1. If you can avoid peak tourist seasons...do it. We had no choice, as we were spending Christmas with family (totally worth it), but if you are planning a trip just for fun try to avoid Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the summer.
2. To add on to number 1, DO NOT go in the summer. Florida gets way too hot to tote a 2 year old around in 90-100 weather. Florida is extremely humid too, this will only make things worse. I lived in FL for a little bit so I've got a pretty good idea of their year 'roud temps...trust me...don't go in the summer.
3. If you are road tripping or flying rent a stroller. I am 100% satisfied with my decision to take the BoB, but you can rent them there...which is exactly what I should have done in order to save space. I got a good look at most of the rentals and they were all in excellent condition. You can reserve your stroller HERE.
4. DO NOT use an umbrella stroller. While the umbrella strollers are small and easy to push around in a crowd, they do not provide for a very good napping environment. This is the main reason that I am so happy that I took my giant BoB. It provided a spectacular napping environment for Mikey. The sun shade comes down so far that it was pretty dark in there and the seat reclines really nicely. I also felt like he was somewhat protected in there. The large wheels also kept the ride very smooth on uneven ground.
5. There are designated stroller parking areas for each ride/ride cluster. At first I was nervous about leaving my $400+ beloved jogging stroller in the middle of some huge area, but the areas are nicely roped off with someone supervising. Could you easily walk away with someone else's stroller? Probably, but for the most part it seemed pretty secure. The only thief I saw was a squirrel raiding each stroller for food! Smart little buggars!
6. Dumbo is by far the best kiddie ride regardless of wait time. The dumbo ride has a play area inside to keep the kids entertained while you wait. They give you a pager like at a restaurant and it goes off when its your turn to ride! GENIUS!
7. Pack lots of snacks (obviously). The cost of eating at Disney is outrageous.
8. The electric parade and castle light show at Magic Kingdom run twice. Don't fight the crazies. For the first parade its a fight to even get into viewing distance. This is one of the best times to ride the rides. While all the crazies are wrestling each other go get on some rides with absolutely no wait. Catch the next show about 1.5 hours later when most of the crazies have cleared out. Its pretty easy to get a front row seat at the second showing. *Fireworks are only once* **You can't see the fireworks if you are planted directly in front of the castle.**
9. Push your kid to stay up late. Its worth it to keep them up until midnight in order to avoid crowds. Do this by taking the right stroller so they can nap. Just be wary of the aftermath of an exhausted toddler. We finished out our trip with the croup :-)
10. Make sure you take entertainment for your kids for the lines. At 2, it can be very hard to be patient. Entertainment for the lines will go a really long way.
11. Make sure your kid is a good hand holder. It makes life a lot easier if they are a good hand holder. I can't imagine navigating those crowds if he was running off or fighting me. If your kid is not a good hand holder, consider waiting until they are a tad older to go.
12. Don't have a schedule. Just read your kid and see what they can handle. Having a schedule does nothing put create unnecessary stress.
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