So we are super excited that we have started booking and planning our trip to Disney World in December! It’s no secret that I’m a huge Disney fan, and so I’m really glad that Braxton has followed in my footsteps and developed his own love of Mickey Mouse.
(At only 3 months old, his very first swim suit was a Mickey Mouse one.)
(He has lots of Mickey PJ’s and clothes too, and I love it!)
This will be our first big family vacation alone! Blair and I have only ever been on one trip together alone. We haven’t gotten to go on many vacations since our life got very busy very quickly. We still haven’t even taken a Honeymoon. So you can imagine my excitement to have this opportunity! But as excited as I am, I’m also super nervous. Going to a big theme park takes a lot of planning by itself, and going with a toddler adds a whole new element of planning. There’s safety issues to figure out, as well as napping, eating, packing, and more. Luckily I’ve had some wonderful mama’s who have been before give me some great tips and advice. So using that, and what I already know about Disney, I’m hoping to make this a magical and fun time without any stress! (Or at least just minimal stress…)
(Last year’s Christmas was special because it was his 1st Christmas! This year will be special because he’ll get to experience Christmas Disney Style!)
I’m definitely going to post after we go to give more tips, advice, and probably what not to do, but here’s what I’ve heard and know so far in case anyone else is going soon as well, or in case anyone has anything more to add to help us out!
(Throw back to when @disneybaby featured Braxton’s photo on Instagram!)
Planning:
- Book as far out, and as soon as you can. Even if you don’t have all the money for it YET. You just have to pay a $200 deposit when you book, then you can pay as much as you want or can per month as long as it’s all paid off 30 days before you go.
- 180 Days Out: You can start booking restaurant reservations. It sounds so far in advance, but a lot of the popular restaurants book up this far out. (I started doing this 150 days out before I knew, and I wasn’t able to get reservations at Be Our Guest. I’m still trying though!)
- 60 Days Out: You can start booking Fastpasses. (Only if you have already purchased park tickets.) HIGHLY SUGGEST doing this. It doesn’t guarantee you won’t wait in line, but it will guarantee a much shorter wait. Which is super important with little ones who are impatient. You can book 3 per day.
- 30 Days Out: Make sure your trip is paid off. Also, if you are staying at a WDW resort, make sure you have chosen what color you want for your wristband because they should be mailed out to you soon!
(“Who says we have to grow up?”)
Hotel:
- We are staying on the Disney property to make it easy. A complimentary bus will pick you up from the airport and take you back. Buses and shuttles take you to and from the park. Plus you can get in early/stay later on certain days. (There are different “price points” or types of hotels on property. We are staying at one of the All Star Resorts which are one of the “Value Resorts”. Even though this is one of the cheapest options, they are still nice and you still get all the benefits!)
- Ask ahead of time if they provide a crib or pack n play. Most places will. It’ll save you packing room. I would recommend bringing your own sheets for it though.
- Ask ahead of time for a refrigerator in the room. If you tell them it’s for breastmilk, most will let you have one for free. We even got upgraded to a suite for free last year in Houston when I asked for a crib and refrigerator for breastmilk.
(His 1st Birthday was of course Mickey themed!)
At the Park:
- If you don’t want to bring your own stroller, or you are worried about yours getting stolen, you can rent one. I wouldn’t recommend renting them from Disney though. I’ve heard the WDW property strollers are just plastic and not comfortable at all. Plus they are super small. There’s a company called Kingdom Strollers that you can rent ones like a Bob stroller from. (It can be a hassle to go back and forth to the room for naps, so it’s better to have a comfortable stroller so the little ones can just nap anywhere you are.)
- Bring a carrier so you don’t have to hold your little ones during long lines. (You can’t bring your stroller in lines.)
- A backpack leash or wrist leash comes in handy for toddlers who want to take off. It’s super packed in the parks and they can get lost in a crowd way too fast.
- Find a way to put your contact info on your child in case they do get lost. I’ve found a company that makes a bracelet with your contact info on it. Or make temporary tattoos.
- Not a must-have, but color coordinating shirts make for better pictures at the park. There are many small shops on Instagram and Etsy that sell family vacation, Disney, and other types of matching and coordinating tops. I will definitely be planning each days outfit. Plus it will make packing and the mornings easier if we know exactly what everyone is going to wear. (I’ve found a few that I like, but if anyone has any recommendations for low cost options, let me know!)
(His best pals, Mickey and Goofy. He had Christmas Mickey PJ’s that he wore on Christmas day last year. I’ll be sure to get new ones this year!)
I’ve had people ask why we wouldn’t wait until he’s older and can remember the trip. My answer is that obviously we will go back when he’s older! But right now, he’s at an age where almost everything is free for him to go. The flight, hotel room and park tickets will all be free for him. So we are just paying for ourselves to go. The only thing we have to pay for him is food. And some places will give you free food for kids under 2 as well. (All buffet style restaurants in Disney are free for his age.) So he’ll still enjoy it, and we’ll have pictures for memories for him. His face the first time he meets Mickey Mouse will be priceless. I’m going to do my best to document it with lots of pictures, and hopefully try to do some vlogging while we are there. If anyone else has anymore tips for a smooth and enjoyable trip to Disney with a toddler then let me know!
(We’ll see ya real soon Mickey! Follow our hashtag, #BraxmeetsMickey when we go to see all the excitement!)