At both Disney World and Disneyland, special attention is paid to families with preschoolers. Parents can head to Magical Beginnings for quick online tools that find the best attractions and entertainment for wee visitors.
Parents will also find amenities at the theme parks to make travel with tots easier. For ex., at Disney World, "Services Just For Little Ones" includes stroller rental, and Baby Care Centers in all four theme parks (with rocking chairs for nursing mothers, diaper-changing rooms, feeding rooms with highchairs and bibs, even diapers and formula for sale.) Parents can use the "baby swap" to ride a ride: stand in the line-up only once; first one parent rides, while the other holds the baby, then the other parent goes.
Walt Disney World: Little Ones Travel Time
In addition, Disney World has declared late summer and fall to be a special time for travel with toddlers.
This makes sense: families with toddlers can always use some special treatment; and Disney would like to boost attendance starting late August, when summer throngs start to thin due to Back to School. Put 'em together and whaddya got? Special events, amenities, and entertainment for tots.
For seven weeks -- August 26 October 28 2007 -- families of preschoolers will find special treatment, special concerts, and early Extra Magic Hours in Fantasyland.
Playhouse Disney in Concert
August 30 to October 28 2007; presented by HUGGIES® and PULL-UPS® Brands. Live concerts with acts such as The Doodlebops™, Johnny and the Sprites, and Dan Zanes; opportunity to meet Disney Channel favorites when they perform. Also, Playhouse Disney – Live on Tour! appears in the theme parks, featuring Little Einsteins, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,more.
Little Ones Magic Hour
Guests at Disney Resorts already benefit from general Extra Magic Hours.(Every day, at least one theme park opens early or stays open late just for resort guests.) Add to this an extra "Little Ones Magic Hour": guests at a Walt Disney World® Resort hotel can visit Fantasyland® an hour early on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from August 26 to October 28 2007. Fantasyland is the best of the theme parks for little kids, with fave attractions such as Dumbo the Flying Elephant.
Special Rates
"Magical Beginnings" matched up nicely with some Special Rates at Disney Resorts, as low as $69/night at Disney Value Resorts. Even at Disney's four low-priced Value Resorts, guests get all the perks of staying at a Disney Resort, such as Magical Express bus servicefrom the airport, and Extra Magic Hours in the theme parks.
More goodies for under-fives year-round at Disney World
- baby-changing stations in the theme parks, and stroller rentals
- character dining with celebs like Pooh Bear
- kiddie pools, kids clubs, and playgrounds at Disney resorts
- Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, at World of Disney in Downtown Disney, has fancy hairstyles, costumes, glittery nails... Meanwhile,in an interactive Adventure Room, boys and girls can fill treasure chests and generally act pirate-like.
Of course, some say that preschoolers shouldn't go to Disney theme parks at all; but interestingly, it's not the preschoolers' parents who are saying that. Travel researchers Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown and Russell (YPB&R)-- who study trends for Disney-- found that "nine out of ten preschool parents would consider taking their young children on a theme park vacation as long as the park offered age-appropriate rides and services." <p><sup>Photo © Teresa Plowright </sup>
