Hi Kathy,
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel and thank you for your question! I totally understand how you feel! I had visited Walt Disney World Resort several times before I was a Mom and it really was “A Whole New World” when I went with my son for the first time.
The first thing that I would recommend that you do would be to take a look at the
Planning for Pre-School Kids and Little Ones page. There, you’ll find lots of tips, planning guides and ideas for making your visit with your little girl even more magical!
As for what to bring for a day in the parks, I’ve found that having the following things on hand has really made our visits go that much more smoothly: diapers (if she isn’t potty trained yet), wipes (so useful after eating), sunscreen, a hat, boxes of raisins, an insulated sippy cup filled with ice before you leave (just add water or juice for a perfectly cold drink), and a change of clothes and/or swimsuit.
If you’re staying in a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, many of them have splash pads or water areas for the little ones to play in. One of my son's favourites is the
Schoolyard Sprayground at Disney's Art of Animation Resort. The Theme Parks also have some really great water play areas for little ones to cool down, like the
Casey Jr. Splash ’N' Soak Station at Magic Kingdom Park. Be on the lookout for other ones! Sometimes they aren’t well indicated on the Theme Park Guidemaps, like the ones near the
Test Track Cool Wash, or the little fountains near Mission Space.
Have a Magical Day!
Lynne