How I survived Disney ALONE with TWO kids.
When my husband bought our family annual Disney passes last year as our anniversary gift I told myself I would use them as much as I can.
Since my husband works (and is not a HUGE Disney fan) that means we can only go with him on the weekends. Weekends at Disney are fun but definitely more crowded than during the week. That means that if I wanted to get my money worth I had to take the kiddos by Myself. Since we only live 1 1/2 hours away I decided to bite the bullet
The first time I did it I was a nervous wreck beforehand but after that day I realized it wasn’t that bad. Since we have annual passes I didn’t feel rushed to see EVERYTHING. If we missed something we could always go back. My son is four so he has his favorites. I know we will be riding the buzz lightyear ride every time we go
Here are the tips I have to make your day as stress-free as possible.
pack a lunch, water, and snacks the night before. Now sometimes I forget the lunch because that’s fewer things for me to carry but having snacks holds the Little’s over during the day and also in the ride home (I’ll explain that later) water is important because they charge for everything lol and you can bring your own water in. I usually bring about 4-5 bottles of water. I also have a cute carrying case from Jujube that I can just throw into the backpack and its perfect.
I have a four and 1 yr old. Although I have a double stroller that will be hard for only me to get on and off the tram. I use my baby carrier (Beco Soleil) and my single stroller that has storage space( I have the babies r us brand zobo and it is amazing and easy to fold and carry) as well as my backpack that acts as a Diaper Bag.
I choose magic kingdom because that’s the park that has the most rides that my 1 yr old can do. Although we have to save the big rollercoasters for when dad comes. My son is content with just being at Disney. Check here for all the rides a small child can ride. Also, an extra perk for the rides, you can babywear on them, which is almost all of them.(took our baby girl when she was three months and I wore her on all the rides.
I am out the door by 9:30 am at the latest that way I can get to park by 11 and I usually have our first FastPass by 11:30. When leaving the park since it’s a work day I wrap it up by 3:00 pm that way I’m in my car and on the road by 3:30(when at magic kingdom you have to ride a few rides before you make it to parking lot: monorail or ferry boat and tram) . Four hours at the park is enough time that no one will have a meltdown and we get to enjoy some Disney fun. Again, don’t rush to try and fit everything in you can always come back. Now, if we decided to stay in Orlando overnight I would def break to check in the hotel at that same time so kiddos can take a nap. This mama is all about having fun and not stressing out the kids or myself.
Download MY Disney app. It’s amazing. You can see wait times on your phone. Pick your fast passes and even order food!!!! No one utilized this and it’s so nice because I order, say I’m ready to pick up and walk right past all the angry kids and the stressed-out parents to pick up my food. I make it a game with my son, he gets to press the button on the app for what he wants to order and he’s so calm and content. Then we go and eat. I usually do that around 12:30-1pm and we are done and ready to hit the next fast pass or parade after we eat.
Walking around takes a lot of the kids (and me) so I switch between the four and 1 yr old sitting in the stroller. By the end of our day, I’m getting tired and so are they so we head over to the hub grass and have some snacks and I let the kids stretch and sit or play. That gets them calmed down and ready to get in the car for the drive home.
Leaving by 3:30 means that I will hit some traffic the snacks are also great for about 30 min before we get home. Usually, the kiddos fall asleep on the ride home but they wake up ready for dinner and I have snacks ready for them :) I pack apples, pears, peanut butter sandwiches, animal crackers, waters, carrots and fruit snacks.
That is how I survive Disney by myself. People are very helpful so if I’m having a hard time getting the kids off or on the tram with the stroller someone will hold the door. When looking for seats for lunch a CM(cast member) will usually see me and point a seat out for us. All in all, have fun. Don’t rush or feel like you need to do everything. If you’re going by yourself chances are you live in FL and can always go back. A day trip is perfect for annual pass holders and this time of year is perfect temps to enjoy.
Have you ever done Disney alone with the kiddos? What are some of the things you do to help the day trip run smooth? Comment below and let me know.
