Disney With a Baby, Part 3: It’s Sleepy Time

A well rested baby is a lot more enjoyable than a cranky one, so what can you do to help your baby sleep well on your Disney vacation?

Other entries:

• Part 1: Feeding
• Part 2: Diapering & Potty Training
• Part 4: Transportation

1. Stay on Schedule:

If you’ve worked hard to get your baby into a routine and things are going well – do not mess with it. Try to stick to it as much as possible – especially the nighttime routine. If she usually goes to sleep at 8pm after a bath, then make sure you’re back in your hotel room in time to make this happen. If you’re one of the lucky ones with an adaptable baby – no one wants to hear about it!  Just kidding – if that’s you, then good for you – enjoy the flexibility and you can probably ignore the rest of these suggestions. Just know we are all very jealous of you!

2. Get one good nap:

Your baby might still be taking two or three naps at home, but you know that won’t be possible on vacation unless you’ve brought a nanny along. (That’s not a bad idea!). You don’t want to be stuck inside the hotel room for 4 or 5 hours while baby sleeps. If you can try for one good nap in the room each day, you can probably get by with snoozing on the go for the other nap(s).

3. Prepare Ahead of Time:

Try out your new nap routine at home before you come to Disney. Try putting the baby in his carrier or stroller before his morning nap and get him used to sleeping on the go. Try him in a pack ‘n play (or whatever type of travel bed you’ll be using – Disney resorts supply pack ‘n plays) for nap #2 in the afternoon. By practicing the routine, baby will get used to it, and you’ll get a feel for it as well.

Do you have a comfortable baby carrier? Make sure the first time you use it ISN’T on vacation. Become best friends with that thing. You’ll likely be walking 5-7 miles a day or more at the parks. Try it at home on walks or hit some tourist attractions in your home town.

The Baby Bjorn

Make sure you have a comfortable stroller that baby can sleep in as well. Disney rents strollers, but they are hard plastic and fixed in an upright position. If you have a baby under a year old, I recommend you bring your own – or rent a nice one from an outside company that will deliver to your Disney resort. You’ll probably want to bring a sunshade or blanket to throw over it to block out the light – and if the weather will be hot, a battery operated stroller fan is a great idea.

Rechargeble Battery Operated Stroller Fan

Be prepared in the hotel room as well. Disney resorts will supply a pack ‘n play upon request – if that isn’t sufficient, you can rent a full size crib (and lots of other baby equipment) from outside companies. A Baby’s Best Friend will deliver right to your Disney resort.

Whichever way you go, I suggest you bring baby’s sheets from home so she has familiar surroundings. A white noise machine (or phone app) will also be helpful – even if you don’t use one at home. Hotel walls are thin, and you might end up in a room below a herd of thundering elephants (aka pre-teen boys).

4. Best Spots to Nap in the Parks

I talked about some of these attractions in Part 1 as good places to nurse or feed baby. The same concept applies. If you’ll be holding baby, or have him in a carrier – he can probably sleep anywhere. But it sure would be nice if you could sit down for a while, right? Plan some of these attractions when you know he’ll need some downtime. Then at least you’ll be doing something while he naps, and not waiting on a bench while the rest of the family rides Space Mountain!

Eventually they ALL sleep – sometimes next to a stranger on the bus!

Magic Kingdom

Tomorrowland

• Carousel of Progress – 21 minute show
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover – slow moving 16 minute long ride

Fantasyland

• Mickey’s Philharmagic – 12 minute show

Frontierland

• Hall of Presidents – 25 minute show
• Country Bear Jamboree – 16 minute show

Adventureland

• Enchanted Tiki Room – 15 minute show

Multiple Locations

• Walt Disney World Railroad – 20 minute ride (temporarily closed)

Epcot

Future World

• Living with the Land – slow moving 20 minute ride
• Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival – 18 minute show 

World Showcase

• American Adventure – 30 minute show
• Impressions de France – 18 minute film

Hollywood Studios

• Voyage of the Little Mermaid – 17 show
• Frozen Sing Along Show – 30 minutes
• Muppetvision 3D – 15 minutes

Animal Kingdom

• Finding Nemo the Musical – 40 minutes

5. And Most Important of All:

Temper your expectations. Vacations post-baby will not be the same as they once were, but they can still be wonderful. Will you be able to rope-drop the parks and stay all the way through Extra Magic Hours in the evening? No, probably not. But, you’ll probably get a lot more down time to relax and enjoy your resort than those of us with bigger kids.

If you have older kids in your family, you may need to split up. Take turns with your parenting partner on baby duty. One adult can stay in the park with the kids while the other returns with baby for a nap or to get to bed on time at night. Switch it up the next day.

You can also consider hiring a sitter to stay in the hotel room with the baby so the adults and the rest of the family can stay out later. Disney offers in-room child care services for babies 6 months and up through the independent contractor Kid’s Nite Out.  You can even hire them to accompany you into the parks if you need an extra hand.

Consider traveling with another family. You can share child care duties so everyone gets a break. If your babies share the same nap schedule, you’ll have someone to hang out with in the afternoon back at your resort while the rest of the group is in the parks.

Have you toured Walt Disney World with a baby? Share your experiences in the comments below. Just beginning your vacation research? Check out my How to Plan Your Trip in 10 Easy Steps and download my free planning timeline. Use the CONTACT form for a no-obligation quote or just email me at rebecca@magicaltravel.com.