3 kids - how do you do it.

mickeyfan0805

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Nov 12, 2007
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We are 2 parents with 3 kids and are considering the challenges of travelling with 3 kids (5, 4, and 1.5). Do most of the rides let you take 2 kids with an adult if one is lap-sitting? Anyone have tips? TIA
 
We are a family of 5 as well and we went on our first family trip to WDW last year when our kids were exactly 5, 4, and 16 months. We had a blast....so much fun that we immediately began planning for our trip that we just completed in April. I don't know how tall your 4 and 5 yr old are, but that will determine your ride choices. Become familiar with the rider switch, fastpass, etc. Most rides we could ride 1 adult, 1 child; and 1 adult, 1 child, 1 toddler - like Dumbo, Magic Carpets, Tricertop Spin, Winnie the Pooh, etc. Our boys were over 40", so we were able to take advantage of the rider swap. We would get Fastpasses for Big Thunder Mountain and then we would all go to the Fastpass entrance and tell the CM that we needed to do a rider swap. They would give us a rider swap pass and then 1 adult and the 2 kids would go ride the ride (we could all fit in one row) while 1 adult and the toddler waited at the exit. When they got off the ride, the other adult and the 2 kids would go back through the Fastpass entrance and ride the ride again. It worked out well...the kids get to ride twice with a reduced wait time. We never had any problems with our family of 5 fitting on a ride. In a few years, I doubt we will be able to fit on them like we do now just because our kids have grown, but by then, they will be old enough to sit in there own seat. To get more advice, I would head over to the Theme Park stragies board. They have some great advice. Also, if you go to the Mickey Mom's panel they do have some great advice concerning families of 5 at the parks. Good luck.
 
We have done it many times.

For many rides, like Pirates and such, it won't be a problem. They seat 5 across.

Several rides are fine to split up 3 and 2:

Pooh
Peter Pan
Buzz
Dumbo
Snow White

My kids are older now and the older 2 don't mind being alone at all, but it is a struggle with the little ones.

For the rides your kids are too young to go on but you wish to go, you can do a parent swap. (one parent waits in line with a "pass" and when the ride is over hands the pass over to the other parent who can then go directly to the front or with the fast pass folks.)
 
Great Question!! We too are a family of 5 going in August and I'm worried about the same thing!!

Have a great trip!
 

We are also a family of 5 and have no problem fitting 3/2 or all 5 in any ride. Lap sitting is not necessary. The only one we don't fit 3 that we all ride is Goofy's Barnstormer, but my oldest just rode in her own seat. Buzz and Toy Story only have two guns to play, but three can ride (parent can "help" one of the little ones or just watch).

There are two other rides that only seat two, but you probably will not have to worry about them this trip. Rock n Rollercoaster (48") and Everest (44"). Only one of mine is old/tall enough for these so one parent rides with her and then we swap.
 
We're a family of 7, and have never encountered any problems at amusement parks.
 
We took our kids for the first time at 2, 3 and 5. We were younger and had never been to Disney as a family, so it never occurred to me that there would be a problem with seating. To be completely honest we did not have one issue the entire time we were there. If there was something my little guy couldn't do, DH took our older 3 and they rode, while DS and I shopped or walked around close by. We have since been back as a family of 5 and a family of 6. I also took all 4 of my kids with my cousin and her 2 kids (the DH's stayed home) and we have enver had a problem with seating on the rides. Just figure out the ride swap, relax and enjoy your vacation.
 
We didn't have a problem with 5-
FYI- the new Toy Story mania ride is awesome, but we had to split up. DH and I each took one of the twins, then DS9 was alone, which he was fine, but he was on the same "car" and we were back to back so I never saw him. The other one was the Epcot planet earth ride where DH, DS2 and DS9 all sat in one. They take pictures of you in the car and you can email them home. Anyway, they only did 2 pictures per car and DS9 was left out so he was bummed about that.

Have a great trip!!:thumbsup2
 


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