You guys think this would fly????

[Princess_Michelle]

Last year I realized that my son really needs a nap everyday at DisneyWorld. (He just turned 3) BUT, I hate going back to the hotel b/c it takes so much stinkin' time. So, I have an idea, and you guys tell me if you think it will be OK. We have one of those small sun-tents that you take to the beach for toddlers. It folds up like those hampers and has a handle (it fits in the stroller storage). I was thinking of carrying it along and whenever we feel like he needs a nap, or just a break, we find somewhere out of the way and pop it open to let him rest. Do you think I would be told I couldn't do that?? I was thinking of quiet places like Tom Sawyer's island, the little "boardwalk" area around the Liberty Square, the walkway area b/t Toontown Fair & Space Mountain, the baby center area in EPCOT, or just anywhere that we could find a spot in the shade or out of traffic. In animal kingdom I could use the rooms that they have in the Baby center, so I wouldn't even need the tent there. Anyways, it would just be a lot easier than going back to the hotel.............what do you guys think????

 

[pepe of ohio]

Our children are grown and gone but we still go to WDW and look forward to the mid day break. Getting away from the heat and crowds is heaven for us. Its not that hard to return to your resort and relax in some ACed room.

I guess you could find some secluded spot but the heat penetrates right through you.

 

[alloyd1170]

I dont know where you would find a shady spot on grass in the parks to use a tent. When our kids napped, they did it in the stroller. We would either take turns watching the napping child and riding rides with the other, go shopping, or go eat. Many restaurants will let you bring in a smaller stroller if a child is napping in it. Lets us eat in peace, and in the ac!

We stay at CR so getting back there isnt always a pain. Weve only done it twice though (once due to rain, another just for a break).

 

[Princess_Michelle]

Yeah, after thinking about it some more and talking with my aunt (fellow Disney nut) I have decided to can the tent idea. Instead we are going to use different areas of the parks to rest. In MK, we can go to Baby Center, Tom Sawyer Island, or use the People Mover. In EPCOT, we can do Energy ride plus Baby center. {Too bad spaceship earth will be down } At Animal Kingdom, the baby center. And I don't know about MGM, but, this is my least favorite park, and we always get through it pretty quickly, so I can see going back to the hotel on this day.....

 

[OKW Lover]

You won't find a quiet place to pitch the tent.

The ability to take afternoon breaks (for either a nap or the pool) are one of the great advantages of staying at a WDW hotel.

 

[safetymom]

I would also watch out for fire ants if you are going to use the tent outside. I like your idea of riding some of the quiet rides.

 

[lady9]

We also like Hall of Presidents and American Adventure for napping toddlers. It is something we enjoy and our DD was able to fall asleep. At MGM. the Commissary usually quiets down about 2 which would be a good napping spot although we haven't tried this one.

 

[Mr. Pig]

When my niece and nephew were young my mother rode the DW Railroad at MK around and around while my DS and BIL went on Splash Mt. They both fell asleep on the ride.

 

[GBShorts]

I know you don't want to miss one possible moment with the park, but a method I've tried works quite well. Hit the park first thing in the morning when it opens. Have lunch in the park around 1 or depending on where you're staying (we were at All Star Music), go back to the food court and eat there. Then stay in your hotel room for an hour or two to rest up. One day we even stayed back at the hotel for 3 1/2 hours! Another thought is you could hit the pool at your hotel and avoid the biggest crowds at the parks. Eating at our hotel's food court saved us a ton of money. By doing this you get rested up to enjoy the evening and avoid the hottest times of day. Then you can go back just before what most people consider dinner time and get in a few rides before finding dinner yourself around 7pm or so..and then enjoy the fireworks!

Allowing a longer nap in a quiet and cooled place means your child could last a bit longer into the evening and see things like the fireworks

This is just a thought, I'm not trying to say you should leave the park, it's just something we've tried that I know worked well for us. I admire anybody who is able to take younger children to Disney. I don't think I would have the patience with the diaper changes, naps, feedings and such. I hope you have a blast!

 

[TBGOES2DISNEY]

For those of you who take afternoon breaks, do have some mornings where you go to park openings? Some days where you make sure you see the parades? Some days where you make sure you see the night show? How do you schedule your days to see these things? I love the idea of an afternoon break b/c I think we should have done that our last trip (it was very hot), but I'm not sure how to work it all out.

 

[drogerstn]

For those of you who take afternoon breaks, do have some mornings where you go to park openings? Some days where you make sure you see the parades? Some days where you make sure you see the night show? How do you schedule your days to see these things? I love the idea of an afternoon break b/c I think we should have done that our last trip (it was very hot), but I'm not sure how to work it all out.

We vary our schedule. We won't do an EMH morning if we stay out late at a park the night before. We have taken breaks and made sure to return in time for a parade but it is usually easier to plan that day for staying in the park longer.

If we don't take an afternoon break, we'll plan that day for a sit-down meal in the park to get a decent break in an air-conditioned restaurant. We keep a cooler in our resort room and occasionally make sandwiches for lunch in our room (saves money and is more relaxing than ordering at counter service or going to food court).

If its hot and crowded and parks open early and close late, then we are more likely to take the afternoon breaks. The hours during the middle of the day at the parks are not very "productive" when the parks are extremely crowded.

Before the Magic-Your-Way Tickets, it cost more for each "extra day" in the park, so we tried to make the best use of our 4-day or 5-day hoppers and not plan on 6-8 days in the parks. We would have a day or two in which we did not visit a park and these would be good rest days. Now, it only cost a few dollars to add additional days beyond the 4-day ticket (which is high to start with), so we aren't so pressed to spend all of our time in the parks on the days we visit.

 

[merrywether]

For those of you who take afternoon breaks, do have some mornings where you go to park openings? Some days where you make sure you see the parades? Some days where you make sure you see the night show? How do you schedule your days to see these things? I love the idea of an afternoon break b/c I think we should have done that our last trip (it was very hot), but I'm not sure how to work it all out.

We occasionally make it for park opening, but that's a rarity. After being to Disney several times by ourselves, we've found that now that we have a child, we're ok with not seeing every single ride on every single trip. We still make sure we see our favorites, but we acknowledge that our son has a different agenda than we do, and that commando touring isn't part of that agenda. At age 3, my son doesn't know the breadth of what there is to do in Disney, so his expectations are lower than ours! In fact, we took him for the first time last summer, and we didn't see one parade. I guarantee he didn't miss it. He saw fireworks, he shot Zurg in Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, and he swam in the pool. It is a much different trip with kids, and I think the key to our happiness with taking our son was in NOT knocking ourselves out trying to do everything. We knew we'd be taking him back (and we are this August!). So we were perfectly fine with leaving the park each day to go back and nap (and we rented a house in Kissimmee, so it was probably a half hour from door to door - trams and walking included). It gave our son a chance to nap and us a chance to rest in some quiet AC or take a swim in our pool. Of course this plan isn't for everyone - I can understand the appeal to stay in the park from open to close so you don't miss a thing and get your money's worth. My sister and her family subscribe to this, and they're very happy with it. We just like to take it easy and enjoy the moment. Just my 2 cents! Have a great time!

 

[writersblock42]

What we do is go when the park first opens and then go out of the park and eat lunch, head to the hotel and swim or nap depending on who prefers to do what-this takes about 2-3 hours total. Works out well because 12-3 is the busiest time at Disney.

 

[webshark3]

If you have a good reclining stroller with Canopy, you child may just sleep in the stroller. That's what my son did. A good canopy gives them an almost "isolated" environment.

 

[Princess_Michelle]

If you have a good reclining stroller with Canopy, you child may just sleep in the stroller. That's what my son did. A good canopy gives them an almost "isolated" environment.

This is a good point b/c actually, I am planning to buy that canopy extender from the One Step Ahead catalog, just b/c of the sun. I think it will definitely help him be able to fall asleep in the stoller. Ultimately, we have decided to do it on a day to day basis. If he falls asleep in the stroller, great. Falls asleep on People Mover, great. Has a complete meltdown....we'll just go back to the room We have noticed that lately he has been doing very well while on all day outings. We were in DC today for the 4th of July and he did very well, ended up falling asleep on the walk back to the car.

 

[WildGrits]

What Resort are you staying at?

If you don't want to go way back to lets say one of the mods or values, what about taking the monorail to the Poly. You could set up tent on the beach and sit and listen to the music they pump in.

That way you could also sit, have a drink, and get out of the crowds.

 

[merrywether]

That way you could also sit, have a drink, and get out of the crowds.

Fabulous idea!

 

[kimis]

Yeah, after thinking about it some more and talking with my aunt (fellow Disney nut) I have decided to can the tent idea. Instead we are going to use different areas of the parks to rest. In MK, we can go to Baby Center, Tom Sawyer Island, or use the People Mover. In EPCOT, we can do Energy ride plus Baby center. {Too bad spaceship earth will be down } At Animal Kingdom, the baby center. And I don't know about MGM, but, this is my least favorite park, and we always get through it pretty quickly, so I can see going back to the hotel on this day.....

I believe it used to be if you booked through AAA they had a building you could go and relax in. It was nice with couches, airl conditioner and quiet. Check it out.

 

[WildGrits]

Actually I think each park has a Baby Care Center by Carnation. I remember they had rooms for feeding and rocking, rooms for changing younguns and if I remember right there was a dark room for resting.

It seems like only yesterday

Here is the locations(as per Debs great web site):

MK Baby Changing/Nursing - The Baby Care Center is located next to the Crystal Palace Restaurant just off Main Street.

AK Baby Services/Lost Children/First Aid - Located behind Creature Comforts in Discovery Island.

The baby station is great! Private nursing rooms, with glider rockers and footstools and a big table for diaper changes. I didn't thoroughly check out the rest of the baby station, but it was large and colorful. (Donna S.)

EPCOT Baby Changing/Nursing - Located in the Odyssey Center in Future World.

MGM Baby Services/Lost Children/First Aid - Located just inside the park on the left, with Guest Relations.

 

[dizzi]

I would also watch out for fire ants if you are going to use the tent outside. I like your idea of riding some of the quiet rides.

Carousel of Progress great place to sleep!!!!

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