Babysitting?

[MrsSLF]

Hi everyone!
We’re planning our first trip to DL for August after many trips at WDW and was wondering if anyone had experience with babysitting services? We know about Kids Nite Out in Orlando but I can’t locate anything on DL’s website about a comparably recommended babysitting service for DL. We’re thinking of maybe one night out and we have one kid, she will be 8 when we travel, and she gets along well with everyone. I guess my only concerns are the unknown.


I tried searching the forums and could not find anything recent to help me.

 

[katyringo]

I looked into this but personally can’t feel comfortable, but here are places that get good reviews

destination sitters

around the clock sitters

There is also nanny in the kingdom

 

[smartlabelprint]

http://www.nannyinthekingdom.com/when-where#memories
This isn’t exactly what you asked but maybe she has recommended?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

The on site hotels have services that they recommend. If you will be staying on site, ask the concierge if they still use the following companies. The services that have received good reviews on this board:

We use Destination Sitters. Not the cheapest, but we really like their service.
https://www.destinationsitters.com/about-us/#rates

We used Mollycoddlers back in May and the sitter was great with our 4 year old. We were staying at the Disneyland Hotel and they validate parking for child care providers, so worth asking about - we just asked at the front desk and they told us how to get it done. Also not the cheapest but it was nice having an evening to go out for a nice dinner.

We've used
www.aroundtheclocksitters.com twice and were happy with their service. Sitter came with activities for the kids and we added the cousins in with no problem (6 kids total).

Also, care.com, Sitters Unlimited, and Fullerton Child Care Agency -- all three were recommended by the on site hotels

 

[MrsSLF]

Thanks! Has anyone used any of the services before that can give me a first hand review?

I’m worried about leaving my daughter with someone I don’t know but I also know people use these types of services just fine.

 

[BriannaRuth]

We used Fullerton Child Care when my kids were much younger, with no problem. Our sitter was a grandma-type. My kids just wanted to hang out in the room and watch movies. They said it did feel a little odd going to bed with someone in the same room with them, rather than in a different room like a sitter would do at home, so keep that in mind if you're out late, but as I said, all was well.

 

[MrsSLF]

We used Fullerton Child Care when my kids were much younger, with no problem. Our sitter was a grandma-type. My kids just wanted to hang out in the room and watch movies. They said it did feel a little odd going to bed with someone in the same room with them, rather than in a different room like a sitter would do at home, so keep that in mind if you're out late, but as I said, all was well.

Thanks for the information (and another agency to look at)! Do you know if they would have done something else with the kids besides watching movies in the room? If I was ok with a babysitter taking my daughter down to the pool, for instance (my daughter is a strong swimmer, so not worried about that)?

And also, completely off-topic, but I noticed in your signature that you've stayed quite a few times at the DLH and we're trying to decide between that and the GC, do you prefer the DLH? This is so much easier when planning a WDW vacation because I know where to stay and there are a gazillion resorts but much harder for the DLR.

 

[whoever]

I think we used destination sitters or sitters unlimited. Used them 3-4 times.

 

[Mr Snappy]

I would never leave my child with strangers in a strange town....but maybe that's just me.

 

[whoever]

I would never leave my child with strangers in a strange town....but maybe that's just me.

They are background checked, bonded, etc. I worry more about what my kids will do to the sitters vs. the other way around.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

We used Destination Sitters in San Francisco last summer. My daughter was 6, which was a good age for me to feel comfortable with the process. They send you a bunch of info on your specific sitter in advance, which I appreciated. We knew ours had spent 15 years working for the SF school district as an aide, for instance, with a 13-year-old son. My daughter is used to teenage girls and was a little taken aback by a middle-aged woman being a “babysitter,” but everything went smoothly.

We did book a suite so that she could go to bed without the sitter being in the same room since I wasn’t sure she’d sleep well that way, but I realize that’s not always an option.

 

[MrsSLF]

I would never leave my child with strangers in a strange town....but maybe that's just me.

That's not really what I asked, though. That's fine for your family but I'm not really looking for unsolicited opinions about the use of babysitting services in general.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I would never leave my child with strangers in a strange town....but maybe that's just me.

As the OP posted, sharing your opinion instead of answering the OP's question isn't really helpful to the OP or anyone else looking for similar answers here. For the OP and anyone else wondering, the sitting services recommended by the on site hotels have a very good reputation. Posters here have given good reviews. For those who have posted about their actual experiences with these services, thank you!

 

[Malcon10t]

Thanks for the information (and another agency to look at)! Do you know if they would have done something else with the kids besides watching movies in the room? If I was ok with a babysitter taking my daughter down to the pool, for instance (my daughter is a strong swimmer, so not worried about that)?

And also, completely off-topic, but I noticed in your signature that you've stayed quite a few times at the DLH and we're trying to decide between that and the GC, do you prefer the DLH? This is so much easier when planning a WDW vacation because I know where to stay and there are a gazillion resorts but much harder for the DLR.

We too used Fullerton Child Care, loved it, they took the kids out to the pool area, walked around the hotel, etc... But this isn't helpful because Fullerton Child Care closed a few years back. Most of the hotels have recommendations, and there is always care.com.

I prefer the DLH over GCH. Yes, GCH is closer, but for me, DLH is more "Disney like". Also, DLH rooms are larger. And the pool slides are great.

As for ideas on sitters, we are fortunate to be able to have our own sitters. We use a couple teens/young adults we met via a Disney fan page and made friends. My kids were adults. And along came grandkids. I needed someone who could help when I brought my granddaughter, by riding with her and helping entertain her (there are a lot of rides she loves that I just can't do.

She wanted to run a 5K when she turned 5, and I couldn't do it, so in stepped her "girls".

It has been great, and this summer we are all going on a cruise together!

 

[BriannaRuth]

Thanks for the information (and another agency to look at)! Do you know if they would have done something else with the kids besides watching movies in the room? If I was ok with a babysitter taking my daughter down to the pool, for instance (my daughter is a strong swimmer, so not worried about that)?

And also, completely off-topic, but I noticed in your signature that you've stayed quite a few times at the DLH and we're trying to decide between that and the GC, do you prefer the DLH? This is so much easier when planning a WDW vacation because I know where to stay and there are a gazillion resorts but much harder for the DLR.

Yes, she did volunteer to take them elsewhere.

We like both hotels for different reasons. My husband and I tend to prefer the GCH because we love the ambiance there and I really like being so close to the park entrance. We also love Napa Rose. My girls (who are now 16 and 20) really prefer the DLH because it just feels more Disney. And all four of us prefer the pool at the DLH over the GCH -- the kids love the water slides, even at their age, and we love being so close to Trader Sam's. Because we love both hotels, we tend to go with the DLH because it can be substantially cheaper. We usually spend 6 nights and the GCH is usually at least $150 a night more than the DLH, so staying at the DLH saves us around $900, which is like getting the WOC Dessert Party and quite a few tiki drinks for free!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We too used Fullerton Child Care, loved it, they took the kids out to the pool area, walked around the hotel, etc... But this isn't helpful because Fullerton Child Care closed a few years back. Most of the hotels have recommendations, and there is always care.com.

I prefer the DLH over GCH. Yes, GCH is closer, but for me, DLH is more "Disney like". Also, DLH rooms are larger. And the pool slides are great.

As for ideas on sitters, we are fortunate to be able to have our own sitters. We use a couple teens/young adults we met via a Disney fan page and made friends. My kids were adults. And along came grandkids. I needed someone who could help when I brought my granddaughter, by riding with her and helping entertain her (there are a lot of rides she loves that I just can't do.

She wanted to run a 5K when she turned 5, and I couldn't do it, so in stepped her "girls".

It has been great, and this summer we are all going on a cruise together!

Thank you for sharing your experience with the sitter agency and the DLH -- I was hoping you'd chime in!