Celebrating your Toddler’s Birthday at Walt Disney World
Celebrating a little one’s Birthday at Walt Disney World is already a magical experience. Whenever we plan a trip around our kids’ birthdays, which we try to do each year, we like to make sure to celebrate the big day in a special way.
Here are a few ways to make an already magical experience even more special for your little one’s day.
In Room Celebrations
From cupcakes to full blown in-room parties, Disney Floral and Gifts typically has your in-room party needs covered. For our son’s 4th birthday we had cupcakes, balloons and a birthday Mickey hat waiting for him after we returned from dinner! The cupcake packages and others can be found here.
Another fun idea is to set up your own surprise. We spent a weekend at Disney’s Art of Animation in a Little Mermaid room for our daughters 2nd birthday. I slipped out of the car, while dad took his time getting everyone else out, and ran ahead to set up a mermaid doll in the room to greet our birthday girl. Her reaction to the surprise was a great reminder that the littlest things feel extra magical in a Disney setting. Get creative!
Let Everyone Know!
Birthday shirts, birthday ears and free birthday buttons are a great way to let everyone know it’s their special day! Etsy is an excellent place to find birthday ears and Disney themed shirts. Be sure to order well ahead of your trip, as many Etsy items are made to order and can take a little time to arrive.
Free birthday and celebrations buttons are available at Front Desks and Guest Relations at Walt Disney World hotels and parks. Any cast member can direct you to the nearest place to find your buttons.
Cast members always take the time to wish our little ones a Happy Birthday whenever they notice the button, shirt or hat. It definitely makes them feel like they are the prince/princess of the day.
Special Birthday Treats
You can order a celebration cake at many Walt Disney World Table-Service restaurants or pick one up right in most hotel quick service restaurants. You can also pick one up or order one to be delivered to your room from Amorette’s Patisserie at Disney Springs. Visit this link for a list and map of participating locations.
If you aren’t keen on the splurge, Disney always has a fun selection of decorated cupcakes to choose from. Our little ones always light up when they see the mountain of icing and magical decorations. And more often than not that cupcake is just the right amount to share.
Let them Shop!
One thing that brings our kids so much joy on their birthdays is handing them a gift card and letting them pick out their own gift. The World of Disney at Disney Springs is a favorite because it usually has the largest selection, but even the gift shops at the resort hotels are filled with toddler treasures. Sometimes we try to steer them toward a certain gift, but most times we let them have their choice.
As they get older, they also enjoy getting to pay with their own gift card, so we make sure to have one on hand for each of our kids. The gift cards also help us to set a spending limit, which has helped prevent many meltdowns.
Personal Note: Our son’s favorite place to shop is the China Pavilion at Epcot. They’ve got miniature animal toys that are $3.95 for a pack of 5. These have been one of the best discoveries for us because they are tiny, affordable and he loves collecting new ones each time we go.
Birthday Dining Celebrations
I always find it to be a good idea to let your servers know you are celebrating a birthday. While you won’t always receive a song and dance, we have always had the joy of experiencing a little extra magic.
This seems to vary based on the type of restaurant you are dining in and how busy it is at the time of your visit. Some experiences we have had have included a cupcake with a candle, an autographed birthday card at character dining locations and a complementary treat.
There are certainly ways to make every family member feel special on their special day at Disney World.
If you have the time, spend a day doing what they enjoy most. For our toddlers, that typically means a day at the pool. While they love the rides and magic of the park, a slow day taking in their surroundings and splashing around with family always ends up being a favorite for them.
When spending the day at the parks, we always try to save their favorite park for the day we celebrate their birthday. Simple things like stopping for a popsicle and finding their favorite character will have a big impact for their big day!
