Rope Dropping with a 3 year old

[StarSpeckledSky]

We want to rope drop DL. We'll be going June 13, it's a EMH day and we don't have EMH. Park opens 8am the day we go, so we plan on arriving 7am-7:30am (although this may change depending on what crowds look like once SWGE opens). We've never rope dropped with my sister (who's 3) before, so I was wondering if anyone had tips for waking her up and getting her ready for an early start to our rope drop day. Thanks!

 

[DnA2010]

where are you staying? walking or driving?

 

[Version 6]

We want to rope drop DL. We'll be going June 13, it's a EMH day and we don't have EMH. Park opens 8am the day we go, so we plan on arriving 7am-7:30am (although this may change depending on what crowds look like once SWGE opens). We've never rope dropped with my sister (who's 3) before, so I was wondering if anyone had tips for waking her up and getting her ready for an early start to our rope drop day. Thanks!

Beyond making sure she gets an early night, there's not a lot you can do.

Take it from someone who rope dropped with a 3 and 5 year old last year - if they don't get enough sleep, they run out of puff by mid-afternoon.

Disneyland is amazing with young kids - but be prepared to be flexible, because young kids are understandably unpredictable.

 

[Creen14]

Bring a stroller and some snacks. Just get them out of bed, dressed, and put them in the stroller with food. They will either eat or go back to sleep or just hang out.

 

[dawnball]

I think you're driving in that morning?

Dress her in the next day's clothes before bedtime. She's the very last thing that goes in the car. Try to have it a comfortable temperature in the car. I scoop up a sleeping kid, complete with blanket. Deposit in car seat and drive. If she sleeps to music or white noise, I'd run that. If she's awake, give her a snack or drink.

The goal is to keep her sleepy or dozing for the drive. Plan on breakfast in the stroller when you get there.

Good luck!

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

where are you staying? walking or driving?

Staying near Long Beach, about 40 minutes away drive.

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

I think you're driving in that morning?

Dress her in the next day's clothes before bedtime. She's the very last thing that goes in the car. Try to have it a comfortable temperature in the car. I scoop up a sleeping kid, complete with blanket. Deposit in car seat and drive. If she sleeps to music or white noise, I'd run that. If she's awake, give her a snack or drink.

The goal is to keep her sleepy or dozing for the drive. Plan on breakfast in the stroller when you get there.

Good luck!

Yep, we're driving!

Thank you! That sounds good, any foods/snacks you'd recommend that won't get disgusting in the heat?

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

Bring a stroller and some snacks. Just get them out of bed, dressed, and put them in the stroller with food. They will either eat or go back to sleep or just hang out.

Thanks!

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

Beyond making sure she gets an early night, there's not a lot you can do.

Take it from someone who rope dropped with a 3 and 5 year old last year - if they don't get enough sleep, they run out of puff by mid-afternoon.

Disneyland is amazing with young kids - but be prepared to be flexible, because young kids are understandably unpredictable.

Okay - would sleeping at around 8pm be good? Yeah, we always make a plan with a bunch of wiggle room for bathroom breaks or ice cream breaks.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Okay - would sleeping at around 8pm be good? Yeah, we always make a plan with a bunch of wiggle room for bathroom breaks or ice cream breaks.

Well who knows what her normal schedule is but my child was in bed at 7pm at that age and he usually slept 12 hours (7-7). He’s 4 now and sleeps 11-12 hours 7:30/8:30 to 7:00/7:30.

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

Well who knows what her normal schedule is but my child was in bed at 7pm at that age and he usually slept 12 hours (7-7). He’s 4 now and sleeps 11-12 hours 7:30/8:30 to 7:00/7:30.

Oh, she normally sleeps at 10pm-10:30pm and wakes between 7:30am-9am. Of course, the earlier she sleeps the earlier she wakes up.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Oh, she normally sleeps at 10pm-10:30pm and wakes between 7:30am-9am. Of course, the earlier she sleeps the earlier she wakes up.

If that is her normal schedule she might not fall asleep any earlier than that but you can always try!

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

If that is her normal schedule she might not fall asleep any earlier than that but you can always try!

She probably will - when she doesn't nap we always put her in bed at 8-9pm and it works fine. In any case we'll probably just keep her sleeping as long as she likes while we drive/enter the park.

 

[dawnball]

Yep, we're driving!

Thank you! That sounds good, any foods/snacks you'd recommend that won't get disgusting in the heat?

I like car snacks that don't make a mess that's hard to clean. Dry cereal, crackers, etc. Then I usually have oranges, cup up strawberries or grapes in reserve. Cut up strawberries will last least well, but my kid would eat them before we made it through the turnstiles.

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

I like car snacks that don't make a mess that's hard to clean. Dry cereal, crackers, etc. Then I usually have oranges, cup up strawberries or grapes in reserve. Cut up strawberries will last least well, but my kid would eat them before we made it through the turnstiles.

Okay. We're fans of fruit but we like our fruit cold-ish at least so we might stick a mini cooler or something under the stroller.

 

[EmJ]

I had to get my four-year-old up at 4:30 am for a trip in March. And by "get up", I mean, I took him out of bed and put him in the car still in his pajamas. That's one of the benefits of being four! (Or three.) I'd either do what pp said and dress her in comfortable clothes with elastic waist shorts the night before, or just take her to Disney in her pajamas. When you get there, one of you can take her to the restroom to change. Plus, then you have a change of clothes (or pjs) in case they get wet or ice cream on them or something. Snacks in the car if she likes to eat first thing, otherwise I'd bring a banana and a Ziploc of dry cereal to eat while you're in line.

Also, be prepared that she just might not fall asleep earlier than her normal schedule. You can try wearing her out the day before (go swimming, run in the park, etc.) but that can SERIOUSLY backfire if they still don't fall asleep early and then are extra, extra tired the next day. I'd put her to bed at the earliest end of her normal, cross your fingers, and hope for the best. Will you have a stroller that reclines and has a sunshade? Even non-nappers are prone to crashing in a stroller on vacation.

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

I had to get my four-year-old up at 4:30 am for a trip in March. And by "get up", I mean, I took him out of bed and put him in the car still in his pajamas. That's one of the benefits of being four! (Or three.) I'd either do what pp said and dress her in comfortable clothes with elastic waist shorts the night before, or just take her to Disney in her pajamas. When you get there, one of you can take her to the restroom to change. Plus, then you have a change of clothes (or pjs) in case they get wet or ice cream on them or something. Snacks in the car if she likes to eat first thing, otherwise I'd bring a banana and a Ziploc of dry cereal to eat while you're in line.

Also, be prepared that she just might not fall asleep earlier than her normal schedule. You can try wearing her out the day before (go swimming, run in the park, etc.) but that can SERIOUSLY backfire if they still don't fall asleep early and then are extra, extra tired the next day. I'd put her to bed at the earliest end of her normal, cross your fingers, and hope for the best. Will you have a stroller that reclines and has a sunshade? Even non-nappers are prone to crashing in a stroller on vacation.

Thanks for all the tips! We’ll probably bring a change of clothes anyways so it’ll probably work better to just have her in comfy day clothes the night before. Snacks in both the car and stroller probably heh. Otherwise she’d just eat ice cream all day!

She can normally sleep easily at 9pm so we’ll try for maybe a bit earlier (8:45?). Yep, we have a stroller that comes with an attached blanket, reclines, and has a sunshade. She’ll either crash in there or have to be taken out, hushed, then put back in the stroller.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey]

Yep, we're driving!

Thank you! That sounds good, any foods/snacks you'd recommend that won't get disgusting in the heat?

At that age, we always packed DS goldfish crackers, Cheerios, apple sauce pouches to snack on. He enjoyed getting the kids power packs at the quick service restaurants as well.

 

[StarSpeckledSky]

At that age, we always packed DS goldfish crackers, Cheerios, apple sauce pouches to snack on. He enjoyed getting the kids power packs at the quick service restaurants as well.

Sounds good, crackers always seem like a good choice that won’t get yucky in the heat.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Yep, we're driving!

Thank you! That sounds good, any foods/snacks you'd recommend that won't get disgusting in the heat?

Keep checking the Waze app for any traffic issues. And if you'll have a small soft sided cooler, try freezing a few water bottles to use as ice packs to keep the snacks cold throughout the day. Then later on, you'll have cold water to drink, too. Bring empty zipper bags, too -- you can get free cups of ice at most CS locations to make your own ice packs after the water bottles melt.