5 year old only wants to go to resort pool!

[Betty Rohrer]

LOL, I had to laugh at this title! We took our kids the first time at ages 5 and 7 and they only wanted to go back to the hotel and swim. We went to the MK and they loved it, but by afternoon they only wanted to swim.
Eventually they do outgrow this pool only obsession. Our next visit was when they were 9 and 11 and they both loved the parks more than the pool, so there is hope

also true of my grands

 

[disney-inspired]

You could always plan for a colder time to increase the possibility that it's too cold for the pool.
I have gone in late January twice and both times it was so cold, at least for us Californians. It was in the 40s and 50s so def no pool for us.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

You could always plan for a colder time to increase the possibility that it's too cold for the pool.
I have gone in late January twice and both times it was so cold, at least for us Californians. It was in the 40s and 50s so def no pool for us.

would not have worked for us as another grandkid's court order and having to then have birth mom approve which she outright told dad she would not do

 

[flowergleam1211]

DS is 5.5 and I really want to take him and DS2 before he stops believing in magic.

We went last September to Poly and I couldn’t get him to jump out of the pool in the afternoons without LOTS of negotiations. Then I’d get him to Epcot and he’d be bored and ask to go back to the pool.

Does this pool obsession ever wear off at a certain age? How do you all deal with the “pool is cooler than the parks” conundrum? It was so easy when he was younger and just did whatever us grownups wanted to do lol

My twin five year old children LOVE swimming pools. We were at MK and HS last week and when I gave them the option to stay at the parks longer after lunch time, one of them expressed the strong opinion that we should go back to the resort and swim in the pool. I was okay with it because we rope dropped and did a good number of rides (eight rides in MK before lunch time!) and I also don't like to push them beyond their limits during a hot day at the park.

 

[DisneyFave]

You could always plan for a colder time to increase the possibility that it's too cold for the pool.
I have gone in late January twice and both times it was so cold, at least for us Californians. It was in the 40s and 50s so def no pool for us.

Done and done - booked for January!!

 

[DisneyFave]

I work with kids and eagerly await their reports after a Disney trip - I find that a common description for the kindergarten set, when describing the entire trip, is “It was SO COOL!!! I rode on an airplane and swam in a big pool that had a slide!” Not much else compares to a plane and a pool at that age, apparently.

My personal tip as a parent of a wild toddler - always save the “let it all out and relax” activities for last in the daily schedule. Kids are used to the idea that they need to “keep it together” for various parts of the day - school, soccer practice, homework, etc. But then when they reach whatever point is a signal to them that they get to be “done for the day” and just chill out / rest - they really want to be done after that. They don’t want to switch back “on” (and I think that while the parks are a ton of fun, managing that level of hyper stimulation without melting down is in some sense “work” for a young child.) I say let the relax and unwind time come last and maybe be a longer event, but after everything else you want to do is done. Small kids are almost always much fresher in the mornings anyways and kinda burned out by the afternoon.

This is really wonderful advice

 

[DisneyFave]

I work with kids and eagerly await their reports after a Disney trip - I find that a common description for the kindergarten set, when describing the entire trip, is “It was SO COOL!!! I rode on an airplane and swam in a big pool that had a slide!” Not much else compares to a plane and a pool at that age, apparently.

My personal tip as a parent of a wild toddler - always save the “let it all out and relax” activities for last in the daily schedule. Kids are used to the idea that they need to “keep it together” for various parts of the day - school, soccer practice, homework, etc. But then when they reach whatever point is a signal to them that they get to be “done for the day” and just chill out / rest - they really want to be done after that. They don’t want to switch back “on” (and I think that while the parks are a ton of fun, managing that level of hyper stimulation without melting down is in some sense “work” for a young child.) I say let the relax and unwind time come last and maybe be a longer event, but after everything else you want to do is done. Small kids are almost always much fresher in the mornings anyways and kinda burned out by the afternoon.

Would you try to go back to parks for dinner and fireworks after 4ish pool hours? That was my big hope for this 2 night trip, since his little brother (2 yo) is staying home for a special weekend with DH.

Maybe I won't have to worry about it since we are going mid January!!

 

[DisneyFave]

OP here. Turns out the only deluxe available for our weekend was Beach Club lol of course. So we are booked there for a 2-night mommy/big kid trip (his baby brother will be at home getting spoiled by DH and the grandparents). I am secretly hoping for cold temps but pretty sure my 5 yo will still want to swim even if it's 40 degrees lol...

 

[sponica]

Would you try to go back to parks for dinner and fireworks after 4ish pool hours? That was my big hope for this 2 night trip, since his little brother (2 yo) is staying home for a special weekend with DH.

Maybe I won't have to worry about it since we are going mid January!!

Eh My 6 year old would still want a pool if there was snow on the ground.

 

[Miffy]

OP here. Turns out the only deluxe available for our weekend was Beach Club lol of course. So we are booked there for a 2-night mommy/big kid trip (his baby brother will be at home getting spoiled by DH and the grandparents). I am secretly hoping for cold temps but pretty sure my 5 yo will still want to swim even if it's 40 degrees lol...

There will definitely be people in the pool, no matter what the temperature is.

 

[disney-inspired]

Done and done - booked for January!!

I'm going in January too - staying at Beach Club LOL - have fun!

 

[CTDisneygal]

Does this pool obsession ever wear off at a certain age? How do you all deal with the “pool is cooler than the parks” conundrum? It was so easy when he was younger and just did whatever us grownups wanted to do lol

It hasn't ever worn off for mine (and we have a large pool at home). My 9 year old absolutely adores pool time. What changed as he got older was the amount of necessary supervision. We certainly don't need to be on top of him as a nine year old the way we were when he was 2 or 3. He is a very good swimmer, as are my older kids so we can relax a little bit more. With each year we backed off a bit.

And here's the thing: over the years, even a Disney vacation changes. What one finds magical changes as well. If he is enjoying the pool, try adding the pool at times you wouldn't typically swim. like early morning or make it a treat in the evening. And enjoy the time at the pool. It can make it far more like a vacation than the constant go go go of the parks. My husband and I really enjoy hanging out relaxing during pool time. We no longer feel the need to spend 10 hours in a park.

 

[DisneyFave]

It hasn't ever worn off for mine (and we have a large pool at home). My 9 year old absolutely adores pool time. What changed as he got older was the amount of necessary supervision. We certainly don't need to be on top of him as a nine year old the way we were when he was 2 or 3. He is a very good swimmer, as are my older kids so we can relax a little bit more. With each year we backed off a bit.

And here's the thing: over the years, even a Disney vacation changes. What one finds magical changes as well. If he is enjoying the pool, try adding the pool at times you wouldn't typically swim. like early morning or make it a treat in the evening. And enjoy the time at the pool. It can make it far more like a vacation than the constant go go go of the parks. My husband and I really enjoy hanging out relaxing during pool time. We no longer feel the need to spend 10 hours in a park.

That sounds lovely!! I literally can't imagine relaxing at a pool with my kids lol. Maybe that will change now that the big one is taking swim lessons...

 

[CTDisneygal]

That sounds lovely!! I literally can't imagine relaxing at a pool with my kids lol. Maybe that will change now that the big one is taking swim lessons...

My older four are only 6 years apart in age so I definitely get the not being able to relax by a pool vibe, especially when they are little. It does get better as they age and swimming lessons are always a good idea! We often split up when they were little. I had two her were literal fish. one would go to the pool with them and the other with the other two. It also made it easier to put a time limit on it, since we needed to meet up. Good luck!

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

Get a drink, enjoy the pool and stack up that Genie+ for the evenings after dinner. They'll need to get out to eat and then it's evenings in the park.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

Might be because my astrological sign is cancer, but I never get sick of the water. I did grow out of it, but I have still discovered all little kids love the pool. It’s a thing with kids and water I guess lol. I have little cousins who if they played with water all day they’d be happy

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Might be because my astrological sign is cancer, but I never get sick of the water. I did grow out of it, but I have still discovered all little kids love the pool. It’s a thing with kids and water I guess lol. I have little cousins who if they played with water all day they’d be happy

my middle grandson was a water rat. we were at a restaurant where the dish washing area was near bathrooms. he was around 5 at the time and headed to bathroom with older brothers but as he got to doorway to dish area he turned into dish area. by the time his parents got there he was ready to help the worker there. was a standing joke with staff for a few years. and yes he was one I mentioned earlier as the one who would have made rest of evening rough if forced to leave pool

 

[sponica]

That sounds lovely!! I literally can't imagine relaxing at a pool with my kids lol. Maybe that will change now that the big one is taking swim lessons...

I figure I'm 3 or 4 years away from not having to go in the water or be on complete patrol. There was a mom at the poly pool reading a book and man was I green with envy...

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

I figure I'm 3 or 4 years away from not having to go in the water or be on complete patrol. There was a mom at the poly pool reading a book and man was I green with envy...

Your time will come!!!! With triplets, I used to be so jealous of those moms sitting and chatting at the pool/playground while I ran laps trying to keep my kids alive. Gosh darn it if toddlers don't immediately run directly into the path of swinging kid!

With eight year old strong swimmers, I'm finally the one resting on the sidelines while the kids do their thing.

 

[lanejudy]

There will definitely be people in the pool, no matter what the temperature is.

Yep, that was my kid one trip. The lifeguards were bundled up in jackets but she was having the time of her life. We were the only people at the pool.