Family Trip - Rules for the parks?

[DisneyMama811]

we are hoping to make our first family trip next year, our girls will be roughly 5yrs and 8yrs. I've been to Disney a few times but never as a parent...of course I want the kids to have a magical time but think it would be helpful to have some ground rules and expectations set... does anyone have any advice or tips?
I'm thinking things like:

- everyone takes bathroom breaks TOGETHER we aren't stopping every 10 minutes to pee because you "didn't have to go" when we were just there.
- This is EVERYONES trip I'll go on Dumbo for you but you're going on Carousel of Progress for me (I'm a dork I know)

 

[Missingmypooh]

We find that talking about things BEFORE we enter the park is the best to avoid meltdowns.
I’ll ask each kid the one thing they have to do, and then also state that we simply can’t do everything there is to do.

as far as rules
- no chasing the birds or animals or feeding them
- talking to people is fine but never get more than 6ft from me (the irony in 2020 is obvious, but this has always been our family rule)
- no eating things from strangers or the floor unless you ask first
- balloons only after dinner (not getting hit in the face all day)

 

[Pixie Dusted Snow]

Hmm I've never encountered the need for "rules".
You just know how to behave and if you get off track you'll be warned...

As for the bathroom... you have to go when you have to go and if that means we end up going after every attraction well then we do. Dictating when people are allowed to pee is weird to me.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

we are hoping to make our first family trip next year, our girls will be roughly 5yrs and 8yrs. I've been to Disney a few times but never as a parent...of course I want the kids to have a magical time but think it would be helpful to have some ground rules and expectations set... does anyone have any advice or tips?
I'm thinking things like:

- everyone takes bathroom breaks TOGETHER we aren't stopping every 10 minutes to pee because you "didn't have to go" when we were just there.
- This is EVERYONES trip I'll go on Dumbo for you but you're going on Carousel of Progress for me (I'm a dork I know)

one thing I would talk with girls about is Disney's rule that you have to be 14 years old to ride with younger child. the bathroom rule is a good one but what happens if one tries but cant go. then 5 minutes later has to go. we are going thru this with 4 almost 5 year old granddaughter.

 

[tlm345]

One thing we always discussed with our girls is what to do if they get separated from us. How to identify a cast member, not to wonder too far from the place they got separated, parents cell phone numbers, etc...There have been a few times that we ended up in crowds and it’s dark and even when holding hands, it could be easy to get lost in the shuffle.

 

[Spunky946]

No specific rules

 

[SteveH]

About the only established rules for our kids at that age were to not wander off from us. Taught them as young as they could comprehend that if they got separated to stop and wait and how to identify a CM. Usually where separation occurs is after a ride. Thankfully that was all, but that education about a CM paid off on a summer camp trip when my oldest got distracted from his group, thankfully he walked over to the 6 Flags staff selling popcorn and told him he was lost. He was back with his group in under 5 minutes, never scared.

 

[easyas123]

We first took our kids where they were 5 & 7...I must admit, it never occurred to me to have any "rules" beyond basic good behavior & manners same as at home. Yeah, we went over what to do if they got lost and whatnot...but no, no rules specific to WDW.

- no chasing the birds or animals or feeding them

Now, I do have that rule for my husband

Hmm I've never encountered the need for "rules".
You just know how to behave and if you get off track you'll be warned...

As for the bathroom... you have to go when you have to go and if that means we end up going after every attraction well then we do. Dictating when people are allowed to pee is weird to me.

Agreed.

 

[chaselovesnemo]

I give my kids general guidelines like “you can have one souvenir under x amount this trip” or “you can spend x amount per day on snacks.” I think this helps manage expectations, avoid meltdowns and entitlement issues, and also teaches them to budget.

It’s also been helpful to have everyone decide their 1-2 must-do rides and make those our priority as a family.

 

[mjkacmom]

Hmm I've never encountered the need for "rules".
You just know how to behave and if you get off track you'll be warned...

As for the bathroom... you have to go when you have to go and if that means we end up going after every attraction well then we do. Dictating when people are allowed to pee is weird to me.

I have 5 kids, I told them when to go.

 

[Pixie Dusted Snow]

I have 5 kids, I told them when to go.

Seems absolutely ridiculous to me.
Its one thing to say hey let's try to go to the bathroom now so we don't have to hop out of line but its another to tell someone when to go and when to not go.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I have 5 kids, I told them when to go.

be glad you did not have younger granddaughter. she will try but often she cant go and then minutes later she has to go. thank goodness she is the youngest at 4 almost 5

 

[DisneyMama811]

Absolutely ridiculous.

there is no need to get hostile, you can disagree with someone without being critical.

just because you don't feel the urge to pee doesn't mean you won't pee if you try, your bladder still contains urine it just isn't full yet... there's no harm in trying

 

[Pixie Dusted Snow]

there is no need to get hostile, you can disagree with someone without being critical.

just because you don't feel the urge to pee doesn't mean you won't pee if you try, your bladder still contains urine it just isn't full yet... there's no harm in trying

Its one thing to suggest trying.
Its another to tell them when to go and not go...
Its also not great for your bladder to "train" it.

 

[Magical2017]

I love the section on traveling with kids from the Unofficial Guide to WDW, free to borrow from your local library.

For us, we laid out some ground rules prior to visiting the parks each day about behavior and what to do if we got separated. Each of our boys had a gift card to use for souvenirs on each trip. Once the gift card reached a zero balance, that's it. Spend wisely.

 

[Ohiostatefan606]

- everyone takes bathroom breaks TOGETHER we aren't stopping every 10 minutes to pee because you "didn't have to go" when we were just there.
- This is EVERYONES trip I'll go on Dumbo for you but you're going on Carousel of Progress for me (I'm a dork I know)
[/QUOTE]

• I get what you are saying about the bathroom. It's not that you are forcing them to pee, but at that age, they don't think about going, until it is absolutely necessary. Your family, your guidelines.
• I do think letting everyone have their choices in advance, so you can see if they overlap. Also, it allows to plan. In Tomorrowland our top items are:.... Then in Fantasyland our top items are:.... Plus then your kids feel like they have a voice and a choice.
• My son and husband ride Dumbo, because I love it. I ride Tomorrowland Speedway because my son loves it. (I could care less if I ever ride it again!)
• We tried to limit how much sugar and dessert my son would eat. Instead of a frappachino at breakfast he would get milk, but then at lunch at the Plaza he could get the kids size sundae. But we have always operated on a "we need to limit the sugar". So this wasn't a surprise to him.
• We also wouldn't look at every shop. We would often make a quick loop in the shop, get an idea of what they had available and move on. Keep in mind right now, you have to sometimes wait to get into the shops. Limited capacity.
• I think the rules/guidelines you have a home still apply, just voice them ahead of getting to Disney, so your kids know that the regular rules didn't go out the window.
• Have fun! It's vacation.

 

[Lilsia]

Seems absolutely ridiculous to me.
Its one thing to say hey let's try to go to the bathroom now so we don't have to hop out of line but its another to tell someone when to go and when to not go.

I think it makes more sense, and what other's are trying to say, is that it is a good idea for everyone to try to go in between rides. A lot of little kids get excited and don't realize that they actually have to go and will so "no" when asked. Having everyone go to the restroom often eliminates the "I have to go" 20 minutes into the line.

 

[Lilsia]

What worked for us when our kids where little was to make sure we had plenty of breaks in between the rides. It's easy to go go go and have the kids go haywire from all of it. We would go on a couple of rides, sit down and take a small snack and bathroom break. We always had water on us and would have them take sips every 10 minutes of so because we went when it was hot. During our breaks we would watch the ducks and have a small snack. We also found that the kinds of food that they ate made a huge difference in their stamina and just overall mental and physical well being. It's easy to say "we are on vacation" and eat nuggets, and mac and cheese. But my kids where very much affected by what the ate. We made sure that they had 3 solid, healthy meals in them a day and had snacks thrown in. We also did not wake anyone up in the morning. Everyone slept until they woke up naturally. I was not going to set and early alarm and have the kids start out the tired and cranky. It only goes downhill from there. If that meant that we went on a few less rides, no big deal to us. The point was to go and have fun together.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I think it makes more sense, and what other's are trying to say, is that it is a good idea for everyone to try to go in between rides. A lot of little kids get excited and don't realize that they actually have to go and will so "no" when asked. Having everyone go to the restroom often eliminates the "I have to go" 20 minutes into the line.

that does not work with my granddaughter. we all try but after a couple of minutes we let her up or you could be sitting there 20m minutes later and still no pee. and of course you get in line and she has to go. she was the hardest child I have ever trained with 30 plus years training kids in daycare. so it does not always work with every child

 

[Pixie Dusted Snow]

that does not work with my granddaughter. we all try but after a couple of minutes we let her up or you could be sitting there 20m minutes later and still no pee. and of course you get in line and she has to go. she was the hardest child I have ever trained with 30 plus years training kids in daycare. so it does not always work with every child

I'm curious about something. Does someone go in the bathroom with her?
I am extremely pee shy so sometimes the need just isn't there and even now its difficult for me to pee if its in a quite bathroom with others.
At Disney parks its no problem because there's so much noise and so many people in and out that it doesn't hit me as much but man get me in the resort room and that fan better be on or pee will not be flowing.