Traveling with Kids

There are few things as exciting as seeing the magic of Disney through the eyes of children but by the same token traveling with kids can be a daunting task and that brings me to today’s post.  I hope you will find the following tips helpful in not only making the actual travel to your destination less stressful but also allow you to relax and enjoy your vacation more once you arrive.

Today I will focus on the three “p’s”—planning, preparation, and precaution (don’t let that last one scare you I will explain more shortly).

Planning: The more you can plan ahead of time, the less you have to think about (or let’s face it, worry about) while on vacation.  This extends beyond ADR’s for dining and what park we will visit each day.  This can include deciding on each day’s wardrobe (stay tuned for some great blog entries on this topic in the near future) before you leave home and packing accordingly.  This makes things run smoothly in the mornings when you are trying to get everyone up and out to the parks while also eliminating the “Mom, does this shirt go with this?” or “Mom what color socks do I need to wear”, “Mom I can’t find my brown shorts”, etc. while you too are trying to get ready for the day.  For my kids, I pack each day’s outfit (including undies, socks, and any applicable accessories—bows, barrettes, hats) in a gallons size Ziploc bag labeled with their name and the day I want them to wear it.  Then each morning the only thing I have to do is hand each child a bag and they have everything they need to dress for the day.  This same idea works well for the daily supplies needed when traveling with an infant.  Prepare a Ziploc back with the food, formula, disposable bibs, utensils, diapers and so on needed for each day so all you have to do is grab and go each morning.

Preparation and Precaution: These do go hand in hand in my mind because one of the keys to avoiding unnecessary vacation stress when traveling with kids is being prepared for what you know will happen (based on your everyday experiences) while also anticipating and being prepared for what might happen.  From our everyday lives we know that kids get restless when confined to the same place for an extended period of time which means traveling to the happiest place on earth can be a recipe for disaster if you are not properly prepared.  I am always on the lookout for new (and cheap) things to entertain my kids when traveling.  (I will get into more specifics in a future blog post.)  I have had great luck with the dollar bin at Target as well as the local dollar store but the one thing I have learned is that you can’t go looking for anything in particular because the selection is always changing.  For that reason, I look every time I am in one of those places even if I don’t have a trip coming up—this way I am always adding to my stash of goodies.  I have a reusable (Disney of course) shopping bag that I use to store everything and it stays hidden in a guest closet.  Keeping these items a secret is another key to maximizing their entertainment value.  As we all know, the most play time the great majority of toys get is when they are brand new so waiting until you are on your way to reveal them gives you a great advantage.  And don’t bring out everything you have at once either. Instead offer one new item at a time and perhaps reserving some for use when waiting for a show or a parade (or any other time when arriving early to stake out seats is necessary).

In terms or precaution, I always go by the motto my Mom instilled in me—“better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it.”  Don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting you load yourself down like a pack mule “just in case” but there are a few key things that have not been needed on every trip came in very handy on the times when they were.  First is a mini first aid kit and some basic medications.  I found a great first aid kit in the travel size section at Wal-Mart for less than $3 and it has become a permanent fixture in my park bag.  You never know when you might need a band-aid and while you can get one from Disney first aid, having some with you allows to quickly take care of the “boo-boo” and get back to having fun!  The same goes for a few key medications I carry:

• Tylenol or Ibuprofen for both adults and chewables for kids
• Chewable Pepto for both adults and kids: Let’s face it there is no shortage of yummy food at Disney and you never know when enjoying all of the delicious options might result in an upset tummy.  This way you can address the situation right away and hopefully get relief quickly.
• Allergy medication: Here I am referring to generic seasonal allergy medicine.  There is nothing that can ruin a vacation faster than getting somewhere and having whatever is in bloom wreak havoc on your sinuses—leaving you miserable and unable to breathe.  Again, I know you can purchase medication on property (at a premium of course) but I prefer saving the extra money and having it readily available should anyone need it.

So I leave you with one final thought, the more planning and preparation you can do beforehand, the less you have think about while on vacation making it easier to focus your energies on making memories with your family!