Hiya Madeline,
Welcome to planDisney! There is nothing quite like your little Mouseketeers' first vacation to the Most Magical Place on Earth. I've been to Walt Disney World too many times to count, but I will never forget the first time I brought my now three-year-old. She was only 4 months old, but I still remember how her eyes lit up with all the sights and sounds. Be sure to get your 1-year-old a "First Visit" button at check-in at
Animal Kingdom Lodge (it will make a great keepsake as you look back on the vacation.
Before I start tearing up thinking of all the magical core memories, let's chat about getting you to the start of your vacation. As someone who has two little ones in car seats, I have a lot of experience with this exact question. Typically, we prefer to rent a car when we travel to make things easier for ourselves, but on occasion, we opt to save ourselves the hassle of traveling with extra luggage. Madeline, there are multiple options available, but I'll highlight two of my preferred ones. The first option is to use Mears Connect to get a shuttle and then utilize either complimentary transportation or
Minnie Van services once you arrive at Walt Disney World Resort. Mears Connect is an excellent option for getting to and from the airport and is relatively cost-effective. Your one-year-old will not need to be in a car seat, but you will need to hold them on your lap for the duration of the ride (think bus transportation). My toddler actually loved it because she wasn't a huge fan of car seats, so sitting on my lap was much more enjoyable than being in one. Then, once you are on property to travel between Animal Kingdom Lodge and
Bay Lake Tower, I recommend using the Minnie Van Service if you want to use a car seat. This service is operated through Lyft, and each Minnie Van comes equipped with two car seats that you can use. Speaking of Minnie Van, that brings me to my next recommendation. I personally love Minnie Van Service because Cast Members operate it, and it is very kid-friendly. Until recently, Minnie Vans only operated within Walt Disney World Resort, but that has changed! This summer, it was announced that Guests at Deluxe Resorts (like the two you mentioned) can schedule a Minnie Van ride from Orlando International Airport to their resort hotel. This was a game-changer for me, but this service definitely comes with a higher price tag than Mears Connect (or even scheduling traditional rideshare). To schedule Minnie Van airport services, you will need to do so through
Disney Signature Services.
I hope this was helpful, Madeline. Before I let you go, if you plan to take the Mears Connect route, don't forget to utilize luggage transfer services when checking out of Animal Kingdom Lodge and into Bay Lake Tower. This will allow you to have your luggage transferred from one resort hotel to another by Bell Services, eliminating the need for you to do it yourself. That would also allow you to visit the theme parks on check-out day and then take either a Minnie Van or a complimentary transportation option to your new resort hotel without having to lug around your luggage (which, let's face it, with a one-year-old, you will want to keep free for other purposes). Please come back and see us if you need anything else.
Happy Planning,
Ashley F.