Most annoying part about trip, kids in bed early!

[Cindee75]

DH and I will not hire people to babysit that we don't know (proves a challenge when you live in a area without family.) However, I don't think it is fair to the children to leave them with people that are not familiar with them and/or our family values. This is challenging on vacations - naps and skipping naps works - I like the bubble bath idea.

 

[DizneyPryncess]

I can relate. DH & I were night time Disney goers, and on our first trip with DD it was a different experience. She would go to bed at 8, and so we would head back to the room. We brought movies to watch, cards to play, books to read, etc. We became early morning Disney goers, ha. We'd end up tired earlier too. When we went back last month, we wised up & took the grandparents. It was nice having them there to watch her if she was napping, or in for the night.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

When my brother would crash, my dad and I would stay out and my mom would take him back. A lot of times, especially when he was little, they'd plan a quiet ADR and we'd nap (we're 6 1/2 years apart, so they basically went through the stroller years twice). My mom also put the seat on the stroller back and the cover over it and force us to sleep for a while in the park while they walked around, switched off on bigger stuff, etc.

 

[Sparkle81]

We've booked a 1 bed suite at SSR, because I'm worried about my DS going to bed early & us being stuck going to bed too!

 

[tare]

It's disney. The kids should stay up late and enjoy. Trips of a lifetime.

 

[itsbetsyh]

wait til they fall asleep and turn on a bathroom light or something. I'm usually more than happy to crawl into bed when my kid is exhausted because i've been walking all day too.

 

[LizC]

We were worried about this too, and ended up booking a 1 BR. We didn't know how our 2 yr old twins would react to being out late and didn't want twin meltdowns. Before we booked we thought about getting a regular room with a balcony, and hanging out there with a bottle of wine while the kids slept. Aside from this I really don't think there is much you can do.

 

[Pixie Duster Mom]

If, at all possible, get a suite, so you have a separate space. We have a large family and almost always stay off-property so we "fit". Yes, we need to drive in, but it's not that far/long, we have stayed on-property and, although convenient, the transportation is not always timely or easy. The upside - once we decided to stay off-property, we really made it worth our while - got a condo or house. The house had a private pool, so we could still go swimming/relax with some wine by the pool and be just a few yards from the kids bedroom(s). I also like the suggestion to take the Grandparents along.

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

Granted, we haven't taken our kiddo yet...however, when we do travel we always get a suite. That way DH and I can stay up and she can snooze.

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

It's disney. The kids should stay up late and enjoy. Trips of a lifetime.

Even then every kid has a wall they hit. My kids normal bed time is 7:30. She can only last so far past that....even that is earlier than DH and I go to sleep

 

[Lynn1030]

With my 1 year old, we made sure to take a midday swim and nap break, which was great for us too because we beat the midday heat and crowds. We also let his sleep in his stroller while we continued to walk around. When we stayed a few nights in te suite at AOA, he could sleep in the other room without making us have to go to sleep.

 

[doc_holiday3500]

On our last trip we simply popped a couple of the chairs out in front of our door and propped the door open with the lock at the top of the door and had a couple of cool beverages. Gave us time for some nice adult conversation, review the days pics, and plan for the next day. We were at The Caribbean Beach though so it was nice and quiet and away from the pool.

 

[HRHPrincessAriel]

On our last trip we simply popped a couple of the chairs out in front of our door and propped the door open with the lock at the top of the door and had a couple of cool beverages. Gave us time for some nice adult conversation, review the days pics, and plan for the next day. We were at The Caribbean Beach though so it was nice and quiet and away from the pool.

Oh! Good call!!

 

[Gabe1]

On our last trip we simply popped a couple of the chairs out in front of our door and propped the door open with the lock at the top of the door and had a couple of cool beverages. Gave us time for some nice adult conversation, review the days pics, and plan for the next day. We were at The Caribbean Beach though so it was nice and quiet and away from the pool.

Exactly what we did when ours were small. We'd stay in the mansions at POR have an adult beverage and people watch. Eventually they were in a deep sleep and we could turn the TV on and drift away after chilling out.

 

[Sphinx610]

Always annoyed when we stay at disney that kids are so exhausted by 8 or 9 that they crash. My kids always want the lights off and we are stuck going to bed. Any suggestions?

I hear ya! My 3 yo would have no prob taking a midday nap but my 6 yo wall not having it! So he was exhausted by like 7 and falling asleep- and my Disney freak butt hadn't been to Disney in 15 yrs so... It was rough for us. To top it off my hubs is not the rope drop guy so we didn't get there til like 10:30 everyday. To say the least it was a frustrating trip! If you can get the nap in there go for it. Like i said i tried w my 6yo- we were there for a week and i could only get to Wishes once and he STiLL passed out in the stroller RIGHT bf the electric parade... ugh... Even if you have to rent a double stroller after they are too old for it (go ahead ppl flame away! Lol) if they pass out in the stroller and nap it makes life better for everyone...

 

[jmorri26]

We just did DL last week and every night when our son would crash my husband would smile at me walking out early and say "you know, you can always ditch us and stay. I won't judge!" Its tough. We got pretty good with timing afternoon naps so he'd make it to fireworks at least. We don't close outthe parks anymore, but we can make it til 10.

 

[SMS55]

Whatever you do keep them off of It's a Small World. When my now ten year old was 3 or 4 we were on one of our trips and it was our last night. MK was open til midnight so we wanted to get every last bit of Disney out of the evening. I kept asking him if he was tired and he would say no. He wasn't cranky either. Well at like 11:55 we went on its a small world because it was the only thing we hadn't done yet. He was perfectly fine going in but by the end he was out cold. I had to carry him all the way out. He was like dead weight at that point.

 

[tare]

On our last trip we simply popped a couple of the chairs out in front of our door and propped the door open with the lock at the top of the door and had a couple of cool beverages. Gave us time for some nice adult conversation, review the days pics, and plan for the next day. We were at The Caribbean Beach though so it was nice and quiet and away from the pool.

We've done that at the cbr also. Works out well for nap time!!!

 

[IWantMyMagicBand]

This is the exact reason why we stay at a 2BR OKW. We bring my dad with us. He has the master room and we have the second room. There are 3 beds in the apt, which means that we go back to the room after lunch and a ride (about 2pm), each kid gets a bed while the grown ups relax in the lounge area or balcony for a couple of hours. Then we head back to the parks for dinner and to last the rest of the night. They sleep in the double stroller again if needed. Worked out fine for us. I'm in the UK, we can't just pop over, and with it being so expensive (£13,000 just for flight an accommodation - free dining plan though), I want to get every single waking second at Disney!
Some nights my hubby sat the kids and me and dad did adult rides if the kids were that pooped (and one night it was frikkin freezing - too cold for kids), my dad babysat one night while me and hubby went to the bar for cocktails.
Maybe get a 2br and bring a grandparent

 

[Gabe1]

This is the exact reason why we stay at a 2BR OKW. We bring my dad with us. He has the master room and we have the second room. There are 3 beds in the apt, which means that we go back to the room after lunch and a ride (about 2pm), each kid gets a bed while the grown ups relax in the lounge area or balcony for a couple of hours. Then we head back to the parks for dinner and to last the rest of the night. They sleep in the double stroller again if needed. Worked out fine for us. I'm in the UK, we can't just pop over, and with it being so expensive (£13,000 just for flight an accommodation - free dining plan though), I want to get every single waking second at Disney!
Some nights my hubby sat the kids and me and dad did adult rides if the kids were that pooped (and one night it was frikkin freezing - too cold for kids), my dad babysat one night while me and hubby went to the bar for cocktails.
Maybe get a 2br and bring a grandparent

That is wonderful that is in your budget. There is no way I'd pay over $20,000 for air and a 2BR to accommodate naps, my DH would have had my head on a platter. Here, that would have almost paid a year of my DS University tuition. Couldn't have justified that for nap time, I'd sit outside the door at POR and saved the balance for their education.

Whatever you do keep them off of It's a Small World. When my now ten year old was 3 or 4 we were on one of our trips and it was our last night. MK was open til midnight so we wanted to get every last bit of Disney out of the evening. I kept asking him if he was tired and he would say no. He wasn't cranky either. Well at like 11:55 we went on its a small world because it was the only thing we hadn't done yet. He was perfectly fine going in but by the end he was out cold. I had to carry him all the way out. He was like dead weight at that point.

That is how I got my kids when small to take a nap in parks. Haunted Mansion was our go to and also Energy, Movie Ride, SSE, they were cool, long enough for them to drop. Thank goodness by the time AK opened they were beyond naps, can't think of what would have done it there.