First ever trip, 4 young boys, HELP!

[4boysrus]

Hello there. I have been referred to this board by several of my disney loving friends so I'm looking forward to getting some suggestions.

My hubby and I are secretly planning a family trip to WDW for '07. We are hoping for February. This will be a first trip for all of us.

Is it possible to plan a good trip in a month or less? Since we have 4 small boys (ages, 7, 5, 3, and 8 months) we want to make sure that we aren't wasting time by waiting in lines and running back and forth. Is it possible to get good dinner reservations this close to the trip? I am using the Magic For Less and working with one of their Advisors, so I am hoping that this will help me out.

Would you recommend renting a double stroller at the parks or taking my own on the trip?

I appreciate any tips and help that you all can offer.

 

[bkaz]

So exciting! Yes, I think you can plan a great trip and if you go in early February (not Presidents week) it should not be too crowded. I would DEFINITELY rent a double stroller at the parks with your kids...and maybe bring your own single stroller for your little one (or a carrier) as he will not be comfortable in the rentals. Our kids were 8 and 4 on our last trip and we rented a double stroller for them and our stuff! The best suggestion I think (depending on where you are staying) is to arrive at the parks when they open so that you feel free to take a mid-day nap break if your little ones need it to enjoy the rest of the day!

 

[Oceana]

Being the mom of 2 boys ages 3 and 18 mo

You woman are my hero!!!!!

you can rent a stroller if your budget can take it, otherwise look into buying one for less money just make certain it folds up easy lightly and super small

For dinner, gosh I wish I could say "go to the toy story character dinner" but alas they DONT HAVE ONE!!! which makes me kinda grumpy

My boys loved Hoopdedoo though and the chip and dale meal at the land was nice because they could look over the wall at the alagators (boys are weird)

just take it easy and have a good time.

My DH and I before kids did several trips to WDW where we left the house and I made hotel/dinner reservations and such on the drive

good luck
julie

 

[bellarella]

Yes, you can plan a trip that quickly. In some ways I think it is better because you don't spend so much time obsessing. You will want to pick your dates ASAP. If you aren't already, you might want to consider joining AAA if you plan on staying onsite. You will save much more on a AAA rate than membership will cost you.

You do want to get your dates in ASAP. As soon as you think you have an idea, start booking your meals. At this point you may have to take "off" times, but I find with kids that works better anyway.

For strollers, I would consider bringing either your double or two umbrella strollers for getting around the airport and hotels but then rent the double stroller at the park. Your 8 mos old will probably be too young for the strollers available for rent at disney. I seem to remember that some of them are hard plastic and don't recline. They were great for my then 2.5 year old and 4.5 year old.

I would also plan on getting a sling or soft structured carrier. There will be some time spent in line and a soft carrier is great for holding an infant. I plan on bringing my ring sling and my Beco carrier. If you haven't used a sling before, I would recommend an *unpadded* sling. They are easier to adjust (padded ones like the NoJo or Over the shoulder baby holder are bulky and harder to adjust). With an 8 mos old you can have him comfortably on your hip or cuddled in against your chest. A soft structured carrier like the Beco or the Ergo is great too. You can use it like a backpack carrier or a front carrier and they are honestly comfortable up to 30-35 lbs (unlike a Bjorn which starts hurting me at about 12 lbs). Attached To Baby ( http://store.attachedtobaby.com/ ) sells a great selection of just about everything except the Beco which can be found at http://www.ecobabies.com/

I find buffets work well for my family. I'm generally not fond of buffet meals, but Disney's are above average for food and pretty much all of them are character meals. This accomplishes three things for us. First, being a buffet, we control the pace of the meal. If my kids are in good moods we can stay for awhile. If they aren't we can rush through. Second, they can choose whatever they want to eat. My kids are grazers, so it works well. Third, the character time is great. I think my kids enjoy that as much as going around the parks.

Good luck and have fun!!

 

[Oceana]

Oh my gosh yes a carrier!!!

I own an ergo which is the cats meow and used at disney on a number of days. I also love my pouch because I can fold it up tiny and toss in my diaper bag which is very sexy (less to carry)

deciding on a stroller depends on your babies head strength and if you will carry baby and stroller 2 older boys

julie

 

[Reese]

If you have an small double stroller bring your own, it will be more comfortable for the kids. With the ages of your children you might want to bring a sling also since you might find that your five year old may want to ride for awhile also. I picked up a double stroller that is almost like two umbrella strollers put together so it is very lightweight, reclines and folds up small.
I enjoy doing the character meals as the characters come right to your table while you are eating. This is the easiest way to get photo's and autographs. My son's a Stich junkies so we have the O'hana's breakfast booked and also our youngest DS loves Winnie the Pooh so we've booked at Crystal Palace. You should still be able to get ADR's for either of these locations.

 

[tiggger1]

I would definetly bring your own double.. that way you can get back to your resort easier..we only had my 3 yr old daughter when we went last april and I couldnt have managed without the stroller. Yes it was a PITA on the buses but it was worth not having to carry her the entire way home... and you have 4 little ones. the oldest can walk and if you need to the 2 middle ones in the double and carry the baby...that way you only need to drag 1 tired kid back to the resort...

 

[wrldpossibility]

Hi,

Mom of 3 boys here! We just returned from a WDW trip a few weeks ago, and yes, in Feb, I think you can plan a trip short-term. I have a 7 and 5 yo too, and wanted to suggest the pirate cruise if you have the budget for it. I think it was one of the best deals in Disney! They loved it, and they got lunch and a great hat too. I think the minimum age is 4, but I could be wrong (my youngest is 2, and he was definitely too young to go). All three of my boys also loved Hoop de Doo.

I'm trying to think of anything else specifically "boy" that mine loved. Chef Mickey's was a hit, as was Crystal Palace (Pooh meal) and Whispering Canyon Cafe. I tried to pick only TS meals that had some sort of entertainment or gimmick to occupy them. They also loved the dino area in AK and the Tough to be a Bug playarea at DS.

My 7 and 5 yo walked everywhere and never needed a stroller. I'd just bring a lightweight double stroller for the other kiddos. Good luck and have fun!!

 

[Esteri]

Hello -
Mom of two boys checking in. Though, we've been twice with friends/family who have two boys similar in age to ours. So, I've been with boys from 2 1/2 yo, 3, 4, 5, and 7. This year will travel with 4 boys 10, 10, 6, and nearly 5. (All that boy energy! ) Here are my tips:

• It's not too late to plan a wonderful vacation. Feb is a great time to go provided it's not President's Day week.
• I'd recommend getting some assistance from the Unofficial Guide and/or TourGuideMike. We use both - now that rides are becoming more important. They are well worth the bucks. If you get one - you might look at the unofficial Guide. Since it's a book, not a website - if you run out of time you can read the important bits on your way there. and catch up day to day.
• Ditto from everyone else on the double stroller and carrier. By the end of the day even the 7yo will start to flag.
• Repeat after me: We WILL return to our room at lunch and take a nap. (Grown ups too.) I can't tell you how pleasant it is to return to a park in the evening as a happy, smiling family. The melt downs that start to occur around 3 pm are ugly. And so many parents have the attitude - "I spent $x for these tickets. We will use every minute." Why - if no one is enjoying themselves?
• Repeat after me: We WILL drag ourselves and our children out of bed early and get to the park at opening. (this way you can get done all the things on your "most important" list before lunch). We're from the West coast, and with the time change - that's like 3 am for us. But we do it anyway because the pay off is so big. Generally, we're finished about the time everyone else is starting.
• Figure out what's most imporant to you (the collective "you"). And prioritize around that.
• Count on 2 or 3 "most importants" in a morning. More than that is a bonus with these age youngsters. With the judicious use of FastPasses you may be able to get a few more in the evening. (Note: FastPasses don't really expire - you can bring a 9:30 am pass back at 5pm and the CM will let you on. Get the drift?)
• Be prepared to stop and smell the flowers, gaze at the fountain, dance around the statue, play with the water fountain, and, lest we forget - our DS's favorite ride at 2 1/2 - ride the bus/monorail/train. Let's face it, half the magic for the preschool set is just being there - not the rides. And frankly, these are some of my fondest WDW memories.
• the needs of your 7, and perhaps 5yo will be very different than the younger two. Bring walkie-talkies or cell phones, and be prepared to split up. Let's face it - the jumping fountain at Epcot will entertain a 3yo for 30-45 min, but the adventuresome 7yo wants Test Track.
• We also like character dining. Chef Mickey and Crystal Palace are favorites for the boys. They also enjoyed the Hoop-Dee-Do.
• If you are staying for more than a few days get a sitter (we use Fairy godmothers) and take a night out for yourselves. You deserve it! We usually go to Victoria and Alberts at the Grand Floridian - it's a very romantic evening with excellent food - but it's not for everyone.
• Finally, with a crew this large. You might consider getting a town car to pick you up and drop you off if you're flying in. At least you'll have someone to help with the bags while you wrangle kids! It's worth the money.
• Oh! one more thing. (Is that like a PS?) Line games. got to keep the boys engaged while in line or who knows what kind of mischief they'll get into. Our favorite is bubbles. No one ever gets mad at a kid blowing bubble. (Though we do direct them to blow them away from people.) And the other nearby kids will have fun popping them - which will make ever so grateful nearby parents. We usually get a whole box (48) of the itty-bitty bottles (wedding size) and carry around about 10 bottles - carried double bagged in ziploc - experience talking here. Then we can hand them out to other kids as we go. Our own little way of spreading the magic...
• Oh, oh! (Is that like a PPS? ) Give your 7yo his own money to spend. We did this when DS went at 7. Not only did he never, not once, ask us to buy anything. He wound up being a real tightwad and ended the parks with 1/2 of his funds intact. which he spent at the Lego store in DTD. Which Legos are still played with - good buy! I was never so proud as when has asked me the price of an item he really, truly wanted (and could afford, but would take nearly all his money) - thought about it - declared "that's too expensive!" - and turned his back and walked away.

I think I've exhaused my tips for now. Have loads of fun!

 

[Esteri]

Me again - I'm back. Thought up more stuff. As I was thinking about your particular situation I realized that the worst adult to kid ratio we've ever had is 3:4. And usually we are 1:1 or better. You guys will be playing, what DH affectionately calls, "Zone Defense". There are some other considerations for that situation.

• Matching shirts. They do actually serve an important purpose beyond just being cute. It makes it very easy to spot the kids, and everyone around you knows who belongs to whom. And, if a kid gets misplaced it's easy to say - they are dressed like me! I don't know how independent your's are, but mine think nothing of taking off in whatever direction suits them. It's one of the reasons we like to travel with families who's kids are a little more attached to the apron strings. the other kids tend to keep ours in. Since both DH and I did the same things to our parents... Well, our mothers got their wish - we had children just like us! Only ours got a double dose!
  And DS5 is not only independent, but bull-headed to boot. I can just see the conversation now: CM: Are you lost? DS5: No, I'm going over there to play. CM: Where are your mommy and daddy? DS5: shrugs. I don't know. CM: Why don't you come with me and we'll find them. DS5: No, I'm going over there to play. He'll be 6 at our next visit and we'll probably get a stroller. Not because he couldn't walk, but becasue if he's in the stroller we know where he is!
• You probably already do this - being more practiced at zone defense than we are, but be really clear with each other about who's got which kid.
• Practice the lost child drill with your kids. What should they do? Who do they look for? (Anyone with that kind of nametag)
• Label your kids with their name, your name, resort, and cell phone number. Inside their clothes is good - though there's an interesting thread going on about other ways.
• You might think about taking a picture of all of them every morning just so you don't have to worry about remembering what they are wearing if they do get lost. Supposing you have a digital camera.
• Don't panic. Don't panic. Don't panic. You probably won't loose your kids. But being prepared never hurt anyone.

OK, I think I've exhausted myself now.

 

[disneymomof6]

as a mom of 6 kids and a frequent traveler to WDW... its just like anything else you do with your kids... you already know how to parent those 4 boys and you already know how to go places with them... just follow those instincts but take it about 2 steps further.

I dont see any reason why you would want to split up as a family.... I guess that is one thing that we have never gotten in the habit of doing with our kids. I have teenage boys that are more then happy to sit through the beauty and the beast stage show... they enjoy seeing their 3 year old sister loving every minute of it... I wouldnt want them to have their own vacation without everyone a part of it.

Bring your own stroller.... for 1.... it saves you $16.00 a day.... we arent poor but sometimes spending money on somethings is just stupid. 2.... when the park closes and your kids are tired.... you leave the stroller at the gate only to have to get those kids up and standing waiting in line and waiting for transportation..... your going to want your own stroller.

3.... at the very least take a strip of masking tape every morning and put in on the back of your kids shirts that have your cell phone number on it which of course you will keep with you at all times.... we had a scary moment when my (at the time) 4 year old son was in the bathroom with my husband at universal studios (during the mardi gras parade) while my husband was going to the bathroom my son finished up (while standing at urinal right next to him) and turned and darted out the door too excited to wait.... of course my husband was trying to zip up and chase him down and when he came back to where I was sitting and I saw the look on his face and he said he lost my son I about died.... had I not had that strip on his shirt I can say that I dont know what would have happened.... about 10 minutes of hell later my cell rang and a lady said she found him crying.... we made the exchange, I hugged her and he learned to be more careful.... he is 6 now and has never forgot that moment. I always tell my kids if they get seperated and lose mommy or daddy to find a mommy or daddy walking with their own kids and they will be nice people and help you find us.... Matching shirts have never worked so great for us because everyone tends to follow same rule.... we have also given our children referee wistles and told them if they cant see us to blow it.... that stopped working with the younger three kids cuz they just wanted to blow it all the time whereas my three older kids (when they were younger) never blew it once.

Have fun.... dont worry so much about where you will eat... theres never a hurt for food. Personally we did a charactor meal once and I said I would never do it again.... way to much money just to eat and have some charactors standing around.... I can walk through park and get pics with charactors for free with a turkey leg in the other hand.

 

[NotUrsula]

Is it possible to plan a good trip in a month or less?

Yes, but if you are talking about President's Week, you can forget short lines. That is one of the 4 most crowded periods of the year, and room rates are high all over central FL, because so many people combine a Disney trip with a visit to Race Week in Daytona.