Best places in parks for "stroller naps?"

[wrighter]

Our first family trip to WDW is coming up fast!!! We'll be there with DS3 and DD1, staying in a 1 bedroom villa at OKW. Our plan had been to bring the little monkeys back to the room for naps each day. However, I think we're really starting to realize that this could be a one hour trip (door to door) between the room and the parks. I'm guessing the kids would fall asleep en route and then wake up the moment we got to the room!!!

So we want to consider the option of letting them snooze at the parks. Not at all sure if it will work with our kids, but we want to be prepared for all possibilities. My question is this: Are there really places at the parks that are quiet enough for them to grap some z's? If so - where?

Any thoughts on this would be appreciated. We're trying to switch to VWL to be closer to the MK, but will have to hope for the stars to align on that one so we can slide into someone else's cancellation. We're not doing this vacation "commando," meaning we aren't planning on running ourselves into the ground. If we don't see every thing in every park we're down with that - just want to enjoy family fun time.

Let me hear your "sleeping at the parks" tips! Thanks!

 

[ErinSLP]

Hi! we went last year with our 1 year old and here's what we did. She was still on a two nap -a- day schedule, and she slept every day in her stroller-even when we went back to the resort for a break! We stayed at CBR, just a regular room. It was easier to walk her around in the stroller and let her fall asleep than to try to get her to sleep in the crib in the room. She had no trouble going to sleep at night, but we just preferred to get her to sleep in the stroller.....anyway, back to sleeping in the parks. Every park we were in, there seemed to be a quiet little spot or corner where I or my husband could walk her around for her to fall asleep. We would just recline her stroller, cover her with a blanket, adn giver her a bottle. Then we would just enjoy some quiet time, get a snack, or do some of the bigger rides while the other sat with her. Now, she would onle sleep for 45 minutes to one hour, but anything was fine wth us. You are right about them falling asleep on the bus....by the third or fourth day she would fall asleep at night on the bus, we would walk around the marketplace or the boardwalk, then take her home and put her in the crib, and she would never wake up!!! There is just so much going on, they are much more tired than usual. You should be fine with stroller naps, there are quiet places all over. Have a great time, let me know. we're headed down on Sat, so hopefully it will go as well as last year.


Erin

 

[EthansMom]

When we took DS when he was young, he wouldn't nap in the parks... too much to see. But he passed out nicely on the monorail, which runs in a circle. He had a great nap one day while he and I rode the monorail in circles.

 

[1Prince2Princesses]

We always do stroller naps. They work out best for us, because we do day trips, seeing that we live close by. I've never had a problem with the kids falling asleep there. They wear themselves out, and sometimes it's not even an effort... they'll fall asleep all on their own while we walk.

At MK, I usually hide out in the covered area outside El Pirata y el Perico restaurant neat Pirates of the Carribean. Not during lunch rush, though... around 2 or 3. At AK, there are a zillion quiet paths and places to rest with the stroller... I find a path near the front of the park in the Oasis area. At MGM, I sit in the food court area near Tower of Terror (again, not during lunch rush) because then my DH and DS can do TOT and RRC while the little ones nap. At EPCOT, there are a lot of quiet spots in the World Showcase. Find a country and take your pick!

 

[Erin1700]

I have done this on days we were departing late and had to check out of resort early. On other days we just went back to the resort. I know in Epcot there was/is a great place I think in Innoventions. It was a long empty hallway that did lead to bathrooms, but as of Dec 2005 nothing else. My child slept nicely in her stoller and I think I could count on my 2 hands the number of people who passed thru there.

 

[wdwpjs]

There are a few places in Magic Kingdom. My favorite is the walkway from Toon Town to Tommorland. In EPCOT there are always little paths or walkways in each country. My favorite is either the Energy ride or Innoventions {as previously posted}. Animal KIngdom same as posted earlier. The walkways around the tree are great. MGM is harder. I would have to say the exit area of TOT. There are benches and shade trees there.

 

[2dogmom]

You can also go to the Baby Care Centers and sit down in there if you want to relax too. I have found just walking around the parks were fine for my girls. I sometimes used the nap time to shop so I could buy my girls something without them knowing.

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

You can also go to the Baby Care Centers and sit down in there if you want to relax too. I have found just walking around the parks were fine for my girls. I sometimes used the nap time to shop so I could buy my girls something without them knowing.

I must agree. My 4 yo dd who never naps at home was really tired at WDW, since I would wake her up early in the morning and would usually got to bet at a later time, so by 3 pm she was exhausted.

She slept in her stroller (Mac Quest) and i brought with me one oh her old baby blankets to cover her because of the super freezing AC in the stores.

That was the time when I could browse the Main Street stores without her wanting to stop every 3 steps to watch something.

The monorail to Epcot worked great too.

Julie

 

[wrighter]

I've considered the Monorail thing, as well as the train at MK. My kids are motion kids, and thought it would be a nice respite from the chaos. Can anyone tell me: Does either the train or the monorail make loud announcements over the loudspeakers? Like, "Next stop, Polynesian Resort" and things like that? Not sure if the kiddos would be able to do that - but I like what I'm hearing about the parks. Guess we just really need to keep our eyes open for good spots.

 

[deedeetoo]

My kids always slept in the stroller. We never made a trip back to the room for naps when they were that young. They would always fall asleep on their own when they were tired. We never would be proactive in getting them to sleep. After they were out, we'd just find a shady spot and take turns sitting with stroller. Its so nice to be able to wander around the stores by yourself. I always considered that a nice relaxing afternoon break.

Now that they are older we always have to go back to the resort midday because they want to go swimming.

 

[amarberry]

We rarely have gone back to the room for naps. DD has been pretty good about napping in her stroller although sometimes it is a later nap and she pretty much just passes out. One of my favorite ways to get her to sleep has been when we have park hopped from MGM to Epcot. We take the walkway through the Boardwalk. It is very quiet and my DD seem to fall asleep easiest if the stroller is moving. We also have a rayshade that we pull down over the stroller so she isn't distracted.

At MK, we usually hang out at the Tommorrowland Noodle Terrace since the restaurant never seems to be open when we are there. In AK, we usually camp out outside in the back of Pizzafari. No one ever seems to go back there except for a few CM's. On our last couple of visits, we've ended up wheeling the stroller into the Tune In Lounge at MGM. There is a quiet corner with a 50's style couch and a TV playing clips (DD seems to nap better with a little background noise). Also, we can be bad parents and have a drink or two while we are "off duty" (we are on vacation afterall ).

 

[LaraK]

In MK there is a patio near where the old skyway stop is...it's sort of to the right and behind space mountain....very secluded with benches.

 

[dsneygirl]

We took DS as an infant 3 mos and 5 mos and he slept no problem anytime, anywhere. Even through fireworks. But I agree there are so many little out of the way places. CS restaurants are a good suggestion not at meal time. Most are cool and have huge seating areas so you could easily find a quiet corner, mid day.

 

[reeeoga]

MK: Hall of Presidents, Carousel of Progress, story time place near the Teacups.
EPCOT: Universe of Energy, The back area of United Kingdom.
Studios: Streets of America.
AK: seating area behind FlameTree Bar-B-Que, Exploration trails near the entrance, The Oasis Exibits.

Each place is usually quite and gives you something to do.

 

[sss]

Hi,
We went to WDW the first time when our twins were 14 months and again when they were 3.5 and our "baby" was 14 months....i have the CUTEST pics of my twins (they are fraternal) asleep on eachother in the stroller at age 3.5. There were days we came back but then there were times that they just conked out...there's always like another poster said quiet bench somewhere but you don't have to retreat to it. The key with my twins was motion...when we thought they would go out we just kept walking with the stroller and didn't stop until they had been asleep ten minutes (don't ask, this was the magic formula, i don't know). My baby was still at two naps then and hated the pack and play. She would always go out in the stroller as usual as long as she had her pacifier. At 14 months with the twins they always conked out in the stroller....it's a good time to get margaritas if you're in epcot. WE go again in about a week....the twins are now almost 4.5 and the "baby" will turn 26 months while we're there. We'll see how they have changed in a year.
Good luck,
sss