Just dad and two small kids.....suggestions

[cutlertyfly]

We'll be leaving on Monday for a week at WDW. My wife will be involved in meetings for a decent portion of our trip, and it looks like my five year old and three year old daughters and I will be venturing off on our own.

Quite honestly, I'm quite a big disney fanatic, and love WDW as much as the kids, but know that I'm going to be "tested", as the day goes on and we all get tired. This is my five year olds third trip and three year olds second so they kind of know what to expect. What suggestions do any of you have on how to make the most of our experience? Any suggestions on safety, and also how to make it through the day without losing my (our) sanity? Any ideas would be appreciated

 

[padams]

we have boys 3 and 5, and have been to WDW 3 times. On one of those trips, DH was in meetings and the boys and I toured without him. I decided that we would do what we could do-no "try to see everything" plans. I would ask your girls what they really want to do. Go see some shows with them. Make ressies for a character meal or two. Maybe your girls would like the Alice in Wonderland tea at Grand Floridian (that would give you a break). One day, because we needed some down time, we spent the afternoon at our hotel-swimming and watching Disney cartoons in our room. Being a paranoid mom, we only rode on the rides on which the 3 of us could sit together. I rented a stroller so that I wasn't trying to chase 2 kids going in 2 different directions. We had a really good time, and the boys couldn't wait to tell dad about their adventures. Hope this helps. Have fun!

 

[Ityldu]

If you're staying on site, I would definitely take breaks. The best times my DH and 2 small boys spent were hanging out at the resort pool in the afternoon.

When we went last May and got pretty crowded. Our son was 2.5 and constantly wanting to wander off. We put one of those kid leashes on w/his own fanny pack and he loved it and I felt much safer.

Since you're all been there often, I would do the more relaxing things like hang out at Tom Sawyer Island or ice cream and hang out in one of the rocking chairs on Main St.

The most exhausting thing is to stand in lines all day, try doing things out of the ordinary. Let them wear their bathing suits to the parks and play in the squirting sidewalks or spitting totem poles. My boys did that for hours in the May heat.

About 5 times as a kid
3/90 - CRB
5/97 - DxL/WL
5/00 - off-site/Dolphin
1/01 - Dolphin/GF

 

[SueM in MN]

Look on the park maps for the companion restrooms. These are unisex bathrooms that have only one toilet in them and one door. You could send the 2 girls in by themselves and know that there is only one door to go out. No worrying about whether they will somehow come out a different door than you are waiting at.

SueM in MN
Co-Moderator of disABILITIES