Sharing my hotel with... my kids!

[snoopy5386]

This is exactly why we bought DVC!!
My DD does not just "fall asleep" no matter how exciting the day, how late it is or how tired she is. She on average takes 30 - 60 mins to fall asleep. Generally what we do if we are staying in one hotel room is we drag the desk chair into the bathroom and DH goes in there and reads. I lay with DD until she falls asleep (thank god for my IPOD!) and then I join him in the bathroom to read (one of us sits on the floor). Then we go to bed. Very exciting!

 

[WantToGoNow]

My kids were the same age as yours on our last trip (well almost, dd turned 3 three weeks after we returned). We went in the off season so the parks closed relatively early. We usually all went to sleep together around 10 - by the time we walked around all day, we were ready for bed by then anyway and the children had no problems staying up until then. The only meltdown (on the kids part anyway) was over a broken box of brand-new crayons and the fear of Snow White's Scary Adventure.

 

[monorailsilver]

We have done the Poly 3 times with our kids so far. We had no problems with any of them falling asleep.

First trip with them, my oldest was 15 mo. Second trip, she was 4 ½ & my ds was 22 month. Third trip, oldest was 7½, ds was just shy of 5 & my youngest was 2 ½.

We probably got back to our room between 10-11 most nights (had to watch Wishes every night once we returned from Epcot/Illuminations).

I put their pj's out on the bed before we hit the park after our mid-day break. Once we got back they changed in them, hit the bathroom & pretty much fell asleep with in minutes.

I even had my kids nap during our mid day break.

The first trip with my oldest, I requested a bottom floor room. We latched the front door, layed her in the crib, kept the slider door open a crack so I could hear & peek in & we sat outside. DH & I took turns leaving to do laundry, drinks, he played video games, etc...

The 2nd trip with them, my parents came so we had connecting rooms with them but we were on the 3rd floor. I did laundry while the kids & dh were zonked.

The last trip we took with all 3. DH & the kids napped while I did laundry. I actually sat at the pool by myself (AHHHHhhhh) a few times while waiting.

Next trip, our kids will be 11, almost 9 & 6 & we will still do one room at the Poly.

 

[eeyorepixie]

We are past the point of strollers...sigh...the DD's are 9,8&7 we have no problem sleeping at POR in a standard room. All that walking all day tuckers them and us out. Incidently my DH sleeps on the trundle, he says it feels good on his back

Anyhoo, good luck...our first trip was last year, because honestly any sooner seemed like it would have been a trip from HEck if you know what I mean... with three little ones. Now we all can really enjoy it and heck now they are old enough that they will remember it. I am glad I waited and we plan on going every year from here on out that we can!

 

[ldymcbth]

When we share a room with our 2 kids (14 mos and almost 3), we just do quiet work after they go to bed. DH uses the laptop, and I bring a booklight and read, get bags ready for the next day, etc. No way could my kids sleep with the TV on.

Honestly, the kids went to bed at 9 at Disney, and DH and I were usually ready to sleep at 10! It wore us out!

 

[pooh4evr]

Ours are usually so tired by the time we get back they are falling asleep on the busses - so depending on how you do your days they will probably be worn out too! Will they fall asleep watching a movie withthe sound low or if you just have the tv on with the news or the weathe rchannel on maybe?- I guess we usually sty out longer so we are all tired and ready to lay down, get bag/stroller cleaned out and ready for the next day, clothes set out and the bed for all.

 

[Captain Blue Sky]

Hello ~

I agree with the posters who mentioned the 2-bedroom villas.

My daughters are 14 and 10 and we wouldn't even think about sharing a room amongst the 4 of us (including wifee).

As you know, everyone is on a different schedule. To be able to tuck the kids into their own room, turn off the lights, and close the door is worth every penny to me. That way, the adults will have their own evening time and the kids will get much needed rest.

To me, everything else may be nothing more than an act of futility trying to create light screens, etc.

 

[brymolmom]

WOW - I'm surprised all the comments on getting a villa - Come On guys - it's a hotel room - it can be done. And for us, where getting a 2BR villa would not be done due to cost - I figured it was better getting them used to a single hotel room at a young age - better for all future trips!

What we do is just turn out most or all lights - sometimes I keep one light on that I can read by (often the bathroom light and I just move one of the chairs over there to read). OR I bring a small book light and lay on my bed reading. The first night - they need occassional reminders of 'be quiet - it is time for sleep' - but it doesn't take too long. After they're asleep, I sometimes turn the TV on low for awhile - but I'm happy reading too.

Oh and while this is going on - DH usually goes down to the food court to get a coffee and sit and read the paper by the pool. Sometimes we take turns with that - if I'm not too tired to go out again myself.

We keep them pretty much on schedule most nights - with one or two 'late nights' planned in. But usually they're going to bed by 8;30 - 9:00 and this works out fine for us.

Oh and the other thing I'm getting them used to is sleeping together - I wouldn't get any sleep on vacation if I slept with either one of them - that wouldn't be much fun for any of us!

Definitely doable - so if POLY is what you want - don't change your plans (with older parents - I'm guessing the monorail will be a nice plus) - just be firm about reminding them to lay back down on the first night. They'll get it.

 

[smwslp]

Wow, I must be a horrible parent. My girls DD2 and DD3 share a room at home and also have a TV in their room all the time. Having the lights and TV on is nothing new to them...they fall asleep anywhere if they are tired enough.

 

[NotUrsula]

I've got a dissenting opinion. It's vacation -- we run 'em into the ground!

Seriously, on our late nights in the parks we bring pjs and a toothbrush for the littles, and have them change and brush their teeth before the fireworks start. (On nights when there are no fireworks we just have them change/clean up when we begin winding down.) This way, when they fall asleep in the stroller after leaving the park (which ALWAYS happens with the stroller set in our family), we can just transfer them gently and put them directly to bed.

We always do a daytime nap break at our resort, but by 10 or so on a theme park night they are still pretty wiped out by the excitement, and as soon as we're through the turnstiles and out of the park their little peepers start to droop. We often skip the tram and just walk to the car with the stroller, which gets them down nice and deep before they are lifted into the car. (The trams are very noisy, much moreso than the buses.)

I've lost count entirely of exactly how many times we've been, but this is our experience of three children over a 12 year period, with at least 3 trips per year.

 

[taymacsmom]

We have been lucky enough to go to WDW three times with 2 or three kids at age ranges from 10 months to 12 years on one trip or another. When my son was a baby, we got ground floor room and put him to bed and propped the door open a crack and sat outside the door and rehashed our day, made plans for the next days activities, had a snack or a drink and went to bed whenever we felt like it. Not exotic but it worked! I agree with PP that everyone is tired in Disney. My DH and I go to bed between 11 and 12pm at home and at about 9pm on vacation. We do bring booklights and read a bit before bed even with the kids asleep in the next bed over! Have fun.

 

[deva]

WOW - I'm surprised all the comments on getting a villa - Come On guys - it's a hotel room - it can be done. \

Sure it could be done, but there may be better options. I suggested a villa because it looks like the OP would be paying for 2 rooms at the Poly which is waaaaay more expensive than renting a 2BR villa. PLUS with a villa you get full kitchen, 2 baths, and washer/dryer which can make the trip much more enjoyable. I never knew the villas existed before DH talked me into DVC so I always try to point them out to families of 5+ or those that need a private room for the kids. For us it makes the vacation much more enjoyable than being packed into one room.

 

[hillview]

Did a hotel room with a 22 month old and a almost 4 year old. I went out to the balcony after I put the kids to bed and waited there.

DS #2 would fall asleep near the bathroom (out of sight) while I read DS #1 a book. DS #1 would fall asleep within 15 mins. I kept him within eyesight from the balacony. DS #2 was in a PNP. We were at the GF.

Both were busy ALL day and up about 20 mins past bedtime.
HTH!
/hillary

 

[brergnat]

WOW - I'm surprised all the comments on getting a villa - Come On guys - it's a hotel room - it can be done.

Maybe for YOU it can be done. Trust me, we tried. Several times in "one room". For us, it CANNOT be done. Our son has Autism. He is 4.5 years old. He literally stayed up until close to midnight every time...then woke up 3 hours later at 3am, and was awake talking to himself, loudly, for the rest of the night. The ONLY person in our family who slept was our younger son, who can sleep through a tornado. My DH and I spent the ENTIRE night telling him to go to sleep, be quiet, threatening him with going home, laying down with him, massaging him, etc. Nothing worked. Needless to say, we didn't get to sleep those nights.

Don't assume that what works for YOUR family can work for EVERY family. Luckily for us, we had an idea that this would happen, so these were "trial hotel stays" in the local area. But, one time was at Disneyland, and once was at San Diego, and we actually had stuff planned to do the following days, and when no one sleeps, NO ONE has fun the next day. Trust me. If I had planned a week long WDW trip, and found out on night #1 in "one hotel room for all of us" that my son would do this every night, can you imagine how awful that entire trip would be???

The OP posted this question because, I assume, she is having reservations about how this is going to work. She knows her own kids. She perhaps assumes it will NOT go as smoothly as "put them in bed and they'll just fall asleep." So, we've offered our advice and past experiences. Let her decide what to do...

 

[hillview]

Oh and I wanted to add that for most places we DO get 2 hotel rooms but we didn't here. I was concerned BUT since the kids were SO tired (pools parks mickey etc) it worked for us. If you do end up doing one room, I say wear them out
/hillary

 

[dis-happy]

Travel tip of the day: get a white noise machine for hotel rooms. Really helps when family members are sharing a hotel room.

 

[NotUrsula]

Another tip: learn to use the closed captions on the TV, and dim the picture, too.

This isn't much use until after they fall asleep, but it keeps the noise and light levels far enough down that they are more likely to stay asleep.

 

[Aliceacc]

My kids were comatose by the time we hit our room.

If I had needed quiet, the Poly balcony was lovely; it looked out onto the gardens, with a side view of the lagoon.

But we could have had a party in that room and it wouldn't have disturbed the kids. Disney really did wear them out!

 

[brymolmom]

Maybe for YOU it can be done. Trust me, we tried. Several times in "one room". For us, it CANNOT be done. Our son has Autism. He is 4.5 years old. He literally stayed up until close to midnight every time...then woke up 3 hours later at 3am, and was awake talking to himself, loudly, for the rest of the night. The ONLY person in our family who slept was our younger son, who can sleep through a tornado. My DH and I spent the ENTIRE night telling him to go to sleep, be quiet, threatening him with going home, laying down with him, massaging him, etc. Nothing worked. Needless to say, we didn't get to sleep those nights.

Don't assume that what works for YOUR family can work for EVERY family. Luckily for us, we had an idea that this would happen, so these were "trial hotel stays" in the local area. But, one time was at Disneyland, and once was at San Diego, and we actually had stuff planned to do the following days, and when no one sleeps, NO ONE has fun the next day. Trust me. If I had planned a week long WDW trip, and found out on night #1 in "one hotel room for all of us" that my son would do this every night, can you imagine how awful that entire trip would be???

The OP posted this question because, I assume, she is having reservations about how this is going to work. She knows her own kids. She perhaps assumes it will NOT go as smoothly as "put them in bed and they'll just fall asleep." So, we've offered our advice and past experiences. Let her decide what to do...

Obviously I meant but did not write my small print *can be done in MOST situations - if there are special medical concerns or very loud snorer concerns - this might not be the case. Past experiences do not guarantee future results.*

There is always someone(s) who is an exception in every situation. All I was saying was that for most people - a hotel room can be done with relatively few issues. Some people choose not to deal with those few issues as they don't want to on vacation - that's fine and their choice to do so. I just wanted the OP to be assured that it definitely is possible and if they want to stay at the POLY, not be scared away by so many 'get the 2BR' posts. I'm guessing here that if there were special considerations for their family that they would know better than anyone on the DIS and they would plan apporpriately for accomodations.

 

[bear_mom]

My kids like to fall asleep listening to music, so when in a hotel room, they listen to their music players while falling asleep. Dh and I do whatever we need/want to do, at Disney we are usually going to sleep not long after dds. Once they are asleep, I take their earphones off/out (one has ear phones, one has ear buds) so they don't get too tangled in cords while they sleep.

Emily