Disney with an 19 month old!

[jenperich]

We are first time parents to a great little boy. We will, hopefully, be taking him to WDW in Oct. 2013. He will be 19 months old. We are DVC people wih points at Bay lake. I have a few questions to get my planning started.

1. What is the best DVC resort for a little one?
2. Should we rent a car? We never have before.
3. Is there any other advice you can give?

Thanks in advance!! This will surely be a trip to remember.

[Georgesgirl1]

We've taken our boys at 6 months, 11 months, 20 months and just shy of 3 years old. You are going to have a great time!
1. Bay Lake Towers would be nice because it is so close to the Magic Kingdom. We stayed at Kidani Village with ODS was 20 months. ODS loved it because he got to watch the animals from our balcony. They also had a great water area at the pool which he loved.
2. We always have a car since we drive down. I think it is definitely good to have a car when you take kids because you don't have to worry about having to stand with a tired kiddo, stroller, bags, etc on a crowded bus at the end of the night.
3. Take advantage of the baby care centers. They are a great place to take a break during the day. They also have nice diaper changing facilities there. Be prepared to take it slower than usual. We always watch our boys cues during our trip. Some days they are fine to be in the park all day long, but other days, we need to sleep in or only spend half a day in the parks.

[DizneyRox]

Honestly?

AKLV (Kidani) is great for ones that age. The water area at the pool is great, there's a TON to do at the resort. You probably don't even have to leave.

Seriously, we could have spent the week at the resort saving a mint on park tickets. Our little guy couldn't care less about WDW at that age. I thought we'd be depriving him of an experience, but that's all he was asking about was the pool.

No car needed...

[RBrooksC]

We went with our son back in 2007 when he was about 18 months old.

We didn't stay in a DVC, we just stayed in the WL and used their pack-n-play.

We always rent a car down there. It makes it much easier to get around the resort and I liked the freedom of knowing I didn't have to wait for a bus.

What we found with a child that old is the best laid plans never seem to happen. We had decided to go first thing in the morning, since he would be up anyway and that is what we did. We planed on leaving about noon to go back to the resort to rest and swim. However, he would fall asleep in the stroller around 11:30 and we didn't want to wake him taking him out of the stroller for the boat, etc. So, we ended up most days letting him sleep in the stroller and we would spend the entire day in the park.

We went at the end of September, so the park hours were much shorter. So, we would just leave the park around 5-7 PM and then swim in the early evening before going to bed at a decent hour.

He rode everything that did not have a height requirement and had no issues with the things that some would consider scary.

We actually had a very relaxing time. He enjoyed himself as much as a toddler could.

[Tri Minnie]

Congratulations on the birth of your son! We have taken a number of trips with little ones and will be doing so for a while, as our youngest is two months old.

Recently (December) we stayed at Kidani Village and had a fantastic time. Our children were 3 and 17 months. They loved looking at the animals, and the pool area was amazing. We hope to stay here again when the weather is a little warmer! However I don't have much to compare it to, as we have not yet stayed at any other DVC resorts and were renting points. Having said that, we would stay here again in a heartbeat.

We did not have a car and depended solely on Disney transportation. We really didn't wait too long for any busses and were quite satisfied. I must say though that we didn't stay until park closings. We also did not have trouble with our double stroller on any of the transportation. My husband usually stood with it folded on the bus.

I don't know if it would work for you, but we had a lot of success being at the parks for opening. This was particularly true at MK. We did most of Fantasyland and other typical favorites within the first two hours. We often explored resorts in the early afternoon and the returned to the park for a few hours before heading back for bedtime. I was also surprised how much our then 17 month old loved the parades. We hadn't planned on doing them, but we quickly changed our plans when we saw how excited both children were! Have fun planning.

[Disney Doll]

1. For DVC resort I would recommend Kidani or Beach Club. My son was almost 2 when we stayed at Kidani and he really enjoyed the animals and the splash park by the pool.

I would say that Beach Club would be my second choice for that age because their pool had a very large shallow area and lots of sand for digging.

If you don't want to rent a car I would give Contemporary the edge because of location and the fact that you are likely to spend more time at MK.

2. I prefer to have a car for little kids. Strollers are such a pain on buses and sometimes little ones are not great at waiting. Being able to get back to your own car and being settled in for the ride is great. Plus you have plenty of room for stroller/ diaper bag and you are always guaranteed a seat.

[ANG]

We stayed at Bay Lake when our eldest was 18 months. It was terrific, IMO. I think having a monorail resort is a BIG perk with little kids. You don't have to take them in and out of the strollers so much like you on on the buses.

We never rent a car when we fly. If you just plan accordingly, buses aren't that big of a deal.

Our youngest will be 19 months this time and we are staying at the WL villas. I'd rather stay on the monorail but DH wanted to try something new. And from what I hear it's a great resort for kiddos.

Plan Plan Plan. Learn where the baby centers are in each park. Get to parks early so baby can rest mid day. And don't keep baby out late and expect them to be awesome the next morning. Just things we have learned!

[Pirate Granny]

BLT has a wonderful splash area too...and a beach with sand (no swimming in the lake). I believe the walk to MK will be wonderful...looking forward to that experience in a few weeks!!!!! While the pool at Kidani is nice, the kid pool at Jambo *****...a cement round pool . I would keep your reservation at BLT...and the buses are fine...you would still have to park car, go get it in the HEAT and cool it off...you may wait for a bus, but we've never run out of entertainment value for our DGKs while waiting or even on the bus...no melt downs and our Eme who is 5, has been there 4 times already...

[Joannelet]

I have brought my oldest son who is now 3 years starting at 7.5 months old to Disney. This will be his 5th trip coming up in December. We always drive so we always have a car but have used the buses too. If you can try to avoid buses. It was the worst getting him on and off with the stroller etc especially when he fell asleep having to carry him etc. things beyond our control happened on every bus we took as one night it took 2 hours to get back to our resort. So if you can either stay at a monorail resort so you can frequent the parks on that path or do rent a car so you can go and come as you please.
Like others have said use the baby centers!!!! They are wonderful! Take time. To enjoy the pool on hot days and don't feel like you have to do everything. Let the baby nap wherever. My son always took his normal naps in the stroller, slept in the pack n play (just bring your own sheets and a blanket if he uses one) and they even have a high chair in the rooms as well.
We stayed at Beach Club, saratoga springs (where we own), the Dolphin, and AKL jambo house. Now that he has started to remember trips he loves AKL. We will be staying at that hotel our next trip with him and our newborn who will be 8 months by that time with one night in a CARS suite at the Animation resort. But like I said we have a car so I don't mind not staying in a monorail access resort. So it is all up to you and your family and what works vs doesn't work.
Have a great trip! It is wonderful seeing it through their eyes and when they start to remember (around 2.5) those memories are beyond priceless.

[Tri Minnie]

I have been trying to edit my post to correct busses to buses. I must have held the s too long Since I can't figure out how to edit the post beyond an initial edit, I have decided that I would rather admit that I am not technologically savvy than have a spelling error.

As someone who travels frequently with little ones, I enjoy reading all of your experiences.

[AmandaChan]

Unless you plan on going to other places than the resort I would NOT rent a car. Too much hassle, especially when you are staying so close to MK and the monorail. Not only would you have to worry about getting to a rental car place but you would have to rent or bring your own car seat which can get expensive, then you have to drive to the resort, then you have to drive back to the rental car... deal with the carseat.. yeah no thanks. You can check your stroller at the gate on the plane for FREE and they give it back to you right when you get off.

You can take your stroller right onto the monorails without having to fold them up. And I was so nervous about taking DS (was 13 months at the time) on the bus with a stroller but it was NOT that bad. Advice? Take breaks back at the hotel to let them cool down, run around the room (they don't get to do much running around in the parks)... I dono if you're going when it's hot out but we carried a little spray bottle that made a huge difference, and a paper fan -- which was the #1 most important thing we had (besides water, hah).. just standing in line when the air isn't moving, made all the difference in the world. Also keep plenty of snacks that they like on hand. I'm sure you know that already..
the baby care centers were SO nice... often I would take DS when the rest of the group was riding/doing something we couldn't that would take up some time. They have separate nursing rooms, things you can buy, etc.

Also and expect to take your time. DH and I have been so many times alone we were used to doing it all (almost)... but we didn't get to get nearly as much done... however I partly think that went along with going in a group of 8 and everyone's conflicting interests (and walking rates... hah)..

one of the most magical and wonderful memories we have is when we had ds's haircut at the barber shop. it was so perfect! they gave him mickey ears 'first haircut'... I teared up (and so did dh) while we were leaving. I can't wake to take my daughter for her first hair cut.

[RBrooksC]

Unless you plan on going to other places than the resort I would NOT rent a car. Too much hassle, especially when you are staying so close to MK and the monorail. Not only would you have to worry about getting to a rental car place but you would have to rent or bring your own car seat which can get expensive, then you have to drive to the resort, then you have to drive back to the rental car... deal with the carseat.. yeah no thanks. You can check your stroller at the gate on the plane for FREE and they give it back to you right when you get off.

I will respectfully disagree with that statement. I found having a car with our 18 month old when we stayed at the WL was the best decision we made.

We always had a vehicle to get where we needed to go and never had to worry about a bus or any other type of Disney transportation. We had trunk space to store stuff and, since we had our car seat on the plane, it wasn't a hassle at all to just put it in the car.

I truly believe a car is indispensible in Disney any time if you want to save time getting around and not have to use Advanced Mathmatics to figure how to get from Point A to Point C when you need to put a Point B in there as a transfer. When you have a small child it becomes something that makes your life even easier when on a trip like Disney.

[kakn7294]

We have gone with young children and have never rented a car. I can see the point either way but we've always chosen to just use Disney transportation. If you choose to not rent one, the best tip I can give you is to assign tasks related to the transportation. We always had the stroller emptied, folded, and ready to get on the bus. One person was in charge of the child, the other in charge of the stroller and all it's contents. If we got separate on the bus - which often happened - we knew the other person was doing their job and things were taken care of.

If I had the means when our kids were little, I would have chosen a monorail resort so my choice would be BLT for a DVC member.

[Katzateer]

We never had a car when we stayed onsite with little ones.

The best advise I can give - be flexible. Some of our most magical moments with toddlers were unplanned activities -they find joy in unexpected places.

Our best morning- during a downpour on a December day. We got lots of one-on-one time with Cinderella, Prince Charming and the Fairy Godmother. I have pictures of my two girls singing Itsy Bitsy Spider with all three of them and lipstick kisses on the girls smiling faces.

Favorite activity - playing with dancing lights in sidewalk at EPCOT. That was more fun than the fireworks!

[Georgesgirl1]

Someone else mentioned the Harmony Barber Shop and I completely forgot about that. We had both of our boys' first haircuts done there. Totally worth it for the great experience and a set of first haircut Mickey Ears!

[Pooh Fan]

Our first trip with DS was at 4 months old. It was truly my most memorable Disney trip. The first time sharing that magic with our baby boy is something I will never forget. I truly felt like we were the family Walt had envisioned when he created the park. We stayed at OKW on that trip and it was ideal. We did rent a car and being able to basically park at the door to your room is awesome. The car allowed us to get tothe grocery store as well so that we did not have to pack a weeks worth of diapers, formula etc. We were in a two bedroom and the washer/dryer and kitchen were great to have. We would often due mornings in the park and return to the room shortly after lunch. DS would nap (and we did too some days). We would get up throw a frozen pizza or something in the oven and after a quick bite head back to the parks for the evening. He loved watching the fireworks and was quite happy all week. It really can be a great experience. Go at his pace and just enjoy. Although he may not remember, you certainly will always remember the smiles, giggles and every moment his eyes light up!
Have a great trip!

[ANG]

We have gone with young children and have never rented a car. I can see the point either way but we've always chosen to just use Disney transportation. If you choose to not rent one, the best tip I can give you is to assign tasks related to the transportation. We always had the stroller emptied, folded, and ready to get on the bus. One person was in charge of the child, the other in charge of the stroller and all it's contents. If we got separate on the bus - which often happened - we knew the other person was doing their job and things were taken care of.

Ditto! In the few minutes you are standing at the bus stop, just empty the stroller and fold it. And each parent knows their responsibility.

The ONLY time I wish we had had a car was after a closing show like Wishes or Fantasmic. Just plan accordingly. And if you expect it to take a little more time you won't be so annoyed. Those were also the days I made sure to give an afternoon rest to help prevent cranky baby later. Remember, there are several ways to get almost anywhere! Utilize the monorail and the ferry when you can!

[Lizzy]

I just went over last weekend with my 19 month old. I know it's not DVC but I highly recommend the Poly. The transportation made it so very convienient.

My suggestion is to to take everything very slow, take advantage of the baby care centers and try to find times to let LO out of the stroller. Abby got tired of being in it after a while. With the MK under construction it was hard to find a good place for her to get out and stretch. The grounds of the Poly were perfect. The pool is a zero level entrance, the beach was fun, and the room fit all 5 of us, including their pack n play, with room to spare.

We couldn't take boat transportation because I hate folding and unfolding the stroller. That was the main reason for staying at the Poly since we planned to spend back to back days at MK.

She loved the little playhouse under the Splash mountain area. The baby swap went smoothly and she got to play there during our swaps. The baby swap worked really well at AK last month also.

[Tigger's Mom]

My son was about 20 mos. old on his first trip. Shades of Green was under construction, so we were in the wing of the Contemporary that is now BLT. Love this location, especially with a little one as you'll probably be at MK a lot. You have the option of walking or taking the monorail to the MK. We did not rent a car. My son slept on every mode of Disney transportation. As others have said, one of us took the coach and the other took the toddler. Expect to take breaks, expect a slower pace but expect to enjoy it. At that age we weren't sure how he'd feel about the characters. He was practically jumping out of his coach for one's he'd never seen before, let alone those he knew. One of my favorite memories is watching him run into Pooh's arms at Crystal Palace; still one of our favorite places there! Have fun planning!!

[tdk316]

Our first family trip was when DS2 was 5mo and his big brother was 2.5 yo. We stayed at BLT after much research and loved it! I loved being able to walk to MK in the morning and escape on the monorail in the afternoon when they were getting cranky. A huge bonus was the Contemporary being the first stop on the monorail! I'd highly recommend staying at your home resort.

We have never rented a car and have only regretted it once when we were trying to get to Spoodles many moons ago... If we have to get someplace in the early morning that isn't on the monorail (or we didn't leave enough time to get there...) we'll take a cab. We average one cab ride a trip and it typically costs us less than $10 which is a lot cheaper than renting a car. We still live at MK with the kids (now 2.5 and 5 yo) so we don't use the buses much making BLT the perfect choice for us.

BLT does have a zero-entry pool and splash area that my kids love so I think you'll be fine there. Yeah, BC's pool is nicer but for us the bus time wasn't worth it. We own at BCV so we'll be spending time there with the kids later, but for now BLT meets our needs better.