Taking multiple children alone to a Disney park, with just one adult, may be tricky. The writers on our Parenting Panel have taken multiple children alone to the parks both at the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. This week we asked our Parenting Panel: Do you have any tips, strategies or lessons learned when you visited a Disney theme park alone with your children?
Jen, also known as *Nala*, is an engineer, a Disney fan, and a MouseAdventure fanatic. She lives in Southern California with her husband and two future MouseAdventurers, ages 2 and 4. Jen writes:
We're fortunate to have a ratio of at least one adult to each child most times we go to the Disney parks. On occasion, my husband and I have each taken both kids to Disneyland alone. It can definitely be challenging with two small kids, who each have enough energy to power Monstropolis, but it's doable and can even be fun. After all, a day alone chasing two preschoolers at Disneyland Park is usually better than the best day at work.
Getting There: We still use a large double jogging stroller, which must be folded to ride the bus from the Toy Story Parking Lot and most tram cars coming from the Mickey and Friends Parking Structure. We both prefer not to wrestle with the big stroller and herd the kids onto the bus or tram alone, so if he's alone, my husband will usually walk the stroller from Mickey and Friends to the parks. While I have walked from the parking structure, I also like the rows of the tram that have larger floor areas so that I do not have to fold the stroller. There is a large row in the front and back of each tram, with a separate line for each.
Rides: We currently have one 44-inches-tall kid who loves the roller coasters and is counting the days until he is tall enough for “the one that goes upside down.” and one 37-inches-tall kid who sometimes thinks Goofy's Barnstormer is “too fast!” The answer to this one is simple, though. When one of us is going to take the kids solo, we let them know in advance that we will all be together, and so we are only going to ride rides that everyone can go on. My son accepts this without much complaint, especially if we remind him that we'll come back another day to ride his favorites. Fortunately, as Walt intended, Disney parks are full of things that families of all ages and sizes can do together, and we've never had a problem filling a day even without Space Mountain and Radiator Springs Racers. One thing to keep in mind is rides that have restrictions on the number of riders per row or vehicle. My son, almost 5, has done fine sitting in a row alone on mild rides such as Golden Zephyr and Heimlich's Chew Chew Train, but I'd be hesitant to send him in a row alone on something like Gadget's Go Coaster.
Meals: One of the biggest challenges for me personally is feeling like I never have enough hands to carry everything, and still keep track of the kids. This is especially true at mealtimes. An easy, but more expensive, way around this is to eat at a table service restaurant where your food is brought to you. If I do a counter service meal alone with the kids, I'll try to go at a slightly less crowded time of day (early lunch is good for small kids anyway). I'll park the stroller next to an empty table and then go order, saving me from attempting to push a large stroller while carrying a full tray.
Naps: Our daughter still very much needs her daily nap, while our son has mostly dropped his nap, but still takes a short rest most days. When we only have one grownup in the parks, we'll usually have our son take a short rest in the stroller, and then, if he wants, he can get out and walk with us while our daughter naps. We also like to visit the Animation Building in Disney California Adventure Park, where our son can watch cartoons while his sister is sleeping.
Mary Kraemer is an avid Disney fan and a co-owner at EscapadeAdventures, who loves to travel with her husband and children to Disney destinations as often as possible. Mary writes:
I think my kids were 3, 4, and 4 when I did my first “solo parent” trip to Disneyland with them. My first strategy was to have a stroller that could accommodate everyone. It was easier to move through crowds when the kids were seated, rather than trying to keep track of everyone’s little hands. I had a double stroller where the seats could flatten out, so two kids rode back to back.
My second strategy was to dress the kids in similar outfits (we wore a lot of tie-dye back then, so the kids would stand out in the crowd). When my kids were little, I avoided dressing them in Disney T-shirts because it’s literally “theme park camouflage” and there’s no faster way to blend in than to wear a Mickey shirt.
My next strategy was to drill the “what if we get separated” information into them. At that time, only cast members wore oval white buttons with their name, and I told my kids that if we got separated, they needed to go to the nearest ride or store and tell the cast member that they were lost. I told them that the cast members would take care of them and they would go to a special place near the Baby Care Center where they could stay and watch videos until I arrived to get them.
My youngest child decided to test this out one day near the Candy Shop on Main Street. While I walked into the store with her brother and sister, she walked a little farther down, found a cast member, and calmly said, “I’m lost.” No tears, no crying, no stress about being separated from her family! It took me a few minutes to notice that she wasn’t with us in the store, so I rushed out to Main Street, figuring I’d hear some crying nearby. I didn’t hear anything or see her, so I went inside, and told the nearest cast member that my daughter was lost that she was wearing a dress almost identical to her sister’s. Within five minutes, we were reunited, thanks to Disneyland security. I think she was disappointed that she didn’t get to watch videos.
My kids have been Disneyland regulars since infancy, and they knew how to “read” a park map before they could read a book. From much any place inside the park, if you’d ask them how to get to another place, they’d know how. So, when I started going to the park with them on my own, I knew they were comfortable being anywhere inside the gates.
At younger ages, I paced our park time according to their interests and capabilities. One of the most challenging thing I encountered was cramming all four of us into a Dumbo elephant. We rode the Main Street vehicles, went on the Jungle Cruise, ventured over to Tom Sawyer Island, rode the King Arthur Carrousel, sailed through Pirates of the Caribbean and “it's a small world”…and had a grand time.
I think it might be more challenging (and frustrating) when people want to try to “do it all.” It’s really a lot more successful for everyone if you work with everyone's ages and different comfort levels.
MousePlanet columnist Chris Barry, his wife, Diane, Samantha (15), and twins Casey and Alex (12), live on Long Island and are all major Disney and Walt Disney World fans. Chris writes:
I took one trip to Walt Disney World with just my 10-year-old twin boys and me. My wife and daughter had the opportunity to go to Germany with my father-in-law and see the old country firsthand with him. A few hours after they all took off to Europe, the boys and I boarded a flight to Orlando.
They already had six Walt Disney World trips under their belts by this point, so this trip was a no-brainer. They wanted to go. I certainly wanted to go. The question was, how would it be for me, going it alone with them for the first time? Knowing Walt Disney World as well as I did at the time was definitely a major advantage. Basically, I acted as if it was any other Disney family trip. I knew what I was in for.
I booked a room at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort. We had been there twice before and knew the resort well. Since it wasn’t all 5 of us, we didn’t need the extra space or the extra cost that comes along with deluxe resorts that we’ve stayed in at Disney's Yacht Club or Disney's Polynesian Resort. The pool complex at Caribbean Beach is pretty awesome. They certainly didn’t need lots of food choices. The food court pizza, hot dogs, chicken nuggets and Mickey waffles were all they really needed. I packed the usual snacks and cereal for the room and we were ready to go.
The mindset I had going into this trip was that this was totally their trip. Without their sister and their mother, there were two less opinions regarding rides, food, breaks, pools, etc. My opinion was second. Theirs was first. They each had to agree, but it was up to them. They helped plan everything ahead of time and when we were there, I made sure they were being kept happy. This trip wasn’t about me, it was about them.
The big deal in a place as vast as Walt Disney World when you’re the only parent is a strict set of guidelines as to leaving your side. Losing them was not an option, so I made sure they understood that they had to stick to me at all times. My bright yellow backpack keeps me pretty obvious in a crowd. I’m easy to spot and, luckily, my boys aren’t the types to go running off into the crowd without an adult. However, they are familiar enough with Disney to know that if they somehow got separated from me, they were to find a cast member immediately.
My biggest piece of advice is to get the kids used to talking to the cast members. My guys are big pin traders, so they’re used to going up to the cast. Shyness can’t be an issue if you’re going to be the only parent around. They have to be comfortable walking up to an authority figure and asking for help. Trading pins with the cast members breaks that ice nicely.
Park Hoppers keep things flexible and if you’re going alone, flexibility is key. That way, they don’t get overloaded on any one place and, if they need a change of scenery, the Park Hopper provides everyone with options. Each night I would set up a basic framework for the next day. “OK, boys tomorrow morning, it’s Magic Kingdom, then back to the pool midday, and then we’ll be at Epcot at night.”
You can be the authority figure and still let them “run” things. They might just surprise you. On our last night, we were leaving the pool complex headed back to our rooms. We had plans to go to the Magic Kingdom Park and watch the parade and fireworks. They spotted the big movie screen being set up for the poolside movie, Lilo and Stitch and they begged to stay. I really wanted to see Wishes! again before we left, but I let them make the call. We ordered a pizza, watched the movie on some lounge chairs together and spent our last night at the pool. The Illuminations fireworks went off over the lagoon and we had a pretty awesome time. It was one of my best Disney nights ever, and it was all because of them. Sometimes the kids really do know best.
Let them make choices, keep things flexible and keep them close and you’ll have a great trip, even if you’re on your own.
This week we welcome our newest member of the Parenting Panel! Lisa is a married, stay-at-home mom of Joey (5) and Matthew (2). She has been a Disneyland annual passholder since 2002, and has made several trips to Walt Disney World, as well. Lisa writes:
Going to a Disney theme park can be overwhelming, especially if you are taking kids by yourself! I have spent many days taking my two boys alone, and have a few tips:
- Be prepared! Take some time before your trip to make a plan. What rides or shows are a “must do”? Try to plan your day around that. Don’t try to plan to do everything – remember, the whole point in going is to have fun. If you are stressed out trying to do it all, chances are no one is having fun. Look at a map of the park to get an idea of where things are, including bathrooms.
- Mentally walk yourself through a normal day with the kids. What do you need at home? Bottles or baby food? Snacks? Diapers? Extra change of clothes? Hats and sunscreen, or jackets? Stroller? Pack what you would normally need for the kids at home, but not too much. No one wants to carry around a backpack full of stuff you don’t need all day!
- Know your limits. Depending on the number and age of the kids you are going with, you might be limited in what you can do. You might have one that is tall enough for a ride, while the other isn’t. Or, having two or more kids with you may keep you from being able to ride because they aren’t old enough to sit by themselves (Golden Zephyr and Tuck and Roll’s Drive ‘Em Buggies come to mind). Knowing what you can/can’t do in advance may help limit disappointment when you get there. Also, know the limits of your kids. It might not be reasonable to stand in line for 45 minutes with a 2 year old. Save yourself the stress and keep things easy.
- Stay safe. If your kids are old enough to know how to get a hold of you if they get separated, great! Show them how to recognize a cast member and tell them what you want them to say if they get lost. My kids are too young to know my phone number, so I had leather bracelets made at Disneyland with my cell number on it, and they wear them on days I have them both by myself, especially if the park is crowded.
- Take breaks. It is OK to grab a churro and sit on a bench – really! One of my favorite things to do at the parks is people watch. Give yourself, and the kids a chance to not be rushed, or over-stimulated. Find a place with a short show, like the Green Army Men or Dapper Dans. All of the Disney Parks actually have play areas (Goofy’s Bounce House at Disneyland Park, Redwood Creek Challenge Trail at Disney California Adventure, Honey I Shrunk the Kids at Disney's Hollywood Studios, Casey Jr’s Splash and Soak Station in the Magic Kingdom Park, Innoventions in Epcot and the Boneyard in Disney's Animal Kingdom Park). You may have to keep a close eye on them, but kids will be refreshed after some time NOT standing in a line or waiting for something.
- Have fun. After all, isn’t that why you are going?
It's your turn—keep the discussion flowing!
Visit the Parenting in the Parks forum on our MousePad discussion board, and share your opinions about this topic or many others, or send your suggestions via e-mail. Reader-submitted tips might be used in a future article, and you might be selected to participate in an upcoming panel discussion!
