Red eye with 5 and 7 year old

[avalovesminnie]

Tell me your experience! We need to leave for airport at 9 or 9:30, kids normally go to bed 7:30 or 8. Should I keep them up or just put them in the car after a short sleep? Planning on bringing blankets, small pillows for them. And fingers crossed that we can check in early, it will be a Weds so I'm hoping there will be open rooms.

 

[catmegs]

We recently took a redeye to Hawaii (Aulani- it was amazing!) which left at 12:30am (eek!). Our 7 and 8 year old did amazingly and stayed awake till we got on the plane, being happy and helpful the whole time. And they we are usually sticklers for a 7pm bedtime, no exceptions. They also had a great sleep on the plane. Your kids should do great staying awake. (Our 2 year old was a different story, she was an absolute nightmare and screamed off and on from check in till 20 minutes into the flight. Never again with a little one that young!!).

 

[WhispyPixie]

This is really a personal thing as you know how your kids best. If it were mine....I would just keep them up and then let them crash on the plan. Mine would be so excited they probably wouldn't sleep anyways! Good Luck!

 

[monorailsilver]

How far away is the airport? Mine would fall asleep on the drive to the airport. Then waking them from a zombie like state would be so much fun! Mine could easily stay up til 10 at that age and be pretty content.

It would be great if your room was ready. But if not, find some pool loungers out of the way, grab some towels and make them nap...easier said then done!

 

[mel2014]

We are doing a redeye in April with a 6 and 8 year old. Our flight leaves at 11:30 p.m. We'll have a 2 and a half hour drive to the airport so we'll probably end up leaving our house at 7:00 or so. Knowing my kids, if I let them sleep in the car, they'll treat that as a power nap and be bouncing off the walls for the flight, so we're going to just keep them up (normal bedtime is 8:00-8:30) and make them crash on the plane (we've done two long international flights and the lesson learned after the first is that we must make them sleep, so once we get on the plane, all of the electronic entertainment/toys will go away and pillows and blankets come out). We decided to book the hotel room for the night before, so we are guaranteed a room when we get there (due to some strange quirk with the Orbitz pricing, this actually ended up being cheaper for CBR than starting the book on the night of arrival).

 

[BLAZEY]

I've done red-eyes with DD7 from Victoria to Ottawa (& back), with stops in Vancouver as well as a long haul flight to London, England. We live on a island so direct flights are very rare and generally have to change planes in either Vancouver or Seattle. I am lucky my kid can sleep anywhere even on plane. Here are a few tips that have worked well for us. Comfortable clothes. DD has worn leggings and T-shirts on flights. They are comfy like PJ's for sleeping but are suitable for arrivals during the day. In her carry on we have a tooth brush and travel sized toothpaste, a stuffy, travel pillow and a blanket. About 30 minutes before boarding we do a trip to the bathroom. Potty break and teeth are brushed. We try an keep some of the normal bed routine. And lastly a book, a good paperback and we read while awaiting to board and while we wait for others to get settled. After the safety demo, shoes off lights out and sleep.
The few times we have flown without DH people are amazed at how quickly she is asleep and how long she sleeps for. She keeps her seat belt on loose but fastened but she will lay down on me and her seat. Many of the red-eye or late arriving flights we've been on have had the lights dimmed and almost silent as I know other are trying to get a few winks too.

 

[maxiesmom]

Tell me your experience! We need to leave for airport at 9 or 9:30, kids normally go to bed 7:30 or 8. Should I keep them up or just put them in the car after a short sleep? Planning on bringing blankets, small pillows for them. And fingers crossed that we can check in early, it will be a Weds so I'm hoping there will be open rooms.

Could you book a value for the prior night so you know you have a room to go to? What will you do if you don't get a room for a while?

 

[glk2009]

My kids have done two red eyes at 7 & 3 and 8 & 4 and from now on, that's the way we're going to go. I hate losing a day on a plane!

Blazey had some great tips. My kids are night owls so it was easy to keep them up until the flight. They are power nappers, so even a 15 minute nap would fuel them for the entire flight.

We also had the kids in comfy clothes and had small blankets and loveys. My oldest has no issues falling asleep. My youngest will eventually fall asleep, but our last red eye, she was up until 1 am working on sticker mosaics and enjoying mommy time without competing with her sister. We usually travel with the iPad for shows and movies, but for the red eye the deal was one short show and then nothing. That seemed to help since it wasn't an option to help keep them awake.

I did pack a few snacks but those were for emergencies since we don't usually let them eat after dinner.

Just be ready for that random scenario that they won't sleep or wait until the end of the flight to fall asleep. I'd keep your arrival low key with low expectations.

Good luck!

 

[avalovesminnie]

It's the week after Presidents' Day and Princess half marathon weekend (which is why we are going), so the value rooms are super pricey and probably booked. We are staying in a Ft Wilderness cabin. I figured we could go to Disney springs and go to a movie, nap in the theater! Or hang by the pool. I think they'll be so excited they will be Ok til about noon.

Could you book a value for the prior night so you know you have a room to go to? What will you do if you don't get a room for a while?

P

 

[avalovesminnie]

We recently took a redeye to Hawaii (Aulani- it was amazing!) which left at 12:30am (eek!). Our 7 and 8 year old did amazingly and stayed awake till we got on the plane, being happy and helpful the whole time. And they we are usually sticklers for a 7pm bedtime, no exceptions. They also had a great sleep on the plane. Your kids should do great staying awake. (Our 2 year old was a different story, she was an absolute nightmare and screamed off and on from check in till 20 minutes into the flight. Never again with a little one that young!!).

I'm leaving my 2 year old at home with dad!! I'm so excited to be able to eat a meal without her climbing all over me with sticky hands. I'll miss her and all but 2 is a rough age for travel