Sleep

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2003
Sleep
17
Wed, 04-11-2007 - 3:14pm
I know this is just a silly question but when I was talking to DH last night about some of our plans he said, "well, when do you suppose we get any sleep?"
I hadn't really thought of that but he is right. My kids get a bit cranky if they don't get their sleep. The 7 and 5 year old get about 10-11 hours of sleep every night, the 11 and 15 year old get about 9 or so. That just seems impossible in Disney with Extra magic evening hours then 9:00 am openings.
Does everyone just have too much adrenaline running through them to want to sleep a full night's rest?
I figured we could just sleep once we get home :)

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-04-2004
In reply to: noeinstein
Wed, 04-11-2007 - 3:58pm

This will be hard to do, but it is better to do less and enjoy it more, than it is to try to cram to much activity into each day and have cranky people to deal with.


My plan is to do as much as we can in the parks in the am eat lunch and then head back to the resort to rest/play in the pool, and then do some type of night time entertainment or head back to the park.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-26-2006
In reply to: noeinstein
Wed, 04-11-2007 - 4:07pm

I can totally relate. I joke that my motto is: "We can sleep at home for free", lol. But, the reality is that Disney is so exhausting, you might find your kids will need more sleep than usual. I'd really consider giving your schedule another look. I would not want to stay for evening EMH, then try to get up for park opening the next day. A lot of people seem to think that morning EMH are less crowded and you can get a lot accomplished if you get there at opening. However, morning EMH do not work for our family since Disney is on EST and we are on CST. There is only one hour difference, but that is pretty significant to small kids when getting up at 6 am feels like 5 to their little bodies. I'll be honest, that is pretty rough on big bodies too! The bottom line is if you push your kids too hard, they will eventually crash (I am speaking from experience here). I know how easy it is to get caught up in trying to do everything possible, but I also have experienced the consequences...which was one very cranky toddler, one whiny pre-schooler, and 4 irritable adults. At the very least, I'd take afternoon breaks at the hotel so they kids (and adults) can nap.

Sorry, I don't mean to sound preachy. I just want you to have a great trip and not make the same mistake I did. Hopefully, I can take some of my own advice next trip and give us plenty of rest time :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-13-2005
In reply to: noeinstein
Wed, 04-11-2007 - 9:23pm

I agree that if the kids are cranky the day won't go well!!!

Several years ago when my girls were younger we were in MK for less than an hour and we decided to leave because they were falling apart....we went back to the resort, rested and swam and went back to MK later and had the BEST time. I can't imagine what that day would have been like if we pushed them through it (well I can imagine -it would have been miserable for them, us, and anyone in our general vicinity LOL!)

Definitely have a plan, but don't be afraid to stray from it when necessary. My family is not happy with me when I wake them up at the crack of dawn to get there at park opening, but for MK and AK it really does make a difference. We don't get up early on Epcot or MGM days.

Just remember, once you pay for the tickets the money is gone - you'll be better off getting "your money's worth" with quality park time (although I'm sending pixie dust for quality AND quantity!!)

Enjoy!!!

Mara

Avatar for laurieh88
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
In reply to: noeinstein
Thu, 04-12-2007 - 8:35am

Like everyone else, I think being flexible in your schedule is the way to go. Vacation is so different from "normal" life (especially when you're at WDW)....your kids might be more tired or less tired. If somebody is having a meltdown, take a break or skip the extra evening hours. If everybody is having a great time at the park, why leave mid-day?

We are a family that goes from open to close at a park in a day.....but we take it easy in the parks. There's no rushing, and if we need to sit for half an hour, we sit for half an hour. Everybody can have a different technique for a happy time, but we'd not be happy at all going back and forth midday.

We are not big on the extra morning hours because we only have one morning person in the family. We have no problem staying late though, unless it's terribly crowded. Sometimes the extra hours are nuts.

My husband always says "I'll get enough sleep when I'm dead!". I laugh at him, but that's his motto. :)

Laurie in OH, mom to

Alex, 12 years old
Julianne and Leah, 10.5 years old
Audrey, 3 years old

WDW visits in 1973, 1986, 1987, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006!




Edited 4/12/2007 8:48 am ET by laurieh88

LAURIE IN OH, Mom to:


Alex, 1

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: noeinstein
Thu, 04-12-2007 - 8:49am

I think we might be in the minority, but we hardly ever go to EMH in the morning. My DH and DS11 would make it fine, but my DS7 and myself are not morning people. We tend to get up and moving and in the bus line by 9 am or so. We don't stay out late every night either. We try to stagger it. One night out late, the next night in relatively early, with some pool time. I think it's easier to do that when you've got 8 days booked. I don't think I could ever do the World in a 4 day trip. It would be too exhausting!

Also, you need to resign yourself to the fact that regardless of how many days you are there, you'll never see everything. Take some time out to smell the roses! And if your kids need their sleep, by all means let them! There is nothing worse than a cranky family in Disney World!

Marcy

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: noeinstein
Thu, 04-12-2007 - 9:32am

Our family likes to sleep in. We usually got up and going around 11-12ish, so we usually stayed up late until closing. Call me crazy but we pushed my girls in strollers all day; they were 7 & 9. Yes, seven and nine. I got to move alot faster and without any whining and we did 9 days w/o going back to the resort to nap. They went to the pool before closing time at the resort with Dad while I went to bed. Every family does their own thing and I figure if you're gonna spend alot of $$$ on a trip get the most out of it as you can. Oh, also don't waste time doing laundry. Bring enough clothes for every day.

Kathy

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2003
In reply to: noeinstein
Thu, 04-12-2007 - 9:54am
To all,
I think you may have shed some light. I need to sit down and figure out what is really important for us to see and the rest will happen if we have time. I should have done more research before we booked our flight. I might have booked a 7 night stay instead of 5 night but I still think we wouldn't get everything done in 7. Guess we just have to plan to go back for another trip next year!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
In reply to: noeinstein
Thu, 04-12-2007 - 10:41am

I wantd to chime in here too.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2003
In reply to: noeinstein
Thu, 04-12-2007 - 11:38am

OH wow. You checked in at 2 am and then did 9-9 at MGM? I don't think my kids could handle that. That is really impressive. We plan on only taking breaks mid day if we need it. We have gone to six flags from open to close without needing a break but I don't know if I could compare six flags to Disney world.

It is funny how you have to "plan" your entire trip before you go - which park you will be at which day, make ADRs 6 months in advance etc. but then all the advice you get says to just play it by ear and see what happens once you get there!

I'm probably making way too much a big deal out of it (just like the love bugs-sorry Sonya!) but I keep reading these incredible trip reports and want to be able to write one of those once we get back!

Thanks everyone!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
In reply to: noeinstein
Thu, 04-12-2007 - 2:43pm

Just wanted to add my 2 cents.

Expect that it is possible for sleep patterns to change when doing a Disney vacation.

Aly is a NIGHT OWL! She can stay up late, late, late, and loves to sleep in. She also gave up naps at 2½.

Addressing the naps first since that did NOT change with her. She never took a nap at Disney even at under 3, EXCEPT a brief 20-minute nap between the tree-lighting ceremony and night parade on her first trip, the very first park day ever. She napped in her stroller while we were sitting in our spot. However, I've known a couple kids who had given up naps and at 5, took a daily nap at Disney--back at the hotel.

Now, night owl part--we have learned that we do best at Disney getting there at 9-10 am (although monorail to MK doesn't work well at 10am....2 days in a row, getting there at 10, we had to wait for monorail switches). Staying there ALL day--coming back for rest time or nap would be disastrous with our family. And winding down before 10pm. Even though she is a night owl, I don't think she would be able to handle sleeping in and staying up until midnight.

So, your children may stick to bedtime schedules, naptimes, etc. OR they may completely do the opposite.

Definitely DO NOT plan to do an evening EMH and then early morning. And just go with the flow with your kids. Unfortunately, with more than one kid, that may be difficult, just find what works best for your family and don't overdo it.

Good luck!

Alysha


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