First time with 3 small kids

[FallsChurchDad]

So we just booked Coronado Springs for December with free dining, 8 nights. Trip will be two parents and three boys, ages 6, 4 and 4 months. (#3 was a pleasant surprise.) Here are the parameters of our trip:

1. We will have a car, so our plan is to drive to Epcot, AK and HS. Probably bus if we go to DS.
2. We will be bringing a double stroller plus a 'snap and go' stroller for the baby.
3. The baby will probably be fine in the double stroller most of the time, but we are thinking to rely on the 'snap and go' for short trips, e.g., Disney Springs and 2 hours in Hollywood Studios. Based on our other kids, the baby will probably nap better in the snap and go, so I am tempted to sometimes bring that in addition to the double stroller.
4. Our DS6 will mostly walk, but he can get some stroller breaks when we carry/wear the baby.
5. With the required park hoppers, we will always do half-days. Our longest park time might be 8 am to 2 pm with a lunch break.
6. Our kids wake up early, so we will rope drop most days.
7. With the ages of our kids and doing half-days, we will probably go to MK four times total - 3 rope drops and 1 evening.

So here are our questions:

1. When we go to MK, should we plan to take the bus? It seems rough with a baby, two small kids, and a double stroller. The double stroller folds nicely, but it is neither small nor light.

2. If we drove to TTC and used the monorail, how much earlier would be have to leave the hotel?

3. What if we wanted to take both the double stroller and the snap and go stroller to MK? I think Uber is impractical with all our young kids, but maybe we could valet at Contemporary?

4. Is there a room location at Coronado Springs that would be better or worse for bus pickups, especially given our gear?

5. Do you see anything else in our plans that seems crazy?

We had originally planned to splurge and do Contemporary Garden Wing, but that had no free dining availability for our dates. We were already skeptical that TS dining would be good for us, so I actually like having the QS plan, but we were looking forward to being able to walk to MK. We might ultimately book Contemporary with a RO discount, but for now we want to see if we can make Coronado Springs work.

Thanks for any advice, including if you just tell me that something in our plans seems ridiculous.

 

[Sundowner2]

Ive only been twice, and with 2 small kids, not 3, but heres my thoughts.

1. I am not at all familiar with that resort, we are a family of 4 so just do value resorts. Have you been on disney buses before? The majority of them seem to be seats around the edges, and poles in the middle to hang on to. If you plan to drive to the other parks, and you are going to have one or two strollers, you may want to drive to MK. Reason being, it can get PACKED and SQUISHED on those buses in the early morning, and especially at night. chances are you'll be having to stand, someone sitting behind you, hanging on to the strollers and diaper bags and etc while your wife tries to keep the two smallest in her lap and not squished. Because while most people will give up a seat for a baby, they will not for an older kid, and even a 4 or 6 year old, some see as fair game for squishing, especially when hot, tired, anxious to get there, etc. My oldest was 6, and a woman offered me and my 1 year old a seat on the way back to the resort while she squished with her family, and I gave it to my small 6 year old who was getting trampled and stood in front of him, the baby in the middle trying to keep him untrampled. She complaigned to everyone around us for almost 20 minuites about giving up her spot for a child. My 4 and 6 year olds already know when we go this summer, its probably going to be hold on tight and maybe get smushed because when its full, seats need to go to moms and babies, and older people. So if you are going to drive to the others, you might want to drive to MK for your comfort and ease with the strollers.

3. I heard last week that Disney plans to do their own sort of Uber within the next few months with cast members driving. That might be an option for you, but its too soon for much info on that. Keep an eye out though! I've no idea how big the vehicles will be, I hear they will be electric, but I bet they will have several sizes. It seems like not only do you get a safe, good driver, but also a bit of a tour guide on the way with a Disney driver!

Good choice on the QS, its waaaay easier with kids, less waiting for your food, and its stuff kids eat. Its what we always do. We've been going over the menus like crazy to pick out places our kids will find stuff they like to eat. And most little kids dont want to wait an hour or two at a sit down restraunt when there are rides to go on!

 

[FallsChurchDad]

Thanks Sundowner! We have never driven to TTC and used the monorail to get to MK, but I think that's what we'll have to do. I just don't see the packed buses working for us this time.

 

[brockash]

So we just booked Coronado Springs for December with free dining, 8 nights. Trip will be two parents and three boys, ages 6, 4 and 4 months. (#3 was a pleasant surprise.) Here are the parameters of our trip:

1. We will have a car, so our plan is to drive to Epcot, AK and HS. Probably bus if we go to DS.
2. We will be bringing a double stroller plus a 'snap and go' stroller for the baby.
3. The baby will probably be fine in the double stroller most of the time, but we are thinking to rely on the 'snap and go' for short trips, e.g., Disney Springs and 2 hours in Hollywood Studios. Based on our other kids, the baby will probably nap better in the snap and go, so I am tempted to sometimes bring that in addition to the double stroller.
4. Our DS6 will mostly walk, but he can get some stroller breaks when we carry/wear the baby.
5. With the required park hoppers, we will always do half-days. Our longest park time might be 8 am to 2 pm with a lunch break.
6. Our kids wake up early, so we will rope drop most days.
7. With the ages of our kids and doing half-days, we will probably go to MK four times total - 3 rope drops and 1 evening.

So here are our questions:

1. When we go to MK, should we plan to take the bus? It seems rough with a baby, two small kids, and a double stroller. The double stroller folds nicely, but it is neither small nor light.

2. If we drove to TTC and used the monorail, how much earlier would be have to leave the hotel?

3. What if we wanted to take both the double stroller and the snap and go stroller to MK? I think Uber is impractical with all our young kids, but maybe we could valet at Contemporary?

4. Is there a room location at Coronado Springs that would be better or worse for bus pickups, especially given our gear?

5. Do you see anything else in our plans that seems crazy?

We had originally planned to splurge and do Contemporary Garden Wing, but that had no free dining availability for our dates. We were already skeptical that TS dining would be good for us, so I actually like having the QS plan, but we were looking forward to being able to walk to MK. We might ultimately book Contemporary with a RO discount, but for now we want to see if we can make Coronado Springs work.

Thanks for any advice, including if you just tell me that something in our plans seems ridiculous.

If there is any way for you to swing CR garden wing (any CR room), I would def. do that. It is so much easier to get to MK, even with just 1 kid, so in your situation I'd say it's almost priceless. I think I saw something about Disney offering a discounted QS meal card...it's not a huge savings, but it's better than nothing and then you could still have everything prepaid. I just don't see an easy way for you to get to MK...if you drive it's kinda a pain, and could be a long walk or even worse having to load everyone up on the tram just to get to the boat/monorail, but 2 strollers, and 3 kids (one being an infant) with only 2 adults is also a lot on the bus. I guess if I had to pick one, I'd probably do the bus, but I'd be dreading it. You'd also be able to take the monorail to Epcot (and you can keep the kids in the strollers) if you stayed at CR.

 

[JaySwash]

I have stayed at CS with 2 small children and a double stroller so I will address that part:

It's actually not bad to use the bus at CS but only IF you get a room close to the lobby so you can use the first bus stop.

The bus lines are broken up by section, using stop 1 I never had an issue finding a good spot to tuck myself into while holding the folded stroller.. And being Disney my fellow passengers were always nice about it. Imo if you have kids it's worth the cost to get preferred rooms.

 

[kboo]

I have not stayed at the CS but have stayed at the CR/BLT with a 4yo and 4mo, and a double city mini stroller, and I am just concerned about your getting to MK with all that gear! The trams from the parking lot would be tough, so I would probably go for the bus from your resort instead. We didn't even go to HS at all when we were staying at the CR, but took the bus once or twice (that's it) to AK. I would not bring the snap-n-go; the double stroller and 2 kids was more than enough to handle on the crowded bus. our baby slept pretty well in the carrier (boba), through dinners and fireworks(!) and also some in the city mini stroller. Walking to MK and even walking on to the monorail to go to Epcot was THE BEST. We also did some meals at Poly and GF. I've stayed at the CR garden wing when we only had 1 child, and they are the best value for a monorail/MK resort - big rooms, quiet and peaceful.

@Sundowner2, that is really *****y (insert your choice word here) about the woman on the bus! I am a regular commuter in NYC subways (as are my kids), and it is actually easier to stand with a baby in the carrier, and very UNSAFE to have a kid standing in a mass of people with little to hold on to. Kids *should* get the seats first, IMO. I've seen grownups almost step on my 5yo or almost knock her over when the subway goes around a curve, and it's worse on a bus.