Not all Disney World parenting advice works for every family. Here’s the common advice we ignore—and what we do instead with our kids.
There’s an awful lot of parenting advice on the internet and, if you’ve ever caught yourself scrolling and feeling like a bad parent in the wee hours of the morning, I feel you. Disney World parenting advice can be just as daunting. Will your kids have fun? Will you mess up and ruin the trip? Can you plan the “right way” to maximize everyone’s magical experience?
Just like most parenting advice, Disney World parenting advice doesn’t work for every family. And there’s plenty of bad advice out there. So, don’t be afraid to ignore it all — here’s the all-too-common advice my family and I ignore and what we prefer to do instead.
Head Back to the Resort for Naps
Everyone touts the importance of a mid-day break at Disney World, and for some families, that’s a much-needed break. But for my family, it’s nothing more than a hassle.
Photo by CJ Ayd
My son spends most weekends at Disneyland, so he’s well-versed in running through the theme parks in the morning, then crashing for a solid 1.5- to 2-hour stroller nap before waking up and having fun well into the evening. So, at Disney World, we follow the same plan.
Instead of wasting precious in-park time getting on monorails or buses, heading back to our resort, and trying to calm him down enough for a nap, we just take a long walk come naptime. Then, once he’s asleep, my husband and I head somewhere cool to relax ourselves (and often grab a snack or drink wherever we’re camping out, too).
Stop by the Baby Centers Frequently
Listen, I am a die-hard fan of Disney’s baby centers. I think they’re incredible, and if you’ve ever tried to bring a kid to Disney Parks while in the middle of potty-training, they’re a godsend. But as much as I love the baby centers, I don’t visit them frequently.
Photo by Morgan Flaherty
Disney World, unlike Disneyland, is littered with family restrooms. These are fantastic for diaper changes, toddler potty breaks, and even changing kids’ clothes after messes happen. So, while the baby centers are wonderful places to do these things, you can also simply find a nearby family restroom and tackle it all there.
Additionally, there’s a big downside to Disney World’s baby centers: Each theme park only has one. And unlike Disneyland, they’re not exactly a short walk away. You can wind up quite far away from each park’s baby center, making it hard to get to one in a hurry when accidents happen. In some cases, they’re not worth using simply because you can’t get there in time.
Utilize Every Park Hour Possible
I know I just mentioned maximizing time in-park with stroller naps, but I am not the type of parent who attempts to use every single minute or hour of the day in an effort to get maximum value. While I want to make sure we use our in-park time wisely and do as much as we can, it’s really not my vibe to rush through our day.
Photo by Danny Shuster
Instead, my family and I take things slow. While we could attempt to rush and experience every single age-appropriate attraction, our son is really in charge. If he wants to stand on the bridge into Adventureland for an hour watching the birds, I’m not hurrying him off to an attraction. If he wants to ride Spaceship Earth multiple times in a row, that’s what we’re doing. (Don’t even get me started on the day we spent two hours watching the miniature trains in the Germany Pavilion.)
There’s a lot of pressure to do and see it all at Disney World, but frankly, that’s impossible even on multiple trips. So sometimes, it’s better to “waste” your in-park time rather than try to maximize it.
Don’t Skip the Fireworks
Lastly, so many parents consider the fireworks at Magic Kingdom and EPCOT a must-do on their itinerary. And that’s great for them — but that advice doesn’t work for my family.
Photo by Danny Shuster
Just like we don’t try to maximize our days in the theme parks, we don’t worry about how long we spend inside them. When my son says he’s done, we’re done. I’m not going to ruin my entire evening by forcing a tired toddler to stay awake for fireworks that will inevitably scare him (and you won’t catch me getting stuck in those post-fireworks crowds!).
On some days of our Disney World trips, we’re done by 3 PM. On others, we’ll stay until right before the fireworks and then head out to beat the crowds or watch from another, less-crowded place. Either way, I’m more worried about everyone getting a good night’s sleep than I am about “losing” hours we could spend in the parks.
