Late nights at parks with 3 and 6 year olds, need help with schedule

[jbethke]

We are staying at the AKL December 1st through 4th.

Some of the things that we are planning are:
MVMCP, Dec 1st
Fantasmic! and Osborne lights, Dec 2nd
CP and Illuminations, Dec 3rd

This makes for very late nights for a 3 and 6 year old.

So my questions is this. Is it a bad idea to head to the parks late mornings, say around 10-11am and continue until 10pm each night? This would give my niece and nephew sleeping time, but how are the parks late morning/afternoons. Would we miss out on things.

I have heard and have seen for myself that the crowds during this time are slow, but are they slow enough.

If this is too much for the kids, we are looking at cancelling CP and Illuminations, Dec 3rd and going to MVMCP on that day instead of the 1st.

Its hard to want to do it all! Suggestions / help!

 

[Jordan's MOM]

Well, a 10-10 day is too long for me and I am way older! I know how hard it is not to do everything but I don't think most kids can hang with that pace for three days.

You have lots of choices though and a lot will depend on the children. Are they use to being up late? Do they like to sleep late.? Crowds during that time of year should be low but I am a big beliver in getting to the parks early to avoid lines.

What about a early start each day and then a long break for a nap or some down time. With this you could stay in the park later.

You also could cut out one of the nights plan and get to bed early that day.

You can always try to catch the early fantasmic show and then call it a night.

We have not done the MVMCP so I can't help there. Try and relax and enjoy the trip and not try to do it all.

Jordan's mom

 

[crisi]

I can't speak for your neice and nephew, but the problem with my kids is that THEY DON'T SLEEP IN. Doesn't matter how late you have them up the night before, they are up by eight. (Which is late, 6:30 is more normal for them). You might be able to do this if you manage to shift their bedtime later before you leave, but that will be hell with their day to day schedules, and hell when they return.

And my kids aren't nappers either - especially when they could be doing something more exciting like being at Disney.

I'd save the late nights for a different trip - or (I'm assuming that there are more adults than just you involved), break up the party.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Go to the parks when they open if possible to get as many rides as possible (especially for the MK). Leave before noon - go back to the hotel and take a nap. Swim a little, then go back to the park. A ten hour day in the park is nearly impossible for kids that age. It's hard for me and I could be their grandmother.

We took our son to WDW the first time when he was four and we took our nieces (8 and 10 at the time). We took a break each day and took a nap, plus went swimming. Going to the pool each day was the highlight of his day.

 

[jbethke]

As you all could tell, this aunt just doesn't understand the schedules needed for a 3 and 6 year old.

Thank you all for your replys and help. Looks like our best option would be to head to the parks early, then head back to AKL for naps or cancel a couple of the night time events. Looks like we will change our MVMCP to the last night of our trip, so this Aunt doesn't wear out her niece and nephew the first day of the trip.

 

[AKASnowWhite]

We did MVMCP far enough into our trip that our kids (then 9,7 & 5) took a REAL go-to-sleep-nap the afternoon of MVMCP. They were sufficiently tired out from our dawn 'til closing schedules so that they fell asleep (well, they were threatened a bit as well.... )...we were at MK 'til the bitter end of MVMCP - arriving back at our room well after 2 am (I thought they'd last until around 11pm....boy was I wrong!)....I was EXHAUSTED...they were ready to go!

 

[vicb]

We took our kids a few years back at those same ages. I carefully planned our schedule to include daytime naps and evening shows... well my kids were too geeked to nap in the afternoon. The only one who ever actually napped was DH! By 7:00 in the evening the 3 year old was dead tired and crabby so we never made it to Spectro, Fantasmic or Illum. But we had a wonderful trip anyway and this year we returned with a 9 and 6 year old and did it all!

 

[BethC]

I would definitely plan on midday breaks with such young children. Even if you don't actually nap, just being out of the parks for a couple of hours makes all the difference in the world!

When my kids were younger we found that if we came back to the resort and let them swim for an hour or so, they would always easily fall asleep as soon as we made it back to the room, they were just so exhausted! The naps were especially important for late nights such as MVMCP or e-nights. Usually if they had a nap they were raring to go the whole evening, but if we missed out on one they would be dragging by the end of the night.

My kids are older now (almost 8 and 10) but we still take midday breaks! Mom and dad need a rest every now and then too!

 

[tjmw2727]

I agree with the mid-day break and rest. My girls are now 5 & 7, we have been going since the youngest was a year old. If your staying on site and with EE its more convenient. Hit the EE park until just before lunchtime, have lunch at your resort (more choices IMHO) and a swim or play at the playground. Hit the room for quiet time - even if its just playing, coloring or tv time they will rest - ideally a nap but you never know. Often my girls would lay in bed and watch a bit of tv fall asleep, if not at least they had rested.
Then we would head out to a different park - often the one that had EE the day before or Epcot.
Have Fun
TJ