant what monorail line is coming and ask if it has been converted yet.
Toddler Tip #3 It is a lot easier going through security at the parks when everything is in its own see-through bag. Traveling with little ones, you need an extra change of clothes, snacks, sippies, bottles, diapers, wipes, etc. I placed each item in its own Ziploc see-through bag. It was a snap to get through security because they could see everything and so could I (minimizing tantrums). It also kept my items clean and dry.
Toddler Tip #4 Afraid of toddler tantrums? Our only fear of taking our small girls to WDW was our 3-year-old's recent tantrums. She doesn't understand the concept of having to wait for things. So, I decided to try to minimize anything that would require waiting for long periods of time. Since we live in the north, we did not need our "vacation" clothes prior to leaving. So, I shipped all of our clothes, diapers, snacks, etc. ahead of time to the hotel so we wouldn't have to wait for our luggage at baggage claim. We hired a car service (Quicksilver Tours - they were awesome) to pick us up and take us directly to the hotel. We did the same for the return trip home. Even though we did have to wait in security lines and wait to board the airplane, we were able to minimize the "waiting" as much as possible.
Toddler Tip #5 If you have a child that has a favorite toy that they do not give up easily, consider not letting your child see or have the toy until AFTER the security line at the airport. TSA will not let them go through security with anything in their hand.
Toddler Tip #1: Traveling with a 16-month-old who loves to walk and doesn't want to stay in her stroller is a challenge. However, we found a perfect spot at Magic Kingdom and Epcot to allow our daughter to run around, yet not be in the way of other park-goers. At the Magic Kingdom, to the right of the castle, is a walkway down toward the water. There are park benches and a big open space that we had all to ourselves. The ducks kept us quite amused, too.
In the evening, it is hard to find well-lit areas to allow your toddler to amble along without being in the way or lose footing. We found the perfect place in Epcot. The lit circular courtyard in front of France is the perfect place for running around. There was nobody around and with the poster-covered lamppost being a light, it was perfectly lit to make sure our little ones could see where they were going.
Toddler Tip #2: This tip is for those traveling to the World with small ones using a double stroller. We took our double jogging stroller for our 3-year-old and 16-month-old. We couldn't have survived the week without it. Though our stroller fits perfectly through normal doorways, we did encounter a problem with the monorail system. Some of the monorail lines (namely the red line) have not been converted, so extra-wide strollers will not fit in all of the cars, only those deemed for wheelchairs. So, if you have a side-by-side stroller, you might want to ask the attendant what monorail line is coming and ask if it has been converted yet.
Toddler Tip #3 It is a lot easier going through security at the parks when everything is in its own see-through bag. Traveling with little ones, you need an extra change of clothes, snacks, sippies, bottles, diapers, wipes, etc. I placed each item in its own Ziploc see-through bag. It was a snap to get through security because they could see everything and so could I (minimizing tantrums). It also kept my items clean and dry.
Toddler Tip #4 Afraid of toddler tantrums? Our only fear of taking our small girls to WDW was our 3-year-old's recent tantrums. She doesn't understand the concept of having to wait for things. So, I decided to try to minimize anything that would require waiting for long periods of time. Since we live in the north, we did not need our "vacation" clothes prior to leaving. So, I shipped all of our clothes, diapers, snacks, etc. ahead of time to the hotel so we wouldn't have to wait for our luggage at baggage claim. We hired a car service (Quicksilver Tours - they were awesome) to pick us up and take us directly to the hotel. We did the same for the return trip home. Even though we did have to wait in security lines and wait to board the airplane, we were able to minimize the "waiting" as much as possible.
Toddler Tip #5 If you have a child that has a favorite toy that they do not give up easily, consider not letting your child see or have the toy until AFTER the security line at the airport. TSA will not let them go through security with anything in their hand.
My husband and 4-month-old daughter (yes, we really took a 4-month-old to Walt Disney World -- we were THOSE people) just returned from the World. I had read on your amazing website about the Baby Care Centers, and I couldn't recommend their use enough. These areas are the most wonderful places. This is our first child so we didn't even know they existed. There are rooms for changing, feeding, breastfeeding and Mommy and Daddy bathrooms, all in an air-conditioned area. There are essentials for sale and a lovely Disney cast member working and helping in any way they can. These centers are a must for anyone with a child. I cannot express how thrilled we were with the facilities. I would encourage anyone to use them to the fullest! - Bethany Lazzara
ALL PARKS - As you are waiting in line, a great way to spend the time is to play what we call the Disney Alphabet Game. Start with the letter "A" and the first person has to name a Disney character that starts with the letter "A," like Ariel. The next person has to name a character whose name starts with the letter "B," such as Br'er Rabbit, and so on. Once you reach "Z" start over back at "A" but you can't use the same character twice. If you need a hint for "X", there is a Buzz Lightyear character named XR. It's fun for kids and adults. We played while waiting for Fantasmic! and had everyone around us shouting out suggestions within a few minutes. - Chris in Iowa
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ALL PARKS - As you are waiting in line, a great way to spend the time is to play what we call the Disney Alphabet Game. Start with the letter "A" and the first person has to name a Disney character that starts with the letter "A," like Ariel. The next person has to name a character whose name starts with the letter "B," such as Br'er Rabbit, and so on. Once you reach "Z" start over back at "A" but you can't use the same character twice. If you need a hint for "X", there is a Buzz Lightyear character named XR. It's fun for kids and adults. We played while waiting for Fantasmic! and had everyone around us shouting out suggestions within a few minutes. - Chris in Iowa
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Our children are too young to memorize our cell phone numbers so we came up with a solution in case they got lost while on vacation. We use our computer to create iron on transfers containing our cell phone numbers, using transfer paper that can be used in our inkjet printer. We iron a label on the inside hem of each shirt our children will wear while at WDW. This way we know that if we ever get separated from our children they can show the phone numbers to Disney Cast Members who can contact us immediately. - Cindy
If there are any tween parents out there I am sure they are familiar with the Club Penguin website for kids. My daughter, a huge Disney fan and a huge Club Penguin fan, was extremely excited to learn today that the two companies are partnering. The idea of getting a set of Mickey ears for her penguin caused her to jump with joy! Not too many details have been announced on their website but it looks like it will be a wonderful and safe way to get a little Disney magic from home to tide her over until our next trip. - Lori Stubbeman
We just came off an 11-night Disney Mediterranean cruise. What a blast! One quick tip... the Cove Cafe has frequent buyer cards. If you buy five specialty coffees, you get one free. They don't seem to promote them or display them (why would they... they have no competition) so you have to ask. - Dan Cheresna
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