For those with kids in the 3-4 year range

[LauraLap]

We'll only be at Disney World for a couple days (prior to 7 night DCL cruise) and I want to fit in as much as possible. I have a 3 year old and 4 year old. THe 3yo still has naps, but is usually able to live without them.

I'm just wondering for those with kids in similar age range, do you ALWAYS go back to ther resort to nap? I don't want to miss out on precious Disney hours! LOL Then again, I don't want to completely wipe out the kids.

What do you all do or plan to do re: naps?

 

[squirrel]

I took my niece 4.5 yrs to WDW in September.

I found taking her back for a nap didn't work for her. She didn't fall asleep at the resort. She would fall asleep on the bus or as I pushed her back into MK in the stroller.

She did all her napping either in the stroller or while on the bus.

 

[disneymomof2boyz]

My kids who are 3 and 4 still nap, and for our upcoming December trip, we will be returning in the afternoon for naps. We will be there for a week, so all that running around for 7 days can wipe out little ones.

BUT, if I were in your shoes I probably wouldn't go back to the resorts taking into consideration the fact that you'll only be there for two days. The first 2 days of our trip my boys are SO excited, they do not want to stop.

Hope you have tons of fun!! It's priceless seeing Disney through the eyes of little ones!

 

[EthansMom]

Both of my kids get sensory overload at WDW... we HAVE to leave in the afternoon.

That said, I think two days at WDW can be accomplished if you plan well. My advice: Do your research to pick which park(s) you'll go to and what rides/attractions you'll do while there. I wouldn't do any more than one park per day otherwise you spend too much time travelling to/from parks, which wears on young kids.

Personally, for those ages, I'd highly recommend two days at MK. There are so many more rides for young kids at MK then at many of the other parks. You could do half the park on one day and the other half the next day. Make reservations for your table service meals... Crystal Palace in MK has a nice buffet and the Winnie the Pooh characters... or Chef Mickey's just a monorail ride away in the Contemporary Resort has Mickey, Minnie, Donald, etc..

Good Luck!

 

[ColleenG]

We have always gone with a napper and just really lucked out with them falling asleep earlier than their nap time in the stroller for about an hour or so and it was just enough to recharge them and we didn't have to leave the parks. On our first trip our plan was to go back to the hotel, nap and then go back to the parks for dinner.

For us it was trial and error. We are going in a few weeks with our 14 month old and I'm really hoping he will do like his brothers did and sleep in the stroller. He usually is not a good stroller sleeper. I hope he just gets so tired that he crashes.

 

[Ellester]

We've traveled when our kids were 18m, 24m, 29m, 30m and 33m (different kids, different trips) and we have never gone back for naps. If they needed a nap, they just always took one in the stroller (the trip with the 33 month old, we didn't even bring a stroller!). For us, it would just suck up too much time and my kids have never been good "on demand" nappers. I tend to agree with a pp that since you'll only be there 2 days, tough it out. If they get tired enough, they will sleep in the stroller and you can get back on your nap schedule on the cruise. Have a great time!

 

[tribus121]

We went when our DD was 4 and just like an other poster said she did most of her napping in her stroller and on the bus rides

 

[dunbarfamily]

Like Ellester, we've traveled with kids ages 5 months, 9 months, 13 months, 22 months, 30 months, 3 1/2 years and 4 1/2 years who still took daily naps (different kids/different trips) We've only occasionally needed to go back to the room for naps. It depends on which child it was/is. For just a few days, like you will be doing, we probably wouldn't go back to our room, even for our "have to have a daily nap or I'll meltdown and scream so loud that everyone in the entire MK will shoot you a dirty look as you try to wrestle my tired body into the stroller so I won't run away from you in a temper tantrum" child. (Not that that has ever happened to us, though!!)

Have a super trip and enjoy your cruise!! We went in Jan and can't wait to go back!

 

[jellybeans0607]

I just got back from a trip with my 3 and 4yos. We did always go back to the resort, but we didnt nap. Mine dont nap at home, so I didnt expect them to nap there. They did however nap in the car to and from the parks everytime.
When we went back we would swim and have lunch. We found the an afternoon swim was very invigorating.

 

[Aristomommy]

At three, we did every other day with a nap and the other day without. My kids are early birds so getting up early is not a problem. The days they didn't nap, we left earlier to get them to bed earlier. If my kids are tired, they would sleep in a stroller, but I felt every other day back in the room was enough. There was one day that DD (then 3) fell asleep on the monorail and we decided just to stay on for a few rounds btw. Epcot and MK. It was a nice break and DD woke up refreshed.

 

[lynn432]

My daughter didn't nap every day. She napped in the stroller a couple of times and that worked very well. She slept while we walked around and saw things we wanted to see, and then was ready for more when she woke again.

Our first day was at Epcot - the kids napped right at lunchtime and we found a cool place to eat and recharge ourselves while they slept, and ended up staying all day, even though we'd planned to leave and return later (or hit another park later). But Epcot was a GREAT day for the kids (2yrs, 3yrs and 6 mos.), and it wasn't as crazy busy and stressful as Magic Kingdom. The worst days with the kids were at Magic Kingdom, and I think that's just b/c there is so much going on it wears them out more quickly. But they LOVED Epcot - the aquarium, Nemo ride, Turtle Talk with Crush, the Character Spot where they got to meet several characters, including Mickey, Pluto, Chip and Dale, etc., the boat ride in Mexico, Spaceship Earth - they loved all of that. But, at this age, they can enjoy any of the parks, especially if they're into characters and you take time for that.

My suggestion is NOT to have a set in stone idea of what you're going to do regarding naps, just have a plan and go in knowing that it might change. We had planned to leave for naps, but after day one, we decided to decide each day what was best. We left Magic Kingdom early on day two for napping, b/c it was just way too much for everyone, but then day 3 we thought we'd have to do that again and didn't - so I say, just go in with a plan for both ways and see what happens when you're there. All kids are different, and many factors (heat, crowds, sleep, etc) may play into your decision once you're there.

Have a great trip!

 

[dougsmom98]

I have been with kids of all ages 8 months-9 years old, and we never went back for a nap/break except for our trip in the summer. If you are not going during the summer humidity, then you can probably make it without a midday break.

 

[RMulieri]

I have a 4 yr old and we just got back.We did not go back for a nap.DD is used to being up all day without one.She is also an early riser and an early to bed type.SO we got to the parks early, and after dinner we headed back to the resort.The days where we had a later night planned we got to the parks later in the morning.We went on my daughters speed and lead, if we pushed her we would have paid in spades for it.As a result, we saw alot (not everything except for MK) and we were not 'that family". We also had dd walking before our trip, so she walked for up to 10 hrs/day without complaints, and did not need a stroller.

 

[keywestbride]

Good question- I've been debating the same thing. I'm leaning towards leaving on some days, and staying on others, just depending on how it goes, but we're planning on a full week. If I only had 2 days, I'd go for it and stay as long as I could.

 

[Camno's Mama]

I will say that we never went back to the condo that we rented. It wasn't worth the trouble...we've actually never done that any time we've gone (and they were much younger then). Sometimes they napped in the stroller, sometimes not.

That being said, they were very tired by the end of the evening. We never stayed late...even with a nap, I can't imagine making it to closing anywhere except for AK. My younger ds, who was two at the time, stayed awake for MK's fireworks, but had napped in the stroller earlier in the day. The older one, who was four, fell asleep right before they started. No previous nap. But he saw the afternoon parade and the little one didn't.

I guess it just depends on what your plans are. If you want to make it to closing, either go back or find a quiet place to nap. If you think you may go home at 8 ish anyway, you can probably do without.

The moral of the story is, if you have preschoolers, you are bound to miss something! Just pick what's most important and plan around it!

 

[miksilver]

Depends. My DD is 3 1/2 and doesn't nap at home, but does go down for a "nap" (quiet time) at her daycare everyday. For me it depends upon those factors that you can't always plan for. The weather can play a big part in that. The times you eat breakfast and lunch, crowds at the parks, temperments that day, etc. My DH and DD melt in the heat and humidity of Florida. If it's a really hot and humid day a break back in the room can be the refresher that we all need. Sometimes a cranky DH can be worse than a cranky DD...

Last May at a park my DH and DD got really tired and cranky towards the afternoon. I didn't have it in my plan to go back to the room and take a break, but that's what was needed. They were too hot and complainy (is that a word?...) and once I mentioned a break back in the room I was greeted with high fives and grateful looks. That night we went to EP and did EMH and stayed until midnight and had a great time. Did I mention that my DD is a bit of a night owl? Without that unplanned break I'm sure our entire day would not have been as enjoyable as a family.

 

[labdogs42]

My DS is 3.5 and he still naps in the stroller at Disney. We go with the flow, but we never plan a nap back at the room. If we decide we need a break, we head back to the room, but a nap in the room very rarely happens for DS. He'd rather go go go until he passes out in the stroller! If we go back to the room for a break, it is usually a break for the adults!

 

[tnd]

My son just turned 3 and still naps for about 2 hours a day. We're going to WDW for 8 days in Jan. and I assume we will be going back to the room for a nap each day. If he's outgrown the napping by the time we go, then we won't go back. Unfortunately, he hates the stroller, so we won't have any luck getting him to nap in it. If we're lucky, he'll ride in it a bit.

We find that our son does so much better with a nap, even though it will be a hassle to get back to our room, it will be worth it for all of us.

 

[tam626]

My 3 year old still naps or he's totally horrible to deal with so I scheduled naps in. If yours will sleep in the stroller then I'd do that, but mine won't.