Walt Disney World Tips for Families with Young Children

Walt Disney World in Florida is huge, hot and wonderfully busy. With young children, the families who enjoy it most are usually the ones who plan ahead but don't try to see everything. These tips focus on the practical side: pacing, heat, sore feet and keeping everyone fed and happy.

Plan, but don't cram

• Accept that you won't see it all. There are several parks, and each could fill more than a day. Choosing a few must-dos per day leads to far happier children than racing between rides.
• Plan your route around each park. The parks cover a lot of ground, so group the rides and shows you want by area to cut down on walking.
• Check crowd levels. School holidays in the UK and the US are the busiest times. Crowd calendars and the official app can help you choose which park to visit on which day.
• Understand ride reservations before you go. Disney has offered various free and paid ways to book ride times or skip queues, and these systems change. Read up on the current options on the official Walt Disney World website and app well before your trip, as some bookings open in advance.
• Check height requirements. Many rides have minimum heights. Look them up beforehand so children know what they can ride and nobody is disappointed in the queue.

Work around the heat

Central Florida is hot and humid for much of the year, and summer afternoons often bring heavy thunderstorms.

• Arrive for park opening, when it is coolest and queues are shortest.
• Take a break in the middle of the day: back to your hotel for a swim and a nap, then return in the cooler late afternoon and evening.
• Seek out indoor shows and air-conditioned attractions during the hottest hours.
• Use high-factor sun cream, hats and sunglasses, and reapply through the day.

Take a buggy, even for older children

Families regularly walk many miles a day at the parks. Even children who have long since stopped using a pushchair at home can flag by mid-afternoon. Bring a lightweight buggy or hire one at the parks, and pack a rain cover, as buggies often have to be left outside attractions.

Food and drink

• Disney generally allows guests to bring in snacks and drinks, but there are restrictions, for example on glass containers and loose ice. Check the current rules on the official website before you pack.
• A packed lunch on some days helps keep costs down and suits fussy eaters.
• Book any character meals or popular restaurants well in advance.

Look after little feet

• Wear comfortable shoes that are already broken in. New sandals are a recipe for blisters.
• Socks help reduce rubbing, even if they don't look great with shorts.
• Pack plasters and a spare pair of shoes for each child if you can.

Be ready for rain

Short, heavy showers are common. Lightweight rain ponchos are easier to carry than waterproof coats and dry quickly. Buy them before you arrive, as they tend to cost more in the parks, and remember one for the buggy.

Practical extras

• Parking: take a photo of your parking row and your number plate. The car parks are enormous and every hire car looks the same at 10pm.
• Spare clothes: keep a change of clothes and a towel for each child in the car or bag, for water rides and spills.
• Rider switch: if one child is too small for a ride, ask a cast member about Disney's rider switch option, which lets adults take turns without queuing twice.
• Baby care: each park has a baby care centre with changing and feeding facilities, which is a calm place for a break.
• Prohibited items: selfie sticks are among the items not allowed in the parks. Check the official list before you go.
• Ear defenders: fireworks and some shows are loud, so children's headphones can help sensitive ears.

Before you fly

Check the entry requirements for the United States on the GOV.UK foreign travel advice well ahead of your trip, and make sure you have travel insurance with good medical cover. The time difference is significant, so read our guide to beating jet lag with a young family and our tips for flying with young children.

Pace yourselves, rest in the heat of the day and leave room for the unexpected, and Walt Disney World can be every bit as magical as the children hope.