Getting a 2-year-old to sleep in hotel room

[Manda]

We will be heading to Disney in December for our son's first trip. He'll be 2 years, 4 months when we go. I'm hoping someone has some good tips for getting a toddler to sleep in the hotel room.

Our last vacation with him (at 9 months old) was a disaster. He would wake at night and see us and then wouldn't go back to sleep. After the vacation, he didn't sleep through the night for the next 9 months. Plus, every moment he was asleep, we were basically hiding under the covers trying not to wake him (so, 11 hours at night and nap time). I really don't want a repeat of those events. I'm also worried that we'll have problems getting DS to sleep at nap time and bed time since I don't think he'll just fall asleep when Mommy and Daddy are both in the room staring at him. I rock him to sleep a lot of nights, but a lot of the time, he just goes into his crib and falls asleep on his own. Neither of these options will really be possible in a hotel room. I read somewhere that someone brought a small tent for their preschooler to sleep in and that sounds like a great idea although a little impractical and we'd never use the tent again anyway.

It took a lot of work to convince my husband to even attempt a vacation as again as he is still a little battle-scarred from our last vacation. Plus, the last time we went to Disney (in 2000, as a couple), we wore ourselves ragged and he's a little battle-scarred by that as well. So, it's just really important that this vacation goes well if I ever want him to go away on vacation again.

Thanks,
Manda

 

[minkydog]

Well, first of all this WDW trip is going to be a lot different than your last one--a LOT different. You won't be doing commando disney with a 2yo. Unless you've completely lost your mind. And your 2yo is no longer 9months old, so that is in your favor too.

Now the trick to getting a 2yo down is WEAR HIM OUT. I find that pool time pretty much does it for my kids. Even a little time in the pool will sap their energy.

Be flexible about naptime. My kids have had naps in the most unusual places--the Hall of presidents, the Tiki Bird room (I kid you not!), a stroller parked off of Main Street in the shade, Cinderella's Castle at lunch. I even had one drop off on the boat launch from MK to FW--we just stayed on and rode back and forth until he woke up!

Night time is the worst, IMO. This might be your time to take a few minutes for yourselves, separately. Perhaps one of you can put Bubba to bed and the other can explore the resort, go get a drink, go to DTD for awhile. The next night the other gets a turn. That gives each of you some time to yourself and reduces the "audience" for the 2yo. Its probably not what you had in mind, but when you go to WDW with a 2yo you have to make some compromises. You'll have the best time if you go with HIS flow.

Hope you have a great vacation.

 

[cruiserkaren]

We are talking of going to WDW sometime this year and are concerned about this too. We took DD on a cruise last fall at 13 months and sleeping didn't go so well. So we are a little battle-scarred also. The morning we were debarking the ship she was up at 1:30 am until 8:30am. Then she wanted to sleep and we had to leave the ship. DD is NOT one of those kids who sleep while being carried, in her stroller, etc.. She pretty much sleeps in her bed, on rare occasion her car seat, that's it. DH and I have discussed this at length. I'm more worried about napping. At night when she's ready to sleep, she goes to sleep. We've got her transistioned to her toddler bed, but in the 2 bedroom villa we would be staying at it would be a twin bed (with bed rails of course!). We've just been talking about going now or waiting until she's older when hopefully! sleeping wouldn't be such an issue. Bad thing is, I want to go now, but I also don't want it to be disaster. We still haven't made up our minds.

 

[tiggersthebest]

My daughter was two years and four months old on her first trip to Disney and sleeping wasn't too bad. For naps in the MK we would go to Haunted Mansion and she always fell asleep She was so tired at the end of the day sleeping wasn't too bad. But I understand your concerns, I have them for my 15 month old who my DH spoiled by giving bottles at night. She still wakes up at three o clock screaming and he gets suckered into getting her before DD5 gets woken up. Being in the same room where she can see us is a scary proposition!!! But I think my trip with my daughter when she was two was the BEST.

5 1
Proud to be a Christian
Too many times to list as a kid
Once I “grew” up:
1997 Fort Wilderness (summer); Coronado Springs Christmas
1999 Wilderness Lodge (Spring); Fort Wilderness Christmas/New Years
2002 Polynesian
2003 Caribbean Beach
2004 Took a break after having a baby
2005 Going to Port Orleans Riverside
2006 Back to Poly!!!

 

[all4fun]

I agree w/Minkydog. Wear him out. Sleeping at night isn't usually a problem because we are all worn out. DS currently co-sleeps so we all go to bed together. I think it should work the same if you're using a seperate bed though. Once we're all "tucked in" for the night ds will drift off to sleep. He's just too tired to fight it by that point, poor baby!

Our ds won't typically nap in his stroller but he does at WDW. We had better luck letting him do that than the one day we actually went back to the resort and he wouldn't fall asleep in the bed. That was the last day we tried that, lol.

ETA: to Tiggersthebest - my ds also always falls asleep on HM. A few times when we knew he needed a nap but wasn't falling asleep we'd just head on over there and it always worked like a charm.

 

[HappyMommy2]

We travel a lot and always had trouble getting our kids to sleep in hotel rooms from about 9 months--2 years. It was pretty much like what you described. However, once they hit about 2, or 2.5, it got easier.

They are 3 and 5 now and sleep just fine in hotel rooms. What we have to do is lie down with them, with all the lights off, no TV, etc. and pretend we are asleep, till they are asleep. At Disney this does not take long at all (and we usually do fall asleep too--that's why we are always ready for the A.M. EMH!). If we don't go to sleep when they do, we sneak out of the room and go out on the balcony for drinks and snacks and a chat if we have a balcony; if not we go in the bathroom! Sometimes if the kids are REALLY out we will turn on the TV.

Really, as they get older it does get easier to get them to sleep in hotel rooms, and easier to get them to go back to sleep if they do wake up in the night (and their sleep patterns after the vacation don't get so messed up either). By now my 5-year-old probably doesn't need us to even lie down with him to get him to sleep in a hotel room anymore but 3-year-old still does so we do. It takes a bit of time but is worth it.

I can completely see why you are worried--once when our oldest was 11 months old we were staying at a hotel and he woke up at 2a.m. and would NOT go back to sleep; we had to drive him around in the car for hours before he'd finally sleep! We were shellshocked after that trip for sure. But I really think everyone will sleep just fine on your upcoming trip, especially since it is Disney!

 

[DreadpiratK]

When we were traveling with our 1 yr old last week we used a blanket to build a little tent over the crib. she's too young to care, a 2 yr old might think it was cool, but at least it broke the line of sight with mom and dad, and cut down on the distractions of being in a strange room. Since she's #4, sleeping with noise is not a problem, she can sleep through an air raid at this point, or she wouldn't sleep at all in our house!

Maybe try using a sound machine? Get him used to sleeping with some background noise now, and he won't be so sensitive to it on your trip? This would also give him some continuity from home to hotel, make it sound the same. You could use a little conditioning here, play soothing sounds as he goes to sleep at home, and eventually those sounds will trigger a sleep response...(might make him fall asleep at the beach as an adult though.. )

Of course also bring his blankets, pillows ect. so it feels like bed at home.

I read recently that children exposed to sunlight during the day sleep better. I know an hour or so in the pool and our little one is out!

Honestly, other then the first night most little ones will be so pooped at the end of a day at Disney that it probably won't be an problem. I know we always are!

 

[fitzperry]

Oh, I've felt your pain. My now 2.5yo was a very difficult traveler as an infant and younger toddler. The only thing that would keep her calm and quiet was nursing, which meant I was getting little or no sleep. I spent a week during two consecutive summers nursing her all night every night in a beach house on Lake Michigan because I didn't want her to wake our friends and family who were there with us. I spent more nights than I care to count nursing her in hotel rooms. It culminated in a particularly unpleasant weekend trip where I had a migraine, she wouldn't sleep, and dh ended up getting a second hotel room at about 2 a.m., leaving me with our older dd and taking the younger one to the other room, where she slept peacefully without the distraction of my breasts. Having to pay for two hotel rooms everywhere would have sharply curtailed our travel activities. I weaned her shortly thereafter for that and a variety of other reasons.

The reason I am boring you with my sob story is not just that I haven't quite recovered from it but also to show you that there is hope! It's been a little less than year since the trip from h%ll, and my little one has become a perfectly delightful traveler.

Your son is a lot older than he was during your last trip, and that alone will probably change the dynamic. He might surprise you. I also agree with the op's advice to wear him out. My kids usually sleep really well on vacation because they get really tired.

The tent idea sounds like a good one too. There are lots of little toy tents that fold up pretty small (they just pop open - no real set-up required), and the kids love them. I think there's even a Buzz Lightyear one. If you could get him to sleep in a tent, you and your husband could almost even have some alone time!

Good luck!

 

[mistaroo]

BTDT. Our trip when DS was 15 months old was a sleep disaster. He missed his crib so much he would only sleep in his stroller and I mean at night, too. Even so he woke up at all hours of the night (2 AM was a favorite time for us, too) and would not go back to sleep. We were extremely sleep deprived by the time the vacation was over.

Fast forward to two weeks ago when we were at WDW on vacation. DS is now 2 years 8 months old and he did great! I mean, he slept wonderfully well all night every night, even when our 12 month old got up!! We were sooo thrilled as we were terrified of a repeat of the last trip. We remembered how he liked his stroller last time as it was a little piece of home so this time we bought him a toddler size sleeping bag a month before our trip. We played up the sleeping bag as a great place to sleep, letting him nap in it, etc. We told him that when on vacation he could sleep in the sleeping bag inside the pack n play or on a bed, his choice. The first night of vacation was heartbreaking because DS was sobbing that he wanted to go home to his crib but after we got him calmed down and focused his attention on the sleeping bag, he did great! No problems at all!

Oh, and he skipped his nap most days as he refused to miss a thing but he still did well. He was just really, really tired at night and was out within 5 minutes of his head hitting his pillow with no protesting.

Chances are things will be much better for you this time. I hope you have a nice vacation.

 

[aidansmom]

Here were some of the keys for us (our ds was exactly 2yo at time of trip):
1.) We brought our own pack 'n play from home - I think the familiarity of it helped a lot. We also brought all of the blankies, animals, etc. he was accustomed to sleeping with at home.

2.) We put the pack 'n play in the little "bathroom alcove" at AKL - it fit perfectly in there, and he couldn't see us. At night, we would just go out to the balcony and have a drink until he fell asleep.

3.) Although we hadn't necessarily planned on it, we stuck to a bit of a routine. We got to the parks when they opened, and were always back to the room in the afternoon for a little nap, which, amazingly, he always took. At night, we would go back out to a park or for dinner so he was pretty worn out by the end of the day. When we put him to bed, we stuck pretty closely to his at home routine - stories, etc.

In the entire nine nights we were there, we never had a problem with his sleeping and, believe me, we were convinced we would. Hopefully you'll figure out a plan of your own and things will go more smoothly than you're anticipating. Good luck!

 

[pooh4evr]

our almost 2 yr old slept in the bed with her 4 yr old sister without any problem- she moved to a twin bed at home a couple of months ago- I was worried about her falling and staying asleep too ,but found that both of the girls were sooo tired when we made it back to the room at night - sleeping was NO problem. We did not take nap breaks in the afternoon though because they could both lay back and sleep in the stroller.

 

[CLEO Z]

My suggestions:
1) I agree with others about the "wear him out" strategy. You may find that fresh air, WDW and the pool have him whipped.
2) Make sure you have the favored blankie or stuffed animal.
3) Bring his own comfy stroller that reclines. You may be suprised at the amount of napping your child will do there. We had a Combi Strollee umbrella stroller that worked great.
4) I also agree with the "create a barrier" method. Find a way of shifting the furniture and using blankets, etc. to hide you and DH from him. We did this w/DS 14 mos at WDW earlier this month.
5) If possible, for naps grab a book for you and get on the resorts monorail -worked good for DD 3.5 that fought sleeping tooth and nail. This may not work for you and where you are staying though.
6) If he is still in a crib at home, consider using one of the resort's pack-n-plays or renting a larger crib. There are rental places in Orlando that will deliver a crib to your room. I've never used them, but someone here will know the name and phone # of the place.

Others are right -this too shall pass. DD wouldn't sleep in the same room with us until she was about 3. We stay at Drury Inn Suites a lot because they have a seperate bedroom. You may find that your son has aged enough to be okay by the time of your trip. You'll have peace -UNTIL THE NEXT KIDDO! DS is now just like DD used to be!

 

[can'twait]

Can you afford a suite? If so, that will enable you to put him in his own room. It might be worth it.

Also, try a white noise machine. It will help drown out extraneous noises, which was a problem for us.

And definitely run him ragged at the playground and the pool to make him tired!

Good luck!

 

[Manda]

Can you afford a suite? If so, that will enable you to put him in his own room. It might be worth it.

I wanted a suite. DH (cheapskate for the moment) refuses to pay that much for a hotel that is not the Four Seasons. Believe me, there were tense negotiations to get this vacation booked. We are staying at the Caribbean Beach Resort. We considered two connecting rooms and we've done that at other hotels, but I don't trust him in a room by himself anymore and if one of us sleeps in there with him - well, that just misses the point any way and he see me laying there.

Also, try a white noise machine. It will help drown out extraneous noises, which was a problem for us.

He sleeps with a white noise machine at our house (we live in the city across the street from L tracks), so I intend on bringing that with us. Hopefully, it will help!

 

[JustineMarie]

When we went on our first trip with our youngest DD - then 18months - we were afraid of the same thing happening. We stayed at POR and we put the pack and play in the alcove by the bathroom. We brought those 3m hooks that have the sticky stuff on the back of them that don't rip the wallpaper or mess up the paint and put one on each side of the alcove and hung a dark green shower curtain on each of the hooks. Our daughter couldn't see us and it was a great place for my husband to get changed in the morning without our daughters being able to see him. It's hard for him to get changed inside the bathroom!!!

 

[MayMom]

We just took our 16 month old on a short 2 night stay on July 3and 4 and it was horrible. She screamed all night and my husband and I were a nervous wreck because I know she had to have woken our neighbors. There was no other place in the small hotel room to put her crib except right next to the TV. My husband and I were forced to go to bed at 8:00 because she would not go to sleep while we watched TV and there was not a balcony. My DH tried to take DS one night to the pool, but she woke up when they tried to sneak back in the room and she screamed until 1 am.

Have you thought about renting a vacation home? It would give you peace of mind in case the baby cries or screams in the night. It would also give you a quiet, private area for her crib. They are very reasonable and close to Disney. Or what about a room at Holiday Inn Sunspree Resorts that have a child's room built into a regular room? Just some suggestions... I know it is a worry. My DD will be 2 years 2 months when we travel next year and I'm already nervous about it!!

 

[daksmom11]

We will be heading to Disney in December for our son's first trip. He'll be 2 years, 4 months when we go. I'm hoping someone has some good tips for getting a toddler to sleep in the hotel room.

When my son was little he wouldn't sleep anywhere but at home, not even gramma's. When i asked what was wrong he said that everything was different and it didn't even smell like home. Thats becouse I use candles and those Glade Plug-Ins. So the next trip to my parents I brought along the Plug-Ins and his faverate pillow and we didn't have a problem. Now that he's older I no longer have to do that. HTH

 

[rt2dz]

Don't really have the same problem with my kids. I might have a suggestion though... You could put a blanket up with a clothes line (the sticky kind that can be removed without damage) in a corner of the room to make it a seperate space.

 

[kidshop]

We always go for 2 rooms in a hotel now that we have 2 kids. The times we have been to WDW we stayed twice at a cabin at the campground and once at Holiday Inn Family Suites. I wouldn't do it any other way, it is WELL worth the cost and I am about as frugal as they come LOL! With just ds1, I always brought his pack-n-play from home, all his 'guys' and his cd player with the usual music. I have a fairly large beach shelter type structure that I placed over the PNP like a tent. It worked great! But, I don't miss those days at all, and much prefer just to have a separate room. We just recently moved and spent 2 nights in a Country Inns and Suites that was no suite...just a big room! My almost 3 yo who sleeps great any other time, had a heck of a time falling alseep there, and I sat in the dark at 8pm! The next night, we opted to sleep on the floor in our empty house rather than do that again! I do really like the One Step Ahead portable toddler bed we got him though. It's a great little bed for those who have outgrown a PNP, but is does go on the floor, which is kind of icky in many hotel rooms. But he loved his travel bed!

 

[ton80]

OUR SOULUTION WHEN WE TOOK OUR DS (2) BACK IN MARCH AT THE
AKL WAS BUNK BEDS AND WE MADE A TENT OUT OF THE BOTTOM BED WITH
BEACH TOWELS BUT I DO NOT KNOW IF THEY HAVE BUNK BEDS EVERYWHERE

DIXIE LANDINGS 9/98 HONEYMOON
ALL STAR SPORT9/99
OFF SITE 05/01
BWV 11/04
AKL 03/05
SSR 11/05