We have received several email requests for tips for traveling with tots. Here are some suggestions from two of our readers:

From Mary C.

I've been to Disney in Florida with my son in 2000 (he was 4), 2001 (5) and 2002 (6). Here's some tips/comments that might come in helpful to others:

1. Rent a stroller. With the exception of Disney/MGM Studios, the double strollers are the single large seat kind, which are helpful also with keeping water bottles, snacks, bags, etc in it. My son was 4 the first time we went and I saw children as old as 8 going into a stroller. Beats having to hear "Carry me, me, I'm tired" half way through the day. The cost for the doubles are $15 for the day, singles are $8 (those are 2002 prices). The ones at MGM Studios are the "jogging" style strollers and somewhat uncomfortable for older kids.

2. I've stayed as both on-site and off-site hotels. If staying off-site, definitely rent a car. This way you can come and go as you please from the parks. If staying on-site, a car rental isn't necessary. The transportation provided at the Disney hotels can't be beat. The longest we had to wait for the bus was 10 minutes.

3. Plan for "downtime" either at the hotel swimming or a light activity...miniature golf, etc. DisneyQuest is a great place if the weather is VERY hot or rainy. Its an indoor game haven...lots of "classic" arcade games (the ones that all the parents used to play), along with the best virtual reality "rides" imaginable. I originally thought that my son and I would spend about 2-3 hours there...we stayed about 9 hours.

I can't stop at 3...I'm on a roll here...

4. When selecting a hotel, look for ones that have a water slide, water cannons, etc., if you are planning on having more hotel time. Also, don't forget the swim shoes for the little ones. The surrounding pool areas at hotels and especially at the water parks can be harsh on little toes.

5. Last one....the Disney parks charge about $3.00 for a bottle of water. I keep the bottle, fill it at the hotel and freeze it overnight. That way it takes a few hours to melt the next day and beats having to fork over all those $$$ when you want a bottle of water. In the parks, look for the water fountains that are either in the shade or inside someplace.

Thank you Mary!

From Emily R. a few more tips for tots.

I am a single mother of a four-year-old boy. I have been traveling with my son since he was 18 months. His first trip was to Europe for 3 and ½ weeks. He has also traveled to Mexico (twice) and Hawaii (three times). During the holidays he travels with his father to Utah to visit his dad's family.

I recommend when planning a vacation, select packages that are inclusive. When we went to Mexico and Hawaii the travel agent helped us find an inclusive package, which provided transportation to and from the airport, food and lodging. When we arrived there was a shuttle waiting for us at the airport that took us directly to the hotel. They also handled the transport of the luggage for us. These types of services really help you to relax and enjoy your vacation from the onset.

Thank you, Emily!

Here are a few related articles:

Tips for traveling with a two year old (response to a reader)

Tips for traveling with a tottler to Europe (response to a reader)

Things that your tot can do to ease your travel burden

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