Taking a Toddler to Disney... Oh No!

I have an almost 3-year-old.... and she's been to Disney 5 times, with trips 6 and 7 coming up in the next couple of months. Not only has she only been to Disney during the pandemic, but she's flown 5+ times, been to Disney during Christmas, and participated in a 36-hour girls' trip to Disney one weekend.

When I tell people that, I usually get weird looks and get asked questions like:

"Why would you spend money on that when she's not going to remember it?"

And my answer is:

"Why not?"

Here's why I think it's a GREAT idea to take your infant and/or toddler to Disney:

1. They're FREE! That's right - kids up to the age of three are free for all theme parks AND dining. Once they turn three, you have to pay for a theme park ticket and for a kid's meal at sit-down restaurants. PLUS if they're under two they fly for free too! She flew 5 times before she turned 2 (4 times to Disney, one time to SeaWorld) and she's a pro!

2. They might not remember the trip.... but YOU will. I look at pictures and video from our trips, especially our trip when she was 5 months and compare to her age now. She's changed so much, and getting to see the parks and the *magic* through her eyes is priceless. She may be in the midst of a 3-year-old crisis where she's scared of the characters, but when she's asking to "go to the castle" and "see the fireworks" it's worth the meltdowns and toddler tantrums to see her face light up and enjoy every second of our time there.

3. The *magic* is real. The older they get, the more kids realize that princesses aren't really princesses and Woody isn't really a toy that's come to life. Taking the kids when they're young retains that feeling of wonder and excitement that can't be recreated.

4. It's one of the only places I've ever visited that doesn't judge or shame you for a kid who's misbehaving.... because the Mom standing beside you also has a child on the ground throwing a toddler tantrum. "Disney tired" is a real thing and many kids get overstimulated at the parks, resulting in tantrums, meltdowns, and cry-fests..... but guess what? You're one of 30,000 others who also have a kid laying on the ground, screaming because they wanted the BLUE balloon and you bought them the PINK balloon (when she actually did ask for the BLUE balloon). Moms and Dads just tip their hat or nod their head to show you they're on your side, and everyone sits and eats a Mickey bar until the tantrum has passed. If you're lucky, you'll be sitting right in front of a Memory Maker photographer and they'll capture the moment for you.

Taking a toddler to Disney can be a challenge

My oldest friend Jess and I decided we were going to take a girls' trip one weekend and take our littles with us. We left the boys at home and I took Charli (2.5 years old) and she brought Emery (4 years old). We flew out Friday night, got to the hotel at midnight, woke the next morning, did Animal Kingdom in the AM and Magic Kingdom in the PM, returned to the hotel at midnight, and hit the road at 5:30A Sunday morning for our flight home. It was a whirlwind 36 hours, but the most magical trip. Emery and Jess had never been to Disney, and getting to be with them when they experienced it for the first time was enchanting. The *magic* was real, the rides were awesome, the food was yummy, and the experience was once-in-a-lifetime. Was it hard taking two under 5? ABSOLUTELY. But going into it with no expectations other than having an amazing time no matter what gave us the opportunity to experience the trip without feeing rushed or on a deadline. We rode what we wanted, ate what we wanted, and let the girls lead our day. No naps while we were Disney-ing, but if they were tired, they hopped in the stroller and we walked around. When they were hungry, we grabbed a delicious snack. It was a perfect weekend even with the multitude of things that went wrong, including an awful experience flying home.... but did the girls care or even notice? NOPE! They were more exited that they were at Disney and their Moms were with them having the time of their life..... TAKE YOUR TODDLER TO DISNEY.

For more proof of how cute Disney is with a toddler, check the pictures below. PS - Donovan likes to hold Charli up in the same spot in front of the castle every time we go... by the time she graduates we're going to have a photo book full of Daddy/Charli/Castle pictures (the crying one is my favorite).

See ya real soon!