At both Disney World and Disneyland, special attention is paid to families with preschoolers. Parents can head to Magical Beginnings for quick online tools that find the best attractions and entertainment for wee visitors.
Parents will also find amenities at the theme parks to make travel with tots easier. For ex., at Disney World, "Services Just For Little Ones" includes stroller rental, and Baby Care Centers in all four theme parks (with rocking chairs for nursing mothers, diaper-changing rooms, feeding rooms with highchairs and bibs, even diapers and formula for sale.) Parents can use the "baby swap" to ride a ride: stand in the line-up only once; first one parent rides, while the other holds the baby, then the other parent goes.
Walt Disney World: Little Ones Travel Time
In the past, Disney World has targeted late summer and fall as special weeks for travel with toddlers, i.e. once families with schoolkids were Back to School, those with toddlers could enjoy some special events, amenities, and entertainment for tots. Other perks included a "Little Ones" Extra Magic Hour (early opening in Fantasyland.) Check the Disney World site for a recurrence of a Little Ones Travel Time.
In the meanwhile, families are still likely to find some Special Rates at Disney Resorts after schoolkids go back to class; rates can fall as low as $69/night at Disney Value Resorts. Even at Disney's four low-priced Value Resorts, guests get all the perks of staying at a Disney Resort, such as Magical Express bus service from the airport, and Extra Magic Hours in the theme parks.
More Goodies for Under-Fives Year-Round at Disney World
- baby-changing stations in the theme parks, and stroller rentals
- character dining with celebs like Pooh Bear
- kiddie pools, kids clubs, and playgrounds at Disney resorts
- Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, at World of Disney in Downtown Disney, has fancy hairstyles, costumes, glittery nails... Meanwhile,in an interactive Adventure Room, boys and girls can fill treasure chests and generally act pirate-like.
Of course, some say that preschoolers shouldn't go to Disney theme parks at all; but interestingly, it's not the preschoolers' parents who are saying that. Travel researchers Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown and Russell (YPB&R)-- who study trends for Disney-- found that "nine out of ten preschool parents would consider taking their young children on a theme park vacation as long as the park offered age-appropriate rides and services." Photo © Teresa Plowright
