At WDW - do your kids get less sleep than IRL

[scubamouse]

and how do they handle it?

ours are DS5 and DD4 and between the MVMCP and some later ADRs they'll probably be seeing more 9:30 - 10:30 bedtimes than usual. they both still nap daily so we plan to keep the naps.

if they're entertained they can usually do fine but i'm wondering if during a week, kids just hit a wall on touring?

 

[cleo]

It has been our experience children do 'hit the wall' on or around Day 3. If you really commit yourselves to taking things slowly, going at the children's natural pace (nearly impossible at Disney, but it can be done if you're dedicated!), and respecting their 'ability' to tour, you don't have to have melt-downs, either of the young'un variety......or the parental variety!

We take the parks very slowly with our 3 boys (youngest is 7, oldest is 13) and we have very few problems (learned that one over the course of a few years, not something we did the first trip, or the second!). A day away from the parks also helps, if you can swing it.

 

[gurleym]

I agree they ussually hit that wall around the third or fourth day. Found that out after our first two trips. Since then we just make sure they do get in that afternoon nap everyday. Also make sure you have a stroller even for the bigger kids it is great. We used the park strollers until our oldest was 7. It allowed him to take it easy. Strollers also allow you to keep going at your pace while the kids just sit back and ride. Helps save those little legs from getting so tired. Also take a small blanket or something to make the strollers a little more comfortable in case they take that nap in the parks. I also find this is a perfect time to do that shopping you have been waiting to do.

 

[foofanella]

be at 7:30- at disney it's more like 8:30 , even 9. One night we allow them to watch fireworks, too. They're too excited to sleep late, and sometimes even fight us on the naps.

Quite frankly, we've had the financial luxury if staying on property as well as going for 3-4 day trips 1x year. That way, the overtiredness never builds up enough, we're on our way home (or to grandma's in S. Florida) where they can catch up.

I second the naps!

 

[jennyl772003]

Actually, my DS probably gets as much, if not more sleep, on vacation. We are not early risers on vacation. It is a vacation, and to me, that means sleeping in. We always wake DS up last, which gives him some extra sleeping time. Add in the occasional nap for the times when we do wake up early, and he is good on sleep.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Our DS9 definitely gets less sleep. At home he is in bed by 8:30 on school nights and 9 PM on weekends. He gets up about 6:30 AM.

On vacation I am a horrible insomniac so I am up by about 5:30. He is usually up by 6 AM and doesn't make it to bed until around 11 PM. When we went to MNSSHP we made him take a nap, but he was still completely shot by 10 PM and asking to go back to the resort. And that was Day 2!

 

[Pixiedust34]

Certainly! We get less sleep on vacation than we do at home.

We took a break from the parks in the afternoon for some downtime at our resort. No one took a nap, but having showers (this was in Aug. and the heat was horrible) mid-day and an air-conditioned TV break made all of the difference in the world for giving us extra energy.

We also tried to not have 2 very late nights in a row. This meant missing Wishes for us. It also meant that the next morning, our kids were well rested enough to tackle another day at the parks, rather than be way too tired to crawl out of bed. We did see Fantasmic and Illuminations, though they were not on consecutive nights.

We also followed the lead of the kids. If we could see that they were beginning to melt in the heat, or if they needed to slow down, that's what we did. An unexpected ice cream cone or a little bit of rest in the shade or A/C goes a long way in keeping the kids going a little longer at the parks.

We also scheduled a non-park day mid-trip, when we could sleep in and go to bed early.

 

[isyt]

My kids have been raised in the Disney frame of mind. At home my kids (ds4,dd6,dd8) go to bed 7:30p-8p. In Disney we are in the parks all day, every day. On a day of a party they do take a nap ( never have to force the naps) but we tend to close out the party (usually leave about 1a.). A normal trip is 7-10 days for us but our kids are real troopers!!! Its the adults (friends and family)who can't keep up with us !!!

 

[jonestavern]

... If you really commit yourselves to taking things slowly, going at the children's natural pace (nearly impossible at Disney, but it can be done if you're dedicated!), and respecting their 'ability' to tour, you don't have to have melt-downs, either of the young'un variety......or the parental variety!

We take the parks very slowly with our 3 boys (youngest is 7, oldest is 13) and we have very few problems (learned that one over the course of a few years, not something we did the first trip, or the second!). A day away from the parks also helps, if you can swing it.

Well said!--particularly the mention of the adult meltdowns!

I totally sympathize with the pressure to see & do a great many things--after all WDW is a financial stretch for most & none feel it harder than the young families, so that urge to experience all the very wonderful venues is almost overwhelming. We came to the decision that even if we were 2 adults alone & without financial restraints it is physically impossible to absorb all of WDW
early mornings--DS was an early morning tyke!--an afternoon swim, lunch & a generous nap--he could go 'til 10pm without a problem-heck, DH & I could go w/o melting,too!
Even now that DS is 16 & we have DVC, I still have to stop beating up on myself because I am just too pooped to get everything in! Didn't get to go mini golfing this trip! Well, just gives me a goal for 2006!

Jean

 

[isyt]

sorry dupe post

 

[czycropper]

I also agree with the kids hitting the wall after 3 days, so I try to schedule a relaxing day on the 3rd/4th day. My girls are early risers even on vacation (6:30) and we usually take brief afternoon naps, yep and that includes my DH & I

Even on our last "quick" trip down, instead of a nap in the afternoon we just took it easy, sat & watched the people go by while eating ice cream - it really helped!

 

[Got Quattro?]

It has been our experience children do 'hit the wall' on or around Day 3. .

We find the same results. That's why we schedule a non-park day on the 3rd day to sleep in, loung by the pool and just recharge.

 

[DisneyDotty]

Well, we go to WDW with the idea that it's not a vacation--to us, Disney is WORK! We were there this past June for 10 days, which afforded us time to kick back and not rush around like maniacs, but we still got up early, went to bed late, and put in full days. And we loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat! Fortunately, my kids are 7 and 11 and have more stamina than dd and me!
You know your kids--if they're getting stressed/cranky/difficult, pull back. Chill on a bench with a Mickey ice-cream sandwich; take in a show in a dark, cool theater; head back to the resort for a nap and/or swim...
Have a great trip!

 

[Lulu's Mom]

Our DD was 15 months on this past trip and we just took our time everywhere we went. We gave her time to run around and explore and this really helped. Also we never woke her up. We all slept until we were ready to get up and then we took our time in the morning and we found that we still had plenty of time in the parks. I also now love the new way that we go about Disney = taking our time to see all the special little touches. Our days of running from ride to ride are way over.

 

[Carrie772]

The non-park day is what we call the "Pool Day". We wake up, get bfast from the CS and stay at the pool until someone asks, "What else we are going to do today?" Once we rode the monorail thru the hotels and all the way to Epcot twice. Didn't get to ride up front, though that would have been fun. Sometimes we take the water launch to all the hotels too.
Then we swim some more and eat in our room whatever snacks we brought.

Big fun and no pressure for that 3rd day.