"One of the most jarring motherhood transitions for me wasn’t lack of sleep or loss of identity. It was going to Disney World for the first time as a parent and not as a passenger princess. Disney family vacations had been the only trips my family took growing up (my dad worked a lot but always made time for Disney). So even as an adult, Disney World still held a bit of magic for me. When I became a mom, I dreamed about my daughter experiencing the magic, too. Her time came when my parents offered to take us—and my other adult siblings—on a multigenerational family vacation to Disney World.
I anticipated the trip with the same excitement I had as a kid. Only now I was thinking about all the things moms do, too. Like, what to pack for a plane ride with a toddler? Will we have enough snacks, water, and sunscreen? Where can we meet Mickey and Minnie without a long line? Do we try for a stroller nap or head back to the hotel? To be honest, all the parenting prep for taking a toddler to Disney did zap a little bit of the magic for me. But one surprising thing that helped restore it? Hiring a theme park nanny service for one of the nights while we were at Disney World. Even surrounded by Disney magic, I still needed a break.
Here’s everything to know about finding childcare at Disney World and why hiring a Disney nanny can be worth the splurge on an already expensive trip.
What is a Theme Park Nanny?
Families hire a Disney nanny or “theme park nanny” to help with childcare duties at the park or at their resort.
For families who opt to hire a Disney nanny for the day at the parks (often called a “parent helper”), an extra set of hands from someone familiar with the parks could be well worth the cost. In an article on Today, Shannon Albrecht, the CEO of Nanny Land—a company that offers theme park nanny services—shared that, “A typical family that hires a theme park nanny may have three or four kids, a child with special needs, or a parent with a disability.” Depending on which Disney nanny service you use, you may need to buy the caregiver their own park pass, which is, of course, an added expense.
On the other hand, in-room babysitting with a childcare provider at Disney essentially works like any date night babysitter. For parents, like me, who don’t want to disrupt their toddler’s sleep too much during their travels, the sitters can come to your hotel, do bedtime—or arrive after bedtime—while you enjoy a kid-free meal and late-night attractions at the parks.
Benefits of Hiring a Disney Nanny
It’s no secret a family trip to Disney World is expensive. And it’s also well-known that family vacations with young children aren’t especially relaxing. So while yes, hiring a theme park nanny adds to an already expensive vacation, it can also allow parents a moment of kid-free time to themselves to take advantage of late-night extra magic hours at the parks, ride the more intense Disney World rides, or enjoy a stress-free meal. In short, parents can actually feel like they’re on vacation for a few hours.
My Experience With a Disney Nanny Service
On my daughter’s first trip to Disney, our group knew we just wanted a nice dinner and a little late-night park fun. Our Walt Disney World hotel recommended the childcare company Kid’s Nite Out, which offered in-room babysitting for kids ages 6 months to 12 years. I reached out to the company directly and felt comfortable knowing their sitters are certified in child/infant CPR and basic first aid. And each applicant is interviewed, provides detailed references, and has a thorough background check.
Our Disney nanny showed up on time at our Disney resort hotel room, wheeling in a suitcase full of goodies, including toys, coloring books, games, and more! Upon learning all the new toys were for her to play with, my daughter jumped right in and barely registered we were leaving.
As with any childcare provider, we gave our Disney nanny details about our toddler’s bedtime routine, how to address any hiccups that might come up while we were out, and our contact info. It’s worth noting the Kid’s Nite Out caregivers cannot participate in any water activities—so no swimming or bath time with the sitters. Other nanny service providers may not have the same restrictions.
I imagine our Disney nanny’s night looked a lot like TikTok user Maya’s did in her now viral video of her job as a theme park nanny: checking on the kids, looking out the window, sitting on the couch.
How Much Does a Disney Nanny Service Cost?
The Disney nanny service rates at Kid’s Nite Out start at $35 per hour, which is significantly more than we pay our babysitter at home, but that was expected (and appears to be on par with other similar services). They also require a four-hour minimum and add a $15 transportation cost. You also pay the company directly and can offer gratuity in cash. It’s not cheap, but it’s an incentive for parents to make the most of their time away.
According to the Kid’s Nite Out website, they recommend booking at least two weeks in advance to be sure a caregiver is available.
Final Thoughts on Using a Babysitter at Disney World
Disney World is made for kids and families, so as a parent, you might feel guilty leaving your kids with a babysitter. But it’s your vacation too. Was the childcare service at Disney expensive? Yes. Was it worth it to me? Also, yes.
As I said, the Disney magic still thrills me, so getting to experience some of the parks without worrying too much about my kid returned some of the Disney joy I missed after worrying about meltdowns, snacks, and sunscreen. Plus, my toddler got her full night sleep, which meant she was game for “going to see Mickey’s house” early the next day—even if the adults were moving a little bit slower after enjoying extra magic hours at EPCOT the night before.
Kathy Sisson, Senior Editor
A mom of two, Kathy is passionately committed to sharing the honest, helpful—and often humorous—stories of motherhood, as she navigates her own everyday adventures of work, marriage, and parenting. She honed her creative and strategic skills at advertising agencies in Detroit and Chicago, before pivoting from marketing to editorial. Now instead of telling brand stories, she’s sharing her own, with articles published across popular parenting sites—including hundreds of stories on The Everymom.