Single mamahood is not for the faint of heart, and on a spring trip to Walt Disney World, this mama reached out for a little assistance. I mean, purely for experience’s sake, so I could give you, dear reader, and my traveling clients the skinny on Kid’s Nite Out, the in-room babysitting option on Disney property. Nothing to do with the four boys vs one mama ratio I was rocking on that particular “vacation.” Nope. Nothing to do with that.
One the second night of our trip, the big boys, who were absolute *champs* in the parks and at the pool when it came to wrangling the little boys, wanted to eat at ‘Ohana. I was able to snag a day of reservation but knew the littles would be reaching full on sleepy time cranky pants stage about halfway through dinner, so I decided to try my luck with a day of reservation with Kid’s Nite Out.
Pixie dust was on my side with both day of reservations and ‘Ohana and Kid’s Nite Out available! Now, I can’t speak to the track record of Kid’s Nite Out, but ‘Ohana can be tricky to grab, so I was pretty pumped about both. Read on to learn more about our experience and general Kid’s Nite Out info.
Booking
We booked via phone (800.696.8105) so I could ask questions and get immediate responses. However, there is also a simple online reservation form. During the booking, we gave our desired hours, our resort and room number, my contact information and info about the littles (names, ages, genders, allergies, special needs and concerns). The operator let me know who my sitter would be, Miss Carol, and that she’d be in uniform with identification.
Arrival
Miss Carol arrived promptly and with her Mary Poppins bag of tricks. I will say I was a bit worried our spirited toddlers would tire her out, but she was ready to roll and looked no worse for the wear when we returned after dinner. Upon arrival, she met the boys, and we went over a few rules I had for them (basically, don’t get us kicked out of the Contemporary). I signed the agreement, and the big boys and I were off!
I will note the prices have increased since this visit, so be sure to check the web site or call for the most current rates. In general, the rates are based on one child with additional children coming in at a nominal hourly fee. For example, current rates begin at $20/hour for one child with each additional child adding $3/hour.
Kid’s Nite Out Guidelines
- Parents should note that no water activities are permitted with the sitter. This includes bathing, boating and swimming. Although she was willing to take the boys around the resort, they opted to stay in the room during their time with Miss Carol. In addition, we saw Kid’s Nite Out sitters throughout our stay with their charges in Contempo Cafe, walking the grounds and at the volleyball area.
- Childcare is available 24/7, but there is am additional cost (currently $2/hour) for overnight hours (from 8:59p to 7.59a).
- A transportation fee (currently $12 flat) is required.
- Cancellations should be made at least 24 hours in advance.
- Payment is accepted via credit card, but gratuity should be paid in cash.
Based on local babysitting rates and the conversion to theme park pricing, I think Kid’s Nite Out was a great value for us. Granted, the price has increased since our experience, but I think if I ever were to find myself in the same situation, I’d still be apt to book an in-room sitter. Luckily for this single mama, I’m rarely on my own on vacation, as there’s a host of friends and family ready to hop aboard a trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth! In fact on this trip, my mom joined us about halfway through making the second half far less tiring for the big boys and myself. 😉
Have you ever used Kid’s Nite Out? What questions do you have? Let us know in the comments!