Where to stay with a toddler who naps?

[Anya22]

I'd love some advice/experiences on the best places to stay if we have to go back to the room each day for our 2 year old to have a nap. We are open to Values, Moderates or possibly staying offsite. We have to rent a car for travel after our Disney days, so I am wondering if it is worth it to rent the car for longer to use at our 3 Disney days too.

Are the buses tedious and add a long time to the travel at the values and moderates for an afternoon nap break? Are the buses preferable to driving yourself?

Would it be better to drive to and from the parks to our resort? Will that save a lot of time over the resort transportation? If you are staying onsite, do you have to pay to park at the parks?

We are planning to go in early May 2012 for three park days: Magic K., Epcot and Animal K.

 

[mom2princesss]

I've stayed at ASMovies and Carribbean Beach and used the buses to go back in the afternoons for breaks/naps. We've also stayed off site at Windsorhills and driven ourselves to and from the parks and did take afternoon breaks every day.

Personally, I prefer to drive. Waiting for the bus or riding back to the hotel on a hot crowded bus at the end of the day is not really that enjoyable to me. If you are staying on site you do not have to pay to park if you drive yourself. We drove from Windsorhills to each park and got there much faster then the buses ever got us there. And, at the end of they day we are in our own comfy car.

Midday, the buses are not that crowded so going to and from isn't that bad. Anytime you are taking a bus somewhere you want to allow an hour travel time. So, if you want to be back at your resort at 2:00 you'll want to be at the bus stop at 1:00.

Anyway, for us, it cost us less and was easier overall for us staying at Windsorhills.

 

[jaceraden]

I will start this by saying I'm a bit of a nap nazi. My 2.5 and 4.5 year olds nap for 2 hours every day after lunch. This is non negotiable.

We did a value resort last year and I rented a great reclining (double) stroller from Orlando Stroller. I think it was a city something or other. My original plan was to go back to the resort each day at nap time. Well, plans changed. My kids (1.75 and 3.5 at the time) napped their way through Disney World. It was fantastic for us. I would just recline whomever was falling asleep and we'd keep trucking. I've got pics of them sleeping on monorails, near themed Christmas trees, while waiting to see characters, etc. It totally worked for us which was a pleasant surprise.

It might not be for everyone but it was great for us and I plan to do the same when we go this year. To heck with going back to the resort at high noon! They can nap while Mommy checks out the sights.

 

[GrtWtNorth]

I find the bus system is a little too slow for efficient napping. I would suggest using a car, not only for faster commutes to your resort, but also for quick exits after evening fireworks shows. (I would also suggest that you plan to walk between your vehicle and the park gates -- parking trams aren't worth the wait.)

 

[scrapquitler]

My toddler napped in the stroller, and the rest of the family continued to enjoy the afternoon in the parks.

 

[kbgutknecht]

Well, the ideal setup (of course) is stay at one of the monorail resorts, then room napping is easy-peasy. But since those resorts are all really pricey, here's what we do for naps when we're not staying on the monorail.

In order of preference...

1) Split the day into two outings with a long nap break in between. Start the day really early to beat the heat and crowds. Take the buses or drive, get dead tired by noon or 1pm and plan to be back in the room to sleep/relax from 2pm-4pm. Then go back out for the night stuff. You'll also beat the worst heat of the day.

2) Nap in the park... Wear little ones down, then around nap time go to the Emporium and walk around in the nice A/C until they fall asleep. This doesn't give you as much of a break, but you'll fit more in.

3) Nap in the car... Sometimes our little one gets overtired, that's when it's nice to have the car at the park.

For me, driving vs. buses can be a toss-up, especially if you're going to the Magic Kingdom. At the MK, you have to park at the Ticket and Transportation Center, walk FOREVER to get on the monorail to go to the magic kingdom. Sometimes buses seem easier, but that might be just because my feet are always killing me.

Good luck!

 

[Meshell2002]

We r staying at BLT this trip because I'm a nap nazi. last time the wait for the bust was just long enough for both kids to zonk out on us...then they wouldn't go back to sleep. I won't always need a monorail resort....when they get older and can go all day, we will prob go offsite.

 

[nchulka]

I will start this by saying I'm a bit of a nap nazi. My 2.5 and 4.5 year olds nap for 2 hours every day after lunch. This is non negotiable.

We did a value resort last year and I rented a great reclining (double) stroller from Orlando Stroller. I think it was a city something or other. My original plan was to go back to the resort each day at nap time. Well, plans changed. My kids (1.75 and 3.5 at the time) napped their way through Disney World. It was fantastic for us. I would just recline whomever was falling asleep and we'd keep trucking. I've got pics of them sleeping on monorails, near themed Christmas trees, while waiting to see characters, etc. It totally worked for us which was a pleasant surprise.

It might not be for everyone but it was great for us and I plan to do the same when we go this year. To heck with going back to the resort at high noon! They can nap while Mommy checks out the sights.

I could have written this! I was the same way with my kids. Nap time was a certain time every day a beginning and an ending, NOT whenever they fell asleep till whenever they woke up. We did the same thing at Disney when they were 3 and almost 2. We had 2 umbrella strollers and they both napped in them throughout the day. I do have a super cute pic of DS who was almost 2 sound asleep with a mickey sucker halfway in his mouth
I would try doing it that way, they can snooze, wake up, and snooze some more.

 

[foltzy]

We went when my daughter was 4.5 and son was 2.5 though he didn't nap at home we had decided that we would want breaks during the day. We took a break every day until my DH decided that we wouldn't at Epcot and yeah meltdown ensued. We stayed at POFQ and took the bus. We enjoyed the down time as much as the kids. We will be taking breaks again when we go in 2013.

 

[Minniemouse07]

I have to hop on the "napping as you go" train.

Both kids (now 10yo and 5yo) napped whenever they were tired in the stroller (dd) and in a carrier (ds). I loved using the Beco I borrowed from a friend. Even though ds was 2yo dh or I were both able to carry him easily and for HOURS w/o any issues (and dh has a wonky back).

Last year ds was 4yo and he crashed in the stroller once during our trip. He dropped napping at home at around 3yo...but on the go in WDW he needed that!

During the cooler months we spend long days in the parks w/o going back to the resort. In the summertime we build a midday break at the resort into our plans. We go back, swim for a bit then lay down and rest in the room for about an hour or so before going back to the parks. It really is the best way for us to deal w/ the heat in the summertime!

 

[KrysiaG]

My 2.5 year old napped in her stroller. We never had the time to return to the resort each day for naptime.

In fact, we brought 2 strollers (a double jogger) and every day 2 of my older kids were napping in it as well. VERY glad to have the 2 strollers!

 

[Carla33]

The first time we went to WDW our daughter was 20 months old. We never went back the the resort for naps. We had a big stroller that reclined. She always napped in the stroller. It was great for us. We are know going in August and DD is 5 and DS is will be 17 months on the trip. We are going to do the same thing. Enjoy the trip.

 

[Mrsdennison]

I found that dd would fall asleep on bus too, it was cooler and not as bright.

Then she would awake in transition to hotel room. So we made a cover for stiller and reclined it. Placed mister fan with her and she was out for count as we continued on.

I have a very cute family pic of jasmine and aldidin and the rest of us with our finger to our mouth saying shhhh. While she slept.

 

[dumbo_buddy]

my DS just turned 2 last month and he's been to WDW 4 times - each time he'd just nap in the stroller instead of going back to the room. we'll be going back to WDW in september and i'm almost considering trips back to the room to nap but not sure. DS is at that age where he wants to walk himself and doesn't want to sit in the stroller. we'll see though - maybe by the time it's naptime he'll be too exhausted to put up a fight! lol!

we may wind up going back to the room though for me! i'll be 30 weeks pg and i'll probably need a break

 

[amym2]

My kids were not stroller nappers- not anywhere, Disney included. So at that age we always built in naps. Plus I need the rest time as much as anyone, to recharge and give my feet a break.

We stayed at Windsor Hills twice when our kids were little and it always worked out great. We'd drive to the parks (yes, we had to pay to park, but the cost was off-set by the ability to eat meals at the house) and get there for RD so we could park close enough not to use the trams. I completely think driving your own car is faster than taking the buses, except maybe to MK. Obviously if you can afford to stay at a monorail resort, that is ideal, although you'd still all be in the same room so napping could be difficult.

We preferred staying off-site so the kids could have their own room to nap. Otherwise we would have been relegated to the bathroom while they fell asleep. This Sept we're staying at WL because at 7 and 9 our kids likely won't nap. Still sleeping in the same room with them will be a challenge for me, because their movement wakes me up. I'm hoping I'll be exhausted enough that it won't be an issue.

 

[kbgutknecht]

I think the biggest reason we like taking afternoon breaks is because I LOVE Disney at night. To me everything is even better at night when it's all lit up. Adventureland just seems more piratey and fantasyland is more fantasyish . So I'd rather get some rest midday, then get back to the parks for dusk and nighttime.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

My kids are not nap in stroller kids. Even when we took ds at 9 months he stayed awake all day and then was miserable at dinner time. I kept thinking... surely he is going to pass out any minute... by 6pm he still hadn't! Lesson learned!!

I'd look at renting points and doing beach club or boardwalk. Both of these allow you easy access to epcot/hs. Ak for us is a 3/4 day so once we leave we don't go back there anyway. So really you only have the bus for MK as far as leaving and returning. The other option is swan and dolphin which would give you the same sort of set up.

 

[DisneyMacAddict]

I have to agree with kbgutknecht. Get out of the parks for a few hours. Usually right around noon. You can say you are doing it for the kids but I find that I need a break around that time too. The evenings feel so much better after a swim and a shower! You definitely want to take the bus to Magic Kingdom as you skip a step and are unloaded right outside the entrance. I would save the money and just use Disney transportation. Just my thoughts. Have a great trip!

 

[Taja]

We used to take my BFF's preschool children (from ages 1 and 2--they are a year apart) to Disneyland from park opening to close (about 8 a.m. to 1 a.m.) without a break. We were local--about an hour away, although we could do it in less so there was no hotel available for a nap.

Her DS never used a stroller from the day he was steady on his feet--except at Disneyland! He also rarely slept and naps were non-existent--except at Disneyland! *LOL* So we took her DD's stroller and rented one for him (they were very different than the ones available today), and he was in and out of his stroller as it suited him. And typically took two short naps daily at Disneyland until about age 4, when napping ceased completely. Her DD tended to prefer the stroller until about age 3, then tended to walk more than she rode. She still enjoyed her naps in it, though!

Both children are now adults with their own children, and they have followed the same pattern, although they sometimes book a room at one of the Disneyland resorts.

Although Disneyland is smaller than MK and other WDW parks, 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. is a very long day with a lot of walking!

 

[laughterkt]

We stayed at All Star Music Value resort. We have a 3 and 1/2 year old and we left the park EVERY day around lunch or little after and took buses back to resort and napped. We NEVER waited more than 10 minutes tops for a bus ....it only took us about 20 minutes or so total to get back to our resort. So worth me not having to drive. The buses are nice and cool ....when we returned that late afternoon or evening, we didn't have to wait long for a bus either. the only time we waited a while for a bus is when we stayed at MK for the parade and fireworks and everyone was leaving at that time,....with a little one, we never really stayed until park closing. We were ALL better for having a nap and down time in the room.