Advice needed--3 kids and Mom alone in WDW?

[HLBLan]

We (me and my 3 children ages 6,3,and 1) are accompanying my husband on a business trip to Disney. The company pays for our stay at the Beach/Yacht club and the cost of gas for our drive. We will be staying for 4 nights/5 days. I plan on using one day for just a hang around the resort day, maybe going to Downtown Disney another day.

Is it worth it for me to try and take the kids to a park by myself? Will they be able to ride anything or do they need parents to accompany them? Can the one year old ride anything? Are there any must sees? I'm trying not to overthink this too much, as I tend to drive myself crazy, but I need a plan.

Am I insane?

This is our only chance to go to disney in 2008.

Thanks in advance!

PS We went on a Disney cruise in November 07--but our 3 year old broke his leg the night before we boarded , so I really want to take them. I will be wrapping him in bubble wrap the week before we leave.

 

[snugglepeas]

I would think about Magic Kingdom because it has the most rides that all of you can go on, the only thing you wont be able to do is the Mountains and maybe dumbo(i dont think you will all fit in one car) but you can do magic carpet. I would bring some kind of chest carrier for the 1 year old so that when you are in a line you have both hands free to hold hand with the other two. If you are unsure about doing the park you could always just stay around the resort, the Y&B has one of the best pools on property, it has a nice sandy area for the kids to play in and wade around in the water.

 

[PiperPizzaz]

At least Epcot it is right there, you can just walk over and if it is too much you can get back quickly. There is tons for them to do in FW. I would try it. If that goes well do MK. The one year old can go on almost everything (except the coasters of course).

 

[Rylee]

We (me and my 3 children ages 6,3,and 1) are accompanying my husband on a business trip to Disney. The company pays for our stay at the Beach/Yacht club and the cost of gas for our drive. We will be staying for 4 nights/5 days. I plan on using one day for just a hang around the resort day, maybe going to Downtown Disney another day.

Is it worth it for me to try and take the kids to a park by myself? Will they be able to ride anything or do they need parents to accompany them? Can the one year old ride anything? Are there any must sees? I'm trying not to overthink this too much, as I tend to drive myself crazy, but I need a plan.

Am I insane?

This is our only chance to go to disney in 2008.

Thanks in advance!

PS We went on a Disney cruise in November 07--but our 3 year old broke his leg the night before we boarded , so I really want to take them. I will be wrapping him in bubble wrap the week before we leave.

I would go, but I have 5 children, so I'm undaunted by 3 children.

I think you could do any of the parks... start out in the morning and return to the resort right before/after lunch, for naps and then relax at the pool the rest of the afternoon.

For the few hours you'd be in each park, there should be enough attractions to keep the kids interested, even if you repeat a couple of their favorites.

A few ideas...
Magic Kingdom - (probably has the most for that age group) -
ride the train, carousel, small world, magic carpets, snow white, see Mickey's Philharmagic and visit Toontown...
Disney's Hollywood Studios - (ride boat from your resort) - see Playhouse Disney Live, Beauty and the Beast & Little Mermaid, Muffet 3D...
Epcot - Walk for your resort) -The Seas with Nemo, Imagination Journey with Figment, Kidcot funstops, Honey, I shrunk the Audience...
Animal Kingdom - Train ride, boneyard, kids discovery clubs, Finding Nemo, the musical, the Lion King...

Have you considered a character meal? I think they still have one (breakfast) at Cape May at the Beach Club or you could schedule one at the Crystal Place at MK, Pooh and friends.

Will you have a car to use or will you be taking the bus/boat?
Will you have a double stroller with you or will you need to rent one?

I would start having little conversations with the kids about the importantance of staying with you and holding hands or onto the stroller, etc.
Have I.D. tags made for each child... parent name, cell number, resort info, etc. (Lot of ideas on these boards.)
I would also use a front carrier for the one year old (if the baby still fits) for the time he/she'll be out of the stroller.

Have a magical trip!


PS - Love the bubble wrap idea!

 

[Yensid_MD]

My wife did the same thing on one of my business trips a few years back. The kids were 9 months, 3, 6 and 10 at the time. She went to the park four days, stayed one day until 11pm. They went mostly to the MK as that had the most family friendly rides.

She would use a double rental stroller at the park for the two youngest, the others walked. They all had a great time.

 

[HLBLan]

Thanks so much!! My friends act like I'm crazy (of course, they only have 2! --love the 4 and 5 kid replies!)

I just want to make sure the kids can do stuff and not be limited by the baby and me. I was gonna rent a double stroller and wear the baby in a backpack. It just seems like too good of a deal to pass up!

If anyone else has an suggestions I'd love to hear them!!

 

[lastminutemom]

I would actually make a reservation for lunch at a sit down restaurant that isn't a buffet -- like Liberty Tree Taven in MK. That seems to much easier to me than counter service or buffets.

 

[WendyinNC]

You are definately not insane. Disney is the best place to vacation with kids on your own. There are always helpful CMs and you are staying at a great and very convenient resort.

I have 4 kids and have gone to WDW without DH. We are going again at Easter. They are now 12, 9, 8, and 2. The first time I went without DH they were 7, 5, and 3.

I agree with booking a sit down lunch that is not a buffet. Try the Garden Grill for lunch in Epcot. The Magic Kingdom is great; however, Epcot is my favorite. I find it the least crowded and the least stressful. Since you are staying at the BC/YC try Epcot first and if that goes well you can try the Magic Kingdom.

You should have a great time. Most of the rides at Disney are for the whole family so you will all be able to ride together.

 

[kristenrice]

I am contemplating a similar scenario. We just got back from a WDW vacation and I am thinking about another one this fall. My DH is going elk hunting out in Montana for the last week of October so I was thinking about taking the 2 DD's back to WDW. They will be 5 and just 3. They did pretty well on the plane (DD2 was in a car seat) but DD4 did NOT do well going through security. (She had a HUGE fit, threw herself on the floor and REFUSED to walk through the metal detector after I was already through it) I certainly do not want repeats of that if I am by myself with the 2 of them. We used our 2 MacLaren strollers (Triumph for DD2 and Volo for DD4) and they were great. I can't push them (or fold them and carry them on the bus) by myself. I think the only workable option would be to bring one stroller and let DD5 walk. If she pooped out, we'd have to leave the park. Also, I think the rental car will have to be a must. We had a car on this last trip (more as a back up) and we used it alot. It was so much easier at the end of the night to put the kids in the car and the strollers in the trunk than it was to deal with the bus. Twice, DD4 fell asleep in her stroller waiting for the bus. When it came, we had to try and wake her up, take her out of the stroller, fold it up and then repeat the process in reverse when we got back to the hotel (OKW). With the car, we took sleeping kids out of the strollers into the car seats, strollers in the trunk (where they stayed until morning) and then we just carried the sleepers into the room and put them to bed. After the first 2 nights, we kind of gave up on the bus for our evening plans.

I am happy to see that there are others here who take their children solo to WDW. I have a lot of single friends and NOT ONE of them is willing to come with me even though I offered to cover their room and park tickets! They all have "better" (like that's possible ) vacations planned and just can't do 2 in one year!

 

[WendyinNC]

One other thing that I always keep in the back of my mind is that if things fall apart I will call one of the childcare services to either babysit or be a mothers helper in the parks. So far I haven't needed this; but it's nice to know it's an option. I'm actually considering getting a sitter one evening for for the 2 year old so that I can stay out later with the older kids.

 

[adoptionmomma4]

I have done MK with 5 kids by myself. I did have my cousin, but she had her own kids to worry about. My kids were 8 months, 4, 7 and almost 8. I also took my teenage foster daughter who was 13 at the time. We had a blast! There was really nothing the kids wanted to do that I was not able to take Katie on. She loved everything too. We were actually just looking at the pics (she is now almost 3) and she said "awww baby Katie kiss my Mickey Mouse on his nose"... “I wanna dooooo that!” It was so cute.

I say go for it. We had so much fun that I am taking just the girls in March. My older DD will be at a cheer comp there so we are making a mini Disney trip out of it.

I would definitely take a double stroller and also suggest a sit down meal for lunch. I packed a few snacks and bottles of water to minimize the amount of time I was standing in line between meals. I wore Katie most of the day in the ergo and she did great. We were actually stopped MANY times by people to talk to her. It was cute and kept her very entertained.

 

[HLBLan]

Lacy--that baby is gorgeous!!!

Do you love the Ergo? I'm considering one for the trip.

 

[PEANUT1]

I wouldn't do it at those ages. I think it would be hard because you are really outnumbered. There are many rides that you can't fit 4 in one car and then how do you split up. I don't think they would let the 6 and 3 year old alone on a ride. I guess you could go on its a small world easily and the merry go round. I don't know if all of you would fit on peter pan or pooh and you definitely couldn't go on dumbo. I think it would be hard to do rides but you could go and just see the characters and the parade would be fun. Good luck!

 

[adoptionmomma4]

Lacy--that baby is gorgeous!!!

Do you love the Ergo? I'm considering one for the trip.

Thank you. We think she is pretty cute

I LOVE my ergo. I can still wear Katie in ours. I bought mine on EBAY and it was worth every penny. I think it is the carrier to get. I also have a maya wrap and an Mei tai and although I like them all the ergo is by far my favorite.

 

[snugglepeas]

I wouldn't do it at those ages. I think it would be hard because you are really outnumbered. There are many rides that you can't fit 4 in one car and then how do you split up. I don't think they would let the 6 and 3 year old alone on a ride. I guess you could go on its a small world easily and the merry go round. I don't know if all of you would fit on peter pan or pooh and you definitely couldn't go on dumbo. I think it would be hard to do rides but you could go and just see the characters and the parade would be fun. Good luck!

Pooh would be easy to do you put the 2 oldest kids in the front and you and the baby in the back, same car so no worrys about riding alone, peter pan could go either way, if the kids are average size I dont see why the 4 would not fit, My DH myself and 6 year old niece all fit and dh and I are both pooh sizes people. dumbo on the other hand is a very small seat and I dont see that working.

 

[casper_jj11]

I have a DS5, DD2 and DS11mo when we go. DH is coming too but we've been with the two oldest and I think its definitely doable. You mentioned a back carrier. I wouldn't. It can't go on the rides. With DD when she was 13months, I carried her almost all the time in a front carrier, including the rides. Didnt have a problem at all (except that I was 4mo pg at the time ) If you carry the littlest like this, its really only fitting three in a seat for the rides and that's doable for most I think, like Pooh, Peter Pan, Buzz, Haunted Mansion etc. You just stay in the middle (with baby attached) and have one on each side of you. They'd have blast at any of the shows and the playgrounds as well.

Joanne

 

[SplashMountainMama]

Go for it! If I waited until my DH wanted to/was able to join us on vacation we'd never go. I have been taking my kids away on different trips by myself since I had 4 under the age of 6 and as long as you realize their limitations and enjoy what you get to do while you're there you'll be fine. On our last trip to WDW, DH flew home a day earlier with some of the kids and so I spent the last day with DS9,DS3 and DS3months. We went to Epcot and walked around World Showcase, went for lunch at ESPN and then went over to MK where we caught the parade, went to Fantasyland for a bit and then took the train back from Toontown to exit the park. We didn't do too many rides that day since it was busy, but we still had fun just being there together. I definitely agree with PP who suggested sit-down as opposed to buffets. I find it enough of a juggling act trying to do a buffet with little ones and 2 parents. You never know how far away from the food you might end up so it could get a bit tricky. Enjoy!

 

[fortheluvofpooh]

I would think about Magic Kingdom because it has the most rides that all of you can go on, the only thing you wont be able to do is the Mountains and maybe dumbo(i dont think you will all fit in one car) but you can do magic carpet. I would bring some kind of chest carrier for the 1 year old so that when you are in a line you have both hands free to hold hand with the other two. If you are unsure about doing the park you could always just stay around the resort, the Y&B has one of the best pools on property, it has a nice sandy area for the kids to play in and wade around in the water.

just to second this, having a carrier is a good choice to have 2 hands free. Depending on the size of your 1 yr old, you may want to consider a hip hammock (less stress on your back). have fun !!!!!!!!!!

 

[Colinsmom]

Yeah, I'm not sure about the back carrier either. You will have to remove it for pretty much every ride and show - can you put it on and off without help? Then you'd have to leave it with the stroller (or carry it with you, but you'll already have your hands full). I'd consider a soft front carrier or a hip carrier that can go on rides with you instead. Plus, if you have a baby in a backpack, how will you carry a diaper bag? Because you won't want to leave all of your valuables with the stroller when you go on rides.

 

[HLBLan]

Thanks!! Guess the backpack idea will be a pain. I think I may get an Ergo. Everyone I know swears by it. I have a Mei Tai, wrap, and hotsling, all have their own problems.
I'm gonna do it!! We'll go in the mornings and then if there's anything the kids are dying to do, we'll come back in the evening with my husband. I'm guessing I should make dining ressies ASAP if I want table service.