So you’ve got a kid with you…

I know the first time I went to WDW with a kid in tow, it made for a totally different trip.
Amy and I had been going for years without kids, so when Katie came along and it was time to bring her, things changed. Rather dramatically.
I didn’t really plan for it, but things went fine for the most part. However, I did learn a few valuable lessons. The things I learned will apply to families with younger kids – since that’s what I’ve got.
Again, your mileage may vary, but this is my take on the whole thing…

Don’t force your kid to do anything. A friend (Tom Rose) told me that before our first trip-with-kid. He said he brought his son on an attraction despite his nervousness. For the rest of the trip his son didn’t want to go on any attractions. I took this to heart, but didn’t put it into practice.

Quite early on in our first day in the Magic Kingdom, we took Katie, who was still pretty young at 3-years-old, to Fantasyland. She liked Dumbo and the carousel. We then made our way to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. It’s a very mild, happy attraction designed for young kids. I didn’t give it a second thought. Katie was a little nervous about it, and looking back I can see that. You get in a car and it shoots you into the dark. Still, I thought she’d be OK.
It started out fine, but a little ways in we hit the Heffalumps and Woozles – that’s when she got scared. Poor kid. Then there was thunder and a little lightning when the ‘Rain rain rain came down down down.”
But she didn’t see it that way. She saw it as monsters followed by a horrific storm. We haven’t even considered ‘Snow White’s Scary Adventures.’

Now she’s 5. And she still doesn’t want to go on the Pooh ride.
What did I learn? Let the kid decide. It makes for a smoother trip.

Plan on crankiness. It’s hot, crowded, and we’re usually up early and out late. It’s not an excuse for her to misbehave, but for a young kid a schedule like that can be taxing. Heck, for a 40-year-old it can be taxing.
I still won’t tolerate her freaking out. But I think a certain amount of crankiness has to be expected. It’s hard, because a WDW vacation isn’t the cheapest thing in the world and there are very high expectations. But I see way too many parents trying to berate their kids into having fun which results in a general meltdown.

What did I learn? Mid-day naps can be valuable. That is, if your kid will nap. Ours usually won’t, but a little down time can help. It certainly helps her mother, I’ll tell you that.

Don’t base your vacation around characters. I don’t really get standing in line for any amount of time to get a picture with a character. Sure, the pictures are nice and our kid really likes to meet her favorites, but it’s not worth the time or the chaos. Not everyone abides by societal rules like ‘waiting your turn’ or ‘standing in line’ or ‘not running you over to get to Pluto.’ I’ve never thought it’s worth any amount of aggravation. And after a while, it all starts to blend in. I remember saying, “how many pictures like this do we really need?” I put much more value in pictures of her reaction to seeing Illuminations or things like that.

What did I learn? Book a couple of character meals. They come to you. It’s much easier and it’s inside – so it’s air conditioned. Plus, food.

Bring a stroller. If your kid will still fit in a stroller, bring it. They can be expensive to rent, and the ones they provide have no place for storing anything. I get totally wiped out walking around all day, so the last thing I want to do is carry Katie around all night. Putting her in the stroller conserves her energy, it helps us keep track of where she is all the time, and it gives us a place to put stuff – cameras, souvenirs, etc.

Cast members will sometimes move your stroller when you’re on an attraction to make room for guests. We put a fluorescent orange luggage tag on ours. We can spot it immediately amid a sea of identical strollers.
There is a minor risk of having your stroller stolen. It hasn’t happened to us, or anyone we know, but I have read about it happening. Here’s a tip I posted in my bostonherald.com blog one time: If you’re really concerned about your stroller being stolen, get a diaper, pour root beer into it, and put it in a see-through baggie. Hang that off the handle. I bet no one will touch your stroller.
I’ve also read that it’s more common for the Disney rental strollers to be stolen. You can’t tell them apart, so it’d be hard to identify it as yours.

What did I learn? I’m too lazy to carry a kid around, so any time she wants to ride in the stroller, that’s fine with me. Plus, it helps us to pre-board at the airport.

Those are the biggies, I guess. As always, your mileage may vary.