1 parent 2 kids...How do you do it at DL?

[Jager_mom]

I tried really hard to coax a family member to come to DL with us but no one is available, so I am taking my two daughters 5 and 9 all by myself. I know I will have a great time with them but I am worried about managing the rides with them. What if my youngest is afraid of one but my oldest wants to go on it but she wont go without me?

We are spending 6 days in the parks!

Any helpful words/ideas?

 

[lapdwife]

I tried really hard to coax a family member to come to DL with us but no one is available, so I am taking my two daughters 5 and 9 all by myself. I know I will have a great time with them but I am worried about managing the rides with them. What if my youngest is afraid of one but my oldest wants to go on it but she wont go without me?

We are spending 6 days in the parks!

Any helpful words/ideas?

It's generally just me and the kids. If one doesn't want to go on a ride, we just won't go on it at all. I do tend to make deals, too. You want Buzz, fine- you have to go on Pirates with me.

 

[LisainCalifornia]

I have gone many times with my two girls, and the first time was when they were the same age as your kids. The first thing I do is always a lot of pre-trip talking--about how no one is going on any rides they don't want to go on. Disneyland is suppose to be a happy place, right? There is nothing worse than those parents who force their kids to go on rides they don't want to go on! It is torture for those around them. It is a total kill joy to go on Pirates with a kid who is screaming, crying and begging not to go on. I would never want that for my kids or for the kind folks around them. So I tell them there are bound to be rides that one of us wants to go on, but the other doesn't. The great thing about Disneyland is that you can always find something to do that everyone can agree on. So if one kid can't make it on California Screamin' this trip, there is always next trip. It isn't a tragedy, because we are all in this together and we are all at disneyland. Just keep repeating than mantra, and it should be fine.

Lisa

 

[Goofy_Mom]

Our last trip, DH was stuck in the hotel for most of the trip. It was just DD9 DS2 and me. During the day we did things we could all do together or DD could do by herself. She was so excited to do things by herself, it made her feel "grown up". I made sure she had her cell phone and I always near the exit when she came out. We were fortunate that Daddy was there at the hotel. Two of the four nights DD and I went back into the parks after dinner by ourselves and rode all the big kid rides and leave DS with Daddy.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Let's see ~ in 2009 my kids and I *by ourselves* took 4 trips to DLR. Last year in July it was just DD & I. In 2009 my kids were 8/9 and 5/6. I suggest you bring a stroller for your 5 year old, DD hasn't strolled outside Disney for years but even on our most recent visit *Thanksgiving last year ~ she was 7 years 5 months* she strolled for part of the day *in the evenings after we returned to the park from our mid day break ~ park hours were 8am-12am.

 

[_yoko_]

I have two children 6 and 3 yrs old, my youngest who is afraid of anything 'unknown'. Before and during our Disneyland trip, I would show him Youtube videos of some of the rides and experience before hand. This way, he has an idea of the ride and it isn't as scary as he kind of knows what to expect.

Another tip that worked for us, while I wouldn't force my child to go on a ride, I would keep asking if they wanted to 'try it out' a scary ride as we passed it. Eventually, by the end of the trip, they became used to Disneyland and were trying out new rides by the 4-5 days.

One last thing, with young children I wouldn't ask them to try out a new ride when they were tired, hungry or grumpy. They will not be in the right frame of mind and it is better for them (and you) to experience it when they are open to it.

Hope my tricks work for you and have a great trip!!