Toddlers & Naps at Disney

S.,

We have been to Disney NUMEROUS times and I will tell you we have done it both ways but the one that works for us is the nap at the hotel. I have 2 boys, 6 and 3 and we have been going since my first was almost 2. WE go early and stay until lunch/nap time, come back and rest (all of us) and then go back refreshed and happy (all of us). We can also stay later and enjoy more of the park.

What are you going to do while they nap? Sit somewhere? WHy not sit in the hotel and relax as well. The twins will probably sleep better in the hotel without the noise. Disney is an overwhelming place for everyone! Good luck.

We went there when my daughter was almost two for a few days and tried both ways. For us they both proved frustrating. Getting in and out of the park, to the hotel and waiting for a nap to happen took a long time. When we tried to stay in the park and have her nap in the stroller she was to excited to nap. I would chance the nap at the hotel if you know you want to stay late to see fireworks, otherwise I would try and stay in the park.

I would say skip the nap since you are only going for one day!!! Your twins will pass out at bedtime and probably wont move a muscle all night long! :0)

Have your twins ever missed a nap while at home? I know if we take our little ones out shopping with us on the weekends and they miss their nap its 'typically' not that big of a deal. There are days where my 17 month old gets a nap and still wakes up cranky and there are days when she skips a nap and is perfectly happy even at bed time!

I would think one day would be okay without a nap - they will be SO excited by all the sights that they probably wont want to sleep - if they do sleep it will be a nice little catnap in the stroller, which would be just fine.

Good luck and have fun.

We are attempting to go to Disney for the first time with our 3 daughters (they will be 5, 2 and 11 months! wish us luck! LOL)
Kelly

you will need them to take a nap or you'll deal with you know what (i am a mom of twins, who temporarily lost insanity and took my twins to disney when they were two). i said never again, and true enough, they're five, they beg for disney, and i am so scarred from that experience i won't do it.
so, nap at a hotel. there is no way they'll sleep in the stroller with all the things going on.

My son was 14 months when we went to Disney. We just let him nap in the stroller while we were walking around and he slept really well. It wasn't the longest nap, but it was just enough to last him until his normal bedtime back at the hotel. I would skip traveling all the way back to the hotel just for a nap. Seems like such a waste of time. Good luck and have fun!

my youngest was 3 when we went to disney this past summer and I wasn't able to get her to nap by going back to the hotel... she wanted to swim in the pool instead. However disney has a lot of slow moving rides that she fell asleep on then we just put her in the stroller until she woke up. We were at disney for 5 days and she had a regular nap schedule at home but... even when we tried coming back to the hotel to nap... she was too excited to lay down, wanted to swim or just get a snack and go back to the park. I say let them drop when they drop and enjoy the day for as long as you can. The "safari" ride in animal kingdom is a great one to put the kids to sleep if they are super tired and cranky but won't stay in the stroller to go to sleep. Worked for my daughter everytime... The first time it was an accident but when she was super tired on day 4 but won't agree to going back to nap and wouldn't stay in the stroller long enough, we just went to "ride the ride with the animals". If your tired kids fall asleep in the car they will for sure fall asleep on this ride and you can enjoy the animals while they do it. Oh and I wanted to say: even though she was used to having a nap every day at home. On the days she didn't get too tired and cranky and fell asleep on her own(the ride), she didn't have a nap and was fine. Its such a happy place that your twins may be able to get through the whole day without napping! However she did fall asleep on the way back to the trams after the fireworks almost everynight. Have fun at Disney, I love it there and can't wait to go back... not sure when that will be able to happen! :)

for 1 day skip the nap and let them fall asleep in the stroller , you need to see as much as you can in a short space of time

Sylvia,

We took my son (age 3.5) to the Magic Kingdom for one day in late Dec for the first time. He is a regular napper, and would normally nap about 2 hours. We only did one day at the park and then drove back to Cooper City! My advice, get there super early in the AM - we were on the ferry to MK at 8:30am. We did as much as possible, quickly. We had plenty of snacks and juiceboxes! We ate lunch at a fast food place and he did well there.

My son did fall asleep a few times in the stroller for 15 minutes here, 30 minutes there, but was so happy to be at Disney that he seemed okay with it. He finally totally crashed about 6:30pm, after seeing the castle get all lit up. He didn't eat dinner (which we ate at the park) because he was sleeping and he slept through the monorail ride back to the parking and all the way home to Cooper City (until the next morning!).

Disney is so expensive, that I can't see taking the time to go back to a hotel, even if you are on-site, for a nap. Just let them crash out when they do, and run with it.

Best wishes, C.

I'd say let them fall asleep in the stroller so you can make the most of it since you only have one day there. Do your kids sleep well in the stroller? If so, hopefully they'll get a good nap of at least 30 minutes or more. Like you said every child is different, but you certainly don't want to be in Disney with two cranky, tired 2-year-olds! If you don't think they'll get a good nap in the stroller and you know they get cranky if they're tired, then you might want to reconsider...

Have fun! I just finished planning our first trip to Disney World in April for my oldest daughter's 5th birthday and I can't wait to go!

My son was 2 when he first went to Disneyland (for his bday). I let him fall asleep in the stroller while I just walked around. When he woke up he was SO THRILLED to see that we were still at Disneyland that he was all smiles and in a perfect mood the rest of the day! Besides will your little ones really want to LEAVE the park to go take a nap =-) LOL
HAVE FUN!!

It's what ever works for you; however, If you're only there for one night, sleeping in the stroller would be best; It's such a hassle going back and forth to the hotel. My son slept great in his stroller or at night in the hotel. He was so tired from the day, he slept great even with a nap.

Just one more point; not sure if you're staying on property or else where; your kids might fall asleep on the way back to the hotel; will they wake up once you get back to the hotel for their naps and then not nap? Just something to think about.

i agree with your husband we took my son at age 4 and he went back with my mom( who also needed a nap) and came back in a wonderful mood. Think of this are your kids happy when they miss their naps? Are they really going to fall asleep with all that action going on? and if they do will it really be a restfull slepp for long enough? there might be loud music that wakes one up and that in turn might wake the other before thir internal clocks are rady sending them into that unfun place odf the cranky woken up before its time spot. Take the 3 hours to go relax and go back. Disney is open late. So take the nap so hopefully you can stay and watch the fireworks and parade at the end of the night. wwouldn't that be sad if they miss is becasue they are so exhausted they are crying and you and your husband are too overwhelmed to enjoy it.
Take The Time!!!

We've done the full day at Disneyland with kids as young as 2 months and as old as 5.5. The only age to actually successfully nap midday was the 2 month old. The other ages were able to keep up until late afternoon when the 1.5 year old napped in the stroller, and the others needed to ride slower rides. You are in for a really, really long day. My kids aren't big nappers, generally, and tend to go with the flow, so they were in good spirits all day each time we've attempted this. My nieces were nappers and generally calmer kids, and they too were fine without naps. If your kids fall apart with chaos or overstimulation, those are the only kids I'd suggest napping back at the hotel.

Have fun!

we tried both ways as we were there for multiple days. I can tell you, especially if you are just there for one day, there is NO WAY your kids are gonna sleep in the stroller. Too exciting! I HIGHLY recommend going back to your room for a nap. And that way they can stay up to watch the fireworks, too!

Hi S.! We just took my two year old daughter to Disney in November. She was about 2 years and 4 months at the time. We had a hard time with naps while we were in Disney! She would not sleep in the stroller while we were at the parks, there was way too much going on and it was very overwhelming for her. The only time she actually did nap in her stroller was when we went to the Very Merry Christmas Party and were out pretty late at night (The Christmas party was from about 4-midnight). We took the afternoon easy at the hotel and tried to get her to nap then, but I think she was still just so anxious and overwhelmed that we really couldn't get her to nap then either. Do you know which park you're going to? Or are you doing a park hopper for that day? Good luck, I hope everything goes great!