What's the worst case scenario?

[Al and Kate's Mom]

If we don't take DD (almost 3) back to the hotel for naps during our trip? She usually sleeps a couple of hours each afternoon at home, but gets up at the crack of dawn and sings and talks for 2 hours after we put her to bed at 8:00.

Any first-hand experiences with this???

 

[Makdyn]

My kids slept in the strollers. We took one from home for dd 3 and rented one for dd 6. Some days they were a bit crappy but it was/is expected. We did have some rest days that was just hanging around the hotel, looking at other hotels.

 

[3littleHalls]

We have done it both ways. On our trip in Feb our youngest would fall asleep in the stroller before we could get back to the room. So she took about an hour nap in the stroller no problem of which she needed darkness and total quiet usually. THen when we went back in Sept and she refused to nap in the stroller only would nap in the room. So, her worst case scenario is an uncontrollable never ending tantrum. I wish you luck. Some 3yr olds don't need naps, and then some need naps in elementary school. You never know till you try.

 

[DisneyDadof3]

If we don't take DD (almost 3) back to the hotel for naps during our trip? She usually sleeps a couple of hours each afternoon at home, but gets up at the crack of dawn and sings and talks for 2 hours after we put her to bed at 8:00.

Any first-hand experiences with this???

I think you have my 3 yr old DS! He generally snuck in an hour or so nap in the late afternoon, but was otherwise ready to go. We were in the parks at 8:00a.m. and usually out at 10:00 or 11:00.

One or two days out of the three trips we've had this year, he was a cranky. Generally, he was so excited to be there that he overcame the tiredness. The nice thing is when we hit the hotel late at night he immediately crashed ..... which rarely happens otherwise.

 

[lyzziesmom]

My DD2 also napped in her stroller - and she is NOT usually a napper! Which is why I did not plan on a hotel break. However, on the first day she didn't nap until right before dinner time.

Worst case scenario: DD will have a huge meltdown in front of a huge crowd of people in a quiet place, and everyone on the DIS will accuse you of being a terrible parent!

 

[SunshineOR]

LOL lyzziesmom! That worst case scenario is so true!

We're always on limited time on our trips and have never felt able to take the time to traipse back to the hotel and take a few hours rest. When we have a young one about to crash, we just park in the shade and they'd sleep in the stroller in the shade while DH and I take turns going places with other kids while one sat and people-watched on a bench. As soon as the kid wakes up, you're back in action. I guess it's still a break, but doesn't feel as monumental and time-consuming as returning to the hotel for a full nap.

 

[tanyaandallie]

My 3.5 year old missed her nap a few times during our trip. She can survive without one but will crash very early in the evening without it (or will meltdown into a uncontrollable mess). She will not nap in the stroller, only in the hotel room.

For us, it was just easier to get out of the parks, nap and then go back after naps. We all felt so much better. The day that we missed her nap was the day we were transitioning to a new hotel. We just stayed at the park (her brother napped while at the park) until we were all tired and then left. That was around 5. She fell asleep in the car around 6 and was out for the rest of the night.

IMO, you have to get these little one's some rest or they will be beasts. They can go without the right amount for a day or 2 but eventually they need to catch up.

 

[JacobsMommy11002]

If we don't take DD (almost 3) back to the hotel for naps during our trip? She usually sleeps a couple of hours each afternoon at home, but gets up at the crack of dawn and sings and talks for 2 hours after we put her to bed at 8:00.

Any first-hand experiences with this???

Hard to guess. How is your DD on a normal day without a nap? Without all the hustle and bustle of Disney? My DS was the only kid in Disney who absolutely refused to take a nap in his stroller. All the other kids were sacked out, and he was wide awake and super cranky. After a few days, we made a point of atleast going for a drive (we rent a car) so he'd get a 1/2 hour or so, and that was an improvement!

 

[jnordan]

Our youngest DD will be 2-3/4 when we take our trip in May, and we're not planning on returning to the hotel for naps either. She doesn't generally nap well in carseats or strollers, but is a GREAT sleeper as long as she's horizontal in bed. However, usually she'll get to a point -- especially if I don't push it at all, but just let it happen -- that she WILL fall asleep in a stroller or whatever when she gets tired enough. So, we're hoping that'll work at Disney.

I'm spending the money to rent a very comfy, fully-reclining double jogger while we're there (from A Baby's Best Friend) to increase our odds! And we aren't planning ANY night activities. My girls go to bed early, and I'm not messing with that. Our latest dinner reservation is at 5pm, many are earlier, so most nights we'll be back at the hotel and they can go to bed by 6:30pm. They can then sleep as late as they want in the morning (my guess is 7:30am or so) and hopefully be fresh and ready to go. . .

Good luck!

 

[MNdisneymom]

My son was 3.5 when we went in September--I know that many kids his age don't nap anymore, but he still does. Our first full day there he refused to nap, then fell asleep on the bus to Epcot....and didn't wake up for almost two hours, so I got to enjoy a wonderful browse through future world ...since he had that nap, we stayed late for Illuminations, which he loved. Every other day we were at WDW, he napped in the room, so I think he was just overstimulated the first day.

(as an added bonus to all those good naps--we saw every single night time show WDW has to offer--and he loved them all, but Wishes and Spectro were his favorites)

 

[kohlby]

My 3.5 year old stopped taking naps by 2. But people told me he would nap at Disney - either back at the hotel or in the stroller. He was barely 3 for that trip. We did go back to the room and there was no nap! So then we just kept going and left the parks early, at about 6pm. He's now 3.5 and we're leaving tomorrow with the plan that we'll just keep going and use his cues. We're not going to waste our time going back to the room if he's not going to nap. Plus the parks close earlier this time than the last time we went so we can't stay late most days just by the schedule.

I'm hoping my 8 month old will nap but I'm nervous about that. She was 2 months for the first trip and napped in the sling. She fights naps now. I'm hoping that she'll have to give in to sleep at some point. She will fall asleep in the car so I may resort to taking a bus or monorail or car if we take it that day. We are taking a stroller that reclines.

 

[Hannathy]

I think if she is awake for 2 hours after she goes to bed, she is ready for no naps or a later bedtime! Kids shouldn't be awake for 2 hours in bed. I also think people stress and overthink the nap situation at Disney. Take your stroller if she is tired she will fall asleep in the stroller if she isn't she won't. That is what we always did. If they fell asleep we would go somewhere airconditioned or just push them around and continue doing what we were doing.

 

[perdidochas]

If we don't take DD (almost 3) back to the hotel for naps during our trip? She usually sleeps a couple of hours each afternoon at home, but gets up at the crack of dawn and sings and talks for 2 hours after we put her to bed at 8:00.

Any first-hand experiences with this???

Nope, but my brother and SIL have. They live sleep deprived lives, and have taken to consuming large quantities of coffee.

 

[Al and Kate's Mom]

Thank you, everyone, for your input!

 

[KristiKelly]

We took DS for his first trip when he was 2-1/2. He was used to a nap everyday but was also one of those kids that if he missed it he was still fine.

When we got to WDW, DH & I had the mindset, "oh he'll be fine we'll just put him to bed early". On day 2 we were in Rainforest Cafe and DS was having a screaming tantrum. It was awful. We learned our lesson and took him back to the room everyday for a nap. I was 28 weeks preg. at the time so I enjoyed the nap as well .

So, from our experience, worst case scenario = uncontrollable, screaming toddler in Rainforest Cafe.

 

[tmarquez]

My DD napped in the stroller when she was 2. By age 3, she wouldn't nap at Disney anymore...not in the stroller or at a hotel.

Worst case scenario...ours was this: Fell asleep in the stroller on our way to our 7 at Chef Mickeys...so we let her sleep and figured she would wake up 45 minutes later a bit refreshed...we'd have dinner...everything would be wonderful. Reality? No. Woke up a very cranky 3yo who wouldn't eat anything (not even CANDY!). She visited with the characters but wasn't herself, no good photo opps. She wanted to go home...and made that very clear.

So now we just start early (she's an early riser) and quit early. Good luck!