I specifically avoid kid-centric spaces when we go out and about. One of the hot playground topics lately is which places to get a membership to—a local science museum, or the aquarium, or the children’s museum nearby. I always reply an enthusiastic none! You, as the adult in charge, are allowed to opt out of these spaces. We are members at a botanical garden instead because it’s a calming, outdoor space that’s safe, educational, and still very fun. I got the membership because I enjoy going and bringing my little one along.
That’s not to say we never visit kid spaces—we do! But it’s not in our regular rotation. I find Big Outings to drain me, especially as my toddler gets older and I’m left awkwardly on a bench while they do their thing.
Which is why it might be surprising that I love, love, love going to Disney with my toddler. We’ve been twice and will likely go next year, too. I mean, can you think of anything more overstimulating?
For parents who may have been Vegas or Cancun people pre-kids, there’s a whole genre of Fun Vacations out there: Cruises, theme parks, all-inclusives, carnivals…these are maximalist vacations. You’ve got a few vacation days and you’re going to LIVE IT UP BABY, whether you have a kid or not. Everything is multi-colored. You can have a margarita or a chocolate chip cookie at any hour of the day. Somewhere a guy with a megaphone in a multi-colored shirt is yelling instructions for a pool game. And the best person I know who covers these kind of vacations is travel journalist Megan DuBois.
Megan DuBois on Travel with Toddlers
Disneyland all dolled up for the holidays.
I’ve never met Megan but I’ve followed her work—she’s published all over the internet, including clips in USA Today, Forbes, Cruise Critic, and Business Insider. I stay on top of Disney-specific news and it’s usually her reporting that I end up finding when I want to learn about a new parade, cruise itinerary, or a new resort review.
Part of what makes her work so helpful is that she’s *not* bringing kids with her—so she’s able to fully experience something instead of listening to a fireworks show while you hide in the bathroom or are stuck in line to get popcorn. She specializes in family-friendly travel and I’ve executed plenty of her recommendations. She always nails it.
Here’s Megan’s recommendations for your next theme park or cruise vacation:
You’re a cruise expert. For the family-friendly cruises in particular, which itineraries do you recommend?
“I love sailing on family-friendly cruise lines even though I rarely travel with kids. I obviously love Disney Cruise Line as a Disney fan and love the Disney Treasure for families with kids. The newest ship in the fleet really has something for everyone. If you love Marvel, one of the rotational dining restaurants onboard is completely themed to super heroes; if you love Disney Princesses, head to the Walt Disney Theater for Disney The Tale of Moana.
I also love Royal Caribbean for families since there’s so much to do onboard, from swimming and rock climbing to incredible entertainment all around the ships. You’ll never be bored on any of the ships from these cruise lines.”
How do you choose a cruise that’s right for your family? What are the things to look for?
“There’s a cruise for every family! I pick cruises a few different ways. Obviously I think of my budget first and only book with lines that I know I can afford without going into vacation debt.
I also look at what the ships have to offer and where I want to go. So for example, if I want to do an Eastern Caribbean cruise for seven nights on a family-friendly line, I would look at my options from Disney, Royal, and Carnival. Then I use the cruise line’s filter features to see what ships are doing seven night EC sailings.
I would then look at each ship and decide if it’s a good fit for my family based on activities onboard, room styles that are available, food options, and price.
Finally, I pick two options and bring those to my family so we can pick our vacation all together.”
What tips do you have for families with really little ones that want to go on a cruise? My biggest concerns as a mom would be that it’s too loud late at night and that it’s too overstimulating.
“If you’ve got littles under three, you can definitely still go on a cruise, but you’ll want to look at what each ship offers.
For example, Disney Cruise Line has a nursery for babies and toddlers that you can drop your kids off at while you and your partner enjoy a date night out at one of the adult-only restaurants or want to go and see a show.
If you want to sail on Royal Caribbean, opt to sail on one of the smaller ships where there’s not as much going on all of the time. You’ll also find the smaller ships are less overstimulating and easier to navigate for adults too.”
I’m a big Disney person and I have lots of *opinions* about the parks, but I’d love to hear your best tips. Specifically, which parks do you recommend with toddlers, and are there any you’d skip?
“I love Animal Kingdom for kids of all ages. While some of the rides are scary or have certain height requirements, the shows at the park are great, and families should not skip all of the walking trails that feature animals and wildlife experts who can answer nearly any question.
There’s not a park I would skip, but I would think about timing throughout the year. I may schedule an EPCOT day during the week if there’s a festival going on because weekends are a lot busier, or I might plan to do a later afternoon visit or evening visit to Magic Kingdom during the warmer months so the sun isn’t beating down on me all day long.
My go-to park snack is the iconic Dole Whip, which is easy to share among a few people.”
The gear Megan always has on hand at a theme park is…
“I always travel with a hand-held fan from Amazon. These are lifesavers on hot days, or inside crowded building that may have AC, but you can’t feel it. I would get one of these for every person in the family for theme park vacations or cruises.”
We’ve done Disney, but haven’t ventured to other theme parks yet. What are the best other theme parks out there for little ones, if you’re doing a bigger trip?
“There are a ton of theme parks to visit that are great for littles! Peppa Pig is a good starter park, but right across the street is LEGOLAND FL, which has more attractions and a better skew of things to do for families with multiple children.
If you’re looking for a cool road trip, Silver Dollar City in MO and Dollywood in TN are also great for kids. There’s plenty of rides, but there’s also interactive exhibits, great food, and entertainment that’s family-friendly.”
The best non-theme park vacation for families is…
“To be really honest, nearly any destination can be family-friendly if you want it to be. That’s the joy of vacations, they can literally be tailored to your needs and tastes. If I had to pick, I love Savannah, Georgia for slightly older kids since there’s a lot of history to learn about, and riding the trolley or taking a ghost tour is always fun.”
What is it about theme parks and cruises that you absolutely love?
“Cruises and theme parks are not for everyone, but I love that both are places that I can make lasting memories with my family and friends. I also live in Florida really close to some of the best theme parks in the world and cruise terminals so it’s an easy vacation for me.
I love theme parks because I grew up going to them and I’ve made friends with people who live near the theme parks, so it’s always fun to link up with them for a park day. And for cruises, the idea that I can pay one set price to get on the ship, be entertained for a week, my food and “hotel” are included, and I can see new destinations around the world is always exciting.” 🛳️
If you’re going to go big, do it right
Thank you, Megan! When you vacation with a toddler or a baby, sometimes you want to know that spending the money will be “worth it.” These destinations and brands spend so much time getting the details right for families with kids, so even though it’s overstimulating at times, you’ll find the design of the trip will feel easier—there’s always a high chair and kid’s meal available, for example, and you can have dinner at 4:30 PM if you need to.
Even though I’d rather be at some small, no-name boutique hotel or trekking in the wilderness, I’ve had SO much fun doing a more kid-centric vacation. Sometimes, that’s exactly what you need to relax.
Thanks for being here.
Fall is my favorite season for travel, mainly because once school starts, the best places to go tend to empty out. We’re technically on the school break calendar with our childcare situation so realistically, so are we. Reminding myself that my toddler isn’t doing calculus just yet so it’s nbd if we pick a vacation off-break. (Though we are paying for them to be there, so…)
I think this all comes back to what’s “worth it” for a vacation. It’s the same reason why you often hear from other parents, “Well, they won’t remember it anyway…” or “They’ll just ruin the trip for you.” I disagree with both of those ideas, mainly because the memories are for me, and yeah, if you want to lie down and relax and sleep in like vacations of yore, a toddler will certainly ruin that for you.
I know I’ve had to change my definition of vacation, and these kinds of maximalist destinations are exactly the kind of fun crammed into every second that I need sometimes to keep going. I may not be able to read more than a few lines of my book, but I’m also doing more active memory-making: Throwing my kid in the air to great big giggles, snacking on french fries while my toddler naps by the pool, screaming my lungs out on a roller coaster, getting a pat on the back from Mickey.
It’s okay to be a kid sometimes. It’s okay to run through the splash pad or swing from the monkey bars. It’s okay to order yourself an ice cream at 10 AM. I am nothing if not the biggest kid out there at a playspace!
Vacation is for fun,
Kayla
This post was originally published on Travel with Toddlers. Subscribe for more real-talk travel advice, toddler-friendly itineraries, and tried-and-true gear recommendations.
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This post was originally published on Travel with Toddlers. Subscribe for more real-talk travel advice, toddler-friendly itineraries, and tried-and-true gear recommendations.
