Disney alone with 4 young kids - help me figure this out?

[Anonymous]

You can do the family rides/infant on your lap- type rides such as Small World, win is the pooh, under the sea, etc.

Or just do the shows. Or
Watch the parades.
Schedule a character breakfast

Also Tom Sawyer island was a big hit with mine. Spent over an hour there.


So, it is possible, but...
Theproblem is your older kids, if you just do the lame rides and shows, will probably be upset and annoyed they cant do anything more fun especially as they walk through the park and see the potential to have fun on the roller coasters, etc.
"Sorry, larlo and larla, we cant go on the SW Mine Ride"..."But, mommmmmyyyy, please, why not? It looks so cool. This isnt fair," etc.

And given the cost of DW, I'm not sure i could justify just doing the family rides, TS Island, and shows for $109/person.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't do it. What happens when someone announces they have to go and you're standing in line? All 5 of you have to get out of line and off to the bathroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't do it. What happens when someone announces they have to go and you're standing in line? All 5 of you have to get out of line and off to the bathroom.

This. Or one has a total meltdown. Or the baby has a poopsplosion. It's a lot of money and effort for it to only work if everything goes perfectly. Soooo much easier with a sitter, and I would even consider having the sitter stay at the hotel with the baby if possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Odd responses, OP. Assuming you are a competent parent, it's totally doable. We are from Florida. I took my kids to Disney all the time by myself. We have five. Just keep expectations reasonable. It's not like your older kids are going to be riding the roller coasters. Plan to get to the park when it opens. Ride a few rides. Head back to the hotel and let the kids rest. Swim in the pool. Then, when your DH gets free, maybe go back to the park for a couple of hours in the evening. Get a double stroller so that you can switch the older kids in and out. It's really not that hard! You certainly don't need "help". Have fun!

Oddest response yet and contradictory. Yeah it’s totally doable but keep your expectations low? It’s a whole lot of money to ride a couple rides and go back to the hotel. That doesn’t sound fun at all or worth it! Most of your suggestions are going back to the hotel.

Exactly. And "going back to the hotel" can take almost an hour, depending on how long the lines are for transportation and where they're staying. We stayed at the Polynesian, which is probably the easiest for variety of transpo options to all the parks. Except for the early mornings when there were no lines and monorail cars/boats were empty, it was work getting to and from the resorts. Going through bag check also takes time. Unless her kids are able to stay up very late, this plan will eat up most of their time in travel, and not be particularly relaxing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can do the family rides/infant on your lap- type rides such as Small World, win is the pooh, under the sea, etc.

Or just do the shows. Or
Watch the parades.
Schedule a character breakfast

Also Tom Sawyer island was a big hit with mine. Spent over an hour there.


So, it is possible, but...
Theproblem is your older kids, if you just do the lame rides and shows, will probably be upset and annoyed they cant do anything more fun especially as they walk through the park and see the potential to have fun on the roller coasters, etc.
"Sorry, larlo and larla, we cant go on the SW Mine Ride"..."But, mommmmmyyyy, please, why not? It looks so cool. This isnt fair," etc.

And given the cost of DW, I'm not sure i could justify just doing the family rides, TS Island, and shows for $109/person.

I agree with this completely. We took 5 kids with a smaller age gap and two parents, and still left feeling like we had to divide up and it was hard to keep everyone happy.

[Anonymous]

What a nightmare. Can’t fathom why anyone would want four kids...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What a nightmare. Can’t fathom why anyone would want four kids...

Then you probably shouldn't have four kids.

...idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Odd responses, OP. Assuming you are a competent parent, it's totally doable. We are from Florida. I took my kids to Disney all the time by myself. We have five. Just keep expectations reasonable. It's not like your older kids are going to be riding the roller coasters. Plan to get to the park when it opens. Ride a few rides. Head back to the hotel and let the kids rest. Swim in the pool. Then, when your DH gets free, maybe go back to the park for a couple of hours in the evening. Get a double stroller so that you can switch the older kids in and out. It's really not that hard! You certainly don't need "help". Have fun!

Maybe you get much cheaper tickets since you are from Florida. Do you have any idea how much tickets cost for the few hours you spend there under your plan?
And she also said she couldn't do the pool alone (which we can debate but if kids aren't strong swimmers, i completely see her point). Of course it's possible, but it doesn't sound like much fun.

[Anonymous]

OP - where are you staying and where is DH's conference?

Blizzard Beach, mini golf, GatorLand, etc.

THere are a TON of other things to do besides DW

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Odd responses, OP. Assuming you are a competent parent, it's totally doable. We are from Florida. I took my kids to Disney all the time by myself. We have five. Just keep expectations reasonable. It's not like your older kids are going to be riding the roller coasters. Plan to get to the park when it opens. Ride a few rides. Head back to the hotel and let the kids rest. Swim in the pool. Then, when your DH gets free, maybe go back to the park for a couple of hours in the evening. Get a double stroller so that you can switch the older kids in and out. It's really not that hard! You certainly don't need "help". Have fun!

Her oldest is 8. She has a baby who is going to need diaper changes and feeding. The two middle kids are young enough to wander off. If you go "all the time," then you're in a familiar place, where I imagine you went with first one child, then two, then three, etc.. She isn't even going to know what to plan for, and her kids are going to make it hard for her to stop to read a map or spend time figuring out things on her phone.

Disney has created this myth that visiting the parks requires all kinds of advanced planning and purchasing. Like it's some kind of magical place where reality is suspended. It's not. It's an amusement park. That's it. You don't have to do everything in the park. She could easily focus on just one small section. Her kids are young enough that they'll have a blast even if they don't see the whole park. My oldest was 10 when my youngest was born so I certainly understand the challenges. But really, with managed expectations, it won't be that difficult.

I don't think its Disney, I think its visitors who feel pressured to see it all. Just go wander around, relax and have fun. If you enjoy it you go back another time. We never plan or preschedule anything anymore as its too stressful.

[Anonymous]

This is a bad idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You can do the family rides/infant on your lap- type rides such as Small World, win is the pooh, under the sea, etc.

Or just do the shows. Or
Watch the parades.
Schedule a character breakfast

Also Tom Sawyer island was a big hit with mine. Spent over an hour there.


So, it is possible, but...
Theproblem is your older kids, if you just do the lame rides and shows, will probably be upset and annoyed they cant do anything more fun especially as they walk through the park and see the potential to have fun on the roller coasters, etc.
"Sorry, larlo and larla, we cant go on the SW Mine Ride"..."But, mommmmmyyyy, please, why not? It looks so cool. This isnt fair," etc.

And given the cost of DW, I'm not sure i could justify just doing the family rides, TS Island, and shows for $109/person.

OMG is that what your kid sounds like? Sounds like awful bratty behavior!
Older children from larger families like OPs just get used to the fact that it isn't "all about them." They learn at an early age to understand that sometimes the needs of their siblings come before their own "wants."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can do the family rides/infant on your lap- type rides such as Small World, win is the pooh, under the sea, etc.

Or just do the shows. Or
Watch the parades.
Schedule a character breakfast

Also Tom Sawyer island was a big hit with mine. Spent over an hour there.


So, it is possible, but...
Theproblem is your older kids, if you just do the lame rides and shows, will probably be upset and annoyed they cant do anything more fun especially as they walk through the park and see the potential to have fun on the roller coasters, etc.
"Sorry, larlo and larla, we cant go on the SW Mine Ride"..."But, mommmmmyyyy, please, why not? It looks so cool. This isnt fair," etc.

And given the cost of DW, I'm not sure i could justify just doing the family rides, TS Island, and shows for $109/person.

OMG is that what your kid sounds like? Sounds like awful bratty behavior!
Older children from larger families like OPs just get used to the fact that it isn't "all about them." They learn at an early age to understand that sometimes the needs of their siblings come before their own "wants."

I'm the PP with five children. We have a mom in this thread with ONE child saying she would need a nanny to visit Disney by herself with her child. The OP has four children. I think most of us with larger families are more confident in our parenting ability, maybe? My DH deployed when my youngest was six weeks old. It sucked that he was gone. But we didn't alter our lives. We went to Disney at least twice while he was gone. We also flew to Hawaii to visit my parents. And we did all the normal day to day things people with kids do. School, church, sports, music, playdates,... I think the OP could easily handle a few hours at Disney.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Odd responses, OP. Assuming you are a competent parent, it's totally doable. We are from Florida. I took my kids to Disney all the time by myself. We have five. Just keep expectations reasonable. It's not like your older kids are going to be riding the roller coasters. Plan to get to the park when it opens. Ride a few rides. Head back to the hotel and let the kids rest. Swim in the pool. Then, when your DH gets free, maybe go back to the park for a couple of hours in the evening. Get a double stroller so that you can switch the older kids in and out. It's really not that hard! You certainly don't need "help". Have fun!

Maybe you get much cheaper tickets since you are from Florida. Do you have any idea how much tickets cost for the few hours you spend there under your plan?
And she also said she couldn't do the pool alone (which we can debate but if kids aren't strong swimmers, i completely see her point). Of course it's possible, but it doesn't sound like much fun.

I have to agree with this. My BFF and her DH are both in Mgmt at WDW. One of their benefits is that they each can take 3 people into the park every day for free. My kids think nothing of a WDW vacation as we stay with them and ride to work with them. Then when we’re done, we take one of the cars back home, and they ride home together.

When the kids were 2 and 4, I would take them to the park by myself for a few hours in the morning. It wasn’t a big deal because it didn’t cost me anything. I can’t imagine buying a full price ticket for a few hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can do the family rides/infant on your lap- type rides such as Small World, win is the pooh, under the sea, etc.

Or just do the shows. Or
Watch the parades.
Schedule a character breakfast

Also Tom Sawyer island was a big hit with mine. Spent over an hour there.


So, it is possible, but...
Theproblem is your older kids, if you just do the lame rides and shows, will probably be upset and annoyed they cant do anything more fun especially as they walk through the park and see the potential to have fun on the roller coasters, etc.
"Sorry, larlo and larla, we cant go on the SW Mine Ride"..."But, mommmmmyyyy, please, why not? It looks so cool. This isnt fair," etc.

And given the cost of DW, I'm not sure i could justify just doing the family rides, TS Island, and shows for $109/person.

OMG is that what your kid sounds like? Sounds like awful bratty behavior!
Older children from larger families like OPs just get used to the fact that it isn't "all about them." They learn at an early age to understand that sometimes the needs of their siblings come before their own "wants."

I'm the PP with five children. We have a mom in this thread with ONE child saying she would need a nanny to visit Disney by herself with her child. The OP has four children. I think most of us with larger families are more confident in our parenting ability, maybe? My DH deployed when my youngest was six weeks old. It sucked that he was gone. But we didn't alter our lives. We went to Disney at least twice while he was gone. We also flew to Hawaii to visit my parents. And we did all the normal day to day things people with kids do. School, church, sports, music, playdates,... I think the OP could easily handle a few hours at Disney.

PP you quoted here.
I get you. I have 4 children myself and also a husband who was active duty military when they were young (he's now retired and they are now in middle school-college.) It never occurred to me to not do things alone with my kids, because there was no alternative! It's not like I'm going to spend 6+ months completely home bound!