Taking a Baby or Toddler to Disney and the Other Theme Parks: Nap or No Nap?

One of the questions I most frequently get asked about taking my toddler to Disney is how I handle nap time.  The simple answer is this: I work around and skip it, however, every child is very different and what works for me (or your neighbor, friend, cousin, poster on the internet) very well might not work for you. You know your child better than anyone else. Go with a general plan in mind but be flexible and willing to change it if it does not work out. We recently went to Animal Kingdom with a group of twelve toddlers (and their younger infant siblings) from our playgroup. Some slept peacefully in their strollers, some left with their moms at mid-day to go home for their regular naps, and at park closing my toddler and two others that had been there since 10 am with no nap were still going strong!
While my toddler typically takes a nap every day, she has never been one that absolutely needs to nap from 10-12 or 1-3. Even as an infant the time she took her nap varied slightly from day to day. She has never been in a daycare setting where she was put down for a nap at the exact same time every day so she has no experience with having to have a daily, specific nap time. She will sometimes take short naps in her car seat as we drive to our destination if she is tired enough but regardless of how tired she is she has not taken a nap in her stroller since she was about two months old. I've learned to pay attention to her cues and work around the need for a daily nap time. If I notice she is getting to her cranky, meltdown point we leave immediately (hopefully) before she gets to it even if it means missing out on a ride or show I really wanted to do (there is always next time!).
We live in Orlando so it is a lot easier for us to plan around nap times than it is for somebody who has traveled from further away. There are, however, several different options for handing nap time at a theme park for all babies/toddlers.

1. The stroller or baby carrier nap- Although my own child has never been a stroller napper, many babies and toddlers will happily take a nap in their stroller. It helps if your child has a stroller they are familiar with. Many of the theme park rental strollers are hard plastic and therefore not the most comfortable place for sleeping. Make sure you bring a blanket to throw over the stroller to shield the baby and block out the sun and action if you plan on doing stroller naps and if your child has a lovey or something else they won't sleep without make sure you bring that along as well. Don't plan on doing any attractions during this time (unless you want to utilize baby swap and let the adults experience the major ones...this is the perfect time for that!). Your baby/toddler will be most comfortable if left napping in their stroller with no attempt made to move them from it. If you are at Sea World many of the shows have a specific seating area for babies/toddlers napping in strollers where you can wheel them right in and enjoy the show but Disney does not offer this. If your child will continue sleeping even if the stroller stops moving take advantage of this time to sit and enjoy a snack or cool drink and people watch. If your child is one that will wake up if the stroller stops moving consider using this time to explore the air conditioned shops (so much easier than doing it with a wide awake toddler that wants to touch everything!). With a younger baby/toddler take advantage of the fact that they will probably nap just fine in a carrier strapped to mom or dad's chest and consider bringing one along for the trip. Many of the slower rides (and most of the shows) will allow you to keep a sleeping baby strapped to your chest so you don't have to necessarily stop just because your baby is napping. Chose some quiet rides and shows and enjoy them!
2. Leaving the Park at mid-day for a nap-This is probably the most common solution for a baby or toddler who will not nap unless they are in a crib or bed. Plan a mid-day break into your schedule  at your child's regular nap time so that you can return to the crib or bed they are sleeping in for a nap. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because if your child takes a typical mid-afternoon nap you can get to the Park really early, enjoy the lesser crowds until nap time, leave for a break, and then come back to the Park later when the crowds are starting to thin out a little and the weather is getting a little cooler (really helpful with a young child in the hot summer months!). While your child is sleeping not everyone has to be confined to the hotel room. Take turns each day so that one adult can enjoy the pool, shops, arcade, spa, etc while the other one stays with the napping baby. If you are getting up exceptionally early every day though this can also be a good opportunity for everyone to enjoy a short nap so they are refreshed for the evening.
3. The attraction or car nap- If you are at a theme park that offers some type of slow moving ride you can go on continuously without getting off, this can also be a good option for nap time. Magic Kingdom and Busch Gardens Tampa both have a train that circles the Park that you can stay on for as long as you want. Walt Disney World also offers the air conditioned monorail that you can ride around for as long as your child naps and in the mid-day it isn't usually too busy with people getting on and off so you don't need to worry that you are taking up somebody's seat or that your child will be awoken by boisterous crowds getting on and off. Alternatively, if your child will nap in a car seat you can consider strapping them in and driving around the area a little bit while they take their nap. This is a good choice if your home or hotel is far away from the theme park you are visiting.
4. Plan around nap time- This is what works best for us. Although we take my daughter to theme parks frequently, we rarely stay from park open until park close. We either go early in the morning then leave at dinner time and put her to bed early or we go after she takes her regular nap and stay until park closing. Look at the Park hours and figure out what will work best for you. We have occasionally even done one Disney Park in the morning, gone home for an afternoon nap, and then returned to a different Disney Park in the evening. As long as she stays hydrated, snacks, and eats a decent lunch my daughter is usually okay with staying in a Park from its opening time until about 7 pm with no nap but we leave as soon as she is starting to get cranky and during the day I always make sure there are plenty of activities planned for her where she will be able to run around and stretch her legs and enjoy things that are loads of fun to her but maybe not so much for mommy and daddy (i.e. a playground or an interactive water play fountain). This is especially important on those days when we do stay from Park open to Park close. If you plan on being in a Park at Park close definitely consider bringing your baby or toddler's pajamas with you so that you can change them into them before you leave the Park and not disturb a sleeping baby/toddler that falls asleep in their car seat or on the bus ride back to the hotel.
5. No nap at all-While this might not be the best option, it will sometimes work, especially with older toddlers who might not be napping 100% of the time at home anymore. (Keep in mind that the opposite, however, might also be true and a toddler who recently gave up naps at home might need a nap at a theme park due to all the activity and stimulation.) This one can depend a lot on park hours. My toddler can easily do a Park like Sea World in the off season or a water park or Animal Kingdom all day without napping because the park hours are typically 9 or 10 am-6 or 7 pm. I would never, however, expect her to last all day at the Magic Kingdom when it is open 9 am-midnight. If you choose this option, be sure to plan plenty of time into your day or your toddler to enjoy things on their level vs just running from attraction to attraction. Also, don't be surprised if your toddler goes to bed earlier than normal and then decides to sleep in the next morning instead of getting up in time for Park opening when they are normally always up at the crack of dawn. 

Remember, whatever you choose needs to be the right decision for your family and it is not set in stone. Be willing to be flexible. Babies and toddlers can be very finicky and the same thing that worked great for one probably isn't going to work as well for another. If you plan on doing stroller naps and find that doesn't work and you are faced with a cranky toddler, be willing to try leaving the Park the next day for a nap. If you are dealing with a cranky, overtired toddler nobody is going to have a fun day at the theme park!