Need Tips for Single Mom w/2 kids WDW

[geperry]

Hi: I'm new to this forum. Will be taking my kids, age 5 1/2 & 8, to Disney World for the first time. Anyone have tips for a single mom at disney?
We plan on going april 23rd-april30 2006. Anyone else going those dates?
Thanks,
Gina

 

[ep4244]

I'm a single mom and took my dd's the first time when they were 6 and 8. We're now on our third trip just the 3 of us and we leave in just a few hours

Here's a few tips/tricks I use to survive.

- Make sure they know if they get lost to find a cast member and don't wonder around
- introduce them to a cast member so they won't be scared if they do get lost
- I dressed mu dd's in really bright colors so I could easily find them in a crowd
- make sure they either know your cell phone # or have it on them (make a bracelot of put it on the inside of their clothing)
- Have FUN FUN FUN, but know when your girls have had enough and need a break
- Same for mom - know when you need a break and take it
- Fastpass, fastpass, fastpass - enough said
- if you do have to wait in a line - explore the que, there's so much to see while you're waiting - make it a game
- Have a mickey ice cream bar for lunch one day (you're kids will think you're the best)
- Expect crowds (even if you go at a slow time) and go with it, don't let the crowds ruin your fun. And if it's not crowded even better.

 

[disnut8]

Use the companion bathrooms. Much better than taking two kids into the ladies rooms.

If you go to the Animal Kingdom, let them run around the Boneyard while you have a rest. Digging in the sand is always a treat (and it doesn't stick to them either).

Carry snacks with you to ward off the "I'm hungry" whines. Nothing major but something.

Rotate the choices of attractions to do. That way you can say "but you did this last time".

Practice patience!

But most of all, have a great time.

 

[makinorlando]

Hi: I'm new to this forum. Will be taking my kids, age 5 1/2 & 8, to Disney World for the first time. Anyone have tips for a single mom at disney?
We plan on going april 23rd-april30 2006. Anyone else going those dates?
Thanks,
Gina

PM me if you like. I have a just a DD who just turned 9 - maybe we could hook up for a day or later afternoon after school. We live 1/2 hr from WDW, and my DD loves the rides, and loves having other kids to do things with - I'm a single mom and she's an "only"!!!

 

[MamaKate]

I'm a single mom and took my dd's the first time when they were 6 and 8. We're now on our third trip just the 3 of us and we leave in just a few hours

Same here (except we're not leaving in a few hours ). I've been taking my 2 kids to WDW since DD was 5 and DS was 7. We're taking our 5th trip in May.

I actually think a trip can be more relaxing with only a single adult, because you don't have the conflicts of what to do next, where to eat, how the kids are acting,...etc.

Before we leave, I always asks the kids to pick a couple restuarants and a couple attractions they must do during our trip & I plan from there.

Make sure you take a break either napping or swimming. If your younger child gets tired of walking (especially in Epcot or AK) rent them a stroller. I rented my DD a stroller up until she was 7 for Epcot and AK, so she would last longer. My DS is a ball of energy, so he never has a problem.

I agree to use the companion restrooms since your children are still a bit young.

Just have fun and remind them to follow the same rules that apply when you are home and you shouldn't have any problems.

,
Katie

 

[HERSEY]

We arrive on April 30th. Last year I worried about ds getting separated from me. We never got separated besides he not one to wander. When he used the restroom I told him specifically where to meet me. Never had a problem. Have a great trip.

 

[Lorelai]

Hello there & welcome. I am a mom of three and these are some things that we've found helpful in our 6+ trips to Disney World.

For the Parks, I would probably choose to avoid the Extra Magic Hour days at the parks. To find out the extra Magic Hour schedule you can go to the Walt Disney World Web Site and look at the calendar option in the upper right area. It lists the calendar into the late spring I think. It will tell you which parks have evening or morning Extra Magic Hours for any given day. They tend to be really crowded and we've found that going to a different park that does not have EMH's is the way to go.

Also, I would get to the park of your choice at least 15 minutes before opening and go to the kids must-see attractions first.

Regarding Magic Kingdom, this early arrival is especially important. If your children want to see Fantasyland, go right at rope drop. Grab a FastPass for Mickey's Philharmagic on your way into Fantasyland. If you haven't done that before, look for a FastPass machine outside the ride, insert your park tickets one at a time. It gives your ticket back with an extra pass to come back at a given time to get right on. Then go to Peter Pan, Dumbo, then to Winnie the Pooh. These rides load much more slowly than Small World or Philharmagic. Then back to Small World. After that your FastPass for Philharmagic may be ready to go.

Most of all, have fun and enjoy the magic with your children. It can be a bit overwhelming, so going with a clear, yet flexible plan, is a good idea.

 

[cdrn1]

I agree with the above poster about getting there before opening. DD and I did almost everything we wanted to do this past Sunday by 10:15 a.m. We walked on to everything, even Splash and BTMRR.

 

[jeankeri]

I have toured the parks with my sons twice- when they were 6 & 8 and 8 & 10. The hardest part of being the only adult is one wanting to ride something the other doesn't. When my DS was 6 he did not want to ride BTMRR or Splash. He would ride the Barnstormer. So we rode that first and the next day he decided to give the other 2 a try. My older son did not want to go into ITTBAB because he had a fear of spiders and wanted to know the whole storyline first. I subscribed to Tour Guide Mike and this was very good for describing attractions and alerting you to ones kids might not want to do. Also, knowing alternate rides that both want to ride will make it easier to get over the dissapointment if one has to skip a ride the other is too afraid to ride. Our family rule was we would not force a brother on a ride he was afraid of. They would have to take turns picking rides and shows- they could not refuse because they thought it was boring and would rather do their own pick.

 

[griswalds]

I am currently planning our 5th trip for this May, will be 2nd trip without DH. I have DS6 and DD5, I strongly suggest the double stroller you can rent at the parks. You pay once in the morning and can get a stroller at any park you hit that same day. You can also pay in advance for all the days you will be there and get a discount (10% I think). It makes it much easier to get from place to place without anyone wandering off to look at something. It doesn't take but a second to become seperated in a crowd.

 

[catherines_mama]

Hi: I'm new to this forum. Will be taking my kids, age 5 1/2 & 8, to Disney World for the first time. Anyone have tips for a single mom at disney?
We plan on going april 23rd-april30 2006. Anyone else going those dates?
Thanks,
Gina

Welcome to the DIS!!! Its a great place to visit, I got so many ideas and learned so much from this place.

I'm a single mom too and took DD when she was almost 3 and am going back this summer (she'll be 5). I know its a lot easier with 1 but I think the same basics apply. Be there to enjoy this with your children and thru their eyes. Don't rush through anything and take it all in!

Definetly stay onsite! I hope you are, I didn't check your sig to see where you are staying, but onsite makes things SO easy! The bus is very easy transportation and you are close & convinent if you need to go back for any reason. Also, its super safe! I'm always nervous anywhere I travel on my own, but never at WDW.

I hope you have at least 1 character dining planned. I tried to do too many the 1st trip, so am taking it easy this next one. By the end of the week DD was too burned out for 8am ADRs so this year I'm doing late breakfasts after a few hrs of EMH time.

Just have fun and take it ALL in! Enjoy!

 

[boxer]

We'll be there the same time, but just a little longer (4/27-5/6).......although I'm not a single dad, I ALWAYS like to break off from the wife and daughter for some father/son time alone while in the parks........I actually find it much more relaxing just having 'us'. I liken it to having a cute puppy----ladies tend to 'ohh and ahh' over a father/son in Disney World alone LOL.

My biggest suggestion (as noted above) would be to stay on site, and take a nap-break during the day. Especially if there is EMH nighttime hours that day. Also, have your kids pick out resturants/shows that they want to see (Chef Mickeys, B+B, etc).

Good luck, and see you down there.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I went solo with my niece when she had just turned six and one of the things I did was make her an ID bracelet. I bought one of those rubber bracelets that are all the rage and turned it inside out, then I got a permanent black sharpie marker and wrote my name, cell phone # and the name of our resort on the inside. Then I explained to her about not wandering off and what to do if we got seperated. I showed her the bracelet and told her to go directly to a CM and show it to them and ONLY to a CM. NOT to be scary, my niece and I never got seperated, even for a minute, but it's good to prepare your kids and to make sure they have information on them so CM's can contact you.

 

[Disney Crazy Debbie]

I agree with the "relax and just have fun" advise. I, too, am a single mom of one DS is now 16 but his first trip he was 10. Of course, with just the two of us it is a little easier to stay focused and to stay with other. However, he is a shopper and I am not so I would look around some and then wait for him outside of the shop. I told him not to panic but to take his time and look around I was in no particular hurry and then I would situate myself where I had a view of the inside so I could keep him in view. Now it is a courtesy we do for each other, no hurry up and let's go. Of course it helps that we like the same rides. If you take in any of water parks there is climbing which I wasn't particularly up to a couple of years ago so he did some by himself and he was very good at finding me (I usually stayed in one spot) and we did do some things together.

 

[MOmousefan]

We bought the kids the official WDW yellow rain ponchos for the rainy days as well as a souvineer. We quickly found out that if they get ahead of you while wearing them they look just like the other 400 people in front of you. Either mark the backs or bring transparent ponchos.