I think it depends... if you want to go to Disneyland for you... then get a sitter and go with your husband. If you want to go to see your son experience Disney for the first time, then go with him and let your husband decide if he wants to experience that too. As for the nap time - yes kids need a nap. He'll fall asleep there - if he won't sleep in the stroller, walk to Downtown Disney or California Adventure and relax at a restaurant and eat lunch while baby sleeps! It can be great just as long as you don't have expectations that the day will be this great thing. Maybe do a practice run at Adventure City because it is only $14 a person so it is easy to let yourself relax and enjoy a theme park for kids. This way your son will have experienced the crowds and excitement already.
I go all the time with my 2 girls by myself. I've gone since they were 6 mo. Either go from open till nap time or go just after till close. He can go on all the rides in fantasyland, pooh, storybook, pirates, small world, buzz astro blasters, plus at night you have parades.
Funny you should ask. We went today! I have been taking my 2 by myself since the oldest was 2 and the youngest was less than 6months (now 3 and 5years old). Go and have fun! It will be a different day with the little one, than when you were a teenager trying to ride Space Mountain 15 times in a day (maybe that was just me...) Anyhow, take it slow and easy, start with gentle rides, like Small World, the train around the park and see how he does. If he loves it, try out some of the more stimulating rides. Hopefully he will take a timely stroller nap that will allow you to eat and just relax a bit. We have a great time on the Pirate (formerly Tom Sawyer) Island and over in California Adventure where there are several unstructured play areas. Load up on sunscreen and snacks (yes, you can bring them in) and be ready to go with the flow!
Hey Jenifer,
We took my 2.5 yr old and 4.5 yr old to D-land in November and I think they are still a bit too young; maybe another year. There is a place called Adventure City that's near Knott's Berry Farms that is supposed to be fabulous and have rides and such that are more in tune with the under five age group. =0) Hope that helps!
Leah =0)
Your son will love Disneyland......it is colorful, full of sights and sounds....he will, of course, be limited to rides , etc. But plenty to do. Carry plenty of snacks and liquids....very expensive there......Calif. Adv. has a water area for the little ones to get wet...so carry swimsuit and towel also.....with birthday can only go in one park, I believe. Hard for me to tell you which one....Calif. Adventure has Bug's Life area....smaller rides, but main park has trains,monorail, cars, Fantasyland, probably more to do....more to see.....take him...have fun....can always leave it's on their dime!!!!
:) Peggy
If I were you I would go by myself with the baby. Park in the Downtown Disney lot so you do not have to pay for parking (3 hrs). Take some great photo's and leave before the 3 hours is up. Visit Toon Town and the Princess Castle area for story time and great photo's. Your baby is way to young to remimber any of it so just keep it short. You can bring in a backpak with food and bottled water. Your husband will just be miserable and why pay the extra money.
Jenifer, I think you should go! it will be free and you guys will have a great time. At took my daughter at 18 months and we went in some rides and left after 5 hours...she was soo happy!
If you want to go for yourself then get a sitter. Like others are saying it depends on what he usually does. We just took our eleven month old and she napped in the stroller.
Go; Have a Happy Birthday! Along with the Baby Care Center (a haven for sure!), try the Hungry Bear Restaurant near Splash Mountain. It's quiet there with views of the lake and the island. My kids seem to really rejuvenate there every trip (and the food is pretty good, too!). Enjoy!
Hi
DEFINITELY go, even if it's just for a couple of hours.....that was about the age I took my daughter..remember to see it thru THEIR eyes...everything is magical.....she was so enthralled with the sights and sounds...I don;t think we made it past the castle and small world....on our first visit we did Small World maybe twice, Carousel probably 5 times, Enchanted Tiki (a little scary) and I think the Jungle Cruise....that was a FULL day...remember just the walking around is enough for them....my daughter hasn't napped since before 2...but MOST of the kids are sleeping in their strollers so just walk around and enjoy the atmosphere while they are asleep....or go to the California Grand Adventure Hotel in Downtown Disney and sit in the Lobby while he sleeps.....bring a book or buy a magazine and coffee and enjoy the down time.....and LEAVE HUBBY at home...my hubby doesn't care for amusement parks and just brings the whole day down....so why ruin it....take LOTS and LOTS of pictures, and be a kid again!!!!
Have a wonderful time...
GO! My kids both had their first visit when they were a week old. We love Disneyland. Go and have fun. There are places to change your little one and feed him too. Have a great time...
I agree with Marybeth! We just took our 2 1/2 yr old son last March. I actually didn't want to go but everyone said he would love it. The lines were way too long, like and hour and a half...no can do, too hot and the characters made him cry! I bet if he had a older sibling or something it would maybe have been different, however it was a waste of money. I would probably not go back untill he is 5.
Don't feel bad about not going this year. Speaking as someone who grew up near Disneyland and went many, many times a year for two decades, it is not for toddlers or the parents of toddlers. You will spend your whole time in the nursery on Main Street, or avoiding the characters that roam around (because toddlers are often afraid of them). The toddlers cannot go on any rides that you would enjoy...so one of you will be sitting on a bench near the ride while the other enjoys it...alone. And naps? Your LO will probably end up melting down in the stroller before conking out. No fun. Wait till your LO is about 4-5yrs old. Then it'll be a blast. Promise.
I took my 2 year old and we had a blast. We did 2 rides - the merry go round and the tea cups. The trick is to go in the morning and evening when it isn’t too hot. The look on her face when she saw the magic kingdom and then the electric parade was absolutely worth it.
I think it’s fine - but you have to accept you aren’t going for the rides when you go with a toddler. Now I should add - we take my kid everywhere - including 18 hour flights ( 10 and 8) so she’s adapted to being in all kinds of environments.
I am pretty overwhelmed by the responses!! Thank you all so much for your thoughts on this. This has been a real struggle for me. After talking it over with my husband, he really wants to be a part of our sons first time at Disneyland. He agrees, that it’s not his thing. But he says that for our son, he’d go and he wants to go. Just not for my birthday this year. He apparently has something else planned for this year that will entail 2 days, as he told me not to ask questions but make sure that I have those 2 days off. So, I am giving up on the Disneyland thing this year. Maybe next year Disneyland will be offering the same thing. 
Again, Thank you for your thoughts. :