I’ve been going to Disney theme parks since before I can remember. My first visit was to Disneyland as a tiny child no more than a few years old. Since then I’ve gone to the parks consistently as a teenager, college student, “childless millennial”, and as a married couple. Now I am about to enter a new phase of Disney park experiences as a parent! Once our wee guy joins my husband and me, I know our trips will change dramatically! While I will miss the calm strolling and casual wake-ups of my recent Disney visits, I am also excited to experience the parks in a new way. Most of my list is more Walt Disney World-themed, but some can be applied to any Disney theme park! Keep reading Walt Disney World With A Kid: 12 Things I’m Looking Forward To for the full scoop!
1. Characters
As an adult, I just don’t know how to interact with characters. I honestly become very awkward and nervous around them, I have no clue why. Here’s a hot tip to help with the awkward if you’re like me, just ask the face characters (characters who speak) about their stories and you will have something to talk about! Regardless, I am so looking forward to having a kiddo to experience the magic that Disney character experiences can bring…. And all those adorable photos!
2. Character Meals
Following that same vein as character interactions, character meals are something I will definitely do more often! There are some wonderful character meals that I’ve wanted to check out, but mostly avoided them in the past. Watching our boy interact with characters while we dine will be fun for everyone and I am definitely going to try some restaurants we’ve never gone to before!
3. Scavenger Hunts
While I’ve talked about these on the blog before, and I would totally do them without kids, I am looking forward to doing them with our guy! Currently, some of these might not be running due to the pandemic, but once they return I’m definitely excited to try them! Most of the parks have free interactive scavenger hunts that you can participate in. Sadly, Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom was recently discontinued. Though I have hope that the Pirate-themed hunt will return to Adventureland in MK!
EPCOT often has scavenger hunts that go along with their festivals. There is also an interactive Ducktails game you can play by using the Play Disney Parks App! Fun!
Animal Kingdom has an interactive Wilderness Explorer program that kids can participate in. Kids can explore the park and earn “badges” on their way to becoming true Wilderness Explorers! I hope this sticks around so our little guy can enjoy it!
4. Enchanted Tales With Belle
At the Magic Kingdom, there is a walkthrough attraction centered around Beauty and the Beast and Belle herself! I know I could have done without a kid, but I think it’s going to be even more special with him!
5. Turtle Talk with Crush
This attraction is available on both coasts at California Adventures and Epcot. Here you get to talk with finding Nemo animated characters and hear them interact with the live crowd. I have actually done this one before, and it’s a lot of fun! I can imagine as a kid it’s completely amazing. I look forward to experiencing it with our son!
6. Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy
This is another attraction that you can certainly do as an adult, though it is more kid-focused. This is a newer attraction at Hollywood Studios. I haven’t had the chance to check it out yet, but I bet our little guy will love it! Many kids go through a Cars phase, so I bet this will be a huge hit!
7. Stage Shows/ Parades
As an adult, I tend to be very food and ride-focused. I rarely take the time to check out parades or stage shows. This is a shame since Disney has some amazing entertainment that is not ride focused! I plan on stopping for parades and checking out the stage shows that we’ve never seen before. Having a kid is a great reason to enjoy the things that we can so often overlook as we get older.
8. Rope Drop
Our current routine at Disney usually involves a rather leisurely morning and heading into the parks whenever we want. With our kiddo, I fully expect to hit “rope drop” (aka park opening), then come back to the resort mid-day for a nap, then back to the park again. The way we visit the parks will definitely be different as we plan our days around naps and ways to avoid meltdowns. Though I will miss the casual morning routine, I look forward to our new Disney normal, complete with naps! =)
9. Activities at the Resorts
Disney Resorts often have really unique activities you can participate in (usually for free!). There are sometimes movies under the stars, arts and crafts, and resort-specific fun. Heck, you can sing along with Chip and Dale at Fort Wilderness! I have never done any of these activities and look forward to checking them out!
10. Pool Time
It’s no surprise that kids LOVE swimming. While I’ve never stepped foot in a Disney resort pool, I bet our boy will enjoy some pool time! I will have to start thinking about how nice the pool is when I book our Disney vacations!
11. RV Stay at Fort Wilderness
Staying at a cabin in Fort Wilderness is still a high priority on my list. But, possibly taking an RV or camping there could also be tons of fun for our family! My husband has hopes of me becoming a more willing camper, but staying at Disney to camp is a nice baby step in that direction. Plus, I bet our kiddo will love it!
12. Seeing it All Through His Eyes
The biggest thing I most excited about when it comes to visiting Disney is seeing the magic through his eyes. I remember the excitement leading up to my Disneyland trips as a child and counting down the days. Being at Disneyland was an incredibly magical part of my childhood and obviously had a pretty profound impression on me. I know our little man will love it just as much as I do and watching his face light up as we walk down Main Street will be priceless.
I am getting SO excited to meet our baby and share my love of Disney with him! Check out our last post about Things I am Looking Forward to Doing at Walt Disney World in 2021!
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I can’t wait! Hope we can bring our kiddos together ❤
We camped at Fort Wilderness with our family a few years ago and it was the BEST way to do Disney. We plan to go again when we have young teenagers and they can have a little more freedom. And seeing the Magic Kingdom through your child’s eyes is just fantastic.