Going to Disney with two little ones just me???

[Rebeccapaige!]

Hi, I'm very new here and will have tons of questions in the upcoming months. First before I start booking things is is possible to do Disney, the rides and stuff with two little ones and no dh?? They will be 5 1/2 and almost 3 when we go. I have to go before the little one is three since then she costs more. Dh has to stay home cuz we are building a house this winter and says he can't leave. So is this possible with just me and them? I love coming here I've seen some good deals, just not financially able to go in sept. with those deals. Hopefully something pops up for late feb. early march!!! Since I have to fund this myself also. I do ebay a lot so I have to start saving that, right now i just put it back into buying them new clothes. If someone could pm me about the ING account that would be great also. I hope saying that wasn't against the rules, I'm not too familiar with them yet. ANY ANY ANY suggestions tips would be wonderful. I'd break my 5 year olds heart if we didn't go, I've promising this for awhile now.
Thanks
Becky Paige and Hailey

 

[4greatboys]

I sent you a pm.

Along with ING I would buy a few vouchers. I know little ones dont eat to much and I usually end up sharing with my 2 little ones. 1 meal does it for the 3 of us.
If you do go in March I would go early because the spring breakers start heading down.Though I dont think its busy, busy until April.

 

[Rebeccapaige!]

ok this might sound dumb but where do you get meal vouchers, sounds like a good deal cuz the we definately could share meals. I plan to stay at the Poly for 3 nights and the All Star Movies for 4 nights. Sorry for the dumb question I've been to disney 13 times between age 3 and 18 but this is my first trip myself and I haven't been there since age 18 8 years ago lol. We stayed at the Poly all time but I just don't have the $$$ for a whole week there lol
Thanks again
Becky, Paige and Hailey

 

[ksoehrlein]

First of all, welcome to the DISboards! This is a great place to get started, and the folks on the Budget Board are very helpful.

Yes, it is doable! The best-case scenario is if your 5-yo is somewhat of a scaredy cat (like my 4-yo). If she is dying to go on the "Mountains" of MK, Kali River Rapids, or Tower of Terror, however, keep in mind that you will not be able to take advantage of Disney's rider switch policy without another adult in your party to watch the little one while you ride with your big girl.

On the other hand, if she is mostly excited about seeing the characters and going on the tamer rides without height restrictions (It's a Small World and all of the other Fantasyland attractions, for example), this trip will be magical for all of you. Most attractions have no restrictions, so your older daughter will probably not feel as though she were missing out because of the little one.

Some challenges you may face are of a practical variety. Take potty training, for example. Depending on the stage you are in with your youngest, you may want to prepare for a set back (or several). Waiting in a long line for the Dumbo ride, the last thing you will want to hear is "I hafta go potty!" -- especially without another adult to split up with. Pull-ups may be your best friend on this trip even if they have been a thing of the past by the time you go. If not, make sure to do a potty check before and after every attraction and show. The bathrooms in each area are themed, so you can have a little fun with this necessary activity.

Since you are planning well into the future, you may want to ask around and see if any adult friends would be interested in joining you (singles, couples, or even another family). One of my best friends joined DD, DS, and myself at WDW the day after DH had to leave vacation early to go back to work. We had a great time, and it was a load off my mind knowing I had someone to tag team with. Plus my daughter and friend, who live 1000 miles apart finally got to really know each other. On another trip, we joined up with a fellow family and were able to give each other a break at times while pulling double duty at others.

But if you are going it alone, just make sure you have a plan -- and then make sure you won't mind if that plan has to be broken! My approach is to make a list of Must-Dos, Would-Really-Like-to-Dos, and Would-Like-to-Do-if-Possibles. A day with all of the Must-Dos accomplished is wonderful; anything else is the icing on the cake. Your 5-yo will love helping with this part. If she has never been before, check out the photos of the attractions on the WDW website and consider perusing Birnbaums Guide to WDW with her.

Finally, check here often for discounts, money-saving ideas, and general advice. Hope we can help!

 

[Rebeccapaige!]

Thank you! I'm glad to hear its doable. I think Paige would be fine without the wild rides this year. In a few years I think she'd feel like she missed out. the only one I'll really feel like we missed out on is Splash Mountain but I can live with that. The others I've been on a million times!! I've gotten some great idea's already!! Thank you!! I might just ask my friend, the problem is they are all ttc right now,ughhh!!! it's worth a try though!! plus we could split the room costs!! I'd love to hear more!! Thanks for all the help so far!!!!!
Becky

 

[swilshire]

I'm raising four kids and would never try this alone without a "bigger" person along. How would you ever shower? You can't expect the 5 1/2 year old to watch the babe while you're not available. How would you take bathroom breaks?

I'll never forget my first babysitter. She started caring for my oldest (going to college this year) when she was just a few weeks old. She had kids probably in the same age range as yours. Her husband absolutely refused to take the two girls out anywhere alone, even to somewhere as simple as the grocery store. He always said "what would I do with the other one if somebody grabbed one?". I don't think that would be a problem on Disney property, but if you go shopping or to eat off-site or on the way down, it's a consideration. Sad, but true.

I think it would be well worth your while to recruit a helper, even if you had to pay their expenses. A responsible teenager or even older pre-teen would work. A friend who loves kids and would enjoy seeing them enjoy Disney would be fun. Just anybody to back you up as needed.

Sheila

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by swilshire
I'm raising four kids and would never try this alone without a "bigger" person along. How would you ever shower? You can't expect the 5 1/2 year old to watch the babe while you're not available. How would you take bathroom breaks?

I'll never forget my first babysitter. She started caring for my oldest (going to college this year) when she was just a few weeks old. She had kids probably in the same age range as yours. Her husband absolutely refused to take the two girls out anywhere alone, even to somewhere as simple as the grocery store. He always said "what would I do with the other one if somebody grabbed one?". I don't think that would be a problem on Disney property, but if you go shopping or to eat off-site or on the way down, it's a consideration. Sad, but true.

I think it would be well worth your while to recruit a helper, even if you had to pay their expenses. A responsible teenager or even older pre-teen would work. A friend who loves kids and would enjoy seeing them enjoy Disney would be fun. Just anybody to back you up as needed.

Sheila

There's a thread on the family board about single parents taking their kids on vacation.

I'm a single mom. I've never been married. If I only took vacations when another adult could go with us, my son and I wouldn't go anywhere.

It's not impossible to take your kids to WDW and have a good time. You'll have to plan a little but you'll have a great time.

You can shower while your kids are sleeping. When you need to take a bathroom break, look for the family restrooms. I've seen plenty of moms take their kids into the stalls with them. My son and I had a "foot policy" when he was younger. While I was using the bathroom, he had to stand outside the stall, close enough to the door so that I could see his feet.

I'm sure you'll have a stroller. That should make keeping up your girls pretty easy.

Check out the menus on Deb's site and plan your PS before you leave home.

I'm sure you and your girls will have a great trip.

Once you're there, you'll see plenty of single parent families.

 

[Ozymoe]

As a person who used to drive an RV down and stay at Fort Wilderness for weeks and weeks at a time (with an AP discount of course!)...with 3 children 5 and under...I say, listen closely to ksoehrlein.

It has been over 10 years since my last trip with children your age, but everything she says was absolutely true and practical as far as my experience doing this goes. We continued coming (sometimes 3X a year...from Iowa, yet!) after this age, but if you are talking the ages your girls are...ksoehrlein is waaaaay savvy. Her advice is golden, especially about the potty training part! I have to admit, although 4 of our 6 children were completely trained by the age of 2 1/2 with few accidents after...(shamefacedly) I did not even ATTEMPT to train the twins (our youngest) until they were just a little over 3.

...the bad news is, I did this because I didn't want to run to a bathroom every 30 minutes when we were at Disney (what a selfish mom!)...the good news is...they trained in 2 days...we were back less than a week after 5 weeks at Disney, mostly in May...I started on June 2, 1992! LOL...I am so glad my 15 year old twins do not know I'm putting their potty training calendar on the Dis!

 

[imsayin]

Her husband absolutely refused to take the two girls out anywhere alone, even to somewhere as simple as the grocery store. He always said "what would I do with the other one if somebody grabbed one?".

I'm not naive, and I'm very overprotective. If I lived by this standard, I would never go anywhere. The odds of having someone come up and snatch your kid are slim to none. I have 2 kids, and we have travelled alone (not to WDW). Everyday common sense is used. Bring them in the bathroom with you, etc. Also, I would have no problem showering with my 3 & 5 y/o sitting in front of the tv (probably depends on your kids). If there is a deadbolt or chain at the top of the door, they can't reach it. If you can make it through the grocery store without an adult helper, you can make it through Disney. Go and enjoy.

 

[Svenson]

I agree about the potty training issue. We took both of my kids right before their third birthdays (had to get in one last freebie trip). We put the potty training issue completely on hold during vacation and kept them in pull-ups. Potty training usually requires a regular routine in a familiar environment -- which WDW is not! They both were completely trained within a couple weeks of returning home.

Another perk nobody has mentioned yet -- kids under three eat free at all the Disney buffets. Some are still quite expensive, but if you yourself are starving after a hard day's chasing the kids, it's a great way to fill all of your bellies.

Also, don't ever order two children's meals! My kids, aged 5 and 3, have never once finished ONE shared meal at Disney -- they are generally gigantic. If they can't agree on one meal, many restaurants are good about substituting an item (carrot sticks or applesauce instead of french fries, for instance).

Somebody mentioned a stroller, and I will stress again the importance of this statement. With you being alone, it is crucial to bring (or rent) a double stroller. It's the only safe way for you to get both kids through big crowds, like after parades or fireworks. A single stroller would definitely become an issue at some point. Even the five-year-old, who may not use a stroller at all in "real life", will be exhausted from all the walking at Disney. You don't want to have one (or both) kids having a total meltdown because their tired little legs can't take another step. Strollers are also great for carrying all the "stuff" you need with little ones -- pull-ups, wipes, water bottles, mister fans, snacks, snacks, and more snacks.

Which brings up another hint for surviving WDW with little ones. Bring a huge stash of snacks into the park each day. It is MUCH cheaper, usually MUCH healthier, and definitely MUCH more convenient to reach in your backpack and pull out a quick snack at any given moment. I think we avoided many meltdowns by giving the kids a little energy snack at just the right moment.

Hope some of these hints were helpful! This is such a magical age for WDW. Good luck!

 

[canwegosoon]

Any nieces or nephews you could enlist? I have an 11yo niece that is wonderful with my children....If I were going alone, I would consider taking her, just as a second pair of hands, and eyes(she acts like she's 15). My biggest concern is always the pool area....just be sure to get life jackets (at least for the younger one), and I will feel a lot better . But you can do it, if you are used to it...I travel without my husband too...it is just lonely when you don't have any adult conversation, or any breaks. Good luck

 

[PattiPB]

My biggest piece of advice is to KEEP POSTING! The good people on this board are a wealth of information, and are extremely positive in their responses. They can talk you through anything!

While I wholeheartedly agree with trying to bring another adult, I know from experience this is not always practicable. No problem! You can handle it.

Save your little heart out, think positive, and you will make this dream come true! You have plenty of time to work out the logistics of travelling alone with the kids. Most important to me would be a non-stop flight. I had to change planes one trip in an unfamiliar airport when my kids were 6, 4 & 2 with less than an hour between flights. That was more stress than anything else that trip!

 

[steinmantx]

I started traveling solo with my DDs when they were 1 and 2. Our first WDW trip was when they were 4 and 5 and it was during Thanksgiving week.

I've never had a problem keeping track of them when it is just the 3 of us - when solo you know that there isn't anyone else looking out for them. The only time I ever lost sight of my youngest DD for a few minutes was when I had 4 adults and a teenage helping me. I did have my DDs wear Guest of Honor tags and wrote my cell phone on the back of it. Needless to say I carried my cell phone with me.

Definitely use a double stroller, that way there isn't the possiblity of either one wandering off. When my DDs weren't in the stroller they were required to be holding either my hand or their sister's hand if mine wasn't available. Being sisters they were always quick to point out if the other wasn't following the rules. The only downside to the stroller was that they were well rested at the end of the day while I was exhausted after pushing them around all day.

You might reconsider switching rooms in the middle of your stay. My DDs (now 8 & 9) and I switched rooms during our June trip, it was ok but I don't know if I'd choose to do it if they were the age of your DDs. Perhaps you could spend the entire stay at a less expensive deluxe like WL or a moderate. My DDs still think that any place that there is an ice machine is cool so I doubt if your DDs will miss the Poly (although you might).

If you are doing character meals try to pick the ones that are table service. I found buffet meals to be very trying with 2 young children. If you must do a buffet (and at that age the Crystal Palace may be hard to pass up) try to get a table that can be seen from the buffet. If I couldn't see my DDs when I was getting food they had to come with me. I believe the two princess breakfasts are both table service!

Make sure to bring a good book to read after they are in bed, or anything else that you find relaxing. Although the main focus of the trip will be your DDs be sure to allow some time for yourself to unwind.

Don't forget to ask your fellow WDW visitors to use your camera and take some photos of all 3 of you.

Enjoy the planning.

 

[Dancind]

OK, lone dissenter here. If you must take your babies to Disney by yourself, take them to Disneyland. Maybe a few more dollars to fly, maybe not, but it's one manageable sized park, and it's all they will enjoy anyway. WDW is huge, and you are buying tickets for four parks when your kids may really only enjoy one of them. Think of DL as a training ground for WDW. We took DD there when she was 1 1/2, and again when she was 4. She doesn't remember much about either trip, but she remembers every detail of our trip to WDW when she was a newly minted 8 year old. She could go on every ride, enjoyed everything, and could out walk us.

If you must go to WDW, you might consider trying to get your older DD to wait until Daddy can go. Or take her, leave the little one at home. There is much for adults to enjoy at WDW, but you won't be able to enjoy it until they are older.

 

[jay-nee]

Just do it! I've brought my kids loads of times without DH. My Mom traveled with us the 1st few times, but if you just use common sense, it will be a blast!

I brought a portable playpen with us (instead of using a crib) until my daughter truly outgrew it, if your youngest is not too big. It was more familiar to my daughter and she slept better because of it. You can get bed rails for the 5 yr old too, through room service. I'd bring the kids into a family bathroom for potty breaks, I did this for years with my son and daughter. No way that he was going into the mens bathroom alone.

The one thing I would suggest is NOT switching rooms and go to a Moderate for the entire stay instead (Port Orleans or Caribbean Beach). I think someone else posted this as well.

But do what you want, it's your trip. You just never know until you try! Just never let those kids out of your sight!

Oh yeah, about showering, I would bathe instead. Just keep the door open and keep asking questions about what they are up to. No idle time, no worries...

 

[CheapMom]

-Switching rooms might be a bit of a pain but I think it will be fine. Take advantage of the POLY transportation and do MK and Epcot while you are there.
-The kids will LOVE AS movies- my kids were 3 and 5 when we stayed there and as far as they were concerned it was better than a deluxe resort.
-Use fast pass for things like Disney Playhouse and Mickey's Philharmagic for times when you think the kids will need an air conditioned sit down and rest break.
****My biggest bit of advice for you- plan a couple of non-park days. Maybe do a character experience at one of the resorts and swim on your off days. I would say 5 days at WDW 3 days at the parks would be enough. ( For you and for them- others will disagree- this is just my opinion)

 

[RobinMarie]

I think it might be important to plan each day in half days. I found this worked best with little AND older family members. We'd hit the parks hard in the morning and head back for a swim/rest and head out at dinner/evening again.

For little ones, the pace will be different. I'd choose your character interactions. For example, we do not stand in the sun in line for characters - we head over to Toontown off the train and visit folks there. Because we had a plan I was able to stick to it.

I think AK and MGM are very doable with little ones. Remember to carry diversions with you at all times: lollipops must be eaten while sitting so waiting for shows to begin are great places for a lolly. I spy is like torture for me but my dd loves it. I used to give my dd the park map and have her try to find an attraction.

And I don't know about others, but I absolutely love watching children at the water sidewalks. I love to watch them squeal when the water catches them by surprise out of the ground. We watch them do this at Downtown Disney and at the Grand Floridian. I am letting my dd wear her two piece suit to Seaworld to enjoy some splash time.

Sure buffets can be tricky but do not believe impossible. If you really have your heart set on it, I'd do it. I'd recommend Ohana though.

Good luck to you!
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[CheapMom]

I don't get what people are saying about showering. I take a shower when DH is at work. I am sure you can shower with a 3 and 5 year old watching tv.

 

[The Sweetness]

With a little planning, and ALOT of flexability, I think you and your kids will have a fantastic time, DH will be jealous

Several times I had a weekend at WDW with dd when she was between the ages of 5 and 8 or 9. These were some of the best memories

 

[ksoehrlein]

I may be going solo next month, if I can snag some last-minute DVC ressies. DS will be almost 16 months and DD is 4. DH is going to a convention in Boston -- without us -- and reading this thread has inspired me that I, too, can do WDW with two little ones. Anyway, I'm just dying to get one more use on DD's and my AP before they expire!

I'll be reading this thread daily for more ideas. Please keep them coming!