Our Family Trip Before Age 3
Planning a Disney World trip with a toddler? Here’s our honest recap of what went right, what went wrong, and everything in between. From potty-training challenges to magical Mickey moments, this trip taught us a lot about what it’s really like to do Disney with a two-and-a-half-year-old, including the wins, the meltdowns, and all the magic that comes with it.
Trip Overview
Who: Our family — me (Sarah), my husband Michael, our daughter Frankie (just under 3), and my parents.
Where: Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida
Dates: March 2–7, 2025
Lodging: Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa (booked with rented DVC points)
Travel: Drove from Louisiana, with overnight stops in Live Oak, Florida before and after the trip.
We chose early March for the typically nice weather — and because we wanted to go before Frankie turned 3 so she could get in free and share meals with us at buffets.
We stayed in The Grandstand section at Saratoga Springs, which turned out to be a great choice — it’s the first bus stop (no full buses!) and close to the main building, too.
We packed our own stroller, toddler mattress, and all the essentials for traveling with a newly potty-trained toddler: extra clothes, snacks, sunscreen, and plenty of patience. (For a complete list of everything we packed for our Disney World days—including backpacks, snacks, toddler gear, and smart packing tips—check out our Disney Park Bag Essentials guide here.)
We skipped Lightning Lanes to keep things flexible and low-stress.
Before the trip, we watched Disney YouTube videos with Frankie so she’d recognize the parks, rides, and characters and just how big Mickey Mouse really is.
Pre-Trip Planning
Our planning focused on choosing which parks to visit each day using crowd calendars, booking a few key dining reservations, and researching toddler-friendly quick service options. We also made a list of priority rides and experiences for each park.
To make the travel days easier, we packed a cooler with premade food for the drive — simple meals we could heat up once we arrived at our overnight stop. We also scheduled a Kroger grocery delivery to our resort on check in day, which made stocking up on snacks, breakfast items, and toddler essentials so much easier once we settled in.
If you’re planning a Disney trip with a toddler, preparation is everything but so is having realistic expectations.
Disney World Trip Recap
March 1 – Travel Day
We left home at 7:14 a.m. and made our way to Live Oak, Florida. After a long drive, we checked into our VRBO, had our pre-made frozen pasta for dinner, and tried to get an early night. Frankie was too excited to sleep — our first sign that Disney sleep might be tricky!
March 2 – Arrival Day & Sanaa Dinner
We arrived at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort around 11 a.m. and spent the morning exploring. Frankie hit a big milestone — her first successful public potty trip!
We were hoping for an early check-in so everyone could nap, but our room wasn’t ready yet. Instead, we rented surrey bikes, which turned out to be Frankie’s favorite activity of the entire vacation.
Once our room was ready and we wrangled our grocery delivery, we headed to Sanaa at Animal Kingdom Lodge for dinner. The atmosphere was incredible, and seeing the animals up close made it worth the trip. Though the food wasn’t our favorite.
(Tip: ask for a window seat to get the best view of the savanna!)
March 3 – Animal Kingdom with a Toddler
We were on the bus by 7:21 a.m. for early entry. Frankie absolutely loved the bus rides (as well as other modes of park transportation)! We started the day with Kilimanjaro Safaris, then explored The Boneyard, the trails, and Pandora.
Lunch was a mobile order from Flame Tree BBQ, which was a hit. Then we ran into Kevin from Up — easily one of Frankie’s highlights of the day!
By the afternoon, we learned an important lesson: transitioning from one activity to the next is tough with a toddler. No naps in the stroller, no naps in the room. Just two tired parents and a lot of snacks. We took a relaxing boat ride to Disney Springs and ended the day with ice cream from Ghirardelli and a ride on the carousel, which thankfully saved the mood.
One frustration: there aren’t many mobile order options in Disney Springs, so we ended up heading back to the resort for dinner.
We really thought Frankie would love Animal Kingdom, but she wasn’t all that interested. After about ten minutes on the safari, she was just asking for a snack. This was the day we learned that on vacation toddlers need five times as many snacks, plus full meals. Her lack of interest brought me down a bit, and I found myself struggling to decide what to do that afternoon.
March 4 – Magic Kingdom (Mardi Gras Day)
Our plan was to rope drop The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, but it had a delayed opening, so we pivoted and started with the carousel and Dumbo — twice! Then we rode The Barnstormer, which (surprisingly) Frankie did not enjoy.
We took a midmorning stroller nap break while exploring the park. By then, the crowds had picked up and it felt like everyone from Louisiana was in Disney for Mardi Gras week! Lines for snacks and rides were long, and the crowds paired with little sleep, was starting to wear us down.
Lunch at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant was okay (yay for pasta with white sauce), but pivoting to meet Mickey Mouse afterward was pure joy. The moment my toddler melted into Mickey’s arms made the entire trip worth it.
We decided to catch Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire at 1:45 p.m., which turned out to be a great choice. Frankie loved the music and dancing! We also caught the Festival of Fantasy Parade at 3 p.m., rode the PeopleMover (a favorite for both toddler and mom), and wrapped up the day with burgers back at our resort’s Paddock Grill.
(Tip: there are more places to refill resort mugs than just the main food court — and we were lucky to have one close to our room!)
March 5 – Resort & Skyliner Day
After two full park days, we needed a break. We drove to Disney’s Riviera Resort (parking was allowed thanks to our 11 a.m. lunch reservation) . We rode the Disney Skyliner (which Frankie loved) to the Art of Animation Resort to see the Cars characters, a fun little detour that gave us a slower morning.
Back on the Skyliner, we returned to the Riviera for brunch at Topolino’s Terrace. Hands-down the best meal of the trip. The food, the views, and the character interactions were all amazing. We’ll definitely book it again next time. We fell in love with the Riviera and would happily stay there in the future.
March 6 – Epcot with a Toddler
We rope-dropped Frozen Ever After, which was a big hit! The posted wait was 25 minutes, and while the line was long, it kept moving steadily.
(Tip: MagicBands interact with the ride — a fun little extra for kids!)
Afterward, we wandered through the Flower & Garden Festival and rode Finding Nemo. Crowds picked up quickly, and we attempted Living with the Land and Figment, but the lines were over 25 minutes — too long for our toddler. We also wanted to check out the Disney Visa PhotoPass, but it wasn’t open until 1–6 p.m.
Frankie loved Journey of Water, and around 11 a.m., we grabbed toddler-friendly food — beans and rice — at La Cantina de San Angel. We sat at a table by the water and it was a much-needed break.
Frankie then took a stroller nap while we enjoyed snacks around the World Showcase: scallops in Canada and potstickers in China! It was breezy but sunny, and finding shady spots to eat and keep Frankie out of the sun was difficult.
Later, we wanted to ride Figment, but it was down, so we explored the meet-and-greet area instead. Frankie had a blast playing there. We also accidentally wandered by the playground near Connections, which she loved.
Before leaving, we hunted down Mickey ice cream in Norway, then rode the Skyliner back to the Riviera to check out the gift shop. We finished the day with a mobile order from Riviera for dinner and treated ourselves to Riviera cookies (which lived up to the hype!).
March 7 – Breakfast at the Grand Floridian & Heading Home
We packed up the car to check out our room and headed to 1900 Park Fair at the Grand Floridian for brunch. The food was great, but Frankie wasn’t quite ready for the face characters (we did get one picture with Mirabel!).
After brunch, we rode the monorail, did a little shopping, and hit the road for our stopover in Live Oak. What an end to a busy, magical week.
Final Thoughts: Disney World with a Toddler
Favorite Park: Epcot: beautiful, relaxing, and where we finally hit our rhythm.
Favorite Activity: Meeting Mickey
Favorite Meal: Brunch at Topolino’s Terrace.
What Went Well
- Beautiful weather
- Meeting Mickey
What Didn’t Go as Planned
- Toddler’s sleep in a new location and new bed was a real challenge
- The crowds were heavier than expected
- We constantly felt rushed
What We’d Do Differently Next Time
Next time, we’d either book Lightning Lanes or go during a less crowded week. I’d also build in more downtime early in the trip and remember that traveling with a toddler is its own kind of adventure.