What do you do afterl DD goes to bed?

[lolakat]

My DH, mom, DD(age 2) and myself are planning to got to DW this fall. I'm trying to deciede what type of room to get. It seems a suite would be ideal so that the rest of us could watch TV and chat after DD goes to bed around 730pm. Of course they are more expensive and I'm just not sure if it is necessary. So I was wondering what do you veterans do while DC is asleep if you get a single hotel room?

 

[FoundMyPrince]

On our trips where DD was 13 months old and then 2yrs old, we stayed at the parks very late (until closing). She slept in her stroller from her regular bedtime (8p.m. or so) until we got back to the resort and she went right to bed.

If you are sticking to a 7:30 schedule, I'd get a suite if at all possible.

 

[mejkjj97]

This last trip we had a room at the Dolphin with a Balcony. We would get a bottle of wine from the gift shop and enjoy the night. We tried the staying in the park but our DD would not fall asleep in her stroller and had meltdown on the bus.
The one night my DD fell asleep at 6:30 and it poured, I nearly lost my mind in our room. Have you looked at the All Star Music family suites or even off site at a condo. we stayed at the Sheraton Vistana for really cheap, granted you need a car but we loved it there.

 

[brymolmom]

We've done it lots of times in just a small Value room. I bring a flashlight, turn off all the lights and just read sitting on the bed. DH goes down to the food court to get a cup of coffee or a soda and reads the paper by the pool. After a half hour, if we want to, we turn on the TV on low and watch for a little while until we're tired out. We have brought my sister with us before and then it's nice because two of the adults would go out for a swim or a drink together - and take turns each night who stayed on baby watch.

First night, when they were that young, it would take a few reminders of 'it's time for bed, lay down now' for them to get used to having me sitting right there while they go to sleep. But everyone's so tired that it doesn't take long.

If budget isn't a concern then suites are WONDERFUL with young kids - but it is totally doable in a regular room.

 

[nelep]

Check out Fort Wilderness cabins. We just got back and loved it! It might be too big/too much for your family, but we liked it because it had a bedroom with a door you could shut! (bedroom = 1 full bed, 1 set bunkbeds. Living room = pull down comfortable murphy bed) It also has a deck with a picnic table and grill.

I am over the days of sitting in the hotel hallway reading We now "require" a room with a separate bedroom!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

We have been staying at values for years. We have traveled with infants, toddlers, kids and a teen ages 14 years to 9 months over the years. We never have any issues. Maybe I am blessed, but when my kids are tired, TV, lights, nothing keeps them up. I'd say start training her to be able to all asleep with distrations and you should be fine. Our house is under 1200 SF for the 5 of us. We have one room other then the kitchen and bedrooms. There is no way we can't have noise when the kids go to bed at ngiht, so they always had noise and got used to it. Plus, the kids are really tired at the end of the day in Disney. We are the "stay out as late as we can" families, but even so, if she's used to going to bes at 7:30, she will be far more tired at 7:30 in Disney then she would be at 7:30 at home.

 

[mommy*RN]

Our family usually stays at a mod and after the kids bed down we would grab sodas and snacks and sit on the walkway right outside the room. This way we could hear the kids if they needed us and they got the peace and quiet they needed to fall asleep. After about a half hour of quietness we would quietly go back in and watch TV on low. We always tried to stay in the parks later so there wouldn't be much bedtime battles. I've also found that my kids tend to wake REALLY early when at Disney, so it never hurt if DH and I went right to bed too.

HTH and have a great trip!

 

[Wendybird55]

Have you looked into renting DVC points? We did last year and again this year. My sister is traveling with myself, DH and DS (2). We got a 2-bedroom last year and this year as well The extra room (kitchen and livingroom) is great..plus washer & dryer in room and extra bedroom and privacy for your mom with her own room. I really got spoiled last year.

A 1-bedroom will even work if your mom is OK sleeping on a pull out sofa. Renting DVC points makes suite-type rooms much more affordable. Check out the Renting boards in the DVC forums...

The renting boards also give you tips and advice on making sure the renting transaction is a positive one since this is a transaction between you and the DVC member - Disney is not involved. And I would say the biggest concern of some is that renting points is non-refundable.
That being said, many people have great experiences renting.
It's just a thought...

 

[FlightlessDuck]

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[2poohbears]

we stay at the value resort - and put our kiddos to bed around 7:30-8pm. we just put the lights down...leaving on just one light that isn't near their bed, and we get things ready for the next day/take showers/check the weather on tv. by the time we're done with all that it's around 9pm-9:30pm, and we are honestly exhausted and ready for sleep anyway, so we sack out, too. wdw is tiring for adults as well as kids.

 

[WantToGoNow]

If your days at Disney are like ours, you might be ready for bed around then as well.

Seriously, we took my ds when he was 6 months old; next trip ds was 3.5 and dd was turning 1; next trip 5.5 and almost 3. We never put them to bed early - they slept in the stroller while we enjoyed the fireworks and parades and then we all went to bed together when we returned to the hotel. They were plenty rested and in good moods the entire trip. The only meltdown we have had at Disney (other than myself one morning last trip) was at DTD when ds dropped his new crayons and the tips broke off of a couple. A nice CM saw what happened and took him to WOD and got him a new set.

 

[micheleq]

I second the suggestion if you can rent DVC points and get a 1 BR, you would have a separate bedroom, kitchen, washer and dryer. SSR and OKW are available for slightly less points than the others. Otherwise a Family Suite or FW Cabin sounds like a good bet for three adults and a little one.

 

[Stephres]

Before we bought into the DVC, we would get two adjoining value rooms so we could put the little one to bed early and then watch tv/talk in the other room. It was also helpful when my DH snored!

 

[MiniGirl]

Since your mom will be`with you, I say let her stay with your DD, and you and your dh head back to the parks to enjoy them as a couple.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Since your mom will be`with you, I say let her stay with your DD, and you and your dh head back to the parks to enjoy them as a couple.

Now that sounds perfect, I like the way you think! We did that one night and it was wonderful!!!

 

[jenlynn0808]

Since your mom will be`with you, I say let her stay with your DD, and you and your dh head back to the parks to enjoy them as a couple.

I was going to suggest something similar. Maybe one night DH could stay with DD and you and Mom can go to a park or do a little shopping/talking/bonding at DTD. Then she could watch DD one night and you and DH could have a late dinner, take a moonlight stroll, or hit a park.

 

[khascek]

We are planning to get adjoining rooms at a value resort. DS (2y/o) can go to bed in one room while the rest of us watch tv in the other room.

 

[Tricia's mom]

we stayed with dd @ 14 months old in a regular room. I would put her to bed at 8:30 9 and take a tylenol pm (lol)so I could sleep and wake up ready to go at 7am...and chase after her...The extra sleep really helped me get thru the day.

 

[Picabo]

I have been worried about the same thing. My girls will be 2 1/2 and 4 (nearly 4) when we go and we're staying at the Polynesian. My HOPE is that they will be exhausted by the time we are in the room (hopefully by 8pm most nights) and will crash fairly easily. Typically, when we are at the beach, we turn the lights off till they are asleep (doesn't take more than 15min or so) and then we are free to turn the TV on and it doesn't disturb them at all. But if not....we have a balcony/patio at the Poly so we'll just hang out there.

 

[RMulieri]

I am spoiled! We tried the single room for the 3 of us before, but it was AWFUL. DD goes to bed about 730p, and refused to try because we were in the same room. So there DH and I were laying still trying to get her to sleep....Now we spring for a 1 bdr villa at one of the DVC resorts. In fact Dh will not go if we don't.It is expensive but so nice to have her sleep in the living area and we are able to do what we want in the bedroom.DD is happy, we are happy.