Separating a "napping area" for toddler in hotel room??

[Halloween Baby]

I was wondering how parents with toddlers handle their kids napping or going to bed and having everyone else be awake in the room? Is there a way to separate the pack and play into an area that's more private in a value room? I'm thinking about bringing a blanket or shower curtain and clothes pins but am wondering if anyone has a better idea?? Please help me!

 

[DisneyDebbie]

We were at ASMovies in Nov '11 and there was a curtain separating the 'bedroom' area. so you could maybe put the packnplay in the closet/sink area...

 

[saraheliz]

We just lay down in the dark until they're asleep (or hang out in the small area by the sink with a book), then once the kiddos are asleep we play on our computer or watch movies with headphones, etc.
Or nap. We're usually in need of one, too.
We take turns staying in the room if we both don't want to nap. The kids are so beat, usually, that they can sleep through us putzing around in the room, which would not be the case at home.

 

[ktlm]

Napping we did in a stroller in the parks. We tried going back to the room once and it was a disaster. All I had was a 2 year old that refused to nap for 2-3 hours because she was furious that we had made her leave the parks.

At night we never have any issues. We dim/turn off most of the lights until we get DD to sleep, if we even needed to do that. DD is always so worn out after a full day at WDW that once she is asleep, nothing is going to wake her up. Once she is asleep we turn some of the lights back on and turn the TV on and watch it until we are ready to go to bed and she doesn't budge.

 

[2DisPrincesses]

My dh and both my dds nap at the same time. My oldest dd is almost 7- she obviously doesn't nap at home, but at Disney she has no issue falling asleep for a bit (neither does my dh). We tend to get up early and stay out past bedtime, so it works well for us.


I am one of those people that cannot nap (I feel worse the rest of the day), so I do laundry, sit by the pool, go shopping, read a book, etc.

As for bedtime, we all go to bed at the same time. We follow a strict bedtime schedule at home, but not on vacation.

 

[kvnchapman]

Have you thought about doing a suite instead of a regular room? The resort next to Caribbean Beach has 2 bedroom suites for around $95 per night. We found that the separate room made a huge difference for all of us at nap and night times.
And the kitchen definitely helped with food costs.

 

[famousmockingbird]

It has been a long time since I've had to worry about naps (other than my own), but I can tell you what we used to do in hotel rooms when mine was younger. When we dealt with the pack & play, I've been known to put it in the bathroom and close the door. I don't know if the bathrooms in the values are big enough for that, but you could always hang up a blanket in the vanity area if there's not a curtain. I've also pulled chairs out to the hall or walkway (if no balcony) and hung out until he fell asleep. With mine, once he's asleep you can turn on the tv, talk, throw a party, do karaoke, blast dubstep, whatever, and he wouldn't wake up. Yours might be different.

 

[Minnesota!]

nap in stroller at park, or just have them lay down on the bed if you decide to go back to the resort. my kids fall asleep even with tons of noise/distractions going on. that was the best piece of advice I got when pregnant - don't train them to fall asleep to "quiet". Always have lots of noise going so they learn to sleep anywhere...

 

[ktlm]

. that was the best piece of advice I got when pregnant - don't train them to fall asleep to "quiet". Always have lots of noise going so they learn to sleep anywhere...

Absolutely true. My SIL always insisted on absolute silence in the house when my niece was asleep as a baby. If you said a word above a whisper in the house, she would freak out. My niece is 9 now, and since the time she was small, absolutely any little tiny noise will wake her up unless she is completely wiped out (i.e. at WDW). They have had lots of trouble because she is such a light sleeper.

We did what you did. We were not quiet when DD was napping during the day or asleep at night. We didn't go out of our way to make noise, but we just went on normally. As a result, DD is not a light sleeper. She can sleep through a whole lot, and she can fall asleep even if there is noise around her at least to some extent. I'm really glad we did things that way.

 

[adventure_woman]

I have gone to WDW several times with just me and the girls. For nap time, I always brought the monitor and sat outside the room while they napped. I triple checked that i had the Key and the monitor told me when they were awake. I usually talked on my cellphone, or just wrote in my journal while they napped. When DH was with me, one of us would go get food and eat outside the room. At bedtime it wasn't really an issue. I was always so tired I wanted to go to bed early too!

 

[brymolmom]

Been there - done that. We were big on routine - even at WDW. Not because I couldn't allow some flexibility - but because we always had the routine at home so the kids WANTED it on vacations too - when they were in the 1 - 3 age range.

We always stayed in values....Have 2 kids 18 months apart in age.

For naps:
1) DH would bring older child to the pool. I would lay down and relax or hang out in a chair near the window with the curtain cracked open and I would plan out our evening....track dining credits and/or read a book. The napping child would be put into the Pack N Play and I would just ignore, ignore. If he/she stood up I might remind them once or twice 'it's time to lay down for night-night'. But other than that just ignore and let them rest of stand up or play with their blankets. Usually sleep wasn't too far off.

For bedtime:
They would usually go to sleep at 8-ish due to our routine, so we wouldn't be quite ready for it yet. SImilar to the naptime - dh or I would take turns going to the food court with our mugs and getting a cup of coffee or soda and read the paper there. Other adult would lay kids down (sticking to usual routine as much as possible) and then when it was me I would just lay on my bed with my book and small book light on it. Here again, would ignore the kids. room would be dark except for the small light directly on my book. It never took too long for them to fall asleep.

I always found the first night a bit iffy...but after that it was usually flawless.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[tanyaandallie]

We just lay down in the dark until they're asleep (or hang out in the small area by the sink with a book), then once the kiddos are asleep we play on our computer or watch movies with headphones, etc.
Or nap. We're usually in need of one, too.
We take turns staying in the room if we both don't want to nap. The kids are so beat, usually, that they can sleep through us putzing around in the room, which would not be the case at home.

Ditto. This is what we did as well. Heck, kids were 6 and 8 this summer and we were still doing the same thing!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

When we visited WDW all 4 of us napped almost daily, my mom was with us, my kids were 6 & 9. We were all ready for a break mid afternoon ~ we got to the parks early and it was hot and humid.

 

[monorailsilver]

Naps-the last time we went we all napped at the same time. Yep we were pooped too. Actually I did laundry & my dh napped more then me.

But our first trip with our dd, I locked the 'front' door & dh & I sat on the lanai outside (at the Poly). We took turns leaving to get drinks, laundry, play video games (OK that was him). I left the slider open a crack & could hear her if she woke up & other then that the room was pitch black.

At night. My kids are so tired that as soon as they put on their PJ's they pass out. We still have on lights & the TV. But we go in the summer when it is hot & we wake up them up between 6-7am, come back for a mid day nap/break & return to the park at about 5 to closing. So they are tired.

 

[shopgirl78]

Naps~ were off schedule and equaled crashing in the stroller in the parks. It was too much of a PITA to get a 2 & 4 year old on and off the buses with a double stroller (I was also pregnant). Not worth going back to the hotel.

Bedtime~ we were all exhausted from long days in the park...we all crashed at about the same time! No need for a quiet spot. We did bring the PNP for my 2 year old.

We have the same strategy this trip.

 

[Halloween Baby]

I am thinking we are gonna just play it by ear, based on what everyone says. I'm not worried about me... I'll be so tired that I'll be able to sleep wherever, whenever!! But I think the ideas about having my DH and DS (8) go swimming or our of the room are a good idea. And they can even go get a late night snack or dessert if they're not tired. Or they can always stay at the park too!!

I just hope the baby isn't too fussy about sleeping with stuff going on around him. He's used to noise with the dogs, but we've always had him sleeping separate from stimulation...

 

[christygobar]

Because of the napping/early bedtime reason, we have been trying our hardest to look for hotels that provide some sort of living room separation - either with a curtain, half wall or a separate room. We'll still sleep in the same room as DD in her crib, but at least we have some place to hang out while she is.

When we haven't, we just keep on the lights next to the bed and quietly read or chat. Or like others, took turns going elsewhere in the hotels. DD can and will sleep through some noise, but I also try to not to push it either.

At WDW, she just took naps in the stroller during the day - I just laid the stroller back and we kept going. She slept great and actually regulated herself - she still doesn't mind falling asleep while outside in the stroller!

I think you'll be fine - and still have a great time

 

[Snickals]

Have you thought about doing a suite instead of a regular room? The resort next to Caribbean Beach has 2 bedroom suites for around $95 per night. We found that the separate room made a huge difference for all of us at nap and night times.
And the kitchen definitely helped with food costs.

Which resort is this? I'm on the hunt for an equiped room/suite.