Keeping the kids up late?

[BensWife]

How do you keep your kids up late? Our kids are early to bed, early to rise kind of kids. So, getting to the parks at rope drop or early morning hours are great with us. However, how are we going to keep them up for night time shows? We are from Colorado, so we are one hour ahead. Typical bed time is 8pm, which equals 7pm Cali time. We can try going back to the room for an afternoon nap to lengthen our evening, but neither of the boys are really good nappers (of course, maybe after a long day at the park they will be!). We don't plan on having a stroller because they didn't need one when we went to WDW last summer, so napping or sleeping in the stroller is out. DH and I would really like to see World of Color a couple times while we are there (DH's favorite thing), and of course fireworks. I wish we could do some practice staying up late, but we are going in Sept, so we don't want to have schedules too messed up when we come back and get right back to school. Any tips?

 

[chrisaman]

How do you keep your kids up late? Our kids are early to bed, early to rise kind of kids. So, getting to the parks at rope drop or early morning hours are great with us. However, how are we going to keep them up for night time shows? We are from Colorado, so we are one hour ahead. Typical bed time is 8pm, which equals 7pm Cali time. We can try going back to the room for an afternoon nap to lengthen our evening, but neither of the boys are really good nappers (of course, maybe after a long day at the park they will be!). We don't plan on having a stroller because they didn't need one when we went to WDW last summer, so napping or sleeping in the stroller is out. DH and I would really like to see World of Color a couple times while we are there (DH's favorite thing), and of course fireworks. I wish we could do some practice staying up late, but we are going in Sept, so we don't want to have schedules too messed up when we come back and get right back to school. Any tips?

when we go with our nieces they usually make it. However, at times they don't and we just let me crash in the stroller. Usually thy are too excited to sleep. They can be crabby but we just live with it

 

[JasonShannon76]

Fantasmic is even better than World of Color. Disneyland Fantasmic is a million times better than the WDW version of Fantasmic. Make sure not to miss it.

 

[vladimir p]

the only way for little kids to stay up for the night time entertainment is to get some sleep,
if going back to the hotel or having a stroller is out of the question, you have some options for a nap, park bench, aladdin's oasis, captain eo theater, future house in innoventions, disneyland railroad, trying to keep the kids up since the early morning is just not going to work out without sleeping/napping

 

[Carolynleanne]

My kids are generally in bed at 630pm and awake at 6am every day. During our trip the park never opened before 9am, so we just kind of rolled with it. If they fell asleep in their stroller and were awake later in the evening, we'd keep at it. If they didn't and were exhausted, we headed back to our condo. Just kept us all happier and we knew going in we wouldn't be seeing everything

 

[tiffjoy]

We roll with it, as PP mentioned. Our first visit with kids was when DD turned 1. She napped for over 4 hours on her birthday! I got in a nice long nap, too, and that's one of my biggest memories of her birthday- her and I snuggling together for hours and snoozing while DH chomped at the bit wanting to go back to the parks. Then she was up later that night and we stayed for fireworks. Other days, she didn't nap (she was never a good napper and gave them up completely by 19 months), and we would head back to the hotel early. I remember one trip to WDW, when she was 2 1/2, and she slept in the stroller for 4 1/2 hours while we wandered all over Epcot. Our younger DD is more inclined to take a nap, so we can plan on that and that we will be able to stay later. We take turns taking her back to the hotel for a nice nap while the other stays with DD4 in the parks. DD2 is a night owl anyway, and DD4 is a trooper, so we often stay later.

However, you can't have it both ways. If you stay late, don't expect to make rope drop the next morning. I think older kids can maybe manage a day or two of late nights and early mornings, but younger kids definitely cannot without ending up with a total crankypants. This upcoming trip in August is the first one where I am going to try to get my kids to the parks for rope drop on at least two days, so that will mean sacrificing evening entertainment the night before.

I make rough plans that I expect will be greatly modified based on what my kids need.

 

[Dot2Vegas]

When my girls were under 6 we would go for rope drop, nap for a couple hours in afternoon and head back for the evening. We would typically leave after fireworks. Now they are 8,8 and 10 and can go open to close with no naps or breaks (they share our Disney insanity). We usually will do a ride around the railroad to rest our feet and often take a long time to eat dinner, another rest. Its a real treat for my kids to stay up until midnight when we are there. In our house its ready for bed at 7 and lights out by 8:30.

 

[agamble]

Our kids go to bed at 7pm at home, and they nap. When DD was 2 we stayed for Fantasmic. We had the stroller and thought she might fall asleep, but she didn't. She stayed awake for Fantasmic, followed by the Fireworks (first time she'd seen any), and then we rode the Jungle Cruise while letting the crowds thin out. I was surprised she stayed up so late as she was usually asleep in the stroller between 7-8pm.

Your kids may not be nappers, but they may be willing to take a nap while at Disney. It is exhausting! You could try the nap and staying out late the second day of your trip (if that works for show schedules). Then maybe they'll take a nap because they're tired. You could try explaining that they'll be out late and need a nap. My other thought is that people often "camp out" around the rivers of America a few hours before the show. You could always bring a blanket to lay on the ground. The kids could lay down and rest/sleep. Then you and your husband could take turns sitting with the kids and exploring the park.

 

[DznyPrnces]

We are also in Colorado. When we are at Disneyland, my kids just go. We stay with my family, so going back to the hotel to nap is not an option. Last time we were there was March, and my kids were just turned 5 and 18 months. We spent 2 days in the parks. We got there around 8:30 both mornings, and were there till 8:30/9 each night. Both kids were still awake until the end and fell asleep in the car on the way home. DD (5) didn't nap, DS (18 months) took a 2ish hour stroller nap each day.

 

[bethy]

We've got a ten year age span between our 3 kids so we've been dealing with this for years. Our strategy is to go to DL at least yearly so we feel fine about not having to accomplish everything while there. We take comfort in knowing there will always be a next time.

That way we can relax and roll with it and do what works out.

If there were something DH or I really, really wanted to do or see at night and it didn't work out with the kids then we would divide and conquer. One would go back to the hotel with the kids and the other would stay in the parks. We always stay onsite or very close by.

WOC isn't great for young kids anyway - as I'm sure you know since it's very difficult for them to wait in line a very long time and then actually get in a location where they can actually see the show.

Have a magical time and enjoy and take things as they come.

 

[LisaCM614]

I see its an anniversary trip for you! Happy Anniversary! I would use Pinocchio's Workshop one night so that you could enjoy the nighttime entertainment and not worry about the kiddos! Another night - you could go to the viewing deck at the Grand Californian with the kids. IMO - tired families do not make happy memories. I have 3 15 months apart. Much prefer a good night sleep and RD then night time entertainment!

 

[MJAJmom]

You can't burn the candle at both ends, otherwise the kids get burned out and cranky. My boys are early risers and I'm very strict about early bedtimes. When we go to Disney, we get up early for Early park entry or rope drop. We get lots done in the early morning and everyone is happy. Somewhere between 1-2:30pm, we head back to the hotel for a swim or a nap. They complain about me making them lay down, but quickly they are sleeping. Sometimes they just like to play with their toys in the room. Then we head back for dinner and more evening park fun. We conclude somewhere between 8-9pm. I only pick one night that we stay out late for fireworks or a show.

That's just my way of managing. Some folks don't like to leave the park at all. I don't feel like we are missing out on anything - we get in all our rides, character meals and show. My boys were 3 and 5yo on our first trip. We've been several times since and always follow this strategy.

Have a wonderful trip!

 

[sandysue]

Our first trip we had 2 of 4 children sleeping through F! and all of them lying down on the cold concrete during WOC. Then we tried to carry/herd them back to the hotel. They were 4.5, 6, 6 and just-turned 9. Not fun or worth the stress and energy. We had "sleep-in" days the next mornings but that didn't help us get through the evening. And we are coming from Hawaii, which means we are three hours behind Calif. It didn't help enough, even with breaks and rests.

So... fast forward 3 years. Kids still go to sleep by 8p. I've scheduled F! for our 2nd night and we will be taking an afternoon break. We are also going to do either Pirate's Island or Redwood Creek trail that day as a mental break from standing in line and rush rush rush.

I've got WOC scheduled for later in our visit BUT I am prepared to skip it if we are too tired. I'm trying to "let it go" and enjoy what we are able to do and not stress about what doesn't happen.

I'm not at my best either when I don't get enough sleep, so shouldn't expect that from the kids.

 

[tiffjoy]

I'm trying to "let it go" and enjoy what we are able to do and not stress about what doesn't happen.

We are big on this with our kids. Some people are surprised we have been taking them since they were 1 and 10 months, respectively, but I think it's because we are very relaxed in our approach. Want to ride Small World five times in a row? Ok. Want to visit with the ducks outside the Baby Care Center for half an hour? Sure, we'll grab a corndog and watch you play. Want to meet Minnie again for the 7th time because we happened to see her in the street? Let's run and get in line then. Want to play in the water fountain at Rancho del Zocalo for a while? Cool. Want to play in the water in Bug's Land for 2 hours? I brought a change of clothes, so sure.

Granted, we always know we are coming back again, so there isn't the stress of having to do something or we never, ever will. But I think this is a huge part of why our children don't have meltdowns at the parks (I know it's nothing to do with being a perfect mom- I have dealt with more than my fair share of public meltdowns!).

 

[wrightut]

My family tends towards the early to bed, early to rise schedule as well, especially when school is in session. Even in the summer, my kids (12, 10 and 8) won't stay up much past 9-9:30. They are early risers and are up and ready to go. Everyone is happier if they get their sleep.

What has worked for us on our trips (one four years ago so everyone was younger) was to pick one night where we knew we were going to stay for the night shows. We do rope drop every morning and our afternoon breaks vary, but the day we choose for our late night is the day we leave between noon and 1 pm for a mandatory rest time. Everyone has to lay down and rest if they want to go back. We head back between 6 and 7 pm and stay until the shows are over.

Since we only stay super late one night, we have had to choose our shows. The first trip we did the fireworks and the late night Fantasmic. This one was hard because it was sooo late for our then three year old. Last summer we did World of Color.

We also try to schedule the late night on our last night so we aren't trying to hit an 8 am rope drop or a 7 am MM (we go in the summer for the longer hours and love the early morning times). It has been a good way to end the trip for us.

The other days we don't try to stay through shows. That probably wouldn't work for alot of people but it does for us. We'd rather have our early mornings than a lot of late nights.

Best of luck!

 

[bethy]

We are big on this with our kids. Some people are surprised we have been taking them since they were 1 and 10 months, respectively, but I think it's because we are very relaxed in our approach. Want to ride Small World five times in a row? Ok. Want to visit with the ducks outside the Baby Care Center for half an hour? Sure, we'll grab a corndog and watch you play. Want to meet Minnie again for the 7th time because we happened to see her in the street? Let's run and get in line then. Want to play in the water fountain at Rancho del Zocalo for a while? Cool. Want to play in the water in Bug's Land for 2 hours? I brought a change of clothes, so sure.

Granted, we always know we are coming back again, so there isn't the stress of having to do something or we never, ever will. But I think this is a huge part of why our children don't have meltdowns at the parks (I know it's nothing to do with being a perfect mom- I have dealt with more than my fair share of public meltdowns!).

LOVE this! I love the details because that is seriously exactly the way we do it. It must work very very well for us because we keep coming back and doing the same. Since I became a mom 13 years ago some of my most relaxed and joyous moments have been at Disneyland doing just what you described.

 

[tiffjoy]

LOVE this! I love the details because that is seriously exactly the way we do it. It must work very very well for us because we keep coming back and doing the same. Since I became a mom 13 years ago some of my most relaxed and joyous moments have been at Disneyland doing just what you described.

The memories of these simple moments are the very best, aren't they? I love just taking in the details of Disneyland (or Disneyworld). It's not all go, go, go and dash around to this ride or that.

I loved going to Disney before I had kids. But the very, very best trips have been with them, even though it meant a very different style of touring.

 

[L1l1y2]

I see that you will be at the Grand. I think you will be ok. Sometimes even just taking a break but not napping helps a lot. My DS 10, is exactly the same as yours. At home he is usually asleep at 9 on the dot. He can usually make it thru a nighttime show. But soon after a show is over, he is ready for bed. Have a great time. We will be in there in Sept and staying at the Grand too. YAY!

 

[kangamama]

How do you keep your kids up late? Our kids are early to bed, early to rise kind of kids. So, getting to the parks at rope drop or early morning hours are great with us. However, how are we going to keep them up for night time shows? We are from Colorado, so we are one hour ahead. Typical bed time is 8pm, which equals 7pm Cali time. We can try going back to the room for an afternoon nap to lengthen our evening, but neither of the boys are really good nappers (of course, maybe after a long day at the park they will be!). We don't plan on having a stroller because they didn't need one when we went to WDW last summer, so napping or sleeping in the stroller is out. DH and I would really like to see World of Color a couple times while we are there (DH's favorite thing), and of course fireworks. I wish we could do some practice staying up late, but we are going in Sept, so we don't want to have schedules too messed up when we come back and get right back to school. Any tips?

OP, how old are your kids, and are you planning to bring a stroller for each of them? I ask this because even if you think, for example that your older child has not needed a stroller for two years, one still might come in handy just for this reason.

 

[AmberStar]

We plan to power through. My youngest will be 4 and my older boy 5. My eight your old daughter should have no problem powering through. If the boys do perhaps get cranky we will go back to the hotel since we are staying close by. However, we are going in winter where there are shorter hours so I think we can make it for a full winter day vs say a long hot summer one.

On our last trip we had a 10 month old and a young 4 year old and we were able to power through for 3 days (winter hours). She never napped but she is a different breed than my boys. The stroller this time needs to have the ability for the kiddo to nap if need be. Plus my 4 year old is the slowest kid on earth so I suspect he will be in the stroller more than the 5 year old.

I'm not making a strict itinerary b/c we will be a large group that will surely split at some point. I plan to maybe take in some shows in the afternoons when it would typically be nap time. Magic Map, Aladdin, etc. Those are really my only set things. I do want to do F! but I'm not even going to consider WOC.