Nap suggestions...just and fyi

[natolij02]

We just got back and our dd still naps everyday. We tried both ways of letting her sleep in the stroller and going back to the hotel for a nap. We discovered it was much easier to let her just sleep in the stroller while we took the time to grab lunch or take turns on the "adult" rides. Just thought I would throw the idea out there for people going down with young children and wondering how to work naps and still enjoy the park. We found that the time it took to travel back to the resort and get her settled down, then back up and back to the park was hard and we missed out on a lot that way. Luckily our dd napped well and comfortably in her stroller. We kept her cool by staying in the resturaunt to eat or going into stores. It worked well for us just thought someone else might want some info on that subject.

 

[natalia1681]

Thanks! We are traveling next week for the first time with our nephew. My mom is thinking about returning to the resort daily for the afternoon nap, but I may suggest this to her, as my nephew could sleep standing up!:ROFLOL:
However, this may cut into my mom's plans for her afternoon nap:lookaroun

 

[nicnic]

We too do this. Uur dd will be turning 4 on our next trip in 2 weeks and last year when we went, we found it alot easier if she slept in her stroller, this gave us an hour to do the 'adult' rides or sometimes just find a nice shadded cool spot and sit with a cool drink and watch the world go by. We will again be letting her nap in her stroller this time, mainly because she would never make it through the day and more importantly, in a good mood!!!

 

[DisneyMarg]

Thanks for posting! Ours are past the toddler naps and now into the teenage naps :lol:

But I thought I'd add what we found once they outgrew naps. It was better to set aside a couple of afternoon hours where they could just play play play than it was to try to get them to rest in the afternoons. Even if we were all tired and cranky, going back to the hotel room just seemed to make it worse. But if we stayed in the park and let them just play to their heart's content at one of the playgrounds, everyone got a break from the schedule, from the crowds, and from each other. Dad and I would find a place to sit and read and they could play and check in from time to time. This worked great at the Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground in MGM, the Boneyard at AK, and at Tom Sawyer Island at MK. Going back to the pool worked too, but that required more effort on my part We would just let them play until they were ready to move on. Somehow just being able to do what they wanted for as long as they wanted was more "restful" than a nap.

 

[H20Babie]

Strollers are great ... and not just for naps! Make sure to bring your own. On our last trip this past March, DS was 5 almost 6, in kindergarten and no longer napped, so I did not bring a stroller, and planned to play it by ear and rent one if needed. Well, we ended up renting one for MK evening EMH. By the time we started to head back, DS was out. And I mean, OUT. He did not wake up once. Try carrying a 50 lb child to the bus, on the bus, off the bus and to the room half a mile away at POR! :ROFLOL:

 

[Jessie&Buzz]

My son was almost 4 on our last trip. He napped in the stroller too. We did the same thing with having lunch or rode stuff he couldn't. My parents were along and my mom offered to sit with him so I could ride too. What a great Mom! We did go back to the resort 2 days because my dd wasn't feeling well. She ended up in an urgent care center because she has strep throat and scarlet fever. It wasn't fun. We did as much of the park as she could handle then went back to rest. (after she had 2 doses of meds she was ok to go per dr orders) I thought it was a hassle to go back to the resort. I also felt like we were missing out on things but that was selfishness on my part. I know she needed rest.

 

[tigsmom]

When the kids were small they could nap in the stroller. After about age 4 we would head back to the resort to take a quick swim to cool off and then to the room for a nap. We always built this into our lunch time.
Then we would head back out to the parks till closing. My kids are 19 & 13 now and we still do this (although nobody really naps anymore, we just cool off and rest a bit).

We never felt as if we were wasting time or missing anything, but then again we are "go with the flow" kind of people. Its our one vacation a year and we take the time to relax, not rush around. :shrug:

Whatever works for your family is the best policy to follow.

 

[Yellow Shoes]

It was better to set aside a couple of afternoon hours where they could just play play play than it was to try to get them to rest in the afternoons.... Somehow just being able to do what they wanted for as long as they wanted was more "restful" than a nap.

If you are a parent, you know that kids are not like adults in so many ways.
This is yet another example.

For children, especially around 4-10, it is actually more tiring to stand in line than it is to whoop it up on a playground. They are completely refreshed and energized by the unstructured time.

Those playgrounds are scattered around the property for a reason...

 

[happymom52003]

Naptime on each of our trips has been so different. On our first trip with the kids, our youngest was 12 months old and still napping twice a day. She took her morning nap in the stroller and it was great! I would wander around the shops while my DH took our older child on a couple of rides. We would still go back to the resort for the afternoon nap because my oldest was only four and even though he did not nap, he needed the rest. On our next trip 6 months later though, my little one was down to one nap a day in the afternoon and we still went back to the hotel for that. On our next trip 6 months after that, we went back to the resort for nap but she would not fall asleep right away....she would play in her crib and fall asleep so late that it messed up all of our dinner plans! She is now 2 1/2, and is trying to give up her her nap....she only falls asleep during nap time about half the time now. So I have no idea what naptime will be like on our next trip in January! I have a feeling she will just have "rest" time like her older brother.

 

[Yellow Shoes]

For what it's worth, I always feel soooo sorry for those kids zonked out in strollers.

It's hot, it's noisy, and I cannot imagine they are getting quality rest.

Just as a starving person will eat garbage, an exhausted child will sleep anywhere.

However, neither is ideal.

 

[Kristamouse]

Yellow Shoes, I feel sorry for them too! Also in car seats! Do you have kids? Mine sleep in the most discombobulated postions in there own beds so I guess the stroller isn't as bad as we think. There have been many times I wished I could take a nap in there, instead of pushing.

 

[coltow]

We just got back and our dd still naps everyday. We tried both ways of letting her sleep in the stroller and going back to the hotel for a nap. We discovered it was much easier to let her just sleep in the stroller while we took the time to grab lunch or take turns on the "adult" rides. Just thought I would throw the idea out there for people going down with young children and wondering how to work naps and still enjoy the park. We found that the time it took to travel back to the resort and get her settled down, then back up and back to the park was hard and we missed out on a lot that way. Luckily our dd napped well and comfortably in her stroller. We kept her cool by staying in the resturaunt to eat or going into stores. It worked well for us just thought someone else might want some info on that subject.

I think is also depends on a number of factors, time of year, where you stay and the ages of the kids as to whether or not you can go back to resorts. When DS was 9 months we were at Music in August, when possible we went back to the room, but sometimes just let him sleep in the stroller.

When he was 22 months we were at Pop in October and NEVER went back to the room. I think this was mostly because the parks closed early so to leave and come back we'd miss too much.

On his last trip at 2 1/2 we were at WL and went back everyday. We would leave the parks at noon, go for a swim to cool off, then he'd nap for about 90 minutes.

On our next trip he'll be 4 1/2 and my other son will be 17 months and we will also have my nephew who'll be 5 travelling with us, along with several aunts and grandparents. We will be at FQ next August. We plan to head back every afternoon, but full understand that it may not always be possible. DH and I also figure that we can split up when needed so the baby can get cooled off, rested and comfortable during the afternoons.

 

[woodsjen99]

We just got back last night We let our DD sleep in her stroller during the trip. We found quiet cool spots in the parks. At magic Kingdom the building that has Tony's restaurant has a little theatre in the back behind the store. Great place to rest. And at Epcot SSE exit is open so you can go in there and rest on the benches. Very cool and dark and pretty quite. We got to rest along with our DD

 

[coltow]

The exit at ToT is another good spot.