Be Safe While Traveling to Disney with Children
Walt Disney World is the most magical place on earth to bring a child. The wonder of seeing Cinderella’s castle, soaring over Neverland or boating through Arendelle, tasting a very first Dole Whip, or meeting the main mouse himself is incomparable when you have the chance to experience it with the most precious little ones in your life. There’s simply nothing like it. And the whole world knows it. There’s simply not much better than traveling to Disney with children!
On any given day, Walt Disney World hosts an average of 50,000 Guests in the parks. That’s an insane number of people in one relatively small place. The Imagineers who designed the resort were champions of crowd management, and the number of your fellow fans enjoying the parks shouldn’t scare you off in the slightest!
Safety First!
In addition, the Cast goes to incredible lengths to ensure Guest safety, and the security measures implemented there make the parks one of the safest places on earth you could be. But for parents, the thought of bringing your youngest Disney fans to a new place filled with strangers for the first time can be a little nerve-wracking.
Fortunately, there are some fun, safety-inspired accessories you can add to your pre-trip shopping list to enjoy a little extra security and a whole lot of Disney style.
Matching shirts
The most obvious way to keep your group together is to sport some matching shirts. Don’t roll your eyes! There are two reasons you should have matching shirts, at least for one or two days, in the parks:
- Logistically, this makes it SO MUCH EASIER to spot members of your party. Realistically speaking, you will, at some point, split up for something — whether it’s one person standing in line to order lunch while another finds a table, or one kid wants to ride Dumbo and the other wants to ride the teacups, or you just get separated in a crowd. Knowing what shirt to look for (especially if it’s a semi-bright, non-red one — you see a lot of red shirts down there already) makes finding your people vastly, vastly easier.
- There is totally such a thing as Disney Culture — the way you act in the parks is way different than how you act in real life. Would you ever proudly sport sparkly gold ears to go to the grocery store? Or wish random strangers a happy birthday because they have a pin stuck on their shirts? Or excitedly hug a poor intern stuffed into a furry costume soaked in the saliva of 400 children on a day hot enough it feels like you’re inside a crockpot? Of course not. But you do at Disney. And in Disney Culture, matching shirts are cool. It’s inexplicable, but it’s true, and you just need to trust that.
You can find tons of cute matching shirts online, or you can get crafty and make your own (if you have a Cricut or know someone who does) or just buy iron-on decals. No matter what you do, it’s worth it — and the cheesier, the better!
Temporary tattoos
Consider purchasing some temporary tattoos with your phone number, in case of separation. You never ever ever want to think it’s possible, but kids do get lost at Walt Disney World, and even though the Cast is specifically trained in handling these situations, it doesn’t make it any less anxiety-inducing to even think about your kid wandering around with 50,000 of their fellow park-goers.
It’s super unlikely that you’ll need it, but putting a temporary tattoo with your phone number in case of separation on a noticeable place, like your child’s arm, can provide at least a measure of comfort, and you can find lots of cute, inexpensive options online.
A bonus tip: Take a photo of your child each morning before venturing out into the parks. Disney days can sometimes blend together, and in the event of an emergency, it will help you remember what your kiddo is wearing.
Decals for your Magic Bands
If you stay at a resort on Disney property, your Magic Band is included; if you opt to stay off-property, you can still purchase one. Yes, you can customize your band in advance with your name or nickname on the inside, but when both your daughters insist on a pink Magic Band, and they’re both sitting next to the sink overnight, it’s annoying to have to examine the inside for whose band belongs to whom. Instead, customize the outside!
You can buy charms or specialized bands when you get there, or you can save yourself a few bucks (and give the kids something to do on the plane) by packing some stickers. You might also consider purchasing a decal with your phone number as an added measure of protection, similar to a temporary tattoo.
Stroller tags
This will come as a surprise to no one — there are approximately 2,957,693 strollers at the Magic Kingdom on any given day. Whether you rented one from Disney World or an offsite provider, or you brought your own, there are only so many stroller models out there, and they look a LOT alike.
Make sure you have the right one by bringing along a tag or two to mark your stroller. Again, you can make these (make sure it’s waterproof, either by laminating it, covering it with packing tape, or sticking it in a full-size plastic page protector and taping up the open end), or you can buy pre-designed tags online.
Make sure it’s eye-catching enough to stick out so you know what to look for, but not so big that it interferes with your ability to push your little around in it.
Traveling to Disney with Children!
These few items aren’t terribly expensive, but might give you a little more peace of mind on your trip — so you can relax and enjoy the magic, making some amazing memories to last long after your little ones grow up!
Traveling to Disney with children is so much fun! I’m here to help with all of these tips so you can have the most MAGICAL vacation ever! Please contact me today to get started!
Kiley Eaton
MickeyTravels, LLC
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner – Platinum Level
402-708-2305
keaton@mickeytravels.com
www.mickeytravels.com
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