Disney World: Tips for Taking Small Children

Can I go home now? Wheezing, coughing, heart breaking in two. These are the words every parent dreads hearing from their child, after spending hours travelling to Disney World and a fortune on tickets. Even at the most magical of places, children act up. What's a parent to do? For advice on taking small children to Disney World, read below for a list of ten useful tips.

1. Fastpass: A Fastpass is an advance ticket for an attraction. You walk to the attraction and put your day pass into a machine for booking. At the scheduled time, you go to the attraction and do not have to wait. Using the Fastpass system, we never waited more than 15 minutes to get on a ride. You can explore the park or eat lunch instead of waiting in line.

2. Bring food: Snacks are very expensive to purchase at Disney World and small children like to graze all day, especially when bored. Having a few items in a backpack, such as goldfish crackers, raisons, fruit and water, can help ward off hunger, boredom and keep money in your wallet.

3. Check height restrictions: Before you decide to take your child to Disney World, check the height restrictions of major attractions to see if it will be worthwhile. Our daughter was just over 42" when we booked our trip and we found that she could ride almost everything in the park. It would be disappointing to take your child to a park like Disney World if they could only go on fair-type rides.

4. Hype: Are your children familiar with Mickey Mouse, Goofy and other classic Disney characters? Before going to Disney World prepare your child for the experience to get the most from your trip. Watch popular Disney movies together and listen to catchy soundtracks in your car. Just knowing the characters will increase your child's excitement.

5. Water Bottles: Bringing your own water bottles can save you time and money. There are plenty of water fountains throughout Disney World and you can fill them up almost anywhere. You can even use them to pour over your child's head while waiting in line to keep cool.

6. Safety: Does your child know your cell phone number and your full name? Do you have a meeting place picked out if you get lost? Show your child what Disney World staff are wearing so they know whom they can trust in case of emergency. Carrying current pictures of your children with you and dressing your children in bright, recognizable clothing are also good ideas.

7. Comfort: Children whine and complain over small inconveniences. Temper tantrums can be avoided by dressing your children in comfortable clothing and keeping extra elastics on hand to tie back long hair. If you are going to Disney World more than one day, switch your child's shoes to avoid sores and blisters.

8. Sun Protection: Florida is hot, so apply sunscreen liberally throughout the day. Wear hats with brims to keep the sun off your face and eat or stand in the shade where possible. Drink lots of water, even if it means more pit stops. Children get heat stroke easily and being outside in the sun all day can make them feel tired and cranky.

9. Shopping: Don't make any purchases from gift shops until the end of the day. It may be tempting to purchase souvenirs when you see them, but try to avoid it. Parents who buy toys and hats for their children throughout the day usually end up carting them around the park.

10. Camera: Don't count on the PhotoPass pictures; take your own. Digital cameras now days are small and portable and you can take them everywhere. PhotoPass pictures are high quality, but expensive to order. We didn't find it an inconvenience to bring our own camera on rides and attractions.

Parents who bring small children to Disney World need to be patient, flexible and have positive attitudes. What do your kids want to do? What is important to them? Sometimes going on a favorite ride twice can be more enjoyable than seeing the entire park once. If you return home with happy memories of time spent with your children, count your trip a success.