Managing a Wiggly/Squirmy Toddler in Line

[MidnTPK]

I'll be visiting WDW in just under two weeks. We'll be bringing our baby/toddler (15 months) girl for her first visit....this is our first child.

She's been walking since around her first birthday, so by now she really loves to run and be independent. Does anybody have any tips on how to keep a squirmy toddler from throwing fits when we have to hold her while we're in lines?

When she's entertained, she settles down, so when we are actually on rides I'm not as concerned. But I was just imagining the fight we might be in for while waiting even just 10 minutes in the Peter Pan line. She's recently been pretty resistant to just being held in our arms.

Our plan is to visit early, use the morning EMHs, go back to the resorts for naps, and use child swap, etc. But if anybody has any tips for managing the line/waiting part of the process, I'd appreciate it.

One idea I've had that I'd like some feedback on is using a baby back pack. We have one of those hiking type ones with a metal frame. She loves it and sometimes just wants me to carry her around the house in it. But I'm not sure if it would be practical (or even allowed) to be worn up to ride loading points.

[eas423]

I was coming to write this exact post this morning! Looks like we will be there at the same time, and our DD is 15 months too! Maybe we will be in the same lines and they can entertain each other! :)

But seriously, I'm worried about this too, yesterday we let her down to walk in Target to "practice" (please don't laugh, I'm serious) and she wouldn't hold hands or come with us once she found something she wanted, and then broke down in a tantrum.....greeeeeeat. I told DH, boy WDW is going to be fun!

[dolphinmickey9170]

We used a monkey back pack harness on our DGD. This clips around her making the monkey look like he is hanging on her back and the monkey's tail is how you would keep him/her with you and not able to wonder off. This worked very well for those in line waits.

[homeschool mom]

I've heard a lot of people suggest taking a bottle of bubbles for entertaining little ones in lines.

We took both of our DSs when they were 13 months and every other year since. I don't remember tantrums in lines. I guess we just entertained them as best we could.

9 days and counting! :party:

[LittleRoosMommy]

We also used the animal backpack for our DD2 last year. She at the time was 14 months old, unfortunately, she wasn't quite ready for the backpack, and it didn't work that well for us. That being said, this year we are going in Oct. DD2 will be 26 mos old and walks wonderfully with her backpack and loves it. If you plan on using it, I would practice with it before you leave for WDW.

I have also heard about the bubbles. When DD1was a toddler we were able to keep her occupied by just talking to her and people/character watching. It's amazing how the simplest thing can keep a little one's attention for a long pd of time. We also sang songs. Another thing we did and still do is to utilize the fast pass. This really cuts down on the wait.

Hope this helps! Have a great trip!!:mickey:

[mook3y]

We took our DD when she was 15 months.

The good thing is that you are going during a time period when lines are not too bad.

There were a couple of things that we found worked very well to help distract dd when we were waiting in lines.

First, we brought a zip lock bag with us each day with some snacks.

Secondly, we got a Pal Mickey which we would bring out when we were in lines.

Between these 2, we never had an issue.

One tip though, make sure you keep your little one well hydrated. In the heat at WDW, little kids can get dehydrated very easily.

[ginger19]

We used snacks and toys to keep our kids occupied on their first trip. We also make sure to stop at a bathroom before we get in any long line.
The fans and spinners both entertained our kids really well. This year I'll bring a small magna doodle for my daughter as drawing is a huge thing for her right now.

[MidnTPK]

Thanks for the ideas so far...please keep them coming. Looks like I'm not alone with my concerns either.

I've heard a lot of people suggest taking a bottle of bubbles for entertaining little ones in lines.

We have one of those self contained bottles of bubbles where you squeeze the bottle and the wand pops out, so we'll definitely pack that. Thanks!

But seriously, I'm worried about this too, yesterday we let her down to walk in Target to "practice" (please don't laugh, I'm serious) and she wouldn't hold hands or come with us once she found something she wanted, and then broke down in a tantrum.....greeeeeeat. I told DH, boy WDW is going to be fun!
Totally unplanned, we had a 'practice session' while tailgating before a college football game. She wanted to visit all of the other tailgates and run up and down in the parking lot. We tried to hold her a bit, but this is when the squirming set in and she'd try to leap out of our arms, or go limp so she could wiggle down. But she loved being in the carrying/hiking backpack even if we were just standing around.

We used a monkey back pack harness on our DGD. This clips around her making the monkey look like he is hanging on her back and the monkey's tail is how you would keep him/her with you and not able to wonder off. This worked very well for those in line waits.
I hadn't thought of the monkey backpack harness being practical in a line. If I was unclear before, I'm really just concerned about lines, not walking around in the parks. She settles down in her stroller quickly (though sometimes puts up a small fight), so we plan to move her around in this as much as possible.

But the harness didn't seem like a good idea for lines, where she'll be surrounded by people she want to play with, but who probably don't want to play with her. Is it something that can be used in line? Can somebody explain a liittle further? I was thinking that in most lines (think Dumbo, Peter Pan, and WTP) we'd have to hold her....lest she run off and hit her head on the rails or just decide to play with the shoes of a stranger nearby.

First, we brought a zip lock bag with us each day with some snacks.

Secondly, we got a Pal Mickey which we would bring out when we were in lines.

Thanks. Snacks and Pal Mickey are on now my must-have list. (I'm sure my wife would hav ethought of snacks) Pal Mickey is still only sold, not rented, right?

[Aurora]

Don't forget about FastPass!! Use FastPasses especially for Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh, which have long lines and almost nothing to look at while standing there.

Also, go to the MK on EMH and do Dumbo FIRST THING IN THE MORNING!!! Do not do any other ride before you do Dumbo!! Because if you do, you will be waiting in a line at least a half-hour long (usually more) with NOTHING to see but other people's backs.

September is the best for short lines, though! Good job!

[Lizzie]

We took our twin girls at almost a year and a half.

If its a long line my husband and I spread out a little one took the front and one took the back. And we gave them a little space to walk around. Not too much. But they enjoyed the freeedom of walking and not having to hold our hands.
But they seeemed to enjoy lines and people around us didn't seem annoyed. If it was a tight space we always had snacks on us.

[Tinkerbella16]

We put a backpack harness on my 3 y/o cousin when we went last year. It didn't stay on for long, but we used it when we needed it and it worked really well. He was a "mommy and daddy aren't looking, so I'm gonna take off!" kinda kid all week long lol. I think they are very helpful, but in lines he would walk under the queue and wrap himself around the poles, and it became a pain.

[Mickey378]

we will also be there in 2 weeks. we have 2 boys 3 and 1 1/2. When we were there 2 years ago with ds we tried to keep him busy with eye spy, and where's my nose/eye/ear type games. We also had a small plastic bag of plastic figures and would pull them out and quiz him on who they were. He did squirm a little but the lines moved pretty fast this time of year, so it was managable. This year is going to be an adventure with the 2 of them though. We'll see ya there.

[Tick-Tock]

My nieces are endlessly fascinated with looking at pictures on the screen of the digital camera ("take my picture; let me see!"). This might be a source of entertainment.

Stickers - put them on faces, elbows, clothes, peel them off. Repeat.

Small figurines.

You may want try to stop by the playground areas and let her run off a little energy. That has helped on our visits with kids.

[DisneyAggies]

We've been several times with young ones...here's my suggestions...

stickers--glittery ones are even better
small snacks
put her up on your (or DH's) shoulders
fingernail polish (some are opposed...but desperate times...)
singing songs
peek a boo
i spy
talking about what you see--what to look for in line
checking out the digital camera
lollipops (again desperate times...)
looking for other 'babies' in line
small mini flash light or light up toy
personal fan with foam blades (the ones that light up are even better!!)

[eas423]

Oh I like the stickers idea, she is fascinated with those right now. I'm going to go put that on my list.

We also have an Ergo (baby carrier) but would really rather not have to carry that with us into the parks. We will have it with us on the trip though in case we decide it's needed.

I think the spray fan bottle is a good idea too!

[LisaP]

All great ideas, so just take one of everything listed and you'll be fine. My DS3 is usually pretty active and I had the same concern, but there is plenty to keep them distracted/entertained while waiting in line.

I had snacks, drinks, bubbles, the mini fan, the backpack harness, stickers, a few dollar store Disney themed toys ... you name it!

I also noticed while one line may look long, the attraction nearby would not be long so we would just zig zag back and forth to the short lines.

Good luck! :thumbsup:

[CPT Trips]

Wow, this thread brings back memories! Several of your ideas weren't even invented when I was dealing with DD in lines at WDW. Keep the suggestions coming; my friend is going to WDW with 5 grandkids (oldest two are 4 yrs old), so I'm collecting hints for her.

Decades ago (LOL), we had great success with a baby backpack (softsided, not hard metal frame). This gets them up high enough where they can see something more interesting rather than strangers' legs and butts. You can carry the backpack onto the ride (it took up very little space when empty). I don't know if you could leave a hiking-style baby backpack off to the side somewhere while you are on the ride? You'll have no trouble taking the unframed one through the lines or on rides and shows.

Snacks! Definitely take a favorite snack food (non-messy type) in a small baggie. DD loved little pretzels, so these were our official "only while in line" snack food. Just be careful about doing too many drinks while in line once your little one is out of diapers.

Stickers are great, as are small toys (new ones were more interesting to DD). Do they still make small books (little Golden Books)? (These fit in a pocket and can be brought out for some standing-still time.) Are kids still interested in puppets? (we had finger puppets- WDW used to sell them, too.)

Please don't bring the fingernail polish to use in line. While your little one is being entertained, we'd be leaving the line to rush DD to the ER. Many kids with asthma react to the chemicals in nail polish.

[gmgdisneymom]

i agree with the ideas above - also you may want to get a disney "chunky" book (with lots of pictures) and play a simple version of I-Spy m- show her the picture and see if she can find it in the park (around the ride) and then give her a sticker when she does

Also - don't be afraid to have her interact with the other people in line - everyone is there to have fun and adults esp understand how difficult it is to keep little kids amused - sometimes it even helps them pass the time

[disneygeek84]

Also - don't be afraid to have her interact with the other people in line - everyone is there to have fun and adults esp understand how difficult it is to keep little kids amused - sometimes it even helps them pass the time

I was going to suggest this, too. As an adult who doesn't have children yet, I absolutely don't mind talking to a child that's standing in line and is a little bored (it's better than them screaming). As long as the parents don't mind, then I don't mind. my dad is one of those people that can keep a child's attention for hours just by talking about the things around him, so I learned from the best!

[MidnTPK]

Thanks again for all the ideas....I'll try most all of them. But a few of them are a little advanced for my 15 month old: no way can we do nail polish....she's a thumb sucker and we can barely hold her still enough to cut her nails!!!! And what if she likes the taste of the polish?!?!?! But I like the thinking....

We haven't yet given her any stickers, as I bet she'd think they were snacks and try to eat them! But you never know...that's on the list now.

I'll have to look out for baby-friendly people in line. As you see, we visited WDW several times BC (before children). Kids and babies weren't an annoyance to me, but I certainly didn't want to interact with them any more than I had to. Now with the baby, I see how some people love to play with kids and babies, and some definitely do not. I guess now that I'm a father you can more easily identify who likes them.

[biodtl]

Maybe try one of those "magic" coloring books - they are small and have a chunky marker (good for little hands) that only works on the paper. They aren't color wonder - they are the same company that mkaes the yes/no books. Though maybe color wonder has small ones, too.

[Disney Doll]

Good tips so far. We are taking our 12 month old in October so I am writing down some of these ideas. I've never been with one so young so I'm not sure what to expect. We've taken older kids in the past and the snacks and bubbles were always good. One time we were waiting in the line for the Jungle Cruise when I noticed that people around me were snickering. I looked down to see my 3 yr old gnawing on the rope that separates the lines. :sick: She was having at it like it was a piece of steak. :blush:

[TikiGoddess]

If its a long line my husband and I spread out a little one took the front and one took the back. And we gave them a little space to walk around. Not too much. But they enjoyed the freeedom of walking and not having to hold our hands.


One of my fondest memories from one of our trips happened while we were waiting at the airport. We had the girls (around 3 and 18 mos) running between my husband and I, giving hugs to us. While a line at WDW might not be the best place to do this, you might need to be creative elsewhere... :)

Others I totally agree with:
Digital camera -- seeing pics of themselves

Stickers (especially the Mickey ones they give away in the park)

singing songs (perhaps songs from the ride you're about to go on)

light up fan (you can get these at the Disney store -- although be warned they are not sturdy fans... we've had many of them break on us)

One thing my active DD loved was a thing she called 'boingy'. It was one of those rubber spiky balls that stretches and wiggles (hard to describe). We gave it to her on the plane to keep her occupied and she played with that thing for months.

But most of all, I wanted to tell you -- it won't be as bad as you think. Our second DD was very active and yes, it was a challenge at times. But we never really had trouble in lines, and we went in the middle of the summer! Just the fact that you're in a strange place -- lots of people around -- lots of things to look at --- will help you with your DD. We really enjoy our times with our kids in line as we talk and play games (from peekaboo to word games).

Have a wonderful time!!
TikiG

[PlanningMom]

Okay, I have a good one that hasn't been mentioned yet. And I can't take credit--I read it on the boards somewhere.

Pipe cleaners. These are small-you can even cut them in half to make them smaller and go farther. They can make all kinds of animals and cool things with them!

[Iluvpooh]

We took my first DD when she was not quite 2 and the thing that occupied her the most was a hand held mirror-She would look at herself and make funny faces and then want you to make funny faces in it and then want strange people in line to make funny faces in it. It kept her entertained the entire trip.

[bigbabyblues]

We used a Kelty Kid Carrier hiking-type backpack for our youngest twice at WDW and it worked great! You have to leave it at the stroller parking though, or at least we did. There wouldn't be room for it on alot of the rides.

We took our boys when the oldest was 3 and the youngest was 15 months old, and they (surprisingly) didn't have many problems waiting in the lines. There was always something to look at, someone to talk to, etc.

Good luck!

[dolphinmickey9170]

This is how we did it.

DH would take the line first, DGD behind him then DD and myself. This way, the people around us weren't not seeing her and knock her down or whatnot. We would purposely keep space between us so she had a little freedom. This harness worked very well.

I hope this clarifies my previous post.

[DisneyAggies]

Thanks again for all the ideas....I'll try most all of them. But a few of them are a little advanced for my 15 month old: no way can we do nail polish....she's a thumb sucker and we can barely hold her still enough to cut her nails!!!! And what if she likes the taste of the polish?!?!?! But I like the thinking....

We haven't yet given her any stickers, as I bet she'd think they were snacks and try to eat them! But you never know...that's on the list now.


You don't have to paint her fingernails. Paint her toenails. Believe me, she'll sit still for that one! ;)

Oh yes, the stickers...my YDS is almost 14 months, and yes...they go in the mouth, ODS (3 years old) did it too. EVERYTHING at this age goes in the mouth. But, that's part of the fun--and how they learn what stickers are, where they go, etc...

[casey@bat]

I didn't have time to read all of the post so this may have been mentioned.

You could get a pack of stickers. My niece will sit and put them all over herself and me. Then she moves them around. She will do this for a while.

She also likes to write. Take a notepad and pen.

Also, let her look at pix on your phone. If it will video, record messages from your family before you go and let her watch them while you wait in line.

My son liked to push the stroller. We kept a harness on him at all times. He was very active at that age. He did well at the parks and loved the parades.

:walk:

[disney100%]

My son was 14 months on our last trip and he absolutely loved people watching when we were in line (very surprising because he was extremely shy). Lots of people would play peek a boo with him and I wouldn't even know it half the time until he would start giggling! I was very thankful to each and everyone of those people! :mickey:

For this trip, my son will be 3.5 and my daughter will be 2 and my second daughter will be 10 months. My son and I have been busy creating I Spy pictures with his toys. I let him choose a few to create a picture. Once we get enough pictures I am going to put them together in a book form to use when we are standing in line. This way, they have pictures of familiar things from home. Plus, my DS and oldest DD love I Spy!

Hope that helps! By the way - I completely agree with the poster who said use Fastpass for Winnie the Pooh and Peter Pan.

[tigger24601]

first off, do leave the nail polish at home!! while it doesn't bother me now that i'm an adult i would always have to have a very ventilated area (not all ques have the best air circulation) to paint my nails in when i was little and alot of adults have breathing problems as well as children. not to mention if it doesn't dry fast it's gonna be all over your clothes.

moving along. i took dd last year when she was 15 months and i was kind of dreading it. even with my dh dm and bf i was still a little worried but all was well. everything else the other posters said i completely agree with but you may want to take a few things into account.

my dd was and still is not an average toddler. only food goes in her mouth.

so she loves stickers (this is actually her reward for potty training) we have some hilarious pics from when a cm gave her some of the mickey ones in tomorrowland.

bubbles are great but you may have some tantrums when it's time to put them away, i know we have that issue at home now.

pipe cleaners are a new adventure for our dd but becareful the ends can be sharp.

her favorite snack or a special snack as another poster said is great too. also if you don't usually let her have juice boxes that could be a special treat too, especially if you think she's not getting enough fluids. i do that with ice or frozen lemonades for dd.

yes, something small to color with. i always have a pack of crayons and small note pad in our diaper bag.

and when all else fails, again not your average baby, it's time to go through mommy or nana's wallet (usually this only happens on the bus ride).

[pixiesmimi]

After the first trip with our two DGDs when they were babies, we took the sling the next trip and it was great for lines. Saves your back! Also good for if they are sleepy and we could carry them on the ride in it also without having to take them out. It would hold a child up to about 2 or 3. Had very few problems after this. The first trip, we passed the back and forth between the adults and it got very tiring in a long line.