what to do at night with young kids

[Candice30]

i think this was asked before but i can't remember any of the answers. being the planner that i am, i was mapping out our schedule (me, nephew 7 and niece 11) of things to do and at night, the only thing i have us doing is going to dinner. what kinds of things can i do with them that wouldn't require a car? are there arcades or other game places in citywalk or just restaurants/clubs? some nights we may go back to the parks but what do you guys do on the other nights?

 

[robvia]

There is an arcade at city walk, but their feet should be so tired from walking all day, that they'll want to stay in the hotel room and watch cartoons or a movie on Disney.
Otherwise, they'll walk around the hotel, and go swimming in the pool.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I'm guessing that since you are looking for things to do onsite, that you are staying onsite. The hotels have activities in the evenings. Movies are shown by the pool on Fridays and sometimes on Saturdays too (at HRH anyway). When we were at HRH last summer, there was a pool party one evening with a DJ and games. It was a hit with the kids, young and old alike. I think RPR also has activities by the pool in the evening. You can go from one hotel to another. On Citywalk, my son likes to spend time in the game area at NBA City. There is also an arcade on the lower level of Motown Cafe and a multiplex cinema on City Walk.

Of course, you should never underestimate the value of a good night's sleep or just relaxing at the hotel while on a theme park vacation. I do not know if you have children or not, but I find that kids do best if they are not overstimulated and have time to just chill, even when you are on the doorstep of all that UO has to offer. For us, problems arise when we try to "do it all" and drag our son (he's 11) from activity to activity to activity without giving him some down time. (not that you asked for parenting advice!)

 

[Candice30]

no problem...keep the parenting advice coming. i do not have kids and this is the first time that i am taking my niece and nephew away alone and am not sure what to expect from them. my nephew (he's 7) will probably tucker first but try to hang with his sister and stay up all night. i guess we'll play it by ear. both of them are very hard to get up in the morning and i like to be out at the crack of dawn, i guess that means they need to go to bed early. thanks for the advice!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

If you get them up in the morning as soon as you are dressed and ready, they will be dog-tired by evening and should go to sleep without any problem. Maybe have them shower in the evening so that is out of the way (in my book swimming does count as a shower--lol). Give them a snack and let them watch a little tv. I sleep so well at Universal/WDW and so does the rest of my family since we are exhausted.

I like to get to the parks at opening, return to the hotel for a couple of hours after lunch and then return to the parks.

Have fun!

 

[SpideyHulk24]

Dinner, movies, shopping. You name it. Citywalk also has Carnival games and a play area with rides, etc.

 

[damo]

We're usually back in the hotel by at least 8 o'clock, pj's on and watching tv. We are usually conked out by 10 and up bright and early to be at the parks at least 15 minutes before opening. We always find that once we get back to the room after dinner, we don't want to leave.

 

[maduusa]

Damo, you are very lucky. My kids are 11 and 9, and every year it's the same. When we go on vacation, they are up at 6 in the morning ready to go, and they aren't ready to call it a night til midnight or so.



chel

 

[kaygela]

Originally posted by maduusa
Damo, you are very lucky. My kids are 11 and 9, and every year it's the same. When we go on vacation, they are up at 6 in the morning ready to go, and they aren't ready to call it a night til midnight or so.



chel

Oh my, I'm like your kids! When I'm there, I like to get up early and stay till closing. My kids beg me to call it a day and go back to the hotel. LOL.

 

[damo]

Perhaps it is because we are from Canada and some of the tv channels you get in Orlando are not accessible at home. We love to watch the travel channel's "top ten" shows and also animal planet. However, my kids are now 15 and 17 so things don't excite them quite as much as they used to. Been there, done that, you know.

 

[PattiPB]

This may sound funny, but my kids thought I was the coolest mom on earth when we got back to the room the first night and there were cookies and milk waiting for us!

My best relaxing evening suggestion is to pool-hop the resorts! Bring a deck of cards to the pool area and play war or Crazy 8's in bathing suits at 10 pm---bet they don't do that at home! LOL!

Patti

 

[SpideyHulk24]

Animal planet....you will be able to see the show live at the Studios!!!!