6.5 Month Old Twins on Disney Magic

[FigmentSpark]

Here is a video of Magic - 2124. I assume your room will be nearby? This might give you an idea of the amount of space available.

 

[mmouse37]

Will a side by side stroller even fit through the elevator door? I know the Magic elevators are small. I agree about the stroller parking on Deck 6 or 7....I don't think that is a sanctioned area but I always see strollers and wheelchairs there.

Good luck. I also think it is easier to take babies on vacation than toddlers. Have a good time and make sure to ask for a Diaper Genie for the room. Oh, and I don't think you will fit two pack n plays in the cabin.....that would be really tight.

MJ

 

[Lilsia]

I think between the looong flight and the cruise, there is no way even I would do that. And I have been travelling with my kids since they were very little by myself. Maybe go on the cruise if it was the Caribbean, but Europe is a whole different ball game. It is not impossible but it won't be any kind of relaxing vacation. With the babies not even here yet, it is a bit ambitious to plan out such a huge vacation this far out, IMO. If you have a couple of kids that are bad travelers, that 8 hour flight is going to last forever.

 

[lilsonicfan]

I cruised with my 3yo and 6mo on a 7 day cruise and it was really lovely, but a lot of work. (Actually - I am pretty sure I used that Kidco Peapod for my 6mo and he was perfectly fine!) That said, we had a short flight of about 2 hours. I am not sure I could handle an 8 hour flight with twins at that young age. Everyone is different though. The nice thing is that by the time they are born you won't be past PIF date so you can always change your mind if necessary.

 

[lanejudy]

The stroller parking zone I think is like deck 6 or 7 by the mid ship elevators. I’ve always noticed going up and seeing a bunch of strollers parked through the glass elevator

That's the designated parking area for mobility devices that do not fit into one's stateroom. It's planned for wheelchairs and scooters for guests who are not in an HA room, because the stateroom doors are not wide enough. But I suppose families with large strollers utilize it -- "legally" or no.

And thats so funny about the makeshift crib! I wondered if there is anyway to pull that off somehow and still be safe for them at that age.

It would depend how "active" your little ones are in their sleep at that point. If they aren't rolling over yet, it might be an option.
Another idea is to ask your stateroom host to remove the coffee table. That would provide one less item to be in the way. And fold one PnP during the day except when the babies are napping.

Congrats on your new little ones and enjoy your cruise!

 

[EllieBride]

I'm not going to advise you not to attempt this trip because every baby is different, and it sounds like you will have other adults there to lend a hand. But as a mom of twins, I feel compelled to share my personal experience that travelling - no matter the age - always comes with challenges, especially with twins. Our first trip with our twins was at age 12 months and we assumed they would sleep in pack n plays. Nope. Didn't happen. They just didn't sleep, except for a few small naps during the day when I drove them around in the car while my DH was in his business meetings. As for nighttime, we were up the entire night and everyone was miserable. Sleep deprivation is real! Our next trip was at age 15 months to WDW and included a 3 hour flight and we stayed in a studio at the Grand Floridian. I think we initially attempted the pack n play again, but eventually scrapped that and put one in the bed with me and the other on the sofa bed with DH, which worked better. We took our first cruise with them last year at age 4.5 and they loved it!

I also wanted to mention that I originally purchased the Bumbleride stroller and that thing is a BEAST and I hated it!!!!!!!!!!! Please make sure you try it in the store and practice folding it and putting it in/out of your trunk. It weighs a TON!!!! After renting the Baby Jogger Citi Mini several times at WDW, I finally sold my Bumbleride on craigslist and used that money to buy my own City Mini. Best decision ever. I used a Snap and Go when they were infants, which was super convenient. Lots of options, so be sure to do your research and try them all out. JMHO...

 

[nyisles84]

I'm not going to advise you not to attempt this trip because every baby is different, and it sounds like you will have other adults there to lend a hand. But as a mom of twins, I feel compelled to share my personal experience that travelling - no matter the age - always comes with challenges, especially with twins. Our first trip with our twins was at age 12 months and we assumed they would sleep in pack n plays. Nope. Didn't happen. They just didn't sleep, except for a few small naps during the day when I drove them around in the car while my DH was in his business meetings. As for nighttime, we were up the entire night and everyone was miserable. Sleep deprivation is real! Our next trip was at age 15 months to WDW and included a 3 hour flight and we stayed in a studio at the Grand Floridian. I think we initially attempted the pack n play again, but eventually scrapped that and put one in the bed with me and the other on the sofa bed with DH, which worked better. We took our first cruise with them last year at age 4.5 and they loved it!

I also wanted to mention that I originally purchased the Bumbleride stroller and that thing is a BEAST and I hated it!!!!!!!!!!! Please make sure you try it in the store and practice folding it and putting it in/out of your trunk. It weighs a TON!!!! After renting the Baby Jogger Citi Mini several times at WDW, I finally sold my Bumbleride on craigslist and used that money to buy my own City Mini. Best decision ever. I used a Snap and Go when they were infants, which was super convenient. Lots of options, so be sure to do your research and try them all out. JMHO...

Thanks! We did a European cruise about 3 years ago with the same crew with my then 6 month old niece. We definitely witnessed how different a vacation it will be but I like to think we learned a few what to do and not to do's from their experience. We are going into it knowing it will not be the same as it's been and that we just need to go with the flow of the twins and not plan too too much.

The babies will be sleeping in pack n plays here at home as we are in a one bedroom apartment and not getting into a house until after they are here so hoping they should be used to one.

We did go and see the Bumbleride and yes it is a beast. I was able to lift it fine, but definitely felt the heft of it and the bulkiness of it folded, although to be fairly don't think it was folded completely correct either. While there we did see the brand new Valco Snap Duo Trend and it looked super nice as well and weighs about 12 pounds lighter than the Bumbleride. It just came out in May so hard to find reviews.

 

[smiths02]

I am surprised at how much opposition you are getting about taking your babies on a cruise! I think babies are so much easier to travel with than toddlers—they kinda just go with the flow, pretty much stay where you put them, and don’t need a lot of entertainment. As long as you are realistic with your expectations for the ports (which it sounds like you definitely are), you’ll have a great time. Good for you. Take those babies and have a great trip!!

Do you have twins?
Seriously, you can throw out the "babies are easier" when there are two of them. I won't tell OP not to travel, but we did not travel (except a 3 hour car ride to my in-laws) until the twins were 2 years old. This involves international flights and a week long cruise.

Best of luck to OP.
And as an aside, mine would share a pack and play at that age. We preferred wearing to stroller. As soon as we could, we switched to wearing one and single stroller. We did have a friend gift us a used double stroller that the car seats could snap that was horrible and bulky but fine for a few months. After that, we saved a lot of money by just using a single stroller and wearing the other one. (Stroller was useful for carrying all the stuff babies require)

 

[EllieBride]

We did go and see the Bumbleride and yes it is a beast. I was able to lift it fine, but definitely felt the heft of it and the bulkiness of it folded, although to be fairly don't think it was folded completely correct either. While there we did see the brand new Valco Snap Duo Trend and it looked super nice as well and weighs about 12 pounds lighter than the Bumbleride. It just came out in May so hard to find reviews.

Wow! That Valco looks awesome. I just googled it. And 12 pounds lighter than the Bumbleride? Heck, yeah!!!!! Not sure what the price difference is, but I would find a way to make that happen, LOL!

 

[nyisles84]

Wow! That Valco looks awesome. I just googled it. And 12 pounds lighter than the Bumbleride? Heck, yeah!!!!! Not sure what the price difference is, but I would find a way to make that happen, LOL!

It's actually about $50 less than the Bumble!

 

[eva2015]

For this trip, I would probably get 2 good quality single umbrella strollers. The good ones will have a seat with recline so the babies can nap anywhere on the ship. Side by side doubles are harder to navigate with crowds and you will have plenty of adults to help push 2 strollers.

Not sure which airline you fly, but some have size limits on strollers that can be checked for free.

 

[argomANIA]

We did a 4 nighter with my friends last year. Their twins were 1 at the time. They requested two PnP's but barley got one because there was an abundance of babies on that cruise. We had to go to guest services a few times and express that one year olds cannot sleep in the bed even with the bed rails. They just don't stay put. Eventually that first evening we received one PnP and a diaper genie. So make sure you have your travel agent (or you can call DCL) make the note in your reservation that you need a PnP.

The rest was smooth sailing (lol). They enjoyed going to the nursery in the evening so that the adults can enjoy a moment in the adult areas. Dinners were a bit long for them so we had to take turns entertaining. We were worried that they'd be scared of the characters. It was the complete opposite. They screamed bloody murder when we had to take them away from the character.

You're going to have a blast! And congrats on the twins!

 

[ahain]

For this trip, I would probably get 2 good quality single umbrella strollers. The good ones will have a seat with recline so the babies can nap anywhere on the ship. Side by side doubles are harder to navigate with crowds and you will have plenty of adults to help push 2 strollers.

Not sure which airline you fly, but some have size limits on strollers that can be checked for free.

I second this. Umbrella strollers can also be quickly folded up to enable you to hop on elevators.

A "double wide" might be very handy for you in airports and/or when in port...but for your fellow cruise ship passengers, they are a real nuisance if you are using them around the ship....they take up the majority of the hallway, making it difficult to impossible to pass; they take up nearly the whole elevator, and elevator space comes at a premium; they encroach on the aisle in the MDRs making it difficult for other diners & CMs to navigate; they are like a "bull in a china shop" in the shops..... I'll probably get flamed for this as being selfish and insensitive, but I find these really annoying in confined-space situations.

 

[smiths02]

I second this. Umbrella strollers can also be quickly folded up to enable you to hop on elevators.

A "double wide" might be very handy for you in airports and/or when in port...but for your fellow cruise ship passengers, they are a real nuisance if you are using them around the ship....they take up the majority of the hallway, making it difficult to impossible to pass; they take up nearly the whole elevator, and elevator space comes at a premium; they encroach on the aisle in the MDRs making it difficult for other diners & CMs to navigate; they are like a "bull in a china shop" in the shops..... I'll probably get flamed for this as being selfish and insensitive, but I find these really annoying in confined-space situations.

Oh yes, good luck with strollers on the elevator. My mother-in-law was in a wheelchair and it was a headache to get anywhere! The elevator was either always full or people who came way later than you would push past you because they can get on their faster and then the elevator is full. One word of advice, if you are waiting for an elevator with the stroller, get on any elevator you can and just ride it until you can get to the correct floor.

 

[nyisles84]

We did a 4 nighter with my friends last year. Their twins were 1 at the time. They requested two PnP's but barley got one because there was an abundance of babies on that cruise. We had to go to guest services a few times and express that one year olds cannot sleep in the bed even with the bed rails. They just don't stay put. Eventually that first evening we received one PnP and a diaper genie. So make sure you have your travel agent (or you can call DCL) make the note in your reservation that you need a PnP.

The rest was smooth sailing (lol). They enjoyed going to the nursery in the evening so that the adults can enjoy a moment in the adult areas. Dinners were a bit long for them so we had to take turns entertaining. We were worried that they'd be scared of the characters. It was the complete opposite. They screamed bloody murder when we had to take them away from the character.

You're going to have a blast! And congrats on the twins!

Thanks for the input! I am doing to do both call DCL and have our travel agent put the request in. One thing I've noticed from European cruises as opposed to the ones out of Florida is that there are a lot less kids on them, so hopefully the pack n play scarcity won't be an issue. But I am glad to hear your twins did well otherwise! How did the two of them at 1 work out in one pack and play. I have found this image online so it looks like it'll be possible with having that table removed (which really, I don't see it's purpose otherwise)

 

[nyisles84]

Oh yes, good luck with strollers on the elevator. My mother-in-law was in a wheelchair and it was a headache to get anywhere! The elevator was either always full or people who came way later than you would push past you because they can get on their faster and then the elevator is full. One word of advice, if you are waiting for an elevator with the stroller, get on any elevator you can and just ride it until you can get to the correct floor.

Thanks! I have a feeling the use of the stroller will be minimal on-board. We are aft an on the second deck, so we will utilize those elevators when we can, and since we are close to the first stop from the bottom will be patient and waiting if we need to get to the top decks. Anything else in the below deck passageways we can carry them. We will need it more for the airports, a few days in London beforehand and the few excursions we take them off the ship.

 

[aggiedog]

Agreed, the double strollers would be hard to maneuver on a ship, and the hallways are generally narrow, especially at your stateroom. I'm not sure at 6.5 mos that an umbrella stroller will work though. Some babies at that age are still kind of "floppy" and may not safely sit in one.

Also agreed, traveling with infants is easier than toddlers, but that's an "out of the frying pan, into the fire" sort of situation. Neither are easy. Toddlers just throw the added problem of mobility into the mix. We also suffered the "babies won't sleep anywhere but home" problem. They were champion sleepers at home, but away from home? Nope, wasn't happening.

OP, I hope you have a great trip, and adjusted expectations are key. Just be prepared to seriously adjust your expectations, and honestly, be prepared to decide if you want to go at all once you get home and settled with the new babies. What seems doable now, may seem insurmountable in 6 months. My last piece of advice would be what I was told when I was pregnant - it gets easier every 6 weeks. Just keep trying to make that next 6 weeks mark.

 

[Bethany10]

We also suffered the "babies won't sleep anywhere but home" problem. They were champion sleepers at home, but away from home? Nope, wasn't happening.

This just struck me as funny as my DH was that way as an infant and remains that way as an adult. He just doesn't sleep well unless we're home. Thankfully it's a lot easier to negotiate (or tell him to suck it up) with a tired adult than a baby.

My last piece of advice would be what I was told when I was pregnant - it gets easier every 6 weeks. Just keep trying to make that next 6 weeks mark.

Does this work with teenagers too?

OP, congratulations on your twins and enjoy the cruise!

 

[aggiedog]

No, I think teenagers need a 6 year interval! My twins will be 19 next week. LOL

 

[argomANIA]

Thanks for the input! I am doing to do both call DCL and have our travel agent put the request in. One thing I've noticed from European cruises as opposed to the ones out of Florida is that there are a lot less kids on them, so hopefully the pack n play scarcity won't be an issue. But I am glad to hear your twins did well otherwise! How did the two of them at 1 work out in one pack and play. I have found this image online so it looks like it'll be possible with having that table removed (which really, I don't see it's purpose otherwise)

Yeah they didn't sleep well together. The parents ended up sleeping with one twin between the two of them in the big bed. Otherwise they just a babbled to each other and played the whole time. lol That pic you posted is pretty much the set up they had. The table fit under the desk portion and they were still able to access the veranda. You can ask your room host to remove it though for extra storage space