Single Parent with two kids

[wendlle]

OK, so as you can see by my signature I have been to WDW and DL a whole bunch of times, and some of them were solo trips, some with my partner and some with my partner and my kids.

Now, I have NEVER been with just myself and my two kids (they are 4 and 7)

What issues am I going to encounter? I know that most rides I can't have both of my kids with me, so the 7yo will have to be by herself or I will have to be alone so the kids can be next to each other which is fine in dark rides like Alice etc because we are all in the one little car.
But what about Haunted Mansion? Can 3 fit? What about other rides??
I know I'm not going to be able to go on any roller coasters because my kids both don't like them, which is a HUGE sad face for me but hey, what can you do right?!

Both kids have been before (this past November) and we are looking at coming for 5 days in early September.

Just wondering if anyone here has been in this situation before.

 

[senoragilbert]

We squeezed into HM with myself, DH, and DS19. Now, DS is a noodle, but my DH and I are definitely not! I think you'll find it'll work out more often than not; we are almost always 3 since DS is an only child and occasionally we had to split up (roller coasters, etc) but often we could ride together (and apparently still can on HM ).

 

[Kerr84]

You can fit 3 on Autopia, Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder, Mater’s and some others, but that is what I am remembering off the top of my head. The official wording is that anyone under 7 must ride with someone that is 14 years or older. Now, in a ride like Alice where you are all in the same ride vehicle, then I’m sure they could sit together. But if it is something where they only allow 2, then your 7 year old would have to sit by themselves.

I would say have a plan for when you all need to use the bathroom. Either take them into a handicap stall with you or wait for a family restroom.

I would also bring a double stroller with you if you have one so you don’t have to worry about keeping up with them when you are walking through crowded areas.

 

[wendlle]

You can fit 3 on Autopia, Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder, Mater’s and some others, but that is what I am remembering off the top of my head. The official wording is that anyone under 7 must ride with someone that is 14 years or older. Now, in a ride like Alice where you are all in the same ride vehicle, then I’m sure they could sit together. But if it is something where they only allow 2, then your 7 year old would have to sit by themselves.

I would say have a plan for when you all need to use the bathroom. Either take them into a handicap stall with you or wait for a family restroom.

I would also bring a double stroller with you if you have one so you don’t have to worry about keeping up with them when you are walking through crowded areas.

7yo def doesn't need the stroller. We just went this past November and she walked all day for 5 days just fine, my kids are pretty good at staying with me so I'm all fine on that one.
As for the bathroom, we all go together, we either cram into a regular stall or try to use the "family rooms" when they are available.

It's more the logistics of the rides that has me concerned. One of their fav rides is dumbo and astro orbiter - what about those? Can my 7yo go in a vehicle alone with us in the other one?

 

[miksicnarf]

3 can fit in Dumbo, I’ve ridden with my son and 1 grandchild. Not sure about Astro Orbiter.

 

[Kerr84]

7yo def doesn't need the stroller. We just went this past November and she walked all day for 5 days just fine, my kids are pretty good at staying with me so I'm all fine on that one.
As for the bathroom, we all go together, we either cram into a regular stall or try to use the "family rooms" when they are available.

It's more the logistics of the rides that has me concerned. One of their fav rides is dumbo and astro orbiter - what about those? Can my 7yo go in a vehicle alone with us in the other one?

Yes, your 7 year old should be allowed to ride any ride alone except for any they don’t meet the height requirement.

 

[senoragilbert]

The official policy from Disney:

“Children should be supervised. Guests under age 14 must be accompanied by a Guest age 14 or older to enter a theme park or water park. To board an attraction, children under age 7 must be accompanied by a person age 14 years or older.

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/park-rules/

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

The 7 year old can ride anything alone as long as the height requirement is met.

The 7 and 4 year old cannot be in a ride vehicle by themselves (you would have to be in there too).

There are some rides where the seat configuration makes it so you might be adjacent to the 4 year old rather than right next to them. The ride operators will instruct you how to make it work on the various rides.

I go to the parks alone with my two boys about the same age and we haven’t experienced any problems. Many rides allow you to sit three to a ride vehicle.

 

[monkeypat83]

With your kids being that little there is very little where you won't be able to fit 3 across. Golden Zypher specifically has 2 seatbelts so your 7 year old will either have to sit in front of you or in back of you on that one. Another one will be Silly Symphony Swings where kids have to be a certain height to sit alone though I assume a 7 year old would be fine and you would ride tandem with the 4 year old