Originally Posted By KJ1197 I'm planning a Christmas Trip with my extended family to DL. My question is about rides and my 18-month old. On the fantasy land rides that don't have height restrictions - will they allow him to sit on our laps so we can hold onto him, or do they expect him to sit next to us with the lap bar pulled down as far as it will go over his larger parents? Has anyone traveled with someone that young to DL? I'm excited, and I know he'll have fun - he LOVES Mickey Mouse. I just know it will be much different from the times my hubby and I went childless! That said, I am SOOOO looking forward to sharing my BEST childhood memories and the magic of Disneyland with my little boy! Thanks everyone!
Originally Posted By DVC_dad <<<Has anyone traveled with someone that young to DL?>>> Theme park with one single 18 month old? Cake. Walk in the park. Easy Breezy. You are going to have the time of your life!!! For you will get to see DL through the eyes of your child, and there is nothing more enjoyable than that....well not many things anyway. Okay well that sounds like I am being a jerk and egotistical...hummm...I don't mean to be, I really don't. BUT I have been to either WDW (most frequently) or DL at least twice (and usually three times) a year for the last 11 years. I have had at least one 18 month old along on every single trip except the very first one, which was when our first of 6 kids was already the ripe old age of 2. So to get back to the original question...it goes like this. The official rule is that the child must sit on their own next to you, on the inside of the vehicle. Take for example Dumbo. Now the reality of the thing is this. RARE, no wait, SUPER RARE like maybe twice in over 30 trips, have I ever been told to leave my child off the leg and onto the seat. So the answer is... it depends on the CM you draw. What I do is I start them out next to me on the seat, supporting their back, making them sit there against their will - for they want to climb into dad's lap...then once the ride starts, up onto the leg they go for two reasons. 1.) I can actually hold them better. 2.) They can see alot better. Your 18 month old will be able to ride everything in Fantasyland with the above technique in play. I have done it so many times I cannot begin to recall how many that would be. 18 months old will be either all out in favor of the characters, or will suffer sheer terror at the sight of them. I think the latter may be more the case so don't let that part of things get you down. They'll come around when they are ready. Good luck and I know you guys will have the times of your lives. It really is the Happiest Place on Earth.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad Oh yeah, number one tip...to make life easier. Start a few weeks before you go. At some point during your day, each and every day, put your 18 month old in a stroller. Walk around the neighborhood, if its too cold out, go to the mall, and walk for 30 to 45 minutes. Now here is the key. No matter how loudly they scream to get out, no matter how much they cry, MAKE THEM STAY IN THE STROLLER. Then when you get to DL, you won't have a problem with the stroller. You will fall into a genteal and calm rythm of what I call... the "In, Walk, Out, Ride" cycle. In other words your child will get in the stroller, travel a little ways, get out of the stroller and ride a ride, get in the stroller... and your life will be so much enjoyable for BOTH you AND your child. Trust me on this, I've done it every which way but loose. There is nothing worse than getting off a ride and watching parents fight and battle THEIR ONE screaming child that doesn't want to get back in their stroller, when you are trying to get your 4 or 5 kids to their stroller in that "stroller parking" area.
Originally Posted By mele We brought our daughter to DL for her first trip when she was 18 months. We had a blast! Make sure to check out the baby center (probably not it's offical name) off Main Street for a great place for diaper changes (plus, you can buy diapers if needed) or even just a place to relax a bit.
Originally Posted By mommyto3cj I have to second the Baby Center! Theres one DCA as well. Nice, quiet, CLEAN place to change diapers. Plus they warm bottles, have highchairs, and little potties as well. And if you travel light (I hate diaper bags!) they sell diapers, wipes, etc individually- even formula I think! Melissa
Originally Posted By 4Disnee Our first trip with our son to DL was when he was 18 months old and it was a very easy trip. When he got tired he fell asleep in his stroller. We took his own that way he was more than comfy and we took a bottle bag for his milk and it was wonderful. I hope that you have a very magical trip.
Originally Posted By mickeynewe Our daughter's first trip was when she was 6 months old. She loved it! She smiled the whole time. Up until the time she went to Kindergarten, she went at least 3 times a year. Once she started school that changed. Since she started going at such a young age she was never afraid of the characters. My SIL kids are down at Disney for the first time now. They are older so she was afraid they might be scared. What she did was show them the Vacation Planning tape and my MIL had a bunch of old Sing Along tapes with the characters that my SIL borrowed to show the kids. They LOVE those tapes. They can tell you ALL the characters. I'm sure they are having no problem with them at the parks. Our daughter, at different ages and stages of course, spent a lot of time in and out of the stroller. By the time she was 18 months, I bought her a harness (something I swore that I would NEVER do...yeah, okay..THAT changes) and she loved it! Instead of using the little "leash" that comes with it, my hubby and I bought a dog walker lease that can be retracted or let out. She LOVED that thing! She would literally bring us her harness and leash. (Gosh that sounds cruel when you think about it) However, depending on crowds we could pull her back closer to us, or if the crowd were a little more sparse we could give her a little more freedom to investigate all the sights and sounds on her own. To her, it gave her a sense of security and freedom combined. Definitely take your child to the princess storytelling over in Fantasyland. My daughter loved it, still does at the ripe age of 13. Very cute, sweet, and comical. Most of all, just enjoy every moment as you "re-discover" Disney through your child's eyes!
Originally Posted By plutospal77 I took my son that age, they made us put him next to us on the seat, and we held him in with our hands, but that was 10 years ago.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad <<< I bought her a harness (something I swore that I would NEVER do>>> Why did you swear you would never do this and what changed? How old is she today? What does she think of it now?
Originally Posted By mickeynewe Before I had kids, I just didn't get it. I equated it to having a dog on a leash, and who wants to compare their child to a dog? Well, that obviously changed as I became a parent and learned that safety is the main concern. My daughter is now 13 and she STILL will talk about that leash and how much she loved it and her harness. She says things like, "remember when I used to bring you my leash and beg you to take me for a walk..." LOL Its apparent that it held no negative impact on her. She thinks of it with fond memories. Also, another thing that I LOVED that is still available on the internet, is the Child Alert. My daughter also loved it. It is a personal child alarm. You pin a little cute cartoon animal onto their shirt and you wear what looks like a very tiny beeper. You set the range of distance your child is allowed to wander away from you. Once they reach that limit, your beeper starts going off. I was, and still am, a very overprotective and watchful parent. However, with crowds the way they are, and kids being kids, they can get separated from you easily. The beeper is just a great, great warning system that provides a little extra security.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad Interesting, glad she loved it, but I just can't make myself do it...even with your success story, I would have at least 3 of these at once! lol HOWEVER I am going to order the child alert things tomorrow!!! Thanks!!!
Originally Posted By mickeynewe You're welcome! I highly recommend it the child alert. I can understand your not wanting to use the leash. I had a strong reaction to disliking it too until we went to Disneyland, which was the first time we used one. After that, it was my daughter that would instigate the use of it. Although, 3 would be difficult to handle!
Originally Posted By DVC_dad Oh I don't dislike it per se, just thinking they would get tangled ROFL !
Originally Posted By BoyStory I have always hated the "look" of child leashes/harnesses, but each of my 5 children are so different and I had one "personality" (#4) I was managing that did much better with one, LOL! He would NOT stay in a stroller, (we called him "Houdini") and he fell limply to the ground if we tried to hold his hand- so the harness was a lifesaver. As for #5, I bought a harness at Target that lookes like a stuffed animal backpack (looks like the animal is hugging the child-too cute!). I don't know yet how my 21 month old will react to it at Disneyland, but I thought it's worth a try. I actually think 18 months is the age when Disneyland gets to be a lot more fun (compared to taking a smaller baby). You get a sense that they are starting to really make a connection between the rides, characters, and their beloved Disney movies.
