When it comes to kiddos at Disney World, there are a lot of questions about what the best age. This is totally understandable as traveling with toddlers and young kids is no small feat, it can be time consuming, expensive and feel more like work than a vacation.
There’s something magical about Disney World though, especially when you are talking about kids under 5. I’ve got almost 4 kids of my own (waiting on that last one to make his/her entrance!) and have taken all the kids to Walt Disney World many many times. Need more tips to make the trip with your two year old extra special? We’ve got all the tips for taking a 2 year old to Disney World!
So will a 2 year old enjoy Disney World?
The short anwser is that yes, a 2 year old will enjoy a Walt Disney World Vacation, either by themselves or with siblings and cousins! There’s a bit more to the conversation that we need to add, after all, it does take some preperation to make sure that mom, dad and family also enjoy a vacation with a two year old.
There are some things to consider, like what rides to take the toddlers on, how to interact with the characters in a fun and exciting way, and the pitfalls you’ll want to avoid (like epic tantrums and meltdowns!) to make this a magical trip for your two year old and for yourself!
Is it worth it to take a 2 year old to Disney World?
If we’re talking strictly money, yes, it is VERY worth it to bring the under 3 crowd! They are free when it comes to tickets, and also at most character dining options. Plus, depending on how you travel and way you stay, there is no extra cost for bringing them!
And honestly, it’s magical! To see them look at the characters, and have fun on the rides, and just *enjoy them* without regular life getting in the way. When I say some of my best memories of my little ones are at Disney World it’s not an exaggeration… we all need a break to have fun and play together!
One thing you will need to watch out for is that you bring the right stuff with you! Because if you make some toddler packing snafus, you’ll be shelling out a lot of money to get Disney toddler merch! This toddler packing post will get you prepared for all the must bring (and must not bring) packing items for disney world!
When is it NOT worth it to take a 2 year old?
It’s not worth it if this trip is one that is financially stressful. Disney World is very expensive, and even though a 2 year old is cheaper than a 3 year old, there’s still expenses. Don’t go if this is cause for finacial stress.
if you are doing this *just* for the two year old? and already plan to go in a few years, like when the 2 year old is 4 years old? Don’t go now. The difference in your vacation will be Night and Day! You will be able to stay in the parks longer, deal with less crying/meltdowns/embarrassment/stress, and your child will actually remember it!
Also, consider that the time of year and the weather matters a lot. It’s not worth taking a two year old to Christmas Day, when the parks are so packed no one is enjoying anything. It’s not worth taking a 2 year old in the height of the summer heat (between late June-Mid September).
Will 2 year olds enjoy the characters?
Most 2 year olds are pretty good with the characters, especially the face characters of their favorite people! We’ve found in our own personal experience that toddlers and up (neurotypical ones) are totally ok with characters and like hugs or waves from a distance.
I asked my instagram crowd what age enjoyed characters and what age didnt.
85% of the responses said 2 and up loved characters and another 75% said that there was something between 12-20 months that caused kids to be absolutely freaked out by characters! (i excluded those who didn’t take there kids to the parks that young!)
One of the best ways for toddlers to experience characters is at character meals. Most characters come around twice (but sometimes only once, so if it’s busy, assume once!)
Character meals are a lot less rushed, and can give the 2 year olds some time to warm up to the characters!
For more tips, check out character meets for toddlers and how to best prepare them.
Will 2 year olds enjoy the rides at Disney World?
Another question that I get all the time relates to the rides! There are so many rides at Disney World, and it can be both fun and overwhelming to know what ones to take the toddlers on!
The good news is that the toddler rides are all pretty mild and they tend to love going on them. 2 year olds can ride any ride without a height requirement. So things like Dumbo at Magic Kingdom, and the Nemo ride at epcot are big hits!
I will caution you that the Frozen ride at Epcot has a ‘scary’ drop that most 2 year olds are not fond of, and the Haunted Mansion ride at Magic Kingdom is also not recommended since you don’t want to be dealing with nightmares. Both of those rides are really best for kids 4-5 years old who can understand that it’s just a ‘ride’ and not reality.
Really 4 years olds are the ‘true’ worth it age because they will remember a lot more and be alittle more flexible (but I take mine under 4, just knowing the truth that things are different with toddlers!)
What will a 2 year old enjoy the most at Walt Disney World?
The cool thing about new toddlers is that they are pretty easy to appease. The thing they’ll love the most?
The hotel and your attention!
Seriously. I love love love disney world. But the honest truth is that they are excited to go somewhere new and spend the WHOLE day with you! This goes without saying, but if you need a push to enjoy your trip with a two year old, remember that one day very soon they won’t need daily hugs and before you know it, they’ll be grown.
Take the trip, 2 year olds will enjoy walt disney world and so will you!
Let me answer your question with a question. What do you remember from your life when you were two years old? How much do you really remember before you were five years old? Just remember that you cannot take strollers while you wait in line for rides. Strollers must be parked in a stroller parking area. That means the parents will be carrying their children or letting them run around their feet for approximately 30 to 45 minutes (or more) while in line. When I was there recently, I saw children as old as 4 or 5 years old taking naps while their parents struggled to hold them while standing in the lines. It look like a miserable time for the parents as well as the children.
Hi crystal!
Isn’t the mind so interesting? We learn an amazing amount of things by subconscious absorption (meaning, that it’s not a recall memory, but more of an innate one) Unfortunately for myself, I was given a high IQ from the good Lord above (still trying to figure that one out) and have excellent memory as a child under 5. I’m a rare find though, so I’ll look to my kids. My kids (three of them under 6) have such fond memories of Disney World, and love to talk about past trips and pictures. The older two see that I bring the youngest along, and have feelings of secure attachment because they know that family units provide for one another even when one is deemed “unworthy” for whatever reason. We would not leave a disabled person out of our vacation, nor will we leave young children who ‘can’t remember long term’ but can remember short term and subconsciously.
TLDR; It’s called a Baby Carrier Crystal, and they are around 100 bucks and well worth every penny. We have one that holds up to 60 pounds. Some brands include LilleBaby and Ergo. 10/10 recommend.
By this logic, you should just leave your kids locked in their bedroom until they’re 3 or 4. They won’t remember it anyway, right?