Single Parent DW Advice and Tips Needed!

[SparkleMommy]

Hi! I am a single mom with DD3 planning our first DW vacation for next summer (june 2015). I am slightly bummed that I won't be able to do the rider swap to ride some of the 'big kid' rides by myself. But I'm not too worried about it because this trip will be all about DD and princess magic! I am ridiculously excited and I have over a year to wait (and plan)!

Are there any tips, suggestions, advice for single parents you can offer?
I am taking or buying when get there an umbrella stroller and I was going to try to go into the parks with nothing to carry except our magic bands and my iPhone... however, I realize now that it would be a better idea to have backpack with some supplies like water, bandaids, bubbles, glow sticks, etc.

I think I have decided on AoA Ariel room, even though I like the POR Royal rooms better- AoA seems to meet more of our needs this trip (price being a biggie).

Me DD

 

[kaylasmom07]

You are going to have a great time! You might want to bring the stroller with you from home if it won't be to much of a hassle. I liked having it in the airport with with me. Airports are big and crowded so I liked just being able to push my daughter (age 2 at the time) and not have to worry about holding her hand and my bags e.c.t.

Also I would definitely take a bag with snacks, drinks (freeze them the night before and they should thaw by mid day) and change of clothes e.c.t. The stroller is great because you can use it for storage in the parks!

I've never stayed in AOA little mermaid rooms, but we stayed in the POR royal rooms and while they were great I don't think they were all that special to worry about it if it doesnt fit in the budget. AOA as a whole is much more kid friendly in my opinion, especially for a 3 year old.

Good luck with your planning. The Dis is great for information, and tips. Make sure you check out the Family board. Lots of people over there with small kids and great ideas!

 

[SparkleMommy]

Thanks for the tips! I didn't think about possibly needing the stroller in the airport- but that is a great idea!
I also love the freezing the drinks idea- perfect! Nothing worse than warm drinks when you are parched.
I am 99% sure I'm going to go with AoA, it does seem more little kid oriented.
Hopefully, we will be able to make more trips to DW in the future and can try different resorts!

 

[NavyDotz]

My 1st trip w/ DD was when she was 3 as well! Now this summer she's going to Driver's ED! LOL

Definitely plan on taking a bag w/ you. You can put it on the stroller if you're worried about the weight on your shoulders/back.

& yes - bring the stroller from home for the airport! I would recommend a quick-folding umbrella type - those bulky ones are horrible to fold & then get on the Disney Transport buses.

If you are worried about budget if you have AAA you can get a discount @ Pop Century (we wanted AoA LM room as well but they aren’t offering ANY discounts yet). Pop is a nice colorful resort & kids love it!

Also – you can do breakfast in the room.

If you’re thinking about character meals book breakfast or lunches – less expensive than dinner prices.

Character meals ARE the way to go to get all those photo ops! It beats standing in the Florida summer sun in a never ending line any day. The characters do a rotation around the dining hall to each table – all you’ll have to do is sit & wait your turn!

Purchase autograph books & any other trinkets, souvenirs @ home before you leave. (Mini battery op fan she can hold herself while you chauffeur the stroller.)

Buy a recognizable ribbon (bright, patterned) to tie to your stroller handle – makes it so much easier to find when you see the sea of strollers outside of VotLM!

Make sure to take mini-breaks - even if it's just a sit-down on a bench for a few minutes between rides/attractions - not just for her, but for yourself as well - it will make a world of difference!

 

[LovesTimone]

You will love AoA it is amazing. You feel like you just walked into the movie. The pools are super cute. We stay in Lion King in January would most definitely will stay here again. We have stayed at all the moderates. You might want to think about POFQ as this is a smaller resort, which is great at night... less steps to the room. The pool area is great, also there is a boat to DTD which is nice in the evenings. You can use both food courts and pools (POFQ & POR) which gives you more options. When DD was little I would choose a room with a king size bed, because she was gonna end up with me anyway. It gave us more room for everything, the strollers, bags, toys ......

I took my DD the 1st time when she was almost 3. Now she is 25 and married. I took her lots of times when it was just her and I. Here's some tips that helped me along the way.

Strollers - I would bring along a umbrella stroller with you for the airport. But I would look into renting a larger stroller from one of the companies that you can ask about here on the boards, I can't think of the name right now. This way she has room to move around and she can lay down, if she needs a quick nap, also a sun shade. I always left my park bag in the stroller when on rides, don't forget to bring something to cover the stroller up for rain that will come up out of no-where. A rain poncho and a couple of clothes pins or those pins you use to clip your beach towel to the chair works great. I suggest using a small cross body bag, for your wallet, glasses, camera, this way you have your hands free, but your money and stuff is protected.

We always take a break from the magic, head back to the room for a swim, nap. Gives you both time to recoup.

When planning, I would check out free dinning so that you get some character meals. If you stay at AoA you can up grade to the reg. dinning plan, which gives you 1CS & 1 TS plus 1 snack per person -per day - and its all paid for upfront, for me when I was a single mom this was wonderful.

The biggest thing I think I can suggest is to take your time, enjoy every minute. You won't be able to see everything so... be okay with it, there's always next trip

Keep on planning,

 

[snolin]

When my kids were that young we always went to what ever park opened early for ex magic hours so we could leave at lunch time to eat and take naps, then go back to the park right before dinner so the day didn't feel like a waste. I also a small camera bag to carry any necessities, I also brought a stroller on the plane for the airport it was much easier. If you can stretch your budget a moderate resort is less crowded and the buses are way less busy, in a value you usually get stuck standing on the buses where you won't on a moderate bus.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I'd stay at the least expensive value resort and put the saved money towards food, etc.. Honestly at that age the room does NOT matter, just the hotel experience is exciting for them and all of the value resorts have fun pool areas.

You can pack cereal, granola bars, pretzels, bowls, etc., in your luggage and buy milk in the gift shop grocery area.

 

[SparkleMommy]

My 1st trip w/ DD was when she was 3 as well! Now this summer she's going to Driver's ED! LOL

Definitely plan on taking a bag w/ you. You can put it on the stroller if you're worried about the weight on your shoulders/back.

& yes - bring the stroller from home for the airport! I would recommend a quick-folding umbrella type - those bulky ones are horrible to fold & then get on the Disney Transport buses.

If you are worried about budget if you have AAA you can get a discount @ Pop Century (we wanted AoA LM room as well but they aren’t offering ANY discounts yet). Pop is a nice colorful resort & kids love it!

Also – you can do breakfast in the room.

If you’re thinking about character meals book breakfast or lunches – less expensive than dinner prices.

Character meals ARE the way to go to get all those photo ops! It beats standing in the Florida summer sun in a never ending line any day. The characters do a rotation around the dining hall to each table – all you’ll have to do is sit & wait your turn!

Purchase autograph books & any other trinkets, souvenirs @ home before you leave. (Mini battery op fan she can hold herself while you chauffeur the stroller.)

Buy a recognizable ribbon (bright, patterned) to tie to your stroller handle – makes it so much easier to find when you see the sea of strollers outside of VotLM!

Make sure to take mini-breaks - even if it's just a sit-down on a bench for a few minutes between rides/attractions - not just for her, but for yourself as well - it will make a world of difference!

They really do grow up so fast don't they? I have been trying to savor each moment/stage as much as possible since she was born... but it goes so fast that it is hard to remember all of it!

At first, I had a fantasy of going into the parks with little more than our magic bands... LOL I have quickly learned that I will need a small suitcase- Jk, but I know now that I will need at least a backpack.
Stashing the bag on the stroller is a great idea!

My ex-husband just renewed my AAA membership- nice, right? (we are as amicable as it gets) so I will look into that! Thank you for the tip!

I think I will buy an umbrella stroller. Even though I love our 'deluxe' stroller- it has places to stash stuff, cup holders for both mommy and kiddo, wallet holder, etc. and I still have it even though we haven't used it since she was 2, BUT it is big and bulky.

I have been planning- in my head so far (I need a binder asap!) to book several character meals. DD has been princess crazy since she was 2! But I don't think she will tolerate lines very well, so I want to minimize the necessity of waiting in lines as much as possible. I want to do CRT for breakfast, Arkhous (spelling?) breakfast, 1900... (uh, I forget the rest of the name) for dinner, and chef mickey's for dinner first night or lunch last day. I am also thinking about Hoop Dee Doo (is that right?)... can you tell I'm a newbie? LOL I am also going to try for FP to meet Anna and Elsa (yes, our house is as Frozen obsessed as the rest of America! )

I might make an autograph book/scrapbook for her (I haven't scrapbooked before, but I love to craft- and I have a year- doable, right? ) and I heard that the characters appreciate fat pens that are easier for their covered hands to hold.

The identifying ribbon is a fantastic idea! I've heard the CMs sometimes have to move the strollers around, so that will be a great way to find it.

A handheld fan is another awesome idea and mini-breaks are going to be a must- Thank you! My kiddo and I both get crankiest when a) tired, b) hot.

 

[SparkleMommy]

You will love AoA it is amazing. You feel like you just walked into the movie. The pools are super cute. We stay in Lion King in January would most definitely will stay here again. We have stayed at all the moderates. You might want to think about POFQ as this is a smaller resort, which is great at night... less steps to the room. The pool area is great, also there is a boat to DTD which is nice in the evenings. You can use both food courts and pools (POFQ & POR) which gives you more options. When DD was little I would choose a room with a king size bed, because she was gonna end up with me anyway. It gave us more room for everything, the strollers, bags, toys ......

I took my DD the 1st time when she was almost 3. Now she is 25 and married. I took her lots of times when it was just her and I. Here's some tips that helped me along the way.

Strollers - I would bring along a umbrella stroller with you for the airport. But I would look into renting a larger stroller from one of the companies that you can ask about here on the boards, I can't think of the name right now. This way she has room to move around and she can lay down, if she needs a quick nap, also a sun shade. I always left my park bag in the stroller when on rides, don't forget to bring something to cover the stroller up for rain that will come up out of no-where. A rain poncho and a couple of clothes pins or those pins you use to clip your beach towel to the chair works great. I suggest using a small cross body bag, for your wallet, glasses, camera, this way you have your hands free, but your money and stuff is protected.

We always take a break from the magic, head back to the room for a swim, nap. Gives you both time to recoup.

When planning, I would check out free dinning so that you get some character meals. If you stay at AoA you can up grade to the reg. dinning plan, which gives you 1CS & 1 TS plus 1 snack per person -per day - and its all paid for upfront, for me when I was a single mom this was wonderful.

The biggest thing I think I can suggest is to take your time, enjoy every minute. You won't be able to see everything so... be okay with it, there's always next trip

Keep on planning,

I'm getting more excited about AoA the more I read other people's positive reviews of it! I did think about POR for the royal rooms but I think that I'm going to save that for another trip.
I am planning on heading back to the hotel/pool in the afternoons for a break, hopefully. I am a little concerned about how long it will take to get there and back- but that's another reason I like AoA- direct buses.

I was planning on getting ponchos but I hadn't thought of a stroller cover! That is a great idea!

And renting a bigger stroller is also a great idea- Thank you! I was a little concerned about using an umbrella stroller all day- the bigger ones have a basket to stash bags without pulling the whole stroller over and ours has an adjustable seat back, so if she falls asleep, I can lay her down. I will look into rentals! Thanks!

I am going to do the DDP, it just seems so much easier and it will be nice to be paid upfront. I'll just have to be careful about spending using my magic band- because I've heard it is way too easy!

I love pixie dust!

 

[SparkleMommy]

When my kids were that young we always went to what ever park opened early for ex magic hours so we could leave at lunch time to eat and take naps, then go back to the park right before dinner so the day didn't feel like a waste. I also a small camera bag to carry any necessities, I also brought a stroller on the plane for the airport it was much easier. If you can stretch your budget a moderate resort is less crowded and the buses are way less busy, in a value you usually get stuck standing on the buses where you won't on a moderate bus.

I have been debating about extra magic hours. I have gotten advice to use them AND advice to avoid them due to the larger crowds.... I'm still not sure what to do!

I think I definitely need to bring a stroller to the airport- I have gotten this advice from many people now! My DD is a dwaddler (she loves to make us late- at least it seems like it to me! ), so if we have a connecting flight, I think a stroller will be a must!

I've heard the value resorts can be noisy, but the moderate resorts don't have direct buses... hmmm...

 

[SparkleMommy]

I'd stay at the least expensive value resort and put the saved money towards food, etc.. Honestly at that age the room does NOT matter, just the hotel experience is exciting for them and all of the value resorts have fun pool areas.

You can pack cereal, granola bars, pretzels, bowls, etc., in your luggage and buy milk in the gift shop grocery area.

I think that AoA will be good for us- she will love the theming and the pool(s). She doesn't eat much but I don't think I can get away with just one DDP for myself and sharing food with her. Not sure Disney would allow that and she is getting picky about what she eats anyway. So I would need to put the $ towards food.

Packing snacks is another great idea! I used to be the mom who remembered everything and could loan stuff to other mom's... now I'm the mom who remembers nothing! Partly due to going back to work full time (there's only so much room in my brain) and partly, believe it or not, to potty training! She potty trained when she was not quite 2&1/2 and since I stopped carrying a diaper bag (which I put EVERYTHING in), I now forget to take things like snacks, etc.

 

[luvmy2babies]

from another single mom

I’m widowed, so I’ve been on my own for all 4 of our trips. My younger child was 3 on our 2013 trip. Take the parks at a slow pace that agrees with your little girl. There is plenty to do without the big person rides. We have been in the under 40 inch group for all of our trips and partially because we have developed favorites we repeat we still haven’t done it all. We have not stayed at AofA. We have done 3 trips at All-Star Movies and one at Pop. If you are doing a package and budget is a concern, reserve as soon as you can to maximize the time you have to pay for it and to take advantage of any discount they might be offering because once they sell the number of rooms they have allotted for a discount, it goes away.

If you are going in June, I would agree with either adding a separate shade to the umbrella stroller or getting a stroller with a larger shade. The force of the sun will be as powerful during that time. And yes, a rain cover of some kind is essential for those afternoon drive by rain bursts. I have had a Baby Jogger City Mini on all of our summer time trips. 2 trips I rented one and 2 I bought mine from home. They fold with a pull on the handle in the seat so I am always able to get on and off the bus without much trouble. The only time it was difficult was when my son fell asleep on the way back and I had to carry them both. The MacLaren series also have good shades and that shoulder strap comes in handy. Ebay can have some good deals on those.

Fast pass what you can in April when your fast pass date opens. If you want character meals be sure to reserve them in December when that opens along with Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and/or Pirate’s League if you want it. I am always in line behind someone trying to bring their children for a same day reservation or appointment for a meal or makeover. I feel bad for them.

I’m afraid the little fridges at the resorts (outside the Villas and suites) won’t freeze any water. What I did was order smaller bottles of water (8oz) and juices like Capri Sun and Kool-Aid for grocery delivery and put them in a gallon sized zip lock bag with ice. They stayed cooler longer that way. I was there last week and was able to fit 3 juice packets and 2 bottles of water in a bag with ice.

I did carry a bag, but a drawstring backpack is lighter. Wal-Mart has miniature fans you can hook to a lanyard that make a nice breeze or you can pick up one that holds water. I also got a clip on fan for my son’s stroller. I love his snack trap cup (the one with the lid that has splits in it so their little finger can go in but the food won’t spill). They are great for Teddy Grahams, Goldfish and Ritz Bitz.

It appears you are planning on flying. I always say my first rule for traveling alone with a child or children is to pack carefully. I find a good thing to do is to pack with the mindset that no one will help me carry our stuff. When my daughter was 3 and we traveled alone that meant pushing a stroller with one hand, wearing a backpack and pulling an upright with the other hand. I also try to dress for security screening, mainly no belt and shoes I can get in and out of easily. As a single mom I love Magical Express and the luggage service that comes with it. Nothing like dropping those bags at the home airport and having them show up in the room later. I also use Resort Airline Check-in when we come home and check the bags at the resort instead of the airport. Just be sure to note the times it is available so if you want to take full advantage of it, you can schedule your flights accordingly. One big thing to remember is on your return you will leave your resort about 3 hours before your flight so try not to schedule anything too early.

We have had the DDP on 3 of 4 trips and I definitely prefer having it. I usually break even or come out just ahead, but I love having the food pretty much paid for ahead of time.

I hope you enjoy your trip.

 

[jimsanfilippo]

I have been planning- in my head so far (I need a binder asap!) to book several character meals. DD has been princess crazy since she was 2! But I don't think she will tolerate lines very well, so I want to minimize the necessity of waiting in lines as much as possible. I want to do CRT for breakfast, Arkhous (spelling?) breakfast, 1900... (uh, I forget the rest of the name) for dinner, and chef mickey's for dinner first night or lunch last day. I am also thinking about Hoop Dee Doo (is that right?)... can you tell I'm a newbie? LOL I am also going to try for FP to meet Anna and Elsa (yes, our house is as Frozen obsessed as the rest of America! )

Regarding costs and time management with character meals I would say this. First, the first time to WDW can be overwhelming and while we were still newer to the experience we found that having a lot of dining reservations really hampered any sort of spontaneity. If our kids were having a blast doing something in some area of a park or at the pool we found ourselves having to make them stop in order to make it to a reservation on time. This often made our kids extremely unhappy. I would encourage you to keep that in mind.

But if you are set on doing a lot of character dinings, and who could blame you because they're awesome, then I was wondering if you would consider going at a different time of the year when free dining is offered. I don't know how set you are on your dates but each fall WDW has been offering this perk and it is a HUGE money saver, even if you stay at a value resort and have to upgrade to the package with table service. All the character dinings are included in the dining plan (1 or 2 might require you to use two credits, like Cinderella's Royal Table) and are very expensive out-of-pocket if you're not on a plan.

Just some stuff to consider.

 

[jimsanfilippo]

Also, remember to book your ADRs ASAP when you are 180 days out. Chef Mickeys, CRT, Be Our Guest, etc., fill up super fast, especially if you don't want your breakfast to be at 11:15am or your dinner to be at 9:30pm. And you can book for your entire stay as long as your first day is at the 180 mark.

Another big thing that saves TONS of time in travel to and from the parks is renting a car. For just the two of you the small cost of an economy car would be VERY worth it. And your car seat flies free on airlines and your parking is free at the parks if you're staying on-property.

Disney's transportation is brutally slow (especially the buses) at busy times (like park closing) and can eat up several hours of prime fun/sleep time over the course of a trip. And if you do have a car getting out of MK at closing time is much, much easier if you've parked at the Contemporary/Bay Lake Towers. It's a 10 minute walk to your car and a 20 minute drive to your hotel instead of a 1 hour journey packed in with sweaty strangers in buses.

 

[SparkleMommy]

Fast pass what you can in April when your fast pass date opens. If you want character meals be sure to reserve them in December when that opens along with Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique and/or Pirate’s League if you want it. I am always in line behind someone trying to bring their children for a same day reservation or appointment for a meal or makeover. I feel bad for them.

I did carry a bag, but a drawstring backpack is lighter. Wal-Mart has miniature fans you can hook to a lanyard that make a nice breeze or you can pick up one that holds water. I also got a clip on fan for my son’s stroller. I love his snack trap cup (the one with the lid that has splits in it so their little finger can go in but the food won’t spill). They are great for Teddy Grahams, Goldfish and Ritz Bitz.

It appears you are planning on flying. I always say my first rule for traveling alone with a child or children is to pack carefully. I find a good thing to do is to pack with the mindset that no one will help me carry our stuff. When my daughter was 3 and we traveled alone that meant pushing a stroller with one hand, wearing a backpack and pulling an upright with the other hand. I also try to dress for security screening, mainly no belt and shoes I can get in and out of easily. As a single mom I love Magical Express and the luggage service that comes with it. Nothing like dropping those bags at the home airport and having them show up in the room later. I also use Resort Airline Check-in when we come home and check the bags at the resort instead of the airport. Just be sure to note the times it is available so if you want to take full advantage of it, you can schedule your flights accordingly. One big thing to remember is on your return you will leave your resort about 3 hours before your flight so try not to schedule anything too early.

We have had the DDP on 3 of 4 trips and I definitely prefer having it. I usually break even or come out just ahead, but I love having the food pretty much paid for ahead of time.

I hope you enjoy your trip.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for the tips!
I am feeling much more confident about all of my plans now! I have made my flight reservations and was able to get cheap non-stop flights- whew! I am so glad about the luggage service and Magical Express! Disney rocks!
I went with the DDP too because we are doing a lot of character breakfasts! I agree that I will come out ahead this way- I crunched the numbers.

I am so excited!!

 

[SparkleMommy]

Regarding costs and time management with character meals I would say this. First, the first time to WDW can be overwhelming and while we were still newer to the experience we found that having a lot of dining reservations really hampered any sort of spontaneity. If our kids were having a blast doing something in some area of a park or at the pool we found ourselves having to make them stop in order to make it to a reservation on time. This often made our kids extremely unhappy. I would encourage you to keep that in mind.

But if you are set on doing a lot of character dinings, and who could blame you because they're awesome, then I was wondering if you would consider going at a different time of the year when free dining is offered. I don't know how set you are on your dates but each fall WDW has been offering this perk and it is a HUGE money saver, even if you stay at a value resort and have to upgrade to the package with table service. All the character dinings are included in the dining plan (1 or 2 might require you to use two credits, like Cinderella's Royal Table) and are very expensive out-of-pocket if you're not on a plan.

Just some stuff to consider.

I wish I could go in the fall but I am a teacher, so I'm obliged to stick to the school calendar. but I've made my peace with it! I did end up doing the DDP due to the high number of character meals we are doing this time.

 

[SparkleMommy]

Also, remember to book your ADRs ASAP when you are 180 days out. Chef Mickeys, CRT, Be Our Guest, etc., fill up super fast, especially if you don't want your breakfast to be at 11:15am or your dinner to be at 9:30pm. And you can book for your entire stay as long as your first day is at the 180 mark.

Another big thing that saves TONS of time in travel to and from the parks is renting a car. For just the two of you the small cost of an economy car would be VERY worth it. And your car seat flies free on airlines and your parking is free at the parks if you're staying on-property.

Disney's transportation is brutally slow (especially the buses) at busy times (like park closing) and can eat up several hours of prime fun/sleep time over the course of a trip. And if you do have a car getting out of MK at closing time is much, much easier if you've parked at the Contemporary/Bay Lake Towers. It's a 10 minute walk to your car and a 20 minute drive to your hotel instead of a 1 hour journey packed in with sweaty strangers in buses.

I booked my ADRs in December at my 180 day window- with some internet issues- it wouldn't let me book beyond my first day so I had to wait an hour and call the ressie line BUT I got everything I wanted even BOG! WOOT!

I'm not going to get a rental car simply because I can't afford it- as a single mom on a teacher's salary, this trip is stretching my budget even with a year of payments!! But that is ok, we can deal with buses (she will probably fall asleep).

We are super excited!

 

[dbarker]

You can get FREE cups of ice water in the parks. Just look for places w/ soda fountains and just ask for a cup of ice water.

 

[BubblyTrip]

I had DS alone last year, and my recommendation is to rent a nice stroller for the parks (citi minis are great to push one handed). I also bring an inexpensive fairy wand or something and tape it to the stroller so I can find it easily in the stroller parking. They move your stroller sometimes, so you need a way to spot it quickly. Keep a bag under the stroller, as others have mentioned. I buy or bring a couple souvenirs, which helps keep him entertained in lines. We also start at EMH and power through a lot of stuff in the early hours.

 

[tooh8ful]

I just wanted to tell the OP I'm excited FOR you! The first time I took my oldest daughter she was 4. That is THE most magical time for little princesses! Your daughter is going to have an AMAZING time, enjoy every second of it!