Thank you to Walt Disney World for hosting our family!!
Our latest Disney trip will go down as one of my all-time favorite family getaways! I was very pregnant and still a little nauseous and we had to move our trip up last minute due to COVID but we ended up having the absolute best time! We made it to the parks the day before they closed, prior to Florida’s statewide quarantine. My mama heart was so happy getting to take our big girl to Disney one last time before little sister arrived.
*A lot has changed since our trip. Click here for Disney’s update on operations!
It was a quick trip but definitely jam-packed! March is a very busy time of year (spring break!) so most of the resorts we were looking at filled up pretty quickly. I had never tried an all-stars resort before but we figured we’d give it a try, especially since we were traveling with our toddler and the resort was very Disney themed with bright colors and characters everywhere! We stayed at the All-Star Music Resort. For being one of the lower-priced resorts on Disney property we weren’t expecting much but were pleasantly surprised with our experience. You still have access to Disney transportation, a huge hotel pool and fun experiences within the hotel like character meet and greets and pool activities. After driving through the (much anticipated!) magical Disney gate (that AG ended up not caring much about!) we checked into our hotel, explored a bit and then took a Disney shuttle over to Downtown Disney.
Disney Springs
Downtown Disney is now Disney Springs but I’ve been going since I was little and am still having a hard time getting used to the new name so please forgive me! 😉
We had a BLAST dancing around to the music, watching AG soak in all of the attention she was getting in her Minnie Mouse attire, and shopping at our favorite stores. Disney Springs has a ton of Disney themed and non-Disney themed shops! We picked up AG’s first set of personalized mouse ears while were there which was such a fun experience! We also grabbed a mickey ears ornament to help us remember the trip forever!!!
For dinner, we ate at The Boathouse which was delicious! So many of the restaurants at Disney Springs are kid-friendly and many offer outdoor dining options which I always prefer with a toddler. It turned out to be hot hot hot the evening we were there so we opted to eat indoors (this pregnant mama was not willing to sweat through dinner, even with those gorgeous Boathouse views!) which worked out just fine. For even more kid-friendly dining/entertainment check out T-Rex (a volcano erupts outside of the restaurant!), the Rainforest Cafe and the cupcake ATM for dessert! All super fun options your littles are sure to enjoy. I think the House of Blues gospel brunch would also be a lot of fun with kiddos but I haven’t tried it yet! Disney Springs also has a ton of quick-service dining options if you’re toddlers are feeling busy! Always book your table in advance if you can!
I think Disney Springs is super fun for kids, even in the evenings! There’s a lot to see and do. A few fun toddler-friendly activities: listening to live music, checking out the carousel, children’s train ride, toy stores (there are quite a few fun Disney themed toy shops!), visiting the lego store, bowling at Splitsville, catching a Disney movie at the AMC, and if your toddler is brave you can ride on the Characters in Flight hot air balloon! And if you’re a girl mama, there is a Bippiti Boppity Boutique location at Disney Springs! I cannot wait to take the girls one day. There’s also a little splash pad area that kids can run through so bring a towel!!!
Should also add that getting to Disney Springs was the highlight of AG’s day! She had recently learned the “wheels on the bus” song so riding on the Disney shuttle bus was a blast! Everything at Disney is such an experience for toddlers. You could probably skip the parks and they’d still have a “magical” experience!
Magic Kingdom
Day two was a blast. We woke up bright and early and hopped on a bus to the Magic Kingdom. All-star resorts don’t have monorail or skyliner access so your transportation options are bus or lyft (minnie van service). We were bringing our stroller so I did consider using the Minnie Van but AG loved the bus (and it’s free!) so we went that route. The All-Star resorts have busses coming in and out frequently so you don’t have to worry about missing one.
For the first time ever, we made it to the park early enough for the welcome show (it’s called Let The Magic Begin on the Disney App!) and I could have cried happy tears (actually I think that I did!) watching AG’s little face light up as Mickey and his crew danced around the stage. This is a toddler must!!!
Because the parks were closing the next day, they were actually pretty empty! So empty that we were able to ride absolutely everything on our list (still blown away by this!) and almost all of our fast pass lines ended up being longer than the regular lines! It was amazing!!!!
I was pregnant and we were traveling with an almost two year old so a few of Magic Kingdom’s more adventurous rides (Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain!) were out of the question. They do offer a ride swap service so two adults traveling with kids can still ride solo and wait in line together but because I was pregnant and this trip was allll about AG we didn’t utilize the service.
After the welcome show, we went straight for Fantasyland and spent most of our morning there. We met Alice and Pluto with no lines! After AG’s last Santa Clause encounter I was thinking she may not like the costume characters in the parks but she thought they were pretty cool and grew to like them more throughout the day. While in Fantasyland we rode Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid, It’s a Small World, Dumbo, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Mad Tea Party. All before 12! Like I said, the park was practically empty so we didn’t end up needing our fast passes but I had reserved passes for Peter Pan’s Flight (usually difficult to get), the Jungle Cruise (which we didn’t end up riding because AG was napping) and Under the Sea. Dumbo, the Mad Tea Party and It’s a Small World usually have short ques in my experience. And Dumbo has actually been redone so there’s a playground toddlers can run around in while waiting to ride.
After riding everything on our list we grabbed a quick lunch at Gaston’s Tavern (delicious quick service!) and then made our way back to the castle for the afternoon parade which was Mickey’s Move It! Shake It! parade. I debated between this one and the traditional Festival of Fantasy and I’m glad we ended up watching the Move It! Shake It! It was really interactive and fun for toddlers. I cried (again!) during the parade watching AG have the time of her life dancing to the music alongside her favorite characters!
The plan was to ride the Jungle Cruise and Haunted mansion after lunch but we were BEAT after the parade and AG was ready for a nap so we decided to head over to Epcot early and walk around the World Showcase while AG slept for a bit. We hopped on the monorail and enjoyed the 30 minutes of AC as we made our way to my favorite park.
Magic Kingdom Tips:
If you get a breakfast reservation in the park prior to opening time you can be the first in line for rides, character meet and greets AND get a great picture with the castle before there are tons of guests in the park!
There are several splash pads, play areas and shows to watch if you decide your toddler needs a break from all of the activity! You can also visit the baby center to relax in peace and quiet, nurse a baby in private, pick up diapers or supplies and get away from the stimulation for a little while.
Pop into the cinderella store behind the castle and ask for a little pixie dust! They’ll gladly sprinkle your little princess with magical glitter!
Speaking of princesses, many of the girls wear princess dresses in the park all day but it was just soooo hot when we went (and is most of the year!) so instead, we let AG wear her costume dress to Disney Springs the night before we went to the park.
If you bring your own stroller or decide to rent one while in the park, buy a nametag for your stroller to easily spot it when you get off of a ride! There are dozens of strollers in the stroller parking zones and after a while they all start to look the same. If you don’t want to make or purchase a nametag, pick up a huge mickey balloon (they’re $14 but so worth it and they stay inflated for weeks!!!) when you enter the park and tie it to your handle!
Clip. On. Fan. It’s a necessity!!!
It’s hard to stay hydrated in the parks. Start the day with your own water bottles and refill with free cups of ice water from any of the food kiosks that serve drinks from a fountain.
Hit up the dollar store before your trip and make a Disney themed prize bag. After many of the rides in the Magic Kingdom you exit into a themed gift shop so it’s nice to be able to remind your toddler that they can pick a prize from the prize bag instead of begging for a toy after each ride!
You need to pack sunscreen! This is the non-toxic sunscreen we love and have used for years! It’s also available in a stick and spray. Also worth adding to your cart (for mama, not the kids!) is this mist – it’s refreshing to spray in the heat AND helps keep your makeup fresh throughout the day.
Need to track down a bathroom for your potty-trained toddler? They’re everywhere but you can plan ahead for bathroom stops using the My Disney Experience app map!
I may have already mentioned this but diapers and wipes are sold in the baby care center, for littles that aren’t yet potty trained! It’s nice to have somewhere to grab essentials if you forget them.
I considered packing noise-canceling headphones for the parades and fireworks because AG can be a little sensitive to loud noises but didn’t end up packing them and she did just fine. If you want to bring a pair, these are the ones we have!
Have a plan! Disney with a toddler is different than Disney with older kids or as adults. You need a plan and at the same time you need to be flexible if things don’t go as planned! 🙂 The My Disney Experience app is your BEST FRIEND! It’s so well designed and makes planning your days + prioritizing what you want to do so much easier.
Epcot
Early in the afternoon, we made the trip over to Epcot (my favorite Disney park!) via monorail. Pearce and I walked around the World Showcase for a couple of hours while AG took a little nap in her stroller.
I was THRILLED to find out that the Flower & Garden Festival was going on during our trip. It’s the most beautiful time to visit Epcot because everything is extra magical. In addition to beautiful flowers and gardens (many of which are Disney themed!) everywhere you look, there are special kiosks in each country offering small plates and yummy drinks. The portions are smaller and the prices are lower than what you’d find in the restaurants so you’re able to try a little something in each country!
We had the beeeeest time in the World Showcase! We grabbed charcuterie in France at Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie, played in Morroco, rode the Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico (my favorite place to hang in all of Epcot!), hopped on Frozen Ever After, met Minnie mouse for the second time that day, watched an amazing drum performance in Japan, hit the bongos in Africa and grabbed quick Chinese food for dinner!
Epcot has more to offer than the world showcase. The Seas with Nemo & Friends, Turtle Talk with Crush (best for an older toddler or younger toddlers that are pretty good at sitting still!), and the aquarium are all really fun for toddlers and preschool-aged kids. We also enjoyed Living With The Land which is an educational boat ride that’s relaxing and calm and best of all… in the AC!!! During Flower & Garden, there are several fun playgrounds set up for kids to run around on, and I think the Wreck-it Ralph playground has been made into a permanent attraction!
We ended the day with Epcot Forever fireworks show! SO. MUCH. FUN.
Epcot is my favorite park to meet characters in! The lines are typically much shorter than what you’ll find in the magic kingdom.
Bring your own glowsticks! These are so much fun to have once the sun goes down and you’ll be the hit of the parade sidelines if you bring enough to share! 🙂
If you have a picky eater that won’t love cusine from around the world, there are lots of healthy options in the Land!
Throughout the world showcase you’ll find little “kidcot” stops where your little ones can learn about the country they’re in and decorate a little keepsake with art supplies.
Girl mamas: Epcot is home to the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall where you can dine with many of the Disney princesses at the same time! This is on my list for our next trip to Epcot.
^ My favorite picture from the trip! Pearce had us stand in the perfect spot to capture the iconic Spaceship Earth and the monorail in motion. Might have to frame the one!
On our last day at the resort we grabbed Mickey Mouse waffles (a must for toddlers!) and spent the day at the pool. I’m not sure about how this is handled during the pandemic, but when we were visiting we had the option to use any of the All Star Resort pools which is nice, especially if you want to add multiple pool days to your itinerary! Our hotel had two pools and a kiddie pool! We opted to visit the Three Callabreros pool so AG could see her beloved Donald Duck!
Alba Grace hadn’t been to Disney since she was a baby so this trip was an absolute joy! I think any age child can enjoy the magic of Walt Disney World, especially toddlers! We cannot wait to visit again with TWO littles in tow!
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