.............................

[Disney Princess 6]

..................

 

[campingcorgi]

Hey, if your kids are like ours, you'll go until they are unconscious and then pour them into bed! No problems for us there!!

 

[Gillian]

Have you thought about a pack n play for the 2 year old? Most can still fit just fine in there! Or renting a crib? There is a place frequently mentioned around here. babys best friend?

We tried putting our 24 month old in a bed on vacation when he still slept in a crib at home. It didn't work! He just got right up and came looking for us. I know some kids think they can't get out by themselves, but not our DS. This was in the Wilderness cabins, and he had the room to himself.

I'm sure someone else can help!

 

[lovetoscrap]

My girls (3 and 7) don't share a room either but I am planning on trying 2 things when we stay at the ASMo.
Plan A:
3 yr old still sleeps in a crib so we have requested one in the hotel. Hopefully she will sleep in it and DH and I have 1 queen bed and 7 yr old in the other.

Plan B:
It isn't very romantic, but DH will have one bed with 3 yr old and I will have the other with 7 yr old. Worst case will have me in one bed with both girls (me in the middle!)

We are planning to be on the go all day so we will probably all go to sleep at the same time.

You will probably need to at least plan to lay down with the 2yr old until she falls asleep and then join DH in the living room.

Depending on the room set up and whether your kids are heavy or light sleepers you might try to put one kid on the sofa (probably 4yr old) so they are seperated and can't see or hear each other while trying to go to sleep. If they are heavy sleepers you should be able to move them where you would like them after they are asleep!

My kids are heavy sleepers so once they fall asleep we can turn on the TV and make all the noise we want and they won't wake up! Our problem is in the morning, the 7yr old is an early riser and the 3yr old will wake up if she hear her moving around. But we are planning to be up and at the parks before opening anyway so it shouldn't be a problem this trip.

Just realize that you may have to sacrifice some of your quiet time together with DH to get them to sleep. But it will be worth it not to have cranky, tired kids the next day!

Good Luck!

 

[Barb D]

How about putting the 4yo on the sleeper sofa, you and DH in one queen bed, and the 2yo in the other? That way you'll be right there if the 2yo needs you. Or get a crib, and put both kids in the living room (4yo on the sleeper, 2yo in the crib) and you and your DH get the bedroom to yourselves.

Trust me, your 4yo will sleep much better on the sleeper sofa than you will.

You could even move them to the living room after they're asleep if you want to stay up later in the living room.

 

[Disney Princess 6]

................

 

[DisneyPhD]

Hi, when we stay at WDW in just a few days we plan on using the bedroom for us and letting the 23 month old sleep in the pack an play in the main room. Yes this means we will loose access to the bigger T.V. DVD player and Kicten balcony, but still have the bedroom to ourselves and a smaller T.V. and lights so we can read or talk (or other things, hey it is vacation after all).


I say keep the bedroom for yourselves and share with the other kid if you need to. If you 2 year old isn't used to a normal bed a hotel room isn't the best place to try it out.

Remember if it doesn't work one night (or isn't working) you can swicth and try new ways. 2 rooms means more options.

 

[tricia]

A Baby's Best Friend will rent you a full size crib. This may be the way to go, that way you could still use the living room in the evening, but sleep in the Queen size in the bedroom.

BTW lovestoscrap if you are staying at ASMo, no one will have a queen bed. Their rooms either have 1 King or 2 double beds.

 

[SueM in MN]

Where are you staying. If it is in a DVC one bedroom villa, you won't have 2 beds in the bedroom, you will have one king size bed. Just wanted to mention that because it would change your planning.
I would probably be concerned about having the 4 year old sleeping on th sofa bed alone. If he's in the living room, is he the type to try opening the door and leaving the room in the middle of the night?
IMHO, a 2 year old who loves her crib at thome probably would sleep much better in a crib, any crib, than in a bed.

 

[tjmw2727]

My experience is that at WDW the kids get to the hotel and just crash. We usually put the vacation channel or the story telling channel on TV and let them watch until they fall asleep. This is special as its an only on vaca thing and they are soooo tired that they can't keep their eyes open anyway.

If your 2yo likes a crib consider renting a full size crib from one of the many great rental companies in Orlando, they will deliver, set up, and pick up at a reasonable price. I also bring sheets from home to make a younger child feel more comfortable. f you are in a wdw resort they will provide a PnPlay free of charge.

I agree with prev posters that the sofa beds are sooo uncomfortable. We usually put the kids to bed in the bedroom, watch a bit of TV and then join them in the bedroom leaving the living area in tact. YMMV -

Have fun

TJ

 

[MinnieGi]

I would definetly look into renting a crib if your 2yo is a crib lover. It will make her feel more secure and easier to fall asleep. That way you and DH could have a "real" bed to sleep in at night, but still use the living room area after the kiddies are asleep.

If you don't want to rent a crib and only use the beds, why not each parent share a bed with a child. This will probably help soothe any reactions to being in a strange place for the night and everyone gets a bed. If you do plan on using the bed for the 2yo how about trying it out at home before you go?

 

[kalamazoo]

BTDT. Since your 2 yo won't sleep in the Pack n Play and you have your doubts about the bed it sounds like you are a prime candidate for renting a full-size crib. Do not get the hotel crib if it is one of those fold away half cribs. At 2 yo your child will be too big to sleep comfortably in it.

As for the horsing around issue, I would recommend putting them to bed at separate times. Whoever sleeps the most soundly should go to bed first, then once they are likely to be out for the night pop the other in bed. Make sure that you don't make a big deal about one going before the other and the one who stays up has to have quiet time - cuddling, reading a book, etc. No toys or videos.

Definitely do not give up a nice comfy queen size bed just to sleep on the pull out sofa. Eveyone needs their sleep!

 

[jenjie]

Hi! I'm new here, going to WDW in 10 more days. I have a 4 year old and an almost 3 year old, so I can relate to your situation. I have an idea, take it or leave it as you see fit.

First of all, whatever you decide on, you need to practice at home to make your child comfortable. If you want your 2 y.o. to be comfortable in a bed, start with some practice sessions. Vacation and a strange environment is not the place to try something new, IMHO.

My suggestion about sleeping arrangements is actually more like a campout. You could set up an arrangement on the floor with a pillow and blanket. They will each have their own space, you don't have to rent something that might not suit your needs, and don't have to worry about your little one falling out of bed. And if you do this, do it at home first, having the 2 y.o. sleep on the floor of the 4 y.o.'s bedroom. My kids have done this before and they love it. Sure they may chat for a little bit but they will fall asleep.

A few other thoughts. Keep things as normal as possible for them. If they sleep with a nightlight at home, bring one with you. If they need music to fall asleep, don't forget that. My dd doesn't need it but my ds is lost without his one lullaby cd that he's listened to for 4 years.

Stuffed animals - my dd sleeps with about half a dozen different ones, so we'll just have her choose one to take with us. My ds on the other hand, has one in particular that is his special friend. It's all he's ever slept with (yes he is rather anal, lol) Before our last vacation, we made sure to buy an exact duplicate of this item, and got it well worn in before our trip. This way, if it got left behind, there is no crisis.

 

[Kallison]

They will probably be so tired after all day in the Parks that it won't be an issue.

 

[jenjie]

Kallison you are absolutely right! I was so wrong. My kids zonked out in the car and fussed when we tried getting them to use the bathroom before bed. We never bothered changing them out of their clothes at night.

BTW the night before our vacation started, we stayed at an airport hotel overnight. My kids were literally bouncing off the walls. OK jumping from bed to bed. When we finally put them to bed, they wouldn't stop talking so we had to separate them. DS4 settled down quickly and went to sleep, but dd3 would not shut up! She kept us awake til about 11:00. We were not happy. In the morning, ds tells me how much he liked sleeping with his daddy. Then asked, was it fun sleeping with Caitie? When I told him no, he said "it wasn't fun for me either". LOL!

 

[HM]

Another alternative----
Ever since our kids were tiny (they are now 7 and 9), when we go on vacation (except at our timeshare) we share our beds with the kids. I sleep with our daughter and my husband sleeps with our son. The kids feel safe and secure and we parents don't have to deal with kids goofing off. -HM

 

[susy]

When our son was about 18 montns we went to the beach for a few days. The first night he was very "confused" and would not sleep in the port-a-crib. We had to turn out the lights and all three of us got in bed and he was asleep in two minutes.

Here is what I suggest:

Pretend that everyone is going to bed at the same time- turn off the lights and cuddle with your kids (one adult with each kid)-put the tv on low. When they fall asleep-slip out of the beds and go hang out in the living room. I would forget about the sofa and just go back to bed with them when you are tired.