First trip as a family of 6!

[lilpnutmama]

We go every year but this year will be the first time we go with FOUR kids. Are we crazy?? Any advice tips, tricks etc from big families?

 

[kohlby]

We only have three kids, but I notice you have a 3 year old in the mix. We've done three trips with a 3 year old and baby in the mix. One tip is to just bring a single stroller. Take a good one that reclines in case baby needs to sleep lying down. Then take a carrier you're comfortable with. We did a ring sling. The baby was in the sling almost all the time and the 3 year old used the stroller. (The 6 year old was able to walk without the stroller. Also, our stroller was for under 50lbs and he was over, so he couldn't get a single break in it anyway. We were hardcore and he normally complains about walking - but he did great at Disney!)

One ride to keep in mind is the Speedway. They have to be a certain height to ride without an adult. This made it more challenging when we had 2 under the height and 1 not going on it. We had to do rider swap and managed. However, the next time, we had three kids who wanted to ride. That would have been complicated for rider swap if they had all needed adults. Luckily, the eldest made the height to ride alone. So, check into the height for that and figure out how you're going to handle that ride. Otherwise, we didn't have any ride issues.

 

[hipporina]

My biggest piece of advice is to wear matching shirts! It is much easier to keep track of your kids and, if one wanders off, it is helpful in finding them. As an added bonus, it looks great in pics too! Obviously, you wouldn't have to with the baby. For our trip next month, I bought everyone red hoodies and am going to Disney-fy them.

And, no, you're not crazy! Our craziest trip was in 2006. We had gone from a family of 6 to a family of 10 in July with the addition of a sibling group of 4. Then, we went to WDW in September. The kids were 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 8, 8, and 10. We were still getting to know each other and were learning how to function as a family of 10, and our kids have some special needs and were working through some behavioral issues as well. Even with all of that, we had a fantastic trip and I know you will too! No worries!

And - traveling with a baby is super easy! Jude was 7 months old on our last trip and I loved it! He just went with the flow and child swapped as needed. (I am much more concerned about our next one at 22 months.)

 

[lilpnutmama]

kohlby - it is indeed that 3 year old that is the concern we have always brought a double stroller in the past (a very light one) but i think a single might be right, as you say, and just wear the baby for this trip. Less chaos to deal with. Our 2nd dd would still go into the stroller even last year at 6 (she is under the weight limit) but yeah, maybe we need to just get 'hardcore' too on her and make her walk

I just wonder if miss toddler will agree to go in a stroller if nobody else does... hmm.

Also hoping she gets over her fear of monorails this time.. .


hipporina - ok... you have inspired me.. if you can do it then surely i can?? (right?) - any other practical tips?? snacks/food?? waiting in lines
Going to look into the matching shirts.. i have done it with the girls in the past but i think dh will draw the line (meanie).. all i can ever get him to wear is one jack skellington t.. maybe he and baby can match

 

[angelmom27]

We are soon to be a family of 8 kids this next trip. Last trip we had 7 and used two doubles. This next trip probably the same plus bringing my wraps for the baby but I know at times we will put baby down too. We only do weekend trips so we do one park and the other day are resort days.

 

[sunnymom5]

Been there several times during different stages in my childrens lives even when my youngest (twins) were babies. Currently, ages 14, 12, 10 and twin 5 year olds. We are headed once again in 2 weeks.

Advice….get to parks early. If staying on-site, take advantage of the early entry.

If go to Epcot, don't take Disney transportation….get there right at opening and park right upfront and stroller right in! So much easier than buses/monorail etc.

The hardest thing for us was sleeping baby (ies/ when we had twins) getting them out stroller onto bus/trans/monorails. You have to do it so quickly! Exciting at night after fireworks is a nightmare with sleeping babies/kids. Make sure to have stroller for 3 yr old/baby and either leave before end of fireworks to avoid crowds running out or waiting around a bit.


Great place to see parade is by the barbar shop - they start out there. If you go when it is warm, there is a nice breeze of air conditioning that comes out to cool you.

I could go on and on….take breaks - no expectations - use the cool centers - go to pooh ride right when park opens and ride and ride over and over again , use fast pass, and take time to enjoy!

 

[kohlby]

If you think your other child needs a stroller, then do the double. It's better to have it than not. We figured we could adjust if we needed. All we had to do was tell the kids that we would stay in the parks as long as they all acted like they could handle it. The 6 year old did NOT want to be the one causing us to leave early - so he walked without any complaint. We did have a trip where the 2.5 year old refused to go in the stroller - and refused to walk. So we were stuck carrying him. The candy bribes were successful at 3.5 though and we got him to sit in the stroller.

I just thought of another tip - tie some sort of rope or cord to your stroller. (Or it could even be a belt!) You could tie two, one on each side if you're concerned about both of your older kids. That way, the older child can hold onto the rope/cord in crowds or even just to make them stay with you without having to constantly look around. It shouldn't be a long rope - as you don't want them able to get tangled. Just 2-3 feet is plenty. There were times when hubby did the fastpass sprint while I went with the other three kids. I'd have one in the sling, one in the stroller, and then couldn't easily hold the other child's hand - and we would be in rope drop crowds at the start. I'd have oldest hold onto that cord and know I couldn't lose him.