Something to Do for Spring Break

Why not just a day trip to Palm Beach Zoo or Lion Country Safari??? Unless you are really wanting to go away away - that might be a fun alternative to Disney. Or maybe think about Sea World... the first time my daughter went to Sea World, she was 1, and she STILL talks about it!! :)

Hi S.,

I'm a single mom of a 2 1/2 year old as well. His father has not been a part of his life since January 2005 as well. Small world! Anyway, I moved to Orlando in May, 2005 and my son has a great time at Disney. His favorite is the Toon Town at Magic Kingdom -- it's really set up for toddlers. He also likes the animals at Sea World. Other than that, my son loves anything that involves running around, so I would recommend somewhere you don't have to worry about traffic etc.

Hope that helps! :)

C. J.

At their ages you can still get away with doing cheap stuff and they'd be super excited. Take them to the zoo, or on a day tour boating adventure. Save the rest of the money for your education, or start the college funds. Congrats on being a hard working single mom. I applaud you.

Hi, It sounds like you have your hands full of little suprises. I have a 2 1/2 boy I couldn't imagine having 2 of him. First I want to commend you on a great job you are doing, I myself am a single mom. I took Alex to Sea World for his 2nd Birthday and he really enjoyed looking at the fish and the shows. I would like to take him to see Disney but he is afraid of rides. He won't even ride his own bicycle, LOL. Well I know he really liked Sea World. He loves learning and looking at new animals... Well good luck and have fun where ever you go.
N.

Yeah, they're too young for Disney.......... how about SeaWorld.......... something they can watch in awe about nature?

Any of the water parks in Orlando have kid areas where they can play. Islands of Adventure has a huge "land" for kids too. Ummm....Seaworld is also fun for their age or to the West Coast for a long weekend at the beach. Buy some new sand toys and lay by the water. Relaxing for all of you.

How about a little get away to the beach? get a hotel room right on the beach, so all you have to do is walk out your door. Find somewhere that has zoos and parks nearby too!

I just took my daughter (3 1/2 ) to sea world. she liked it, not loved it. We did 2 half days( the special at the time). I dotn really watch disney movies with her so she wouldnt know the characters that well. I suggest maybe beach activities if you dont go all the time. I took her for the first time to do mini golf, and she did better than me!! If you did go to orlando, we stayed at a resort that had 2 bedroom suites for only about $100 a night, it had a water park, playground, pond for paddle boats, nightly events, and we had so much fun just doing stuff there!! it is Liki Tiki Resort Village, funny name But Awesome time!!!
S.

I took my daughter to Disney when she was 2, and she loved it. But disney is super expensive.
At Universal Studios 3 and under are free ( I think that Disney is 2 and under) and you can buy the annual pass for $15.97 a month(per adult), and if you catch it at the right promotion then you get 15 months for the price of 12. Universal has an actual Barney show (not just a character walking around), as well as Dora, Spongebob, Shrek, The Rugrats.... And there are a few kid friendly rides too, such as Cat in The Hat. At Christmas The Grinch is there, and it's decorated like Whoville. I highly recommend it. With the annual pass, you get free parking, admission to both parks, discounts on stuff. I believe there is a water park too. Also, the annual pass gives discounts on hotel rooms, but I have never done that so I'm not sure what they are. I think it's well worth it. If you wanted to pay for it outright it would be $179. For someone with kids who might not have a lot of extra money, Universal is a good choice. They are also a lax on bringing sippy cups and snacks in for the little ones (I don't know if disney allows that or not, I forget). I know all mommys want to take their kids to Disney, but honestly Universal is just a much more financial friendly choice. I wish Disney would do the monthly payment plan, and I'd be first in line for those!

Sea Worlds annual pass monthly was less than $10, but there just wasn't as much stuff to do there I though. It got boring after a few trips. I think the funcard is coming back too, so you pay for one day and go the rest of the year free, with blackout dates, no free parking and no discounts.

Hope This Helps!

Hey S., I own a timeshare in orlando and would love to share with you. You also can get free tickets to disney and stay in a great hotel, so check it out.

http://www.westgatereferral.com/flash.cfm?newwindow=lrs&a...

Sea World or the Tampa Zoo and Aquarium are great.

The Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa and the Tampa aquarium are great places for that age. The zoo is great!! and both places are small enough that you wont have tired crabby kiddos! We took our son when he was 2 1/2 and he loved it. There is also Bush Gardens over there as well.

How about sea world? That is a great place for all ages.

I took my daughter to Disney when she was 2 and 1/2. She loved it. Under 3 was free back then. I assume it probably still is, so you'd only have to pay for yourself. My daughter hated Sea World at that same age.

I stuck with Magic Kingdom, because that one is geared for little ones and they may actually be familiar already with some of the characters like Mickey and Winnie the Pooh. My kids found the other parks to be boring when they were younger, plus they aren't tall enough to get onto a lot of the rides in the other parks. Animal Kingdom is okay, but it really only takes about a half day to see the whole thing.

Also, I recommend getting a room in the park. If you go off season and stay at one of the budget Disney hotels (Pop Century, and All Star Movies, Music, or Sports) the prices aren't bad, and they are very whimsically decorated. I think my son liked the resort as much as the park. Plus you get free bus transportation to and from the parks' front gates which is really nice with two tired toddlers. Check out their website because they have discounts for FL residents for both the hotels and tickets. It also allowed me to take my daughter back to the hotel in the afternoon for a nap and/or some downtime. That really made the difference I think. You also get free parking at the parks on the days you are a guest, in case you want to drive. Try to go with the idea in mind that you just want the kids to have fun and don't care if you get to see everything.

The other thing I recommend is renting a stroller from the park. I think a double stroller is $13/day and it's totally worth the expense. You don't have to worry about losing it, if you do, you can just take your reciept up to the rental desk and they give you a new one. Plus you can get one at any park that day without having to worry about lugging anything around on the busses or monorails. The only drawback is that you can't take it outside the park, so the trip from the front gate to the bus stop at the end of the day might be torturous for the three of you.

Oh yeah, bring rain ponchos. You will likely need them. Get the $1 disposible kind. Also, try to go off-season. Little people hate waiting in lines and hot weather. They also don't mind if you bring food or drinks into the park, so you can make sandwiches and drink boxes and carry them in your backpack (better than a diaperbag if you can to carry people around also). We usually drive to McDonalds outside of the park for breakfast before hand also.

We took my son to Weekie Wachee and Homosassa Springs when he was 2. He loved seeing all the different animals and both were small enough and not that crowded that it did not overwhelm him. Also when we went to Weekie Wachee he wanted to watch the mermaid show again so we got to see it twice and still complete the whole park. We got to do everything at his pace which I feel made him enjoy the vacation a lot better. Also, both are inexpensive.

S.,
Hello! First of all, I commend you for being a single mom - I am married and my husband is a wonderful dad, when he isn't traveling for work. I only have to be "single" 2 weeks a month and it's TOUGH!
As for Spring Break, the Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Miami, FL is hosting Day Out With Thomas the Tank Engine, March 7-9 and 14-16 and is MUCH cheaper than Disney! The event is geared for 2-5 year olds, so your kids fit right in! The ticket price ($18) includes a 25-minute train ride with Thomas the Tank Engine, plus all the activities (Imagination Station, Tattoo Booth, Live Entertainment, Bubble Blast, Sand Blast and more). The food is very good and is reasonably priced, and of course, if your kids love Thomas, there is a Gift Shop. They can even get their picture taken with Thomas, Percy or Sir Topham Hatt (or all 3!). This is a great family event, and as I said, much less expensive than Disney.
If you need more info, or aren't familiar with the area, give me a holler back and I'd be happy to help out!
Sincerely,
L. T.

I just got back this weekend from Disney with my 2-year-old. She LOVED it. In fact, we first went back when she was only 1 1/2 and she got a kick out of it back then. You'd be surprised...

Oh, and anyone 3 and under gets in free at Disney.

Hello S., If you like nature and the outdoors, why don't you go camping at John Pennicamp State Park? It is inexpensive and it is a beautiful park. It is located in Key Largo which is about one and a half hours south of Hollywood. There is a wonderful musuem there, canoeing, beach and the kids would enjoy the fresh air!

S.,
well congratulations on school. that is great that you are going to be going to school and still be a full time parent and have a full time job. i know that is not easy. i just took my kids to chukie cheeses. they loved it. it is in bradenton, so it is about 2 hour drive but it is well worth it. they can run around and they have things for all ages of kids. and then they can eat probobly their favorite thing pizza! i think they would enjoy it. my kids really did. well good luck with everything