guruplanner
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2007
- Messages
- 2
I know there have been several posts on this lately - asking for tips on bringing kids alone to the parks. Well, I just did it TODAY so I thought I'd post my experience.
It was me and my two kids - ds 4 and dd 3. We are staying at Gaylord Palms for dh's conference. I opted to drive over (and one side note - after staying onsite the last two trips, I do enjoy staying offsite too) - instead of the shuttle they offered. I brought the double side by side stroller (ds is a little big for it - but he's so thin that it still works for us) and I can tell you this was CRUCIAL to this outing being a success. I also brought a duffle bag with change of clothes, water shoes, hats, sunscreen, sweatshirts. AND a small lunch-sized cooler with drinks and snacks. All of this I planned to leave in the stroller and chance it not being there upon return. I carried on me a shoulder bags with the valuables - tickets, money, tissues, anti-bact lotion, etc. I wanted to carry as little as possible so that I could have two hands free - one for each kid, when they were walking and out of the stroller. This worked well, but I would have brought an even smaller shoulder bag next time (my shoulder hurts now).
We arrived in the park at about 9:10am, and did the following in this order:
Dumbo, Pooh, Pooh again, Teacups, Goofy's Barnstormer, Teacups again, IASW, Peter Pan (with FP), tried for SM but dd was just too short, Country Bears, watched parade, Carpets of Aladdin, Carpets of Aladdin again, Buzz, TTA, watched new Mickey Dreams show in front of Castle - then left park at about 5:15 or so.
NOTE on Goofy's Barnstormer - I had read on these boards that you could do 3 in the seats with two small kids, but the CM would NOT allow this for us. So ds had to ride alone and he did not like it at all - so we didn't go on it a second time even tho there were no lines at all. I was disapointed...maybe it depends on the CM or maybe they're getting strict with that rule? I walked up and said ' could we ride together' and he said '2 MAX per car'.
As expected the most difficult time I had was with the tram to and from the car - Had to get the kids up there first - then lift up the bags, then I would get in and grab the stroller in behind me (very awkward). Then, a CM came and 'yelled' at me for having the kids on the side - OKAY I understand, but there's only one of me and 2 of them, so - even if I got on that side - they'd be on the other?? And I had to be on the side with the stroller - because they couldn't lug it off. Anyway, we scooched in to the middle as much as the stroller would allow and I put my arm around the other side of ds and he seemed okay with that. Luckily- dd did not fall asleep until after we reached the car - or I would have skipped the tram and walked back the car - since there was no way I could hold a sleeping, 35 lb child, and lug all the stuff onto the tram. So that was lucky. I was likely going to ask someone near me and kid-less if they would help me get the stroller in. I'm sure that someone would have offered.
ANother sticky time was getting food. We ate in Fantasyland and there are only a few shaded eating spots. So I had to get the table first (my kids don't handle sun well), then go to the line close enough so I could watch the kids 'holding' the table. It went well but I was a little paranoid the whole time and the guy behind me thought I was a nut because I kept moving to the side of him to have my eyes on the kids the whole time.
One postitive thing - we got a Million Dreams certificate outside of Adventures of Pooh and she gave us a quick fastpass to the Pooh ride. That was great even tho I was hoping for the Castle overnight!
Overall - I didn't feel like strangling either of the kids and we had a really good time. Much more laid back than my usual because I was more concerned with keeping things 'easy' since I knew it would be tough without the extra set of hands. So it was a nice change of pace. I would do it again.
It was me and my two kids - ds 4 and dd 3. We are staying at Gaylord Palms for dh's conference. I opted to drive over (and one side note - after staying onsite the last two trips, I do enjoy staying offsite too) - instead of the shuttle they offered. I brought the double side by side stroller (ds is a little big for it - but he's so thin that it still works for us) and I can tell you this was CRUCIAL to this outing being a success. I also brought a duffle bag with change of clothes, water shoes, hats, sunscreen, sweatshirts. AND a small lunch-sized cooler with drinks and snacks. All of this I planned to leave in the stroller and chance it not being there upon return. I carried on me a shoulder bags with the valuables - tickets, money, tissues, anti-bact lotion, etc. I wanted to carry as little as possible so that I could have two hands free - one for each kid, when they were walking and out of the stroller. This worked well, but I would have brought an even smaller shoulder bag next time (my shoulder hurts now).
We arrived in the park at about 9:10am, and did the following in this order:
Dumbo, Pooh, Pooh again, Teacups, Goofy's Barnstormer, Teacups again, IASW, Peter Pan (with FP), tried for SM but dd was just too short, Country Bears, watched parade, Carpets of Aladdin, Carpets of Aladdin again, Buzz, TTA, watched new Mickey Dreams show in front of Castle - then left park at about 5:15 or so.
NOTE on Goofy's Barnstormer - I had read on these boards that you could do 3 in the seats with two small kids, but the CM would NOT allow this for us. So ds had to ride alone and he did not like it at all - so we didn't go on it a second time even tho there were no lines at all. I was disapointed...maybe it depends on the CM or maybe they're getting strict with that rule? I walked up and said ' could we ride together' and he said '2 MAX per car'.
As expected the most difficult time I had was with the tram to and from the car - Had to get the kids up there first - then lift up the bags, then I would get in and grab the stroller in behind me (very awkward). Then, a CM came and 'yelled' at me for having the kids on the side - OKAY I understand, but there's only one of me and 2 of them, so - even if I got on that side - they'd be on the other?? And I had to be on the side with the stroller - because they couldn't lug it off. Anyway, we scooched in to the middle as much as the stroller would allow and I put my arm around the other side of ds and he seemed okay with that. Luckily- dd did not fall asleep until after we reached the car - or I would have skipped the tram and walked back the car - since there was no way I could hold a sleeping, 35 lb child, and lug all the stuff onto the tram. So that was lucky. I was likely going to ask someone near me and kid-less if they would help me get the stroller in. I'm sure that someone would have offered.
ANother sticky time was getting food. We ate in Fantasyland and there are only a few shaded eating spots. So I had to get the table first (my kids don't handle sun well), then go to the line close enough so I could watch the kids 'holding' the table. It went well but I was a little paranoid the whole time and the guy behind me thought I was a nut because I kept moving to the side of him to have my eyes on the kids the whole time.
One postitive thing - we got a Million Dreams certificate outside of Adventures of Pooh and she gave us a quick fastpass to the Pooh ride. That was great even tho I was hoping for the Castle overnight!
Overall - I didn't feel like strangling either of the kids and we had a really good time. Much more laid back than my usual because I was more concerned with keeping things 'easy' since I knew it would be tough without the extra set of hands. So it was a nice change of pace. I would do it again.
