How to best transport a sleeping child in stroller back to resort?

[disneydenisel]

If my 3-year old falls asleep in his stroller and I want to take him back to the hotel room/villa for a nap, is this even possible with Disney transportation, or are we better off with our own car?

For example, if we are staying at the Wilderness Lodge or Villas and he falls asleep at MK, do we stroll the stroller right onto the boat? How long do you estimate it would take from boat dock to lobby (waiting time, transport time, walking time)? If we take a bus, do we have to take him out of the stroller?

If we are staying at the Beach Club Villas and he falls asleep at MK, how would we best get back, or is it too difficult?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Are you more concerned with nap time or park closing time (or both)? If it's more nap time you could just hang out at the park and find a cool place to relax yourselves if he would wake up easily if you left.

Officially, you are supposed to fold up the stroller even on the boats for safety reasons. We have kept our kids in strollers on the monorail but only if it's not crowded.

Which park will you be at most? MK - try the CR or Poly for monorail convenience, can get good rates at CR in garden wing using codes or AP rates. You can also get to Epcot via monorail easily enough. The closer the better.

We always get a car for convenience. When our twins were 3 we would let them fall asleep in the car after park closing and drive around to see the different resorts or get a bite to eat somewhere take out.

 

[disneydenisel]

I'm more concerned about nap time in June, when the temperature is 91 degrees and it is humid. I don't know if I will be able to find a cool place for him to nap in the parks...so the hotel room would definitely work out better. We were at DL this past March and it was cool. He just slept in the stroller and we walked around with my 5 year old.

We'll probably be at MK 2 days, MGM 1 day and AK 1 day. EPCOT might just be for a lot of walking. I'm trying to sort out where to stay....I want a DVC, either VWL or BCV or BWV.

 

[seashoreCM]

Yes there are cool areas in the parks where you can rest and let a child nap. They are not everywhere so you may have to walk a distance to get to one. I would seek out one of the large restaurants.

At Magic Kingdom, try Expo Hall, just inside the main entry. You might also find a quiet spot in the entry area of Pirates of the Caribbean.

At Epcot, coming back from Test Track towards Innoventions there is a large hall that has large photographs of Walt Disney at work and almost nothing else in it. In Future World the American Adventure pavilion is a good choice.

At MGM, the entrance area of Great Movie Ride looks like a good place if it is not busy with people lined up for the ride.

Animal Kingdom has the fewest spacious air conditioned areas that are not restaurants but there are shaded areas in the walking tour animal viewing areas.

I would not go back to the room, that is time consuming.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[tjmw2727]

To leave the parks you will have to fold the stroller for the bus, tram and if its crowded even the monorail. We did not have to fold the stroller on the boats (MK and Friendship) but we did have to take the child out and park the stroller up front. This was also the case in April for my sil.

If you want to take a nap-break at the resort I would try and schedule transport while the child is awake and then settle them down at the resort.

We did have good luck with stroller naps and never had trouble finding a cool spot - even in August. Use the babycare stations, take a relaxing stroll or even make a ps for a late lunch so you can dh can eat while the baby sleeps. Most places will let a sleeping baby in with the stroller if it is not too crowded so try for off hours. If baby is awake they will not want your stroller in the restaurant, fyi.

I recommend a clip on fan for the stroller as well, great for cooling as well as white noise.

TJ

 

[pumpkinboy]

Well, given that you will likely be at MK for 2 days during your stay, and you are apparently a DVC member, by your resort preferences, I would think that VWL might be your best bet from a logistical standpoint. When DS falls asleep, you just roll him onto the launch for WL and roll him up to your villa there; and if you have just missed the launch, the distance on the ground is walkable too. Alternatively, there are a number of cool quiet spots to sit in a number of different parks. The new version (2005) of the Unofficial Guide to WDW I believe lists a series of cool quiet spots to just sit. tjmw also has good suggestions like the clip fan and late lunch in one of the quiter restaurants.

Good luck!

 

[disneydenisel]

Thanks so much for all the great tips. Given how big the parks are, you are right that I should just plan on the little one napping at the parks and not try to get back to the room, wherever it may be. I'm so used to DL where you can get back to a room at the Grand Californian in under 10 minutes just by walking. I haven't been to WDW in many, many years, and never with my kids! Thanks again!

 

[disneydenisel]

Originally posted by pumpkinboy
...and you are apparently a DVC member, by your resort preferences...

We currently don't own at DVC but I've read a lot about staying in the villas and it makes a lot of sense for us with our small children. So that's why I am targeting DVC resorts, they will be so much roomier! Oh, and I have the Unofficial Guide so I'll check out those cool resting spots! Thanks!

 

[jadejazzkayla]

when our daughter was little we stayed at the poly and the grand floridian. that way we got onto the monorail with her in the stroller and rolled her right back to our room. good luck.

terry

 

[SB in KY]

Well...if you are going in June it isn't just the 3 year old that will need a nap....especially coming from CA hitting the June heat and humidity will be a rude jolt. A nap in a nice cool room will feel good to everyone...not just the 3y/o!!

I would suggest going early to the parks and coming back to the room/villa right after an early lunch (or in the case of the villa you could always come back to the room for lunch). Then everyone can nap/rest...in the villa the kids can nap in the bedroom, you and DH have the LR to watch TV or read or whatever... if the 5 yearold isn't into napping he could always watch a nice video/DVD you check out from Community Hall at any of the DVC resorts.

I can't tell you how good it feels to get out of the heat and crowds for a couple of hours during the hottest part of the day....take a nap, go for a swim and everyone will be refreshed and ready to go....parks are open late in June crowds drop off a little and it is SO much nicer out in the evenings (and if everyone got a nap they are good to go a lot later)... I do not know how anyone with young children does an entire day in the MK during the summer without a break....I think it ceases to be fun about 2PM that way...if you are spending the $$ to stay on site then by all means take a break in that room and give the poor kid a real place to nap.....I always feel so sorry for the tykes drenched in sweat, inside an even hotter stroller, dead to the world... how yucky must that feel when they wake up??

 

[Chicago526]

Originally posted by SB in KY
I can't tell you how good it feels to get out of the heat and crowds for a couple of hours during the hottest part of the day....take a nap, go for a swim and everyone will be refreshed and ready to go....parks are open late in June crowds drop off a little and it is SO much nicer out in the evenings (and if everyone got a nap they are good to go a lot later)... I do not know how anyone with young children does an entire day in the MK during the summer without a break....I think it ceases to be fun about 2PM that way...

My mom and I went in July once. We both needed a break at about 1. We'd go back to POFQ, take a nap, rest, swim in the pool, go back to the room and change, then either grab dinner and head back to the parks, or go to the parks for dinner. We had a much better vacation for it!

Take the break, you'll need it!

 

[disneydenisel]

Originally posted by SB in KY
I would suggest going early to the parks and coming back to the room/villa right after an early lunch (or in the case of the villa you could always come back to the room for lunch). Then everyone can nap/rest...

This is a good suggestion. If we can make it back to the villa/room before nap time, it makes the most sense. Besides the heat and humidity being different, we will run into the 3-hour time difference. We might not even be able to go to MK until 11ish if we stay on CA time. That would mean it will be hot already. I wish we could go at a different time of year, but my family (Dad, sisters, etc.) want to go after school gets out. If I had my way, we'd go when fares were low and the weather was cooler. Maybe I should rethink this whole trip for us. We had a hot enough time at Legoland in CA this summer...

Thanks for all the advice, it is really helpful!

 

[SB in KY]

Here's a hint....instead of going to the MK about 11AM in the middle of June...just shoot yourself in the foot...it would be less painful!! The MK by mid day in mid June is WILD.... fantasyland is bumper-to-bumper strollers, sweaty, crabby parents, unbelievable lines...not a happy place.

Do yourself and the kiddo's a favor, be there when the park opens and stay until about 11 or 11:30 and then head back to the room until 4Pm or so and then go back. You might be OK arriving at 11 at Epcot and maybe even MGM Studios (assuming your kids are too young to do TOT and RNR), but for AK and MK best advice anyone could give you would be GO EARLY....the kids will deal with the time change a lot better than the heat and the crowds!!

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by SB in KY
Here's a hint....instead of going to the MK about 11AM in the middle of June...just shoot yourself in the foot...it would be less painful!! The MK by mid day in mid June is WILD.... fantasyland is bumper-to-bumper strollers, sweaty, crabby parents, unbelievable lines...not a happy place.

Do yourself and the kiddo's a favor, be there when the park opens and stay until about 11 or 11:30 and then head back to the room until 4Pm or so and then go back. You might be OK arriving at 11 at Epcot and maybe even MGM Studios (assuming your kids are too young to do TOT and RNR), but for AK and MK best advice anyone could give you would be GO EARLY....the kids will deal with the time change a lot better than the heat and the crowds!!

I could not agree more, IMHO if we are not at MK at rope drop then we don't go! If you get to the park early you can do most if not all you "must" do and leave for the resort by 12:00. Our touring strategy involves mornings in MK or AK and evenings at Epcot and MGM. We hit a land or an area of the park and just enjoy that area until we are finished or it gets to hot or crowded. I find Epcot and MGM absorb the crowds better and since they are often open later they make a good late afternoon/evening choice.

By 11am the MK will be crowded, especially in June. You will have to make excellent use of FP as the standby wait times even for fantasyland rides will be very long. HTH
TJ

 

[mochabean]

Originally posted by pumpkinboy
When DS falls asleep, you just roll him onto the launch for WL and roll him up to your villa there; and if you have just missed the launch, the distance on the ground is walkable too.

How do you walk from MK to WL? Do you walk along the road and under the water bridge on the sidewalk? Is there a path after that, or do you stay on the main road? Just wondering as I've never done it before.

 

[pampam]

bump.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Originally posted by mochabean
How do you walk from MK to WL? Do you walk along the road and under the water bridge on the sidewalk? Is there a path after that, or do you stay on the main road? Just wondering as I've never done it before.

The only way to walk from WL to MK is to walk on the boat. You have to cross the lake to get to the MK from WL.

You can't walk to MK from WL.

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally posted by pumpkinboy
Well, given that you will likely be at MK for 2 days during your stay, and you are apparently a DVC member, by your resort preferences, I would think that VWL might be your best bet from a logistical standpoint. When DS falls asleep, you just roll him onto the launch for WL and roll him up to your villa there; and if you have just missed the launch, the distance on the ground is walkable too. Alternatively, there are a number of cool quiet spots to sit in a number of different parks. The new version (2005) of the Unofficial Guide to WDW I believe lists a series of cool quiet spots to just sit. tjmw also has good suggestions like the clip fan and late lunch in one of the quiter restaurants.

Good luck!

Just wanted to mention that you can't "just roll him onto the launch". The CM will ask you to remove children from the stroller, hold the child and park the stroller in the front or rear of the boat. They will allow you to leave your stroller open but in all my experiences on WDW boats the children can not remain in a stroller.

I am also unclear as to your reference "the distance on the ground is walkable" - you can't walk from the MK to the WL but I am probably misunderstanding that part of the post.

HTH
TJ

 

[SB in KY]

Maybe Pumpkinboy can walk on water!!!