1 adult 2 kids - is this do-able?

[AngieW10]

wanting to plan a trip to DLR and it would just me and DS10 and DS8. Is this do-able? Or am I crazy?!?!

If anyone's done trips like this - what are your best tips?

I'm just not sure how rides will work with an odd number.

I'm probably totally overthinking this

Thanks in advance for any advice or input!

 

[Lizzards]

I go all the time by myself with my two kids (4 and 6) and have since they were born. I think an 8 and 10 year old will be way easier than babies it is doable and you are not crazy to plan it. Fortunate part is, the 10 year old can ride by himself behind or in front of you. Thunder mountain you can ride altogether but will have to split for others. You will have a blast!

 

[SMD]

Kids have to be 7 to ride alone, so you can take turns sitting 1 and 2 on rides. You can even use single rider where available.

 

[rmonty02]

You're good I have my boys 10 and 8 ride together, and I ride solo. Then you'll see that they will want to try riding solo too!

 

[Geemo]

There are many rides where all three of you can be together. We've done three in/on the same ride vehicle for everything except The Astro Orbitor, Dumbo, Astro Blaster. These are a few that 3 in one doesn't work too well.

I've gone many times with just two kids. It's never been a problem. Most of my trips the last few years has include 2 to 4 grandkids. With the oldest in his 20's, his obligations keep him from tagging along on the trip next week.

As far as tips......
When my grandkids were little and we'd ride Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster, once we were on the ride and they were busy looking at everything, I'd switch the guns. They didn't notice the swap out and they thought they were hitting all the targets. At the end of the ride they liked having the highest score and beating Geemo. It was fun watching them as the points flashed on the readout. They'd be so proud of their score. Your kids might be too old to pull this one off.

Last March my DGS-12, DGD-10 and I went for a few days. We really made use of the Single Rider's line option. The SR line for RSR was walk-on for about the first hour we were there. Splash Mt's and the matterhorn SR lines were about a 5minute wait. Going through the regular line would have been at least 30 minutes.

Make your plans and have a fine time with your boys.

Geemo

 

[deanimal]

I just got back from a one week Disney trip with a four and a six year old. I'm sure you'll have a blast. One tip is to make sure the kids understand that there has to be more compromise at times when it's one adult to two kids. Usually we just split up when the kids want to do different things. But on this trip there were a few times where we did things that one really didn't want to do in order to make the other one happy. The good news is that kids can be surprisingly mature about these things when they get the chance! Have a great time.

 

[4Mickeys]

These type of questions always amaze me a little. Why wouldn't it be doable? What do you think us solo parents have to do? We'd never go anywhere or do anything with our kids if we had to have a second adult with us all the time. I guess its what you're used to. Go have fun, don't overthink it, this way you will get to experience more with them yourself rather than being able to handoff to the other person or split up. Yes it may take a little more organisation at times, but I'm sure you have done plenty with them on your own closer to home that required that.

 

[Canuck16]

Totally doable.

Have a fun filled trip

 

[RobertaMomof2]

Yes, totally doable. We just did it the week between Christmas and New Year. My kids are 10 and 7 so I get it. I was a bit worried as well. For the most part we all sat together on rides, when it was a 2 person ride (such as BTMRR) the kids rode together and I rode behind them. Just make sure you let the CM know you want to stay together. We had a all or nothing week. So either we all rode or no one rode. We had a blast!

 

[todzwife]

Easy Peasy!!! Now 2 toddlers would be hard but 2 older kids- EASY!

 

[disneyhopeful4]

Not really sure why it wouldn't be doable? Sounds like lots of fun to me! I hope that whatever is concerning you is easily managed.

 

[YukonMommy]

Absolutely doable!!
Go and have a magical time!!

 

[GeminiAngel]

Well, nobody knows how your kids are better than you. Trust your judgment.

 

[bayoulife4me]

I did once, with my daughter and niece. It was easier that I thought it would be. The girls really kept close and always in front of me. Neither wanted to get seperated from one another.

 

[AngieW10]

Thanks everyone. This will be our first "big" vacation. Just starting to plan now. Hoping they will love it!

 

[scrapshappen]

These type of questions always amaze me a little. Why wouldn't it be doable? What do you think us solo parents have to do? We'd never go anywhere or do anything with our kids if we had to have a second adult with us all the time. I guess its what you're used to. Go have fun, don't overthink it, this way you will get to experience more with them yourself rather than being able to handoff to the other person or split up. Yes it may take a little more organisation at times, but I'm sure you have done plenty with them on your own closer to home that required that.

I can tell you why it might not be doable. While I believe that most parents could handle a trip to DL with typical 8 & 10 YOs by themselves, I will never take my kids by myself again. I took my 9 & 11 YOs to DL in August without dad but with my brother's family and cousin and her toddler, so I wasn't truly by myself, but the other adults had their own children to manage. My youngest has some special needs (SPD, GAD, and operates at the social and emotional level of a 5 or 6 year old) and can be especially difficult in situations where he is over stimulated. And my older son has impulse control issues and enjoys annoying the younger one. We spent a lot of extra time that would have normally been spent in the park at the hotel having calm down time. When we went back two months later with Dad, it was so much better since we could split the boys up if necessary.

To the OP, don't let my post discourage you from going. I simply wanted to point out that there are situations where it might be harder. Go and have a great time enjoying the magic.

 

[4Mickeys]

I can tell you why it might not be doable. While I believe that most parents could handle a trip to DL with typical 8 & 10 YOs by themselves, I will never take my kids by myself again. I took my 9 & 11 YOs to DL in August without dad but with my brother's family and cousin and her toddler, so I wasn't truly by myself, but the other adults had their own children to manage. My youngest has some special needs (SPD, GAD, and operates at the social and emotional level of a 5 or 6 year old) and can be especially difficult in situations where he is over stimulated. And my older son has impulse control issues and enjoys annoying the younger one. We spent a lot of extra time that would have normally been spent in the park at the hotel having calm down time. When we went back two months later with Dad, it was so much better since we could split the boys up if necessary.

The OP didn't mention anything about special needs ..... and I'm sure she would have included that in her details if it was of great concern to her. So based on the information she provided I still don't see why it would be a problem for her or for many other parents. I work with special needs children everyday, so in your case there are more considerations, however that was not the case indicated by the OP.

 

[carrierael77]

My mom took 3 of us kids back in the day. Our ages were 5,8 and 12. It was just fine

 

[scrapshappen]

The OP didn't mention anything about special needs ..... and I'm sure she would have included that in her details if it was of great concern to her. So based on the information she provided I still don't see why it would be a problem for her or for many other parents. I work with special needs children everyday, so in your case there are more considerations, however that was not the case indicated by the OP.

Well, I don't want to start anything, but I wasn't referring to the OP. I quoted and responded to your post that said there is no reason a parent shouldn't be able to take two kids by themselves with a reason why that might not be the case for every family. In my post, I specifically said not to let my post discourage the original poster from going and enjoying the magic.

As the parent of a special needs child, I feel my own little extra dose of parental guilt when I read blanket statements like yours. I know you didn't intend for that to be the case at all. I own my own feelings of inadequacy. But I just wanted to let anyone else in a similar situation as mine who might be reading this thread to know that they aren't the only ones who can't handle two kids at DL by themselves. (Because a lot of times I feel like I am the only one and maybe, I am the only one).