PART 3: WHERE TO STAY

HOW to CHILDPROOF a HOTEL ROOM

Small children up to 3 years old (and sometimes older) can wreak mayhem―if not outright disaster―in a hotel room. Chances are that you’re pretty experienced when it comes to spotting potential dangers, but just in case you need a refresher course, here’s what to look for.

Begin by checking for hazards that you can’t fix yourself: balconies, chipping paint, cracked walls, sharp surfaces, shag carpeting, and windows that can’t be secured shut. If you encounter anything that you don’t like or is too much of a hassle to fix, ask for another room.

If you use a crib supplied by the hotel, make sure that the mattress is firm and covers the entire bottom of the crib. The mattress cover, if there is one, should fit tightly. Slats should be 2-1/2 inches (about the width of a soda can) or less apart. Make sure the drop sides work properly. Check for sharp edges and potentially toxic substances. Wipe down surfaces with disinfectant. Finally, position the crib away from drapery cords, heaters, wall sockets, and air conditioners.

A Monteno, Illinois, mom offers this suggestion: You can request bed rails at the Disney resorts. Our 2-1/2-year-old was too big for the pack-and-play; the bed rails worked perfectly for us.

If your infant can turn over, we recommend changing him or her on a pad on the floor. Likewise, if you have a child seat of any sort, place it where it cannot be knocked over, and always strap your child in. If your child can roll, crawl, or walk, you should bring about eight electrical outlet covers and some cord to tie cabinets shut and to bind drape cords and the like out of reach. Check for appliances, lamps, ice buckets, and anything else that your child might pull down on him or herself. Have the hotel remove coffee tables with sharp edges and both real and artificial plants that are within your child’s reach. Round up items from tables and countertops, such as courtesy toiletries and drinking glasses, and store them out of reach.

If the bathroom door can be accidentally locked, cover the locking mechanism with duct tape or a doorknob cover. Use the security chain or upper latch on the room’s entrance door to ensure that your child doesn’t open it without your knowledge.

Inspect the floor and remove pins, coins, and other foreign objects that your child might find. Don’t forget to check under beds and furniture. Tip: Crawl around the room on your hands and knees to see possible hazards from your child’s perspective.

If you rent a suite or a condo, you’ll have more territory to childproof and will have to deal with things such as cleaning supplies, a stove, a refrigerator, cooking utensils, and low cabinet doors, among other things. Sometimes the best option is to seal off the kitchen with a safety gate.

PART 5: KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Preparing Your Children to Meet the Characters

Almost all Disney characters are quite large; several, like Baloo, are huge! Young children don’t expect this and can be intimidated if not terrified. Discuss the characters with your children before you go. If there is a high school or college with a costumed mascot nearby, arrange to let your kids check it out. If not, then Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny will do.

On the first encounter at Walt Disney World, don’t thrust your child at the character. Allow the little one to deal with this big thing from whatever distance feels safe to him or her. If two adults are present, one should stay near the youngster while the other approaches the character and demonstrates that it’s safe and friendly. Some kids warm to the characters immediately; some never do. Most take a little time and several encounters.

There are two kinds of characters: “furs,” or those whose costumes include face covering headpieces (including animal characters and such humanlike characters as Captain Hook), and “face characters,” those for whom no mask or headpiece is necessary. These include Tiana, Anna, Elsa, Mary Poppins, Ariel, Jasmine, Aladdin, Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, Merida, and Prince Charming, among others.

Only face characters speak. Headpiece characters don’t make noises of any kind. Because cast members couldn’t possibly imitate the distinctive cinema voice of the character, Disney has determined that it’s more effective to keep them silent. Lack of speech notwithstanding, headpiece characters are very warm and responsive and communicate very effectively with gestures. Disney is currently testing new technology that will allow headpiece characters to speak. It is assumed that the technology is a portable version of that used in Turtle Talk with Crush at Epcot, where an animated turtle converses in real time with audience members. A less advanced option is a menu-driven selection of recorded phrases such as, “Hi, I’m Mickey,” or “What’s your name?”

Some character costumes are cumbersome and limit cast members’ ability to see and maneuver. (Eye holes frequently are in the mouth of the costume or even on the neck or chest.) Children who approach the character from the back or side may not be noticed, even if the child touches the character. It’s possible in this situation for the character to accidentally step on the child or knock him or her down. It’s best for a child to approach a character from the front, but occasionally not even this works. Duck characters (such as Donald, Daisy, and Uncle Scrooge), for example, have to peer around their bills.

It’s OK for your child to touch, pat, or hug the character. Understanding the unpredictability of children, the character will keep his feet very still, particularly refraining from moving backward or sideways. Most characters will sign autographs or pose for pictures.

Another great way to show young children how the characters appear in the parks is to rent or buy a Disney Sing-Along Songs DVD. These programs show Disney characters interacting with real kids. At a minimum, the videos will give your kids a sense of how big the characters are. The best two are Flik’s Musical Adventure Sing-Along Songs at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Campout Sing-Along Songs at Walt Disney World. It’s a Small World Sing-Along Songs―Disneyland Fun is a third offering . . . but then there’s THAT SONG. No sense turning your brain to mush before even leaving home.