Toddler Napping at Disney World

[LovePug]

My DS used to stroller nap, too. We never used a stroller at home, but we had a larger (one that has the movable bonnet and reclining seat) one to use at WDW. I let him fall asleep when he was ready to. He would nod off and I'd move the bonnet to the location that blocked the sun and eased the seat back after he fell asleep and he'd get a decent nap in that way. Couldn't get him to nap by going back to the room because that just woke him up more.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

I may be in the minority, but I'm a big fan of going back to the hotel for a real nap. My feeling is, if my son gets a real nap, the hours that we do have in the parks will be more fun. We did 2 days in March when he had just turned 2. Both days we rope dropped the MK and started back to the hotel around 12:30 so we could put him down by 1/1:30. He usually goes down around 1 and sleeps until about 3. I will say this was better on the day that the MK had extra magic hours, bc we had from 8:00 until 12:00 in the park, and honestly, that was enough time before a break. Our mantra is always, "leave while everyone is still happy" rather than waiting for a meltdown

When we went when he was 12 months he napped in the stroller...but 12 months is very different than 24. I think he was still taking 2 naps a day at 12 months, one of which was at like 10 AM, so going back to the room at that time would have been ridiculous. Ha.

Have a great time!! We had so much fun with our just turned 2 year old that we're going to try and squeeze in one more long weekend trip before he turns 3 next year. Such a fun age!! (And still free too!)

 

[ColonialMouse]

Ours would stroller nap, but it's not nearly as good as a real nap. Even our older kids (9 and 7) have a hard time holding it together rope drop to park close. But except when we stayed at BLT we have never been good at getting back to the hotel for a nap. We just don't push it very hard. A stroller nap is fine if it's a 9AM-4PM day with dinner after and then back to the hotel room.

Bruce

 

[alh2011]

We were just at WDW in Sept and we would take turns taking our DS3 back to resort each day for a nap. We did rope drop every morning and then would leave with him around 1230. We would nap till 4 and then head back to parks. We stayed at POP and the transportation seemed quick and Efficient. I really enjoyed those mid day breaks and naps for myself as well. It was nice way to recharge for the evening.

 

[texasroni75]

In all of our trips, none of the kids would take a mid-day nap back in the room. They all stroller napped. We used that as an opportunity to sit and have a snack and people watch, and/or DH and I would take turns heading the single rider line of the thrill rides while the other watched over napping kiddo.

 

[TellTheHubbyLater]

My husband and I have been to Disney World and Land many times but all pre kid. We are going in October for the first time with our son who will be 20 months then. Couldn't stay away any longer! We are doing all of our planning now so we can get all of our reservations when that opens up in a few days and that brought up the topic our daily plan (we love to plan our trips!) and that brought up naps.

Currently my son takes one afternoon nap from around 12:45-3 but can actually function ok (I've noticed on the weekends this) if he gets a little less. I'm not sure how he will be 6 months from now though.

My question is, what have folks that have traveled to Disney with young kids done about naps? Our currently plan is to go back to the hotel (Wilderness Lodge) after lunch but has anyone found other ways to get the nap in? I don't think the stroller nap will happen. Has anyone gotten a nap in in the various family rooms or an attraction to get a power nap in for their kid?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

He will most likely take a nap anywhere, despite whatever his schedule and preferences are by then. It is a lot for the little ones and they surprise you. Take your stroller for the recline position, a good portable clip on fan, and a shade and/or rain cover and you will be good if planning on staying in park. MK train, AK train, and the monorail are all good nap inducers if he gets to that "I needed a nap 2 hours ago and now all I want to do is scream" stage

 

[blackpearl77]

My son just napped in his stroller. In MK, a good spot to sit is the hallway leading to the bathrooms by POTC since it's covered (in case of rain) and quiet. In HS I sat inside ABC Commissary - they let you bring the stroller inside! And it's air conditioned. We never left and went back to the room - take too much time and he was never a good napper to actually lay in the bed and fall asleep. But he would always fall asleep in the stroller or on car rides. So it was easy for him just to fall asleep in the stroller and then I would sit with him for an hour or two and people watch. Or just push the stroller around but it was a nice break to sit for a little bit. We wouldn't book adr's for lunch since around that time is when he always fell asleep in the stroller!

 

[quagmire0]

I think you're either going to have a stroller napper, or you won't. Our kids, for the most part, weren't. They would eventually crash at the very end of the night. This is why I usually recommend people with nap-aged kids stay offsite. You can escape the insanity to a quiet condo and try and get a good nap in, then go back to the parks for the long haul. I'd give the napping at the room a try. At the very least, it gets them out of the heat and allows them to rest. Some people post on here about how their kids slept in the strollers, no problem. Wasn't our experience though.

Also - don't forget that this is a marathon and not a sprint. Even if he's skipped nap for a day with no problem in the past, skipping naps a couple days in a row will more than likely create a different result. It's cumulative.

 

[megster1123]

Anyone have experience with kids napping after Pirate's League? I have both kids set up to visit PL at 11:00, and was planning on doing the "in the park" nap kind of thing that afternoon as to avoid unnecessary travel. I'm just a little worried about the white face paint smearing all over everything when they crash out in the stroller. Any thoughts?

 

[kdka421]

Just our experience, we just got back from our first trip with our 18 month old. Didn't know what to expect, figured we'd try the stroller nap the first day and if it didn't work we would do afternoon naps back at the hotel. Tried not to plan anything (sit down meals, family FPs, etc) anywhere around nap time. First day at epcot she was getting fussy, we gave her the pacifier which she uses for sleeping, and a light muslin blanket to cuddle, turned on her stroller fan, pushed her around for a few minutes and she was OUT. At home she typically naps for 2.5-3.5 hours, I'd say her average nap at Disney was more like 1.5 hours. So we were just careful not to push bedtime, we kept bedtime around the same time as if we were home, and she did great!

 

[kboo]

I think it really depends on your kid. We took our eldest for the first time at 21 months and she did not nap in the stroller. No way no how. we stayed offsite and it was a bit of a hustle to get back, but she did so much better with a real nap. We did rope drop until 12 or so, back to the condo around 1, and had an easy time getting back to the park for 5pm. Even this last trip, YDD would stroller nap or in the carrier, but we went back to the room for a real nap 5 or 6 out of 7 days and it was great. ODD, who is almost 5 and never naps at home, napped so she could stay up to see fireworks.

 

[limpy]

We took our 18-month old and we went back for naps to Bonnet Creek. It worked out great. We really liked leaving the parks when it got super busy and heading back in the afternoon. Everyone was tired from a morning in the parks and all four of us napped, at least a little, midday. I don't like crowds so I found that taking a break was nice.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Our 15 month old DS just stroller napped when needed. Sometimes we did take him back to the room, but that was usually because we needed a nap too, lol

 

[mfulk]

We tried going to the room for naps and it did not work so now we go to the water park every afternoon instead. Our kids would never nap in a stroller at home but over 17 trips the last seven years starting when our kids were 4, 2 and 5 months til our upcoming trip when they will be 12, 10, 7, 5 and 6 months they just fall asleep when they need to in the stroller or in a wrap/ergo depending on age. our kids have not gotten cranky though, they just fall asleep but only at Disney have they ever napped in a stroller. And unfortunately at home they had all given up naps close to turning 2.