Today, Miranda is sharing with us how to do Disney as a single parent! And the good news is… yes, it can be done! So if you’re a single parent, or if your spouse can’t make it to Disney with you, you’re in luck ~ with a little bit of extra planning and these helpful hints from Miranda, you’ll still be able to have a great time!
My friends and family thought I had lost my mind when I announced that I was taking my daughter on her first trip to Disney World by myself. Disney World can be done as a single mom, but you certainly need to prepare before you get to the world of the mouse.
My friends and family thought I had lost my mind when I announced that I was taking my daughter on her first trip to Disney World by myself. Disney World can be done as a single mom, but you certainly need to prepare before you get to the world of the mouse.
First get a travel agent! There are so many resort options and so many things to do. Sometimes it helps to have an extra adult to help you make decisions. Also many travel agents offer incentives if you book through them. If you have already booked your trip through Disney do not worry, you can transfer your Disney Reservation to your travel agent (if it’s been within 30 days of your original booking through Disney). If you are traveling with little ones I would recommend checking the height requirements for each ride. I knew exactly which rides my daughter was too short for. This helped us avoid any meltdowns. We also used a site called Touring Plans. For a small subscription fee you can get touring plans to help you maximize your time. You will spend less time in line and less time being lost.
The good thing about going to Disney World with just your kids is your schedule can be flexible. I know everyone says that it’s best to be at the rope drop every morning to avoid lines. Any day I rushed her to get out of bed and get going was a miserable day for us. We tried the theory of going back to the hotel midday and resting, but that didn’t work for us. The best day we had at Disney World was the day I let her sleep until 11:30. I know we lost lots of time at the parks, but she was well rested and happy. We went in early November so the lines weren’t too bad even though we didn’t show up until lunch. The bottom line is you know your child best. Do what works for them.
Some people may find this hint a little silly, but don’t be afraid to ask for help! The bus ride back to our resort at night seemed to be particularly tricky for us. It was hard to hang on to all our stuff and a sleepy little one. People were often very quick to help us if we needed it. Also don’t be afraid to ask a stranger to take a photo for you. The photopass photographers are great for this, but there are no photopass photographers hanging out at your table during a character meal. The family sitting beside us at Crystal Palace offered to take our picture with the characters when they saw that my daughter was a little hesitant to take a picture by herself. I couldn’t have thanked that family enough because it made my daughter’s birthday meal enjoyable and memorable.
Always keep safety in mind. Just because you are at the most magical place on earth don’t let all your guards down. I recommend buying some safety tattoos. We purchased ours through safetytat.com. They are temporary tattoos that you can write your phone number on. It made me feel a little bit better about being somewhere as crowded as Disney World with just the two of us.
While you want to be cautious don’t be overly cautious. I had the stranger conversation with my daughter pretty much every day we were at Disney World. This backfired horribly on me. We had breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table in the castle the morning of her birthday. Well my daughter decided the princesses were strangers and wanted nothing to do with any of them. We left that meal with no pictures because she was terrified.
I think a trip to Disney World is certainly possible if you’re a single parent. Just go with a plan, be organized, be careful and remember that it’s all about making memories with your kids. Don’t worry about what anyone else says. Throw on your Mickey ears and have a blast.
Miranda and Chloe have been Disney World fanatics since their first trip in 2011. Chloe’s favorite ride is Dumbo and Miranda loves Expedition Everest. They are planning their next trip for Miranda’s honeymoon in the fall of 2013.
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