All day without break for Toddler?

[jrandall]

When my kids were toddlers they both would nap in the strollers and we were able to go a little longer in the park. I found that most times they would fall asleep on the way back to the room and then wake up while I was trying to get them transferred to a bed and it was just better to let them be. That said, we now do mid-day breaks for swimming and rest for me and my hubby!!

This is what I'm afraid of with a mid day break! Then none of us will want to go back!

 

[jrandall]

Thank you everyone! I have been fretting about keeping them there past a certain time but I will try to go with what they can handle once there. They may surprise me. I also will have my MIL with us so if need be we can drop the younger two off with her ( or my husband or myself) before heading back to the park for the evening. I think I'm just so worried how difficult it will be with them & don't want to knowingly cause melt downs! But of course those can happen at anytime so not sure why I'm fretting about this!

 

[BoyMom81]

We took our DS at 3 and I was shocked at how well he did going all day without a nap. We had 1 meltdown all week and we found he did better doing 11:00-close (closed at 9pm while we were there during a slow time). I highly recommend a good stroller, snacks, and letting the child set the pace.

 

[Fantabulously Cherry]

I'm going for the first time with a toddler in September. We are going to play it by ear. If she will nap in the stroller, so be it. If not, we'll go back for a rest.

 

[JZCubed]

If you do not take a mid day break at a hotel how long do you normally stay at the parks with a toddler? I am trying to plan my days to leave the park by 3:00 each day but it may be difficult to get all of Epcot in during this time.

My 6 y.o. has 12 trips to Disney as experience.....every child is different.....every parent is different.......

The toddler's nap time impacts Touring.....potty training impacts Touring.....Parents wanting a cocktail after dealing with a toddler impacts Touring......we are all different.

I learned two things from the Guidebooks before we ever took our first family trip:
1.) "Hotel swimming pool," is the most common reply to the question of 'Favorite part of Disney vacation?'......
2.) Most children have a 4-hour window of time before requiring a change of stimuli. Factor in travel and meal times as you deem appropriate.

-- In general, attending a Park Opening (a/k/a Rope Drop) will allow a family to maximize Park time. Most toddlers are awake at this hour anyway. Use this to your advantage. Arrive early, plan to leave early, and then go to the swimming pool before nap time.

-- Keep your eyes on that 4-hour window of time once you're in the Parks. I found that it was better to leave the Park before Jr./Princess got cranky....and she would nap in her stroller....so her parents could shop and/or get a to-go cup with an adult beverage....children can sleep through an extraordinary amount of noise while traveling in their strollers....

In a nutshell, traveling with a toddler is limited by how much the parents/guardians are willing to break with the toddler's routine, and how much parents/guardians are willing to give up by leaving Parks earlier than planned.

 

[JZCubed]

I'm going for the first time with a toddler in September. We are going to play it by ear. If she will nap in the stroller, so be it. If not, we'll go back for a rest.

Mommy, I no tired.....zzzzzzzZZZZZZzzzzzzzz......

My wife & I traded-off who stayed with the napping child while the other made friends with the Bartender.

At least the adults can shop together when the child sleeps in their stroller.....

 

[cakebaker]

I'm going for the first time with a toddler in September. We are going to play it by ear. If she will nap in the stroller, so be it. If not, we'll go back for a rest.

I think that's the key with the toddler crowd. You have to be willing to change up your plans at a moments notice regardless of how carefully those plans were made. Some people may be blessed with a compliant, flexible toddler who will behave as they want them to. I've never seen one, but I hear they exist.

Toddler years don't last forever, it just seems like it sometimes.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Ride the Ellen energy ride for your tot to nap.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Depends on the kid.

My son needed a bed and a 3-4 hour nap or he was a monster. We went when he was 3 and left the parks for a nap. No way would he have stayed midday. He didn't do well with too much stimulation. I remember spending more time at the water parks than at the actual parks.

DD could sleep in her stroller or take cat naps or no nap and be fine until very late. We went when she was 2 (DS was 8 and no more naps) and stayed offsite. We let her nap in the stroller and did lunch ADR's and stayed at the parks until late. No leaving the park. She did perfectly fine.

We went again when they were 3 and 9 (onsite) and did midday breaks at the pool. She wasn't a napper and if she did nap it was just cat naps in the stroller or on the bus back to the resort.

 

[kelmcg]

Both of my boys always napped at the parks. We always stopped for a break somewhere in the park. Sometimes it would be a booth in a CS restaurant, sometimes it was just a bench that was tucked away somewhere............ We would lean the umbrella stroller back (so they were not sitting straight up) and tell them they should just close their eyes while mommy or daddy went into a shop and that little bit of downtime, while having to wait for a parent, was usually enough for them to just crash. One parent would go ride a ride or go shop while the other parent sat back and rested. They usually got a 45-60 minute nap every day. And we would take turns sitting with them giving us both about a 30 minute break.

 

[disnut8]

I think I'm just so worried how difficult it will be with them & don't want to knowingly cause melt downs! But of course those can happen at anytime so not sure why I'm fretting about this!

Melt downs will happen and not just with kids. Adults have them often (and yes, I have had them ) . If any melt down happens, just pull everyone off to the side and take a break. More than likely, whatever is happening will be resolved in about ten minutes. The last thing to do before moving on is to simply ask, "what will make everyone feel better?" and then go do it.

 

[famy27]

I'm surprised to see that there are others who've done open to close with a toddler. I thought that I was the only crazy person. Both my DDs love WDW so much, that it is pretty much impossible for me to get them out of the parks. We normally get to the parks within an hour of opening (sometimes at actual RD) and stay past the fireworks. Both girls have done really well either with stroller naps or no naps at all. When they are done, they tell me that they are ready to go back to the hotel.

On a related note, I just read a research study today that said the benefits of daytime napping for children over two have likely been overestimated and many two-year-olds might not need to nap. It made me feel much better, since my girls have never been nappers and I never forced them to nap, whether at home or at WDW

 

[Mambo Junkie]

That's my role as Grandma. They head out while I stay with the toddler while she naps. We had our stroller, and I usually find a semi quiet place to sit. They keep on with their plans.

 

[jrandall]

Thank you everyone! I probably should not worry because we will also have my MIL with us so there will be 3 adults who can take turns to go back if we need to. I am assuming my kids will nap because they get SO tired during the day even on a regular day they need a nap but maybe they will surprise me & want to go, go, go! I think I'm going to adjust a bit though & try to go a little earlier because they do wake up so early it will probably be the best time of day for them. I originally wanted a relaxing morning (if there is such a thing) but I think I would rather have a relaxing evening so will try to get everyone to the parks early. I am worried though the other 2 adults may not be able to do that!!!

 

[Nancyg56]

Thank you everyone! I probably should not worry because we will also have my MIL with us so there will be 3 adults who can take turns to go back if we need to. I am assuming my kids will nap because they get SO tired during the day even on a regular day they need a nap but maybe they will surprise me & want to go, go, go! I think I'm going to adjust a bit though & try to go a little earlier because they do wake up so early it will probably be the best time of day for them. I originally wanted a relaxing morning (if there is such a thing) but I think I would rather have a relaxing evening so will try to get everyone to the parks early. I am worried though the other 2 adults may not be able to do that!!!

Bet you a buck the adults will appreciate a break more thn your little one! LOL!

I agree that you follow their normal schedule, so if they are early risers, use that time to be in the parks. My DGD was a late riser, so we planned to start when she woke up and made later dinner plans because she was used to that. I remember one day when she was 6, my DD wanted us to hit Epcot by rope drop, and we did. Kady was up and attem with us, but by 2 PM she ht a wall, so we canceled dinner and headed back to the resort for her to rest. I think that if you are okay with making adjustments, and you have adult back-up, you will have a blast!

 

[cakebaker]

That's my role as Grandma. They head out while I stay with the toddler while she naps. We had our stroller, and I usually find a semi quiet place to sit. They keep on with their plans.

I'm loving the grandma role at WDW! I'm perfectly happy to move at his pace while the others head to rides I have no interest in.

 

[Sleepy425]

Park open to park close for us. Kids nap in the stroller and usually fall asleep for the night in it.

Sometimes if my parents are with us they will take a kid back to the room early, that's always a nice treat for us!