His schedule? New Schedule? Combination of both?

[PatricenPete]

We are going to WDW the end of this month - it will be our first trip with our DS. I was wondering how you all do things with an infant/toddler? Do you try to keep them on their normal schedules? (naps, bedtime, etc.) Do you try to adopt a new schedule for the week? PJ is usually a pretty go with the flow kinda kid, but this is the first time he will be completley out of his element.....

 

[tommygirl79]

How exciting to have your first WDW trip with your little one!!! We took our 18 month old (at the time) last Feb and HAD A BLAST!!! I'm sure you will get differing views on this, but this is what we did....

If your little guy is a "go with the flow" kid, I think you might be able to do what we did. We got up whenever the kids got up (we never woke them up in the morning - felt like they should sleep until ready to get up). We were normally in the parks by 10 or 10:30 at the absolute latest. We then went fairly commando (nothing crazy though since my parents were with us) until lunch time. Had CS for lunch and then rode more rides and did more shows until signs they were getting tired. Then we slowed the pace a little, tilted their stroller seats back and had them lay down and they both would take naps in the stroller. That allowed us some time to get adult stuff in and when they woke up we were still in the parks and ready to go. I know this doesn't work for some people (so please don't flame me) but it worked for our kids. We kept them out later than normal but with letting them sleep in the morning it seemed to work ok.

I think the main thing is to read your child. If it seems like they are getting overly tired and rundown, take some time at your resort and chill. Or find a quiet place and sit down and relax for a bit. If you in tune with how they are handling everything, you will be fine. Let me know if you need anything else!!!

 

[LynnTH]

We kind of do a combination of both schedules. Both my kids are usually early risers (up between 6:30 and 7:30) so we just get up when they do and get ready to go. We don't do commando. We usually in the past have just done 1 park a day (didn't do much park hopping but may do more this next trip). We also never went back to the hotel for naps or rest. The kids did great and when the little one got tired she would take a nap in her stroller. We went at their pace and rested when they needed to. We usually go in Feb or Early March and the parks close earlier anyway. We did make a point to have a day or two of non-park days that we just went to Downtown Disney or just hung out by the pools. The kids loved that and it gave them some downtime from going from attraction to attraction. I'd say play it by ear and see how your child does and go from there.

 

[disney102105]

We are also taking our first family WDW trip in 17 days! I have the same issues with our DD's ages 3 1/2 and almost 2. My girls wake around 7-730 so I figured we'd get up and get ready, do breakfast and plan to be at a park for opening. My little DD will have to have a real nap so I plan on going back after lunch for a family nap!! I hope to be ready to go again by 330 4pm and set out for the night again! We will be there 9 days though and we are at BWI so we will have somethings closer by for conveniences. We have several ADR character meals,MNSSHP, and the Perfectly Princess Tea Party so we will be planning according to those also. If you are staying onsite and for a week, I think there is no reason why you shouldnt take a midday break. We parents need it too I think!!! Of course more power to the fams that can stay all day and nap in strollers, not with my kids. Must be nice to have that option though......Good luck!!!!

 

[justhat]

How old will your son be? At 3, 6, and 9 months, Madison just came along with us without a problem. She was an early riser so we were up and in the parks early, stayed all day and she napped in the Baby Bjorn or her stroller whenever she wanted to. Worked out perfectly for us. She didn't cry at all on any of those trips.

Then came 13-14 months (she turned 14 months on the trip) and it was a different story. We thought we could do the same thing, but she had different needs, primarily being that we got her in bed at a reasonable time. She was totally fine with staying in the parks all day again (she was up by 7 everyday so we were out early) and she'd nap in her stroller whenever she was tired. At night, however, she wouldn't just go to sleep in the stroller like she did when she was younger. Way too many exciting things going on to keep her up, so she stayed up later than she should have, and it took us a few days to realize that she needed the sleep even though she didn't act tired. She'd still fall asleep in the stroller at night (and we'd have her in her pjs) but she needed better quality sleep, like you get in a bed. Our only clue was that she'd have night terrors and we learned that if she went to bed (actually in a bed, not the stroller) then she was fine. We thought that since she napped when she needed to that she was okay, but we were wrong.

We just got back from a quick weekend trip (she's 19 months now) and this time she was fine with napping and going to sleep in the stroller, though we went back to the resort much earlier this time than the last trip. She goes to bed at 7 at home, and she so went to sleep later there, but maybe fell asleep in the stroller around 8-8:30 and then would sleep through me moving her to the bed at the resort. No night terrors and no grouchy baby!

 

[tricia]

I like to keep the kids as close to their regular bed time as possible. DS2 was 18 mos and then 30 mos for our last two trips. We would wake around 7:30 - 8:00 most mornings, he would nap in his stoller in the afternoon (at 18 mos, not 30mos) and then we would be back at the hotel by 8:00pm for bed time by 8:30. (normal bed time is 8:00). DS1 was 5 1/2 and 6 1/2 for these two trips and this routine also kept him in a reasonable mood. He is one of those children who will say he is not tired and can keep going, but is prone to meltdowns if he really is tired. Keeping the normal bedtime (with 1 or 2 nights on a 10 day trip to see Illuminations or Fantasmic) prevented may meltdowns I am sure.

 

[Bangerang]

Our DS was 23 months during our last trip. On the whole we tried to keep him on schedule. Most nights he was in bed by 8. On the one night he wasn't, he fell asleep on the way back to the room. Naps were a little more difficult. DS will sleep in the stroller but takes a much shorter nap than if he is in bed, so we tried going back to the room. Usually, he fell asleep during the ride back to VWL then woke up when put into bed. Then we tried napping in the park. With all there is to see, we found he napped better and went to sleep faster when we found a quiet out of the way space, parked the stroller and threw a towel over it. There was a little fussing at first, but toward the end of our stay he was used to the stroller nap. DH and I would switch off watching the stoller and doing stuff.

One word of warning. Our DS woke early every morning...between 6 and 6:30 (he normally sleeps until 7 or 7:30). We think this is because we shared a room with him. Not only that but the pack and plays are noisy so we woke up every time he shifted. The last night we finally put him in the closet (it was a big closet) so we could get some sleep for the drive home. My recommendation...if you can't get your DS his own space, bring ear plugs.

 

[rt2dz]

I pretty much agree with tommygirl79. No commando parks--just what the kids wanted as they wanted it, fitting in our stuff where we could. With my kids, we just always follow their lead. My kids are super flexible--they've been raised to fit into our lives vs. us changing our entire lives to revolve around them. Not that they don't get every consideration...

Usually they fall off their schedule, but immediately get back to normal the first day home. However we don't have tight "schedules", just general routines. They will nap in their strollers whenever their tired--of course, my kids would nap on a fence post next to a train in the middle of a combat zone if they're tired.