Sleeping Arrangements?

[DuncaRoo]

Hi all!
Disney vet, but new to this board. Before COVID my family and I planned a trip for May 2020. Obviously, that was canceled and for good reason. However since we rented DVC points, we only got travel credit to use by the end of 2021. Thus, we pushed our trip and are now going September 2021!
This will be my first time traveling with my children who will be 18 months and 6 months. I’m not worried about sleeping arrangements for my 6 month old, but I do have concerns with my 18 month old. We sleep trained from 4 months on with him and now he will only sleep in his crib and occasionally in the car (I know, a monster of my own creation). He still naps 3 times a day and sleeps 10-12 hours overnight though.
I plan to use the pack and play for my 6 month old, but I’m wondering what the best course of action for my 18 month old is. Bed bumpers? Travel cot? Another pack and play? I’m worried he’ll see us in the room and fool around and become unsafe PLUS not sleep. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thank you all!

 

[mjkacmom]

Hi all!
Disney vet, but new to this board. Before COVID my family and I planned a trip for May 2020. Obviously, that was canceled and for good reason. However since we rented DVC points, we only got travel credit to use by the end of 2021. Thus, we pushed our trip and are now going September 2021!
This will be my first time traveling with my children who will be 18 months and 6 months. I’m not worried about sleeping arrangements for my 6 month old, but I do have concerns with my 18 month old. We sleep trained from 4 months on with him and now he will only sleep in his crib and occasionally in the car (I know, a monster of my own creation). He still naps 3 times a day and sleeps 10-12 hours overnight though.
I plan to use the pack and play for my 6 month old, but I’m wondering what the best course of action for my 18 month old is. Bed bumpers? Travel cot? Another pack and play? I’m worried he’ll see us in the room and fool around and become unsafe PLUS not sleep. Anyone have any suggestions?

Thank you all!

I was a nap nazi and my kids were on strict sleep schedules, rent a crib.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I was a nap nazi and my kids were on strict sleep schedules, rent a crib.

I agree but would add make sure the crib you rent is like the one at home as much as possible. I would also use or start using a noise machine during sleeping to cover the hall and other different noises of a hotel

 

[DuncaRoo]

I was a nap nazi and my kids were on strict sleep schedules, rent a crib.

Any suggestions on rental places? I looked at three in the area and none are renting out baby things right now due to Covid. Hopefully they will be by September but I’d like a backup plan just in case.

 

[DuncaRoo]

I agree but would add make sure the crib you rent is like the one at home as much as possible. I would also use or start using a noise machine during sleeping to cover the hall and other different noises of a hotel

We use a Hatch white noise machine religiously and it will be traveling with us. He doesn’t have a problem staying asleep (I can vacuum in his room when he’s asleep and he won’t wake up). It’s just falling asleep that seems to be an issue without being left alone in his crib.

 

[Marionnette]

We use a Hatch white noise machine religiously and it will be traveling with us. He doesn’t have a problem staying asleep (I can vacuum in his room when he’s asleep and he won’t wake up). It’s just falling asleep that seems to be an issue without being left alone in his crib.

You'll have a balcony or patio at your DVC villa. Go out there after putting him to bed and relax. You'll be able to see him through the sliding door if he gets up and begins to get into things.

Which DVC resort will you be staying in? BLT studios have a kitchenette that is separated from the rest of the studio by a wall. If you’re at BLT, then getting a second pack n play set up in there may be an option for you. Some people will situate a pack n play in the bathroom area if they anticipate that their child won’t sleep if the parents are in the same room. Poly has a great split bathroom that works well for this.

But in the end, you have many months of growth and development between now and a September trip. Your child is going to change dramatically in his ability to adapt to different situations. I know that you want to anticipate and plan accordingly but in all my years as a parent the one thing that I learned was that your kid is going to throw curveballs at you at every opportunity.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

We use a Hatch white noise machine religiously and it will be traveling with us. He doesn’t have a problem staying asleep (I can vacuum in his room when he’s asleep and he won’t wake up). It’s just falling asleep that seems to be an issue without being left alone in his crib.

without having 1 bedroom villa not sure how you are getting a separated area that he cant see you unless you put in toilet area or if closet area is big enough to fit crib. as someone else said I would look for offsite rental of a full size crib not a pack n play for older. I was bless with 2 who would wake with every different than home noise even with music playing

 

[KrazeeK120]

When my son was 18 months, we rented a crib from kingdom strollers. Worked out great.

He was down to 1 nap per day at that point and did stroller naps at the parks. He slept fine in the crib overnight though.

 

[martikus]

I was a sleep nazi but on vacation you have to let it go. mine wouldn’t nap on vacation usually so we just ensured a decent bedtime. Sometimes he’d nap in stroller if exhausted enough.

Mine was an early riser so we’d do rope drop and then an early dinner. Lights out between 8-9 and we’d go to sleep too since all in one room. I’d actually read with a reading light but my hubby always fell fast asleep.

Mine was on small size so we could do pack n play until old enough for a bed.

I will be shocked if your kid is still taking 3 naps a day by sept. Most kids that age are down to one nap a day already from 12-2 ish. Mine gave
Up nap by 3 much to my dismay.

 

[starry_solo]

Rent a crib. Have you checked out:
https://www.kingdomstrollers.com/
https://www.rentbabygearorlando.com/rest-sleep
There was another one that I remember seeing posted on this group. I'll see if I can find the post.

 

[kwdw]

You still have 6 months.....Rent a crib or train with some bed bumpers before then.

 

[sparkle78]

I also read where a family used a tent. Be sure it has plenty of breathable material and can be exited easily. But this kept the kid from seeing them awake. Like a poster said above, a lot of hotels have balconies and the lounges will let you get to go cups of your favorite drink to enjoy in the early evening,

 

[nancipants]

Hi, my 14 month old son is also sleep trained and we are also pretty strict when it comes to his sleep. We stayed at Fort Wilderness cabins over the summer when he was 9 months old, and I was terrified he would not sleep, especially because only a pack and play would fit in the bedroom. We brought our own pack and play and bought a mattress for it from Amazon, and had him nap in that a few times leading up to the stay. Once there, he did great! It took longer for him to fall asleep, and he fussed more than usual, but he slept through the night and napped without a problem. It was nice that we had a separate living area so we could leave the room while he fell asleep.

We've also stayed at the Dolphin twice, first when he was 11 months old and second when he was 13 months. We had standard rooms with a larger balcony, and got a small rollaway mini crib from the hotel. When it was time for him to go to sleep, we put him down and went out onto the balcony. He slept fine both times.