Naptime Strategies

[WeDontTalkAboutBruno]

Hi all! Just looking for advice from parents managing their kids naptimes. We are planning a first time fall trip and the kiddos will be 4 and 18 months. We’re planning on renting a villa, is it worth the cost to get the one bedroom? We’ve stayed in hotel rooms before, and basically felt trapped in the one dark room after the kids go to bed at 7, trying not to wake them up. How do other parents tackle that?

Another question I have is do parents generally bring kids home from the park for an afternoon nap, and then go back after? Or is that too much work lugging everything back and forth? Just trying to get some rough ideas about a schedule. because I would like to try and make reservations, but tired kids can be so unpredictable. Maybe it’s better to just play it by ear when we get there?!

I realize I’m probably overthinking things, but thanks in advance for the advice!!

 

[pumans]

I’m in the same boat and would love to hear advice as well! Currently unsure of where to put the pack n play but am planning to come back to the hotel for naps. I did get an extra comfy stroller so I wonder if there are any quiet spots they could take a nap in the park?

 

[Meglen]

If you can afford a 1 br I would def go with that. This also gives you a full kitchen and can save alot of money if you make some meals or get some groceries. A studio will not fit a pack and play and have the second bed. If there is a King room with a dresser bed maybe... but idk if that is even a thing.

Naps can be hard. It depends on how your kids sleep. If they can fall asleep in strollers that would be ideal. Finding a nice quiet area and just taking a load off for an hour while they sleep instead of heading back and pretty much using up 3+ hours for the nap. That or make your park days only later in the day after nap time.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Hi all! Just looking for advice from parents managing their kids naptimes. We are planning a first time fall trip and the kiddos will be 4 and 18 months. We’re planning on renting a villa, is it worth the cost to get the one bedroom? We’ve stayed in hotel rooms before, and basically felt trapped in the one dark room after the kids go to bed at 7, trying not to wake them up. How do other parents tackle that?

Another question I have is do parents generally bring kids home from the park for an afternoon nap, and then go back after? Or is that too much work lugging everything back and forth? Just trying to get some rough ideas about a schedule. because I would like to try and make reservations, but tired kids can be so unpredictable. Maybe it’s better to just play it by ear when we get there?!

I realize I’m probably overthinking things, but thanks in advance for the advice!!

bigger problem is child falling asleep on way back to room and waking up from transportation to room even if you have your own car. unless your kids go back to sleep easily be prepared for going back to room a failure

 

[Spunky946]

Personally I need a nap/break as much as my kids. We used to get up, do rope drop, go back after lunch for naps and leave again between 4-5. To me it was a necessity not a waste of time, it’s all personal preferenc, but indont like going all day without a break.

 

[Anna131517]

Our kids always napped in strollers. We’d rope drop and stay till about 2-3 pm then call it a day. If your children will nap in the stroller it’s easier than taking a midday break and then coming back to the parks. If they won’t nap in the stroller than you’ll just have to take the break. If you can afford it I think a 1 bedroom would be ideal in that situation, unless they will nap in bed with you (my youngest did this for about a year and it was great!). If you can’t afford a 1 bedroom then just hope for the best - sometimes kids surprise you. Disney is so exhausting that my kids have never had trouble sleeping there. I do travel with a small portable sound machine.

 

[Haley R]

Our son won’t nap in a stroller and never has. He’s 21 months. We always go back for naps because not only does he need a nap but we all need a break lol. We usually book studios and stick the pack n play in the bathroom area. GF and Poly are great because they have two bathrooms so you can completely close them off. We just stayed at poly last week and put him in the main bathroom with the toilet. It worked out great.

I thought we wouldn’t like staying in the dark room after he went to bed but we were exhausted and ready to be in bed by that point. Dh would occasionally go out for a short walk or a snack but I stayed in bed and read my book. We never had any issues with ds falling asleep on the way back to the room because he doesn’t like to miss out if we’re outside doing things.

 

[martikus]

We were rigid schedule at home but on vacation not. Our son early waker always so we did rope drop until about 2/3. Back to hotel for rest (rarely napped) and then pool/dinner. Never back to park. Then bedtime by 8/9 (later than if we were home). My husband fell asleep when he did and I read using a book light. We couldn’t afford more than a hotel room so we got used to it. Repeat next day.

it worked for us and kept us rested. If son was really tired he’d nap in stroller but that rarely happened. Yes it means we never saw an evening show but preserving bedtime worked for us. It also seemed like waaaayyyyh too much work to return to hotel for rest time.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Hi all! Just looking for advice from parents managing their kids naptimes. We are planning a first time fall trip and the kiddos will be 4 and 18 months. We’re planning on renting a villa, is it worth the cost to get the one bedroom? We’ve stayed in hotel rooms before, and basically felt trapped in the one dark room after the kids go to bed at 7, trying not to wake them up. How do other parents tackle that?

We were on a tighter budget back when DS was that age, so we didn't, but if you can spring for it, I'd say it is probably worth it!

Another question I have is do parents generally bring kids home from the park for an afternoon nap, and then go back after? Or is that too much work lugging everything back and forth? Just trying to get some rough ideas about a schedule. because I would like to try and make reservations, but tired kids can be so unpredictable. Maybe it’s better to just play it by ear when we get there?!

We did not do mid-day breaks when mine was little. He was on a super early schedule back then (just his natural rhythm at the time) so late nights weren't a possibility anyway. The amount of time we would have gotten after the break just didn't justify the travel time/hassle for us.

At 18 months, he would nap in the stroller, so we were able to do rope drop to early evening. At 5 (closest age we went to your older one) we would rope drop, enjoy the parks for the morning, do an early table-service lunch to get a break in the AC, and then enjoy however much of the afternoon we all had the energy for. We would be back at the hotel before dinner, eat there, and have an early night.

But every family is different, and some people swear by mid-day breaks (we did actually do that some when DS was older - park in the morning, swim/chill in the afternoon, then park at night) so you've just got to feel out what works best for your family. Do you have someplace local (a zoo, science museum, etc.) where you've been and kind of seen how their energy levels are over the course of a day out?

I realize I’m probably overthinking things, but thanks in advance for the advice!!

Disney is set up for overthinkers, especially nowadays. Your questions are perfectly normal!

 

[DeeBee3]

Hmm...depends on how easy your kids are with sleeping. Mine napped like champs at home, but also stopped napping early (2/2.5 yrs). So by 4, no one was napping except for me.

Like other said, if you could get a suite of sorts with an extra space for a pack n play, that would be best. We always felt trapped in the room, but also we are always exhausted after a Disney day. No one went to sleep at 7, but we are all in bed between 9-10. Harder when you have an 18 month old.

We tried really hard when our oldest was 2. She napped so easily at home. Really long stretch in the afternoon at that age. Got to disney, went back to the room, set it all up, and NOTHING. So after trying that a few times, we just left her in the stroller and sorta went with the flow.

Now with 2 kids the age difference is 4 years and the napping times never lined up. We just go with it on vacation. Like I said before, they all have way more energy than me, especially as they way up by 6 no matter when they go to bed.

 

[ElenaRN]

We are DVC and usually get a 1 BR or bigger. The extra space (and bathroom) is great. In a 1 BR there is plenty of space on either side of bed for PnP.
We never stuck to nap/bedtime schedule on vacation. We tried once to go back to the room for a planned mid day nap and it was a major fail. After that the kids just always napped in the stroller when they were tired. We do sometimes do a park in the morning and another in the evening and go back to the room in between. But we never plan for a nap, just a bit of a rest/break or meal. My kids were never great nappers though. If your kids are it might be a different story.

With young kids its best to have a plan but be flexible.

 

[Specter]

I know it's a given, but every kid is different and every family is different. I have read numerous stories on these boards about people that think going back for a mid-day break is way more trouble than it's worth, and I have seen people say that they absolutely do it.

My own personal experience is when DD was 10 months, so a good bit younger than yours will be. We got to the parks as early as possible and she did actually nap in her stroller. However, we still took mid-day breaks and then kept her out a little later to enjoy fireworks or see some of park/rides at night, which she seemed to really enjoy.

I can say that the one day that we didn't take a break she became an absolute disaster and we ended up having to skip Fantasmic, which was disappointing since we had done the dinner package for it.

Going back to the resort is a lot of work, without question, and takes way more time than you ever feel like it should but in our experience it beats the alternative.

 

[sponica]

Our first trip my oldest was about 20 months and was a stroller napper, so we usually made it in the parks until about 7 or so, and would go back to the room. We were at POFQ so it was sort of boring be back in the room (I don't sleep well in strange places so it's not like I'd be falling asleep).

This time around we're at the Poly and will hopefully have a patio or balcony. We're hoping both kids (20 months and 5.5) stroller nap, as I know bringing them back to the room would be disastrous for them.

As far as ADRs we always made our lunch ADR for as early as possible (my 5 year olds class has lunch at 1045 anyway...so she's starving come 11) and our dinner ADR would be somewhere between 430 and 530 at the latest. Our plan this time around is more or less the same. My kiddos do not do well when hungry.

 

[WeDontTalkAboutBruno]

Thanks all for the feedback! I think we will try to spring for a one bedroom so DH and I don’t go too stir crazy during naps. This would be the kids first big vacation, so I’m not entirely sure how well they will sleep if we’re out and about, so we’ll see how it goes. I tend to over plan things, but I think in this case we’ll just try to play it by ear and hope for the best!

 

[SLThomas318]

You will love the one bedroom... the space and laundry with kids is worth it! We are also fans of taking a break... like other posters said, we needed the break just as much as the kids. Disney with small kids is magical, but also a lot of work (any vacation with kids is). Our first trip with the kids we stayed on the monorail and focused on the Magic Kingdom (kids were 22 months and 3). I didn't schedule any ADR's because I had no idea how the kids would be. If you know you'll be back then I wouldn't over plan.

 

[Disturbia]

Our 2 year old sleeps in a pack n play at home (won’t sleep on a bed), but in our 1 bedroom suite (AKL and AOA Nemo) she insisted on sleeping on the bed. The 1 bedroom helps the toddler who wants a nap vs older kids who want to watch TV. Flexibility is key. Even if they took a quick nap in the stroller, it doesn’t hurt for everyone to just take a break, put your feet up and relax in AC (Oct is hot and humid as well). Pool breaks are nice if they are full of energy. Security checks usually happen when you’re in the room with kids so they walk through the entire room/bathroom (our toddler screamed seeing them and they knew it was nap time but they insist (someone recently mentioned it’s due to trafficking; I thought it was guns/checking electric-microwave etc so I was annoyed but didn’t say anything). Just be mentally prepared for that.

FYI. I registered 20-21k steps a day with Genie+; 23-25k without. I think it saves 3 hours of standing.

 

[Disturbia]

Also, I fill our 5 year old with fish sticks (gardengrocer has an egg/milk free version (he’s allergic to eggs/milk)) before leaving for the parks. Quick service at AOA has really improved (check out menus) but our kids did really well with dining, despite our then 1 year old not knowing what a high chair was. Some places allowed the stroller in, but this was Nov 2020.

By Nov 2021 our 2 year old was ok with the high chairs; after she’s done eating one of us holds her. Cheerios are not available on property btw and Lucky Charms run out of charms real fast. Our kids surprisingly loved Oga’s and danced to the music when we stood at the tables (there were high chairs that our then thin 4 year old also fit in). Booths at Ogas are now crammed with plexiglass dividing 2 families and you can’t see the DJ. The chacter interaction at Hollywood & Vine (esp Goofy and Minnie playing peekaboo) were unexpectedly great. You could look into bookinf Topolinos breakfast at 12:00pm so it would double as lunch (limited availability day 7 onwards).

 

[ktlm]

Another question I have is do parents generally bring kids home from the park for an afternoon nap, and then go back after? Or is that too much work lugging everything back and forth? Just trying to get some rough ideas about a schedule. because I would like to try and make reservations, but tired kids can be so unpredictable. Maybe it’s better to just play it by ear when we get there?!

It really depends on your kids. DD was 2 on her first trip and we tried to go back to the room for her to nap the first day based on recommendations on these boards-- it was a disaster-- she threw an absolute tantrum because we made her leave MK, and then she stood behind the window curtains in the room for 2 hours refusing to lie down on the bed and being so angry with us she didn't even want to look at us. We finally gave up and went back to MK, where she promptly got a big smile on her face, climbed into her stroller and went to sleep. After that it was stroller naps for us throughout her pre-school years. This is the kid that wouldn't get in a stroller anywhere other than WDW from the time she took her first steps- she wanted to walk herself. At WDW she immediately recognized how big it was and then let us push her all over in the stroller. Kids behave differently at WDW then they do at home. We got lucky, ours was much better behaved at WDW than at home because she loved it there so much. It might take you a day or two on your first trip to see what works. Some people swear by going back to the room-- but it didn't work for us at all.

As far as reservations, what we found worked best were lunch reservations. We would hit the park at opening, and then stop for a big lunch--- sitting there would wind her down enough so that she would get in the stroller and take a nap after lunch. If we did quick service at lunch and a sit down dinner, it was hard to get her to nap at all, and she also would be so tired by dinner that she would be fidgety at the restaurant. Since you pretty much have to have dining reservations to get the in the popular places, I would go ahead and make some. If you find they are not working well at the beginning of your trip, you can always go in and cancel the ones closer to the end of your trip. I think that first trip with pre-schoolers is kind of trial and error as to what works specifically for your kids.

 

[sponica]

I’m in the same boat and would love to hear advice as well! Currently unsure of where to put the pack n play but am planning to come back to the hotel for naps. I did get an extra comfy stroller so I wonder if there are any quiet spots they could take a nap in the park?

We stashed the P&P in the sink area of the bathroom off to the side, so we could mostly close the curtain and provide absolute darkness.

Mine was a stroller napper so we just kept moving. We learned the hard way to recline the stroller all the way, or no napping would occur with our then 20 month old. Tiffins even let us in with a stroller as she was completely zonked at lunch time.

 

[Disturbia]

At MK you can start after lunch (eat at resort) and keep stacking Genie+ passes. We don’t do rope drop with young kids even if we decide to take mid day breaks (we enter around 9:30). At most you get 2 extra rides in, which are not worth it for us. We travel from CST so we stay late in the parks the first few days.