Killing time with Toddlers in LA before boarding

[Jessinak]

Hi,

 

This is my first time posting in this forum so please forgive me if this topic has been discussed previously.

 

I'm departing on a Royal Caribbean (Vision of the Seas) 7-day cruise to Mexico on Nov. 6, arriving into LAX (from Alaska) at 6:30 am with a 3 1/2 year old and a 20-month old in tow. I'm told we can't board the ship until 2pm, so I have some significant time to kill with two small kids. (Fortunately, my sister is meeting us for the trip but she doesn't arrive until later in the morning.)

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on options from 7am - 2pm? Remember that I will have significant luggage to tote around. Right now I am leaning towards getting a hotel room at the closest hotel just to have somewhere convenient to rest, feed the kids, and stay put until we can get over to the port. However, I've never flown into LAX before so I know nothing of the landscape, ease of transportation, or logistics. I just know I've got two small kids, a lot of bags, and a lot of spare time.

 

Any thoughts will help. Thanks very much.

[bplazo]

Even though you are told that you cannot board till 2:00, normally you can board alot early than that. We have gotton on with RCCL before 12:00pm.

[merela]

Buy a portable DVD player at Costco ($169+tax) and get a couple of your child's favorite DVDs or even ones the kids haven't seen before (but you know they'll like) and just hang out at the airport until 10:30am. Then you can head off to the ship's terminal. At the airport, you can hang out at the McDonald's. Check LAX airport terminal map for the location of the McDonald's. Feed your children well (or bring snacks) because you may not be eating again until you board the ship past 12noon.

 

With a lot of luggage, I just wouldn't go anywhere else except spending time at the airport terminal and then at the ship's terminal.

 

I'm sure they'll let you check in around 11am, then just hang out at the ship's terminal. Again, have your children's favorite snack and drinks with you. Lollipops at this stage in time will be good to calm a child down. Then whip out your DVD player again, you'll have 2 good kids sitting down watching DVD. This DVD player will be a godsend again on the ship when you are having dinner (while you are ordering from the menu and after your children have finished eating...but the adults are still eating).

 

HTH.