Ninja Mom
Attention People of Earth, I come in Peace...
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2012
Since many of us have trips that are coming up here's another hot touring tip from Ninja Mom.
It seems that every family has their night owls and their early birds. This can present a challenge when trying to get everyone on the same page when keeping the Disney schedule. In my family I am the night owl and my husband is the early bird. Chances are, if it's early in the morning, no matter how much "delicious", in room coffee you try and drown me in, I'm going to be a grumpy Ninja Mom until some point in the mid morning.
It seems coffee is the only way to help a night owl cope with those early Disney mornings. Just toss in lots of cream and sugar and don't get your fingers too close. If you sweeten the pot with a Beach Club Marketplace Chocolate Croissant I might even be tempted to behave. (Actually I can NOT ever be tempted to BEHAVE ; )
So that's just about all you can do for the night owl but what to do for the Early Bird?? Sure they start out great but sometime shortly after dinner they start to crap out and get really crabby. Saying inspiring things like "Illuminations is only 3 hours away" isn't going to help these sour pusses. So what is a night owl to do???
Well I am coming to you with an answer! If you can remember to plan ahead, pack your early bird's pajamas in a back pack. Be sure to bury them under the refillable mugs and the empty zip lock bag stash that you are saving for a Disney buffet meal. Then, when your husband starts to get crabby, send him into the men's room with his jammies and tell him it's time to get changed.
Keep in mind at first he will resist getting changed. Simply point out all the other husbands (and early bird wives) that are already in their pajamas. Speak in calm, soothing tones and remind him you brought his favorite pair, you know, the ones with the arm pit holes for "extra" ventilation.
It is at this critical moment that things can turn for the worse and a temper tantrum can errupt. Err on the side of caution and whip out his favorite stuffed animal or "wubbie". In that calm soothing voice explain that if he doesn't cut the crap and get in his jammies the teddy bear gets it. Insinuate that there are lots of wubbies in the Disney lost and found that have zero chance of finding their way back to their owners because they were misbehavin and not listening to their night owls when it was pajama time. That should scare the bejesus out of 'em and get them to start listening.
Every savvy Disney planner knows that you can use these barely living early birds to stake out a spot for the evening parade or fireworks. Since they are so tired they pretty much stay where you plant them. Lucky you! As a night owl you are now free to roam around the parks unfettered by your evening anchor.
Be sure to remember exactly where you have placed them. Since it is dark out and they are this ][ close to passing out they may not respond when called. That's where using glow sticks comes in handy. Snap and shake and decorate your dead to the world early bird and you can be sure to find them even on the darkest of nights.
Getting your unconscious early birds back to the room after fireworks will surely present a challenge. Never fear because Ninja Mom is here to remind you that abandoned strollers and wheel chairs are littering the parks at closing time. (Am I right???
) Simply snag a chair/stroller and place your dead in them for the trip back to the room. Be sure to take lots of pictures for Facebook of your husband wearing his holey pajamas, passed out in a Disney rental stroller, drooling on top of his teddy bear. That shot is sure to be a winner on the family Christmas card!
Be extra cautious when you have to wake your bird when it is time to climb into the bus. They will be maximally grumpy but rest assured that as soon as the bus driver turns off the lights they will slip into unconsciousness once again.
This next part is perhaps the hardest. Many a Night Owl has been tempted to leave their Early Bird on the bus rather then wake them up and make them get off. No matter how crabby your bird can get, always remember that, for the bus driver's sake, you have a moral imperative to take your passed out party member off of your bus at the appropriate stop. DO Not be tempted to rationalize that they will just be circling the resort's other bus stops all night until morning. It simply doesn't work like that!
Like they always say, "Remember to take all of your belongings and take unconscious people by the hand as you exit the vehicle". Besides all that... who is going to make your coffee in the morning? Huh??
~NM
It seems that every family has their night owls and their early birds. This can present a challenge when trying to get everyone on the same page when keeping the Disney schedule. In my family I am the night owl and my husband is the early bird. Chances are, if it's early in the morning, no matter how much "delicious", in room coffee you try and drown me in, I'm going to be a grumpy Ninja Mom until some point in the mid morning.
It seems coffee is the only way to help a night owl cope with those early Disney mornings. Just toss in lots of cream and sugar and don't get your fingers too close. If you sweeten the pot with a Beach Club Marketplace Chocolate Croissant I might even be tempted to behave. (Actually I can NOT ever be tempted to BEHAVE ; )
So that's just about all you can do for the night owl but what to do for the Early Bird?? Sure they start out great but sometime shortly after dinner they start to crap out and get really crabby. Saying inspiring things like "Illuminations is only 3 hours away" isn't going to help these sour pusses. So what is a night owl to do???
Well I am coming to you with an answer! If you can remember to plan ahead, pack your early bird's pajamas in a back pack. Be sure to bury them under the refillable mugs and the empty zip lock bag stash that you are saving for a Disney buffet meal. Then, when your husband starts to get crabby, send him into the men's room with his jammies and tell him it's time to get changed.
Keep in mind at first he will resist getting changed. Simply point out all the other husbands (and early bird wives) that are already in their pajamas. Speak in calm, soothing tones and remind him you brought his favorite pair, you know, the ones with the arm pit holes for "extra" ventilation.
It is at this critical moment that things can turn for the worse and a temper tantrum can errupt. Err on the side of caution and whip out his favorite stuffed animal or "wubbie". In that calm soothing voice explain that if he doesn't cut the crap and get in his jammies the teddy bear gets it. Insinuate that there are lots of wubbies in the Disney lost and found that have zero chance of finding their way back to their owners because they were misbehavin and not listening to their night owls when it was pajama time. That should scare the bejesus out of 'em and get them to start listening.
Every savvy Disney planner knows that you can use these barely living early birds to stake out a spot for the evening parade or fireworks. Since they are so tired they pretty much stay where you plant them. Lucky you! As a night owl you are now free to roam around the parks unfettered by your evening anchor.
Be sure to remember exactly where you have placed them. Since it is dark out and they are this ][ close to passing out they may not respond when called. That's where using glow sticks comes in handy. Snap and shake and decorate your dead to the world early bird and you can be sure to find them even on the darkest of nights.
Getting your unconscious early birds back to the room after fireworks will surely present a challenge. Never fear because Ninja Mom is here to remind you that abandoned strollers and wheel chairs are littering the parks at closing time. (Am I right???
) Simply snag a chair/stroller and place your dead in them for the trip back to the room. Be sure to take lots of pictures for Facebook of your husband wearing his holey pajamas, passed out in a Disney rental stroller, drooling on top of his teddy bear. That shot is sure to be a winner on the family Christmas card!Be extra cautious when you have to wake your bird when it is time to climb into the bus. They will be maximally grumpy but rest assured that as soon as the bus driver turns off the lights they will slip into unconsciousness once again.
This next part is perhaps the hardest. Many a Night Owl has been tempted to leave their Early Bird on the bus rather then wake them up and make them get off. No matter how crabby your bird can get, always remember that, for the bus driver's sake, you have a moral imperative to take your passed out party member off of your bus at the appropriate stop. DO Not be tempted to rationalize that they will just be circling the resort's other bus stops all night until morning. It simply doesn't work like that!
Like they always say, "Remember to take all of your belongings and take unconscious people by the hand as you exit the vehicle". Besides all that... who is going to make your coffee in the morning? Huh??
~NM
