Walt Disney World with Preschoolers

I have partnered with Walt Disney World® and Scholastic and received compensation in exchange for sharing with you our experience at the Disney Parks!

We visit Walt Disney World® as a family at least once a year. We love it so much that we even became Disney Vacation Club members which means we are able to experience the magic year after year for a long time. I always have so many people come to me and ask when they should bring their kids to visit Walt Disney World®. Is there a perfect age? Is it worth bringing your kids if they won’t remember it when they are older?

I usually always tell people that if they are going to go to Walt Disney World® once in their life, then the preschool age is the time to go. There’s nothing like visiting the Happiest Place on Earth with your preschoolers and seeing them experience the magic of the parks and their faces light up when they meet their favorite characters.

There are a few things that I recommend you do before, during and after your Walt Disney World® trip with preschoolers!

Before Your Walt Disney World® Trip

Make a Disney countdown calendar! Before each trip, we make a countdown calendar whether it’s crossing off the days on a regular calendar, changing the days on a chalkboard or creating a paper chain countdown. The kids love waking up and taking turns to mark down another day closer to our trip.
Watch videos and movies. Before our kids went to Walt Disney World®, we wanted to give them an idea of how it would be. There are so many great videos out there showing the rides, shows, characters and more to get your children ready for their trip! We also watch a ton of classic Disney movies because there are so many rides based on movies and characters to meet. Check out this adorable video of preschoolers talking about Disney.
Make a special goody bag for the trip. I like to put together a little gift bag for my preschoolers to get them even more excited. This can include an autograph book and pen, crayons, a Disney T-shirt, water bottle and more!

While at Walt Disney World®

Download the My Disney Experience App. This is an amazing app that I use multiple times a day while at Walt Disney World®. With this app, you can making dining reservations, check wait times for rides, access photos that were taken in the park by Disney Photopass photographers and so much more. When your preschooler demands to meet Elsa, you’ll be able to bring up the app, see where she is and how long the wait is.
Go with the flow. I’ll always remember one trip where we booked a dinner at Chef Mickey’s after a long day at the parks. Our preschoolers were tired so we had to skip the meal and head back to the resort. Make sure to head back to your room during the day for a break if you plan on going out in the evening, or schedule most activities during the day. But if things don’t go as planned, it’s okay!
Keep kids entertained in line. While you’re at Walt Disney World®, you’re going to be waiting in line whether it’s for a ride or to meet a character. We make sure to keep them entertained by talking about our favorite moments so far on our trip and what we are excited about, and by looking for Hidden Mickeys (they are ALL around the parks!). You can also make sure to keep little toys in your bag for them to play with like Disney figures, a fidget spinner or a book!

Take LOTS of pictures. While at Walt Disney World®, we like to take advantage of the Disney Photopass photographers so our whole family can be in the picture, plus they have some really fun “magic” shots too. My husband and I also make sure to take lots of pictures ourselves to ensure that we are recording all of these fun memories.

After our trip, we always look at the pictures and videos that were taken. At least once a week, my preschoolers ask to talk about our trip and they love reliving it. A year later, my preschoolers still remember those magical memories that we made! Check out this great resource from Scholastic about preserving those vacation memories!

Preschoolers are the perfect age to bring to Walt Disney World®. You might not think they will remember that trip but they remember it in that moment. On this trip, they are having the time of their lives. They are meeting their favorite characters in person. They are enjoying the thrill and excitement of being on a ride. They are spending time with their parents – who WILL always remember that trip. I treasure seeing my preschooler’s eyes light up when they see Elena walking down Main Street or Ariel waving to them from a parade float. Or the awe in their eyes as they see fireworks explode behind Cinderella’s castle as they enjoy a Mickey Bar.

Resources for Planning a Walt Disney World® Trip

Preschoolers Magical Sweepstakes

A new question about Walt Disney World® or Disney characters will be posted on Scholastic Parents Facebook page each Thursday from 2/1/18 through 2/28/18, inviting parents to ask their children the question and leave a comment on the indicated post with their child’s response to be entered for a chance to win a vacation to Walt Disney World® Resort.

Head to scholastic.com/PreschoolersMagical for more information on the sweepstakes and how to enter.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Legal residents of the 50 US & DC. 18+ with at least one child who is currently 12 years of age or younger at the time of entry. Void where prohibited. Ends 2/28/18. Limit 1 answer per day. Click through for Official Rules.

Have you brought your preschoolers to Walt Disney World®? What are some of your tips?