We leave in 10 days and now DH can't go! HELP!

[natenapril]

So my DH found out he has to outprocess the week we are going to DL!! Which leaves me with 3 kiddos alone (ages, 10,5, and, 3) .

My oldest loves Splash Mtn but my younger 2 will not ride it. Can she go on it in the single rider line while we wait?
Has anyone here gone with so 3 kiddos by themselves and survived?
I will take all the advice I can get!! I am still a little bummed he won't be there to see the kids at DL. I now I can't ride Indie

 

[davidsprincess]

I am sure that you have already thought of this, but is there anyone that could go with you? Friend, family member, grandma/grandpa?

Could your oldest help out with the youngest? I am sure that your DD will be albe to do the single rider option, but don't quote me on that. Ask a CM at the rides and find out.

There has to be others on this board that have gone by themselves with their kids and survived to tell the tale. You just might have to utilize that down time in the afternoon back at the hotel for yourself and not just the kids! Keep your chin up and I am so sorry that DH can't go with you. Can you post pone your trip for a few days and go when he can come with you?

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

Sounds like a task, but I'm sure you'll be fine. Plan a little more then you were going to, take breaks, and try to have fun!

 

[natenapril]

I am sure that you have already thought of this, but is there anyone that could go with you? Friend, family member, grandma/grandpa?

Could your oldest help out with the youngest? I am sure that your DD will be albe to do the single rider option, but don't quote me on that. Ask a CM at the rides and find out.

There has to be others on this board that have gone by themselves with their kids and survived to tell the tale. You just might have to utilize that down time in the afternoon back at the hotel for yourself and not just the kids! Keep your chin up and I am so sorry that DH can't go with you. Can you post pone your trip for a few days and go when he can come with you?

We live In CA for now and my family are all in Ohio. No one can take leave at the last minute and the plane ticket would cost my first born LOL.

My older DD is a big help but I know she has been looking forward to going to Dl for awhile and I want to make sure she gets to do as much as possible.

We can't postpone because we are headed back to Alaska shortly after our trip to DL!

If anyone else is there Memorial week I will be the crazy lady with 3 kiddos!

 

[natenapril]

Sounds like a task, but I'm sure you'll be fine. Plan a little more then you were going to, take breaks, and try to have fun!

THanks! I hope that I can still make this a good memory for the my little ones. We shall see. My 3 year old son is quite the hanful right now. Rambunctious is the nice word for him

 

[TiredX2]

We live In CA for now and my family are all in Ohio. No one can take leave at the last minute and the plane ticket would cost my first born LOL.

My older DD is a big help but I know she has been looking forward to going to Dl for awhile and I want to make sure she gets to do as much as possible.

We can't postpone because we are headed back to Alaska shortly after our trip to DL!

If anyone else is there Memorial week I will be the crazy lady with 3 kiddos!

Do you have a teenaged babysitter? It might be worth it (to you) to pay for their ticket/r&b to have the extra help. You could even set it up so they only needed to help you part of the day.

 

[cccdisney]

Your 10 yr old daughter can ride attractions alone. I have a DD10 and DS8 and when we were there in March I got sick and spent a day in the hotel room. Because my dh had the 2 yr old he couldn't ride all the rides they wanted to. My older two will ride ANYTHING. So they rode TOT, California Screamin, Space Mt, Splash, Indy - all alone (well as a pair together). I think the rule is 7 yrs and older can ride without an adult. Of course a lot also depends on your child's maturity level and what YOU are comfortable with!

 

[MATTERHORN]

I go all the time with my three kiddos by myself and they were much smaller than yours. You will be fine!!! Trust me!! Atleast your oldest is able to help you out a bit. When I started going alone, mine were 5, 2.5 and 2 months!!! Those were some of my best trips.

Now my oldest is 7 and able to single ride quite a bit. She does go on Splash and California Screamin by herself. I just wait at the single rider entrance with the other two. And my oldest also knows that she will not get to ride as many bigger rides when this is the situation. I explain to her ahead of time and she is fine with it.

Some tips that help a lot, take advantage of fastpass and baby swap for rides that don't have single rider lines. Also when I go alone, a doubel stroller is a must. Not sure where you are staying but it makes my life a MILLION times easier to stay across the street rather than deal with the kids, a double stroller, and the shuttle. Also I eat more sit down meals because it's easier than trying to carry all the food and wrangle the little ones.

Mine though, were a lot smaller then and couldn't help me as much as yours can!! You will be fine, and you will have a FABULOUS time with the kids. Go into it with a can do attitude and all will be well.

Andrea

 

[natenapril]

Do you have a teenaged babysitter? It might be worth it (to you) to pay for their ticket/r&b to have the extra help. You could even set it up so they only needed to help you part of the day.

Nope. We just moved here about 7 months ago and nobody to invite. Good idea though.

 

[natenapril]

Your 10 yr old daughter can ride attractions alone. I have a DD10 and DS8 and when we were there in March I got sick and spent a day in the hotel room. Because my dh had the 2 yr old he couldn't ride all the rides they wanted to. My older two will ride ANYTHING. So they rode TOT, California Screamin, Space Mt, Splash, Indy - all alone (well as a pair together). I think the rule is 7 yrs and older can ride without an adult. Of course a lot also depends on your child's maturity level and what YOU are comfortable with!

Thanks! I was hoping she could go on rides alone. She is almost 11 and mature for her age. She is ging to be happy to hear this.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I think you'll be fine. Given the age of your oldest, she's not that much younger than taking a teenager. I am sorry your husband cannot go however!

One suggestion that may or may not be something you would consider, the Grand Californian has a kids club. If your oldest doesn't want to ride alone, maybe you could put the two younger ones in that and you and she could go do a few things yourselves one afternoon.

If that isn't a possiblity, than the single rider lines will be great, Splash Mountain in particular. YOu and the younger ones can go right there with her, see her load on the log and then be right there when she gets off.

 

[natenapril]

I go all the time with my three kiddos by myself and they were much smaller than yours. You will be fine!!! Trust me!! Atleast your oldest is able to help you out a bit. When I started going alone, mine were 5, 2.5 and 2 months!!! Those were some of my best trips.

Now my oldest is 7 and able to single ride quite a bit. She does go on Splash and California Screamin by herself. I just wait at the single rider entrance with the other two. And my oldest also knows that she will not get to ride as many bigger rides when this is the situation. I explain to her ahead of time and she is fine with it.

Some tips that help a lot, take advantage of fastpass and baby swap for rides that don't have single rider lines. Also when I go alone, a doubel stroller is a must. Not sure where you are staying but it makes my life a MILLION times easier to stay across the street rather than deal with the kids, a double stroller, and the shuttle. Also I eat more sit down meals because it's easier than trying to carry all the food and wrangle the little ones.

Mine though, were a lot smaller then and couldn't help me as much as yours can!! You will be fine, and you will have a FABULOUS time with the kids. Go into it with a can do attitude and all will be well.

Andrea

Thanks Andrea. I am trying to stay positive! It's nice to hear other moms have survived
We are staying at Hojos and I will be bringing my Volo stroller with me. My 5 yr old and 3 yr old took turns when we went in December.

I am going to try to book a breakfast and lunch tomorrow. We were going to wing it but now we are going to have a few plans!

 

[Jenn1116]

I'm wondering if there are DISers who will be there at the same time as you, and might be willing to meet up with you? hmmm...

 

[vbecky]

I feel your anxiety mine aren't little little I have a 14 & 10 year old boys but this Aug. will be my first time going with them without DH. I am though really looking forward to it just being mom and sons trip! My oldest already knows that there might be some rides he has to sit by himself for we prob. can't all 3 fit in seat but he is fine with that. I am sure you will be just fine and afterall you will be in DL so everything is better!

 

[kc10family]

So my DH found out he has to outprocess the week we are going to DL!! Which leaves me with 3 kiddos alone (ages, 10,5, and, 3) .

My oldest loves Splash Mtn but my younger 2 will not ride it. Can she go on it in the single rider line while we wait?
Has anyone here gone with so 3 kiddos by themselves and survived?
I will take all the advice I can get!! I am still a little bummed he won't be there to see the kids at DL. I now I can't ride Indie

Is he outprocessing for deployment or PCS?
If it's PCS, then he can try to make arragnments to change the dates. If it's deployment he might be able to have his commander make an agreement with him that he would need to do things before he left (things he can do alone and not with the group) and cut his time with you short and fly back from DL.
I would give him different ideas and see if he will take that up with his boss.

Best of luck.

 

[AStamm]

Does anyone know if there are any babysitting services available in one of the DL hotels? I know WDW has Neverland at the GF. I there is one of these services available it would be an extra special treat to drop off the two younger ones there and spend a few hours alone with DD10 as a thank-you for being patient and helping out with the youngest.

 

[brenda1966]

I think to use the babysitting services at the DL hotels, you'd probably have to be staying there.

But I'm wondering if there are any local babysitting services that come to the good neighbor hotels? I know at WDW there are a few.

I'm wondering if you could find a babysitter with an AP that could come into the park with you for a day and help you out with the kids?

On some rides, like Star tours, you can get in line with your child and then just walk "through" to the other side and wait for them. I'd almost bet you could do the same on Splash. I'd as a CM about that -- taking your oldest child up through the line and getting them on the ride while you and the two youngest take the exit and wait for the oldest child to get off the ride.

 

[MPHARJ]

You will be fine and your oldest can ride the rides alone as long as she is ok with it, my DD has on several occasions. I have taken m 3 kids for the past 7 years to WDW by myself except for last year when I took my parents along as a surprise. Then my oldest who is now on his own was 11, DD was 5 almost 6 and DS was 1 almost 2. No regrets getting out there on our own and having a great time. You wil have so much fun!

 

[bumbershoot]

If anyone else is there Memorial week I will be the crazy lady with 3 kiddos!

We are staying at Hojos and I will be bringing my Volo stroller with me. My 5 yr old and 3 yr old took turns when we went in December.

I'm wondering if there are DISers who will be there at the same time as you, and might be willing to meet up with you? hmmm...

We're there the 25th through the 29th. We're staying at HoJo, and we have a Volo.

PLEASE let's meet up so you can go on some fun rides and we can help you with your kids!

Right now we have a princess breakfast scheduled at 9:40 on the 26th for DS's birthday request. But he got all thrilled thinking about Lilo and Stitch, and is now saying he'd rather have b'fast with them instead of the princesses (he just loves the princesses (and the attention they give him)), so we might switch over there, just in case you've made plans for either of those meals on that day.

 

[21yankees]

I did this last year over spring break. My kids were 5, 3, and 1. Yes I was like this the entire time . Needless to say I didn't need to worry about the 'major' rides but I was worried about naps, eating, etc. We stayed at the Residence Inn (a bit of a walk) and I had a double stroller. I recommend you have your itinerary planned in advance and have flexible alternatives. Take breaks when needed and try to preempt them so you can try to avoid the meltdowns.
Feel free to ask any specific questions you may have. You'll have fun no matter what, afterall look where you'll be .

steph