Need tips on getting child to sleep in hotel room

[HenryMom]

My 2 1/2 DS is a notoriously poor sleeper, and I am worried about him not wanting to go to sleep in a strange hotel room. He dropped his afternoon nap about six months ago, and fights the whole "bedtime routine" thing almost every night.

I am counting on early mornings and lots of activity to tire him out, but beyond that, does anyone have any advice for how they get their young children to sleep well at WDW? I read in the Unoffical Guide to take along a small tent and let the child sleep in that, but I'm not sure. At this point, however, I am ready to try just about anything!

Thanks in advance for any suggestions....

~HenryMom

May 2001 -- FQ

 

[pooh2001]

What we do..

We bring my DD's favorite stuffed animal (which ever one she selects - the toy is
going on vacation too).

We bring some favorite books to read. One's she is familar with.

We stick to our normal bedtime routine & HOURS.
May put a damper on some night activities - but makes happy campers in
the morning.
And we bring our own night light for her.


When my DD & DS are older we can do more at night. But for now - I love my kids
and my vacations. I like happy campers. So, we work around their schedules.

PS - they have no problem with EE mornings ! We can get out of the hotel room
at 7 AM - with no problem.

 

[honeymom]

I agree with the previous poster about trying to keep things as normal as possible.

That being said, it has never worked for my son who is also a 2 and 1/2 year old notoriously poor sleeper. While I have had pretty good sleep success with my daughter (5 years old now), nothing really works with my son. My daughter slept through the night at 6 weeks old, my son didn't until 8 months and still has wakeful periods where he gets up a lot. My daughter had been such a sleep success that I thought my friends who have children that don't sleep well were doing something wrong. Until my son was born. And, believe me, we've tried everything. So, I do understand what you're going through.

Like it or not, we wind up having to take our son into bed with us on vacation to get him to fall asleep. If we are lucky we can transfer him to his own bed. If not he stays with us. We are supposed to stay at WL next where I'm hoping the novelty of a bunk bed will get him to want to use his own bed.

 

[JAYNED]

WHAT WE DO (OR DID) OUR CHILDREN ARE NOW DD 8 1/2 AND DS IS 5 YRS

IF YOUR CHILDREN ARE OVER 1.5 WE LET THEM SLEEP IN KING SIZE BED TOGETHER

THEY SNUGGLEUP TOGETHER AND HAVE NO TROUBLE SLEEPING

ALSO WE TOO FAV TOY AND ALSO THEIR PILLOW CASE FROM THEIR OWN BED WITH POOH, MICKEY OR WOODY ON YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED HOW THEY FEEL SO SECURE WITH THEIR OWN THINGS AROUND THEM

HOPE THIS HELPS AND HAVE A LOVELEY TIME

 

[erinch]

To get my 5 year old DD to sleep is a lengthy process and has been since birth.
Takes total sensory deprivation,
everyone out of the room but the one in total darkness rubbing her back. Holds everyone else hostage to trying to crank her down and get her to sleep.

We've finally thrown up our hands and let the kids become night owls. We close down the parks; do E nights, then let them sleep in for a leisurely start. Usually manage to hit only EE at MK once.

Drives me nuts; but the nightly sleep nazi routine ruins vacation for me...

 

[lodgelady]

Our best tips:
1) if you can afford a family suite, it is worth the money. This way you won't spend your evenings hiding in the bathroom while waiting for your kids to fall asleep.

2) we bought a folding play tent for each of our two kids and put them side by side on the queen sized bed. since we got them a month or so before we left and let them play and sleep in them at home, it was a God send on vacation. I think they felt like it was a little piece of home. No problem sleeping in them.

3) beware of over-tired kids who don't sleep at all in our experience. It is worth it to try to keep them on a semi-regular schedule.....my 2cents GOOD LUCK

 

[phins_jazy]

I completely agree with lodgelady. We're planning our first trip to DL. Our DD is 2 right now and will be almost 3 by the time we go. I just bought her a Winnie the Pooh tent last week. She takes naps in now and closer to our trip I'll have her sleep in it at night too. That way she's familiar with it. We will also be getting a family suite so she'll have her own quiet space while dad and I can quietly talk or watch tv. We will also be bringing the night light from her room and her puppy dog to sleep with. The more familar things you can bring from home the better off you'll be. That's just my two cents! Hope it works for you!!

 

[Serena]

I don't know whether this will help or not, my kids were 8 and 14 years old. But I brought my youngest child her animals, just a few dozen lol, and they both were out like a light every night.
Those two girls tried desperatly to get me to let them sleep in different beds. They didn't want to sleep together at all. In fact acted like a couple of two years olds about it, until I put my foot down.
Anyway, like I said, they were out just as soon as their heads hit the pillow most nights. I never heard a peep of discontent.