Advice on travelling with a DD (12) and DS (2) in Dec. 2008

[breandconsmom]

I need advice on vacationing at WDW with a DD who is 12 and has been to WDW twice since she was was 5 and a DS who will be 2 1/2 and has never been to WDW. My husband and I have vacationed at WDW 3 times since 2000, twice with our daughter and once alone. We are looking to take this vacation slow since we all have been there before with the exception of our son. Any suggestions on the best hotel on Disney property to stay at? We have stayed at All Star Movie, Pop Century and PO French Quarter?

 

[Princess Roo]

Welcome to the DIS!!! Tons of tips on this board

For hotels, we do really love Port Orleans - both Riverside and French Quarter. We were there with a 15 month old who liked it and I went there as a teenager and loved it, too.

My biggest tip is to make sure you know how to use the child swap (baby swap). There are a few threads on the topic in the last week, so you should be able to find them in the first few pages of this board. But, long story short, your whole party goes up to the CM at the entrance for any height restriction line that the 2yo is too short for and ask for a child swap. One parent and DD12 go on the ride first (could be in FASTPASS line if they each have a FASTPASS) while other parent and DS go do something else. Then the parent that hasn't ridden the ride uses the child swap to go on it and DD12 gets to go back on, too! Using FASTPASS and childswap together frees up a lot of time to do the things that the 2yo can do, too, without making the 12yo resentful.

Have you decided what time of year you are going?

 

[coolbeans]

you could be writing about me!! my DS will be 2 1/2 and DD will be 12 when we go in August. We are staying at POFQ because from what everyone here says it is very compact, the pool looks perfect for DD (she loves water slides!) and DS and I can lounge in the kiddie pool for a while. We are staying for 10 nites so there will be no hurry to get from place to place. We have made some ADR's but plan on keeping some days open just to play it by ear. I'll keep up with this in hopes that someone has some great tips for both of us!

My DS is the total opposite of DD, she was very mellow and laid back and he is..all boy!

 

[breandconsmom]

Thanks for the tips. I am booking our vacation today. We are going from December 6th-12th. We are taking our daughter out of school. I normally wouldn't do something like that, but I don't want to stand in lines with a 2 1/2 year old either. If we stay at the ASM, which building is closest to the pool and the food court?