To ask if you would take an 18 month old to Disneyworld?

[PurpleFlower1983]

Posting here for traffic.

We’re thinking about booking to go to Florida next year, our little girl will be 18 months old at that time. We would be going in August so it will be hot.

For context, we always said we would wait until our little one was 5 or 6 until taking her (both me and my husband have been to Orlando several times when we were younger but the last time was around 9 years ago). I know she won’t remember it but the reason we are considering next year is that my parents would desperately like to go to Florida again, especially with our little girl. My mum is physically disabled and has several chronic conditions, her health has deteriorated significantly over the last 8 years and continues to do so. We would be looking at flights with a stop to make it more manageable for her but it is something she really wants to do.

Has anyone been with a child this young? I know it is completely set up for children but I’m just wondering if anyone had any real life experience/tips. Would you go in our situation?

We've just came back last week with our 10 month old girl, and although it was quite tiring for her and she probs won't remember, she had the time of her life. However the weather was already so hot that was a real struggle and we kept saying that if we come back it won't be past February/March when temperatures are in the 20s. We were dying walking around and thinking how the hell people do it in July/August, specially with babies. So if your plan is to go then, then for yours and your baby's sake I would say no.

I have to say I missed the flight bit - why would a stop be more manageable because indirect flights and immigration and moving from one plane to another is far more strenuous! And actually although can save significant money doesnt save flying time

Quartz2208 It was more to make the flight time more manageable for my mum, I much prefer direct flights! But I do think it might be better to just go for the direct one.

I married into a Disney family so we’ve taken our two DC at various points aged between 3 months and 4 years (so far, we’re plotting to go back next when they’re four and six), also with Grandma in tow.

At 18 months we found it a lovely experience, if you plan how you’re doing it. We’re very Disney focused, so stayed in a villa on property. We’d do a park when it opened for a few hours, then finish with a snack etc around 11.30am or noonish. Head back to the villa for nap time / cool down and then head to an umbrella / shade by the pool for a few hours later in the afternoon then (dining plan) dinner out around 5.30pm. Back to the villa for around 7.30pm bath and bed. Then either we’d all stay in the villa for the night or two of the three adults would head out to Disney Springs / park for the evening and fireworks / outlet for shopping etc. At their tiredest both of ours would sleep in a buggy in a restaurant under a blanket.

It was the most amazing experience. We loved every minute and these are the family memories that will last us for years. Last time we went DS was 19 months and he still remembers certain elements a year on and talks about them and it is a wonderful thing that they’ve done with grandma and a big family memory for all of us.

But if you are going to try and jam in every ride, queue for four hours for Avatar or Star Wars land, and get to the park for rope drop and stay till final fireworks every day it will be a miserable and exhausting experience. (Also frankly, mum in law is now 65, she couldn’t cope with a day like that in Floridian heat, much less the DC doing it).

With planning and easy going days though for us it really is the happiest place on earth (TM).

Yip.

Took both on mine at 10 months and 8 months. Disney have plenty of things in place to make it easier for you.

We are lucky enough to go every year and know it very well. We also are bothered about getting on every single ride etc so there's no pressure.

We done Disney hotels, off site hotels and villas. They all have different plus and minus points.

It will be a holiday of a lifetime with your parents. Life is short just go! ♥️

PS: Im a teacher to August is my only option! It's fine. You figure it out with the heat xx

We’re not planning on jamming everything in. My parents and I went to Orlando 5 times when I was little, I went twice as an adult and my DH has been loads so we don’t feel the need to cram everything in. We also know it will be a different experience with a young child and it will revolve around their needs.

Thank you all so much for your input, I appreciate all the comments for and against. I’m going to talk it over with my DH and parents this afternoon.

If your going away closer to home in two weeks I would wait until after then to make any final decisions as she will know now she feels travelling and doing stuff after that

I would do it. You sound like big fans, and you're doing it for the adults rather than the toddler. You're making memories for your Mum.

The key to theme parks with tiny ones is to go at their pace and reduce your expectations to zero. Plan the rides you definitely want her to go on, do one of those first thing each day you're there and let her toddle and enjoy the atmosphere for the rest of the time while the adults take turns going on the fun stuff. Toddlers love just wandering and looking at things slowly, at their own pace without being snatched up and raced off to the next thing. That's what makes for a nightmarish day.

Sirzy And if we can cope with my parents for a length of time!

We went when ours were 16 months and just 3, even the 3 year old can't remember it but they did have a good time (California not Florida mind you which was just one park then, and we only went for 1 day, the rest of the time we did Hollywood, museums etc and part of a longer road trip). It's not really about the rides at that age, they loved story time (Cinderella read stories for nearly an hour) and Mickey held my youngest for a photo. It's much busier in August though and I don't think you can walk up to the characters anymore. If it's a case of wanting to see the characters with your parents, off peak in Paris is a better bet (check french, British, German, Dutch and Belgian school dates which make up most the visitors). Also August is hurricane season in Florida

Ps northern us states don't return to school until early September, the only time is school holidays sometimes don't clash is Easter as they have set holidays rather than our roaming ones

We did it
Total waste of time and money. She was too hot and didn’t show any interest in anything other than one area with water so she could run around and cool off . Most of the time she lay in the buggy too hot to move while I kept the sun off her and tried to persuade her to drink water ( while melting myself)
We had an ok time but I wish we hadn’t bothered to be honest

I know why everyone is saying about Paris but it’s not a route we want to go down. It will either be Florida next year and then when she’s old enough to to appreciate it or wait until 5 or 6 to go. We don’t want her to do Paris first as the true magic of Disney is Walt Disney World IMO, or California. I do love Disneyland Paris though!

We will definitely take her again when she is old enough, this is more for my parents.

Yeah I think the maximum amount of time you could save really is an hour and a half for somewhere like New York and all of that would be lost in the stres

Where might be an idea though is Dublin as there you go through immigration before boarding the transatlantic flight and definitely look into help at immigration (even if you have to use the new paying option where you have an interview) as immigration is brutal at the moment minimum hour queue

I will be honest I dont think travelling with your 18 month old is going to be what you need to sort out - they will be fine revolving around their needs will be easy (naps etc at Villa/pool days/booking character experiences/fastpasses) and the Dibb and Its Orlando time will help there

I think your focus needs to be making sure it is doable for your Mum and how to make that work

"If your going away closer to home in two weeks I would wait until after then to make any final decisions as she will know now she feels travelling and doing stuff after that"

This

We did it at 2.5 and 3.5, but later in the year, October and November. The weather was mid 20s so not too hot, the parks weren't too busy.
DS won't remember a thing but we loved it.

Yes I would do it again with a young child but not in the height of summer if you could avoid it.

My parents took us when my brother was 15 months we all had a ball and we went back again (numerous times) when the youngest one was only 7 months again everyone loved it but we have been a few times so we did the parks for a couple of hours in the morning then chilled by the pool had an afternoon nap etc and then would go back in some evening for dinner. No mad queuing for hours on end.. Works well if you use fastpass..
I would suggest July though if you can because the weather can be a bit better ... August starts to get into rainy/ hurricane season
We are planning to take my son when he is 2.5 but at Christmas time when it is a bit cooler as dh is miserable in the heat

If you have been yourself loads of times you know the parks Magic Kindom and 1 other I would do a day at universal and pop out to Busch gardens is how I would do it with a toddler.

Took my DD to Disney in Paris when she was 17 months and she was petrified of all the dressed up characters so it would be a no from me!

Yes I would for your DM and the memories she will have.

Can’t say I’d choose August due to the fires of hell heat but understand why you have to.

I’d go out early in a morning and back to villa for pool time during the afternoon and back out later.

We have just come back from there with our 18 month old...she loved it and we are planning to go next year.
Tbf tho, it was my 8th trip, hubby's 4th and elder child's 3rd; we have had lots of experience so were able to truly prioritise rather than 'do' everything

Also we did indirect flight, stopped in Dulles. I am disabled so was wheelchaired between the gates, just allow lots of time to clear immigration before flight to MCO. 18 month old sat on my lap, buggy piled up with hand luggage, large boy and hubby trailed along.
I was incredibly stressed about whether it would all work and defo overpacked Hans luggage, but if you asked to do the same again tomorrow I would do in a heartbeat!

We just did it this year with a four year old and at the time a 9 month old. It was hard work but I found that when we went without kids it's just such a big park. We all had a great time my 9mo loved the fireworks! We took ear defenders for the noise and she was fine. We also did it with my older child when she was just about to turn 2 and she loved it then as well.

Ive taken my two boys every year since my oldest was 11 months. Such wonderful happy memories. Every holiday different as adapted to their ages. They are 22 and 20 now. We havent been since they reached 18.
Only the other day they asked when we are all going again !!