How to do Disney with Kids… like Your Favorite Sleep Consultant
Cinderella’s Castle!
Disney World is the vacation I swore I’d never take. But eventually, every 20-something who insists her future kids will adapt to her lifestyle (not the other way around) finds herself embracing all the chaotic, magical things they love.
This month, my husband and I spent time at Disney World with our eldest two, and you know what? Even though the Manhattan-loving younger version of me would cringe… it was great.
Disney isn’t known as a restful place—long days, overstimulated kids, and crowds that test every ounce of patience. But sometimes, you have to throw caution to the wind and embrace what life (and parenting!) is really about: making memories.
I can’t promise you stress-free Disney, but I can give you some Disney Planning Tips! Here’s how to make Disney work for you:
1. Take Children’s Ages Into Consideration.
…we made the decision to leave our younger boys at home. Sounds harsh? Hear me out.
We have four children, but only the older two are truly at an age to fully experience the magic of Disney. Beyond that, our middle son is still quite small and wouldn’t meet the height requirements for many of the rides his older sisters were most excited about. And let’s be honest—explaining to a four-year-old why he has to sit out while his siblings ride? That’s a meltdown waiting to happen.
In our family of six, we’re intentional about making sure each of our kids gets 1:1 time and special experiences. This trip was about giving our daughters a magical adventure tailored just for them, and we know we’ll be back when the boys are ready for their turn. For now, this made for a smoother, more enjoyable trip for everyone—including us as parents!
2. Hire a Planner and Pay for Club Level at the hotel.
When it comes to Disney, you can agonize over every little detail, or enlist the help of someone else to do it for you. We chose the latter - and it made all the difference.
Hiring a Disney planner took the stress out of navigating hotel accomodations, dining reservations, and ride strategies. Instead of spending hours researching the best ways to tackle the parks, we got to just show up and enjoy the magic.
We went with ET Family Travel, and worked with Regina Saake - who was wonderful! At no cost to us, she prepared our itinerary, arranged airport transportation, organized our Lighting Lanes and ensured we had the best accommodations to make our trip as stress free as possible!.
Based on Regina’s recommendation, we opted for Club Level accommodations at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, which gave us access to concierge services, extra perks, and a lounge with snacks, drinks, and breakfast— lifesavers for early mornings and mid-day breaks. With fewer logistics to worry about, we got to focus on what really mattered: making memories with our kids.The resort was right on the monorail and also had ferry access which came in handy in the evening when the monorails tend to be crowded.
The Polynesian’s proximity to the parks allowed us to come back and forth during the day, giving us time to grab an hour at the pool and recharge (see tip 4!). Also, certain Disney resorts, like the Polynesian give you early access to the parks, so one day we arrived at 8:30am and hit up some rides before the crowds poured in.
3. Build in Disney Downtime (and stick to it!)
It’s natural to want to make the most of your time and it's tempting to pack every second of your itinerary with rides, parades, and character meet-and-greets. But trust me, the go-go-go pace of Disney will eventually catch up to everyone (kids and adults alike). If you don’t build in intentional downtime at Disney, you’ll find yourself wishing you had.
So, we made it a priority to schedule breaks into our days—and actually stick to them.
The Pool: One of the best decisions we made was planning pool time at our resort. The girls loved the chance to swim, and we got to sit back and relax before heading back out for more fun.
Quiet Mornings or Early Nights: Instead of racing to rope drop every day, we allowed some slower mornings to sip coffee and ease into the day. Likewise, we didn’t feel pressured to stay out every night for fireworks—sometimes, a calm evening back at the hotel was the best choice for everyone’s sanity.
At the end of the day, the magic of Disney isn’t just in the big moments—it’s also in the little ones where you’re simply enjoying time together. Building in downtime made our trip so much more enjoyable, and I’d do it the same way again in a heartbeat!
4. Princess Makeover from the Comfort of the Hotel.
F & M as Disney royalty!
Pssst… I’m going to let you in on a secret… your kids don’t know the difference between a branded experience and a DIY one.
Yes, the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is an iconic Disney experience, but between the high price tag and the long wait times, we decided to do things differently.
Fairy Godmothers For Hire: We hired My Magical Makeover to join us in our room at The Polynesian to help transform the girls into Cinderella and Belle. The experience was every bit as magical, complete with a dusting of fairy sparkles to send us on our way!
Skipping the Crowds, Keeping the Fun:Instead of spending time in a salon chair, we got to enjoy a stress-free experience, all while making memories in a relaxed setting. Plus, with no tight schedule to stick to, we had the flexibility to head to the park on our own timeline.
And the best part? They still felt every bit like Disney royalty as they walked down Main Street. Pure magic—without the stress.
5. Invest in the Experience You Want to Have.
I’ll be honest, our Disney trip was not cheap – not that we expected it to be. However, it was 100% more enjoyable than we expected because we invested in specific areas that made the trip convenient. In addition to the resort club access, we opted for the Lightning Lane Pass. This added to the cost of our entry ($32.00 per person), but allowed us to bypass standby lanes and really maximize our time at Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Some of the standby lanes exceeded 60 minutes, whereas we waited no more than 5-7 minutes for a ride! Without this benefit we would have likely missed out on top experiences, like Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Guardians of the Galaxy and Seven Dwarfs Mine train!
If Disney is on your list, do yourself a favor—invest in ease. It’s worth it.
Pro Tips to Know Before You Go
MANAGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS: This is not a vacation, it’s a trip. Do not anticipate returning from Disney feeling rested and refreshed. Disney is somehow both a marathon AND a sprint, and while we made some incredible memories, we also came home exhausted. Plan accordingly! Everything you need to know before tackling the parks can be found HERE.
PACK PRACTICALLY: Comfy shoes ONLY, you’ll be on your feet for most of the day. In addition, consider stocking up on snacks outside the park - a granola bar here or there can go a long way to quelling a meltdown. Uncrustables were the unsung hero of our trip!
RENT A STROLLER: Yes, even for the Big Kids. Like I said, Disney is a physically demanding trip, especially for little legs! The stroller helped us get the whole family from point A to point B in one piece (plus my husband got to push his not-so-baby girls around again - cue tears).
ROOM SHARE WITH CONFIDENCE: Sharing a hotel room? Set yourself up for sleep success. Portable white noise machines or apps, eye masks, and a comfort item for each child will go a long way in ensuring everyone gets the rest they need. Trust me, the last thing you want is a sleepless night before a full park day!
Want a more detailed breakdown of room sharing? Check out my extensive room sharing guide HERE.
Final Thoughts
Would my younger self have rolled her eyes at the thought of planning a Disney vacation? Absolutely. But watching my kids light up with wonder dissolved any cynical bone left in my body. Their childhood is flying by, and any place where we can fully embrace it is worth it in my books!
Sometimes, the best vacations are the ones you swore you’d never take.
Would I do it again? Well, I owe another trip to the boys when their time comes, but even if I didn’t…I’d be back!
This is blog is a bit of a departure from my regular content… if you came here for sleep tips, not to fear! Book your complimentary consultation call today, and we’ll help you get bedtime back on track!
Meg O'Leary is an Infant and Child Sleep Expert and the founder of A Restful Night. Based in Westchester County, NY, she leads a team of certified sleep coaches to provide virtual support to families across the US and around the world.
