Any new DVC members who are parents of young children?

[Pluto14]

Hi all! Dh and I became DVC members on our trip to WDW last year, however, we had to bank our points for this year due to the birth of our 1st child, a DD, in May of this year! We're very anxious to use our points next year for a 2 bedroom at either our home resort SSR or at the WL. We LOVE the WL and would love to stay there next July. How hard is it to get? Our use year begins in May....when can we call to try to book for next July?

Also, any tips for traveling with the "youngsters"? Anyone taken a 14 month old before? Just curious! We're very excited about finally taking advantage of what we bought into last year!! I'd imagine it is great having the extra space of a villa when traveling with a young child! Can't wait!

Kris
Mom to Katie (my 3 mo. old )

 

[lulu71]

Hi, I'm not a new member but I had my first child in June and we're taking her in December when she's 6 months old. I'm curious to hear what people have to say about taking little ones.

You can book at the seven month window for VWL, so that would be December. I'm not sure how hard it is to get, someone else will have to chime in on that. Welcome to DVC ownership!!

 

[lllovell]

I think you will find LOTS of us have young children here. We have only had one DVC stay so far and LOVED the studio kitchenette. Staying in a one bedroom at Christmas because we will have an 8 week old with us!

I think that the best advice I can give you about taking a 14 month old to WDW is let them set the pace. My sons wanted NOTHING to do with characters - fine by us, we got to skip all those lines. They loved riding rides and seeing colorful sights around the parks. We brought in PLENTY of finger foods and snacks for them (cranky children - ack) and when it was nap time, they had the choice of napping in the stroller or going back to the room. Until we bought into DVC, they always chose the stroller, but now, after lunch in our room and a nap, we tend to go swimming or do something else fun before heading back to the parks. One of their favorite rides still is the monorail and we make sure to take its full loop and use it to jump back and forth between EPCOT and MK at least once a trip. Try to figure out if your child is a noise liker or hater before you go. If you have been before, you will know which rides might be too much and scare them once and you will spend the rest of your trip trying to get them to ride other things without crying. Also, mine love fireworks, but my niece SCREAMS when they are going off (she is inbetween the boys ages) so be ready to duck into a store the first time they get to experience some of the shows. If you are going for a parade (which I highly recommend one parent find a spot with the stroller and stake it out - or hopefully, you will get to sit and wait while your little one is snoozing), try to get on a corner. People will push in front of your stroller and it never fails to amaze me how many people can block your views. Try to see the characters in the parks BEFORE you schedule a character meal (went with a 2 year old family friend last trip and she SCREAMED when we ate dinner at the CP and Tigger and Pooh came over - I tried to get her parents to let us cancel the dinner based on the fact that she was FREAKED by the characters in the parks, but they didn't want to hear of it....not the best dining experience). Finally - take your own stroller, but DONT take the huge travel system ones. They are a nightmare on the buses. I would recommend an umbrella stroller with a sunshade.

I am sure your whole family will have a blast and you will LOVE the extra space at your villa! Just having snack foods there for hungry little ones is WONDERFUL (including being able to keep cold drinks on hand). Also, do try to take full advantage of all the wonderful things going on at the resort - swimming, maybe a boat ride or bycicle ride, because time off from busy parks can really help them to stay calm and will also burn some of that excess energy.

Have fun!

Laura

 

[andriade]

Hi! Congrats on your new baby. I have 2 small children. DS is 2 and DD is 4 1/2 months old. DS made his 1st WDW trip at 9 months and our DD will be doing the same. We also took DS again at 19 months old. Believe it or not it was easier when he was 9 months old. Since you will have a kitchen, your life will be easier. I had to wash spoons and bowls in the bathroom. We had a blast on both trips. I have never done WDW without my kids. I have no idea how I would go without them. It is a little extra work for me but worth it. Just be sure to go back mid-day for naps.(You included!) I also tried to keep their bed-time routine, like bath, story, teeth and then bed. He went to bed after his usual bed-time most nights though. He did pretty well.

You'll have a great time! Good luck!

 

[Laurabearz]

First... COngrats on becoming a new mommy!

DVC is great, esp when you have littleones. We have 3 children (6,4,2) and we bought when the kids were 4,2,and not even a twinkle. lol

Let yuo child set the pace. Maybe she will nap in the stroller (great time to grab a bite to eat) maybe she wont... Hit the parks at her best time, and leave when the first signs of meltdown show up. There are a lot of nice shady areas to try to get her to sleep too....

You are a DVC member.... you be back a million times... The greatest thing about kids and WDW is that as they grow... new worlds open up to them. (hitting the 40 in mark.... hitting the 48 inch mark.... etc) It is the best!!

 

[Doc and Family]

I agree with Laura completely.
First, congrats on the new arrival--our first two were born in May-2 yrs apart.
Second, going with little ones is great.
Our third child's first trip was at 10 weeks--easiest trip ever--once they get mobility--watch out!! LOL.
Let the little one set the pace--it will make the trip so much more enjoyable.
Also--WELCOME to the DVC. As a member, you will make many, many trips and get to enjoy the new excitements as your little bundle of joy gets to experience them.
Like I said in the beginning--see Laura's post--she's usually right on about these things.

May your little princess bring you all the joy you can imagine!

 

[Alysa]

You'll love it - best thing we did for our family.

We took our 14 month old last May. Here is our trip report which has lots of tips in it:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=570103
As well as our slide show on our website:
http://homepage.mac.com/alysa.kim/thekimsatdisney.htm

You'll probably get a lot of tips from this board but here are some of ours:
1. Bring baby's bed linens and bumper for familiarity. Don't skip naps! If baby has a schedule at home, try to stick to it.
2. We loved the Animal Kingdom Lodge but would never stay at Disney without access to a kitchen again! Having one a Vero was so great - we saved a TON of money and it was only once we got to AKL and we couldn't give DD the food she was used to at home that she went off her food and started eating only grapes and macaroni. When we stayed at BCV this trip (our favourite resort so far) we were able to eat at home when we wanted and then go out several meals that made eacch one special for not being every breakfast, lunch tea and supper.
3. A surfer style bathing suit is great for keeping baby's skin protected.
4. Further down in that trip report is a post I made about making an autograph album. We took it with us again this past April and it was worth every moment it took to put it together. The characters loved seeing their own pictures and it made for some great interaction both trips.

We are taking our daughter again next March with her new baby brother or sister, her grandparents, and my sister and her family. She is already talking about it all the time. "We go in March!" she told her day care teacher, who said to us, "That is so nice, kids should wait until they are old enough to enjoy it there". We just smiled at her, and laughed about it on the way home. We were too embarrased to tell her that DD has gone once a year since birth and loved EVERY minute of both trips and still talks about them to this day. She LOVES watching the slide shows on the computer and looking through the albums and she gets quite annoyed when she looks at the album from before she was born and can find pictures of everyone in her family except her and her cousin who is the same age as her (18 of us at the BWV Grand Villa - now that was a trip!)

Anyway, enough rambling. I envy you your first trip together as a family - ours was so wonderful. Every trip is, but that one was different - magic - it was like after so much hard work and sleep deprivation that it was the first time we could just enjoy that brand new, emerging personality. Great family time. You'll see what I mean when you go. Sniff! Enjoy!

PS. Speaking of family time, don't forget to take a pair of plastic champagne glasses and pick up something nice to drink and some gourmet goodies at the Publix - those afternoons and evenings spent together as a couple out on the balcony while DD napped were a wonderful, romantic way to reconnect.

 

[NJOYURLIFE]

Congratulations on your new baby! Lots of good advice here. The key to traveling with any children is flexibility and the great part is that since you own DVC you know you will be back so you don't need to be commando.

 

[nono]

Just be ready for anything (and not in a bad way!). We thought when we took our daughter to DL that we'd be back at the hotel by noon. Um, NO. She took two long stroller naps during the day and we ended up spending 11 hours total in the park the first day! She loved spending time at the Child Care Center.

My husband's best friend was with us, and I highly recommend having a friend along -- while my husband was entertaining our girl in the Child Care Center, his best friend and I took off for the single rider line at Soarin'. When we go again next year, we are bringing husband's best friend again, and will also likely have other DVC friends with us. It is very helpful to have extra adults around, esp. if your child/children are social.

Also, our daughter LOVES to dine out (table service). So, we made sure that we took the time to sit and eat at regular times, and that seemed to set the rhythm of the day for her.

 

[lllovell]

hahaha - just thought of another little tidbit...silly one...but here it is


A small child cannot figure out how to handle MICKEY BARS lol at least my boys can't! My oldest (5) has finally figured out how to bite through the hard coated shell and get ice cream too, but the youngest still wants to lick the chocolate. Soooo if you get ice cream, you might want to pick something else to share with your little one. (OF course, I have some great shots of the boys covered from head to toe in chocolate and dad trying to wipe them clean - dad hates the messes - and all of us going on about our merry way and having a blast anyway!)

Laura

 

[Pluto14]

Thank you for the congratulatory wishes and all the GREAT advice!!! I am just taking it all in! It just makes me look forward to our 1st trip as a family even more!! DH and I are both Disney nuts and we're hoping that rubs off on our DD, too! Her room is totally Disney (we went with the Starlight Mickey bedding/nursery theme- it has Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, and Donald) We're hoping that since she's been staring at them since birth, she'll know exactly who they are when she sees them "in person" for the 1st time! Her birth announcement was also Disney themed, as was our baby shower!!

I'm so glad that I am able to take a whole year off of work (I'm a teacher ) to be with my DD. Gee, since I won't have school work to get in the way this year, I think I'll be able to have time to make the homemade autograph album!!

Now, have any of you done a long car trip with your child/children? We'll probably be driving down from NJ. I think we'll have both grandma's with us, too. We'll also have a DVD player...hoping DD will enjoy Disney videos by then! Any tips on car rides?

Kris

 

[Jacksmom99]

Ok, as far as booking, you can book SSR 11 months before your checkout date, and WL 7months from your checkout date. That would be August for SSR and December for WL regardless of when your use year is. We own at WL and I love it, but have only ever stayed there for one night. I book it every year though, at the 11mo mark, then switch to BCV at the 7mo window. I've had to waitlist BCV a few times, but I didn't mind because I had the WL reservation anyway.

As far as babies, everyone will give you a ton of advice and lots of opinions. Yours will be 14 mo by the time you go so you'll have a very good idea of her temperment and schedule. We first took DS at 9mo, and DD at 3mo. Both were very easy. We used to drive every year from MA. Finally flying this year! DS has always been fine in the car, and entertains himself. We even drove the first year w/o a TV DD on the other hand gets VERY cranky in the car and has spent the majority of our drives crying and whining. I've even resorted to some great mommy of the year lines like "if you don't stop crying, I'm taking away your blankie!". We have found with DD that we need to stop and let her run around and stretch her legs. Even when she wasn't walking (lazy girl didn't want to until 16mo) on her trip at 15mo, she needed to get out of the car seat and stretch. Think about how many times we change position when we sit on long drives, kids in carseats can't do that. We have to stop every few hours and it drives DH nuts. He just wants to get there.

Since your planning on a July trip, I would plan to only see the parks in the early morning and evenings. It's going to be HOT! I took a fan for DD's stroller and kept misting her with my mister fan. Make sure to keep your DD hydrated, and if your still breastfeeding, keep yourself hydrated too! Oh, we always buy those disposable sippy cups. No worries if DD loses one, and if we're out and can't wash it out right away (especially milk) we just toss it.

Any other questions, just ask away!
Kim

 

[mamatojon]

We took my daughter to DL at 6 months and to WDW at 12 months - both times were a blast. I agree the key is flexibility and no commando-ing. I've never been into scheduling my park days, so it was natural for us. I will also say that for me, avoiding sit-down table service meals was key as well. They just add an element of stress that I didn't want or need. We are gong again in January and she will be two then, I'm actually a little wary about that because I know she will want to walk a bunch and I'm going to want her in the stroller more often.

 

[della]

Congratulations!

Basically, I agree with what everyone else said. You will be going back forever so yu don't need to do it all in one trip. I have 5 kids (20 yrs old-3 yrs old). I also foster babies/children and have brought different ages from time to time. My one dd was there at 8 weeks old, the other 9 months. A favorite memory of the then 9 month old was taking her picture in the BW lobby. The chair was so big, she was a premie and still soooo tiny. Our last trip (she is now 7) was highlighted when she finally measured up enough to go on Rockin Roller Coaster. The time goes by way too quickly. Enjoy your little ones at WDW. Just relax and look for the memories in the making. There are guaranteed to be lots of them!

 

[Desnik]

Congrats on being a new mommy!!

We have taken our kids since they were 8/9 months old. They are now 2.5 and 7yo. We go every year and we drive from NY. Let me just say that taking a baby is far easier than a toddler!!LOL My kids were so good as babies at WDW. They were just in awe of everything. It was so magical seeing it through their eyes. As for driving, the DVD player will be perfect. Also, my kids, although they normally didn't fall asleep in the car, on the long ride they slept often. Everytime we stopped for gas, or to change diapers, if they were able to walk, I would let them run around at a rest stop. We have done the drive lots of different ways. Our favorite is to be on the road by 4am and drive straight through. We usually arrive at 9pm. I prefer it this way because I don't have to go in those creepy rest stop bathrooms alone at night with kids. Also, we like to just get there and not stop over at a hotel. DH and I take turns driving. We bring lots of things to keep the kids busy. Travel magna doodle is great for little kids, also the color wonder markers and books by crayola.

I would also advise you to bring your own stroller from home. You will need it for other places outside of the parks and it will be much more comfy for your DD. Take advantage of the baby care stations and take it slow and go at your DD's pace. Keep in mind it will be so hot in July. I would go to the parks in the early morning, stay at the resort and swim in the afternoon and tour again at night. Make sure you keep the baby hydrated, use plenty of sunscreen, a hat and a stroller with a shade/canopy.(I'm sure you know this already!)

Enjoy your trip and remember to take it slow because you have many more years to enjoy your DVC, that's the best part!

 

[Copperline]

Congrats on the new little one!

We took our DS for his 1s trip to DW when he was 8 months old. Maybe we're wacky, but we thought he really enjoyed it! He loved the characters, got to sit on Mickey & Minnie's lap, LOVED Pooh, and had a BLAST in the pool. We stayed at WL for that trip.
Here are some of the things we thought he enjoyed the most:
Playhouse Disney show in MGM
Pooh ride in MK
Tiki Bird show in MK
Figment in Epcot
Conservation Station in AK (petting zoo)
Illuminations at Epcot

We went again when he was 16 months, and then for his 2nd birthday.
He has loved every trip.

Since we have been so many times, we just take it easy and let him set our pace. We stay for as long as he is willing, and he'll often fall asleep in the stroller letting us stay longer! Take advantage of the resort pools, the kids seem to love them the best!
Have a great time!