Many parents worry about taking an infant to Disneyland. They fear it will be tough dealing with naps, bottles, feedings and lugging around all of the equipment we’ve become accustomed to when caring for our little bundles of joy.
II’m hear to tell you, as a mother of three, that taking a baby to Disneyland is a piece of cake compared to taking a toddler to Disneyland. Your natural inclination is to think it would be so much easier with fewer diapers, no bottles and less “necessities,” but with toddler time comes things that are hard to imagine when your cuddling your sweet, sweet baby. Things like OPINION, SHORT ATTENTION SPAN, and…wait for it…MOBILITY. Isolated, these traits don’t seem like much, but together, they are your toddler’s super power and can make a day at Disneyland really great or really…well…not so great.
While this doesn’t ring true with all children, two of my three boys weren’t exactly angels during their toddler years. Here are some of the common toddler traits and behaviors parents can experience while at the Disneyland Resort with their toddlers:
- “I Love This Ride Toddler”: This is a little guy or gal who loves a ride so much that he or she screams when it’s time to get off.
- “I Loved This Ride & Now I’m Ready For It To Be Over Toddler”: This little guy or gal decides in the middle of Pirates of the Caribbean (or insert any other ride over ten minutes here) that he or she is done with it and proceeds to try to stand up and attempt exit the attraction before it’s over.
- “The Bolter”: You know this tike–he’s the one running as fast as he can as soon as his parents take him out of his stroller. He is usually in hot pursuit by a mommy screaming his name and muttering other words I choose not to use on my blog.
- “Little Mr./Miss Independent”: This child refuses to hold your hand and wants to run. (See Bolter for more information.)
- “The Screamer”: There are those kiddos who really love the way they sound…especially really loud.
- “The Restless Heart”: The toddler who refuses to stay in his or her stroller and find a way to use his or her inner Houdini skills at the very worst moment possible.
- “Jello Baby”: Families have different names for this one, but we all know it and is often found in combination with any or all of the above. A Jello baby is one in which the child goes completely limp, typically melting on the floor because he or she doesn’t want to do what you want to do. In this moment his or her weight seems to somehow double.
I’ll be honest with you. My first two sons had only elements of some of these lovely behaviors, but my youngest son…well…he has all of them. Yes. All of them. He’s a barrel of monkeys and never, ever runs out of energy. I love him dearly, but I can tell you that there are times I need a lot of encouragement to actually get out the door and do stuff with him because it can be downright daunting, especially a trip to Disneyland with two other children in tow.
That being said, I sometimes need to remind myself why it has always been so important to me to have Disneyland in my children’s lives. For those of you, who like me have a child who is in the midst of the terrible twos, here are five reminders why we should throw on our suits of armor and take our terrific toddlers to the “Happiest Place on Earth.”
1. The power of the Mouse
Toddlers typically have one of two reactions to the Disneyland characters: sheer terror or absolute delight. For the small amount of children who are scared by the enormous characters, this fear will hopefully go away with time and exposure. For those children who delight in seeing their favorite friends in person, there is no greater joy than the tantrum-stopping power of Mickey Mouse.
Connor recently went into a level ten meltdown while in the queue to see Mickey in his movie barn. Other families took pitty on us and let us go ahead of them. As soon as Connor laid eyes on Mickey his meltdown stopped–as if a switch had been flipped. He adores Mickey and there’s nothing like meeting the big guy in person. He is completely enchanted with Mickey and I know remembers it afterward; his bond with his Mickey toys and clothes is just way too strong!
2. Exciting play-time adventures
Adaptation is the key to parental survival. Adapting to having a toddler means thinking about Disney Parks in a new way. Instead of running from ride to ride, consider the more physical, hand-on experiences at the Disneyland Resort. These are the experiences your toddler will enjoy and feel that freedom he or she adores. My family spends a lot of time at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail in Disney California Adventure park and Tom Sawyer Island in Disneyland. Both of these areas of the park allow our family to spend quality time together while our boys gets to run, explore and discover.
Toontown is another go-spot for our family. There are lots of tactile experiences for kids and opportunities for them to get the wiggles out.
The Mark Twain Riverboat and Sailing Ship Columbia are also great because they are both attractions and places to explore all at once. My boys LOVE going below deck on the Columbia.
3. The (short) attractions
Keeping my toddler moving is the name of the game when we hit the Disneyland Resort. By selecting attractions with shorter lines and shorter run times, our little guy stays entertained and happy. We are fans of both resort carousels, the Main Street vehicles, Monster Inc. Mike and Sully to the Rescue, the Jungle Cruise and when we’re feeling really courageous, the Enchanted Tiki Room. The look on Connor’s face is so wonderful.
Keeping my toddler moving is the name of the game when we hit the Disneyland Resort. By selecting attractions with shorter lines and shorter run times, our little guy stays entertained and happy. We are fans of both resort carousels, the Main Street vehicles, Monster Inc. Mike and Sully to the Rescue, the Jungle Cruise and when we’re feeling really courageous, the Enchanted Tiki Room. The look on Connor’s face is so wonderful.
4. Meal time
My husband and I are sticklers for good manners and with a kid like Connor, we get about 20 minutes for a meal when we go out before he is DONE. At Disneyland, however, we actually get a little more time. We opt to eat at the Hungry Bear Restaurant (downstairs to feed the ducks), Golden Horseshoe (to catch a show) or Pacific Wharf (great atmosphere talent and wide open space in case Connor gets loud), and we actually get to sit, relax and enjoy our meal while he takes it all in.
5. Establish a foundation of imagination and fantasy
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Imagination and creativity are very important in our home and it’s something we strive to instill and foster in our children. The Disneyland Resort allows our family to enjoy outings in a world of fantasy that helps my children to continue growing their imaginations and beliefs in the things that they cannot see in the every day world around them. Even at 2, I can see Connor’s imagination blossoming as he engages in fantasy play with his brothers. While our family has a lot to do with that, I know that the Disneyland Resort does too.
(Visited 879 times, 4 visits today)
Everyone told me not to take our 2 year old to Disneyland…he was too little, he would never remember etc etc. I didn’t care if he never remembered…that 1 week of family time at Disneyland would be worth it. Sure enough, I was right…and in fact he does remember because every single morning he askes if we can go back to Disneyland lol!
He was so amazed by it all, in a way that I’m not sure he would have been if he was a few years older. It was the best trip I have ever taken, and we had so much fun, we are planning another trip next year!