Do you really go back to resort for naps?

[DisneyPhD]

This most recent trip (2 weeks ago) we did go back to the room most days. Some days the baby 17 months old, did nap in the room. Mostly because she feel asleep on the way home (bus or car) and we were able to transfer asleep into the pack and play. We were never able to get her to sleep herself once in the room though. So if we went back to the room and she was awake we all went swimming.

I think she slept in the room 3 or 4 days out of a 8 days total.

Some days she did nap in the stroller. I know one day we didn't go back to the room, but went from MGM to Ecpot and then later really regreated not getting the car (because the bus home for Epcot was a problem trip.) Most days it was so cold at night we needed to dress differenlty anyway, so going back to the room was a good idea.

We just played it by ear though. No set nap time or schdule. For the most part it worked our pretty well. DD (4 years old) wanted to swim in the pool at the resort anyway (a few times she played on the playground.)

 

[princessjv]

We started going back and napping when we went to WDW for the 1st time with DS(then 2.5). I was also just pregnant and very tired! We now make it a routine! We get up in the AM, hit the EMH (when available), get out of that park by 11ish (since that is usually the busiest park), grab lunch to go on the way out or eat quick at our hotel, nap and/or swim and head back to the latest park open for the remainder of the afternoon/evening. This works great for us! We all need a quick break. We love being refreshed for the rest of the day!

My suggestion is to try it at least 1-2x, if it doesn't work for your family, do without it! I have heard that staying at a monorail resort can make this process a bit easier (I have yet to do it though).

 

[cinjam]

We do it, just about every day we are there. To the parks by 9:00am, after lunch we head back to the room with a plan to be back out again by 4:00pm. Usually works fine. If my odler son (age 5) isn't tired, DH will take him to the pool, while I nap with our other son (age 2). I love nap time!

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

NO, we went during value season, so the hours the parks were open we VERY short and we couldn't see treking 5 people back to the hotel for our 3.5 yo daughter who would have either slept the rest of the afternoon and woke up around 7, ready to go again. OR...we could have woken her up in a couple of hours..MISERABLE and then the rest of the day would have been worse than before.
SO... We pulled the stroller over to a quiet spot in the shade, put the stroller shade up and I sang to her for a few min/sec. until she dozed off. Then we would just stroll her around the gift shops and do our shopping while she slept. And when she woke up..she was rested and ready to go again.
I just reccomend doing things at your child's pace. And if you have a stroller with a tray, bring some crayons and a coloring book for coloring when your waiting for parades or shows to start. Have fu!

 

[pkitty]

Time is money, and fun well missed. No. dont go back for naps.

 

[NotUrsula]

We don't go back for naps, we go back for breaks. It is not so much about sleeping as it is about getting out of the intense atmosphere for awhile. We may not actually go to our own resort, particularly if it is too cold to swim; we just get out of the parks for awhile and eat at one resort or another (food is better at the the resorts, too.) If it is warm enough to swim, that is usually what we do, swim and lounge by the pool, maybe read. If it is raining we may catch a few cartoons in our room.

We even do this during value season, but the secret to doing it well is HOPPING. The way that you do it is to start at the park that opens earliest, get out by about 11 am; then spend the evening at the park that is open latest, often going in around 4 pm. We average 8-9 hrs. per day in parks, even during value season. We pretty much always close down the evening at whatever park is open latest, hanging around for an hour or so after closing, browsing and taking photos.

As to "time is money", when I'm working it is, but when I'm on vacation, not so much. We go a few times a year, and for us, making it an endurance run takes a lot of the fun out of it. We don't feel we lose much other than time in line, since the time when we are gone from the parks tends to be the time of day when the lines are at their longest, and the tempers of those around us are at their shortest.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Yes, we really go back to the resort for naps, lol. At least the last two trips we have. We left the park right before or right after lunch, around noon or so, then went back to the room for a nap and left the resort between 3:30-4. It's definitely a must for my kids, but maybe not for everyone. We were at the park before opening every day with an early character breakfast most days and when we returned to the park, we stayed until after the fireworks/closing.

 

[beattyfamily]

Sometimes we do and sometimes we don't. It depends on the park we're at, it depends on how tired we are, it depends on how hot it is, it depends on what we've been doing all day, it depends on how far away our resort is etc....

Most of the time we just stick it out till we done, then we head back for a change of clothes and dinner or a swim.

Our kids mostly napped in the stroller. We never went back for manditory naps, it was always for break or a rest or a change of clothes or a swim.

Now that my girls are 6 and 9, we almost always stick it out in the park till we're done and it's just about dinner time.

 

[MinnieGi]

We were there Jan. 8 - 14 th with our 5 and 16 month old. Yes, we went back to nap b/c DS would not nap in the reclining stroller. When his sister was that age she napped quite conently in the padded reclining stroller and we could stay longer in the park. However DS just wouldn't do it and he NEEDED a nap! We would stay in the parks till mid-afternoon and then go back and get DS a nap. While DH & DS napped DD and I would swim. We had gorgeous weather that let us swim eveyday! After naps we either had dinner plans somewhere in a park or a resort and would either do an evening in the parks or swim some more at night.

If I were you with a 5:30 ps it might be tight to get back to POP, nap and then back to MK for your ps time without thinking you wasted alot of your day in travel time. I would perhaps have a slow start to your morning. The parks should not be that bad crowd wise when you go. See if you can get your little one to sleep in the stroller, if you can I would not leave the park until after your ps. Even if you can't maybe she'll sleep in your arms for a little bit of a power nap and that will get you through till after the ps time.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[rt2dz]

Maybe it depends on how you tour. If you are out for the thrill and on the go, go, go, breaks may be much more beneficial for you. But if you follow your child's lead, let them wake up on their own, rest in the parks as you go (theater attractions, playgrounds, stroller rides, etc), meander through the park rather than hitting every attraction you can or keeping a schedule, and just leave when they've had enough for the day even if it isn't park closing, you night do better off without the breaks. You might also find out you spent more time at the parks & never had a meltdown.

My kids had their meltdowns when we left for the breaks and when we went back to the parks--they were just never ready to move on at those times. And if we didn't leave then (to go to the hotel or back to the parks), it just wasn't worth doing at all. Took the break away, and NO meltdowns. Mom and Dad were also much happier.

But the big question is how do they do with a long day at six flags, the zoo, oe just at the mall? What are your kids tolerance and temperments?

 

[Ima Princess]

Thanks for all your responses -- for our MK day I'm thinking we'll stick it out as Minnie said and see how we (esp DD1) do. I just think MK is such an "out of the way" park, even when taking the buses, and I dread all that travel time. With the other parks I don't feel that way, so taking a break won't be as tough on me mentally. I will make a concentrated effort to help DD1 nap so our castle dinner will be peaceful, whether it's in the stroller or in my arms.

For the rest of our stay, our plans are less restrictive and I'll be open-minded. If she's doing well, we'll stay for as long as we can. If she's cranky, a nap is in order. I'm not at all concerned about DD6 -- she's always done well and is so excited to be going back! DH & I practically lived at WDW during college, and we know we'll be back, so we don't feel like we have to do/see "everything" -- we're just looking forward to a break, and craving some Disney magic!

Thanks again for your responses -- I enjoyed reading your experiences and hope you all enjoy your upcoming Disney trips!

--CC

 

[paigevz]

We have always gone back to take a nap except once, when our first son was four and he had fallen asleep in his stroller at Epcot.......we just kept touring the World Showcase........he fell asleep on the way to Canada, and didn't wake up until Japan.

We have been with a single 4 year old, single 6 year old, 8 year old and 10 month old together, and 9 year old and 2 year old together.............

This time, my boys will be 4 and 11, and we may be taking my 7 year old nephew. We plan to take some days to sleep in and stagger in two off days, as we got pretty tired last time, getting up so early.........we've always done the early EMH since they started it.............even with the nap we were so tired! We have one day we don't have a late morning or a nap scheduled and I'm pretty worried about it.

I'd think it'd be a must do with the little one, just to give her a chance to get out of the stroller and move around with some more freedom, then nap in a bed where she can stretch out and relax.

Just my opinion...............oh, and my older child always rested quietly for about an hour, then one of us took him swimming for another hour if he wasn't asleep.

 

[skooniebird]

I've been to WDW more times than I can count, but never with a 1yo as I will be next week (hooray! ). How many of you, when traveling with a young one, take the often-read advice to go back to the resort mid-day for a nap? Is that intended more for the hot, crowded months? I'm optimistically hoping for low crowds and good weather

Our 1st trip with older DD was when she was almost 3 and she would just rest in the stroller. However, that kid can (and still does!) sleep through anything, wheras DD1 is easier to disturb. I am bring my own stroller that fully reclines.

Truth be told, I just hate to leave once I get in the park! Will I be sorry?? Day 1 is MK day (of course) and we have dinner ADRs at 5:30 in the castle. I could run back to POP for a quick nap (let DD6 & DH swim) and then plan to stay later in the evening, OR we can stay at MK for the day and leave right after dinner. Thoughts? Yes, I know I could also just "wing it" and see how I feel that day, but I rather like having a plan and getting tips from others.

TIA!

--CC

LOL The 6 to 61 year old's didn't return for naps. After end of 2nd day it was apparent 3 year old must!!! Unfortunately, that seemed to be my job. So, from 3 until we would meet others at restaurants in certain parks where we had had reservations for over 3 months- usually around 6 pm- I would take 3 yr old to room for nap. Think he actually slept once. ARGH Mostly played on playground (port orleans riverside will always be my favorite and is still only to accept family of 5) and played in kiddie pool. But just the break from the constant walking waiting and just wandering seemed to help him even though he was too wound to sleep. So them when dad and big kids came back I hopped the bus around 8pm to downtown Disney for some private communion with the lovely magical shops. <sigh> That made all ok with me

 

[Callalily6]

WE DO! Every time! With or without kids.

I hate waiting on lines - ironic being at WDW and all - so we go back during the mid day and return for a late night.

We stayed (DD 5 and me) last trip from 9am - 10pm and I was so tired at 4-6 pm. We had to sit for an hour to recoup - and then later that night I had to carry her out of the park - she pretty much passed out. That was a misguestimate on my part - but being that tired and carrying a sleeping bundle of 45 lbs of DD, with 2 pirate hats on my head, was very memorable! But very exhausting!

 

[sha_lyn]

DD was 2 for our first trip to WDW. I booked onsite so that we could go back for naps. However we never needed to. She was able to nap in the stroller.
However the following yr we stayed onsite at Universal and DD actually asked to go back to the room and nap.

 

[LibertyLover]

I've been to WDW 3 times so far with my DD3. The first two times she was 2 and the last time she was 3. All 3 times we did go back to the hotel for naps because frankly if DD doesn't get her nap, she is not in a good mood. We are leaving again this coming Friday (3 more days ) and again we will be coming back to the hotel in the afternoon for a nap. She sleeps and so do I most of the time. The first couple of days my stepdaughter will be with us. She is an adult and she and her dad will probably stay at the parks or whatever while DD and I go back to the hotel. It just puts her in a better mood.

 

[crisi]

See how she does -

Returning for naps when they were little didn't work for us. Now that they are older, we go back for a swim and miss the peak afternoon crowds and have a change of pace. But I completely believe it is a "must" for some people.

(Feel sorry for the families that have a mixed set - one that won't nap in the room, one that won't nap anywhere else. At least ours were the same).

 

[tcolbert]

We do that with DS5 every trip. Helped split the days a little. Out to the parks in the AM and back in the afternoon for rest/snack and then out again for dinner/show (Fantasmic is great!). Everyone is much happier and you don't feel as rushed.

 

[cinmell]

We've always gone back to our room to relax and cool down or go to the pool during the day, even before our daughter came along. This is one of the reasons we love staying on the monorail loop so much. We spend a lot of time at the MK so it's quick and easy to get to and from our resort.

 

[debloco]

double post, sorry