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To nap or not to nap...
- Thread starter Gemma1878
- Start date
Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
On our arrival day, adrenaline takes hold and none of us can nap!
Every day after though, naps are our #1 key to keeping everybody happy! We get the kids (age 4/6 last time, they'll be 5/7 for our upcoming trip) up at their usual wake-up time, around 7am. We hit a park at rope drop, have lunch just before noon and head back to the resort for at least 3 hours. All four of us take a nice, hour-long nap (something none of us does at home), and sometimes a swim, and then we go back to the parks around 4:00pm and stay until 8:30am (the kids' usual bedtime).
In our experience, between the naps, not spending more than 4-5 hours "touring" at a time, and not keeping the kids up late (except for the last night, when anything goes!), we've never had a single meltdown, and the kids haven't needed strollers at any point. It's amazing how much you can see and do in the parks with just 8 hours of touring, if you travel during a non-holiday season and plan your day wisely. (Not only that, but if you're napping between 12pm and 4pm, you're conveniently side-stepping the hottest, busiest, most crowded and most potentially miserable time to be in a park, and arriving back just as the crowds begin to lessen...) Last time, we had the equivalent of 5 full days in the parks, and were able to see and do almost everything (not to mention do our favorite attractions multiple times). We'll have 6 full days next time, which will give us the flexibility to relax the pace even more.
So my recommendation would be - embrace the nap! You may be surprised at how much you and other adults in your party need a nap, too (or just a chance to lie down and rest in air-conditioned comfort). The average WDW guest walks 10 miles a day...
Every day after though, naps are our #1 key to keeping everybody happy! We get the kids (age 4/6 last time, they'll be 5/7 for our upcoming trip) up at their usual wake-up time, around 7am. We hit a park at rope drop, have lunch just before noon and head back to the resort for at least 3 hours. All four of us take a nice, hour-long nap (something none of us does at home), and sometimes a swim, and then we go back to the parks around 4:00pm and stay until 8:30am (the kids' usual bedtime).
In our experience, between the naps, not spending more than 4-5 hours "touring" at a time, and not keeping the kids up late (except for the last night, when anything goes!), we've never had a single meltdown, and the kids haven't needed strollers at any point. It's amazing how much you can see and do in the parks with just 8 hours of touring, if you travel during a non-holiday season and plan your day wisely. (Not only that, but if you're napping between 12pm and 4pm, you're conveniently side-stepping the hottest, busiest, most crowded and most potentially miserable time to be in a park, and arriving back just as the crowds begin to lessen...) Last time, we had the equivalent of 5 full days in the parks, and were able to see and do almost everything (not to mention do our favorite attractions multiple times). We'll have 6 full days next time, which will give us the flexibility to relax the pace even more.
So my recommendation would be - embrace the nap! You may be surprised at how much you and other adults in your party need a nap, too (or just a chance to lie down and rest in air-conditioned comfort). The average WDW guest walks 10 miles a day...
stevehousse
Well-Known Member
All depends on how the kids r behaving for us! Most days we can be in the park all day, and my youngest (2) who still naps will just nap in his stroller. When they r both in a mood (we have a 5 year old too) we will go back to te resort for 2-3 hours and nap or swim before heading back!
going back did not work for us. the toddler fell asleep on bus, woke up as we got off bus and would not go back to sleep. we gave up went back to park and he fell asleep in stroller about an hour later and missed dinner. had to buy him a kids counter serve when he woke up as he slept thru buffet which he could have eaten for free. after that we just had him nap in stroller. think about it, most have lunch then take child to his room and put to bed. before you make decision to go back to room to nap remember what that will involve, lunch, then getting to how ever you plan to get to room, getting back to resort and then getting to the room. easily 30 minutes or more and will you child go back to sleep if they fall sleep before you get to the room. ours at time of trip, 18 months and 6 years, both lasted to after fireworks with stroller naps in summer
stevehousse
Well-Known Member
Stroller definately! My 5 year old usually wakes up around 8, and seriously would stay up all night if he didnt have a bed time! He's usually in bed around 9-10pm. even though my oldest doesn't nap, did take a nap one time during our 6 night stay and slept in his stroller. My youngest will fall asleep no problem in there!
englanddg
One Little Spark...
Nap or not, the one thing I can guarantee is that you'll have no trouble putting the kiddo to bed at night. Mine was wiped every evening!
Now, as she's gotten older, on later trips, that hasn't been the case. But, that first trip, it was a quick bath, and during book she was already knocked out most nights!
Now, as she's gotten older, on later trips, that hasn't been the case. But, that first trip, it was a quick bath, and during book she was already knocked out most nights!
Disvillain63
Well-Known Member
The first time we took our DS he was 3 years old and he took a nap in the stroller during the afternoon parade. We didn't return to the resort until the parks closed, but they closed earlier than they do now. DD at age 3 was no longer taking naps and didn't need one on the trip. We would return to the resort, bathe them, and they'd go right to sleep and ready for rope drop the next morning. We visited every year after that and never stopped for a nap. We never experienced the 'meltdown' that so many talk about.
Recently, we took our GS (17 mos) and we went back daily for an afternoon nap; he skipped the morning nap but needed the afternoon nap. If he didn't get the nap, there would have been a meltdown...by him and Grandpa.
Recently, we took our GS (17 mos) and we went back daily for an afternoon nap; he skipped the morning nap but needed the afternoon nap. If he didn't get the nap, there would have been a meltdown...by him and Grandpa.
HRHPrincessAriel
Well-Known Member
My kid can power through if there are things to distract her. However, once we get to a place she doesn't need to "be on" it's a free for all and crazy comes out. She can hang on without meltdowns for a few nights but she'd really struge with multiple so we plan on going back for naps.
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MickeyisMyBestFriend
Active Member
My family and I would take breaks in the afternoon to rest or cool of in the pool. We never found we were missing out. Helped give my parents a break when me and my brother were little.
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Sandy Carroll
Member
We found that keeping our kids to the home schedule as much as possible made the trip pleasant for all. We knew from experience that it didn't matter what time they got to bed that they would wake up by 6-6:30. I used this to our advantage and did RD every day. But they could not make all night without rest so we did it.
But all families/kids are different.
I just think it's important to be like home in terms of scheduling.
We had no meltdowns and all came home happy.
When I hear horror stories about wdw I wonder if they tried to push it too much with their kids.
But all families/kids are different.
I just think it's important to be like home in terms of scheduling.
We had no meltdowns and all came home happy.
When I hear horror stories about wdw I wonder if they tried to push it too much with their kids.
DizneyPryncess
Well-Known Member
For us, napping in the room mid-day is a must. This is just how DD2 is though, and for other people it might not be necessary. She naps from 12-2 every day. We've tried having her nap in her stroller while out places, or in the car. That nap is always shorter, usually 45-60 minutes. It usually ends up meaning she'll be crabbier throughout the rest of the day. We just plan around those hours for our trips now. Everyone is different though!
StarWarsGirl
Well-Known Member
My parents never took us back to the room for naps. We had a reclining stroller, and each day they would lay it back in the afternoon and put a blanket overtop to shade us and we would at least rest, if not crash. Dinner was also a really good napping time. By the time we were 4 though both of us had stopped taking naps at home, so usually it was just laying back in the stroller if we got tired during the day (which happened on occasion)
MOXOMUMD
Well-Known Member
As others have said, you know your children best. By age 4 my daughter was done with the stroller and we'd be at the parks from rope drop to closing. She'd crash in bed but be raring to go when the alarm went off. If she was lagging at some point, she just wanted a snack in the a.c. "to have a good rest" (that's what she calls it) and she'd be good for the rest of the evening.
UncleMike101
Well-Known Member
This year will be our first trip to WDW with our Granddaughter.
It'll be interesting to see who needs an afternoon nap the most, the little one, or Grandpa.
My moneys on Grandpa......
It'll be interesting to see who needs an afternoon nap the most, the little one, or Grandpa.
My moneys on Grandpa......