3 yo at Disney World

[Epicurean]

We really want to go on a fun family vacation before our second baby is born. The trouble is, I'd prefer some sort of all inclusive trip where not a whole lot of decisions or travel happen once were there. Ideally, I'd like a cruise, but I'll be 25 weeks pregnant so that's not allowed (plus the Caribbean is off limits because of Zika).

 

My DH suggested Disney World. We'd spend five days there in mid-December (hopefully before most kids are on winter break). But I'm concerned that an almost 3 year old (1 month from her birthday) is too young to get much out of it, and we'll all just end up tired and cranky. Fwiw, she's only seen three Disney movies (Mary Poppins, Fantasia, Winnie the Pooh) at the grandparents because we don't watch much tv. But I know that wouldn't stop her from enjoying the kiddie rides.

 

Would you do it? Can you think of any other vacation ideas? Any advice if you've done Disney from a toddler-centric pov?

[Erica in OR]

My parents took me when I was three. I've never gotten a chance to go back and have always felt like I've missed out, to be honest. I can say "I went to Disney World," but don't remember a bit of it. A few photos are all. Speaking of tears, there were some in evidence on the Dumbo ride in a photo.

 

Erica in OR

[Jean in Newcastle]

I was three when I went to Disney Land for the first time.  I loved "It's a small world".  I was terrified of "Pirate's of the Caribbean".  I still remember those two rides!  I'm sure we did more that I just don't remember. 

[kiwik]

I would go somewhere really quiet (a small beach side town for example) and just spend time together.

[Ottakee]

If read that right, the almost 3 yet old is your only child right now. If that is the case, I would wait on Disney. I think it might be a mixed bag and with you pregnant it might be a lot of walking for you and you might not be able to ride many rides (not sure on policy).

[mom2att]

There are lots of reasons to do this. First, since it's before her 3rd birthday, she won't need a ticket--2 and unders are free.  Second, December is a lovely month to visit, provided you come early enough to avoid the Christmas rush. Third, no matter what you choose to do, it's likely she won't remember it, but you will. She will, however, have a lot of fun, and you will love experiencing everything with her. Take a lot of pictures so you can relive it with her again and again, then go back when the new baby is almost 3 to experience it all over again (and this time your older one will remember!)

 

We live in Florida and we went to Disney a lot when our kids were little. We have many happy memories there.

[hellen]

I've done Disney with a toddler. I thought it was mostly fine but I don't like big rides so I never felt like I was missing out. I was still able to do pretty much everything I wanted to.

 

The downside to Disney for you is going to be all of the walking. It's a lot of walking.

 

I can't think of a good alternative for December. If you go earlier, you could try the Disney resort at Hilton Head.

[desertflower]

There are lots of reasons to do this. First, since it's before her 3rd birthday, she won't need a ticket--2 and unders are free. Second, December is a lovely month to visit, provided you come early enough to avoid the Christmas rush. Third, no matter what you choose to do, it's likely she won't remember it, but you will. She will, however, have a lot of fun, and you will love experiencing everything with her. Take a lot of pictures so you can relive it with her again and again, then go back when the new baby is almost 3 to experience it all over again (and this time your older one will remember!)

 

We live in Florida and we went to Disney a lot when our kids were little. We have many happy memories there.

I agree. My dh had a project in FL when my ds was almost 2 and my dd was 3 or 4 months old. Me and the kids went everyday to mostly animal kingdom. Epcot was his second favorite. He didn't ride a whole lot. Just walked a lot. He had so much fun.

 

On weekends we tried Magic Kingdom with dh. I don't remember much from that experience.

 

I can't remember if it's the whole month of December or just the week before Christmas, but it's beautiful down there during that time of the year.

 

If you want to go, I don't see why not.

[catz]

We took my son at 3 while I was pregnant. We were visiting relatives, one who worked at Disney. So though it was ok it would not have been my first choice of trip with a kid that age.

[SemiSweet]

I haven't done it yet, but we are doing it in December too. We are doing 4 days at Disney, followed by 2 at Universal, then a 3 day Disney cruise. My guy will be two months shy of 4, and does well with lots of activity as well as no naps. I think it depends on your kid.

[lmrich]

Do you like Disney World? If you are a big fan, then go. We took an almost three year old, and she loved it. (We also had a 6 month old and 5 year old) BUT I love Disney World. I think the bigger deal is that you are pregnant and cannot go on all the rides. 

 

[carriede]

Yes depends on the kid.

 

We took our brood last fall, so we had a 6yo, new 4yo, 1.5yo, and I was pregnant. I basically hung out with the 1yo all day, taking it slow, and added in the 4yo later while DH and the 6yo did more "big kid" rides.

 

Example, there's a parade through the Magic Kingdom at 3pm everyday. At 2pm, I parked myself and the 2 littles in a shady spot to wait for the parade to start. They napped, I rested, DH and older DS went on one more ride. I wastep an hour sitting, but it was much needed for our whole family to have a good time.

 

My advice, if you choose to persue this, is to not have any expectations about what your day "should" be like. Pick 2-3 must dos per, and understand that if thats all you do, then it's been a great day. Toddler pace and all that.

 

That said, we obviously waited till our oldest was older. And we'll have to go again for our youngers at some point in the future.

[HomeAgain]

We took our youngest to Disney at age 2.5 and 3.5.  He still talks about those parks years later.  We made sure to take our Ergo, a stroller, and utilize the baby care rooms - in addition to being quiet, they also had small potties.  We went to Paris, though, where it was very quiet so he didn't get overwhelmed.  I don't know how he would do in the December crowds even years later.  We planned in a down day, and took breaks to hang out at the hotel - it's one reason we'll never plan an offsite vacation if we go.  We need the rest, not a 2 hour trip back and forth.

 

We also learned, after taking our oldest as a child to WDW, not to do quick service meals (in the Magic Kingdom especially) for our entire trip.  It means children eat nothing but the greasy trifecta (pizza, burger, nuggets) or a really bad pb&j.  We bring snacks, and make sure to hit a buffet so littles can have real meals with vegetables.  Paris was not a problem, but a quick glance at menus in the states show how bad and monotonous they are.

 

 

One upside from taking a 3yo was for the next few years we got to work our way through all age appropriate Disney shows and classic books that went along with the attractions.  Took us a while to hunt down an old Alice in Wonderland dvd after reading the Lewis Carroll text, but now he knows who the freaky round people were supposed to be outside the teacups.   :lol: 

 

 

[ashfern]

We went when my now 8 yo was turning 3. She doesn't remember it at all. She enjoyed it at the time. I have older kids and they all remember going. If it's something that you & your husband would enjoy then I'd do it. Otherwise, wait until your child is older and will remember the experience.

[Lanny]

You will probably see children much older than 3 years old, asleep in their strollers, in WDW and in UO.  

[DawnM]

In your situation, I would not choose Disney.  I can't even believe I am saying that, since Disney one of my very favorite places, but the only reason my kids went a lot when they were babies is because we lived 45 min. away from Disneyland and had APs and could go for just a few hours and go home and not feel like we were wasting our money.

 

I would do a beach trip, a mountain cabin, something quieter and more calming.  

[PeachyDoodle]

We took our almost-3yo to the Magic Kingdom on a day trip on a whim. (We were in Orlando already for another reason.) She had fun, but we were only able to stay for a few hours before she was too tired to continue. That was fine, because it wasn't something we'd planned and we didn't feel any pressure to "get our money's worth." There is so much to see and do at Disney, and it is so expensive, that it's very easy to fall into the trap of pushing everyone to the point of misery, just trying to get it all in. If you can do it in a very relaxed way, it might be fine. But I personally wouldn't spend that kind of money on a trip for a 3yo. YMMV.

 

 

[StaceyinLA]

I think 3yo is a perfect age, if you are realistic about not staying in the park from open to close (and with good planning that isn't necessary anyway). That is a great time of year in terms of weather, the decorations are fabulous, and the crowds should still be moderate if you're there maybe the 10th-15th or something along those lines. You can get a LOT done in the first few hours after opening in each park, then do some low-key things while she naps (you and your husband would still enjoy those things) then have some fast passes for other things scheduled for when she wakes. You can even plan to leave the park for a bit mid-day then return early evening. You have a lot of options and I think y'all could see and do a lot that Disney has to offer without pushing her to exhaustion.

 

As far as your pregnancy, my girls have both gone pretty pregnant (one twice), and other than not riding thrill rides, they did fine. In December the extreme heat won't be an issue. Yes, there will be walking, but lots of opportunities for breaks and sitting, and plenty of rides to ride and shows to see that are perfectly safe.

 

I took my kids at that age and we have taken all of my grandkids multiple times by that age. In fact, I am headed there with my daughter and her 3 next month (5, 3 and 15 months). They have behaved better at Disney all day than they do on trips to the grocery store - there is just so much to see and do!

 

To me, there is nothing like the awe of a 3 year old when seeing/riding the rides, meeting the characters and watching the parades.

 

We get the memory maker package, and when we get home I make the grandkids each a book on Shutterfly with all the pictures of them with the characters. They absolutely love them, and look at them talking about the characters almost every day.

 

I do free Disney travel planning, so if you decide to go, and have any questions, feel free to message me.

 

**I thought I'd add that leading up to it, it might be fun to let her watch a few of the Disney movies and Mickey Mouse so she'd enjoy meeting the princesses and characters.**

Edited August 8, 2016 by StaceyinLA

[mmasc]

We took our 3-year old and he had a lot of fun, but he's the youngest of our three. I think you could have a great time if you took it 'toddler paced' and didn't feel like you had to do and see everything there.

One of our favorite winter vacation destinations is Great Wolf Lodge. Little ones love the water, and winter wouldn't normally provide pool time, so it's a win-win for us. :) Plus, once we get there, we don't normally leave for the entire stay, so no driving!

[Eagle]

Do you live somewhere that gets snow? If not, I would get a cabin for a few days and let her experience a winter wonderland. Hot chocolate, snow angels, snowmen, snow forts.

[Mergath]

Is it safe to go to Disney World right now? I know there are travel warnings about some parts of Florida because of the Zika virus, but I'm not sure how close they are to DW. If I was pregnant though, I'd probably visit somewhere else just to be safe.

 

Plus DW sounds like my idea of hell. So yeah. :P

[Shellydon]

We've been twice. The first time, our youngest was 1 month shy of 3.  He loved it.  If you want to do it, go for it.

[Spryte]

We took an almost 3 yr old. We don't watch Disney movies, and she couldn't care less about princesses. She still had a blast and remembers it at 5.

 

We are not Disney people, but we like doing because they are good with food allergies for our older kid.

 

That said, I personally would not choose to go to DW in FL right now while pregnant. Call me paranoid, but I wouldn't want to be pregnant anywhere in the remotely close vicinity to zika. I know the distances, it's a long way away, DW sprays, people live in FL, and so on. It's my irrational fear. But I have had multiple vector borne diseases, so I have earned the paranoia. :)

[Katy]

eh, if you had an older kid too I would go, but in your circumstances, no.  And at that time of year, the water in North & Central Florida (on the gulf side, at least), is too cold to swim.

 

Is there any time between now & then that you could go to a beach somewhere else?  That's what I would do.

[rjand6more]

We have been many times.  Almost always with a person that age.:) I have been once pregnant.  It was not my favorite trip, but it was HOT.  So, I was cranky. lol.  

 

We love DW. So, we always joke that we go and the kids get to come too. :)  Does a 3 year old get much out of it?  That depends.  You need to have lower expectations and just take the day as it comes.  Characters are SO much fun with littles!  We are creating our own memories.  I doubt they remember it, but they think they do.  We talk about it all the time.  We remember it and they are only little once.  There is a feeling of wonder in a little person and it is so exciting for me to see it.  

 

 

[StaceyinLA]

eh, if you had an older kid too I would go, but in your circumstances, no. And at that time of year, the water in North & Central Florida (on the gulf side, at least), is too cold to swim.

 

Is there any time between now & then that you could go to a beach somewhere else? That's what I would do.

At Disney the pools are heated, so if the weather is at all warm, swimming is certainly an option.

[Ellie]

I don't believe in taking people to either Disneyland or Disney World who are either (1) unable to walk all day long on their own feet, without needing a nap, or (2) little enough to be carried in a baby sling of some kind by another person. So, no, I would not take a 3yo. In our family, we take children to Disneyland for the first time on their fifth birthdays. :-)

[Murmer]

We have been taking our kids since my youngest was 9 months old...yes I would take a 3 year old to Disney...but I would plan it toward them.  We always took a family member to be a nanny...this person would get afternoons off to do what they wish while we did naps...but then they would take the baby in the evening so we could have nights off...we paid for the room and tickets nanny had to get there (mostly because they live too far away for us to arrange it all).  It can be a fabulous vacation and so fun to watch the wonder (or fear which is also adorable) of seeing giant stuffed animals that move.  

[zoobie]

We went for the first time when our kids were 5 mos and just over 2 (so both free). It was a blast. The little one had the boob and was happy in a sling, I wasn't pregnant and could do rider swap. Honestly, I'd wait until the baby is born. Early December is a great time to go. Math isn't my strong point right now. Will the baby still be in the meatloaf stage next December? You're already paying for the 3 year old, so you might as well wait until you can enjoy it and don't have the whole pregnancy waddle, swollen feet thing. :)

[Guest]

I think it's great IF the parents are relaxed about it. We did a Disney trip when my kids were 7, 5 and 9 mths. Some people thought bringing a baby was a totally kooky idea. It was mostly fine, because I was prepared to leave the parks when the baby (or anyone) was D.O.N.E. I do know people sometimes feel that it's too expensive to just be relaxed about it; they want to be at the parks daily from open till close. If that describes you, don't go. But we went with time built in to not be at the parks at all and, as I said, if everyone was no longer having fun, we went back to the hotel and played in the pool.

 

One nice thing about Disney is that if you want it to be all-inclusive the way a cruise is, you can arrange it that way. For that particular trip, we did it the all-inclusive way and it was perfect for what we needed at the time.

[Zebra]

I haven't read all the responses.

 

I took my 6 year old the first time I went to Disney on a business trip with DH.   DD couldn't have cared less.  She was tired and hot, and mostly enjoyed things like the pool at the hotel and eating ice cream.   She didn't like walking around, and she was scared of a lot of the rides.  

 

We just went back this past year when DD was 12, and it was like night and day.   She enjoyed herself and got so much more out of it.  

 

I am not saying you can't bring your 3 year old, but I wouldn't do it.   The 3 year old will get absolutely nothing out of it and you will mostly be frustrated trying to make sure the 3 year old eats and sleeps and doesn't have a meltdown.

 

YMMV! 

[Plateau Mama]

I've taken all three of my kids at 3. I've gone twice while pregnant. It is one of my favorite ages to go. The only must is you need to go back to the room for a nap.

[Garga]

I like amusement parks for myself--if I can go when and where I want and ride roller coasters. I haaaaate amusement parks with little kids. I'm a nervous wreck that I'll lose my child and all I do is walk around with my eyes clapped on my kid and don't get to see anything else. I'm exhausted by noon.

 

But if you do go, then make a point of having her watch a bunch of Disney movies between now and December.

 

If you don't do Disney, how about a Great Wolf Lodge type place?

Edited August 8, 2016 by Garga

[Catalytic]

We took an almost 3 yr old. We don't watch Disney movies, and she couldn't care less about princesses. She still had a blast and remembers it at 5.

 

We are not Disney people, but we like doing because they are good with food allergies for our older kid.

 

That said, I personally would not choose to go to DW in FL right now while pregnant. Call me paranoid, but I wouldn't want to be pregnant anywhere in the remotely close vicinity to zika. I know the distances, it's a long way away, DW sprays, people live in FL, and so on. It's my irrational fear. But I have had multiple vector borne diseases, so I have earned the paranoia. :)

 

 

Yep!  Zika is already just 3 hours away from Disney World...and it's only August.  Yes, a 3 year old can have fun at Disney World.  For the price, I don't think it's worth it for a 3 year old OR for someone who is pregnant.  And there is no way in Hades I would voluntarily go to Florida if I were pregnant right now.  (If I lived in FL, and had annual passes, then yes, I'd take a 3 year old to Disney, and have done so, but not with the whole picture you presented.)

[mommyoffive]

We have taken kids that are younger than 3 there.  But only because we wanted to take the older kids there while they were still young enough to do the little kid things there.  We went when one kid was 2.   And again when the baby was 3 months.  

 

They will have fun.  But they will have fun anywhere.  And you don't pay for them.  But they also will not want to do some rides that you may want to.

 

I would not go there pg.  Maybe I am a wuss, but the heat, the walking, the waiting..... I wouldn't want to do that pg.  

 

I would not go to FL if I was pg.  I was just reading that and I still may or may not want to have another baby and I am so glad I am not vacationing in FL.

[Carrie Sue]

We took my 10yo there when he was 3...he loved the characters most of all, and most of the rides were great for his age in MK.  We got to the parks each day at 8:30am, then left around 1 and napped/swam, then would go back for dinner or just to leisurely hang out or see fireworks.  He remembers nothing now!  But he did have a great time.  At least you are going when the weather will be wonderful!  It was 95 every day for us :)

[staceyobu]

We have gone to Disneyland with a 2.5 year old and 10 week old.

 

We've done Disney World with a 1 and 3 year old (and two older kids).

 

We always planned to "take it easy" and then wound up at the parks partying from open to close.

 

I'm glad we did it with every age. I would never turn down an opportunity for Disney, lol.

 

In your shoes, I would be worried about zika in florida. Is Disney Land an option?

Edited August 11, 2016 by staceyobu