Walt Disney World® with a baby or infant
All of the parks have something for children that are under two, but in our opinion, the best for a child that age is the Magic Kingdom. The Magic Kingdom has the most rides and attractions suitable for a baby to enjoy, and they will be sure to enjoy the parade. You will also find many of the characters your child is most familiar with at the Magic Kingdom. On any given day, you might see Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Aladdin, Goofy, and Winnie the Pooh, and look out for the Disney Princesses in the parade and dancing in the stage show outside Cinderella Castle. Click here to read more about the best attractions at Magic Kingdom for toddlers and babies.
Remember to make the most of the Cast Members. Cast Members are members of staff at Walt Disney World and there are hundreds of them around the park. All of them are there to make your visit more enjoyable and they are some of the friendliest and most knowledgeable people on earth. If you need anything at all, ask one of them. They can be identified by their badges which show their first names and the town and state in which they were born. It can be quite interesting to see how far people have come to work at Walt Disney World.
Costumed characters
To meet your favourite character, ask a Cast Member in any one of the parks if your favourite is likely to be around that day. There are clearly designated spots for meeting certain characters, or some might be making appearances at certain times. The Cast Member will be able to help you.
This is one of the most magical moments in Florida, be prepared for some wonderful photo opportunities! While some children warm up immediately to Mickey Mouse and his friends, other children will need some time to adjust to the sight of a the characters. Let them look at the characters around the park from a distance before you approach one. The queues for pictures with the most popular characters can sometimes be long, so if you’re really keen on your children meeting their cartoon friends, try to fit a character meal into your itinerary.
If you think your child might be nervous around the characters, you could prepare them in advance by exposing them to life size characters in the UK, perhaps at children’s parties or other theme parks. Another tip is to interact with the character yourself first before you bring your child to meet him or her. If your child sees that you are comfortable around the character, he will be too.
Height restrictions
A guest’s ability to participate in a Walt Disney World ride is completely based on height, not age or weight. The height requirements are also listed on all the maps at the parks and on signage in front of the various attractions but some rides allow children as small as 35″ to ride. Some of the rides that families can enjoy with young children include: Buzz Light-year Space Ranger Spin, Toy Story Mania, Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, and Kilimanjaro Safaris. Plus the handy Rider Switch option is available at select Disney Theme Park attractions.
Structuring your days if you have a mixed age-range of kids
There’s something for everybody in the parks, including many attractions that families can enjoy together. Perhaps a good tip would be to alternate between family attractions with ones that a specific age group might find most appealing. It’s all a mater of family taste and dynamics. Remember that the parks are large so pick up a map or take a look online and devise an itinerary before you go.
There are no crèche or unsupervised childcare facilities at the parks, so your baby or toddler will be with you at all times. Structure your day to give everyone a chance to enjoy their favourite activities.
