We're heading on our first WDW trip at the end of this month, staying at GF for six nights - yippee!
We'll be staying in the same room with our two small kids, and they go to bed *early* - 7 pm. I'm sure we'll all stay up late one or two nights to see fireworks, etc..... but, on the nights when we keep them on their regular routine, DH and I will be sort of stuck in a dark hotel room.
Anyone been down this road? Advice? Tips for staying up without waking the kids?
Thanks in advance!!!
not sure how old your kids are, but here is what works for us:
1) bring plastic shower curtain for between fitted sheet and mattress pad (in case of potty-trained kid's accident)....after a day at WDW, my kids wipe out HARD. this one is a bit irrelevant to your question, but i try to pass this advice along to other preschool parents, just in case!
2) bring a noise machine...it blocks both the sound through the door from the hallway and other random noises that you guys make
3)previously, we have brought a small string of christmas lights and used them as "night lights" in the room...dim enough so it isn't too bright, but bright enough so that the adults can move around without bumping into stuff. not sure about other remodeled resort rooms, but these days, the poly and beach club have AWESOME dimmer lights on their bedside lamps--great for turning down when the kids are falling asleep, but you can turn them up a bit once they fall asleep to read.
4)we've done it all as suggested by PPs: download/look at the day's photos on the laptop on the bed next to the kids, sit out on the balcony/patio and have a drink or 2 with the sliding door barely open a crack to be able to hear the kids (my personal favorite...it's a great date at the end of a long family day), taking turns walking around/going to gift shop/refilling our mug at the resort food ct. area, and plan next day's itinerary in the bathroom while the kids are falling asleep...in fact, there was quite an interesting thread a few years back about "romance" in the bathroom while the kids are asleep
--hey, you do what you gotta do to find time for each other, right?
5)some nights, we'll take turns doing laundry or running to the grocery store. this is a great example of why the noise machine is so helpful to block out the sound of that loud "chunk!" sound the room door makes as it closes and locks!
6) while i don't recommend going to sleep at 7:00 with the kids, i have say that DH and i get the BEST sleep at WDW because we do usually go to sleep earlier than normal, and it feels SOOOO good to indulge in that 8-9 hours of sleep every night!!!
we'll be at the GF at the end of the month, too! have a GREAT time!