So we (me, DH, DD4, DS2, plus my mom and aunt) were meant to go in January to celebrate my mother’s 70th. Looks like we’re going to push that to May because Covid (Mom finished chemo six months ago so needs to be a bit more cautious). But seeing all the Liner reports has me jonesing. My daughter starts kindergarten next year so this is the last year we can just go whenever plus my son had another year as free admission. My daughter has had a rough go - she’s very intuitive and wiser than she should be at her age. In the last 2 years, we have moved houses, took away her only child status, lost her favorite grandma, lost her only grandpa, and dealt with this stupid effing quarantine. We had gone this past January and the kids LOVED it. They frequently ask about a return trip. And it looks like we can go easily - in less than a month. Without much concern about the cost - except that we’d stay at Pop and yet spend two days at MK and one other at either EC or AK (HS has no availability) so not ideal transportation/location. And DD’s favorite thing was meeting the characters, which obviously isn’t a thing right now. And I’d have to bring the kids solo. (DH has to work.) And of course there’s the risk that comes with travel right now. But also Halloween at Disney…So tell me: am I crazy? Should I not go? Or, if you think we should go, should I book AK or EP for our other park day?
AK - park hours 9-5. Kids are awake 6-8. No skyliner use. Can only do NRJ, KS, and the triceratops spin for rides given heights and solo parenting status. No FotLK. But DS lurves animals.
EP - park hours 11-7. Kids are awake five hours before opening. Optional rides: SE, LwtL, Figment, Nemo, Mexico boat, FEA (though DD was scarred by the marshmallow sequence and refused to go on it in January). I’m super interested in Remy’s hide and squeak (shout out to @DumboRunner, @Julianne_fki, and @vcka for fanning those flames of jealousy) and would think the kids would enjoy it too, but they’d otherwise be “meh” about WS without princesses to meet.
And then - if anyone has traveled with two toddlers by themselves and has any advice, I’m all ears (ba dum tss).
Go. And to EP. We’re going for many of the same types of reasons with kids in the same age ranges. Even with the limited attractions, I still think we’ll leave at the end of the week thinking there was so much more to do. This is giving us a chance to do the things we would normally skip because they’re open and other stuff is closed.
First:
Paging @DeepInTheHeartofTexas —. She’s brought her kids solo if you look up her trip reports!
Second thought, wow!, anyone who can go along and help?
Third, it sounds fun and is a tough choice fir park. AK is great for animals for the young ones but not too many rides. Epcot there are more rides for all of you, Nemo figment frozen spaceship earth caballeros… this choice I’d pick which one you would like to see. I think there’s stuff at both to entertain.
What is your stroller situation…or what transportation do you plan to use? I have kids around the same ages and my biggest issue with the idea of a just me and the kids trip is corralling the kids while I get the stroller on and off the buses (and no mommy break). I love the Skyliner for this reason. If you have that part under control then I’d book now because you can always cancel later if you decide not to go.
Yeah. I think under normal circumstances I’d be more anxious about stroller management on the buses, but since they’re limiting capacity on them, I suspect they’ll also be more lenient about the need to fold them up. In either case, I think I could manage. Not ideal but DD4 loves to be “in charge” so if I tell her to hold her brother’s hand and sit down while I deal with it, she’ll gladly step in!
Sorry. I’m the lone dissenter so far. I have traveled alone (not to Disney though) with toddlers/preschoolers and all I can think of is how exhausted you will be. Five days alone with nobody to watch your son while you take the 4-year old to the bathroom. Nobody to go get more napkins when a spill happens…you have to load everyone up. Would you fly? Nobody to help you as you go through security and take all the things out of your bags and fold the stroller down, too. Etc. Unless you already spend a LOT of time on your own with the kids out and about then I think you’ll be overwhelmed and exhausted.
My husband travels a lot and I was on my own a LOT when my kids were that age. I cannot imagine voluntarily going to an amusement park alone with them in the heat with covid-era restrictions. I just would have been exhausted and grumpy the whole time.
I would try to find something local to do that would be fun instead that your DH could do with you. A night at a Great Wolf Lodge, a local amusement park, a nice hotel with a big swimming pool, etc.
I have gone into the park innumerable times w/ a toddler (not more than one since mine are spaced out). You’ll need a stroller and a slower pace. With lower wait times you’ll be engaging them more frequently too. I learned all the quiet areas to park a stroller in the shade for sleeping too. Sometimes they just pass out. It will still be warm in October. Last year the week before Halloween was in 90’s blech. Heat wipes us all out but little ones even more.
As far as EC vs AK? That’s a hard one with kids. I love the Talk w/ Crush just as much as the kids do. And there is so much interactive stuff there… but the touching… that’s a dilemma…Squeak and Hunt was fun for us as adults so kids will love it more. And AK has animals, more humidify, it does have the bone yard, if it’s open. That will be your call, maybe ask your kids to talk about their memories to see if one park stands out? Grab your photo album to start the conversation.
Ha! All very fair points. I have already done a weekend with them at Great Wolf and Hershey solo. So yes, definitely tiring but also so rewarding. I may actually be crazy but I don’t stress about any of that stuff. I’ve found there’s always someone willing to help. I don’t care if it takes me an extra five minutes in the TSA line; most people are sympathetic to my situation and those who aren’t, well, they’re out of my life by the time I get the stroller back up again, so… but everything you’ve said is valid and I haven’t done this big a trip solo with the two of them. So it’s definitely worth considering. Thanks for your honest dissension.
I know it’s doable. I just wouldn’t do it. Having multiple toddlers/preschoolers at the same time is also just hard since you have nobody big enough to help with much of anything. There’s also something to be said for having single parenthood as your normal versus taking it on voluntarily for something like this. When you’re used to having another set of hands (whether those are adult hands or “big kid” hands) to help then you don’t think about all the little times that you rely on those hands. My friends who have three kids all 4-5 years apart have zero idea what it’s like to have three kids 4 and under, which is what I had. I’m not trying to be snarky, just saying that as a mom who had kids 2 years apart and whose husband would be gone for weeks at a time, I would not go to WDW alone with them. Now I would…my youngest is 6. But not when my oldest was 4. No way.
Just think very carefully about the details. If you’ve never done 5 days (I’m assuming 5…3 park days and 2 travel days) alone with them, think about your usual stress level when with them alone and realistically what it will be like to have no break or help for that long. On the airplane are you ok leaving your son in the seat alone while you take your daughter to the bathroom, or sending her alone? My kids could never operate airplane bathrooms alone at that age. In the airport…you will have all of your bags and a stroller to manage mostly alone. I have flown alone with my kids at 1 and 3 and it is stressful. DME is not collecting bags right now…you will have to get them. There is no FPP right now…you will be waiting in lines with no stroller to corral the 2-year old and no hands to help.
You know your kids and your stress level better than any of us do. You know what you can handle and what you can’t. But don’t let FOMO convince you to take a trip that realistically might be way better in 8 months when you have family members around to help.
well… I did have help… I went once a month for a year with DD-13, DD-9, DS-3… a teenager isn’t much help usually Teenagers are good for rolling eyes, moaning and complaining, dragging feet… toddlers are easier to deal with Now my oldest DD has teenagers of her own to deal with… ahhh the circle of life…
As for Epcot, I’d do Epcot. Look for Snow White’s wishing well. Look for a gate that frames Spaceship Earth. Look for a red box with a phone in it. Or a waterfall you can walk behind.
Sounds as tho your 4 year old will understand the reason for the character cavalcades.
Biggest question: what do your DH and mom think of your idea? They know what you’re capable of.
You never know what you can do till you do it.
Find out when another liner is planning to be there.
How long is your travel day?
I like that you’re taking into account your kids’ schedule vs park times - good idea.
Oh my. You’ve just reminded me why I love WDW above all other parks- the attention to detail. When you’re not a rider much of the time, those things are just so wonderful. Gimme that vaccine, I want to go!
Our 4 year old’s favourite park is Epcot. Test Track is his favourite ride. Less height restrictions to deal with. Lots to do for younger kids. Plenty of space to walk around and it doesn’t feel so crowded. Great food options. If my kids loved animals I might pick AK, but for most Epcot seems the better choice for young kids.
While I TOTALLY agree on taking advantage of going while you can get a child in for free, I wouldn’t rule out being able to “go whenever” after you DD starts school. I know it depends on the individual child and the rules of the school district, but we have taken our kids out of school every trip to WDW and for our Disney Cruise. I thought that once my kids hit middle school, we would need to stop taking them out of school for vacations. That hasn’t been the case. We will be at WDW in 3 weeks. Oldest DD is a freshman in high school, DS is in 7th grade and younger DD is in 4th grade. They are all missing 3 days of school. When they were in 2nd, 5th and 7th grades, they missed a week of school for our cruise.
As long as I know, now, my kids are able to work ahead/catch up, I have let go of any guilt of taking them out of school!!
Teenagers are good for rolling eyes, moaning and complaining, dragging feet… toddlers are easier to deal with 