Would this be considered rude, or acceptable?

[Ardenne]

My 2-year-old is *just now* getting pretty good at using the potty. We don't want to set him back while at WDW by just putting him back into diapers.

If he decides he needs to go while we're waiting in a line, is it acceptable for just one of the 4 adults in our group to take him to the restroom and then rejoin the rest of us? Or would that be considered line cutting, since they did get out of the line?

I'll of course take him to the potty frequently in between rides -- but still, this is bound to come up at some point during our weeklong trip. I'd love to hear how others have handled it themselves, or whether you personally would be offended/upset if a family in front of you in the line let one adult take the child to the restroom and then return.

 

[madalex]

I think it would be acceptable, but would certainly like to hear what others have to say as well.

 

[ksdave]

We had people try to maintain the potty training while on a trip to WDW with us. It was a real bummer for everyone else in the group. We were all constantly waiting for the little girl to go. After two days, we finally had to split up so the older kids didn't have their trip destroyed. I suggest Pull Ups for the trip. A few days away from training won't matter in the long run and then everyone can enjoy their trip.
As for leaving the line and then coming back, most people don't pay any attention to who leaves a line, but they all notice those cutting in. Unless you want to hear an earful, I would avoid that practice.

 

[Tiger Fan]

If we were a family in line behind you and saw you had to slip out with your little and especially since most of the party would be remaining in line, we'd gladly re-welcome you in front of us upon your return. What I hate to see is one person in line and then a half a dozen others show up (had not seen them in line prior) and join - I think that's pushing, but what you've described is perfectly fine and I think most would not be offended.
Lisa
Tiger Fan

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

I may be in the minority here, but I think this is totally acceptable. Speaking from experience with my own boys: when a little boy, recently potty trained has to go.........he has to GO!!!!!!!!! I'm not saying you won't get some dirty looks from unsympathic people who forgot how it was to potty train their children, but overlook them and be proud your little one is potty trained so early!!!

 

[WendyMichaelJohn]

It might not be rude, but it might be exceptionally inconvenient to you and your group.

It may also be stressful for the child. At home, you can take all the time in the world to work on potty training. On the trip, even if you don't tell the child, they may sense that people are waiting on them. Feeling pressured doesn't help the pt experience at all.

I'd suggest getting some Disney character Pull-ups. Tell him that at home he has to potty, but at WDW Mickey says it is okay if he uses Disney Pull Ups.

I'm sure there is a much better way of working that approach, but you get the idea.


Shel

 

[KAMommy]

I have had to do this with my kids in the past and I never had a problem. If I got "looks" I would just smile and say "sorry, we had to go potty". This was always met with a knowing grin. After all, all parents have had to potty train, and anyone who even knows a parent has heard about it. (probably in more detail than they wanted!! )

I say leave the line if you must. Anyone with any sensitivity will understand and the rest just need some pixie dust.

 

[Lora]

If you have an emergency, I would hope people would understand. However - I think it's going to be impractical much of the time to have someone leave the line and then return after the potty trip. Since the lines are not out in the open most of the time, but the time they return, they'll have to pass by lots of folks who just aren't going to know what's going on. That could get uncomfortable.

I wouldn't worry about using a pull-up for the vacation just for that slim chance of an accident. I know how you feel about his progress, but I think you could get back to normal after the trip if he regresses a bit. Being in a different surrounding may be enough to have him regress anyway. I always had to take pull-ups for my dd at night even after she stopped bed-wetting at home. Inevitably she would have accidents in the hotel at night.

 

[WendyMichaelJohn]

I should clarify. If you did decide to go the route of leaving the line, I personally would be supremely understanding if I were in the line. And if you feel that sticking to the pt is the best thing, then go for it. My dd was always one to take to made-up rules for being away from home and then go right back to her regular routines at home, but I know that might not always work for others.

Do what's best for your little guy and the group!

Shel

 

[doombuggy]

It wouldn't bother me, and i don't have any kids. If you were in front of me and had to step out of line to run to the BA & i knew why, i would have no problem letting you back in. Wearing the pull ups is a good back up. Enjoy!

 

[KimWDW]

I don't know how practical that is. How are you going to get back to your group... push your way through the line? Not all lines are outside and it would be hard to find the rest of your group sometimes.

 

[JRawkSteady]

I couldn't see how anyone would find this rude - if a child must use the restroom, let the child use the restroom! This obviously only works if the rest of your group is on line. If any of the guests, say anything, they're the rude ones. There are certain lines that it may be hard for you to do this on, as they go up and around the attraction, making it very easy to lose your party - (example: Pirates of the Caribbean especially, because the line splits two different ways).

Also, another way to fix this problem is to possibly buy a guide book, which will help you avoid lines all together. This may be most effective to you.

 

[Ardenne]

Just to clarify -- we are planning on using pull-ups just in case of an accident, but he knows he's supposed to try to keep them dry and clean (like his Nemo underpants he gets to wear when we're at home) and gets upset if he has an accident.

We'll generally take him to the restroom between attractions, and 95% of the time, that should do the trick -- I just wanted to get a handle on what should be done if he *does* need to go while we're in line. Obviously during the ride there's no help for it and he'll just have to try to wait, but I wasn't sure about while in line.

Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

 

[mill4023]

I think it will be a lot of work, so I might also suggest pull-ups. Then you can try to keep it going, but if not, it won't be a big traumatic deal.
As far as leaving the line and coming back, we did this many times on our last trip and never noticed anyone being upset. Most people at Disney have kids and most people with kids understand that when they gotta go, they gotta go.

Yes, 1 person in line holding a place for 6 others is irritating. But that's a lot different than 3 adults in line and 1 adult with a 2 yr old joining them, even if people didn't see you leave.

 

[SB in KY]

Our experience has been that there are far more kind people at WDW than rude ones....I can't see anyone minding a bit if one adult slips off to take a little one to the potty (or anyplace else for that matter) and then slips back in....perfectly understandable....especially if you smile sweetly and apolgetically excuse yourself with a "I'm sorry...Johnny had to make a quick potty trip" or whatever,... You would have to be a real grinch to object to that!!

I too am annoyed when the one person in front of me in line turns into a family of 12 that was sitting in the shade until the last minute...but that is a way different story.

I guess everyone's experiences are different, but I would be reluctant to do the pull-ups thing for a host of reasons and obviously vacation week is not a good time to START potty training, but if he is well on his way, I think it would be pretty confusing to go to pull-ups or diapers for a whole week. He may really suprise you with how well he does.

I might also add that sometimes bathrooms are quite a hike from attractions....so it may be a case of "an ounce of prevention"...I would plan my potty stops in advance and carry a change of clothes just in case!!

 

[vettechick99]

This is sorta off topic, but I wanted to mention a trip report I read not long ago where the newly potty-trained child had accident after accident. I think being at WDW was system overload and something had to give.

(I think this is the one...great report, BTW!)

Minmate's Disney with 4 Kids

Anyway, you can hear the frustration; it sure was tough on the parents. I don't know if doing pull-ups would be worthwhile (I don't have kids, so I have NO idea), but just wanted to mention this trip report since they dealt with the exact issue.

Oh and if you left line and asked to come through again, you wouldn't bother me a bit.

 

[beattyfamily]

I think it will just not be possible in some lines to work your way back. You may just have to go in that line/ride another time. Some lines are inside and long and split etc...

The ones that are outside like Dumbo, it shouldn't be a problem, as long as you are apologetic and those around you know what's going on.

I have 2 girls and we always just left the line if there was need for a potty break or a melt down. We never attempted to return. That's just me.

I did once give my 3 year old DD to my DH who was in the Dumbo line so she could ride with him and her sister. I did not ride it.

Just use your best judgement based on what the line looks like.

 

[margev]

I had a similar experience on our last trip with my four year old ds who insisted he had to go to the bathroom while on line for the kilimanjari river ride in animal kingdom. after he convinced me he had to go my 16 year old niece took him to the bathroom and apologized for the inconvenience all the way. most people were understanding!!

 

[tom401]

Most people in line know kids have to go - better they go in the potty versus in line - BUT....
we had the same situation when my daughter was 2 1/2. Just getting potty trained and we were concered about lines, pull ups, etc. One the first day - walking down Main Street - we took her to the potty. She loved the small toilets, the low sinks and "going potty where Cinderella goes". Well, off went the pull-ups and we had to make a trip to buy big girl underwear. Nothing like the Magic of Disney (and some Princesses big girl pants) to completely potty train our daughter.

Incidently, our son, who had terrible reflux and other digestion problems, ate his first "solid food" at the GF concierge - a bagle.
So do we believe in the Magic of Disney - WE SURE DO.

 

[AnaheimGirl]

Hi!

Like others, I think it's completely acceptable and far from rude to leave a line temporarily to let a small child go to the bathroom. Heck, I wouldn't have a problem with it if it were an older child or even an adult. When you gotta go, you gotta go!

I'm in a similar situation and a bit worried about it, too. My 2.5yo dd has been potty-trained for just about 4 months now, and although she does really well, she usually needs to find a bathroom within 2 or 3 minutes, which might be hard at WDW. When we're out and about, we try to go often, before she "needs" to, and that's pretty helpful with preventing emergencies.

I'll go against the grain on the pull-ups, though. If he usually wears them when you're out and about close to home, then yes, by all means, wear them at WDW. But if he wears underwear to the mall, playground etc, I wouldn't go back to pull-ups, because that might cause regression. It's like you're telling him he can't do it, and if he thinks you don't have confidence in him, he might lose confidence in himself.

When I was 2 and fairly newly potty trained, my mom decided to put me back in diapers for a trans-Atlantic flight. Well, I completely regressed and went back to diapers for like 6 more months, which was quite old for potty-training in the 60's! You could bring some pull-ups, just in case the regression happens anyway (from all the excitement), it's OK if he needs them, but I personally wouldn't put a child back into pull-ups unless he demonstrates that he needs them.