Fast forward to the planning process for 2017's race - I would have a 10 month old in tow and would need somewhere for him to go during the morning of the 10K race. Not only had we paid registration fees for the race itself, but we also paid deferral fees AND the difference in 2017's prices. If someone had to stay behind with our son, a good bit of money would be lost...not to mention the fact that someone would have to go without experiencing a race during Princes Weekend.
In the back of my mind, I remembered hearing about an authorized Disney service called "Kids Nite Out", but I didn't really know much about them. I also heard that they were available to provide child care in the early mornings during Marathon Weekend in January, but I didn't know if they were also available for other race weekends throughout the year.
So in August, I sent Kids Nite Out an email, asking for further information.
After receiving their response, I placed a calendar notification in my phone for the middle of October so I wouldn't forget to call and schedule the service. (It actually took 2 phone calls - one in October and one in November to make the reservation as October was too far out from the date I was requesting.)
In the meantime, I also did a TON of research on Kids Nite Out. I mean, this was my baby, we waited a long time for him to arrive and I didn't want a random stranger coming into our room and doing something crazy to or with my child. Not only did I read great things about this company online, I also noticed that they were listed on Walt Disney World's website as their authorized child care service. I read countless reviews and after a lot of research, my mind was settled and I felt ok about our situation for the 10K.
Race weekend arrived and as we got settled into our room at the Yacht Club, I called Kids Nite Out once again, to let them know of our room number and to confirm our reservation. I was told that our sitter's name was Maria and she would arrive at 3:30 a.m. on Saturday morning.
Just as notified, promptly at 3:30 a.m. on the morning of the 10K, a knock came to our resort room door. Maria was dressed in a Kids Nite Out polo and had a bright smile on her face, even at such early of an hour...and on a Saturday morning, nonetheless! We reviewed my son's routine together, I showed her where his clothes for the day were located, and she also took my cell phone number to text updates to me.
I have to admit, Maria totally put my fears at ease. She loved babies, you could tell...and her joy was literally contagious!
Throughout the morning, I received several text messages from her, letting me know my son was still sleeping and all was well. She also text me once he was awake and fed.
The race went well, we had a great time, and we were back in our room by 8:30 a.m. Our son was content and sitting on the floor, playing with a mix of his toys and a few toys that the sitter brought with her. She reassured us that he did well and was very happy the entire time he was in her care.
After recording her "clock out" time, she had us sign their form, then she told us and our son goodbye.
I can't even begin to explain in words how happy I am with the Kids Nite Out service! They were easy to work with, very professional, arrived on time, and most important - they took excellent care of my child. If you are in need of a sitter service during a runDisney race weekend, don't hesitate to contact them (but do it early because they do book up)! I will definitely use their service again in the future if the need arises!
I've heard of Kids Nite Out before, and am glad that you had such a positive experience. While we had my father-in-law with us for Wine and Dine back in November, I know that we won't always have an adult with us to watch our son during the races. I'm glad to hear that Kids Nite Out is a reliable service.
ReplyDeleteYes! We loved our experience with them!
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