25 Tips For Visiting Disneyland With Babies And Toddlers

Are you visiting Disneyland with babies or toddlers soon? Maybe you’ll be visiting with both! If so, these tips will be very helpful for you. Visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers can be challenging. It’s important to plan ahead a little bit. This will help your vacation go so much smoother! A smoother vacation means less stress and more fun/relaxation for everyone!

I’ve talked to many people who choose to leave their small children at home when visiting Disneyland. Other people prefer to bring them along. I think both options are great! Do what you think will work best for your family.

If you choose to bring your little ones and are feeling a bit stressed, don’t despair! You can still have an incredible time visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers. There’s so much magic at the Disneyland Resort. Disney is great for guests of all ages. You’ll love experiencing all of the magic through their eyes.

Be aware, that park tickets AND park reservations are required to enter the Disney parks. Make sure you have both! If you’re looking for more help planning your Disneyland vacation, I have a complete guide to planning for Disneyland here. This is a great place to start with your Disneyland vacation planning!

If you’re pregnant, check out this post about visiting Disneyland while pregnant.

Let’s get going! Here are 25 tips for visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers.

I’ve got an episode on my podcast about visiting Disneyland with Babies and Toddlers. Check it out!

1. Buy discount park tickets

Please don’t pay full price for your Disney park tickets! Discount Disney park tickets are available. My partners at Get Away Today are the number one ticket provider to the Disneyland resort. Their Disneyland tickets are always discounted off the gate price! So, save a little money and buy your tickets with Get Away Today! I’ve been using them for 15 years and I won’t buy my park tickets anywhere else.

Children under the age of 3 are free and don’t need a park ticket or reservation.

2. Don’t park hop

Don’t add the park hopper option to your ticket. Park hopping is so expensive and not worth the extra time it takes when visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers. There are plenty of things to see and do at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park. You can easily spend an entire day in each one and still not see and do everything.

Park hopping takes extra time and energy. You’ll have a more relaxing visit if you skip the park hopper and do one park per day.

3. Stay close

When I’m visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers, I prefer to stay at a hotel as close to the parks as possible. I prefer to be within walking distance of Disneyland Park. If you stay close, you can easily pop back into the hotel for nap time or early bedtime.

I love being able to just push my stroller to the parks. Loading everyone in the car and driving to the Disneyland parking and then waiting for another shuttle to take us to the parks is not my idea of fun. If you do use Disneyland transportation, be aware you will need to fold up your stroller for the ride. This means unloading all of your stuff, which can be a huge hassle.

I’ve got some hotel reviews here that you might find helpful. My partners at Get Away Today have great deals on hotels. They can help you find the perfect place to stay and save you money! You can check them out here.

4. Make a plan

Having a basic plan will make visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers much easier. Decide before you arrive what things are most important to you. Here are a few things to consider. What time will you arrive? What attractions are at the top of your “to-do” list? Where will you eat? Do you want to visit any characters? Will you take a mid day break?

Considering things like that beforehand will save you time and stress in the long run. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, I offer custom Disneyland plans that might be helpful for you.

5. Bring along grandparents

If you’re able, consider bringing your Grandparents along for the trip. An extra set of hands can be incredibly helpful when visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers. Grandparents can wait with little kids while you take older kids on some of the bigger rides with height restrictions.

This is also a great time for Grandparents to bond with their grandchildren. There’s no better place to make memories with grandchildren than the happiest place on earth!

6. Introduce your kids to the characters

Introduce some of the Disney characters to your kids before you arrive at Disneyland. This will make it much more fun for them when they’re able to meet them in person!

You can do this by watching Disney movies or shows on Disney plus. You can also read them books featuring the Disney characters. You could also show them youtube videos with character interactions. The more familiar they are with the Disney characters the more fun they will have!

7. Be prepared

Being prepared for different situations is always important, but especially important when visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers. Make sure you have everything you need in your day bag. Include things like diapers, wipes, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bottles, and anything else your child might need during the day. I have a list of essentials that I always have in my park bag here.

It’s also a good idea to keep an eye on the weather leading up to your trip. You’ll want to be prepared for whatever the weather throws at you! I have a 12-month guide to the weather at Disneyland. You can find it here.

8. Pack a change of clothes

Make sure you pack a change of clothes for your young kids. Accidents happen and you’ll want to be prepared with dry clothes for when one inevitably does! Also, make sure you bring a sweatshirt or jacket along. Nights in Southern California can be chilly!

9. Know what they can ride

Know ahead of time what attractions your child can ride. There are so many rides at Disneyland without a height requirement. This makes visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers a great option because there is so much for them to see and do!

Here’s a list of Disneyland and California Adventure attractions without height requirements. I have a post about Disneyland height requirements that include the height requirements for all Disneyland attractions.

Disneyland attractions without height requirements

Alice In Wonderland

Astro Orbitor

Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters

Casey Jr. Circus Train

Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes

Disneyland Monorail

Disneyland Railroad

Dumbo The Flying Elephant

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln

Haunted Mansion

“it’s a small world”

Jungle Cruise

King Arthur Carrousel

Mad Tea Party

Main Street Vehicles

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Mark Twain Riverboat

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

Peter Pan’s Flight

Pinocchio’s Daring Journey

Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island

Pirates of the Caribbean

Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin

Sailing Ship Columbia

Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough

Snow White’s Enchanted Wish

Storybook Land Canal Boats

Tarzan’s Treehouse

Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room

Disney’s California Adventure attractions without height requirements

Animation Academy

Golden Zephyr

Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind

Jessie’s Critter Carousel

The Little Mermaid- Ariel’s Undersea Adventure

Mickey’s PhilharMagic

Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!

Pixar Pal- A- Round- Swinging and non-swinging

Redwood Creek Challenge Trail

Sorcerer’s Workshop

Toy Story Midway Mania!

Turtle Talk with Crush

Red Car Trolley

WEB Slingers: A spiderman Adventure

10. Bring your own food

If you have a picky baby or toddler, one of the best things you can do is pack food for them. Bring a small cooler or bag filled with things you know they will eat. This will save you money and the stress of trying to find things in the park that your child will actually like to eat!

You don’t want a hungry toddler on your hands who refuses to eat anything except peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on a specific brand of white bread and with only homemade raspberry jam. Trust me on this one. Been there, done that.

You can find a list of food you are allowed to bring to Disneyland here.

11. Use a stroller

Plan on using a stroller. Even if you think your toddler is a champ and can walk all day, you need a stroller when visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers. Even if you plan on carrying them often, you still need a stroller.

Bring a double stroller if you have more than one child who will want to ride. A stroller is great for breaks, naps, and carrying all of your extra stuff! You can rent a stroller at the parks if you prefer, but I like to bring my own stroller.

12. Bring a stroller fan/ stroller cover

Stollers can get extra hot! They can feel like mini ovens on hot days. Bring a stroller fan that you can attach to your stroller to keep your small kids cool. Here are some great stroller fan options.

Also, if there’s rain in the forecast, make sure you have a waterproof stroller cover to protect your child/stroller from the rain. There’s nothing sadder than a soaking wet baby in a stroller. You can find inexpensive stroller covers here.

13. Bring a small cooler

A small cooler is incredibly helpful when visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers. You can use it to keep drinks and bottles cold. It’s also a great way to keep yogurt, applesauce, and other favorite snacks cool. I found some good soft-sided cooler options that will fit well under a stroller or in a small locker here.

14. Bring your own snacks

Snacks are a lifesaver! Especially in long lines. Bringing in your own snacks can save money and you’ll always have something on hand that you know your child will eat! Win, win! I love to pack goldfish, dried fruit, and granola bars.

Do keep in mind the mess factor. Because chances are, whatever you give your child to eat will end up all over their hands and clothes. So, avoid extra messy things if possible!

15. Book a character meal

Think about booking a character meal. Character meals are a bit pricey, but it’s a great way for your child to get up close and personal with some of their favorite Disney characters without waiting in line! Plus, having a dining reservation is a great way to take a little break from the parks. You can make dining reservations 60 days in advance on the Disneyland website.

16. Rope drop

Arriving early at the Disney theme parks is always a good idea. When you arrive early before the park opens and are one of the first guests to be in the theme park it’s called “rope dropping”. I have tons of information and tips on rope dropping here.

This is a great way to hit some of the most popular rides before the crowds arrive. You can expect incredibly short wait times for all attractions during the first couple of hours after the park opens. Avoiding long lines while visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers is always a good plan!

17. Use ride switch

Use rider switch whenever possible. Rider switch is designed for guests visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers, so you need to be taking advantage of it!

With rider switch, an adult waits with any young children who are too small to ride the attraction. Then, the waiting adult can switch places with the adult who just experienced the attraction and enjoy the ride without waiting in the long line. This is a great way to experience bigger attractions like Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, and Incredicoaster.

It sounds a little complicated, but it’s not. You can find out more information about ride switch here. Or, you can ask a cast member at the entrance to the attraction how to use this great service.

18. Baby care centers

There is a baby care center in each park. Take advantage of them! They have so many great things to offer and are fully staffed with cast members if you need anything. Here’s what you can find inside.

• Nursing room with chairs
• Changing room with tables
• Toddler-size toilets (for Guests under 42” tall)
• Feeding area with high chairs
• Kitchen with sink, bottle warmers, and microwave (select use only)
• Vending machine offering formula, baby food, juice, diapers, wipes, sunscreen, pacifiers, and over-the-counter medication—all available for purchase with a credit card

At Disneyland, The Baby Care Center is located at the end of Main Street, U.S.A., next to First Aid. The Baby Care Center at Disney California Adventure Park it’s located next to Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop and across from The Bakery Tour in Pacific Wharf.

19. Visit favorite characters

Make sure you plan some time to visit your child’s favorite character. If they love Mickey Mouse, make sure you visit him! I recommend visiting with characters earlier in the day before your child gets cranky. This will make for the best experience possible!

20. Use mobile ordering

Did you know you can mobile order your meals using the Disneyland app? This is a game-changer! No more waiting in long lines for food with your babies and toddlers when visiting Disneyland! Please take advantage of this! It’s a time saver and your whole family will be so happy to skip a long line for food and just go straight to the table to eat!

21. Order toddler meals on the menu

Keep an eye out for the toddler menu at most quick-service dining places. You can check menus on the Disney app. Most quick-service dining options will have a toddler menu section. These offerings are smaller in size and perfectly suited for young children.

22. Take a midday break

Take a break during the day. You can head back to your hotel for a nap if that’s what works best for you. Or, you can find a shady spot and let your baby nap in the stroller. I love holding a sleeping child while taking a few loops around Disneyland on the train. However, a break looks for you, make sure your child has some downtime to rest. A well-rested baby equals a happy baby!

23. Catch some entertainment

Rides aren’t the only thing to do at Disneyland! There’s some incredible entertainment that’s perfect for babies and toddlers! The Disney Junior Dance park in California Adventure is a great show that’s designed for the youngest Disney park guests. Children of all ages will enjoy the parade and show at the Fantasyland theater.

24. Keep them entertained in line

Keep kids entertained in long lines when visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers. Bring a few small toys that they can play with. Or a bottle of bubbles is a great distraction. I like to grab a few small toys at the dollar store before our trips. New toys are always fun and exciting and are a great way to keep babies and toddlers happy for a bit while waiting.

25. Go with the flow

Visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers can be challenging. Especially if you’re trying to create the perfect Disney trip. Can I tell you a secret? There’s no such thing as the perfect Disney vacation. There’s going to be crying, there’s going to be tantrums and at some point, you’re going to wonder why you even bothered with the whole thing.

However, there are also going to be so many great times! Visiting Disneyland is so much fun. You’re going to create so many memories. When you look back years from now, you won’t remember the hard times. Those will all fade into the background.

The very best tip that I can give you is to stay flexible. Make a plan, and do what you can to prepare before you arrive. But, once you get there, just go with the flow. Do your best to be in the moment and enjoy all the magic with your family members and loved ones.

Visiting Disneyland with babies and toddlers can be tricky, but it’s worth it. They may not remember your magical Disney vacation at all. But you’ll always remember it. Someday, when your kids are older and not nearly as adorable, those memories will be priceless.