Okay everyone out there who has four kids and how do you manage it. We just found out that we are pregnant with our fourth. This was not planned in fact we had just decided that three was good. I was ready to start the pill again just waiting for my period which didn't come. Well I am a little shocked. I don't think it has really hit me yet. So when this one is born I will have four under the age of five. How do Disney trips work with four? We were shocked
and then we had a good laugh
Ours are now DS20, DD19, DS16, DD15. DS20 and DS16 turn 21 and 17 respectively in August. DS20's birthday is in August and DD15's is in April so at one time for approximately 4 months we had 4 under 6 years old. Not quite a "bad" as you but we were very er, ah, successful every time we tried(We practiced a lot too
) We had two at a time in diapers for many years. Eight years of diapers total and going on two decades of 12 loads of laundry a week
How do you do Disney(or any vacation) with a family of six? Well, number one you get a fistful of money. Then spend it on two rooms, a suite, condo, or villa, six airline tickets, an expensive minivan rental, and food. You bring a double stroller or two everywhere.
One room will not cut it even if a property will allow it(most won't allow 6). We only stayed on site once because of a huge discount and a WDW insider friend. We had two rooms at the Poly for 5 days. Honestly, it was nice, but we have found condo and villa rentals to enable a much more relaxing and fun vacation at a much more reasonable price.
Everything becomes expensive x 6. Multiply airfare,
attraction tickets, and meals by 6. Multiply standard hotel accomodations x 2. Car rentals are minivans at 300 to 400 per week. As a result we did a lot of pop-up trailer camping on long trips, taking a 5 week vacation to Yellowstone and Glacier Parks one year, but almost always going on week long trips to nice campgrounds with resort type pools, play pavillions, etc. When we could we always rented 2 bdr+ condos. Having a kitchen saves a lot of money, and separate sleeping areas and bathrooms are a Godsend. We did 4 trips to Orlando/WDW/US/Busch etc over the years and I think it was ample. DS 15 got the short end of the Disney stick as she has only been there twice and does not remember everything as our last Orlando trip was US/Busch/Sea World(I'm an Anheuser-Busch employee and get free tiks to Busch parks - more cheap trip planning) She is really looking forward(as we all are) to our upcoming trip - 4 days to go! My best piece of advice: Find cheap airfares or drive and rent condos. You'll figure out the food savings on your own.
Don't overlook free/cheap attractions. We spent an entire day and night out in Kissimmee on one trip playing mini-golf and riding go carts at several places on free and large discount coupons. Check at work for discounts to attractions, often there are business relationships between companies and or general discounts available.
By the way, just when you think you can glimpse the light at the end of the tunnel, comes orthodonture, cars, college, and ...
Soccer shoes, $43; Orthodonture, $3500; College tutition $60,000 - Look on a father's face when he multiplies it all by four - PRICELESS.
We are having #4 as well! Our kids ages are DS- just turned 5, DD-3, DS- 19months! We are due in July and we can't wait!
You'll be fine! Adding another child in the mix is just going to be that much more fun! I also find that the more kids we have the more I realize how we don't need as much "stuff". I have been alot better at getting organized now that I know we have to otherwise we can't do all the fun stuff! You will do great and love every minute of it!
and "protection" is not always on hand-even with the best of planning ahead.
