6 year old & her doll

[DumboFan]

My DD insists on taking her doll with us to Disney. She is also making plans to take it to each park at least once. Does anyone have any good tactics to make it easier to carry ~ the doll is a little too big to fit in a backpack & I'm sure it will get too heavy! The only thing I can think of is to try to convince her to take "Sally" on our short days. Thanks!

 

[mrsltg]

As a former doll-loving-girl, I can understand the desire to bring the baby to the parks. As the mother of a doll-loving-girl, I would tell you to put your foot down. Dierdre wanted to bring Jessica Caitlyn to every park with us and we never let her. The chances of loosing the all important baby are just too great. That said, if you feel it will be a loosing battle, let your daughter bring Sally with the stipulation that she must carry her the entire day. After a short time that will get old and you can put Sally in a locker. One time like this ought to cure your daughter of wanting to bring Sally to the parks. Jessica Caitlyn waited in the room for us each day and we looked forward to seeing what Mousekeeping had done with her!

Have a great trip!

Erin

 

[gigi1313]

on your long days, rent a stroller! it will help with sally, probably be a God-send for your dd if she tires, and will give you a place to carry all the stuff families generally need in the park...

 

[2dogmom]

My DD insists on bringing her snowman with her everywhere (and wants to on the next trip). Our stipulation was that it must stay in the stroller. I did try to only allow it to come along when we would be out late and it would help her fall asleep in the stroller. This time I plan on trying to get her to leave it in the room. I would hate to lose it.

 

[F1Julie]

Tell her Mickey does not allow dolls in his park. If that doesn't do the trick, tell her if Mickey sees her with it or hears she has one, she will be asked to leave. I used this tactic on my DD, not for a doll, but for "hissy fits." It worked like a charm. She now says the only reason you can cry at Disney is if you are hurt. No other crying is allowed.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

What do you tell the child who wasn't allowed to bring a doll, toy, blanket because of "Mickey's Rules" when they see another child with exactly the item they weren't allowed to bring? If you don't want your child to bring something then be the parent and don't let them bring it -- don't blame Mickey.

 

[Jordan's MOM]

I agree with RoyalCanadian, don't lie to your child. There is nothing at all wrong with saying NO, period. She might pout a little but will get over it. If you do decide to not allow her to take it into the parks, tell her now so she will get use to the idea. Just tell her that it will be a real problem and give her some facts. No place to put her while you are on rides, too much trouble to carry, getting lost etc.
If you decide to let her take the doll, I also agree to make her carry it, no exceptions, and put it in a locker when she gets too tired. Depending on her age (over 6??) that locker money might even come out of her spending money.
It might be fun to allow her to take the doll out to dinner one night when you are not going anywhere else and the chance of getting lost is much lower.
You decide and your DD will be fine.

Jordans' mom

 

[Selina]

My DS was 6 too last time round in Florida. He has two dogs that he sleeps with (one is a very large dalmation pyjamacase dog) and the other a golden retriever puppy) plus a cuddle blanket. He insisted they had to come on the flight to Florida - and we said well if you insist on taking them they are your responsibility. He looked after them all the way there and back - but we did draw the line about taking them to the parks - and he left them tucked in his bed ready for when he came back from the parks!!

 

[tinkerbella22]

My DDis 4 she has a bunny that she loves/needs to sleep etc. We call her bunny girl (the bunny not my daughter). Last year we did bring her on the plane and to WDW and we will again this year...but NO WAY to the parks....more for fear of being lost then inconvenience....I just had to draw the line. I think you should too.

 

[gigi1313]

because i think if a child has an item or a lovey that they need to be comforted or feel at ease, then they should be able to bring it... i don't think a little inconvenience on my part should make my child unhappy or sad... especially at wdw, the happiest place on earth...

the "world" is big and scary and overwhelming... why not bring the item that makes them feel secure? i still "vote" for getting a stroller for the child and the doll or a backpack or sling that it will fit in...

i also totally disagree w/the advice for telling the child it is not permitted in the park... she may end up resenting mickey mouse and wdw lovers would hate for that to happen! i do, however, like that advice for temper tantrums

good luck with whatever you decide...

 

[robertsmom]

Originally posted by mrsltg
Dierdre wanted to bring Jessica Caitlyn to every park with us and we never let her. The chances of loosing the all important baby are just too great. Erin

I totally agree with this. This is the same reason my son's blankie did not go to the parks with us. If that tattered piece of cloth got lost, life would be you-know-what. Once he got into the parks and started having fun, he didn't even think about it.

 

[WishingOnAStar]

Here's a story for you-

When I was about 5 or 6, I brought my Mrs. Beasley doll (boy am I dating myself!) to Disney and insisted on taking her to the park (there was only the MK then). Well, I lost her the first day and I was traumatized for quite some time. As a matter of fact, I think I still am! I am known to bring it up to my parents quite often to this day!

Anytime my kids want to bring something precious like that, I tell them my story. Incidentally, on the next trip, I left my etch-a-sketch on the plane. Although not as traumatic, I still remember it.

As for your daughter, is it possible to have some kind of leash or something to have it connected to her somehow - like a bottle strap or lanyard?

Good luck!!!

 

[April76]

How about....

"The doll does not meet the height requirements of your favorite rides; so you'll have to wait outside with her while the rest of us ride"...

LOL!

We've just left our "buddies" in the room and it was fun to see "what they were doing" when we returned. Nothing wrong with just saying "no - can't take her to the parks".

 

[kelscross]

My 2yo DD has two security items..Silky Baby and Purple Blanket. She also has a favorite back up that will do, it's Pink Blanket (I know we're real original with names here...ha!) She would carry Pink Blanket to the parks and leave Purple Blanket and Silky Baby in the room.

One day she was insistent that Purple Blanket come with us to DTD. Needless to say Purple Blanket was lost that evening somewhere in transit (My Mom forgot "blanket check" due to a terrible experience at the bus stop and we ended up separated). She was very upset but still had Pink Blanket. Don't you know that the next morning when we get on the bus to go to MGM I look over and there it is...PURPLE BLANKET!!! on the bench! I jumped up and yelled "STOP...THE BUS!!!" The driver thought I was some wierdo but he stopped and I grabbed Purple Blanket.

Talk about some Pixie Dust, definately. She never took Purple Blanket to the parks for the rest of our stay, just Pink Blanket.

My 3yo DD has her friend Dog (another original name, huh?) that she brought along but she didn't bring him to the park. They loved coming back to the room to see what they had been doing as Mousekeeping would set Silky Baby and Dog up in the window like they were waiting for us or tuck them in etc.

Is there a favorite "back up" item that she can carry in the park and then come back to her baby at the resort?

 

[Sandy Feet]

I would explain to your daughter that "Sally" will have to stay in the hotel room, especially if it's on-site with Mousekeeping fun, mainly because it's dangerous to take her on the rides and there is no where to leave her safely alone while you're on the rides. Tell her Mousekeeping will check on Sally in the hotel room and perhaps she can leave a note for them telling them about Sally?

 

[susy]

She's 6, not 2. She doesn't NEED her lovey to bring to the parks. I am sure she does not take it to school and to every other place she goes. Make her responsible for it and then let it be done. I would also not go out of my way to take it the locker (only if it's on the way and your dd must go along too), otherwise your poor DH will be making "locker runs" every day of your trip about 11am.

 

[momxx5]

If you really want her to be able to bring her doll, which I think is a nice idea, with the exception that the doll gets lost - horrifying thought - then maybe you could be a baby carrier. A snugli or similar item - consignment store/ebay - and then she would carry the doll as one would carry a baby.

Another alternative would be to sit her down and explain that the parks are very busy and fun. Ask her how she would feel if her doll got lost. Then let her make the decision, that way
if it does get lost then it's her responsibility.

Or insist on leaving it in the room the first day and then at the end of the day remind her that she didn't really miss the doll as much as she thought. Or even let her bring the doll, left in the room, a small treat back.

Good luck.

 

[gigi1313]

Originally posted by susy
She's 6, not 2. She doesn't NEED her lovey to bring to the parks. I am sure she does not take it to school and to every other place she goes. Make her responsible for it and then let it be done. I would also not go out of my way to take it the locker (only if it's on the way and your dd must go along too), otherwise your poor DH will be making "locker runs" every day of your trip about 11am.

may i be so bold as to ask how many children you have? how do you *know* what this particular 6yo "NEEDS?" her own mother asked for ideas on how to help her bring her doll and not lose it... not for advice on what others think her child "needs!"

wdw is a big place... flying on a plane is a big deal... 7 or 8 foot tall characters can be quite intimidating... the entire experience is incredibly overwhelming... if a child needs (or wants!) a little comfort to handle all of this and be able to enjoy herself, why is it a bad thing? imo, it's not...

so, back to ideas on how to help sally not get lost... depending on the size of the doll, i would say backpack, front carrier (someone else sugg'd thrift shop or ebay), stroller, a leash was a great idea... i'm sure the OP will figure it out to make the vacation enjoyable and relaxed for her family!

ENJOY!

 

[Schmeck]

But if it's in a doll carrier, where's it going to go during rides? It wouldn't be safe to strap it in under any harness-type rides, and it would be very inconvenient and time-consuming to retrieve it later if it ever fell off one of the tamer rides that don't use restraints. But if you had a stroller for your six year old, maybe it could be left there while you were on a ride - hopefully no one would take it.

The leash just sounds too dangerous, especially on a ride - it could tear the kid's arm off if it got snagged on something!

 

[susy]

I recant. Take Sally to the parks and carry her for your daughter. Whatever makes her happy