OK I feel like the worst mother in the world even asking this, but it is the subject of much debate at my house. We are going to DL for a week 9/25. We have 3 kids, 7, 5, & 18 months. My 7 & 5 are tall enough to go on all rides and my husband wants to leave our 18 month home for many reasons. First there would be no stroller swap, 2nd we wouldn't have to take a stroller (the other two walked the whole time last year!), 3rd he is a monster and hates to be confinded, he hates going out to dinner and being strapped in to a high chair, so a week of eating out plus stroller time, plus line time. Yikes!! All in all though I hate to go to this family place minus a member of the family. Any suggestions?

Any grandmas? :p

ok here's my .02

There is nothing wrong in giving your older two a quality experience at Disneyland if you have competent and loving child care for the 18 month old. I'll go out on a limb and assume that you intend to return at some point in the future so that when said toddler is no longer a 'monster' and matured enough that taking him on this adventure will be joyful and not stressful. As parents you want to give each child the best you can, and sometimes doing the best thing means that he/she misses a "family" event because they just won't enjoy it and in turn will make it more difficult for the rest of the family to enjoy. It doesn't make you bad parents, it makes you great parents that are strong enough to accept that NOT all events are best served by including the entire family.

If your children havea a grandma like my chidren do I would leave him(?) with grandma. My Mom-in-law Lovvves her grandchildren. She even calls and askes to see them when she missses them (average after about two weeks absence). She would love to have each child by herself for the full day!! Now If they have a grandma like that, I bet she would be delighted to have one on one time. I'm doing that this weekend. The older one's birthday (10) is this sunday and I'm leaving the younger one (7) with Grandma. They both love thier time together. Of course, the younger one will have her day, too!

I agree. If you have someone you trust that would watch your 18 month old, then leave him because there's nothing worst that having him/her throw a tantrum or whatever non-stop during the whole trip. I have a 3.5 year old son and 1 year old daughter so I know how it feels when the youngest one does not want to be in the stroller/highchair and just want to crawl/walk everywhere.

I have to agree with the majority here. I also have three kids and my youngest also would have been very little fun in those situations at that age (which is why we haven't gone until now). Heck, he's almost five now and I'm still a little nervous ! lol

At that age your little one wouldn't be likely to remember the trip anyway and although I am sure he would have fun too, it would probably be alot more fun for the rest of you if you waited until the next time to take him.

just my two cents.....

Don't feel bad if you think it is best to take a DL trip without the youngest. Some kids that age will do well and enjoy it and some won't. We didn't think Morgan was ready for DL till she was 5, but her little brother, Tristan, did great at the age of 2. You know your kids the best and if you feel the trip would go smoother if he stayed home than that is the smart choice to make.

My $.02....If you are going to leave your 18 month old for a week, without you or Dad or siblings I would do "practice runs" for short periods of time first.. ie: overnight one night, a few times, to see how it goes.
My daughter was exceptionally mature at 18 mos. and she went with us to disneyland and remembers a LOT from that trip, but each child is different. I would just want to know that the person watching your 18 mo. old and the 18 mo. old were comfortable so you can go on vacation and not get frantic phone calls from whoever is watching him!!
My other comment is that you, your husband and two older children deserve to have some time together and really enjoy eachother!! Just think how much you will be able to see and do and enjoy!! It will be a memorable trip for your older two!!! Especially if your youngest is as hard as you say! You all deserve a break!!! :D

I'm really unqualified to give my two cents as I have no children - but I agree with the majority on leaving the 18 month old behind so that the other kids can enjoy DL.

Ok so you all side with my husband. Yes it will be a more enjoyable trip and grandma will be thrilled. I guess this will be a good excuse to take him back when he is in high school, just to be fair. Darn it one more excuse to go to DL!!!!! :D

Look at this way (I did) your child will have his own vacation at Grans without the lines to his favorite "rides" and will probably eat whatever he pleases and might even get a "souvineer"

Mine had a blast and didn't want to leave (*age 21months), of course, I'm not sure he gets the whole Disney thing yet anyway, other than JOJO and the DoodleBops ?!!

I agree with everyone that it is OK to leave the baby. It will make your trip more enjoyable in many ways.
but just to play devils advocate on this, my sister wanted to bring her daughter who was about 19 months back in February but was weary about the same things. She didn't have anyone she was willing to leave her with for that long so my DH and I said we would do baby swapping with her so that she could enjoy the park a little more. She prepared by buying a baby leash thing and tons of snacks and stuff to occupy her but it was all not necessary. Madeline was a different child at DL. She sat in her stroller all day long, not a peep even during meals. She was facinated by all the commotion. She napped during the shows. My husband had the honor of buying her her first churro while we rode Star Tours. You just have to be willing to take the park a little slower.

My 20 month old loves to look around and gets so excited when he sees the characters. He has been to Disneyland a few times now since he was only a couple of months old. I think vacation time should be family time and I can't imagine leaving my 20 month old home with grandma while I went to Disneyland...but that's just me. I guess I'm out voted...

My 20 month old loves to look around and gets so excited when he sees the characters. He has been to Disneyland a few times now since he was only a couple of months old. I think vacation time should be family time and I can't imagine leaving my 20 month old home with grandma while I went to Disneyland...but that's just me. I guess I'm out voted...
I vote with you. I took my DD at 18 months. She loved it.
Maybe being in an enviroment such as DL might change the way he acts.

I vote with you. I took my DD at 18 months. She loved it.
Maybe being in an enviroment such as DL might change the way he acts.
Every child is different, and every trip is different. I took my kids, and we often skipped the fast rides. But, I also left kids with grandma while we took older kids. This last trip, we brought my turning 1 year nephew and my 2 year old nephew (and can't leave out the 7yo nephew.) But, we also had 15 adults/over 15yo teens to pass them around, and grandma who doesn't do the rides. In the situation you have described, I would let him visit grandma and get spoiled.

I would have such a guilty feeling. And look back at photos without my little one and my heart would ache. I can't imagine how torn you feel. being the older kids want to go commando, and it would be too much for the little guy.
I got a great idea!!! leave him with Grandma, have her take photos of him. When you get your photos cut and paste him in them!!! :fez: :D

I would have such a guilty feeling. And look back at photos without my little one and my heart would ache. I can't imagine how torn you feel. being the older kids want to go commando, and it would be too much for the little guy.
I got a great idea!!! leave him with Grandma, have her take photos of him. When you get your photos cut and paste him in them!!! :fez: :D


Cut and paste!!!!! I love that idea!!!!

Along that same idea....ask grammy to take pics every day and then put the in the scrapbook or baby book and tell the story about how HE got to go to grammys for his vacation and you were 'forced' to take his older siblings to Disney to compensate.....cuz they were 'jealous' that HE got all that one on one with the grandparents! ;)

There may be many reasons why this wouldn't be a practical option, but have you considered inviting grandma along on the trip instead of having her stay at home with the child? That would provide someone that could watch the younger child when yoiu go off to do activities that are only suited for the older children, but it would also allow your youngest to still be with the family and experience the many things that Disneyland does have to offer a child that age.

-Jeff

Cut and paste!!!!! I love that idea!!!!You know, there is one other option, depending on your hotel situation. There is an age difference between me and my sibs. I used to bring a sister along to babysit. Then when we wanted to do things the little one couldn't, my sisters would watch them. We also made sure that sis had fun. Do you have a family relative teen that could watch the baby in the hotel sometimes or would be willing to take the baby on a walk thru the park while you do Splash and other rides? And actually, you could do baby swap, where you and the kids go on rides, then the sitter and one of the kids could go. When my daughter, son and I go with the dog, my daughter and son ride, while I wait with the dog, then I ride with my son while my daughter waits with the pup.

This won't be popular but here goes ...

If you want a family vacation and you need to leave a family member out, rethink the destination. Choose a vacation for all.

Disneyland will wait. It will be there when your youngest is ready.

In all honesty I don't believe your youngest child will be yelling at you when they are 25 going, "You left me at home and took my siblings to DL and all I got was Grandma??!!"

You do plan on taking the child back to DL when he gets a little older yes? Then I wouldn't worry to much about leaving him behind, especially if you think it will interfere with the older childrens and yours experience when you go. DL/WDW is hard enough to tackle without children and when you add diaper bags, baby food, strollers etc to the mix it is no longer a vacation for you either.

Go and have a great time, people have suggested some wonderful things to make it seem like he's included but I honestly think he won't care when he gets older.

This won't be popular but here goes ...

If you want a family vacation and you need to leave a family member out, rethink the destination. Choose a vacation for all.

Disneyland will wait. It will be there when your youngest is ready.


Good suggestion....I was gonna say it but I thought if I waited a bit, someone else will and they can take the heat :p

Seriously...while I can see no real harm coming out of leaving the younger one with Grandmom...especially if it is a weekend or something, You aren't really getting a full blown family vacation without all the kids there. I don't know - it's a tough one...

But, you know what I would do? Book all the Kids at Grandmom's and book a vacation alone for hubby and me!!!! :p Then hit Disney for the week long trip in a year or two when the youngster has a bit more stamina for this kinda thing.

This won't be popular but here goes ...

If you want a family vacation and you need to leave a family member out, rethink the destination. Choose a vacation for all.

Disneyland will wait. It will be there when your youngest is ready.

I have to agree. I mean, I go on vacation to be with all my kids. To leave one behind would just not be the same.

But here is an idea to consider...

When we asked ourselves this very question, we went to a local Six Flags park. (Great America.) We were able to judge our little ones reaction to crowds, rides, strollers, and long days. While we decided that we would most likely never return to 6FGA, we did find that he did respond well to the enviroment. The following Disney trip, we knew what to expect.

If you decide to take him you might want to consider getting a suite, with a kitchen at one of the hotels. That way you could make a few meals there, to cut down on the highchair time. Stroller time can be cut down by letting him out to walk. Yes, it will slow you down, but it will make for a happier baby. You can also split up some- you take baby shopping, while dad takes the other 2 on rides or vice versa. With stroller swap, the one of the kids could go twice on each ride (one can go with mom, and then again with dad).