Two and a Half Men

[dakotix]

We're adopting! 2018 will be our first trip as a bonafied family of 3! All of our past trips were just the two of us (two adults). So how does this change our planning strategy?

 

[gr8leg8]

Congrats!
Not sure what your current planning strategy is...
There is the obvious logic of take your time. Kid minutes are often like football minutes. They take the time they are gonna take.

How old will the new family member be at time of travel?
Seeing the parks through the wondering eyes of a child is one of my favorite things!
my best wishes of All the joys of parenthood for your family

 

[buzz2400]

You don't state how young the new one will be. You might have to "baby swap" on some rides if the new one is not tall enough to ride or doesn't want to ride. I had to skip haunted mansion for many years because my ds was too scared to go on that ride. Also if under 5 or 6 of age you definitely need to bring a stroller. That is a must. You will also not be able to go all day long. You will have to take a midday nap. Congrats.

 

[dakotix]

You don't state how young the new one will be. You might have to "baby swap" on some rides if the new one is not tall enough to ride or doesn't want to ride. I had to skip haunted mansion for many years because my ds was too scared to go on that ride. Also if under 5 or 6 of age you definitely need to bring a stroller. That is a must. You will also not be able to go all day long. You will have to take a midday nap. Congrats.

He'll be in the 3-6 age range but could be as old as 8 or 9. We're busy now trying to decide which child we can help the most. Its a hard decision but we're very excited.

 

[Jen and Ashwin]

We're adopting! 2018 will be our first trip as a bonafied family of 3! All of our past trips were just the two of us (two adults). So how does this change our planning strategy?

I don't have kids yet (but hoping soon!) so I don't have much constructive advice, but I wanted to say congrats! Very exciting and hope everything goes smoothly for you during adoption the process.

 

[dakotix]

I don't have kids yet (but hoping soon!) so I don't have much constructive advice, but I wanted to say congrats! Very exciting and hope everything goes smoothly for you during adoption the process.

Thank you! Its a long process and we're happy to be reaching the end soon!

 

[DisneyWorldbuff]

That's so great! Congratulations. Your Disney trips will probably include more riding the same rides repeatedly
When my daughter was about four, she wanted to ride Small World over and over again. After three times through, your brain is permanently altered. But seriously, You will get to see WDW through your child's eyes which is the Most amazing thing ever. You get so many firsts together as family. Enjoy it, time flies way to fast. Congrats again!

 

[100AcreWood]

Another big congrats! I'm adopted!
Disney is different with kids but in a good way. You see things through their eyes. You stand in line for characters if they aren't scared but most of all you take things at their pace. Please come back to the boards and tell us about your experience!

Best wishes!

 

[MomToOne]

As a fellow adoptive parent, first I congratulate you! But as far as Disney goes, I just encourage you to pay attention to your child's cues and work from there. Don't over plan - you need to be able to adapt. You may even find that you need to postpone Disney for a few more years. Kids who haven't had a stable routine often desperately need one, and even "fun" non-routine events like Disney can be a disruption that throws them off track. But you'll figure all that out as you start establishing a relationship!

Also, on a note completely unrelated to Disney trips, here is one piece of wisdom I once read that got me through many a rough day with DD: kids save their worst behavior for the people they are secure with/trust the most.

 

[dakotix]

Also, on a note completely unrelated to Disney trips, here is one piece of wisdom I once read that got me through many a rough day with DD: kids save their worst behavior for the people they are secure with/trust the most.

Thank you. Nothing is set in stone yet. A trip in 2018 is the goal but of course that will depend on how he transitions into our home.

 

[kid-at-heart]

How wonderful! Our family was created by adoption and it has been the most wonderful nineteen years (our daughter is in college now). I was not a Disney fan until I saw it through Sarah's eyes (at age four). Now I am hooked. When Sarah was younger, we took our cues from her as to what we should do regarding park, hotel pool, etc. I do not know about your little guy but Sarah enjoyed doing things outside the park as much as in the park. Even when staying elsewhere, we would go over to Wilderness Lodge and rent bikes to ride around the camp grounds, go mini-golfing, tour the different resorts, etc. Look for things to do that go beyond the parks so that it becomes a "Disney experience for him" and not a "theme park experience". And the biggie for us, remember it is ok to say no when you realize he is getting tired and needs down time ("No, we can't ride more rides, Dads need a nap.")

So very happy for you guys, all three of you.

Kate

 

[DisneyMandC]

Congrats! I would suggest checking out some of the Disney travel books geared towards kids. Might give a good idea on the rides/attractions kids enjoy more. I remember my mom used to get me the book for whichever year we were going before we went and I always enjoyed reading it.