tips for staying in a value room with a toddler?

dtr_angel

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Jan 13, 2008
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Any tips for staying in a standard value room with a 2 year old?

We're pretty sure we are going to book a trip for 2 months out. We're going to fly since it's going to be a very short trip and stay onsite in a value since they are so cheap. Our last trip in May we stayed offsite for the first time in a 3 bedroom condo and loved having the space. I never thought we would be able to stay in a value, but we did 3 nights last week in a hotel room for DS's 2nd birthday at Sesame Place. We co slept in a king bed and it worked out just fine for the most part. The only tough part was not having much space for our stuff and stroller. Nap time wasn't much fun either but it was okay. DH and I stayed at Pop twice before DS was born but it's been so long I just don't remember much about the size of the room. How do you stay organized and not tripping over the stroller and luggage while you are in such a small space?
 
If you put your luggage on the luggage rack and the shelf over the clothes hanging area (for lack of a better term) you luggage won't be in the way. You can request a king size bed at Pop but it isn't guaranteed. The other rooms have 2 full size beds. You can request a pack and play crib if you think your little one will sleep in one.
 
Our family really has no issue when we stay at a value. Our 3 piece luggage fits inside itself and then we would put the big one that was left between the bed and the bathroom wall close to the headboard and use it as a small table. The stroller we just kept by the head of the bed closest to the door, we never even folded it:) We also requested 2-3 bedrails to help keep our DD's corralled in the bed:rotfl: On our 1st trip with our 1st DD, we found out the hard way that she was better falling asleep in the stroller at the park then taking her back to our room. We even spent more $$$ to stay at Poly for this reason:( We do bring a closet organizer that really helps out, we now take 2 because our DDs will use 1/2 of one for their toys. I hope this helps, have a magical trip.
 
The only potential problem with POP that I can see is that you can't always get a king bed even when you request them. We went on our honeymoon and they wouldn't give us a king bed the first night. I complained and got one the second night, but I think king beds are usually in high demand and there aren't enough to meet demand.
 

Any tips for staying in a standard value room with a 2 year old?

We're pretty sure we are going to book a trip for 2 months out. We're going to fly since it's going to be a very short trip and stay onsite in a value since they are so cheap. Our last trip in May we stayed offsite for the first time in a 3 bedroom condo and loved having the space. I never thought we would be able to stay in a value, but we did 3 nights last week in a hotel room for DS's 2nd birthday at Sesame Place. We co slept in a king bed and it worked out just fine for the most part. The only tough part was not having much space for our stuff and stroller. Nap time wasn't much fun either but it was okay. DH and I stayed at Pop twice before DS was born but it's been so long I just don't remember much about the size of the room. How do you stay organized and not tripping over the stroller and luggage while you are in such a small space?

I haven't stayed at POP but we travel a lot and some of the cities we visit have teeny tiny hotel rooms that are still crazy expensive (I'm looking at you SanFran :headache:). Sometimes there's not enough room for a luggage rack in the room and with a (now) 3 yo, it can be super tight.

So we usually ask for 2 queens. It seems to usually be a bigger room, and there is always one bed near the wall with a gap. We bring hanging cloth shelves for our clothes in the closet and one for diapers/kid stuff (I have a phobia of bedbugs so we do not use drawers), and then we put the empty suitcases along the wall where DD sleeps. Then I cosleep on the other side of her. DH sleeps in the second bed.

We keep the stroller by the door but other than Disney, DD hasn't used a stroller since she was walking. We buy her a seat on the plane, bring her carseat for safety, and keep the carseat in the car.

We wash her cups and anything else like that in the bathroom (she's on an alternative milk since she's allergic to milk and soy) and bring dish soap and dish towels (but loved BLT's mini kitchen on our last trip and will miss it on this one!).

I also put DD and my clothes in ziplock bags and I bring an extra suitcase with her bedding, pillow, and snacks. Keeps us somewhat organized.
 
you will be fine. We are not crazy about the values but we do stay there sometimes and are perfectly fine. We were unable to book a king bed in January for DS, DH and myself. We would had preferred sharing a king to having two doubles but they said 3 was over the occupancy for that room. Not sure if under three would be ok, DS is 7.

When we stay at pop, we try to pack light and we do use the drawers. We also have an over the door shoe organizer that we keep everything like shower gel etc in. easy. We put food on the clothes shelf, and we try to keep things in order. We always brought a few toys to keep little ones happy in the room. At WDW, I did let him play on the floor, though it does gross me out a bit.
Nap time we would just use our ipads or phone...same at bedtime. We also really spend little time in the room. If one of us were ready first, we would take the little guy for a walk or to get coffee or whatever.

You really will be fine. If you end up with two doubles, ask for a bed rail and one of you sleep with the kid. The beds are small and we do better with one of us and a child and the other one alone....if older DS is not along. We have not all 4 stayed at pop together.
 
We use a fold up travel cot for our toddler. He was out of the crib at 18 months (because he was climbing out) and we originally bought the cot as a nap option when he stays at grandma's one day a week. He loved it and having that familiar item when we travel was good for him.

The cot easily collapses during the day and is so much more compact than a pack and play, which he would have climbed out of anyway. It's only 8-10 inches off the ground, so it's similar to a toddler bed.
 





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