Child Care Reviews at Disney?

[scotiamum]

Long time lurker, first time starting a thread! I tried searching on the forum, but wasn't able to find what I was looking for

We are heading to WDW very soon, with our daughter (6 years old), and are interested in a parents' night only one evening Looks like there are a bunch on options (kids nite out, and activity centres), but I'm looking for reviews/past experiences with them, in order to make the right choice!

Right now, we're considering Simba's Clubhouse, of Sandcastle Club. And the other option is, of course, the in room service. What, in your experience, would be the best option? I'm torn between letting her have fun with other kids (since she's an only) at the activity centers, and having her in bed at a nice early time (using the in-room service).

The plan is for us adults (there's 4 of us) to go to F&W for a few hours, then maybe over to MK (open til midnight that night). So, maybe from 6pm - 11pm we'd need care for our daughter? Can we reasonably make it from Sandcastle Club to Epcot, over to MK and back to Sandcastle without it eating away at all 5 hours?

 

[JZCubed]

We've used two different places - what is now Lilo's in Polynesian and also Simba's Clubhouse. These are large playrooms with plenty of activities for the children. They leave with a bag full of goodies such as plastic jewelry and crafts. You order specific foods from a menu for your child. You pay for the privilege.

We prefer Camp Dolphin while dining at Swan & Dolphin Signatures. Included in the price of your entree is two free hours of childcare. The room is smaller, but your child leaves with less junk, er ah, crafts. The kids enjoy the place because the they get to chose food from the nearby buffeteria called Picaboo, and the kids can also have self-serve ice cream.

As to your plan for being away for 5-hours. That would not work for my child if she knew we were traipsing about the Parks. This also would not work if it was well past bedtime. I'd have an in-room sitter for that, or at least a portion of that time.

 

[CarolynFH]

DGD (5 at the time) loved Camp Dolphin when we ate at bluezoo in the Dolphin in January 2014. She was the only kid there that night, so she had lots of attention! We've also used the kids' clubs at Poly and at BW (yes, they had one many years ago!) when our DD was young, and she also enjoyed them - she said it was much better than eating at what are now signature restaurants! So we would endorse the kids' club as provider of quality care. Have never used in-room services so can't comment on that.

As far as time, though, that may be a problem. Camp Dolphin & Sandcastle Club would both be convenient for Epcot F&W - the Dolphin & BC are only a short walk from Epcot (10-20 minutes), so you wouldn't spend too much time traveling to F&W after you dropped her off. And when you finished at MK, you could take the bus from there to the Dolphin to pick her up. But if using Disney transportation, I'd allow an hour for each trip, from Epcot to MK and MK back to the Dolphin. That means an hour to exit the given park, wait for transport (monorail from Epcot to MK, bus from MK to Dolphin), and ride to your destination. So that wouldn't allow so much time to enjoy F&W or MK. If you take a taxi or Uber, both of those trips would be quicker.

 

[colagirl]

We stayed at Wilderness Lodge this summer and used their Cubs' Den when the 4 adults in the group ate at Artist Point. The 3 kids were 11, 7, and 6. I'll say that for the 11 year old, it looked very "babyish" - more like a daycare, but he was appeased when he learned they had Mario Kart. They seemed to like the dinner provided, and they did a craft in the 2 hour time span. I was certainly comfortable with it as a place for the kids to be while we enjoyed a night out.

 

[Disneytam]

We did the in room care but it was many years ago. She was pleasant and came prepared with some books and toys but our son was asleep when we left and still sleeping when we returned! I did remember it being really expensive.

 

[minnie mum]

If you have any plans to do anything the next morning, I think that keeping her up until nearly midnight might be a mistake.

It has been years, but we used Kids Night Out when our 2 kids were little. And while I trusted the info I'd gotten beforehand, the best testimonial came from the kids, who liked their sitters.

 

[carolinagirl121]

We used both Simba's Clubhouse and the Sandcastle Club on our last trip. Both were great experiences for our boys (4 and 6). They do two dinner times there, either 6/630 or 8. If you don't arrive until 6, you may not be able to get the order in for the earlier dinner (maybe you can call ahead, I didn't try). We used to do in room care when the boys were younger, but they have a lot more fun at the clubs and always ask to go there when we are down in Disney. I considered the early bed time, but we are an afternoon nap/pool group while on vacation, so I expected they would be up later anyway. At the kids club, they generally turn on a movie later in the evening and it's pretty chilled out when you get there later at night for pick up, so it's not straight bananas the whole time the kids are there. As for traveling to MK, we generally try and do something in the area so we don't spend our whole time traveling to and from, it's not a cheap service so it seems silly to us spending time wasting kid-free time on a bus. If you want to do MK, I would use the Poly club.

 

[jvncnt]

We used Simba's Clubhouse last year for the first time when our son was 7. Our son is also an only, and he absolutely loved it. We only did it one night, and it was near the end of our trip. However, he asked us the next night if he could go back. Frankly, I think he needed some time away from M&D after being just the three of us together for a week. Needless to say, we are going to have more than one adult's dinner this time around, and I think we will all have more fun because of it.

Hope it works out for you guys!

 

[soniam]

DS really likes Lilo's Playhouse. Did it when he was 6 and 9. They usually come back with crafts, and they feed them. Same person must drop off and pick up. Trying to decide what to do for the next trip, since he will be 10. He won't enjoy a fancy meal. I was thinking the in-room sitter might be better, because they could do the night activities at POR, where we will stay. He might be getting a little old for the playhouse. I think he was the oldest last time, but he gets along with kids of all ages.

 

[Dominion]

My kids did Camp Dolphin last week from 6-830 while we ate at Il Mulino and had a great time. 2 years ago they went to Neverland clib (now Lilos playhouse at Poly) while we ate at GF. my girls are social and liked the opportunity to play with other kids, and it gave us all a break from each other. I would never leave my kids until midnight bc it would ruin the next day but for a few hours over dinner the clubs are great options.

 

[Njdcgirl]

We used Kidz Night Out twice during our trip last month, and would recommend them and use them again. The sitter showed up to our room on time, (brought a huge bag with toys/activities). We had the same girl both nights, which was nice. She took the kids to get dinner at the QS, and ice cream and had them in bed fast asleep when we returned home! The kids had fun, and it was about the same cost as the kids club, but we had the bonus of the kids getting a good night sleep! our kids are 2.5 and 5, BTW.

 

[scotiamum]

We used Kidz Night Out twice during our trip last month, and would recommend them and use them again. The sitter showed up to our room on time, (brought a huge bag with toys/activities). We had the same girl both nights, which was nice. She took the kids to get dinner at the QS, and ice cream and had them in bed fast asleep when we returned home! The kids had fun, and it was about the same cost as the kids club, but we had the bonus of the kids getting a good night sleep! our kids are 2.5 and 5, BTW.

Thanks for this! I was wondering whether the in-room babysitting could take her around the resort (e.g. to the QS). We're on the DDP, so I assume my daughter would just use her magic band to pay for the food she eats?

 

[scotiamum]

We used to do in room care when the boys were younger, but they have a lot more fun at the clubs and always ask to go there when we are down in Disney. I considered the early bed time, but we are an afternoon nap/pool group while on vacation, so I expected they would be up later anyway. At the kids club, they generally turn on a movie later in the evening and it's pretty chilled out when you get there later at night for pick up, so it's not straight bananas the whole time the kids are there.

And this is a great reason why I'm considering the activity centres instead on the in-room service. It's not like we'll be out until midnight - more like 5-10pm...

 

[EmilyS90]

We used Sandcastle Club for our 5 year old on our May trip and she loved it. I really worried she'd get bored or upset about us going out for the evening without her but when we came back to get her around 10, she didn't want to leave! The staff were super friendly and there were quite a few other kids there when we went.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

My DS has gone to the Sandcastle Club and Lilo's Playhouse (plus once when it was Neverland Club). He is now 8 but started going to the clubs when he was 6. He LOVES them! He also is an "only" as well and he absolutely loves having the time to hang out with other kids and get away from boring mom and dad for a few hours! He even made a new friend on our trip in April. He loves the clubs so much, we now plan them into our trip even if we really don't have an adults' night planned!

If the children get tired, they will put mats out for them to nap on.

We have also used Kids Nite Out when DS was 2 and the sitters are excellent. At this age, however, my DS would much, much prefer to be in the club.