Keeping Younger Kids Up Late

[DaniMoon]

Yes, we didn't do Illuminations or Fantasmic last trip. Our two late nights were the Electrical Parade and then we left, we didn't stay for the fireworks, because earlier in the trip we did the Pirates and Pals Cruise and we saw the fireworks from the cruise. The Halloween Party was going on when we were there last trip and this upcoming trip is during the Christmas Parties. I won't spend the money on them because it is too late for my kids. Also, I know we will be back again, so it's always possible in the future.

This trip we are planning to do Fantasmic.

 

[mandis77]

Definitely do a mid-day break! Also, while you're sitting waiting for the show to start bring along some glow sticks (you can get them at the dollar store) or something to occupy them. It's so worth it! Afterward it can take awhile to get out of the park and onto the bus so make sure to bring your stroller. Kids were out like a light within minutes.

 

[luvmy2babies]

We are generally up early and back in early as we go in summer. I found out the hard way that my older child isn’t really up for returning to the park after a midday break unless we have a reservation somewhere. Once she gets back to the resort and gets relaxed, she's ready to finish the evening that way. I love that about her; but it did cost me Wishes one trip because I left it to the last night. I love the parks after dark and have since our first trip in 2010; but that was in November when it gets dark much earlier.

My son isn’t much on sleeping in at Disney; but we try do one possibly two late nights in a weeklong trip. And we rest in that morning and get a late start. We only do that for Magic Kingdom. We have never seen fireworks at the other two parks that have them.

I think the latest we have been in Epcot was 7:30 and that was on that Thanksgiving trip. My son covered his eyes and left the room when I put on the YouTube video of Fantasmic so I know not to try that one. We did DHS until around 7 or so on that Thanksgiving trip watching the Christmas light show there. He was an infant then. My daughter was 7 and started nodding off on the bus ride back.

My son has seen Wishes in 2 trips, once at age 2.5 when he had taken a nap and again at 4 when we had slept a little later, only left our room for breakfast and gone to the park late. He did great both times, was excited and happy. No sooner than we finished applauding after Wishes concluded though he was out. Last trip I heard him say, I love that mom and he was out immediately after. I say that to say even if your child makes it fine, be prepared for that with a stroller or someone’s ready arms. The following day is slower, we hit Epcot around 10:30 or so.

Just be flexible.

 

[Kathy Haan]

When we went last my oldest girls were 2 and 5. We let them nap during the day at the hotel one of the days and it worked well. Otherwise we found that they napped in the stroller just fine and loved staying up late!

 

[scrappinginontario]

My DD is a go with the flow kinda kid so it normally worked for us. There was one meltdown one night (okay, technically two when you counted mine when we had to leave before the fireworks! ) but generally she naps when tired. Sometimes that was an afternoon nap (We were at the afternoon parade 5 different times before she saw it!) and other times she'd lay down in her stroller during the fireworks and fall asleep.

It really depends on your kiddo and their personality. If you think it will be a push I encourage as others have a later start that day and some down time to encourage napping. Hall of Presidents and Carousel of Progress can be great opportunities for down time in AC and hopefully naps too.

 

[Courtney2514]

which is best, nap or swim for this purpose?

 

[Angel Ariel]

I really appreciate all the advice. My daughter is pretty high energy but she definitely needs sleep. I think the problem I have with her is that she holds on too long when she's having a good time so by the time it catches up with her it goes downhill fast.

I would suggest planning a day or two before your trip and keep her up late at home. Do what you'd do at Disney.for the shows...maybe start the day a little later, let her take an afternoon nap..even do something during the day that will involve a lot of walking like Disney. Maybe the zoo, or a local amusement park?

All kids are so different...this would help give you an idea of how she might react.

 

[dprincessmom]

From my daughter's first trip, staying up late/out way past bed time has been part of the fun of being on vacation. We hit rope drop, mid day break (most days depending on the park) with a swim and "rest." My DD isn't a napper by nature at home, and that's why we have always called them rest breaks. We turn down the AC and the lights, break out the books and about 5 minutes later she is passed out. Then we go back to the park in the evening and stay until close.

 

[dsneygirl]

We have 3 kids (13, 8, and 1), we go to Disney every year and have always stayed for the night time entertainment/closing etc. We've never really had a problem. When they were young and in strollers, there were many times that they would fall asleep before them, but the rest of us were still able to enjoy. If you're going to have a stroller, I wouldn't worry about it at all, if you're not then maybe do a mid day break/nap. I also always throw some dum dum lollipops and sometimes some glow bracelets in our park bag for "questionable" times lol.

Yep. Started taking my kids at 3 months old. They always just fell asleep in the stroller. Sometimes it was 8:30, sometimes it was 10. When my ODS was about 4 or 5 he made it until midnight at the Halloween party. But my kids are flexible like that. They can stay up late and keep on trucking. It was never an issue for us.

 

[Angc77]

When my DD was 4, we went to MK at rope drop until lunchtime, went back to the resort and ate lunch and everyone e took a 2 hour nap, went back to MK and ride rides and saw Wishes. She did fine and was not grumpy at all. She was done taking regular naps at that age but told everyone we would nap and not anyone argued.

 

[wallskm]

Every kid is different, but our kids can hang through the nighttime entertainment without an issue. They were 2.5 and 5 on our last trip. The 5 year old didn't nap but the 3.5 year old did. They never really slept in the next day either. We do try to not stay late 2 nights in a row which helps. We knew beforehand they would do ok since they occasionally stay up late on other special nights. They are normally in bed by 8 at home but can definitely hang through a 10pm wishes show.

 

[mkla2015]

We do late afternoon naps- makes for a much happier trip with DD5 and DS3. We usually head out to the parks around 830-9am and go back to the resort around 3pm. Nap 330-6pm. After naps the kids are good to go until 11-12. We've tried days with no naps and everyone just ends up being grumpy by 7pm.

 

[DisDadNH]

Our oldest was 6 last year and youngest was 1. Wishes wasn't a problem at all. We do mid-day naps at the resort. When we went to MK on the 4th, we were there all day because if we had left we wouldn't have gotten back in - they reached capacity. My oldest and I made it all the way, however, my wife and the 1 year old were gone by 8ish. I think had we gotten that mid-day nap in we would've all been fine, however, since we missed it, the little one just couldn't swing it. Mid-day naps are priceless if you can get them - the all day trips are tough on them though. We never hit any of the rope drops last year, however, we plan to this year.

 

[720L]

Our kids would never nap regardless how tired they were. We usually did 1 show--usually Fantasmic because earlier than Wishes. We still do the same even with older kids--but we are rope drop or die family and 2 of us won't sleep in regardless of how tired we are.

 

[richmo]

Everyone is different, so there's no set answer to this. Our experience when the kids were little was that as the trip went on, their ability to stay up late gradually declined. I think after several nights, the adrenaline started to wear off a bit, so we probably stopped pushing it...

 

[nat8199]

My kids do not sleep in. They are up at 6am, even at Disney. We miss out on all the night time stuff, but I don't mind. We do the parks from RD to 4ish, have a TS dinner around 5:30, and then put them to bed by 7:30. We have fun all day and will just get to experience the night time fun when they are older.

 

[MandiC]

Since we only brought our older two on our last trip we didn't have too much of a problem. Our younger daughter was 7 and really didn't have any problems staying up late, though she did usually fall asleep on us on the bus ride back to the resort. I think they were so excited to be at Disney that they toughed it out. On our next trip we will bring the younger two and they will likely be much younger (either 4 and 5/6 or 5 and 6/7) and we will probably just plan on doing late mornings the day after the 3 shows. We loved them so much and missed Fantasmic last trip so all 3 are must do's on our next trip.

 

[3Gsandme]

You know, this is something that just totally depends on your kiddo. We keep to a tight schedule on school nights, but relax on the weekends so they do stay up late on occasion. I don't pair late nights with a rope drop the next morning, but my kids did okay staying up for Fantasmic! and Wishes at 7 and 4. They were tired and it was late, but they didn't melt down or become unreasonable. I didn't expect them too. I don't have angels, but I knew they would be so excited that they could push through and be okay.

Maybe give your kiddo a few "stay up late" passes to see how she does. She might surprise you and you'll know, for sure, for your trip if it's something you can stretch for or not.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

For us when we went with kids that age (5 & 7) we found that it was just better for us to skip the nighttime shows (we went in the summer when Wishes happens really late) in favor of early mornings. The kids' bodies were more in favor of early to bed, early to rise, so we went with that. At 5 & 7, the kids were way more interested in riding rides with no waits in the morning than they were staying up late to watch fireworks. We figure we'll do the nighttime shows on the next trip when they're older

 

[Lilylogan]

We tried with our 2.5 year old and she was fine staying up - running around the MK at 10pm, going on the rides after SpectroMagic. BUT we dearly paid for it the next day- she was SO cranky. I don't know what age kids start to "sleep in" but I can't wait lol