Ever used the in-room sitters?

[MsSpinShady]

Hi all! First time poster here, I'm really enjoying these boards - thanks to all of you for the great advice!

I'm wondering if any of you have experience with the in-room sitters? We are going in December and my DH and I would like to catch dinner and a football game at ESPN Zone one night. Our oldest DS (14) and youngest DD (3 months) will probably come with us, but we'd like to get an in-room sitter for the middle two (DS - 11 and DD - 3). My son thinks he is too old for a sitter, but I'm afraid my DD won't stay by herself. What kinds of experiences have you had with the sitters?

TIA! Sending Happy Disney Thoughts,

MsSpinShady

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[Imelda in TX]

We used Fairy Godmothers last June. Ms. Vivian came prepared with a bag full of games and toys. When we returned from our evening out, both our girls were sound asleep and Ms. Vivian was reading. In the morning, we asked the girls how they liked her. They both said they had a good time playing games and watching the fireworks from our balcony.

We are going to WDW again this June and plan on using this service.

 

[castlegazer]

MsSpinShady Welcome!

p.s. I am a secret hip hop fan (don't tell my DH that I shared this, he will be mortified), so your name evokes rythm in my soles - if you didn't mean to do that, I am sorry, but its now stuck - I will start to hear a beat whenever I see your name!

If we weren't taking Grandma along this trip we were going to use Fairy Godmothers because I have not heard one bad thing about them and everything I hear is so wonderful.

 

[MsSpinShady]

Thank you for your responses! It sounds like Fairy Godmothers is a reputable firm, so I think I will give them a call. Can I make a reservation before we go?

Castlegazer, your post made me laugh MsSpinShady is a take off of Eminem's SlimShady - I'm a political campaign consultant/media and public relations professional and I have been a spokesperson/press secretary for legislators - hence "SpinShady."

So feel free to hip hop away!

Thanks again!

MsSpinShady

 

[castlegazer]

Hey! I am a former spin meister myself and still can spin with the best of them! That is a great tag line! You're talking to a former AA (or as we said C.O.S. but you know the whole West Wing thingy can get a little stale so I keep the parlance to what people not in the know don't get right away).

To keep to topic, you can be assured that Fairy Godmothers is a great service, WDW recommends them as their preferred company.

 

[jodifla]

We used Fairy Godmothers twice last year for DS. Both women were terrific.

I've already called to make reservations for our January trip!

 

[Cindymere]

Let me tell you this. My unmedicated, BiPolar sister always gets jobs in New Orleans with in-room sitting firms. She passes her background checks because she doesn't have a criminal record. She gets the job because she "appears" normal and seems to be a go-getter because people on manics think they are better at everything than anyone else, so she exudes confidence on these interviews.

They do ask on the applications about mediciations, mental conditions etc, but my sister isnt' stupid and she isnt' honest about those.

She even babysat one night for Lorenzo Lamas and Shauna Smith's kids when they were there for a TV convention.

Just adding for information.....

 

[jodifla]

One of the reasons we liked Fairy Godmothers so much is that our sitters had been with the company for years and years.

Cindymere, have there been any incidents with your sister while she was babysitting? (My mother was bipolar, too...)

 

[Cindymere]

No, there were no incidents that I know of. But, as I said my sister is unmedicated and she did threaten my children last February. I inquired about a restraining order, but the sheriff's office basically said dont' tick off a mentally ill person and that if she threatened them again, they would issue one.

So now I keep my children far away from her. And she's babysitting for other people.....

 

[castlegazer]

Yikes Cindymere! But one point to remember about any of the firms that Disney recommends for babysitting services, Disney is Disney and they recommend them - they do not want black eyes over this. In New Orleans there is no Disney recommending the babysitting services. As has been said, those I have known who have used Fairy Godmothers say that the sitters are long time employees. To each their own and this is a very personal decision, but as Disney doesn't offer the service themselves I think that this testifies to the fact that they trust the services that they do recommend or else they would do it themselves as they do on DCL. I do not use babysitters at home because I am paranoid about leaving my baby with anyone other than my MIL or mother. I would, however, use the service of Fairy Godmothers due to the feedback I have heard about them. As I said, I am just lucky enough this trip to have a grandma along for babysitting.

 

[jodifla]

Just a note of clarification: Disney recommends Kids Nite Out in its literature, not Fairy Godmothers.

I found the Fairy Godmothers recommendations on this board, as have so many others.

Cindymere, I'm sorry about your sister's situation. That must cause a lot of distress for your family.

 

[castlegazer]

Oh, am I embarrassed! You are correct! It is Kids Night Out that they recommend. I have heard nothing but rave reviews about Fairy Godmothers and their services from so many people here and our friends that I started thinking they were one of two recommended services by Disney. Although, I knew that Disney did recommend Kids Night Out (although, I thought that they also recommended FGM), I have not heard from anyone who used them, isn't that funny?

Has anyone used Kids Night Out? Now I am curious because I do hold to the fact that if Disney recommends them I am pretty sure they would stand by that recommendation. I trust everyone on this board about Fairy Godmothers, though.

 

[MsSpinShady]

Thank you all for your responses! I have been searching the Interenet and have found a lot of good things about Fairy Godmothers and Kids Nite Out. It looks like either way, it would run us somewhere between $80-$100 for four hours.

When I ran this past my oldest DS, and told him we would give him a chunk of that to spend in the parks if he would rather babysit for one night instead of watch the football game, he agreed

Cindymere, that is scary about your sister, thanks for sharing. I too, am one of those overprotective moms. We didn't have a "real" babysitter until my oldest was about old enough to sit himself.

Castlegazer, what a coincidence! Did you work in DC? We were out there until 1997, and then moved back for a more sane lifestyle for the kids.

Thanks again!

MsSpinShady

 

[HappyMommy2]

Originally posted by MsSpinShady

When I ran this past my oldest DS, and told him we would give him a chunk of that to spend in the parks if he would rather babysit for one night instead of watch the football game, he agreed

: [/B]

Now THAT sounds like a good solution to me!