Getting a Toddler to Nap in a Stroller at the Parks

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

We will be at MK on a day when it is only open until 7. Typically, I would take our daughter back to the resort for a nap, but I am concerned that on such a short day, we will miss too much time in the park. We would have to leave by 1 and would likely not get back until at least 4:30, cutting out several hours of park time (we will be staying at POFQ, so it is not a quick trip back to the resort).

Anyone had success with getting your little one to take her nap at the park? Any ideas or suggestions on how to do this successfully?

 

[AZMermaid]

My kids are hard to nap in the stroller, but I have had luck pulling the shade all the way down and slightly reclining the seat (we rent City Mini doubles). I start about an hour after their normal nap time. Then I walk and walk and walk. Eventually, usually after 30 minutes or so, they fall asleep and sleep for 30-60 minutes. Once they fall asleep, I find a shady place to sit. Last trip (they were almost 3 and 4) I was 50/50 with this working.

 

[robinb]

Conversely, my DD napped GREAT in the stroller but if I took her home to the resort she was wide awake. I would make sure that you have your child's "lovies" like a stuffie or blanket with you and save it for when you want her to nap. Make it boring for her. Stroll sround and don't engage her. The combination or the lovie and the boring stroller should put her night to sleep ( fingers crossed).

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

My kids are hard to nap in the stroller, but I have had luck pulling the shade all the way down and slightly reclining the seat (we rent City Mini doubles). I start about an hour after their normal nap time. Then I walk and walk and walk. Eventually, usually after 30 minutes or so, they fall asleep and sleep for 30-60 minutes. Once they fall asleep, I find a shady place to sit. Last trip (they were almost 3 and 4) I was 50/50 with this working.

So when it didn't work, what did you do? Just deal with fussy children? Or did you relent and take them out of the park? I don't mind the idea of walking around. I am all about walking Disney. I may try that. I just know that my little one doesn't want to miss a thing, and she will fight to stay awake for a long time. Her nap is usually around 1, and we have a lunch reservation at BOG at 12:55, so maybe if I fill up her belly then commence to walk she will fall asleep more easily.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Conversely, my DD napped GREAT in the stroller but if I took her home to the resort she was wide awake. I would make sure that you have your child's "lovies" like a stuffie or blanket with you and save it for when you want her to nap. Make it boring for her. Stroll sround and don't engage her. The combination or the lovie and the boring stroller should put her night to sleep ( fingers crossed).

Good point! She might have a harder time falling asleep in the room than in her stroller. I'm not even sure what we will do about her sleeping arrangements in the resort. She sleeps very well in her crib, but she is too big for the pack n plays in the resorts. We have tried to get her to sleep in the bed with us, but she will not. She wants her crib. It might be hard for her to fall asleep in a normal bed, especially for a nap.

 

[AZMermaid]

How old is she? We just dealt with it and moved on with the day. With a 7:00 closing, you can be back early for bed. My kids were 3 and 4 and could skip nap and still be manageable starting around 2.5ish. There was enough to engage them they didn't totally melt down like I would expect. I wouldn't try to stay late on a no nap day though. We actually try to have them in bed by 8 on vacaction anyway (normally 7 at home). So, if they don't nap, they are easier to put to bed too!

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

How old is she? We just dealt with it and moved on with the day. With a 7:00 closing, you can be back early for bed. My kids were 3 and 4 and could skip nap and still be manageable starting around 2.5ish. There was enough to engage them they didn't totally melt down like I would expect. I wouldn't try to stay late on a no nap day though. We actually try to have them in bed by 8 on vacaction anyway (normally 7 at home). So, if they don't nap, they are easier to put to bed too!

She will be 3 years and two months when we start our trip. Right now, she NEVER misses a nap. Every single day she takes a nap, and she has since she was a baby. Right now, if she is not asleep by 2:30 pm, she immediately turns into a growly bear. It is amazing to watch the transformation. Our sweet little princess becomes an ugly stepsister if she doesn't have her nap. She might be better in a few months when we go on our trip, but I know my older daughter did not stop taking naps until she was 4 1/2.

 

[Honeybee83]

Good point! She might have a harder time falling asleep in the room than in her stroller. I'm not even sure what we will do about her sleeping arrangements in the resort. She sleeps very well in her crib, but she is too big for the pack n plays in the resorts. We have tried to get her to sleep in the bed with us, but she will not. She wants her crib. It might be hard for her to fall asleep in a normal bed, especially for a nap.

Get a regalo my cot. They sell them at Amazon and Walmart for $25-$30. When my DD outgrew her pack n play, I didn't know what to do. She would roll off of a mattress on the floor and she is such a restless sleeper that I couldn't sleep with her. I have a light rolling duffel that I keep this cot and a kids sleeping bag in and it's a perfect bed in a bag. It recesses a little for a hammock like effect when they're sleeping so it helps keep them from rolling off.

Regalo My Cot Portable Toddler Bed, Pink https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0088UXLSW/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_1y5evb0XVPWZ3

 

[RockinDisney]

her stroller. I'm not even sure what we will do about her sleeping arrangements in the resort. She sleeps very well in her crib, but she is too big for the pack n plays in the resorts. We have tried to get her to sleep in the bed with us, but she will not. She wants her crib. It might be hard for her to fall asleep in a normal bed, especially for a nap.

Have you considered renting a crib? There was another disser that recommended it, and that is my plan for Oct. if you are interested, I will find the link.

 

[msmama]

My son wasn't a great napper anyway (and was done with naps by 3), but on our trip when he was 2, he was 50/50 with naps in his stroller. I'd usually try walking him with the canopy down, and if after 30-45 minutes he still wasn't sleeping I'd give up.

If he turned into a monster a few hours later, we left the parks. For you, it seems like gambling on a nap would be worth it - either you leave for a few hours in the middle of the day (for her to nap), or you leave a few hours earlier than planned (if she turns grumpy). Same amount of time in the parks, and if she does nap, or remain happy then you get some extra hours!

 

[Leeba]

If she naps every single day, that's a good sign that she'll nap in stroller, hopefully. At that age, I'd tell her what to expect ... you're going to have a funny nap time today, here's your binky, lovey, whatever, and I'm going to pull the shade down, and when you wake up we'll go right back to having fun. Give her a little pep talk. I tried to nap my son in the stroller around 2.5, and just sort of tried to trick him into it ... but I found that prepping him worked better because then he allowed himself to relax and then sleep. Otherwise he was up looking around, trying not to miss anything.

 

[luvmy2babies]

Maybe an indoor show if you think you can transfer her back to the stroller without her waking? My son used to be a great stroller napper; but around 3 stopped taking them. On our last trip though he (age 4) fell asleep during an indoor show and I managed to get him back into the stroller where he slept for over an hour. We were in AK and he fell asleep during Nemo. In MK he has fallen asleep during the Tiki Room show at 2 years of age.
If she doesn’t nap, I’d try to get dinner in her before you leave the park. On our 2013 trip when my son was 3, he was refusing naps every day; but didn’t get grumpy at all and was having a great time; so I didn’t get too concerned as he was already skipping naps on weekends at home and we were going to bed early every night. On the 4th or 5th day though we were on the bus after a day at DHS. It was around 5:15 and I planned for us go to straight to the food court for dinner once we got back. He talked about everything he had done and then in this little sweet voice asked to sit on my lap. That was the last I heard from him. He was out cold until the next morning.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

My then 13-month old would NOT nap in the room. We ended up doing stroller naps every day. She would get so tired that the movement of the stroller would cause her to pass out for about an hour at a time. We just pulled the shade, kept a fan on her and let nature take its course.

 

[Lupeix]

Last time we went to WDW DS was 2 and 1/2 and took long naps every day. I knew however form previous trips he had a hard time napping in a crib when traveling, too much excitement and new things I think. I took a stroller from home I knew he will nap on, and his blankie/binky. I also got a rayshade, so when the stroller was reclined he was completely in the dark. We did go back to the hotel, but went for a short walk about 15 min before his naptime, gave him his blankie and binky and after 15-20 min he was sound asleep. We will then go to the restaurant/bar put him in the shade and enjoy some food and drinks with DH for 60-90 minutes. it was great. We like the break form the parks, but if you want to stay, I highly recommend getting on the ferry with the stroller, we did that once after lunch, he zonked in no time. Does you daughter sleep in a stroller at home sometimes? Maybe you can practice a little in advance and take the stroller she is used to with you?

 

[rachael95]

We did the walking around with the canopy pulled all the way down as well. Here are some suggestions:

1. Get her used to the idea now of sleeping in the stroller. Take walks around your neighborhood at nap time and have her nap in the stroller sometimes now.
2. If possible, go to a local amusement park or zoo and practice this again in a more exciting venue.
3. Be prepared to walk for a long time (took us about 30 minutes as well for him to fall asleep a couple times, and our son was used to sleeping in his stroller. Usually at home, it would take 5-15 minutes for him to fall asleep in the stroller).
4. Make sure you start when they are comfortable - have eaten, aren't thirsty, but are tired.
5. Find a quiet area to walk around in. For MK, the spot near the restrooms by Plaza Restaurant between there and Tomorrowland worked for us. Epcot, the walkway between Future and World Showcase. AK, Pangani trail. We didn't go to HS so can't help you there.
6. Have a fan that can not only blow cool air, but be loud enough to help make a bit of white noise. We used an O2 Cool battery operated. 5" fan. It took 4 D cell batteries and was really powerful. 1 set of batteries lasted the whole trip (but we did have spares in case)
7. Once they're asleep, we either sat in the shade or I'd go shop in the a/c if I felt like it was too hot to just sit

Good luck!

 

[Gracie09]

We would bring our big stroller with the big shade. When they got tired we would put the seat back and pull the shade down find a quietish corner and rock them. They usually stayed asleep for over an hour. Once they were out, we could walk around with them, shop, grab a snack etc.

 

[Thing 1]

As for the place to sleep, I would consider renting a crib off site if that is where she is still sleeping at the time of the trip. SOOO worth giving her the place she will sleep well.

As for naps......I know our little guy was spoiled but he would not fall asleep in the stroller by the time he was a toddler so I would just walk him to sleep on my shoulder. Just find a quieter, out of way place and walk, rock till she is asleep. If she will stay asleep, place her in the stroller, if not find place to sit and hold her long enough for her to get enough sleep. I have used quite grassy areas, benches and a empty or near empty CS places during off hours. You could also get on the people mover and keep riding, or the train or Ellen's Energy Ride, or The great Movie Ride or even the monorail. The GF or Polly are also really good places to find a quite corner to walk to sleep at little one and easy to find an out of the way alcove with a comfy chair to sit and hold her in. Best extra is mom gets a rest too!!!

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Get a regalo my cot. They sell them at Amazon and Walmart for $25-$30. When my DD outgrew her pack n play, I didn't know what to do. She would roll off of a mattress on the floor and she is such a restless sleeper that I couldn't sleep with her. I have a light rolling duffel that I keep this cot and a kids sleeping bag in and it's a perfect bed in a bag. It recesses a little for a hammock like effect when they're sleeping so it helps keep them from rolling off.

Regalo My Cot Portable Toddler Bed, Pink https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0088UXLSW/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_1y5evb0XVPWZ3

We actually considered that for our trip last September, but we were afraid our 8 year old (then 7) would want one, too. Ever since we had our second child, it seems we have to buy two of everything. We might have to get one, though. It would also work well for Grandma's house, where she she still sleeps in her old co-sleeper, looking like something something akin to Gulliver in Lilliput.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

We would bring our big stroller with the big shade. When they got tired we would put the seat back and pull the shade down find a quietish corner and rock them. They usually stayed asleep for over an hour. Once they were out, we could walk around with them, shop, grab a snack etc.

Hm. I thought we would bring our umbrella stroller that reclines almost fully, but you just reminded me that it has a terrible shade. Might not be good for Orlando in September. Might have to bring the big ol clunky stroller so she will be comfy, pain as it is with Disney bus transportation.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

As for the place to sleep, I would consider renting a crib off site if that is where she is still sleeping at the time of the trip. SOOO worth giving her the place she will sleep well.

As for naps......I know our little guy was spoiled but he would not fall asleep in the stroller by the time he was a toddler so I would just walk him to sleep on my shoulder. Just find a quieter, out of way place and walk, rock till she is asleep. If she will stay asleep, place her in the stroller, if not find place to sit and hold her long enough for her to get enough sleep. I have used quite grassy areas, benches and a empty or near empty CS places during off hours. You could also get on the people mover and keep riding, or the train or Ellen's Energy Ride, or The great Movie Ride or even the monorail. The GF or Polly are also really good places to find a quite corner to walk to sleep at little one and easy to find an out of the way alcove with a comfy chair to sit and hold her in. Best extra is mom gets a rest too!!!

Would you believe that she has practically never let us rock her to sleep? Since she was tiny she preferred being in her crib to sleep. I could hold her for hours and she would not sleep. Put her in the crib, and she was out. I rock her every night before bed and we snuggle, but she will not go to sleep until she is in her crib. Taking a monorail ride might be good, even if she stays in her stroller. She does sleep well in the car.

I never even thought about renting a crib. It sounds like such a hassle and an expense. I guess a lot of people must think it is worth it.