Which hotel with little ones?

[21stamps]

I also get impatient when parents are asking their four year old what he wants at fast food place. Just order for him/her/it.

Seriously?

 

[Figgy1]

No, we decided to stay on property first - mainly because we’ll be itching to do a couple of the character dining experiences and ‘big’ rides ASAP, so the Dining Plan and 60 day advance FP+ reservations will come into play! We’re happy to have an action-packed first few days and then chill a bit when we move into the villa. It’s much harder planning things these days - it’s been 10 years since our last visit!

Don't forget you are considered a resort guest on check out day until the last park closes so take advantage of that.

 

[Minnie Mum]

Man, my parents never gave me a choice. I may have needed therapy and didn't know it. Of course, I also get impatient when parents are asking their four year old what he wants at fast food place. Just order for him/her/it. The inmates shouldn't be running the asylum. I think that I would have been so super excited by going to Disney as a kid that I would have stayed in a tent.

Well, as someone who DID stay in a tent ... no, really, we did... 1975, and I was already an adult.

My parents never asked us where we wanted to go for vacation, or where we would stay once we got there. I don't recall being scarred by the experience. On the contrary, we always had a blast, just because it was someplace new or different. Raised 2 kids of our own, and never asked them where we would vacation, what hotel/resort we would stay at, or what restaurants we would eat in. They're still speaking to us, haven't required therapy, and AFAIK aren't planning on writing a Mommy Dearest Part Deux.

Took DGS (and his parents were allowed to come along, too) for his first WDW trip last year. Stayed at POFQ. Why? Because that's where the adults wanted to stay. He didn't care. He also went bat poop crazy over the plastic jazz playing alligators, the frogs in the water fountain pools, and the slide at the main pool. Horror of horrors, his mother ordered his meals without consulting him first - and he gobbled them down like he hadn't eaten in a week. When asked what he liked most about the trip, do you know what his favorite thing was? Not the resort. Not getting his photo with Goofy (don't ask me why that was his favorite character- I have no idea). Not eating his weight in mac N cheese at HDDR. Not riding Dumbo 4 times in a row (the adults took turns to avoid nausea). Nope, it was playing in the resort pool every afternoon with his Dad and Grandad.

The point of this epic monologue (sorry about that) - kids can have the time of their lives without having the entire trip catered to their every possible whim. And to the OP: good choice, and I hope you have a fabulous time.

 

[jaklgreen]

Man, my parents never gave me a choice. I may have needed therapy and didn't know it. Of course, I also get impatient when parents are asking their four year old what he wants at fast food place. Just order for him/her/it. The inmates shouldn't be running the asylum. I think that I would have been so super excited by going to Disney as a kid that I would have stayed in a tent.

OMG THIS 100%!! I don't understand why parents now think they have to have their kids permission to do things now. There is a reason why we have to raise them for 18+ years. Generations past never asked their 2 year old what they wanted for dinner. Mom cooked what they had and everyone ate. And we did not have all of these food issues with "my kid is a picky eater and only eats nuggets" junk. Gradually as kids get older then of course you start giving them options like which one of these 2 outfits do you want to wear today type of thing. But something as important as what to eat to nourish your body is an adult decision. After all, what kid would not pick nuggets, mac and cheese and ice cream for a meal every day. Kids count on us to raise them happy and healthy. https://goop.com/work/parenthood/the-misguided-desire-of-wanting-our-kids-to-be-happy/

 

[note2001]

I'm curious if the resort(s) stayed at as a child influence what sort of hotels we look for when we are adults.

Do those who connect the All stars with a magical Disney stay crave returning to them, or are they up for trying the Moderates and deluxe resorts?

 

[slappy magoo]

OMG THIS 100%!! I don't understand why parents now think they have to have their kids permission to do things now.

If we only had a forum member whose spouse was a psychologist we could ask...

 

[21stamps]

I asked my kid, 6 at the time, if he would rather do DCL or WDW, after we were past final payment with DCL.
Still regret the outcome of that question.

I do typically get my child’s input on what to do for entertainment or vacations.. and I do always ask what he would like to order when out.. but I would usually give 2-3 choices when he was younger, and have him pick one.
Sometimes I make the decision alone. It works for us either way. Kids have such rigid schedules these days, I don’t see any harm in letting them make some decisions, or at least feel like they have input when parents are making decisions.

 

[21stamps]

If we only had a forum member whose spouse was a psychologist we could ask...

I thought kids were supposed to make choices from a young age.. that’s what I read and was told when my kid was a baby. Is that out of fashion in the pediatric world now? I can never keep up .

 

[slappy magoo]

I asked my kid, 6 at the time, if he would rather do DCL or WDW, after we were past final payment with DCL.
Still regret the outcome of that question.

I do typically get my child’s input on what to do for entertainment or vacations.. and I do always ask what he would like to order when out.. but I would usually give 2-3 choices when he was younger, and have him pick one.
Sometimes I make the decision alone. It works for us either way. Kids have such rigid schedules these days, I don’t see any harm in letting them make some decisions, or at least feel like they have input when parents are making decisions.

But there's a difference between letting your kid have input and letting him make every choice and make you make it happen.

 

[jaklgreen]

I thought kids were supposed to make choices from a young age.. that’s what I read and was told when my kid was a baby. Is that out of fashion in the pediatric world now? I can never keep up .

I think people need to stop listening to the new child physiologists and go back to listening to their grandma. We are breeding malnourished, unhappy, self involved kids now. NO, not every kid, but a good chunk of them are. They have shown that more and more kids are stressed out, depressed and suicidal now. All with the advent of not only social media, but the "new parenting" that your child is special and "can do whatever you want" and failing to tell them they will actually have to work for it. Giving kids choices is something that they grow into. Asking a toddler an open ended question like "what do you want for lunch" is something they are not ready for and are incapable of making smart decisions. Giving kids whatever they want and having the world revolve around them does not make them happy, just the opposite. Kids need to learn how to deal with change, disappointment, frustration, and anger. I see it time and time again at work. A new teenager comes in having never done a bit of work at home and do not know how to handle it. When given a task, they find out that work is no fun and have a meltdown acting as if we are their parents and say "it's OK, you don't have to work". It is unreal how these teenagers act in a professional setting. You can pick out the first day who's parents taught them right and who's spoiled them rotten. We all want what is best for our kids, but what is best is not always what they want.

 

[21stamps]

I think people need to stop listening to the new child physiologists and go back to listening to their grandma. We are breeding malnourished, unhappy, self involved kids now. NO, not every kid, but a good chunk of them are. They have shown that more and more kids are stressed out, depressed and suicidal now. All with the advent of not only social media, but the "new parenting" that your child is special and "can do whatever you want" and failing to tell them they will actually have to work for it. Giving kids choices is something that they grow into. Asking a toddler an open ended question like "what do you want for lunch" is something they are not ready for and are incapable of making smart decisions. Giving kids whatever they want and having the world revolve around them does not make them happy, just the opposite. Kids need to learn how to deal with change, disappointment, frustration, and anger. I see it time and time again at work. A new teenager comes in having never done a bit of work at home and do not know how to handle it. When given a task, they find out that work is no fun and have a meltdown acting as if we are their parents and say "it's OK, you don't have to work". It is unreal how these teenagers act in a professional setting. You can pick out the first day who's parents taught them right and who's spoiled them rotten. We all want what is best for our kids, but what is best is not always what they want.

I agree with this, I just think choices are ok, and probably even make better decision makers in the long run. I attribute my own child’s non-picky eating habits in part because I gave him the opportunity to explore different foods and don’t just say “Here, I got you a chicken nugget happy meal. Eat it.” same with when at any restaurant.. I do agree that not all choices are good though.. I lived and learned with the DCL vs WDW option.lol I shouldn’t have given him the choose at that time.

 

[Skibum1970]

Seriously?

Yep. I'm not saying that it's right but I do lose patience quickly. I'm usually either hungry or in a hurry and don't want to wait while little Johnny picks chicken nuggets or hamburger. Heck, my own nephews were given choices and they would hem-haw around. Finally, I told them to just get chicken nuggets because that's what they always picked.

 

[Skibum1970]

I think people need to stop listening to the new child physiologists and go back to listening to their grandma. We are breeding malnourished, unhappy, self involved kids now. NO, not every kid, but a good chunk of them are. They have shown that more and more kids are stressed out, depressed and suicidal now. All with the advent of not only social media, but the "new parenting" that your child is special and "can do whatever you want" and failing to tell them they will actually have to work for it. Giving kids choices is something that they grow into. Asking a toddler an open ended question like "what do you want for lunch" is something they are not ready for and are incapable of making smart decisions. Giving kids whatever they want and having the world revolve around them does not make them happy, just the opposite. Kids need to learn how to deal with change, disappointment, frustration, and anger. I see it time and time again at work. A new teenager comes in having never done a bit of work at home and do not know how to handle it. When given a task, they find out that work is no fun and have a meltdown acting as if we are their parents and say "it's OK, you don't have to work". It is unreal how these teenagers act in a professional setting. You can pick out the first day who's parents taught them right and who's spoiled them rotten. We all want what is best for our kids, but what is best is not always what they want.

Every now and then, I read a post that makes me wish I could do more than just "like" it. This is one.

 

[LeighM]

I think people need to stop listening to the new child physiologists and go back to listening to their grandma. We are breeding malnourished, unhappy, self involved kids now. NO, not every kid, but a good chunk of them are. They have shown that more and more kids are stressed out, depressed and suicidal now. All with the advent of not only social media, but the "new parenting" that your child is special and "can do whatever you want" and failing to tell them they will actually have to work for it. Giving kids choices is something that they grow into. Asking a toddler an open ended question like "what do you want for lunch" is something they are not ready for and are incapable of making smart decisions. Giving kids whatever they want and having the world revolve around them does not make them happy, just the opposite. Kids need to learn how to deal with change, disappointment, frustration, and anger. I see it time and time again at work. A new teenager comes in having never done a bit of work at home and do not know how to handle it. When given a task, they find out that work is no fun and have a meltdown acting as if we are their parents and say "it's OK, you don't have to work". It is unreal how these teenagers act in a professional setting. You can pick out the first day who's parents taught them right and who's spoiled them rotten. We all want what is best for our kids, but what is best is not always what they want.

Funny you should mention because as I was reading others posts, I was thinking back to my own Grandma. Grandma, Mom, and I all lived together until she died when I was 14. Grandma was the one who watched me when Mom was working so she was a large influence in my life. I remember growing up, I had to always try new food. I wasn't allowed to say I didn't like something until I first ate it. If I didn't like it, or it made me sick, then Grandma didn't force me to eat it again. When we would go out for dinner, I was given a few options out of what they knew I would like (and what they would also like to eat if I didn't eat it all LOL). I never got to chose where to vacation or what we did. However, they knew how much I loved to swim, so they would always make sure our motels had a pool for me to use. That's all I ever cared about. But they always made sure to add child friendly activities to our itineraries. But, for the most part, as an only child raised in a household of older adults, I spent a lot of time in museums and historical sites.

 

[slappy magoo]

Funny you should mention because as I was reading others posts, I was thinking back to my own Grandma. Grandma, Mom, and I all lived together until she died when I was 14. Grandma was the one who watched me when Mom was working so she was a large influence in my life. I remember growing up, I had to always try new food. I wasn't allowed to say I didn't like something until I first ate it. If I didn't like it, or it made me sick, then Grandma didn't force me to eat it again. When we would go out for dinner, I was given a few options out of what they knew I would like (and what they would also like to eat if I didn't eat it all LOL). I never got to chose where to vacation or what we did. However, they knew how much I loved to swim, so they would always make sure our motels had a pool for me to use. That's all I ever cared about. But they always made sure to add child friendly activities to our itineraries. But, for the most part, as an only child raised in a household of older adults, I spent a lot of time in museums and historical sites.

But that's kind of as it should be. You don't ignore everything a child might want when you make your plans, and you have to be cognizant of a child's needs, but you're also allowed to consider what you as the grownup might want out of your vacation too.

As a parent, just about all of my planning involves what the kids will like or might like. They're going to get everything they need - they will be fed and clothed and sunscreen'd, there will be bandaids for blisters, we will stop if they're tired and nurtured if they're hurt.

They're going to get a whole lot of what they want, rides and shows and fireworks and lots of desserts, pool time, souvenirs, more desserts, pictures with characters, pressed pennies...

But they're not going to get everything they want. It's patently impossible for them to get EVERYTHING they want, and once in a while mom and dad deserve to get what THEY want, too.

I just added an additional night to our trip so we can attend the first night of the Food and Wine Expo. And I got that additional night in the Beach Club, where they've never stayed. We'll be able to walk back to the room after Epcot, no additional travel hassles that night. I got breakfast reservations for Cape May Cafe. We'll swim a bit in Stormalong Bay, something they've never done. I think I did all right...

But last night when we broached the idea of staying an additional night, so mom can do the one thing she always wanted to do, we explained it might mean giving up our brunch reservations at Chef Mickey's. It's a super late brunch reservation, after 2, and it makes no sense to eat a big-old buffet and then try to snack around the world. There was a moment of back and forth and finally my oldest said "I'll miss Chef Mickey's, it's my favorite, but if it means mom gets to do something she always wanted to do...AND we get to stay one more night, then it's worth it." My youngest, being a little turd, said "we can stay...but the room HAS to have a pull down bed," so she's going to be "disappointed" in the freaking Beach Club.

But based on the opinion of SOME people on this thread, I suppose I should have gotten a room at Riverside that night so my youngest could have her pull out bed, AND gotten the reservations at Cape May anyway, done all the extra driving that night and the next morning, with the result of having less time to swim before we go (and not at Stormalong Bay) because of that additional travel time, AND I should have kept the Chef Mickey's reservation so we're all too full to eat anything at Food and Wine. Yep. I am some sort of gosh darned savage for giving my kids a night at Beach Club, the coolest pool on property, a different character meal to make up for the one we no longer have. Could someone call Family Services? I don't deserve children.

 

[jaklgreen]

But that's kind of as it should be. You don't ignore everything a child might want when you make your plans, and you have to be cognizant of a child's needs, but you're also allowed to consider what you as the grownup might want out of your vacation too.

As a parent, just about all of my planning involves what the kids will like or might like. They're going to get everything they need - they will be fed and clothed and sunscreen'd, there will be bandaids for blisters, we will stop if they're tired and nurtured if they're hurt.

They're going to get a whole lot of what they want, rides and shows and fireworks and lots of desserts, pool time, souvenirs, more desserts, pictures with characters, pressed pennies...

But they're not going to get everything they want. It's patently impossible for them to get EVERYTHING they want, and once in a while mom and dad deserve to get what THEY want, too.

I just added an additional night to our trip so we can attend the first night of the Food and Wine Expo. And I got that additional night in the Beach Club, where they've never stayed. We'll be able to walk back to the room after Epcot, no additional travel hassles that night. I got breakfast reservations for Cape May Cafe. We'll swim a bit in Stormalong Bay, something they've never done. I think I did all right...

But last night when we broached the idea of staying an additional night, so mom can do the one thing she always wanted to do, we explained it might mean giving up our brunch reservations at Chef Mickey's. It's a super late brunch reservation, after 2, and it makes no sense to eat a big-old buffet and then try to snack around the world. There was a moment of back and forth and finally my oldest said "I'll miss Chef Mickey's, it's my favorite, but if it means mom gets to do something she always wanted to do...AND we get to stay one more night, then it's worth it." My youngest, being a little turd, said "we can stay...but the room HAS to have a pull down bed," so she's going to be "disappointed" in the freaking Beach Club.

But based on the opinion of SOME people on this thread, I suppose I should have gotten a room at Riverside that night so my youngest could have her pull out bed, AND gotten the reservations at Cape May anyway, done all the extra driving that night and the next morning, with the result of having less time to swim before we go (and not at Stormalong Bay) because of that additional travel time, AND I should have kept the Chef Mickey's reservation so we're all too full to eat anything at Food and Wine. Yep. I am some sort of gosh darned savage for giving my kids a night at Beach Club, the coolest pool on property, a different character meal to make up for the one we no longer have. Could someone call Family Services? I don't deserve children.

I want to go on vacation with you. LOL So if CPS is being called on you then I will not only loose my kids but go to jail for life since I leave them at home and go to WDW without them?? Oh the horror. The thing is, my kids know that I go every year for the F&WF to do what I love to do and they are OK with it, if you can believe that. They actually understand that parents do not live their whole life just trying to make the kids happy and that we would like to do things that we like to do also. They just want me to bring them home a T-shirt.

 

[jaklgreen]

Funny you should mention because as I was reading others posts, I was thinking back to my own Grandma. Grandma, Mom, and I all lived together until she died when I was 14. Grandma was the one who watched me when Mom was working so she was a large influence in my life. I remember growing up, I had to always try new food. I wasn't allowed to say I didn't like something until I first ate it. If I didn't like it, or it made me sick, then Grandma didn't force me to eat it again. When we would go out for dinner, I was given a few options out of what they knew I would like (and what they would also like to eat if I didn't eat it all LOL). I never got to chose where to vacation or what we did. However, they knew how much I loved to swim, so they would always make sure our motels had a pool for me to use. That's all I ever cared about. But they always made sure to add child friendly activities to our itineraries. But, for the most part, as an only child raised in a household of older adults, I spent a lot of time in museums and historical sites.

Your grandma sounds awesome. That is what moms used to do and what I still do. I take my kids to the grocery store and we always pick out something new, be it a new vegi or fruit or a fancy cheese. My kids love fancy cheese now LOL. We all have certain foods that we just can't stand and that is OK. But there is always something at dinner that you can eat. I would never make a special separate dinner for my kids. We also like going to the buffets at WDW, especially when they were younger so they can try a wide variety of foods. They quickly learned when very young that you never know what kind of food you will like unless you try it. There were a lot of misses but also plenty of hits. The more foods little kids are exposed to, the more they are willing to try and will end up liking. We took our kids to the museum all the time(just like I went when I was young) and they love them.

 

[LeighM]

Your grandma sounds awesome. That is what moms used to do and what I still do. I take my kids to the grocery store and we always pick out something new, be it a new vegi or fruit or a fancy cheese. My kids love fancy cheese now LOL. We all have certain foods that we just can't stand and that is OK. But there is always something at dinner that you can eat. I would never make a special separate dinner for my kids. We also like going to the buffets at WDW, especially when they were younger so they can try a wide variety of foods. They quickly learned when very young that you never know what kind of food you will like unless you try it. There were a lot of misses but also plenty of hits. The more foods little kids are exposed to, the more they are willing to try and will end up liking. We took our kids to the museum all the time(just like I went when I was young) and they love them.

The woman was born in 1918 and she was very old school. And she knew the power of anticipation - esp when it was part of a punishment! I tried slapping her one day (I was about 6) and I saw a look come into her eyes that I had never seen before. I ran into the bathroom and locked the door thinking that could save me. She knew I could see her from the window and she went outside and got a switch off the bush and take all the leaves off the stem in one very angry motion. I knew that was meant for me and there was not one thing I could do LOL. I never did that again either!!!! Grandma made all of the dinners during the week and everyone knew better than to complain about it. I can't help but laugh at the parents who fix their kids special meals because they will only eat chicken nuggets or the like. Grandma didn't care if any of her kids went hungry because she knew eventually you'll get hungry enough to eat whatever you have available. The woman was tough You ate what she fixed and you better be thankful to have food on the table. She was raised during the Great Depression so she definitely valued food and what it means to go hungry. To this day, I hate the amount of food my husband wastes.

 

[jaklgreen]

The woman was born in 1918 and she was very old school. And she knew the power of anticipation - esp when it was part of a punishment! I tried slapping her one day (I was about 6) and I saw a look come into her eyes that I had never seen before. I ran into the bathroom and locked the door thinking that could save me. She knew I could see her from the window and she went outside and got a switch off the bush and take all the leaves off the stem in one very angry motion. I knew that was meant for me and there was not one thing I could do LOL. I never did that again either!!!! Grandma made all of the dinners during the week and everyone knew better than to complain about it. I can't help but laugh at the parents who fix their kids special meals because they will only eat chicken nuggets or the like. Grandma didn't care if any of her kids went hungry because she knew eventually you'll get hungry enough to eat whatever you have available. The woman was tough You ate what she fixed and you better be thankful to have food on the table. She was raised during the Great Depression so she definitely valued food and what it means to go hungry. To this day, I hate the amount of food my husband wastes.

The last 2 sentences sum it all up. People now are too spoiled and have never been hungry. My dad still has scars on his arm from getting scurvy as a kid because they had no fresh food in the winter. We grew up being thankful for what food we did have and I have tried very hard to pass that down to my kids. Never take food for granted.