Alternative to Pinocchio's Workshop?

[BensWife]

DH and I had planned on an adults only trip for our 10th anniversary in Sept. However, we just couldn't go without the kids (well, mostly me feeling guilty about not taking them), so now we are taking them along. That being said, we would like to do one evening out for our actual anniversary. However, the Pinocchio's Workshop is for ages 5 to 12 and our little one will be shy of being 5 by 5 days! Do you think they would let him do it since it will be so close to his birthday? If not, does the Grand Californian have personal babysitters that could take our 2 boys like to the pool for an evening swim or maybe time in the arcade or something. I would hate for them to have to be stuck in our hotel room watching TV while Mom and Dad are out in the "land". We would only need a couple of hours - thinking of an evening reservation at Blue Bayou. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[BriannaRuth]

Pinnochio's absolutely will NOT accept your child if he is under 5, even by a few days. How do I know? DD's birthday and our anniversary are the same weekend. Made reservations for Carthay Circle and Pinnochio's for our anniversary, told them without even thinking about it that my child was 5. When we arrived, we had to fill out a form that included her birthday, which was THE NEXT DAY. She was literally hours away from being 5. They refused to take her. So much for our anniversary dinner.

So your next question, babysitting. Disney doesn't provide it but everywhere I've seen has recommended Fullerton Childcare; I think they are approved by Disney. http://fullertonchildcareagency.com/

We have used them twice. My kids thought the sitters were so-so as they were both older women instead of the teenagers they're used to when we have sitters at home. However, they are licensed, background checked, etc. Seems like it was cash only, 4 hour minimum, you have to pay for their parking, and not all of the will take them to the pool or the park; you have to request one who will. You have to buy a ticket if you want them to go to the park. But it worked out fine. When my kids were younger they stayed in the hotel and watched movies; when they were older they did go to the pools.

Good luck.

 

[whoever]

Pinnochio's absolutely will NOT accept your child if he is under 5, even by a few days. How do I know? DD's birthday and our anniversary are the same weekend. Made reservations for Carthay Circle and Pinnochio's for our anniversary, told them without even thinking about it that my child was 5. When we arrived, we had to fill out a form that included her birthday, which was THE NEXT DAY. She was literally hours away from being 5. They refused to take her. So much for our anniversary dinner.

So your next question, babysitting. Disney doesn't provide it but everywhere I've seen has recommended Fullerton Childcare; I think they are approved by Disney. http://fullertonchildcareagency.com/

We have used them twice. My kids thought the sitters were so-so as they were both older women instead of the teenagers they're used to when we have sitters at home. However, they are licensed, background checked, etc. Seems like it was cash only, 4 hour minimum, you have to pay for their parking, and not all of the will take them to the pool or the park; you have to request one who will. You have to buy a ticket if you want them to go to the park. But it worked out fine. When my kids were younger they stayed in the hotel and watched movies; when they were older they did go to the pools.

Good luck.

Do you recall the hourly price? Did they charge by the kid?

 

[SMD]

Do you really trust a stranger to watch your kids by the pool? Give the sitter a chance to come up with an activity in the hotel the kids will enjoy. Maybe they'll like the down time.

 

[Malcon10t]

We've used Fullerton Childcare for my brother's kids. The kids liked the sitter and they had fun. She did take them to the pool area. There was a life guard on duty so we were comfortable.

When my kids were little (they are now 24-28 and this was when the oldest was 4 or so) we also used Fullerton Childcare (they have been around THAT long) , and the sitter took the kids out and around the hotel and really liked them.

 

[KalamityJane]

Do you recall the hourly price? Did they charge by the kid?

Yes, I'd like to know as well, we would love to have one date night at Disney and my youngest won't be 5 for 4 years...

 

[PrincessBelle39]

What if a child is over 12? I will have a 9 and 13 year old. They both loved the kids clubs at WDW. My 9 year old definitely wants to go at DL but there is no point if dd13 cant.

 

[Malcon10t]

Yes, I'd like to know as well, we would love to have one date night at Disney and my youngest won't be 5 for 4 years...

$13 per hour per child. And no to kids over 12.

 

[BriannaRuth]

I trusted my kids in the pool with a sitter watching them because I knew how watchful the Disney lifeguards were, and because my kids are pretty cautious on their own already. And they were older, 8 and 12 and I had no doubt they would stay together. I wouldn't have let them go to the pool with a sitter if they were little.

I don't remember what the hourly was for the sitter. It wasn't cheap -- certainly it was more than the $8 an hour I was used to paying a teenager at home!

 

[Pesky]

We used Destination Sitters -- licensed, bonded, came recommended on here, background checks and everything sent to us. Girl was nice -- not amazing but fine. We had a lovely dinner at Napa Rose and walked back up to the room and all was well.

 

[Rubygoose]

How does it work for sitters taking kids to the pools at onsite hotels? Do I give the sitter my room key and the kids keys to get in? Or can I just give her the kids keys and they'll let her in because she's from an agency? Or do we get her an extra room key of her own at the front desk?

 

[BriannaRuth]

We let ours use one of the kids' room keys. The kids' keys are unable to be used for charging to the room but can open the door.