Creating a quiet sleep space for toddler in hotel room?

[bswb97]

We're planning on staying at the GC in the next few months. Our daughter will be a young-ish 3-year-old and though she sleeps through the night fine, she's very used to falling asleep in her own space with quiet and dark. If we go into her room or try sleeping in our bed, it's game over -- she gets fussy or plays around.

We've never stayed at a hotel with her before and are trying to think of some creative ways to create a quiet room division for her (we may bring our Pack n' Play or try sharing a bed). Since she also usually goes to bed at 8, we're also looking for a way for us to read or use the tablet.

Any creative ideas? We're driving down, so we will have space for something. My wife even kicked around the idea of like a $40 room divider they sell for dorm rooms.

I know in a worst-case scenario we'll just wing it. But we figure we can't be the only ones with a kid in this situation, hoping for some ideas. Thanks!

 

[Fosteringaprincess]

If you spend long hours in the parks she will sleep fine in the room with you. We do always use a sound machine so that helps too. I have one that's ADHD and need no movement for him to sleep, but at Disney that is no issue! We stay long hours in the parks,and up late so all our kiddos just crash!

 

[tzolkin]

Not sure what that particular room layout is, but I know some have a closet and sink area near the bathroom where you can fit a pack n play crib. You will have to go through there to get to the bathroom (toilet and showe are in a separate room to the left of the sink), but you may be able to hold off until she falls asleep

See this image of a room at Coronado Springs. Crib can fit to the right of the sink and you can close the sliding doors.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I think the room divider is a good idea if you have the room and don't mind spending the money.
I would also suggest a sound machine or small fan.
I watch a toddler in my home a couple times per week and for nap time she sleeps in a pack n play in my room and I turn on a fan and face it away from her.
My house creeks so much when you walk around and with the fan on you literally can't hear all the noise.

 

[ajwolfe]

Our youngest was like that when we took him for the first time at 18mths. We had him sleep in his pack and play using a blanket to cover up one side so he couldn't really see out and the other sides kind of in a corner (hope that makes sense). Gave him a sense of privacy and usually he was wore out enough he didn't struggle as much to sleep as he would of at home in that situation.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

Bring a small sound machine. We traveled with our 3 1/2 year old and 7 month old this past summer, and all 4 of us shared a room. We brought two noise machines and put one next to each kid so they wouldn't wake each other up, and so we wouldn't wake either one! It worked great. We use this when we travel:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013KH2H0...Pw&pd_rd_i=B013KH2H0A&hsa_cr_id=9039172700101

 

[Dashzap]

If packing a fan or noise machine is too much, some resorts have fans or air cleaners available upon request. I also have a fan-noise app (Bed Time Fan) on my phone.

 

[kboo]

Our youngest was like that when we took him for the first time at 18mths. We had him sleep in his pack and play using a blanket to cover up one side so he couldn't really see out and the other sides kind of in a corner (hope that makes sense). Gave him a sense of privacy and usually he was wore out enough he didn't struggle as much to sleep as he would of at home in that situation.

If packing a fan or noise machine is too much, some resorts have fans or air cleaners available upon request. I also have a fan-noise app (Bed Time Fan) on my phone.

We use a white noise app on the ipad that we also use for the kids on the flight. The blanket on the side of the pack and play idea is one we've definitely done before. If she sleeps with a security object, make sure you bring that.

I'm not sure of the room layout at the GC, but at various hotels (Disney and other) we've often found a nook or part of the room where the pack and play will fit (sometimes in the entry way) and where we could hide/huddle out of sight until she fell asleep. The resorts will have cribs or pack and plays, no need to bring your own, as it won't have any magic juju that will make your toddler fall asleep faster.

Being at WDW/DL is very stimulating. We've done well with keeping the bedtime routine and bedtime fairly similar, with some wind down time/story time before bed, and no video or screens in the last hour before bed or nap. If it's around normal time for bed, she will be very tired and even some fussing (or playing, or shouting) stops after about 5 minutes. Even now, with our 2nd one, we will turn out the light and firmly say goodnight and withdraw, and either use the bathroom (shower) or go around and sit on the floor on the other side of a bed, or something like that, to be quietly out of sight. DH used to go sit on the balcony too. Once they fall asleep, it's pretty easy to move about the room. I know some parents even manage to watch TV in the same room - we've never tried that, but we have had no problem using a tablet or hanging out on the balcony. DH and I have also gone in/out to do laundry, and it's not bothered them at all.

And - last few times we've had babysitters at WDW, we've come back to the sitter sitting next to a table or standing lamp, lighting up the whole room, reading a book, while both kids were snoozing away! As long as you are consistent with your "Bedtime while vacationing" routine, she will get with the program pretty quickly. I promise you it won't be too bad. And - it's ok if she yells or cries or makes noise for a little while. Chances are at 8pm most people are still out. And if you put a timer on how long she is making noise, it will not be as long as it feels, I promise.

 

[kboo]

BTW, I am by NO means a baby sleep expert or anything. But Disney has a way of tiring everyone out, and if we make it dark and quiet for the LOs to fall asleep, they sleep quite soundly after the initial falling asleep part, which still only takes 5-25 minutes. The best part is, once they get used to the new routine it works great for future trips too!

Now our girls (almost 2 and 6) share a room at home with the crib right next to the bed. DH and I watch them on the monitor - they are chatting, playing with each other, hugging. Sometimes the 6yo lies down, tells her to be quiet and then ignores her. Sometimes the 2yo then lies down, or she sits and "reads" herself to sleep. In the dark. Even when they are fidgeting for a while, they are usually quiet after a few minutes. Now, if we went in and told them to "be quiet and go to sleep," I'm pretty sure that would just rile them up again! but literally ignoring their antics is the quickest way to get them to stop and go to sleep.

Have a great trip!

 

[KrazeeK120]

We took our son at 18 months and rented a crib for him. We usually use pack n plays at hotels, but we thought that the crib would be better/more comfortable for a longer trip. We stayed at WL and had the crib in the room with us. No dividers, noise machines, or anything special. He was so tired every night that he just conked out. We went and sat on the balcony after he went to sleep and watched Wishes. It was great!

He just turned 2 and he’s too big for a pack n play now. On future trips, we will likely bring inflatable bed rails and just stick him in the second bed in the room.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

We're planning on staying at the GC in the next few months. Our daughter will be a young-ish 3-year-old and though she sleeps through the night fine, she's very used to falling asleep in her own space with quiet and dark. If we go into her room or try sleeping in our bed, it's game over -- she gets fussy or plays around.

We've never stayed at a hotel with her before and are trying to think of some creative ways to create a quiet room division for her (we may bring our Pack n' Play or try sharing a bed). Since she also usually goes to bed at 8, we're also looking for a way for us to read or use the tablet.

Any creative ideas? We're driving down, so we will have space for something. My wife even kicked around the idea of like a $40 room divider they sell for dorm rooms.

I know in a worst-case scenario we'll just wing it. But we figure we can't be the only ones with a kid in this situation, hoping for some ideas. Thanks!

if you decide to use a white noise machine start using it at home before trip. I wouldn't start anything new on your trip

 

[unrequited23]

I would try to keep the bedtime routine as close to normal as possible. We did the same books as at home and brought our sound machine. Lights out for the entire room at a reasonable hour--I think out latest night was 9:15. Our kids would be completely out within 15 mins of turning out the lights. If the grownups wanted to read, watch tv, or turn on lights the kids didn't even wake up.

Also, remember that you can request bed rails from housekeeping if you want to let your child sleep in a big bed.

 

[Q-man]

We use a white noise app on our phones to sleep in hotels.

 

[momto2js]

What my kids were that age. They slept in a tent. Small play when you could even pitch on the second bed. He might be able to get one large enough to put a pack and play in. But at Young 3 the pack and play maybe too small. And you may be having to explore other options anyway.

I will also say, that when my kids are overtired it is harder to get them to sleep. So for us there was no magic after the end of the long Disney day.

 

[ArwenMarie]

We always found it was best for all of us to go to sleep at the same time. So keep the kids up a bit later and put ourselves to sleep a bit earlier, like let's say 9-ish. Then lights out for everyone. We were so tired too, that we would all just konk out

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

We always found it was best for all of us to go to sleep at the same time. So keep the kids up a bit later and put ourselves to sleep a bit earlier, like let's say 9-ish. Then lights out for everyone. We were so tired too, that we would all just konk out

This is what we did too. Mine wouldn't go to sleep unless we were all lying down together with lights out. Still don't really. DH and I aren't really night owls though, and going bed between 9-10 works fine for us.

 

[buzznina]

Without knowing it (LOL) we ended up preparing our DDs for trips and stays in hotels rooms. Since they were born we always put them to sleep with some lullaby or music playing in the back ground and had a light on somewhere, so it was not total darkness. We never had any trouble getting them to sleep when we go on trips and we could watch TV, talk etc. without them waking. We would lay down with them some times when they were fussy but not for long and they would be asleep. For us, we would not like feeling like we had to go to bed at the same time as them and had to make it totally dark in the room or be very quite.

 

[FireflyTrance]

When my daughter used to take naps we would sometimes put a pack n play partially in the closet, or near the bathroom where the sink was. It depends a lot on the layout of the room. If the room has a sink area outside the toilet/shower I would put the pack n play there. I've also put it right by the front door since some rooms have a long hallway type entrance. We actually stayed at the GCV in a studio with our now 4 year old in Sept and it was fine. The long days in the parks made it so she fell asleep more easily than usual.

 

[chineymachine]

My toddler transitioned out of his crib at 19 months old and we wanted a night light and white noise machine that would work for us to make bedtime easier. The best thing I've ever purchased is a hatch baby rest. It's a programmable sound machine night light but you can program times and control it from your phone but we mostly just tap it to rotate between 3 setting we programmed. You can also set an ok to wake setting where it turns a different color and noise letting them know it's ok to get up. And it is small and travels well. We have been to hotels with it and he is super comfortable falling asleep in the bed with it. I wish I had this thing with my oldest one. All that to say, if you introduce something like this, do it a few weeks before your trip and have them get used to a machine or light and I think it will be ok. Also, hatch baby rest!!!!

 

[kboo]

My toddler transitioned out of his crib at 19 months old and we wanted a night light and white noise machine that would work for us to make bedtime easier. The best thing I've ever purchased is a hatch baby rest. It's a programmable sound machine night light but you can program times and control it from your phone but we mostly just tap it to rotate between 3 setting we programmed. You can also set an ok to wake setting where it turns a different color and noise letting them know it's ok to get up. And it is small and travels well. We have been to hotels with it and he is super comfortable falling asleep in the bed with it. I wish I had this thing with my oldest one. All that to say, if you introduce something like this, do it a few weeks before your trip and have them get used to a machine or light and I think it will be ok. Also, hatch baby rest!!!!

Slightly off topic, but how bright is the "ok to rise" light?
The current light we have doesn't have sound and when it turns green, it is super bright (in winter especially) so that the light itself wakes up the kids. Which is ok on a school morning but not so great on the weekends. The hatch baby rest looks like it's easier to travel with, too. And we always need a nightlight when traveling anyway.