Family Trip - Rules for the parks?

[brockash]

Not a set of rules but we also have a system for QS meals. I have 4 kidlets so everyone has a job. Our plan will be modified due to current conditions.

1. We all decide that we want before reaching the ordering station
2. Adults order/pay and stay to pick up trays
3. All 4 kids are sent to secure a table large enough for 6 with enough chairs. They are prepared to scout for tables and ask for empty chairs from neighboring tables. The 2 youngest stay at the table
4. The 2 oldest gather napkins, forks and condiments and then deliver them to the table. They only take what we need.
5. The oldest kid returns to the adults to inform us of the table location and help with trays if needed.
6. After eating, every cleans up and we take trash.

I love this. At times I think it's hilarious how well prepared/trained I've made our kids for Disney. They might know everything, but darn it they can navigate Disney World/know how to get around/the process needed to accomplish things etc. Lol...it's kinda a running joke with my sister. When they were super little she used to take my oldest sons hand at closing to make sure he didn't get lost etc. now days it's kinda the other way around lol.

 

[scrapquitler]

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.

It's not so much dictating when people pee, but encouraging them to go now while we are already in the bathroom rather than 10 minutes from now as we are about to board a ride.

 

[scrapquitler]

Our biggest rule is: Feed the teenager before he gets hangry

 

[yorkieteacher]

I have traveled for several trips with my grands-what we are more lax about-healthy eating, naps, spending on a few small toys. What we will leave the park over-physically fighting with each other and mean words. We prepare, prepare, prepare for what we will be doing that day, where we will be eating, even the order of the rides. We pack snacks and small new trinkets from Dollar Tree for lines. We tend to divide and conquer, with one adult taking an offending or offensive child away to a secluded area for a while to compose themselves. And we ALWAYS take a mid-day break!

 

[MudQueen22]

My oldest was a flight risk until about age 7. Even at age 7, there was a lot of talk about staying with us, and still a lot of hand-holding.
1. Talks about who to go to for help if separated from mom or dad.
2. If one person goes to the RR, we all try to go as well.
3. After each ride, we drink water on the way to the next one or while waiting in line.

 

[dropzone9]

I never thought of it as a rule, but one thing we started doing with my DS is we rarely (if ever) buy souvenirs right when we see them. We take a picture of the person holding the item they want, take a picture of the price tag (including the bar code), and take a picture of the store we found it in. When we're waiting in line, we scroll through the photos and decide which items are a priority, and which we don't really want. We delete the price tag photos (and sometimes the store photos as well) for anything we decide not to buy. At the end of the day (or end of the trip if at DLR), we make a loop back to buy whatever wins as the "must have" souvenir. On one occasion at DLR we waited too long and the store was out of the backpack DS wanted, but because we had the price tag photo saved, the CMs were able to look it up for us and found it at a different store. They called over and had them hold it for us, and we were still able to get it.
This little trick has become a fun tradition for us for many reasons. It helps DS think about his budget, it helps get rid of the "I HAVE TO HAVE IT NOW!" attitude that was starting to pop up at the time, it gives us something to do while we wait in line, and we have some fun photos of each of us holding cute stuff we liked in the stores. DS is now 13, and he says that some of why he now has the patience to save his money and think about what he really wants to spend it on is because we taught him how to wait and think about it using this method.
Honestly, I just started it spontaneously when we were at DLR when he was 4 because I didn't want to carry around a toy he wanted to buy, and he was so enamored with seeing the picture of himself holding the toy that he began asking me to take his picture again in every store we went into! But hey, it worked, and it's now standard procedure for all of us when we travel anywhere!

I love this idea and will use this with 9 year old DS this summer!

 

[browneyedgirl1683]

Just adding that we have rules about transportation that we follow in our own hometown. No being loud on the bus as people may be resting. Listen for directions, and stand up when the grownups do to get off the bus. Hold hands to get off the bus.

We also have an "everyone gets one thing" rule where everyone gets to pick one attraction or ride that we will do our best to go on. There's 4 of us and have used this at our local park. That's already good for the morning, and it makes sure that we all get a turn.

 

[ShellyKP]

Not sure I would consider these rules but behavioral expectations and a few tips. When we get to our destination (not just Disney, we do this for all family trips) we take a picture of each child near the entrance. That way we have an accurate record of what they are wearing that day, in case they get separated from us. Much faster than trying to explain what they look like. And it makes a nice picture too.

Remind little ones not to tug on character costumes, tails, hair, etc. Also to keep back from the "fur" characters until they are aware of your being there. They can't see very well right below themselves.

Teach them how to identify a cast member and practice with them how to ask for help. Cast members are trained to help lost kids and will know what to do if that happens with your family.

Pack some snacks but also plan for treats. Hydrate often. If they are not taking their normal amount of pee breaks they need more water. Florida is stinking hot.

Rent a stroller. They may have outgrown baby strollers but they will be grateful to have a place to rest. Little legs can only make it so far.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Not sure I would consider these rules but behavioral expectations and a few tips. When we get to our destination (not just Disney, we do this for all family trips) we take a picture of each child near the entrance. That way we have an accurate record of what they are wearing that day, in case they get separated from us. Much faster than trying to explain what they look like. And it makes a nice picture too.

Remind little ones not to tug on character costumes, tails, hair, etc. Also to keep back from the "fur" characters until they are aware of your being there. They can't see very well right below themselves.

Teach them how to identify a cast member and practice with them how to ask for help. Cast members are trained to help lost kids and will know what to do if that happens with your family.

Pack some snacks but also plan for treats. Hydrate often. If they are not taking their normal amount of pee breaks they need more water. Florida is stinking hot.

Rent a stroller. They may have outgrown baby strollers but they will be grateful to have a place to rest. Little legs can only make it so far.

I agree with the picture each morning but also again if you have to change clothes for any reason. I tell this story often but a couple of years ago had a lost child at the park I work at mother was sure soon was wearing one color of shirt but he had a totally different color of shirt. security was sure they had child but from what mother was saying they could not be sure. they would not take her to him until they were sure they had right mother. that only happened because dad returned and show picture on his phone while in the park with a different color of shirt from what mother said. mother was then upset because they had her child and would not take her to him right away. moral of story have pictures on all phones not just one

 

[Tattylou]

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. We don’t do a set rule talk ahead of time. There’s sort of unspoken expectations I guess. We encourage everyone to try when we are at a bathroom, but sometimes it doesn’t work that way (and we always seem to make a lot of bathroom stops).

 

[ShellyKP]

I agree with the picture each morning but also again if you have to change clothes for any reason. I tell this story often but a couple of years ago had a lost child at the park I work at mother was sure soon was wearing one color of shirt but he had a totally different color of shirt. security was sure they had child but from what mother was saying they could not be sure. they would not take her to him until they were sure they had right mother. that only happened because dad returned and show picture on his phone while in the park with a different color of shirt from what mother said. mother was then upset because they had her child and would not take her to him right away. moral of story have pictures on all phones not just one

Good point about the change of clothes! Another thing we did on our last Disney trip because my son had his own cell phone (an old one from when his grandmother upgraded) we had him take a picture of US to put on his phone so he could show a cast member what his parents looked like if he got separated.

 

[Welsh_Dragon]

This thread made me chuckle. My ‘children’ are 27 and 23 and we still have the ‘one goes, we all go’ mantra for loo trips. It just saves time. Like a PP I am now led by the hand or by a guiding hand on my back by the ‘children’, who apparently now worry about me getting lost and dithering/dawdling. We still agree a meeting place for if we lose each other. We also have a system in place for things like Epcot food and wine. We agree groups of countries/which foods and drinks, and one finds a table, one buys the food and the other buys drinks. The other ‘rule’ I have, is that at the first sign anyone shows of being hungry or thirsty, find food/water etc., before hangry sets in.

 

[ThreeSmileys]

I agree with many of the suggestions for setting expectations, picking must do rides in advance and photos of kids/parents/souvenirs.

These aren't family rules, simply best practice for our family: I typically pack small items that can be played with while waiting for our meal (if dining at a table service location) from coins, to sticker sets, to small Lego kits, playdoh, etc. Some of these items have been handy when in line for a ride too. We also wear comfy shoes that will dry quickly and always pack a poncho for each of us. We also take longer family walks before our trip to build up stamina, we've done strollers in the past and besides acting as a catch all, can be more of a burden with restrictions around stroller parking. However, if traveling w/ 4 yo or younger I'd still recommend a stroller, great for napping in if your older ones don't want to leave the parks,

 

[ElyseInWonderland]

I'm enjoying reading about other families' rules! Some of ours were:
- Say please/thank you/excuse me/yes and no ma'am/sir. Cast Members get a "thank you" as we exit the ride. It's still second-nature to me now that I'm an adult.
- In crowded busses, able kids stand. Seats and available space are for very young kids, older folks, adults and moms with strollers.
- Midday hotel nap breaks are mandatory (I had a much younger sister) but sleeping is optional; older kids can go to the pool if they've behaved during the day.
- If it's on your plate, you will try it once.
- When you meet or share space in line with a Veteran (wearing a service hat) we say "Thank you for your service."

Some of these may be a little out of date but it generally served all of us well! I'm expecting our first this October and I look forward to putting some of these in practice in my own family!

 

[DeeBee3]

As a parent, this was an interesting thread to stroll through, although I see it was started earlier this year. We never have a structured rules discussion except for items of safety as has been mentioned above (getting lost, etc). We expect the kids to be polite and decently behaved just as they would at home or school.

My kids are slightly younger and one is potty training so the bathroom thing is not applicable. Generally as a life rule I take the older one with me to the bathroom and we just go together. (Or, if she has to go I go too because I can always go! )

This summer will be a test because the younger one is "challenging" to put it nicely. Complete opposite personality to the older one. We are in the midst of toddler insanity. I think all bets are off, but we are just happy to have something to look forward to!

Good luck everyone!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

As a parent, this was an interesting thread to stroll through, although I see it was started earlier this year. We never have a structured rules discussion except for items of safety as has been mentioned above (getting lost, etc). We expect the kids to be polite and decently behaved just as they would at home or school.

My kids are slightly younger and one is potty training so the bathroom thing is not applicable. Generally as a life rule I take the older one with me to the bathroom and we just go together. (Or, if she has to go I go too because I can always go! )

This summer will be a test because the younger one is "challenging" to put it nicely. Complete opposite personality to the older one. We are in the midst of toddler insanity. I think all bets are off, but we are just happy to have something to look forward to!

Good luck everyone!

one to file for when older as ours loved to go off and do their thing and this was pre cellphone was be at meet up on time or you spent the next time slot doing what we wanted. they were never late and behave cause it would a long wait with no AC while waiting for us to be done. and yes the oldest was our challenge and is now doing this with her boys. for your guys age the main thing is do not use " if you do not behave we will leave" unless you will really do it. one thing that I found with our challenge was to give her the choices of what we did. granted what she was give to choose from were really our choices/plans. I usually gave 2 choices and they would be what was coming next any way. she then took one of us to lead the way. and if we were doing something that could not be chosen we would give choice of if you do a good job with this what do you want to do next. if you are planning a big trip do some small ones before if possible. have a great trip

 

[DeeBee3]

one to file for when older as ours loved to go off and do their thing and this was pre cellphone was be at meet up on time or you spent the next time slot doing what we wanted. they were never late and behave cause it would a long wait with no AC while waiting for us to be done. and yes the oldest was our challenge and is now doing this with her boys. for your guys age the main thing is do not use " if you do not behave we will leave" unless you will really do it. one thing that I found with our challenge was to give her the choices of what we did. granted what she was give to choose from were really our choices/plans. I usually gave 2 choices and they would be what was coming next any way. she then took one of us to lead the way. and if we were doing something that could not be chosen we would give choice of if you do a good job with this what do you want to do next. if you are planning a big trip do some small ones before if possible. have a great trip

Thanks for the tips! I agree - if you really aren't going to leave the park or the restaurant, then you can't threaten to - kids are smart! And I really don't want to leave so ha to that. I am the biggest Disney nut in the household.

My toddler is the one who will lie on the ground and need to be carried like a potato sack when she gets into a terrible tantrum. I never thought it would happen, but now I have empathy for all the other parents in the world. When you have one kid who never did that and then the 2nd does, it throws you off!

 

[Shughart]

On our first trip ours were 5/9yo and I ordered temporary tattoos for them with my name/phone number in case they got lost. It came with quite a few. We only needed to apply once. It was nice knowing if they got separated from us, that they would have an identifier to help them get back to us (especially because the 5yo froze if strangers spoke to him, so even if he got the # correct he likely wouldn't have spoken to someone trying to help him, he could just thrust his arm out to them).

We've never had any bathroom rules. When someone has to go, we always stopped near a bathroom. Forcing yourself to try when you don't have to go is bad for your bowels/urinary tract. But if someone went, usually someone else had to go, because of how much we hydrate at Disney, so it usually wasn't a wasteful stop. Plus it's always a good opportunity to fill waters and check in on how everyone is doing.

We never had any Disney specific rules, just maybe a quick pep talk before leaving our condo about how to have a good day, how/what to do if we need something/how to voice our needs/have our needs met (especially if we found ourselves overwhelmed/overstimulated), and to use our best and kindest manners while we were there.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Thanks for the tips! I agree - if you really aren't going to leave the park or the restaurant, then you can't threaten to - kids are smart! And I really don't want to leave so ha to that. I am the biggest Disney nut in the household.

My toddler is the one who will lie on the ground and need to be carried like a potato sack when she gets into a terrible tantrum. I never thought it would happen, but now I have empathy for all the other parents in the world. When you have one kid who never did that and then the 2nd does, it throws you off!

what I found that worked with throwing self on floor was to just walk away. mine did it once at grocery store. I just walked to end of row turned corner and watched. when no one came to her she got up and came to find me. I have a bad knee and back and was not able to carry far even as babies. if fit happens at home just walk to another room and wait for the fun to wear off with no one watching. I was never able to carry one out of park or store but I have been known to sit and wait a little out while laying on the ground

 

[tjmw2727]

Jumping in here even though my kids are grown with my .02 after spending 5 days in the parks this week. Plan for the covid adaptations with your kids -

Masks - yes we know all guests over 2 needs a mask fully over nose and mouth and I have seen lots of posts here with parents getting their young ones ready for this- Yay for them = them Do It. Also remind preschool and older kids that no matter what happens in your town, the school etc. at Disney they need to wear a mask all the time. Cast Members are reminding guests who aren't properly masked - I have seen it on the bus, at the entrance and in lines. Most times I have seen them remind the parent that the child needs to be properly masked but also a few "hey princess please cover your nose" as well.

Plan for water breaks and snacking as you can't do this in line, you must be stationary and socially distant. I would imagine this could make things complicated if a toddler/preschooler wants a quick snack while in line. Pre-covid I could grab a snack from my park bag and a juice bag or water but now you have to plan your snack breaks. Some of the outside lines were more strict than others on this but once you hit inside the CM's were consistent about no snacking. It also take a bit longer to grab that Mickey bar or popcorn since there aren't as many carts/stands and the lines get long.

Social distancing while in line - keep an eye on your kids of all ages and if necessary teach them what the line markers mean. Please wait here means behind the line for the entire party not just the parents! So many times we have had kids use the space between the parents and us (in front of them) that we have been kicked and danced into more times this trip than in the past. The one time I did ask the parents to keep distance although it was awkward at first eventually the kids found it fun to get to the next space.

Sorry so long - /rant over take it or leave it and have a great trip!