Nap strategy for a day trip?

[perchy]

We did a day trip with my now 7 year old when she was 19 months old. It worked out so well. She fought so hard to stay awake while we tried to get her some quiet time in the stroller, walking around the quietest places of the park, and she finally fell asleep. We never needed to leave the park, and we got a good "break" in the day.

My 29 month old isn't quite as roll-with-it as her sister though. She will sleep only in familiar places, like her crib or the car seat. NOT the stroller. Not even in my arms if her crib (or the pack and play) isn't in sight. She can skip a nap, but then she'll crash for an early bedtime.

We have a day trip planned next month. It's the 4 of us plus 6 additional family members.

I'm trying to decide:

1) Should I park at Epcot and take the monorail to Magic Kingdom, then plan on leaving for her nap, where I could hop on the monorail back to the lot and drive around the parking lot until she dozes off, park again, and just hang out there while she sleeps. (Everyone else gets to stay and enjoy the park.) The nap would help her last the rest of the day, if not recharge her enough to keep her going through the electric parade--which is late, but with a nap, she'd probably love it. (We would not stay for the fireworks.)

2) Let her skip her nap, and just plan on the 4 of us calling it a day after an early dinner.

Just typing it out, I'm leaning toward 1. 2 had been my initial plan. Any other ideas I should consider?

 

[MommyMK]

I would go with the flow and let her fall asleep whenever. If she passes out at 1 or 2, great. If not she'll crash eventually, if it's at 6 or 7 no big deal. For one day in the park I'd try to maximize my time. If she starts to flip out and won't fall asleep in the stroller then and only then would I leave the park. I don't think driving around the parking area is an option FYI, you'd have to go out on the resort roads.

 

[jacknsally19]

How does your child do without naps? This is a key factor from my standpoint....Also, is it really important to see the nighttime entertainment? This would help me decide how important the nap is. My child is horrible without a nap & needs a bed for a nap (sometimes a car works too) so I feel ya.

I will say the last time we were at Disney (age of DD was 24 months) I was able to get her to take naps if we draped a blanket over the stroller and went to a quiet place. I think Innoventions was where we ended up at Epcot. Wdw wears kids out like no other so you see a lot of kids napping in strollers that normally wouldn't. I would maybe try and nap at the park and if it isn't workin try option 2. I lack the patience to deal with an overtired toddler so my opinion is skewed

 

[perchy]

How does your child do without naps? This is a key factor from my standpoint....Also, is it really important to see the nighttime entertainment? This would help me decide how important the nap is. My child is horrible without a nap & needs a bed for a nap (sometimes a car works too) so I feel ya.

I will say the last time we were at Disney (age of DD was 24 months) I was able to get her to take naps if we draped a blanket over the stroller and went to a quiet place. I think Innoventions was where we ended up at Epcot. Wdw wears kids out like no other so you see a lot of kids napping in strollers that normally wouldn't. I would maybe try and nap at the park and if it isn't workin try option 2. I lack the patience to deal with an overtired toddler so my opinion is skewed

Yeah, my husband feels like we might get away with taking a stroll. But we've never had such luck before with her. She gets real ugly once she's overtired... and then it ruins everyone's time. I worry about that.

I know I won't want to leave. But I don't want to ruin the entire day because I kept her up. Ugh.

The nighttime parade is more other family's idea. I think we skipped the night stuff when it was just 3 of us. But it would certainly be nice to see...if my little one can make it.

 

[AZMermaid]

My kids are like yours, not stroller nappers at all. It takes a lot of strolling, but the do eventually fall asleep at Disney. I usually only get 30-45 minutes out if them though. This is the only place my son has ever slept in the stroller. My daughter will very rarely in other places like the zoo, but but not often.

 

[perchy]

My kids are like yours, not stroller nappers at all. It takes a lot of strolling, but the do eventually fall asleep at Disney. I usually only get 30-45 minutes out if them though. This is the only place my son has ever slept in the stroller. My daughter will very rarely in other places like the zoo, but but not often.

I'm actually considering buying a new used stroller.... the Bumbleride might help our napping issues. Especially if it can lie flat AND it has some leg support. Looks almost comfy enough that I'd nap in it. lol

The last time DD tried to sleep in her stroller, she wanted to be on her belly, but our stroller didn't support her legs at all. We currently have an infant travel system stroller... I bet we could do better with something more toddler appropriate!

 

[squirrel]

If you can find a used Peg Perego P3 they almost lie flat. My nieces would crash in it when they got tired. It also has a 5pt. harness with freedom movement which I haven't seen on any other stroller. It also has an adjustable foot rest.

I found that the monorail always put them to sleep.

 

[ajwolfe]

I was always lucky that my kids would nap in the stroller if they got tired enough. So personally I would stay in the parks and if she passes out at 6 or 7, just let her sleep in the stroller and keep going. I wouldn't leave just to let her try to take a nap unless you wanna try crusing around on the train or the monorail and see if that helps her relax enough for a power nap. Also, I would think you won't be able to drive around the parking lot without actually getting out on the road.

 

[rachael95]

My DS is one of those that I could only EVER get him to fall asleep for a nap in the car. The daycare people of course said he was GREAT for them. <grumble> He was 2 before I finally got him to take a nap in bed at home occasionally.

For the stroller, what I did was start walking around our neighborhood a little after his normal daycare nap time. It might take a mile, but he eventually started to drowse, especially if I kept the stroller fairly dark and quiet and kept walking at a steady pace. We have a City Mini GT. Once he fell asleep in the stroller, I'd gently lower it down until he was lying nearly flat. He preferred a slight angle. He also did NOT like lying flat before he fell asleep. He'd struggle to sit up. So that's why I waited until he fell asleep to lower him down.

So that trained him to get used to sleeping in the stroller and then when we went to Disney, it worked great.

At EPCOT, I headed toward that area in the middle that is used for special events. At Food and Wine, it was where they had the brewery set up. It was nice and quiet over there since very few people walk that way.

At Magic Kingdom, it was harder, but the area leading to Tomorrowland and behind The Plaza Restaurant is fairly untraveled.