Have you traveled with a babysitter?

[Brer Shay]

With the buy four/get three promotion, we just booked a trip for June. This will be the first time that we have taken all three of our children - age 5, 7 & 9. We have two rooms at Pop reserved. We're considering taking someone along with us as a babysitter - essentially the only additional cost would be 4 days of park tickets and food for that person, I think. Ideally we're hoping one of the grandparents, but not sure that will work out. We've never done anything like this before. Any experiences to share about traveling with a non-family member as a sitter? I expect that they'll be with most all the time, but will bring much peace of mind in having one adult for each child when maneuvering through crowds or riding on two person to a seat rides.

 

[mjkacmom]

Unless it was a family member, you'd have to pay a sitter. DH and I travel all of the time with our 5 (between the ages of 5 and 12 now, but we've travelled with them since the twins were toddlers), and it's not hard at all.

My parents love our kids, but none of them would want to share 2 small hotel rooms with us! When we went to WDW with my folks, we stayed on different floors - we really needed a break from each other.

 

[genius118899]

When I was maybe 11, my aunt took me along to help with my cousins, who were 7 and 4. I didn't really babysit, I was just there to hold onto the little one's hand, because my uncle couldn't make that trip. I know several people who have gone along as babysitters, and were happy having the parents pay for the park tickets and did the babysitting for free!

 

[nicki.momof3]

The reason I take my kids to Disney (ages 3,4,6 - they have been 2 times with a 3rd trip in April) is to spend time as a FAMILY. I wouldn't want to share those special memories with a non family member as a babysitter.

Making fun family memories is the best. Now if it is a grandparent I would take them and have but not as a sitter but as a family member. I would never ask a family member to babysit my kids on vacation but everyone is different.

 

[genius118899]

Also, if you as parents want to go out for a night, you could leave the kids with the babysitter, and have some time all to yourself.

 

[Brer Shay]

Just to clarify - I'm thinking of the person that goes with us as more of a helper - not really to babysit the kids while DH and I go off on our own, but to keep a hand on everyone. For those that go with more kids than adults, how do you handle seating on the two seater rides? My 7 yo might be comfortable riding on her own, but we're not compeltely comfortable with that, especially if a single rider would be put in with her.

 

[koolaidmoms]

There are many ways to handle this. We have gone with several larger families and they have done different things.

Depending on the size of you and your children most often you can squeeze three in a seat. Especially if you have one smaller parent and two smaller kids (one on each side and parent in the middle). You can do a kid swap a few times. Have each of you take one child and then one of you go again with the third.

To tell you the truth I can only think of a few rides where there is just enough space for two - Indy cars, some of the Toontown rides. Hope this helps!

 

[mjkacmom]

Just to clarify - I'm thinking of the person that goes with us as more of a helper - not really to babysit the kids while DH and I go off on our own, but to keep a hand on everyone. For those that go with more kids than adults, how do you handle seating on the two seater rides? My 7 yo might be comfortable riding on her own, but we're not compeltely comfortable with that, especially if a single rider would be put in with her.

We take turns - usually DH rides alone - although I can't remember this happening a lot. We just got back from the Great Wolf Lodge, and finally got dd7 to do the tube slides alone, since the 5 year olds insisted we ride double with them.

 

[3DisneyGals&1Grumpy]

We tried it once when my DDs were younger and it did not turn out to be a good idea for our family.

We brought along our teenage babysitter with the idea that she would help out during the day and allow my DH and I a few free hours at Downtown Disney/Disney Quest one day and a few hours for dinner at CG another evening. She would get one day completely off (she had friends there) and the rest of the time just be an extra pair of hands for me and my husband to help make our vacation more relaxing. Even though we knew her well and liked her a lot, there were times we just wanted our family. I was constantly worried if she was comfortable, hungry, etc. I soon realized we were on totally different schedules........she wanted to sleep late and stay up late and at that stage we were early to bed and early to rise (got to be there at opening , her meal choices and meal times were much different than ours, etc. The finally deal breaker was that she got sick half way into the trip. I know she couldn't help it but then I ended up with an extra kid instead of a babysitter and we did not get our date night that we had looked forward to so much.

It was definitely not worth the added expense for us. The next visit we chose the Neverland Club. It was a win win situation. The kids loved it and we had a great date for a few hours!

 

[PrincessasMommy]

Hubby & I go alone with our 4 children normally.....oldest is special needs (legally blind) and the other 3 were all under 4 the last time. You'll be fine.

We used childswap (sp?) alot....the CMs let you FP for each additional child! At no point did I feel like I would have been better off with a sitter....to each his/her own, but if you are doubting your ability to manage all 3 on rides, you will be fine, the CM's are sooo accommodating!!

Good Luck!!

 

[Colinsmom]

For those that go with more kids than adults, how do you handle seating on the two seater rides? My 7 yo might be comfortable riding on her own, but we're not compeltely comfortable with that, especially if a single rider would be put in with her.

Agree that this won't often happen (most rides without height limits can fit an adult + two children), but if it does, why not let a parent sit alone vs. your 7yo? Put the 7yo and 9yo together (or whichever two kids are most likely to get along lol), and have a parent with the third child sit right behind, then the other parent sit in the single seat.

Given the age of your kids, I think that you could easily do the trip without a helper.

 

[nicki.momof3]

The 5 person situation is not really a problem (they have a number of 2 seat rides). When we went to Universal in Aug. we had my DH and myself, and 3 kids (3,4,6). We always put the 4 and 6 year old together. My Dh sits in front of them as a single and my 3 year old rides with me. They are always within our site and it works out fine.

Have a great trip. You will be fine with 3 kids by yourselfs. We travel extensively with our kids and have never had a problem. If you are worried go to a local attraction (busy one) with every and practice staying together.

 

[Brer Shay]

Thank you for the input. We do season passes to Hershey Park (PA) and that's part of what made me consider the third adult. We find ourselves splitting up a good bit and I do want the trip to be about our family making memories together - I don't want to miss any part of my kids reactions to all the magic.

3DisneyGals&1Grumpy, thank you particularly for sharing your experience. I hadn't thought about the sleeping schedule, and that could definitely be a big impact. Let alone the thought of someone getting sick - ouch.

For those who've done the childswap, how much time does it add to the waiting. We all wait in the main line together, then one parent and child(ren) essentially just steps aside (or gets a pass) to use when the other parent and child(ren) get back, right?

 

[crl]

We take my MIL with us when we can. But ours sounds like a completely different situation. MIL lives 9 hrs away from us, so it's a great way for her to be with the kids in the winter time. Plus we usually have a 3 bedroom condo for the 5 of us.

If it were a teenage sitter, I'd say save yourselves the money and just let the kids go to one of the clubs on site while you enjoy the dinning at that resort.

 

[Colinsmom]

For those who've done the childswap, how much time does it add to the waiting. We all wait in the main line together, then one parent and child(ren) essentially just steps aside (or gets a pass) to use when the other parent and child(ren) get back, right?

No, that's not right. You go up to the entrance of the line and ask for a "baby swap" pass (need to show the child who is too short to ride at that time). The first group gets in the regular line (or fastpass line if you have enough fastpasses for the ride). When they get off the ride, up to 3 people can enter the fastpass line with your "baby swap" pass. How long it takes depends on the ride.

 

[moredisneyplease]

I've taken a "mommies helper" a few times on vacation and i dont regret the extra costs at all. I have little kids and we just need the extra hand for diaper changing, standing in line, taking kids potty, helping at meals, staying w/ sleeping infant while others ride rides, etc etc. And we did indeed use the mommies helper a few nights as a babysitter while we had some alone time. Best ever!!

 

[Brer Shay]

We decided to ask DMIL to join us on this trip. FIL/MIL have been a few times with other kids/grandkids, but FIL isn't interested in Disney, MIL loves most anything with the grandkids. I think this will work out best for all of us - I really think the extra hands will be helpful and add to theoverall enjoyment of the trip. Thanks for your input.