Alone with DD ?

[MauraMouse]

Hi this is my first post here though I have been a "lurker" for some time.I am on the fence about a trip to Walt Disney World.My DH cannot travel during the winter months because he works for Public Works and has to be on call for snowplowing.We live in Maine so his workplace pretty much "owns" him from November-April.
I would love to take my DD who is almost 5 to WDW in early December for the Christmas festivities.I have made many trips to WDW and DD is a veteran as well.Once we are on Disney property I'm sure we'll be fine but I am a little nervous about traveling alone.Trying to keep an eye on her,all the luggage going through security,etc. makes me feel a little stressed out.
I'm sure that plenty of single parents do this all the time and can calm the nerves I have about this.Tips and Advice are appreciated.Thanks in advance.

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

I would be a horrible single parent because my 1st thought when I saw this was "yikes...NO." I just don't think for me that it's worth that hassle. WDW vacations are a significant financial investment and I would rather spend the money when the whole family could go. If I went without DH, I would be so stressed that I would never enjoy myself.

 

[Tinkerbell2002]

I took ds when he was 4 by myself, dh didn't want to go back to WDW so soon. He's weird. Anyway, I took ds alone and it was one of the best trips to WDW I have ever been on. I packed all our stuff in one bigger size suitcase, which I tipped the airport guy to carry for me. We had one kid size suitcase/bag with wheels with toys for the plane. The toy bag with wheels was for ds to pull. Partly so he could help and partly so he couldn't walk to fast without me. We stayed on Disney property so Magical express took care of our luggage. It really wasn't hard to do everything on my own. I told DS that he had to be my helper since it was just him and me and he had to stay right with me. He took his bag and stayed right with me and it was actually easier than traveling with DH.

Just wear easy shoes for you to put back on after security in the airport.

Also, when we got to Disney, I let DS plan out what we did most of the time (he had been there a couple times before) and we did things that we hadn't spent much time doing before (like all the art things for kids to do in Epcot and the movie theater in MK and the fish in Epcot) and it was lots of fun.

Have a great time.

 

[GEM]

I've taken my little guy alone twice (one at barely 3 and once at just over 4) and we have another "mommy and me" trip coming up in December and he will be getting close to 5! I love it! It's so great just doing whatever the two of you want and not worrying about anybody else. I also really believe that it's great for kids to spend time alone with each parent. DH does go with us once every other year or so, but he doesn't care to go any more than that and we save his vacation for other kinds of trips.

So, Paul and I go and have a blast - just the two of us. I'd say definately go for it! I've never had any problems or concerns traveling alone with my son - to Disney or anywhere else.

Using Magical Express makes it so easy, becase you don't have to deal with luggage.

If you have specific quetions on traveling alone with a pre-schooler, I'd be glad to answer them if I can.

 

[DisneyDotty]

Oh my--I wouldn't give it a second thought! GO! What fun and magical memories for both you and your DD!
The airport is a stressful place, but give yourself plenty of time, check your bags and carry on a small, manageable bag yourself and give DD a backpack filled with diversions for the flight.
Once you land, ME will handle everything. And everyone knows WDW is the easiest place for kids.
GO! Have a great time! Ohh, what a great idea! I want to go with my DD!

 

[Feralpeg]

I took DD to WDW for the first time when she was 4 and many times after that. It really wasn't bad at all and we had such a wonderful time. You'll be fine!

 

[tjmw2727]

I started taking my dd's solo when they were toddler/preschool age and its great fun. Think of all the things we do solo with them every day - only at wdw we don't have to cook and clean as well!

My dh dosen't get as much vacation time as we do and he dosen't love WDW the way we do. So we go on "family" vacations to places we all enjoy, including dh and then we do a long weekend trip to WDW ourselves.

Traveling tips - use ME and the luggage delivery feature. Have someone drop you off at your home airport and spend a few $ in tips to use curbside check in. They will check you into your flight and check your luggage through right from the curb. Then head to security, I use a midsize backpack for me and a small one for my dd's. For security I put theirs inside mine and have them go through empty handed. There are restrictions on liquids and you have to remove shoes and jackets but that's pretty easy. All the details are here:http://www.tsa.gov/311/index.shtm

When you arrive at Orlando you can skip baggage claim and head right to the ME check area. Check in, board the bus and head to your resort to check in. Your bags will arrive 1-3 hours after you check in and you don't have to wait in the room so hit the parks, pool etc.

I find that staying onsite at WDW is a very easy way to vacation with the kids without dh. Transporation is free and easy and there is always something fun do. We miss him of course by my dd's and I love our solo trips.

TJ

 

[Brizite76]

This coming Dec. will be #4 for us. We have been to DL by ourselves too!
My husband is military so he is always deployed. He doesn't mind DD and I going by ourselves. She is 5 now and we first started going by ourselves when she was 2 1/2 yrs.
You will have a great time. She will have memories to last a lifetime!

 

[rk5798]

I would definitely go. My dh and I have already talked about this. We have family in the area so we have a place to stay. I remember my Mom and I go when I was younger and it was so special just spending time with her. We are definitely considering doing this ourselves in the near future.

 

[JJ&JSMOM]

Hello from a fellow Mainer! I say "go". Your DD is almost 5 - I'm sure she'll stay beside you and listen to you. We just got back from WDW a couple weeks ago - we have 3 kids ages 8, 5 (turned 5 on our vacay), & 2. DD5 was so easy - she listened so well and helped me w/DD2. I had separate time w/all my kids while at disney and loved it. What memories you will have. I wouldn't hesitate w/one child. We have 3 so I wouldn't dare to go w/o DH - I'd be really outnumbered then.

 

[mylilnikita]

Well, as a single parent since DD was 2, 9 now I say go. I was kind of anxious, but it was great!! Stay on property, use ME and the other modes of transportation in the world. You will have a great memorable time, and that is what is all about creating memories. Now if I was still married, I wouldn't have money to go, I married someone like KFED, seriously, but if it was someone who couldnt' or wouldn't go, oh well, making memories with your kid is what is the important thing. And at some point maybe your husband could go
Do you think your child would like a few hours in the Neverland Club or other kid's club so there would be interaction with other kids? And you could go get a spa treatment or something? But be careful, DD wanted to go to Neverland Club more than I thought she would, I just planned a couple hours one night, she ended up going almost every night.-LOL
I totally agree with another poster who suggested you give the sky cap your luggage to check in, it is just easier.
And going near Xmas is the best, everything is decorated so pretty!!
I would have been going this year, but I took DD to Oahu this year to see some friends. Usually I take DD and myself to WDW then DCL.

 

[ggeorgiagirl]

Christmas time is the BEST time to go, IMHO!

DO IT!

 

[momtwo4]

I would love to go alone with my kids if Dh couldn't make it! My problem is I couldn't pick just 1, I would have to take all 4, hummm the two 8 yr olds and the 4 yr old would be great but the 1 yr old would be tough. I say go for it and have a great time!

 

[Katy Belle]

Go! You can do it!!!

I'd talk to your daughter and build it us as "you are such a big girl now and you can help me." I'm sure she will stay right with you, help you remember gate #s for planes, help you locate your seat on the airplane, etc.

I understand your apprehension. The first time I flew alone with my 3 sons they were 3,6,8. I was REALLY worried about it, but it was fine. Now we live overseas and I fly alone with them often. I still get nervous if its a new airport or a too short layover or when a flight gets delayed. But when things happen you just deal with them and move on. You can do this!

We went at Christmas last year and it was great. Go early enough to beat the crowds! Have a fantastic trip!
Katy

 

[Stephres]

I think it's a great opportunity for alone time for you two. I don't know about the traveling, but when we go my husband and I always spend one day split up so we can each take one kid alone. It's one of my favorite parts of the trip!

 

[cruiserkaren]

I'd say go! Five is plenty old of enough to go it alone. I'd love to take my 4 year old dd on a mommy and me trip!

 

[cdotla]

If I can do it, you can do it!

I just returned from a solo trip with DD4 earlier this month. And we travelled all the way from Canada, involving 2 plane rides PLUS the hassle of clearing US and Canadian Customs each way.

Unlike the sensible recommendations in past posts regarding comfortable shoes and only 1 suitcase, I, of course, made our trip a lot more challenging.

Because I am a diva, I never wear comfortable shoes in public - LOL! Plus, with the Canadian dollar the way it is, I took advantage and did a significant amount of shopping. I had 13 packages waiting for me when we checked in plus I did a lot of X-Mas shopping in the parks. I brought 2 large checked suitcases for each us plus we each had a carry on roll bag to carry everything home.

Would I do it all again - in a heartbeat! And you could do it much easier than I could without all the extra baggage and my cross-border shopping!

I should tell you that this solo trip with DD was not something I would have planned. But in May DH and I had taken our first ever trip to WDW with the kids - DD4 and DS2, plus my parents. I ended up losing our camera with all our pictures at the airport on our way home. So this solo trip with DD4 was a way for me to try and re-capture some of these photos, even though I knew I couldn't manage a solo trip with DS2. (He was a handful during our May trip even with my DH and parents helping out - LOL!)

Anyway, I ended up having an absolutely FANTASTIC time with DD. It was a total princess trip just for us girls. It was an amazing bonding experience being with my daughter 24-7, just the 2 of us. We stayed 4 nights on WDW property and took the Magical Express from the airport. It was soooooo EASY!!! And this from a woman with 4 checked suitcases and 2 carry-ons plus a 4 year old!

I loved the trip so much I fully intend to do it again with both DD and DS together in future once they get a bit older. While DH tolerates Disney, he doesn't love it like me and certainly would not want to be going every year. So I fully intend to continue to take short solo trips with the kids in the years my husband has no interest in a Disney trip and we are all happy!

SO should you go??? ABSOLUTELY!!!!!

 

[Crazy4Disney72]

You should absolutely go! You and DD will make some fantastic 'just mom & me' memories. I have gone on solo Disney trips with each of my three children, the first one flying cross-country alone with my DD when she was 17 months to go to DL. I was meeting some friends there who also had babies my DD's age, so once I got there I wasn't alone, but I did the whole flight thing alone, including changing planes, getting baggage, transportation to hotel, checking in, etc. I love all the special one on one time with my kids in our favorite place, and they love it too! We love our family vacations (our next DL trip in 3 weeks is DH, the 3 kids, me) but the one on one trips with the kids are super special. You can definitely handle it and will be glad you did, especially since your DD will be nearly 5.

 

[bcvdreamer]

Yes! Do it! I did it with when my ds(7) was four years old. We had a blast. Just check your luggage at the curb side check in and have magical express do the rest! I took a portable DVD player for the plane and a few travel games just in case we needed them.

I worried about getting through security too, but just take your time. I had him walk through first, and told the guard it was just the two of us, so he that helped. My son also felt important because he was helping me carry his own bag.

The trip was all about him, his older brother was visiting a friend who lived out of state at the the time. He loved making the decisions on what to ride next. We took a break every afternoon to go back to the resort to swim and rest. It was a relaxed trip.

He still talks about the trip today, and wants to know when we can go again with just the two of us. It's a great memory to share with him. My dad always took me on a short vacation every year, just the two of us, and I cherish those memories.

Do it....you'll have a fabulous time. "Don't sweat the small stuff." Take a lot of pictures.

 

[momsoftwins]

i went in april with two 4 yr olds and had a BLAST. made it thru the airport fine, stayed on property and used the buses to and from. a few later evenings i used taxies from the parks and never once wished id stayed home. one the 1st day in magic kingdom, i had two sets of blue eyes look at me and say "youre the best moma" well they looked away and tears came down my face. the memories and the fun we had was so worth it all