Help Staying at POP Need ideas

[luv2playallday]

We are staying in 1 room at POP. There is ME,DH, DD-8, DS-2 and Niece 13. We are thinking of napping from about 2-4 so my son won't be to crabby. Is there anything the girls can do at the resort with little supervision. NOT the pool of course. Or is Disney just WAY TO BIG for this type of thing? Maybe my DH and I could take turns sitting with DS, and one of us will take the girls to the pool to cool off. Any other ideas would be great!

 

[luv2nascar]

personally the resort is way to big to let an 8 & 13 old by themselves. I would not be comfortable with this. I would take turns with the girls and sleeping baby. My dd 10 helped me do laundry while daddy and little sister napped. We took our refillable mugs and walked to food court and got frozen cokes. We had fun. I'd take them swimming.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

At 13 & 8, my parents used to let my brother and I wander the hotels in Las Vegas alone! Even moreso in WDW.

There is an arcade, and a gift shop they could browse in. Or they could go to the food court and maybe get a snack.

 

[Friendly Frog]

Not sure of the layout at POP, but could you ask for a ground floor room where they could play quitely outside while you keep an eye out the window? Maybe bring a board game, Barbie's, video game or other item they enjoy?

 

[Tissa]

I second the arcade, it's great. Just make sure to give them plenty of money and a cell phone so you could call and check on them.

 

[kaytieeldr]

You could request a room facing a pool, so they could swim and you could sit/stand out on the walkway in front of your room and watch them.

 

[dgaston]

Barbies for a 13 year old? There are also the Twister games and the Goofy pop jets.

 

[Friendly Frog]

Barbies for a 13 year old?

Sorry, for some reason I was thinking they were 8.

 

[dyna]

2 yrs ago when DD was 13 she still had to rest for an hour in the afternoon at disney then she was free to go to the pool. She did not have to take a nap she had to stop and rest the 1st couple of days she read but by the 3rd day she was napping the hour.

Rule will still hold true next time she goes in June 06 as well.

DD has went to the resort pools by herself the last couple of visits. I'm not one who gives my DD much freedom but she did go to the pool alone. I'm not saying there are not trustworthy ppl at the resorts but if any child even slightly let it be known something was happening to them that shouldn't I'm sure there are many ppl who would step up and help the child.

Usually I've found most kids to be more cautious and responsible at 10 than 15 lol

 

[CheshireVal]

When I was 8 and 13, I wanted a nap, too!!! Disney is tiring, even for older kids (and adults )

 

[luv2playallday]

Thanks for all of the info, and ideas. Do they have lifeguards at the pool?

 

[Crazy Kanga]

Thanks for all of the info, and ideas. Do they have lifeguards at the pool?

Yes. They do have lifeguards.

 

[Mymatisse]

I just got back from POP and while it is big I would say at 8 and ESPECIALLY 13 they could go off to the Arcade or gift shop at Classics Hall. It's kinda nice cause anything they would want to do is really in that one building, except go swimming.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I bet they would love to go to Classic Hall by themselves to get a dessert. It would probably make them feel really grown up.

 

[luv2playallday]

THANKS for all of the tips and ideas. I don't feel so bad for thinking they might be able to go to the arcade etc. without me.

 

[flagirl]

When my two year old takes a nap, my husband and i take turns staying back at the room with her. If I were you I would do that and then the girls can swim. That would be more fun than anything else for them.......

That being said I think 13 is fine to be able to walk around the grounds without an adult. There is an arcade and just the grounds themselves are fun to walk around. I guess as long as she is a trustworthy 13 year old......then I think she is fine to be alone (with your 8year old).

 

[goofy4tink]

We just got back in August from Pop. It's a terrific resort. The pools are all nice...not terribly deep either. I think the Hippy Dippy Pool was up to my chin in the dead middle...I'm 5'8". My dd at 5'2" could hang there if she stood on tiptoes!! But it isn't a big drop off, just a gently sloping. That pool has about 4 guards. The smaller pools have one or two life guards.
I would think you could let the girls go the arcade or food court or even over to the playground area, as long as they stayed together and had a cellphone so you could check in on them.

 

[pongoperdigirl]

If you take a walk on the bridge you will find machines where you can buy fish food, I spent some time feeding the wildlife while I was there. It was fun to watch the fish and birds. If you walk to the 60's and keep going straight ahead, you will run into it. But you may want to go with them it's kinda far and isolated.

 

[DisneyMom5]

I would not let them walk around alone, and in fact, they are not to swim unsupervised by adults from your own party (scares me how many people don't follow that rule.)
I bet they'll need a break too. My kids loved Pop!
You may not end up taking a break at the resort, as sometimes it is easier not to load everyone back up and leave the park. Sometimes its nice to let the little one nap in the stroller while you take turns riding the older rides.
Have a great time!