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.

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.

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."

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.

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.

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!

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

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.

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.

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.