Potty Training @ WDW

[tiff211]

I was telling DD2 daycare provider about our trip this morning. She asked if I would be putting her back in pull-ups. She has been in big girl underwear since December except for naps, nighttimes, and long outings. She has been doing so well staying dry and asking to use the potty. I know I have to use pull ups for the trip but I am worried about what that will do to her progress when we return. Has anyone experienced this?

 

[sgause]

We visited DW when my DS was 2. We were very diligent about taking him to the bathroom frequently and did not use pullups. We made our DS visit the restroom before we left any park - no exceptions - so we wouldn't be stuck at a bus stop 9 miles from the nearest bathroom with the "I gotta go" look in his eyes. Worked out fine.

 

[tjmw2727]

Personally, if she truly trained and depending on for how long, I would try and keep her in the underwear even during the trip. One of our trips dd was newly trained and I just made sure to take lots of potty breaks especially before a longer attraction. We didn't make a big deal of it just "time for the ladies room" and myself, my older dd and youngest dd would all go in an try to go. Bring some small post it notes to cover the auto flusher!

Pack an outfit or two in a ziplock along with lots of wipes just in case.

If your worried then try and keep track of how long she goes between using the potty at home. Can you do an afternoon at the mall or zoo without pullups? If she is really calling the shots on when she has to go and taking control of it then she probably is ready to try wdw without the pullups.

If you do decide to go with the pullups be careful not to send a message that you don't trust her but that the pullups are for just in case.

Have a great trip.
TJ

 

[dtsaos]

I agree, if she's doing that well with undies, why go back? My DD will be turning 3 in July and we're taking a trip to WDW in sept. She's not potty trained yet, but if (hopefully) she is by then, there's no way I would put her in pull ups-besides, to my DD a pull up is just a diaper. I would just plan on taking her to the potty as much as possible and bringing a change of clothes just in case. Are you staying on property so you can get back to the hotel quickly if you have to?

 

[DissyLove]

I would wear the pull ups if you want to avoid accidents at WDW, but just try to keep on a schedule while on the trip. I have done this with some success. As in, make sure you still have them go to the potty at the usual times you have them, like before meals, after meals, or before you get in the lines, kinda like at home you probably do before they go on car rides. And when they say they have to use the bathroom, GO!

This happened with my DD while we were waiting in the P of the C ride-and the person behind me was kind enough tell me they would let me back in line with her after we got back.

Long term, I don't think the trip will mess up her progress much. Accidents may happen, but all in all it should be fine.

 

[Aidensmom]

I kept my son in underwear when he was still potty training, I just made him go to the bathroom at least every two hours, in addition to before leaving the park and about half an hour after he had anything to drink.

 

[ducklite]

We visited DW when my DS was 2. We were very diligent about taking him to the bathroom frequently and did not use pullups. We made our DS visit the restroom before we left any park - no exceptions - so we wouldn't be stuck at a bus stop 9 miles from the nearest bathroom with the "I gotta go" look in his eyes. Worked out fine.

That's what my Sister and SIL both did when facing this dilemna.

They also gave a gentle warning that if there was an accident, it would be pull-ups for the rest of the trip.

Pretty much anytime an adult of the same gender used the bathroom, we took the kid along to "try".

Anne

 

[tiff211]

I wouldn't say she is fully trained as of yet. Some days she has 3-4 accidents, some days none. She doesn't mind wearing pull-ups and will ask to go if she is feeling so inclined if she is in pullups or panties. I would like to limit accidents if possible. She had one in target the other day and I had such a time changing her clothes in the stall, between being pregnant and not able to kneel/sit at her level, not wanting her to touch the dirty floor with bare feet and not being able to lift her onto the kiddie changing station. It was quite a sight. I broke out in quite a sweat!! LOL!

 

[Tink&SquirtsMom]

We're going in July, about a week after ds turns 3. He's been in underwear for a couple of weeks now. We are definitely sticking with the underwear. I do not want to have to train all over again when we get home, especially just a few weeks before preschool starts. I think we will stop at a bathroom every hour and always before leaving from or to any park, and do fine. Of course I will bring wipes and a change just in case, but thats good to have anyways. We used the same method with dd when we went to Disneyland just before she was 3, and she had no accidents. We have the extra motivation of wanting ds to use the kids club on our Dinsey Cruise (directly following our 10 nights at WDW), so its very important we keep with his potty training for that.

 

[dtsaos]

I think if she let's you know that she has to go, regardless of if she's in pull up's or panties, then I don't think there's anything wrong with using them on the trip. But maybe just limit the use to when you know you'll be out and about for a long time-try to use the panties when you're at the hotel or having a more relaxed day. Anyway, I'm sure it will work out fine, you know your DD best! BTW, I totally relate to the fact that you're pregnant being an issue too-things can seem MUCH more difficult when you are, so just do what feels right and what will keep the stress levels down to a minimum!

 

[crisi]

If she has three or four accidents in a day, she sure isn't fully trained. If she is like my daughter, you could have another year and a half before she doesn't have accidents. When you get to WDW and she's surrounded with lights and oh-so-busy, she may have a lot more - my daughter is five and still if she gets busy she'll jump up and yell "I HAVE TO GO POTTY!" running to the bathroom like this is a big surprise. Then the question becomes, do you want to walk into the park with three or four changes of clothes "just in case" every day?

My son was "just ready" to finally be out of pullups the week before we left. We elected to leave him in them for the trip - rather than bother with changes of clothes in case he wasn't successful - and told him we were leaving him in pullups for the trip and he could switch to underwear when he got home. The day we got home, he put on underwear and hasn't gone back. But we could have done it the other way, too, and just brought extra clothes, but the pull ups were easy and the week doesn't seem to have hurt his psyche.

 

[ducklite]

You might want to give her a celndar with two weeks on it, and she gets a star for every day before the trip. If she has a day without a star, she has to wear the Pull-Ups at WDW until she has an accident free day there. Using the calendar with stars gives her something concrete to conceptualize while she's working towards her goal.

Anne

 

[the kabuki]

IMHO, if you want her to be potty trained completely, get rid of the pull-ups. I did this with my 1st child , and we were going the same way, have a 3-4 accidents per day. Well, SIL said:take off the pull-ups, let her have the accidents. It worked-in less than a few days she was completely potty trained. Never even used the pull-ups with the next 2 kids.

Just seems as if it confuses them, especially if you put them on during the daytime. Sometimes they can pee in their pants, sometimes they can't??? When my first DD had the pull-ups on, she would never say she had to go potty. She learned pretty quick that she didn't like the feeling of wet pants. Oh, and I rewarded them with stickers everytime they did it succesfully

My advice-pack lots of extra pants & underwear & take potty breaks often.

 

[Nora94]

What I have done with my older dd is take a diaper in the fanny pack. If an emergency "I gotta go!" happens and we can not get to a potty due to long lines, or location too far or being on a bus, etc. I whip out the diaper, pull down the pants, put on the diaper and let her go in it. My older dd is almost 6 and just stopped letting me do this, lol, but she can "think of something else" and keep from having to go.

Nora
ddalmost 6
dd 2 1/2

 

[CEDmom]

We went to WDW just after our DD was potty trained. What we did for the plane ride and other times where we might not be able to get to a bathroom when we needed to was to put a pullup over her underpants. She understood it was a precaution in case we couldn't get to a bathroom in time. I think twice she had a big accident but both times it was when she'd fallen asleep in her carseat on the plane or in her stroller. Both times it saved her wetting through everything. A few other times we had a close call where had she not had the pullup she would have had to change everything. Instead we just needed dry underpants.

 

[Evil Queen]

I think if potty trained, don't use the pull ups. Just bring extra quarters for the laundry. Bring along a a change of clothes and plastic bags, just in case.

When you see every restroom or every other one at least, take her in and see if she can go. A bit time consuming, but potty training is anyway.

I still make mine go into a restroom on a regular basis (DS9) because he's one of those that holds it until it's almost too late.

 

[Nini]

I would definately NOT use the pull ups! I found the best advice I received when potty training was DON'T USE PULL UPS!!! They are just like diapers only less absorbant and I found they leaked frequently. My dd3 was potty trained when she was 2.5 and it was basically a firm committment from MOMMY to bring her to the potty every single place we went...and believe me, I am not one to sit at home waiting for my child to pee/poop!!!!

Make a committment to potty training your child and it will happen in no time at all...most likely even before your trip! It took my dd approx. 2 weeks total to be fully trained during the day. Make certain when it is around their nap time that they use the potty, this will cut down on nap time accidents and take the advice of the other posters and have frequent potty breaks. The concept might seem annoying (the frequent potty breaks), but in the long run you will be rewarded with a child who is potty trained and you yourself will be less stressed if you approach it as it is just something that must be done through the course of the day.

I know that there was a point when I thought I was making an honest effort and it just wasn't happening. That was when I realized that I just needed to make MYSELF committed to stopping ALL the time, regardless of my personal schedule for the day. This did relieve much of the stress and I even learned who has the best public restrooms!!!!!!!

I feel that it is a matter of what YOU are most comfortable with. This may not be the right time for you or your child for potty training (especially since you are pregnant). Do what is best for YOU and your child.

 

[newtowdw1]

I agree with the kabuki--get rid of the pull-ups. Both of my kids potty trained quickly after they felt wet a few times. Then DD tested for a week. We told her if she didn't pull it together, no fuzzy bunny costume for halloween. Mind, she was perfectly dry for a week and then began to play games. DS was trained in a few days. Although we had a few emotional control set backs with him (babysitter change, completely understandable) we didn't go back to pull-ups. We did use them for naps and at night.

However, that said, I don't think I'd begin a whole new program before I went to Disney. Go to pull-ups while you're there, come home, enlist your sitter and DITCH THE PULL-UPS!! You can have her trained in a long weekend--trust me. It'll work!

 

[Mom to Jordan]

I agree that it is much easier to train with out pull ups. However if she is having up to three accidents a day, I also agree she is not trained. I would not stress my self out over it during the trip. Buy the disney pull ups but STILL take her often and expect her to tell you when she has to go. When you return home, get back to the potty training.

Jordans' mom

 

[CinderellasMama]

Have you tried rewarding her every time she makes it to the potty? I used Princess stickers for my daughter and she caught on pretty fast. She LOVES stickers so it was a great reward. I made a posterboard with a castle on it and she stuck the stickers all over it. She's 4 now and goes totaly on her own (I do have to wipe her hiney on occassion).

Another tip that I got was to have her help you clean up her accident and she has to take her wet clothes to the laundry room (or where ever). It makes them take responsibility for the accident.

Good luck and have fun on your trip! Brenda