OUCH
Let me clarify....For starters, the little guy IS NOT staying with a sitter while we go on vacation, wouldn't dream of it. As we took our first trip with DS to WDW in Dec, it was a new type of vacation for us...Since none of our friends have never sailed DCL w/ or w/out kids I came here for info.
First, relax
...it'll be all good. The fact that you've cruised DCL will only be an advantage, because you're already familiar with your home away from home. As you've already learned from your recent family trip to WDW, doing Disney with a child is just a different angle from Dink'n....
thankfully DW & I are lucky to live close enough to be able to enjoy some trips with the DDs and some without - and feel no guilt for planning some adult time for keeping our sanity during the family trips....
After all, nothing will help you cope with the great, big, beautiful tomorrow,
like a nice relaxing dinner at V&A while you know the little ones are safe & sound back at the Poly with an in room sitter (or DMom & a bottle of wine for her sake...
)
Let me be more specific with my questions.....the Mickey area always appeared to be insane! Is it as crazy in there as it always appears? What recommendations does one have with a tot in such a crowded area?
The Mickey area is a bit kooky - and your biggest problem will be that you can't take a child in a swim diaper into the pool, so you'll be spending time in the kiddie sprinkler fountain area. We ran into the same thing with our DD1 when we took when she was 18mo old, and she loved it (although she did climb into a Mickey Ear before we learned "the rules")...
unfortunately, I have no photos of DD in the splash zone, but I do have lots of heart-smiling memories...
Is waking up at 6 am recommended?
NO! - It's a vacation!!!
Now if your DS is an early riser, you might not have an option (there's only so much that little divider curtain in the cabin will do to convince him that Mommy & Daddy are still sleeping & he shouldn't play loudly
) But hey, only you know your family. For me, I would sneak out of the cabin while DW & DD were still sleeping, enjoy some quiet time & bring back some grub for them to nosh on while DW got done in the morning, and to appease DD1 (she's grumpy when she doesn't get food in the am)...
Do most parents plan an escape at some point from the bustling there....if so what do you do that allows you some down time with your little ones?
Yup. For us, we had a nap time in the middle of each day. We put DD down in her pack n play and DW & I enjoyed some time out on the veranda, or just chillin' on the bed with a book...just one pointer - pay attention to the navigators if you're thinking about heading back to the boat for a naptime during CC days, b/c sometimes they shut down the elevators & for us, that meant a long climb back up to deck 8 with a tired DD
How have parents split their time to allow for that adult time we all need and seek?
For us it's not too difficult. I'm an early riser, so I would take care of DD in the am (and take her out & about to let DW enjoy her favorite activity - Snooooooooooring), and then DW would take the late shift and "watch" DD while she slept in the cabin so I could stay out ridiculously late watching movies on the jumbo-tron or taking down an adult beverage or two with some friends...
How was Flounders for your little one?
Can't answer this one, as we registered for it, but never used it. We found we never needed it. DD did great at the dinners,
and the one thing we "missed" by having her with us was that we didn't do Palo's. Personally, I see nothing wrong with you reserving your full 6 hours (and even seeing if you can have more if you want once on board) in order to get in some grown up time at Palo's or the Spa. That's what it's there for, that's what it's marketed for, and that's one of the reasons to cruise DCL...so you know your kids are safe and having fun in an area you trust while you're still getting some time to breathe.
We are spending a week at WDW prior to this cruise, so this is a true family vacation, but as all parents can understand, some mom and dad time is needed and deserved!
You tell 'em sister...