Studio with a 1 year old, I'm Scared!!

[Polynesian27]

We are looking at the BCV or BLT Studio rooms for a trip this coming summer, but I have a very important question and situation. Our 1 year old does not like sleeping in the same room as us lol! It’s weird, if he knows we are in the room he does not sleep which would make a miserable vacation! We stayed at a 2BR Villia in the past and he sleep in the laundry room and also sleep well in the bathroom with the door closed (I know it sounds strange, but he sleep like a rock!). He just cannot have any distractions or noise around him which scares us about living in a Studio for a week at BCV or BLT. My wife and I like to sit out on the balcony at night and have a drink together or watch tv and order a pizza, but I’m afraid we couldn't do these things in a studio! Does anyone know if the bathroom in either the BCV or BLT is big enough for a pack n play where our son can sleep peacefully without us waking him up and having to whisper across the room? Please help!! Pictures would also be helpful!! Thanks!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

Maybe you guys can start working on adding a bit of sound to his environment?

We are a family-bed family, and from that we know that children LOVE being up with their beloved mom and dad, and can get very excited if they wake and see their faces. But eventually, we're all mammals and need our sleep, and our systems should be OK with having our protectors around. So I would probably start working on helping him sleep with at least whispers and the rustlings of people in the room.

And then I have two more thoughts that almost contradict each other.

At home, once I wasn't napping with DS anymore (I'm not a napper by nature), if I snuck into the bedroom to check on him during a nap, no matter how quiet I was, I would wake hi up. And at 8 that still happens. His system can tell if I'm in the room, and he wants to be snuggled with me or up with me. DH is the one that checks on him before we go to bed, or more often when he's not feeling well, because DH doesn't wake him with his presence.

BUT at Disney, he's OUT. He wears himself out so much that just as soon as head hits the pillow, he's fast asleep. It's lovely for me.


Hopefully you'll discover that your baby is one of those awesome sleepers at Disney kids!

 

[Missytara]

I traveled a few years ago with friends with a five year old and 14 month old.

The five year old stayed in the room with me; and the connecting room was my neighbors, their friends, and the 14 month old.

They said the 5 year old would most likely be up at least four or five times a night. No, that would be me, the 52 year old that has to get up to go to the bathroom during the night. I seriously think a bomb could have gone off and she would never had even stirred - she was so wiped out. They ended every night at the pool for about an hour or so and it did her good.

The 14 month old was the same way - he would conk out the minute they got to the room and he didn't wake up until about 6:30 am or so. Same thing - a little pool time was a great way for them to end the night and tire the little ones out for one last time.

 

[zhazhazsu]

DH can't sleep with us in the room either. But at Disney he was out like a light. He had one wake up during the night our whole week.I just told him it was okay, & he went back to bed.

I don't know about other resorts but at OKW studio a pnp will fit in the bathroom easily.

 

[goofy4tink]

You might be able to fit the pack and play in the entry way in a studio at BLT...then you could possibly hang a curtain across the hallway..it's pretty narrow. You might be able to do that at BCV by putting the pack and play in the vanity area and hanging a curtain where the living/sleeping area ends and the kitchenette/vanity area begins. Other than that, probably not.

 

[jennab]

We just had our 1yr old at Disney a month ago! We were in the cabins at FW and slept in the same room with him. I was worried about the same thing as at home he sleeps in his own room. At Disney he was out cold at night and I could even walk around the room without him waking (couldn't do that at home!). I think it was all the excitement.

There was a curtain (we had the pack and play in the closet) which we partially closed but either way he fell asleep quick and it worked out much better than I had expected

 

[NicoleLarson]

We stayed in a studio with our 1 yr old at BLT and I have to warn you, they are small. Smaller than most studios. Where we put our pack n play was a nook, right as you enter the door, so it wasn't right in the same area as the bedroom/living room area. Out daughter wouldn't sleep if she could see us, so that worked for us but it's not a complete separate space. I don't believe the bathroom would be big enough to hold a pack n play. We were there pre-sink redo (it was still in the kitchette, not the bathroom) so I would think there would be even less room now. With all that being said, I would give BLT a try because being able to walk to the MK in less than 10 min and never have to wait on a bus/boat or monorail was priceless for us with a little one!

http://baylaketower.net/bltfloorplan.html

Here is link to the floor plan and you can see what I am talking about. We put the pack n play where the two rooms would join if it were a 2 bedroom.

 

[Wood Nymph]

The bathroom at the BCV studios is too small for a pack and play. And then I just have to ask, don't you need to use the bathroom?

My experience with little ones at WDW is similar to what other people have said, they sleep like a rock. And maybe draping a blanket around the pack and play would be good enough. Or moving it into the entrance area might work, too.

 

[Best Aunt]

We stayed in a studio with our 1 yr old at BLT and I have to warn you, they are small. Smaller than most studios.

I was going to say that I've heard the BLT studios are smaller than other studios.

At the BCV studio I had last year, there might have been space to put the pack n play between the door to the room and the door to the bathroom. I think you could have put a tension shower rod up there, and put a sheet over it. But I had been assigned a handicapped-accessible room (not that I requested it). It was a cash ressie because I had used all my DVC points on the rest of the family. Here's a photo:

The bathroom was huge. I assume that was because they left enough room for a wheelchair to turn around:

Sorry I don't have any pictures of a non-handicapped-accessible studio for you.


According to DVCNews.com, the studio dimensions for the DVC resorts at WDW are:
BLT: 339 square feet
SSR: 355 square feet
VWL: 356 square feet
BWV: 359 square feet
BCV: 365 square feet
AKV - Kidani: 366 square feet
OKW: 390 square feet

AKV- Jambo: depends on whether it's value or not. Ranges from 316 - 365 square feet.

 

[nelsonkg]

BLT was really small and I agree you could not put up a pack and play. I might be crazy but I remember a post with a similar problem and I want to say they brought some type of pop up tent to place over the pack and play to help create a separate sleeping area. We have opted for a one bedroom for the need for separate areas but we are DVC. A one bedroom at OKW or FW cabin might be worth a look and I bet closer in price than you think. Good luck

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Why not go to a local hotel for one night close to home before your visit and see how your little one does.
Also try some white noise in your little one room at home and see how that works out for you. Maybe a little desk fan set on low

I would also like to suggest staying at OKW the studio rooms are rather large and have two queen beds so there is plenty of room for a pack n play or the family suites at the ASM have a seperate bedroom and a kitchenett

 

[Polynesian27]

Thanks for all the advice, the curtain idea is wonderful to block off his sleeping area with ours. Thanks for the pictures of the BCV nook, does anybody have a picture of the nook just inside the door of a Studio at BCV (non-handicapp)?

 

[LoveToTravel2001]

Are you open to any other resort? We stay at CBR and it's prefect. The sinks are separated by a curtain and the bathroom is its own room so you can still use the bathroom if needed but need to walk through the sink area. We always set DD up in that area with a white noise CD and it was perfect.

 

[Marthasor]

Are you willing to spend a little more money and get a 1-bedroom or a family suite? My DS doesn't have the same issue as yours - he would rather snuggle with us and is up extremely early in the morning. However, my DH and I want to be able to stay up later than him and have a separate space so one of us can get up with DS in the morning so the other can sleep in a little. We learned on our first trip to WDW when we stayed in one room at the Poly, that the set-up just doesn't work for us unless we are just staying 1 or 2 nights. From that trip on, we have always gotten a 1-bedroom or a suite. It costs a little more, but makes the trip so much more enjoyable for everybody.

 

[Polynesian27]

We were trying to keep costs down and that was the reason for deciding on a stuido rather than a 1-bedroom. Thanks again for everyone's suggestions!