MNSSHP - Feeling like a bad parent

[EMHDad]

Visiting family in FL. Cant do DIsney this time (family trip next summer). However, we decided yesterday to do mnsshp on Sunday night. We would get there at 4pm. The tickets are expensive (first time at mnsshp) and we want to be there until close. We have two boys, ds-5, ds-2. Needless to say, 12am is WAY past their consistant 7pm and 7:30pm bedtime. However, we are planning on making it a very restful day. Make sure they get a nap and such. Monday is going to be a rest day as well. If things go really bad, of course we wont push it. However, part of me feels crazy to try and keep them there late.

So, help me out. Please, either calm my fears on this or confirm my gut feelings. What is mnsshp like? Are little ones still in the park late? Should it be reasonably ok, or am I pushing it here? Thanks for the thoughts.

 

[Phatoomch]

We saw plenty of little ones. It was a lovely atmosphere, the rides were empty and the kids (and adults!!) get plenty of candy.

As your children have a good sleep pattern, the odd late night won't hurt them - my daughter (now 10) has always had a strict bedtime policy and the very odd late night never did any harm.

But as you are their parent listen to your gut instinct, you know your kids best

 

[Audray]

I know how you feel, I am taking our 5 1/2 year old in a couple of weeks and am worried about disrupting her normal routine. We scheduled the next day as our down day, so hopefully she can catch up on her sleep that morning and perhaps take a nap in the afternoon. I'm also going to shoot for a nap the day of the party, but I doubt she will cooperate.

 

[t_catt11]

Relax. You are already disrupting the child's routine simply by being at Disney. Kids are amazingly resilient - they might get a little cranky, but I promise that one late night (or even a few) on vacation is not going to have any lasting harm.

Guilty? For taking them to an amazing event like MNSSHP? I don't get it.

 

[SnackyStacky]

We took my 2-year old back in 2008 - but that was her 2nd birthday (1 turning 2). She didn't make it. We saw the parade and had to leave. My sister had a 4 year old and 2 year old. They were able to stay for fireworks but had to leave immediately after the fireworks.

We took my daughter again for her 3rd birthday, and she fared somewhat better. We were able to stay through the fireworks.

In both cases, we were fully prepared that we wouldn't be able to stay.

Go with your plan of a 4pm arrival and ride as much as you want/are able to. Start trick or treating at 7pm. Then watch the parade and fireworks. That should be enough to have made the ticket purchase worth it. If you can stay longer, consider it a bonus.

Have fun!

 

[EMHDad]

i see pictures of the mnsshp dance parties, and there are not that many people, and the kids get quality time with the characters, and the ride times are low and you can tell its later, toward the end. I get excited thinking about my boys having those experiences.

I already knew what people would say on here, but I admit that i feel better hearing it.

 

[Phatoomch]

i see pictures of the mnsshp dance parties, and there are not that many people, and the kids get quality time with the characters, and the ride times are low and you can tell its later, toward the end. I get excited thinking about my boys having those experiences.

I already knew what people would say on here, but I admit that i feel better hearing it.

Someone told me when my daughter was first born "Create memories, not messes" and that is the one piece of advice I have taken to the core.

Whether they get tired and grouchy or not, you are creating a memory for them. When they get older they can tell their kids how grandpa let them stay up til midnight for a Disney Halloween party and if they were tired and grouchy, thats not what they will remember

 

[WDWLinda]

I wouldn't feel bad about it - every now and then you can lose some sleep for special occasions, IMO. I would rent or bring a double stroller in case one or both conk out early. They can sleep in the stroller while you still have fun. I'm taking my 2 boys, 6 and 10 yrs, in 3 wks and hope they can both make it til 12...unfortunately they're a little too big for the double stroller! Have fun!

 

[Mrs D]

I took my kids (DS4 and DD2.5) to MVMCP in 2009. They too have a 7-7:30 bedtime. We rented an offsite double stroller that fully reclined, changed them into PJs and had blankets (although it was 80 degrees that night and we didn't need them). We stayed at the hotel until time to head to the party, we all took naps in preparation.
We saw the parade and they started getting fussy, I tried to get them to lay down but, it was just too much. They just cried to please put them in bed. I didn't even get to see the fireworks. I was definitely disappointed, but as a parent you do what's best for the kids.

I would propose that for a few dollars (approx $70) more you could could buy one day tickets, get there at park open, enjoy more hours in the park and hit the road when the kids have had their fill.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the special parties and am planning on taking my kids to MNSSHP next year. But I have waited until they are able to stay a bit later (I'm hoping to stay until 10 or 11pm this time).

Hope this helps!

 

[EMHDad]

we are bringing our double stroller. It is awesome. It is a jogging stroller. It goes into a point with a swivel front wheel. The seats are large and side by side. They will also individually go back to almost flat. If either are going to fall asleep, that is the stroller for it to happen.

 

[butterfly71076]

If you think your kids can handle it, I say go for it! We took my DS on his first trip at 18 months. He was great! Yes, he did get a bit cranky, but, he would fall asleep in the stroller. Last year, at 2, the same thing, When he was tired in the parks, he slept in the stroller. This year, at 4, and our first MVMCP, I am hoping for the same. Keeping him out later didn't stop him from sleeping when he was tired, but you know your kids best. Have a great time!!

He just couldn't make it through Epcot's evening EMH!

 

[buckeev]

....

Whether they get tired and grouchy or not, you are creating a memory for them. When they get older they can tell their kids how grandpa let them stay up til midnight for a Disney Halloween party and if they were tired and grouchy, thats not what they will remember

...

Exactly my way of lookin' at it. Especially with the Monday as a rest day....you're good for launch!
Have a great time....(Don't neglect getting YOUR rest also! That will go a long way in "dealing" with the kids, should they get a bit testy at 10:30..11:00....)...

 

[Traveliz]

Seriously when I read the title I conjured up all sorts of possible problems.

What you describe is not even a blip on the radar of bad parenting.

I had a child whose brother who lived with us was ten years older and played travel hockey...if I worried about an occasional late night, trip disruption, etc ..we would have never done anything.

Happy to say she is 24, a college graduate and just fine. She still calls with memories of the many hockey trips we took that disrupted her schedule.

Seriously this is not a problem.

Liz

 

[JeffZ]

There's always Red Bull

Just kidding! You would be surprised how kids do staying up late when they are having fun. MNSSHP is great just went on 9/13 -you will have a blast

 

[MVC1225]

I just got back from taking my goddaughter who is 2 to MNSSHP. She napped in the middle of the day (while we drove up from Miami). We got to the park at 5:30. She was tiring later in the night but once we saw the second parade she got her second wind (the candy she ate may have helped as well ). We left the park at 12:04 and she was upset that Mickey had to "go to bed" and could not take a picture with her at that time. The next day we slept in a little and got to the park at 11. She got her Mickey picture then. She did tire out the next day so we were only at the park a few hours before we went back to the hotel to rest and swim in the pool.

 

[Tara922c]

I throw bedtime out the window on vacation. DD4 is always fine. I make sure she gets a nap during the day, and that she gets at least 8 hours of sleep a night. If we stay out late one night, we don't wake up at the crack of dawn the next day. I try to schedule our trips so we have at least one day before we go back to work so that I can wake dd up at her normal time, and put her back to bed at her normal time. I am not too strict on bedtime. She goes to bed at 7:30, lights out at 8, but if it is the weekend, and we are out and about I don't mind if she goes to bed a little later. If we are home, it's off to bed.

 

[SnackyStacky]

You all with the cranky kids who would sleep in the stroller - LUCKY PEOPLE!

I'd have no problem keeping my daughter out late. But she WOULD NOT sleep in a stroller. Instead, she'd become a danger to herself and climb over the thing - to the point of almost tipping it over/falling out/dropping stuff on purpose to try and jam up the wheels.

And even with a late bed time - she is up like clock work at the same time every morning unless she's sick.

If she would have just slept in the stroller - definitely would have stayed longer! LOL!

 

[MareSINY]

I just gotta say.... WOW! I can't believe you get your 5 year old to go to bed at 7:30!! Heck, my 4 year old niece goes to bed at 9 most nights. LOL

Kids run on adrenaline at Disney, I think they'll be so excited to be there that they wont think about sleeping. Keep them moving the best you can, keep their excitement level high and you should do fine.

One of my nieces has fallen asleep many times in her stroller when she was younger. Now she's 8 and probably wishes she had a stroller to nap in from time to time.

Have a great vacation and enjoy your time at MNSSHP!

 

[Niebz]

We have an 11 month old and a 3 year old and while they have a fairly late bedtime to begin with, at Disney we just let them sleep in the stroller when they want to and otherwise go with the flow. We've had a few cranky meltdowns but in general they handle it very well. We are able to do full park days and almost always close down the parks at night. When they fall asleep DH and I take turns on the big rides. It works out good for everyone. Don't feel guilty. Kids are very resilient, especially at WDW. Taking your kids out late at WDW does not make you a bad parent.

 

[Mommy2Jameson]

They will be fine! My son has gone every year for the last 3 years and will be going again this Halloween at age 5. We've stayed until at least 11:30 each time! We've always gone to the second parade! We usually ended our nights like this though....

Haha!

He never had a problem the next day. I just made sure that the next day was our break day. No parks the next morning, we'd just sleep in and then swim and head to DTD for an early dinner and then head to bed early that night! Also, I try and plan our MNNSHP night early in the trip, so he's not overly worn out by then!

So, I wouldn't worry about the boys! The excitement will keep them going! He is usually an 8:30-9 pm bedtime kid, but we managed to stay up until 10:30 or so each night. Also, we didn't do rope drops every morning! We always plan a break day half way through with an early 8 pm bedtime, and that seems to recharge him!