Disney Evenings with Preschooler

[PollyannaMom]

Will be going to WDW very soon with a 5-year-old who doesn't normally nap, but is usually asleep about 7:30pm (up about 6:00am.) What are our chances of seeing any of the evening fireworks shows, etc? Do people find kids this age will get tired enough to nap and then be able to stay up late a couple of days, or am I expecting too much?

 

[mmmears]

Our 8-year old will nap in the afternoon after a morning in the parks and a short swim in the hotel swimming pool. Then she can stay up for fireworks and not be cranky! Even up grown-ups like to nap so we can stay up late and get up early! We've done this since our daughter was 2 -- she knows that if she wont nap, she cant stay up late.

 

[ChristusG]

My daughter is not much of a napper, but we dont even bother scheduling them at WDW. DD is a go with the flow kid (she's 2) and if she is tired, she just sleeps in the stroller or in our arms.

 

[famofsix]

I'd say go with the flow. Schedule some down times in your day...slower shows or rides. We did go back one day to our condo to swim and relax and then return to MK. If he's not a napper now, chances are he will be too excited to actually sleep in the middle of the day.

We did see all the nightly shows with our kids and they handled it well. They were really really tired when we left for the night but it was still very fun and worth staying up.

We brought the glow bracelets from the dollar store so that entertained them when it was dark. Staying hydrated and healthy snacks help keep spirits up.

 

[Merriwind]

Disney is exhausting! Even adults can nap there. DD8 was always a big napper--I had to break her of napping for school. At WDW, she will still nap and then be ready to go for nighttime activities. Other days, we'llstart early, go through dinner and make an early night of it. Follow her lead, try to encourage a nap if that's what you want and try to go with the flow. Enjoy!

 

[Leah and Emily's mom]

We have gone several times with PRESCHOOLERS and find that they sleep in the stroller which gives mom and dad time to watch a show, relax or ride rides with the older child. Usually a nap and DD will be recharged for a night of fireworks. We have been 3 times with ages 13 months to 4 yo and never leave the parks for naps. She has been known to sleep during a parade, so we by chance put a picture of her sleeping through the fun in our photo album and she laughs everytime she looks at the book and says there I am sleeping.

Whatever you decide to do. Your family will enjoy it.

 

[golden1]

I also have kids that go to sleep early. The only show I am "planning" on them seeing is Fantasmic because it is at 7pm. I figure that we can try to get them to see Wishes one night but I am not counting on it. We'll just see how they do.

 

[Stephres]

Our six year old will nap to stay up late for the fireworks, our three year won't and is in bed by 7:30. I think it all depends on the temperment of your kid. Our little one is a little afraid of fireworks anyway, so we never pushed it.

 

[MayMom]

We went when DS was 3 1/2 and tried the "going back for a nap," however it was a BIG waste of time. He was so keyed up that he would not go to sleep. It took a huge effort to get out of the park and on the bus, then back on the bus and back to the parks. This year, my DS will be 6 and I have 2 1/2 year old DD. I am planning on buying her a very nice, comfortable stroller (Maclaren Quest) and letting her sleep in it if she gets tired.

 

[Ariel8676]

My girls are not big nappers..sometimes they wil fall asleep iin the stroller there though. What we do is get up nice and early and get to the parks at opening..stay until lunch then go back to the resort. Sometimes we will take them swimmimg sometimes we will just sit inside and relax for a while..a little downtime is just as good as a nap sometimes. Don't make it like you are going back for a nap and maybe they will suprise you with one...

 

[luvmesometigger]

We went 2 years ago when DS was 4. He was not a napper but he napped every afternoon while in DW. I think the heat and the running around just tuckered him out!
I will do the same this time..esp since we have his baby sister this time. Then we can stay up later!

 

[mommiepoppins]

i have the same question we have never seen them yet I am hoping at least one time!

 

[lauritagoddess]

My DS was 3.5 and there was no way I could get him to take a nap. We opened the parks but left in the afternoons and he was in bed by 7:30 every night except for one where I let him stay up to watch the fireworks at 8:00, but we were staying at the Contemporary and just watched them from the hotel. No matter what time he goes to sleep at night he still gets up by 6:00 so I figured there was no point in keeping him up late since he was just be a misery the next day if I did.

 

[4lilpoohs]

I think it really depends on your child. I went this past December with my 2 year old and 5 year old. We were at the parks from open to close. I used a double stroller for them. The 2 year old would nap and sometimes fall asleep in the evening. The five year old fell asleep in the evening once maybe twice. They both did really great the whole time. At home they are in bed by 7:30-8:00.

 

[3mickeys&me]

For us even when my kids were babies & toddlers till today there ages (7 & 10) we are in the parks early and stay late. One or two days of our trip we will have a few hours we spend at the pool. We just brough our stroller and if our youngest was tired he just napped in the stroller. Never was a problem for us. It really depends on your child. I guess go and see how your child does, maybe take a break during a certain time in the afternoon and take a nap at your resort or hang by the pool for some down time.

 

[ybcart7]

The last night of our trip our DD7 was 5 yrs old - she normally is not a napper - but she did take naps while we were down there. MK was open EMH's and she stayed up until 2:30 am and then was back up at 8:00 am for breakfast at Chef Mickey's!!! She was a trooper!!!

 

[LBKMAMA]

We've done days where we get there early and stay till dinner, but it's exhausting for all involved IMO. My husband is a big proponent of nap/swim every afternoon. Most of the time it works, but with 3 kids there are some days when one of them just won't fall asleep so we alt. who sleeps and who swims...LOL. My DD who will turn 3 in WDW this year does nap in stroller which was such a great surprise on our trip last year. We managed one night for parade and fireworks and she slept thru it all which was fine...the other two loved it! Plan down time and if things are going well you can always stay at parks.