Party of two: going to Disney with just their preschooler?

[Paigevon]

EDIT: I spoke too soon! Sorry! It is all working out!! Now I'm excited to plan a weekend away with just DD though!


Original message:

So in less than a week the entire family vacation trip fell apart. That was quick eh? I was so excited, I don't want to postpone until next winter or give this up.

Has anyone ever gone to Disney with a 5 year old and no other adults? Do you think it's feasible? Any tips?

 

[loves to dive]

I'm a single parent and more often then not it was just my son and me. We've been going since he was two and half, there was one trip with my mother and brother along (when he was 2 1/2) I took him when he was 3, again when he was 5, again at 7 with my mom, and just me and him every other year until now (he's 35 now and we still go together). It was easy and I had no problems but he knew his boundries and never once crossed them (I'm that mom that took trips to the bathroom to have "conversations" with her kid).

 

[JWigs]

Sorry to hear about the family trip falling apart.

It is totally doable to take the 5 yr old solo but yes the bathroom thing might be hard but you could try to use the 'family' bathrooms so that you're able to go in the same bathroom (assuming if opposite sex). I think you can take it for an adventure and try to enjoy it.

 

[GEM]

Did it lots of times with my son....at 2, 3, 4, 5, and on up. In lots of ways, it's way easier, since you don't have to worry about anyone else's schedule, plans, likes, dislikes, etc. About the bathroom thing mentioned above....not sure if you have a boy or girl, but at five the bathroom is no issue. Lots of five year old boys still go in the ladies room with their moms.

 

[roseaster]

Take it with a grain of salt, because I have 5 kids, but just me and one 5 year old would be a breeze.

5 is a great age. Too young to be in the snippy, "I'm too cool" stage, and too old for naps, pampers, and strollers, plus WDW is still magical to them at that age.

One kids at that age would be great. You go at their pace, ride whatever they like. Eat what where they like, and they are still at kid's prices.

Do it. You won't regret it.

 

[mjkacmom]

Take it with a grain of salt, because I have 5 kids, but just me and one 5 year old would be a breeze.

5 is a great age. Too young to be in the snippy, "I'm too cool" stage, and too old for naps, pampers, and strollers, plus WDW is still magical to them at that age.

One kids at that age would be great. You go at their pace, ride whatever they like. Eat what where they like, and they are still at kid's prices.

Do it. You won't regret it.

Lol I had 5 kids in under 7 years - taking a lone 5 year old sounds so simple and easy! That is definitely an easy age.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I wouldn't hesitate to bring 1 child to Disney by myself - but I have 3 kids - so that seems like a vacation, lol.

 

[msmama]

Another single parent here who's done many ages solo (though skipped 5 solo, grandparents went on that trip).

My biggest tip is to go at kid speed. Sure, do your planning, make any ADRs (we pretty much only do character meals or QS if it's just the two of us, we've found that we just stare across the table at one another otherwise). By the time my son was 5, I was comfortable leaving him at the table to go to a buffet line (or watching him go himself). But I don't push later nights or anything. We've never seen Wishes or Illuminations, for example (mostly because he's not interested). And when we get back to the hotel, I go to bed when he goes to bed.

The hardest thing for me is that I have to be the pack mule so I've really learned what we need and what we don't need to carry into the parks. I could often use a massage when we get home because my back/neck hurts from carrying a backpack (which I don't do in everyday life), even if it's not very heavy.

Oh, and how we work it, YMMV, we each pick 3 "must dos" at the beginning of each day. If we do those - GREAT it's a successful day!! Honestly, we've never not done everything we set out to do, usually do more. And I've told him that sometimes he has to do stuff for Mom, even if he doesn't want to (one time was watch the parade, at MVMCP it was meet the Princes with their Princesses).

 

[bcbmommy]

Add me to the list who thinks this would be a breeze! I would LOVE to do that!

 

[Shanti]

So in less than a week the entire family vacation trip fell apart. That was quick eh? I was so excited, I don't want to postpone until next winter or give this up.

Has anyone ever gone to Disney with a 5 year old and no other adults? Do you think it's feasible? Any tips?

Yes! It was the most magical trip ever! Disney makes it so easy to travel solo with a child, because they handle transportation & your bags. My only caveat is that for this reason, I recommend staying onsite during your 2-person trip. Enjoy! It will be such a nice bonding experience for the two of you.

Edit: Be sure to do Resort Airline Check-In the morning of your return flight. No bags to deal with at the airport!

 

[JenB1104]

DD6 and I are doing a girls' trip for spring break-can't wait!

 

[smiths02]

In 2011..I went with my 5 year old DS semi alone
We drove by ourselves from Atlanta area, my DH was driving from a work training, so we checked in and were by ourselves a good amount of time.
My DH left July 4th in the afternoon and we stayed until July 6th in the afternoon and drove home (this time we stopped a night in Valdosta on the way home).

It was really fun and no problems at all. My DS is small, and he just went in the Women's restroom with me. I know that is hotly debated here, but he hadn't even started kindergarten yet.
We ate at a few buffets and that was NOT the best with one adult and one child. It was okay, but it would have been better just to be served.

ETA: The only other problem is for rides that they are not tall enough or too scared to do. We just had to skip Space Mountain and almost had to skip Haunted Mansion, but my DS did agree to do Thunder Mtn and Haunted Mansion with me.

 

[Tara1988]

That sounds amazing! And I would bet the two of you would enjoy it a lot more than with a big group. You can focus on what your child would enjoy instead of trying to please the group. And if you do have a son, don't give a second thought to the bathroom thing. No one should expect a child that young to go to the bathroom alone in a strange crowded place. I wouldn't consider sending my 5 year old son in the bathroom alone at a local restaurant, let alone Disney world. Maybe when he's 8 and only if he's comfortable with it.

 

[roseaster]

The OP's signature says her child is "Princess M" so I'm fairly certain she has a daughter.

OP my girls at that age loved princesses and the makeover at BBB, if that is in your budget.

 

[chekhovgirl]

I took my 5 and 7 year olds last year and we had a great time. One would be super easy! The only hiccup we had was that at Legoland the kids could ride 2 rider things together and I could ride behind. At Disney I always had to ride with the 5 year old and the 7 year old almost didn't want to get on the mine coaster with a stranger next to him, luckily it was a really nice grandma, and she told him so You won't have that problem!

 

[powellrj]

I'm a single parent and more often then not it was just my son and me. We've been going since he was two and half, there was one trip with my mother and brother along (when he was 2 1/2) I took him when he was 3, again when he was 5, again at 7 with my mom, and just me and him every other year until now (he's 35 now and we still go together). It was easy and I had no problems but he knew his boundries and never once crossed them (I'm that mom that took trips to the bathroom to have "conversations" with her kid).

I think this generation of moms misunderstood the bathroom comment! I don't think they have conversations like we use to.

 

[mommysaurus]

I'm a single parent and more often then not it was just my son and me. We've been going since he was two and half, there was one trip with my mother and brother along (when he was 2 1/2) I took him when he was 3, again when he was 5, again at 7 with my mom, and just me and him every other year until now (he's 35 now and we still go together). It was easy and I had no problems but he knew his boundries and never once crossed them (I'm that mom that took trips to the bathroom to have "conversations" with her kid).

I think this generation of moms misunderstood the bathroom comment! I don't think they have conversations like we use to.

Haha I got it. My son is 8 and we have conversations in the bathroom. Not as much as we used to when he was younger!


OP, go for it! It's completely doable. I am a single mom and did it when my son was 7. Like others have said it's easy to not have to consider so many people and coordinate everything. Do what makes you and your child happy, go at their pace, and see the magic through their eyes. Have a great trip!

 

[epsmith921]

I would do it. My daughter is almost 5 and taking her pretty much everywhere is kind of a breeze now. I will say that at least for my daughter I would still get her a stroller. If she's claiming she's too tired to walk, I am not carrying her for long distances. But she would seriously love all the attention focused on her.

I had to take my kids on vacation last summer by myself and that was not fun, but I had a 9 month old and the 4 year old and was still nursing the 9 month old. Just the 4 year old even then would have been a breeze!

 

[texasroni75]

Just took DS(4) by myself to WDW in December. We had a trip planned for May, then postponed to Sept, and when DH backed out for Sept (his line of work makes planning trips a nightmare) I finally told DH I was just going to do a mommy & me trip since the older kids couldn't miss school, and I needed to get away! The airport was a bit nerve-wracking with two carry-ons, a small child and stroller, etc was complicated when going through security, but we managed.

We went at my 4-year-old's pace, rode a lot of rides I normally would skip. We did the carousel at MK about a dozen times LOL, and selected mostly CS meals to accommodate his eating habits - which are unpredictable and ADRs wouldn't have worked so well. The only hiccup was on our last park day when he came down with what I suspect was norovirus. But being a parent you know that can happen anytime and the end of the trip wasn't the worst time for it to happen

It went so well, in fact, that I have booked another trip for June, and if DH backs out, I'm taking my three youngest kiddos by myself. I know it will be a breeze.

So, my opinion is that you should do it!

 

[devalsam]

I was a single parent for many years and took both of my DDs, just the three of us, when they were 5 & 6. We had a fantastic trip! It is absolutely doable and you will have a great time.