Disney with a Toddler: Disney with little ones series

This post is part of my Disney with Little Ones series.  We recently went with our family to Disney World and took our 4 year old, 23 month old, and 5 month old with us, and I survived with my sanity in tact...I think.  We've already talked about babies at Disney, packing tips, and a fun alternative to the autograph book, among other things.  

Taking a toddler to Disney World was much easier than I'd expected.  My boys just napped on the go in the nice stroller we'd rented from a stroller rental company.

My son was just a few weeks shy of his second birthday, and I expected him to be afraid of the huge characters.  Fortunately we took the advice of the authors of The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World with Kids and prepped the kids ahead of time so that they understood just how huge the characters would be.

So when Andrew met Mickey and all of the other characters, even my standoffish, timid little guy was thrilled & happy to meet his favorites.

In fact, at the character breakfast at the Beach Club Resort's Cape May Cafe, Andrew was the first one to recognize Donald Duck across the crowded restaurant.  He shouted "Duck, Duck!" and couldn't wait for Donald to come by for a visit.  We bought him a small Donald Duck as his souvenir from the trip.

I expected a few fearful moments, but it was actually my 4 year old who was occasionally scared.  Andrew loved every minute of Disney World, and thanks to having a big sister, he knew most of the characters and was familiar with the story lines.

Disney World Highlights for our Toddler:

Rides: flying on Dumbo, shooting to defeat Evil Emperor Zurg on Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, gliding above England and Neverland in Peter Pan's Flight, oohing and aahing at the dolls in It's a Small World, and driving a car on the Tomorrowland Speedway.

Experiences: Meeting all of the characters in each of the parks, the character breakfast, all of the parades, but especially the Electric Parade.  He was excited when he spotted Captain Hook & the gang.

A Surprise Favorite: At Hollywood, the adults wanted to watch a stunt show, which my 4 year old hated, thanks to the loud noises.  My toddler, however, loved every minute of it.  He enjoyed the explosions, the car stunts, the loud engines, and especially seeing his hero, Lightning McQueen.

In fact, he may or may not have kissed a certain tow truck...

What were some of your toddler's favorite rides at Disney?  What advice do you have for families taking little bitty ones to Disney?