Marathon with Kids

[TXBelle]

My mother has abandoned us this year for marathon weekend, and we no longer have a babysitter to watch our 4 girls. We are going to have to bring them to WDW with us in January. DH and I are both registered for the Goofy.
I am interested in any tips this group has on how to handle marathon weekend with kids. Ours will be 9, 7, 7, and 4. Any help on pre-race, race day, and post-race schedules would be great.

For example, I understand that there is a babysitting service that will come to the hotel very early on the race mornings and watch the kids. Has anyone used this service for the marathon before? Also, how do you entertain the kids without overdoing it before the race?

 

[nucpharm29]

Heather--I can only answer on the babysitting service. We haven't used them for race events but have used them for a date night for DH and I. they were very professional and we were very happy. However, they are very $$$ and you have to pay transportation fee as well as the hourly rate--the website is www.kidsniteout.com. We may also be needing a sitter as my Dsis has backed out for the weekend. We'll see what we come up with!

 

[Kristi1357]

We also might be in the same situation. I was going to suggest kids night out also. We haven't used them, but alot of people here do recommend them.

We are going to try to leave Zack at home & do marathon weekend kid-less!

 

[keenercam]

Wow, I am wondering if I should invite DD19 to come with us for the weekend and do babysitting all morning Saturday and Sunday for the WISH team. I'm sure she'd charge less than any of the services down there. We'd just have to have a huge sleepover at our villa the night before for all those kids. Howard and I would sleep somewhere else, of course!

 

[Kristi1357]

I am liking that idea, Cam!

 

[sap1227]

Cam, I think that is a GREAT idea!!!

DH is going to watch our kids when I do the 1/2 and then I will get them while he does the full.

Last year my sister came and watched them while we did the half.

It really is tricky (we have the same problem at home for shorter weekend races)

 

[nucpharm29]

Hey ya'll, don't know why I didn't offer this before, guess it must be b/c this is me while Dis-ing in the am (with eyes not nearly that open), but I would be willing to watch kiddos during the half. DH and I are going to be at BC, so we could have a slumber party over at our villa Friday night (it might be crowded, but I'm much cheaper than KidsNiteout aka:Free!) Still working on the full, but I think DSIL will be driving over from Ft. Myers to watch our little ones--I might persuade her to watch a couple extra, nothing like pimping out family!