Is it worth doing Disney World with a one-year-old?

"Why bother? Don't take your kids to Disney until they can remember it." It's something I've heard many times before.

Don't get me wrong. I do understand it. But it's worth noting two things. The statement assumes you wouldn't be travelling for your own enjoyment, which in this case I most definitely was.

It also assumes that baby doesn't get anything out of the trip, and that simply isn't the case.

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Recently we experienced a holiday at Walt Disney World, in Orlando, Florida, as a family and it cemented every belief I had prior to the trip that this would be a great idea.

Of course, I will caveat that by saying our one-year-old did incredibly well on not only the 30+ hour flight there, but also took all the changes to her routine in her stride making it a pleasant experience for all involved.

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I can definitely admit this could have all gone completely wrong should our little one have decided she wasn't having a bar of it.

So long as Mickey Mouse kept an acceptable one metre distance at all times, she had the time of her life. And so did we as her parents. Core memories were made.

If you've been asking yourself the question, "is it worth taking a one-year-old to Disney?", here's everything we learned.

Firstly, and very importantly, children under three are FREE! Free to enter the parks. Free to eat from your plate at character meals. They are often offered free meals of their own as well. And there are plenty of rides they can join you on too.

All the rides our one-year-old rode at Disney World

Magic Kingdom

This park (almost a mirror to Disneyland in LA) easily has the best variety of rides and activities for little ones. The majority of rides don't have a height requirement, save for the coasters.

• Astro Orbiter (this ride is now getting refurbished)
• Dumbo The Flying Elephant - we didn't ride this but it's an alternative to the above with a similar ride system
• Haunted Mansion - you can skip the 'spooky' and loud room at the beginning and go straight to the slow ride
• It's a Small World - I resisted it but she loved it
• Mad Tea Party
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover - there was one almost pitch black part that was questionable but otherwise a slow enjoyable ride
• Under the sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid
• Walt Disney World Railroad - also a great way to get to other ends of the park, you can take your stroller on board if it folds down small enough

Disney's Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom was actually the very first Disney park we visited during our stay, and while there weren't as many 'traditional' theme park rides here that were kid-friendly, it offered the next best thing -- animals!

• Kilimanjaro Safaris - would have done this again if time allowed to see what other animals we could spot
• Na'vi River Journey
• TriceraTop Spin - this was actually one of her very first rides found in the DinoLand USA area, but it closed permanently on January 13, 2025. The area is set to become the Tropical Americas in 2027 with a whole new set of rides to experience.
• Enjoyed two shows - Feathered Friends in Flight and Finding Nemo... the Big Blue and Beyond

Epcot

This park is less about rides (although for the big kids Disney's newest Guardians of the Galaxy rollercoaster is the coolest ride I've ever been on) and is more about learning and exploration.

• Spaceship Earth - if you need somewhere cool and dark to decompress this is a great option, though the ride itself is nothing spectacular
• Remy's Ratatouille Adventure - one of the more 'active' rides (little one lost a shoe in the process) but super fun even though we hadn't seen the move.
• The Seas with Nemo and Friends - one of the highlights, the aquarium at the end was the big winner
• Frozen Ever After - we did run out of time but she could have also gone on this

Disney's Hollywood Studios

At Hollywood Studios, there are significantly less rides without height restrictions, but plenty of shows for baby to enjoy.

• Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
• Toy Story Mania - she watched her dad and I play the game but enjoyed holding her own pair of 3D glasses

I got to share my love of Star Wars by exploring Galaxy's Edge with her, even though she couldn't join us on the rides. Plus you can meet Chewbacca as a family.

The park plays host to the Beauty and the Beast Show and the Frozen show. The Fantasmic! show at night is also spectacular (though this was too late for us).

We also did a character dining experience at Hollywood & Vine for lunch with Minnie and friends. It was buffet-style and the characters make their way around to each table so everyone has a chance for a photo or a high five.

Taking care of your baby in Disney World

Each Disney World park has a Baby Care Centre (marked on the park maps) and these facilities are seriously well designed. There are large, cushy change tables, comfy nursing rooms, and supplies for purchase from nappies, wipes and medicines to a change of clothes.

Cast members are available in each Baby Care Centre to help you find your way around and offer any other advice if your little one needs something. Again, if you need a cool place to relax for a bit without the sensory overload these are great.

There are change tables in all the female bathrooms around the parks as well, though we did have to wait in line for those more than once.

You are welcome to bring your own stroller, as we did, to Disney parks, as long as it meets certain size requirements. Strollers must be 31" (79cm) wide and 52" (132cm) long or smaller and wagons are not permitted.

If you prefer to leave your stroller at home, another great option is stroller rental. Just be ready to empty baby and bags out of the stroller to go through security at the park entrance.

Where to stay

Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is a great choice for families with young children, offering themed pools, a kids' club, playgrounds, along with the added benefit of being a Disney resort with all the perks that entails - free transport and early entry.

Again it has something no other hotels had, with many rooms offering views of the savanna, allowing guests to watch animals from their balconies or windows.

Opening the blinds in the morning to giraffes having breakfast outside your window was a special thrill for our little one.

We weren't in the room or the resort a lot spending most of our time in the parks, but we had everything we needed. Although fair warning, the resort is huge so you may find that step count keeps creeping up even after finishing an entire day at a theme park.

A few cons

Of course not everything was roses. We ran out of time to do some things because bub was doing two naps most days.

And it was also not as fun to do the grown-up rides solo. Especially when it came to experiencing a brand new ride (like the TRON coaster or Guardians of the Galaxy) it would have been nice to at least do it with my husband.

If you're wondering how we did it, we were lucky to have enough Lightning Lane passes so we didn't have to join the queue twice. Otherwise you can use Rider Switch.

Just speak to the cast member located outside of the queue for the ride and tell them you wish to set up Rider Switch. They will ask who would like to sit out with baby first, scan that person's Magic Band, phone or ticket, and send the other into the queue.

Having Rider Switch set up allows the second rider to skip the standby queue and go straight through the Lightning Lane when the first rider returns.

Another downside was missing some of the night time entertainment. We could have popped bub in a carrier or her stroller to nod off while we continued to enjoy the parks after dark, but it seemed counter productive to her being her best self the next day.

So instead most nights we wrapped things up around dinner time and headed back to the hotel for a decent night's sleep.

All things considered, my advice is, if Disney World is a once in a lifetime trip for you and your family, then sure, wait until the kids are old enough to remember it forever.

Otherwise, if you want to, then absolutely take your baby to Disney World!

The writer and her family travelled as guests of Disney.