Single Parent and Roller Coasters

[Atotty]

Hi,

Here's my quandry. DH hates Disney and says he's not going back until youngest dd can do everything. However, he has no problem with the rest of us going without him. My kids are 13, 9 and 5. I don't mind being a single parent for a week. In fact, I think it'd be lots of fun having a girls trip. My problem is we are big coaster people. The idea of going to Disney and not being able to do Space Mtn or the new AK coaster just doesn't enter into our thinking.

Any ideas on how to go and still be able to do the big rides? 5 yr old is tall enough for lots of stuff but not mature enough to handle it. The Peter Pan ride scares her; she loves Soarin' though...go figure She's plenty tall for Splash Mtn or Kali but too scared to try them.

I've thought of hiring a babysitter from Fairy Godmothers or the other place whose name I can't remember right now to go into the park with us for two days to watch youngest while we ride big stuff. I've thought of taking someone with us to act as a babysitter but not really sure how that would work. And finally I've wondered if 13 yr old and I could baby swap, but now that most of the baby swap waiting is outside the rides I'm not real comfortable with this option.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[momsully]

Since your daughter makes the height requirement she can walk into the line with you and your other two children. Then just before boarding you and she can exit and wait for the other two to come off. For example on Splash Mountain walk all the way through the line with all three kids then only have your older two ride while you and she wait at the exit.

 

[tjmw2727]

If your child meets the height requirement then you can't use child/baby swap. (There are exceptions but generally speaking if its a choice not to ride rather than a restriction you can't use the BS) They were very strict on our last visit in Feb 06.

Your options are to use FP and have the 13yo wait with the 5yo while you ride, bring or hire another adult or skip the ride yourself.

I travel as the solo adult with my dd's often and our rule is everyone or nobody. We make consessions for each other and if someone is really frightened or dosen't meet the height then we all skip the ride. Honestly there are so many other things to do that it hasn't been a problem. My 11yo will not ride TOT but my 9yo loves it - we don't ride. Alternately my 11yo loves Space Mtn and my 9yo dosent so that is out. They are talking about "making deals" for our October trip so we shall see!!

If bringing another adult isn't an option and fairy godmothers is out of your price range perhaps you can just let the two older ones ride while you wait or do something with the 5yo. If the 13yo can handle the responsibility of sitting with the 5yo then maybe you can ride a few things.

Have a great trip.
TJ

 

[eeyore45]

I think if you ask the CM's before you enter the que about using baby swap, as you are a single parent - then you could have the two girls go alone then they stay with the 5yr old and you ride alone?

It may be out of the question to leave a 13yr old alone with a 5 yr old, but maybe you could swap that way too? 13yr and 9 ride, then you and 9yr old ride... or something like that?

we're roller coaster people too, and we often swap, dd 9 doesnt like TOT or RNRC even tho she meets the height requirements, we've swapped so she doesnt have to ride...

 

[stacy6552]

The thing to remember is that there is scare factor and there is height requirements, and the two do not always run parallel. Alot fo those little kids rides get hig ratings for scariness. So your 5 year old may enjoy a roller coaster, even if she wont ride Snow White.

 

[Atotty]

Thanks everyone for all the input.

Stacy you're exactly right. She loves Goofy's Barnstormer. But since she's scared of some of the other rides such as Peter Pan which she realizes is really very tame, she's terrified to even try the other bigger rides.

 

[crisi]

I'd let the 13 year old and 9 year old ride, while you wait with the five year old. If your 13 year old is really responsible and you are comfortable with the idea, I'd even let them break off for the morning for two hours while you do the Fantasyland rides with the five year old. Tell them to get in "all the big rides they can" at each park in the first two hours, because for the rest of the day, they'll be stuck with Mom. They should be able to knock off everything they want to see in the first two hours in each park.

If you get there at opening, the park won't be very crowded and everyone should be able to accomplish a lot. Disney is a pretty safe place - though I wouldn't recommend this unless you were comfortable and you felt the 13 year old was responsible (and the nine year old as well). Having two cell phones could help, too.