Advice for bringing an 18 month old and a 5 yr old?

[DisneyFave]

Hi! I will be bringing my 5 yr old and 18 month old the first week of March.

Hubby has a new job (and can’t handle too much park time anyway) so he will work from our room at the Poly while I take kiddos out in the afternoon and morning. Hubby will handle all nap/pool breaks.

I would love any and all advice for these age groups! Pre pandemic I took my big kid 4 times, sometimes as a solo parent. I definitely don’t care about missing rides since we plan to go a lot once kiddo is vaccinated. But it’s my first trip as a parent of two!

TIA!!

 

[sponica]

Mine will be about that age. Is there any way you can get a second set of hands with you? Part of me is kidding, but part of me is not kidding.

I think the biggest challenge will be keeping them fed while in the park. While my 5 year old is decent, she still gets bored waiting for everyone else to finish up and my currently a 14 month old is very demanding at restaurants. We go once a week so they get used to it, but it's not something I am eager to try on my own anytime soon. But my younger one is a mix of Stitch and Jack-Jack

 

[DisneyFave]

OMG Stich and Jack Jack !! LOL totally the same with mine. And I 100% agree that eating in the park while solo parenting them would be a DISASTER.

Here's my big, ambitious plan for MK/Epcot days (DHS and AK are going to be afternoon-only, if at all. Hubby is pushing for Typhoon Lagoon.):

1) Breakfast: in the room (villa studio at the Poly, so we'll have a microwave and hopefully a toaster) with hubby's help then leave immediately for parks.

2) Do 3, max 4, rides early morning then

3) Monorail back to studio for lunch with hubby.

4) Hubby takes kiddo to pool while I nap with baby.

5) They snack in double stroller while I walk or monorail them to the park

6) 3-4 rides

7) Snack in stroller again on way home

8) Dinner with hubby and kiddos by the pool or in room

9) Mom escapes during bedtime to go on Space Mtn and other thrill rides solo for 90 mins (I haven't been on Space Mountain since before I got preggo with my 5 yo and it is KILLING ME)

 

[sponica]

I think that plan will work for the MK days, it might be a lot of monorail time on the Epcot days.

Give it a whirl the first day and then adapt from there. Be prepared for a stroller nap that will throw off your day...

 

[DisneyFave]

Good call about Epcot! Last time I took my big kid to the Poly, when he was a toddler, I vaguely remember walking to the TTC. The monorail ride didn't seem so terrible, but it's been so long since we've been to WDW and I'm sure everything will be twice as hard with the two of them...

 

[Betty Rohrer]

OMG Stich and Jack Jack !! LOL totally the same with mine. And I 100% agree that eating in the park while solo parenting them would be a DISASTER.

Here's my big, ambitious plan for MK/Epcot days (DHS and AK are going to be afternoon-only, if at all. Hubby is pushing for Typhoon Lagoon.):

1) Breakfast: in the room (villa studio at the Poly, so we'll have a microwave and hopefully a toaster) with hubby's help then leave immediately for parks.

2) Do 3, max 4, rides early morning then

3) Monorail back to studio for lunch with hubby.

4) Hubby takes kiddo to pool while I nap with baby.

5) They snack in double stroller while I walk or monorail them to the park

6) 3-4 rides

7) Snack in stroller again on way home

8) Dinner with hubby and kiddos by the pool or in room

9) Mom escapes during bedtime to go on Space Mtn and other thrill rides solo for 90 mins (I haven't been on Space Mountain since before I got preggo with my 5 yo and it is KILLING ME)

you do know the 5 yo can not ride any ride by himself I am assuming. so most likely any ride that only allows 2 per row you most likely not be able to ride. plus strollers are not allowed in ride lines again assume you know this

 

[holden]

There are lots of play areas in the parks where the kids can run around and take a break from the stroller. Keep in mind the parks are very stimulating. If it’s becoming too much, find a quiet place to walk around until they (or the younger one) fall asleep for a nap. Go by what the youngest can tolerate. You can’t go wrong if you do that.