PDA

View Full Version : Hook on High Chair for Trip



mmaimp
05-16-2004, 08:51 AM
We are taking a family vacation to WDW in July. I have been there many times but this is the first trip with DS. I was wondering if a hook on high chair would be a useful item to purchase for the trip? I expect that everywhere we eat will have high chairs but are they reasonably clean (I always wipe down the high chairs in restaurants) and available when needed?

I would also appreciate any other advice about traveling with a 15-month-old to Disney. We are staying at Old Key West and will have access to a car with a car seat but will usually use Disney transportation to get from place to place.

Thanks!

egoldber
05-17-2004, 03:13 PM
I wouldn't bother. You will have a high chair in your room at OKW and also they are readily available at Disney. I think they are cleaner than average at Disney, but your mileage may vary.

I can't help you with Disney transpsort, we always drive to the parks.

If you search in the Baby Bargains Lounge on Disney, you will find a lot of older threads on traveling to Disney with a toddler.

HTH,

mmaimp
05-21-2004, 09:18 AM
Thanks for your reply Beth, DH thanks you too!

We plan on taking a slower pace with this Disney trip. Usually we plan every second!

We will have access to my sister's car and have a car seat with us so we may end up taking that to the parks instead of using the bus system. Not all of us can fit in the car so we will have to see what works once we get there.

Thanks again,

sarsah
06-02-2004, 06:50 PM
I wouldn't bother with it. It will be a pain to take with you and you really don't need it. If worse comes to worse and you eat at counter service and there isn't a highchair available, you could always feed your child in the stroller, which you'll probably have with you anyway.

My DS#1 is 4 and has already been to Disney three times (6 months old, 18 months old and 2 1/2 years old) and I'm working on DH to go again soon, although DS#2 is only 13 months old.

If your child falls alseep in his car seat, you may want to drive yourself to the parks (you get free parking at all WDW parks when you stay on-site). That was the only way we could get our DS to take a nap. While Disney transportation is great, it tends to be slow, especially if you have to go to other resorts or parks enroute.

Be sure to use Fast Pass as much as you can, as waiting in line with a 15 month old probably won't be too much fun. On our trip when DS was 18 months old, we ended up only going on rides with no line -- anything else was agony as DS was too little to understand that he needed to stay with us, but to big to be held all the time.

Also, be aware that most of the Epcot pavillions do not allow strollers inside, so your child will either have to walk or be carried and you'll have to park your stroller outside.

It will be hot & humid in July, so take it easy and don't try to cram too much into each day. Try to take a nap or at least a pool break in the afternoon when the parks are croweded and it's really hot.

Sarah.....mom to Jason (4) & Devin (1)

Jeanmick
06-02-2004, 11:56 PM
The following website might help you. While many of the parent articles are focused on Disneyland in Anaheim, there are a couple of articles that talk about WDW:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/akrock/

There's also a message board on the same website that may have info that you might find helpful (especially the "Parenting in the Parks" message board):

http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/

Good luck and have a great time!!! :)

mmaimp
06-28-2004, 04:06 PM
Thank you all for the great tips. I will check out the links. When I originally posted I did not know that #2 was on the way already so we will be taking it very easy this trip.

I loved Fast Pass last time we went to WDW and I’m sure will utilize it even more this trip. I did not realize you couldn’t take strollers into the pavilions at Epcot. I think we may spend some early evenings in Epcot but not lots of time there because on DS age. We plan on lots of time at the pool and we are very lucky that DS likes to nap in his stroller. I’m starting to get excited about our trip!

Thanks again,

opus
06-29-2004, 11:27 AM
We've done the Old Key West/WDW trip 3 times with our daughter who is now 33 months old. You are right to take it easy. It is the best way to enjoy yourselves. Thwarted plans usually cause the most aggrivation while going with the flow seems to produce less stress on all.

If you haven't stayed in OKW, you should be impressed. Very clean. Well stocked kitchen for basic cooking. Etc. Also, as it was the first Disney Vacation Club built in Orlando, it has the largest rooms. They figured out how to cram more rooms per square inch once they saw the Vacation Club idea was going to ba winner. Although my favorite pool is at the Beach Club, the OKW pools are nice. I know they are upgrading a slide at one so, it might be closed for renovation, but they have 2 others, if that is the case. They do provide you with a tiny bit of laundry detergent, but if you plan on running more than one load, bring a little yourself. I always liked having the washer/dryer in our room and being able to go home with clean clothes.

I would agree with not bringing the hook on high chair. Disney, although teaming with kids, is generally kept clean. I always wiped them down with my own wipes, too. If you remain concerned, you could bring a fabric cover which would take up alot less space than even a folding hook on chair. There are lots out there on the stay at home mom web sites, but the one I bought and enjoyed is the Floppy Seat - www.floppyseat.com - I purchased it off their website, but now they are available in stores. They work for shopping carts, but I used mine in high chairs, etc. Also, for cleanliness, I used Table Toppers (http://www.onestepahead.com/jump.jsp?lGen=detail&itemID=1196&itemType=PRODUCT&iProductID=1196&change=117). They have a stick on strip so they wont slide. I would put in on the table and wrap an endge over the table edge so it was fully covered in case little mouths tried to gnaw the table or in case little hands touched the underside of the table. I took them everywhere and think they are the greatest.

If your child has favorite Disney characters, check in with the front desk each morning to see where those characters will be in what park, at what time. Even if your child is too frightened to have their photo taken with them, I assure you they will love seeing them, waving to them, from whatever short distance they are comfortable with.

If you are planning on eating in the parks, the best buffet deal is at Fort Wilderness. The food is southern cooking and quite good. It is the most reasonably priced buffet out there. You can start your day at Fort Wilderness with a hearty breakfast buffet and see the horses, peacocks, etc at the fort and usually you are full enought to skip lunch. You can hit some of the major rides during lunch time when most of the patrons are at the restaurants. Hitting the major rides during parade time is the best idea, as well.

Ariel's Grotto in the Magic Kingdom is fun. There is a covered area to rest (and eat a snack, if you are inclined). The kids stomp on things in the ground and it makes water spray on them. Just enought to cool off the summer heat, but not so much to dowse them. I would suggest bringing an extra outfit so they can get completely wet, if they choose as most of the parks have some kind of water fun option like this.

If you haven't purchased your WDW park tickets yet, I would suggest checking out http://www.orlandoinfo.com/tickets/2452.cfm. They sell advance tickets for less than Disney. They are the Orlando Convention and Visitor Bureau so they are legit. We bought the tickets and had them held for us. (They will mail them to you, if there is enough time.) We picked them up and in their office they have ALL KINDS of info on anything in Orlando (should you choose to go off Disney property at any time during your stay).

Very important: Make a photocopy of the back of your Disney tickets. Although Disney says they are not responsible for lost tickets, I have seem them replace tickets if you have the info from the back of your tickets. I had the Orlando Visitor Bureau make photocopies for me before I left there office.

Those are a few tips. Hope it helps. Have a great time and email me if you have any other questions.

mmaimp
07-06-2004, 03:59 PM
Thanks for the great tips! We are getting ready to leave and I love the Disney excitement that builds up the week before you go!