Travelling with young kids?

[canadian_ehngel]

We're travelling with a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old. Their bedtime is typically between 8 and 8:30. When you go to DL, do you still put them to bed at their normal times, or do you let them stay up later typically? Both my kids can easily stay up until 10-11pm without getting too crabby lol. I know they're going to want to watch the fireworks at least once... my oldest most likely will want to watch everyday lol.

 

[heatherleigh]

We had the kids stay up past bedtime, as late as possible. Inevitably, they would fall asleep later at the parks, but they did stay up slightly later. I just remember wasting $ on the trick or treat party, which they fell right asleep in. And, wasting money on preferred dessert fantasmic seating (for the earlier show), which they promptly fell asleep at too.

 

[LuLusApple]

We stay out till about 10:30
I take DGD21 months old, and she falls asleep in the stroller. it's vacation and when we get back she goes back on schedule. I havnt heard any complaints from the mommy (DD21) lol
but we do take a good reclining stroller so she's comfy

 

[Kayla's Mom]

We have been taking both our DDs, who are 3 and 8 now, since they were babies. We never put them down at their normal bedtime, when my DD3 gets tired, she sleeps in the stroller, same thing my oldest would do. They know when we go to DLR we spend as much time as possible in the parks.

 

[amym2]

Our kids would have made it until 10pm one night but we would have paid for it every night thereafter. Neither of them would ever sleep in a stroller, either. How late we let them stay up depended on how much of a nap they took. Now that they are 6 and 8 it's not as much of a concern, but we'll still try to get them to nap if they want to stay up late every night. With the time difference they'll be up at 5am, so naps will be a necessity (esp for ME!). If your kids are okay with it, go for it. We were never so lucky!

 

[lilsprstr]

You know your kids the best and how they will do. It also depends on how many days you will be there. Our kids were 4 and 2 the last time we went. We had 4 days, so we went all day, but wrapped up every day around dinner time. One day we stayed late for the parade, but we tried to get them in bed by 8-8:30 each night and they did fine without naps. The younger one took short naps in the stroller during the day. Personally if I were you and was planning to stay late I'd try to do a mid-day nap. Knowing my own kids though, that wouldn't fly. That's why we try to get them to bed at a reasonable hour. HTH.

 

[kwally]

We just got back yesterday, with kids 7, 5, 2 who also have bedtimes of 8:15pm. We had a two hour time change when we arrived, and our kids never adjusted since we were only there 5 days. So we were up between 5:30-6:30am California time (7:30-8:30 our time). We would get to parks right when they open as the lines aren't as bad then. We never left the parks all day. Only my 2 yo naps still so he would just fall asleep when he was tired and we would either lay him in the stroller or hold him, finding a bench to rest on when needed, and it worked out well, the rest could still ride. Or catch a show so he could nap while we got to enjoy. Saying that, at 8pm (10pm our time) the kids were tired, we didn't see the fireworks at all, but they didn't seem to care, I guess if you have never seen them you don't know what you are missing. I would have liked to see them, but that's fine. We left the parks around 8:30pm and crashed immediately. I think we we would not have had the 2 hour time change, we could have made it up later and still not have left that parks. So take that into consideration if you have a time change! Have fun, you'll love it!

 

[letthembelittle]

We tried to keep our kids with pretty much with the same bedtime, we did skip naps on somedays and that was enough drama to deal with. You know your kids best and if they will do fine staying up later and still be enjoyable, do it!

 

[jcatron243]

My kids are 4 and 6. Next week will be our 4th trip as a family. The kids keep their schedule always. If we stayed up past 830 the kids would still get up at 6 AND be cranky by 5pm the next day. Because of this we keep the same schedule as at home. It makes the days much easier. Yes we do lose 4 hours in the parks, but the time spent there is well worth it.

 

[kailuagirl]

If they can normally stay up late and not be too bad the next day I say go for it. The parks at night at so wonderful. But I'd make sure they take a nice nap at the hotel in the afternoon.

My DD, just turned 2 when we went and she is normally a late riser and a late going to bed girl. With the time change it was really hard for her to get up early but was wide awake at midnight (even though it's only a 3 hour difference), but she can handle weird sleep patterns.

So I'd just say see how they do and go with how they are doing. Have fun!!

 

[tripletlyblessed]

I've found that my girls are too excited being at DL to sleep normally. I take a change of comfy clothes that i wouldn't mind them wearing as pjs and have them change around bedtime. Then as they start to nod off we leave. I've also noticed they seem to fall asleep on the walk to the car.