What would you do -- travel with an 18 month old??

[kniquy]

I am really torn on what to do. This is my boys first trip to Disney -- They are twin boys who are 9. We have a little lady who is 18 months old. She is, for the most part, a great baby and has the usual melt downs that a toddler has. She is not going to cost us anything money wise, but i know we will not be able to tour the parks at a good pace with her in tow. We will be there for 6 days. My in laws have offered to watch her for us. She always has a great time with them and they don't get to see her very often so i know they would be thrilled to have her. I know she would not remember a thing from this trip and we do plan on taking her when she is 8 or 9 and will be able to enjoy everything Disney has to offer.

Do we leave her with the in laws? I feel guilty not taking her and will miss her immensely, but on the same token is it fair to the boys to not get to experience Disney to the fullest extent? It is expensive so this will likely be there only trip as kids.

 

[kniquy]

I am also pretty certain that the characters would terrify her. She doesn't watch too much tv so it is not like she is familiar with them. She hides away from men (even her father at times) so I can imagine a giant mouse coming towards her.

 

[dadddio]

I am also pretty certain that the characters would terrify her. She doesn't watch too much tv so it is not like she is familiar with them. She hides away from men (even her father at times) so I can imagine a giant mouse coming towards her.

The thing about the characters is that you don't really interact with them unless you want to. They are in parades and 'castle forecourt' shows where your child will see them from a distance. Beyond that, there are basically only two scenarios to encounter them. You either wait in line at a M&G or pay for a character meal. Both are easily avoided.

 

[abeachchick]

If your daughter trusts, enjoys and is familiar with her grandparents, and if you are confident that she'll be well cared-for, I think letting her stay with them is a win-win. They can keep her on her usual routine and your older children can enjoy a week of extra attention from you. Everybody will be happier for it.

This sounds like a win-win situation to me. Everybody having a great time

 

[Weather_Lady]

I forgot to add that my sister and her husband did something very similar as well, and were very pleased with the outcome. Last February, they took their 5-year-old daughter to WDW for 4 days, and left her almost-2-year-old brother home with his grandparents. My neice got the joy of having both parents to herself, as well as seeing WDW unencumbered by her little brother's nap and sleep schedule, toilet training and typical 2-year-old meltdowns. My nephew, who is happy so long as SOMEONE is paying attention to him but not terribly picky about who it is, had a wonderful time being spoiled by his grandparents, and although my sister was terrified that he'd miss her (she's a stay-at-home mother so he was used to seeing her all day) and be scarred for life, he barely seemed to notice that she was gone (much to her chagrin).

Again, it all depends on your particular child, but having an infant or toddler stay with familiar relatives during WDW vacations has worked well in our family.

 

[basmal8]

You are NOT a bad mom at all! In fact, you are the best kind- trying to accommodate everyone for their unique needs/desires, coupled with logic and responsibility. Only you can decide what will work best...

We have 3 kids; in May, for my husband's graduation from Boston University, we left the 2 yr old and 9 mos old with grandparents. It killed me to do it, but I knew there was no way we would be able to do the touring of the city and partake in the various graduation events with two little ones without Major issues. We had the choice of leaving them in capable hands, so we did. We missed each other tons, but I don't regret it a bit. Our oldest (7 yr old) had a great time, felt he got "special" treatment and the 2 yr old ( now 3) doesn't even remember the experience at all (even though she had a ball the whole time).

We are going to WDW May 2015. Youngest will be 22 mos. We were taking all 3 kids no matter what, something my husband and & I agreed to, knowing the 22 mos old won't remember the trip. We think he's old enough to experience the fun- and we'll always have the pictures My mother has since offered to come with us, though not originally planned. We are planning mid-day breaks for nap and pool time and have accepted the fact that we won't see/do everything. Coming to that realization really was it for me. I don't think we would have hit every attraction even w/o the 22 mos old - and my 3 yr old will benefit from the nap time too. And the oldest child is thrilled to have daily pool time.

What works for one family may be nothing like what works for another. But, you accommodate to the best of your abilities, knowing, in the end, you want happy kids and a great vacation.

BEST OF LUCK!!

 

[cbettua]

You asked for our opinion and I am going to give mine.
I have taken my kids several times in the less then 1 year to less then 2 year old range. I would never leave a child behind for a family vacation. I would feel incredibly guilty and miss that child. If it where me, I would take my 18 month old and enjoy it with all my kids.

 

[cbettua]

Thank you all! I really just didn't want to feel like the worst mother in the world for not bringing her along. It is really my first time hitting all the parks. I went to Epcot many years ago so I too have yet to experience it all.

If you are feeling this now, I am sure you will feel it during and after. Especially when you see other children your child's age having the time of their life.

Its the reality.

 

[kniquy]

If you are feeling this now, I am sure you will feel it during and after. Especially when you see other children your child's age having the time of their life.

Its the reality.

I appreciate the input and i realize that each family needs to make a decision that is best for them. We, unfortunately, do not have the financial means to make Disney a yearly trip (as it looks many people are able to do) and probably won't get back there for another 8 years.

If we weren't going for new years - one of the busiest times of the year there- I would probably consider taking her. But considering the crowds i almost feel she is going to have a better time having quality time with the grandparents instead of being strapped in a stroller all day long and we as well will be able to give the boys their once in their childhood trip they deserve.

 

[hanwill]

That makes sense. Traveling during the holidays is completely packed. It makes it much more difficult to get through the crowds. It is doubly hard with a stroller. She will have a great time at home with the grandparents and you will have a great time with your boys, maneuvering through the parks without a stroller. I have done both and it is freeing to travel without a stroller. Have fun either way.

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

You are NOT a bad mom at all! In fact, you are the best kind- trying to accommodate everyone for their unique needs/desires, coupled with logic and responsibility. Only you can decide what will work best...

Well said.

 

[bsmartin2000]

We took our 18 month old granddaughter with us in 2013 and she had a great time. We had a wonderful stroller that we rented so that she could take naps on the go. I know she "won't remember a thing" but we have great memories with her and she now has a fascination with, as she says "Me mouse".

 

[allgiggles]

OP, you know your family best -- do what is right for you and don't worry about what other people (here or in the real world) tell you to do. You will see many families with toddlers in tow while you're at Disney World; but there will be plenty of other families there that have left their toddlers/infants at home (you just have no way of knowing which families those are since they don't tend to wear signs or t-shirts that advertise that information.) There are many factors to consider when making the decision. It's one thing to take a toddler if you know you're going to be making the trip every few years (or even more frequently) as you won't feel like you're missing out on as much if you have to take the child back to the room for a nap or an early bedtime -- you'd know you could just catch the things you missed on the next trip . It's also much easier to take a toddler if that's the only child in the family or if all of the children are close in age. When you have a big age gap between the kids, it makes things much more challenging because of sleep schedules, stamina, different interests, etc.

I'm one of those "bad" moms who left her 2 toddlers at home while we took our older boys (ages 12 & 14 at the time) on their first trip to Disney World. We thought it would be the once-in-a-childhood trip for the older boys and we wanted them to enjoy the parks the way *they* wanted to and not have our schedule dictated by the needs of 2 toddlers. My mom stayed at our house with our (then) 1 & 2 year olds. I also had my sister as well as 2 trusted babysitters coming to the house to give my mom a break every other day. According to the village of babysitters (who all had frequent contact with the kids from the time they were born) the kids didn't even really notice we weren't there -- they never asked for us. They weren't even that happy to see us when we got home (the 2 year old immediately started crying because he knew that us being home meant Grandma was leaving). lol. We never regretted the decision. And I'll admit, it was a nice break for me. I had been a stay-at-home mom for over 3 years with no real breaks. Having 2 toddlers that close in age was exhausting most days (but I did love it!!!) so it was nice for me to have some time away from them where I could eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom when *I* wanted to. :-D We certainly missed them while we were gone but within a few hours of being at Disney World, we knew we made the right decision for our family. Our family had gone through a lot of changes/stresses during the 5 years prior to that trip and the older boys handled everything so well that we really wanted to "reward" them with the trip. It was so nice to be able to focus on just them for the whole trip. We also realized during that trip that rather than waiting until the toddlers were 10 or so to take them to Disney, we wanted to bring them at a younger age -- more like 5 or 6 (when we didn't need naps, strollers, diapers, etc. but the magic would still be very "real" to them.). As it turns out, we fell in love with Disney World and have returned numerous times since that first trip with the older boys.

 

[EOD K9]

I am taking my twin girls (who will be ten months by then) early next year. We know they wont remember anything, but if they smile at anything, then it will be worth it as they will be entertained at that moment. We are also hitting the MK when we get back for a few hours as we don't want to be so close and not go. @ISTCNavigator57 ....any advice?

 

[LAKid53]

Thank you all! I really just didn't want to feel like the worst mother in the world for not bringing her along. It is really my first time hitting all the parks. I went to Epcot many years ago so I too have yet to experience it all.

You won't be - you are considering her needs in planning this trip. I continue to wonder why parents bring infants to the parks, especially during the hot summers. Both my parents are gone now and I wish my DD had had more one-on-one time with them, especially my mother. If your in-laws have offered and since you indicate they don't see the grandkids that much, I wouldn't hesitate to give them the opportunity. But then your are the best judge.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I am taking my twin girls (who will be ten months by then) early next year. We know they wont remember anything, but if they smile at anything, then it will be worth it as they will be entertained at that moment. We are also hitting the MK when we get back for a few hours as we don't want to be so close and not go. @ISTCNavigator57 ....any advice?

Do you perhaps have infant carriers that allow you to wear the girls? Those were invaluable to us when the boys were under age 1. We put them in their carriers when they wanted to nap (2-3 times per day at that age) and we could keep traveling in the parks during nap time. We could even go on rides (non-thrill, of course). We also invested in noise-reducing headphones for the boys when they napped, since WDW is very loud. Nap time is also a great time for Mom and Dad to eat. The Baby Care Centers everywhere except DHS are really nice. You can change your girls, feed them, and just generally give them (and yourselves) a break. Some of the family restrooms now have changing tables, which is really nice. You all can go into the same restroom for diaper changes if a Baby Care Center isn't nearby. Also, have a good idea of where restrooms are. You want to know where you need to go when a dirty diaper appears, especially with two infants. Bring any infant meds you can think of. Our kids have gotten some sort of bug each time we have gone and it is better to be prepared if symptoms strike at 2 am. Take advantage of the playgrounds in the parks. Your girls will likely be crawling at that point and would love the center ring in the Dumbo queue line area (you can go in there without actually riding if you don't want to ride each time), the playground under the Frontierland train station, HISTK playground at the Studios, Boneyard at DAK, and perhaps the little splash pad between Future World and World Showcase if your girls are interested.

And lastly, within reason, stick with your girls' schedule. Don't try to shift bedtime too much, maintain naps and mealtimes, and follow their lead. They will have a blast and so will you. Will they remember it? Not directly, but you will have pics and videos, and just because I can't remember being an infant doesn't mean I don't like looking at pics of myself from then. Plus, activities before age 3 build the person we all become and you instill certain values. We want our boys to enjoy traveling because we enjoy traveling, so we are glad we started flying with them young. Now we are confident that we can travel with them.

Hope this helps.

 

[EOD K9]

@ISTCNavigator57 I don't know if I should call you that or Vigo....anyways....the wife and I have been to WDW several times and we know where all the bathrooms are, which is a good thing kids or no kids. We do have carriers and we used them last month when we flew to S.C. for homecoming. We are coming back from the cruise and staying in BLT for the day so we can walk back and forth for naps if need be. That includes them and us. Where is the Baby Care Center in MK and what do they have in there? Thanks in advance and also thanks for the above.

 

[ToTBellHop]

@ISTCNavigator57 I don't know if I should call you that or Vigo....anyways....the wife and I have been to WDW several times and we know where all the bathrooms are, which is a good thing kids or no kids. We do have carriers and we used them last month when we flew to S.C. for homecoming. We are coming back from the cruise and staying in BLT for the day so we can walk back and forth for naps if need be. That includes them and us. Where is the Baby Care Center in MK and what do they have in there? Thanks in advance and also thanks for the above.

At the end of Main Street (at Caseys), hang a left and then an immediate left. It has a changing room with I think 6 changing tables, a feeding room with high chairs, nursing rooms, and a store with diapers, formula, and other things babies need for sale. Didn't realize you were just going for the day--should have read more closely.
-Kyle

 

[LAKid53]

At the end of Main Street (at Caseys), hang a left and then an immediate left. It has a changing room with I think 6 changing tables, a feeding room with high chairs, nursing rooms, and a store with diapers, formula, and other things babies need for sale. Didn't realize you were just going for the day--should have read more closely.
-Kyle

It's between the Crystal Palace and Casey's, where the bathrooms are, if I remember correctly.

 

[ToTBellHop]

It's between the Crystal Palace and Casey's, where the bathrooms are, if I remember correctly.

Yep.

 

[xdan0920]

here's my advice.

Don't ask for advice here. You will get a group of parents who think they know best for all parents. They will project their feelings on to you, trying to make you feel guilty because they would feel guilty in your position.

Anecdotal evidence from my recent experience....

we just returned from a trip with our 7 month old son. He did not give one single bleep about the trip. Yea he smiled at Pooh, but he always smiles at poo, and we got a couple cute pictures, but he always takes cute pictures. We were there 4 days, hit every park, and only managed 12 attractions total. If I was in your situation, I would take the older kids and leave the youngest with the In-laws.