Logistics of taking a toddler to the US Open
August 25, 2019 11:39 AM Subscribe
We're getting the incredible chance to watch a match at Louis Armstrong Stadium from the players' box as my cousin is taking on a very high-ranking player there. This will be during the Day session, first round. How do we manage our toddler when there?
My cousin has invited us to bring our two year old to the game. I'd like to do this but am also nervous about it for obvious reasons. My cousin has other things on his mind and isn't the best source for this kind of info anyway being kidless.
So a few questions:
1) What's the general noise level to expect? My cousin keeps telling me, oh it'll be fine, it's much louder than Wimbledon, but I don't have a good sense of what that means.
2) I understand that the courts are located within a park? Would it be possible to stroller around the park right until the start of the match? I'm not getting a good sense of how far things are from each other.
3) If we did want to beat a hasty retreat, how difficult would it be to exit the players' box? I can't seem to find any photos of the place online to figure out exits etc.
4) Anything else we should know? This would be only our second time at an ATP event in the US - and the last time was during the Newport Open for a much lower key qualifying match. I have watched a lot of ATP matches outside the US pre-kid though, so know the general etiquette.
We are staying with friends nearby and will take the subway in. We will have a small stroller which seems to be allowed but no backpack (prohibited). Food seems to be allowed so we'll have snacks. We'll have phones to distract the toddler with soundless fire truck videos if necessary. My cousin has al
My cousin has invited us to bring our two year old to the game. I'd like to do this but am also nervous about it for obvious reasons. My cousin has other things on his mind and isn't the best source for this kind of info anyway being kidless.
So a few questions:
1) What's the general noise level to expect? My cousin keeps telling me, oh it'll be fine, it's much louder than Wimbledon, but I don't have a good sense of what that means.
2) I understand that the courts are located within a park? Would it be possible to stroller around the park right until the start of the match? I'm not getting a good sense of how far things are from each other.
3) If we did want to beat a hasty retreat, how difficult would it be to exit the players' box? I can't seem to find any photos of the place online to figure out exits etc.
4) Anything else we should know? This would be only our second time at an ATP event in the US - and the last time was during the Newport Open for a much lower key qualifying match. I have watched a lot of ATP matches outside the US pre-kid though, so know the general etiquette.
We are staying with friends nearby and will take the subway in. We will have a small stroller which seems to be allowed but no backpack (prohibited). Food seems to be allowed so we'll have snacks. We'll have phones to distract the toddler with soundless fire truck videos if necessary. My cousin has al
Personally I probably wouldn't take a 2 year old to a pro tennis game unless you're ok with leaving after 30 minutes or so. They'll likely get bored and restless and you won't really be able to watch the game. Of course you know your own child best! But just because the offer is there (and it is a nice offer) doesn't it mean you have to accept. Is getting a sitter an option?
posted by emd3737 at 9:00 PM on August 25, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by emd3737 at 9:00 PM on August 25, 2019 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Just a quick update: we did go and it worked out fine. The toddler paid some attention to the tennis but then was fairly easily distracted with an etch-a-sketch board. The heat was pretty intense in the player's box though, so my husband retreated to a further away set of seats in the shade with him about a third of the way through the match, but was still able to watch the match. All in all, not as bad as we worried.
posted by peacheater at 3:54 PM on August 26, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by peacheater at 3:54 PM on August 26, 2019 [2 favorites]
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posted by peacheater at 11:42 AM on August 25, 2019