Too Excited to Sleep Before Disney – Tips and Remedies
Disney World is a magical place, but sometimes, that “Disney Magic” gets you so hyped, you just can’t contain your excitement. And that’s a tough thing, especially if your anticipation is causing you a restless night’s sleep.
But what if that truly is the case. What if you’re just days away from your vacation, but you find yourself way too excited to sleep before your trip to Disney World?
Well, here are some helpful ways to handle this situation!
Adults Too Excited to Sleep Before Disney
One of the ways I alleviate the pressure to fall asleep the night before Disney World is with proper planning and preparation. You want to be sure you have done your due diligence — Especially if you are a first timer.
The last thing you want to be thinking about the night before is if you chose the best restaurants or the best hotel.
You can utilize Disney forums, Facebook groups, and other resources online. Share your ideas and scheduled plans to receive feedback from many enthusiasts.
Another thing I think is worth exploring is checking out other people’s recent trip reports. People will often share them on Disney forums like DIS or WDWMagic.
On a trip report, Disney fans will report back on their most recent trip—what they loved, what they hated, and what attrition was newly opened or surpassingly closed. Fans will also share their thoughts on new restaurants or hotels, as well.
Reading a fellow fan’s trip report is an awesome way to get up-to-date intel on what to expect on your upcoming Disney trip. If you can’t sleep the night before your flight leaves for Orlando, a trip report not only gets you in the perfect Disney mindset, but gives you great insight on what to except (and even affords you some time to make any last second changes to your upcoming vacation, if need be).
On top of that, if you don’t want to read a trip report, you can always choose to watch a Disney World vlog, instead:
Also be sure to plan your flights accordingly. If you are driving, there is not much planning to do other than your scheduled time to leave the house.
We all want to be there as soon as possible. But it doesn’t make sense to book flights at 3 a.m. when you are going to be groggy upon arrival.
One of the things I like to do is plan my trip with a mix of later departure and early arrival.
Easier said than done, I know!
Anywhere from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m should be great for everyone. Of course, the arrival time depends on if you have layovers and where you are coming from.
But generally, it’s best to try to get a direct flight to have an early arrival time. That is if your plan is to take to the parks straight away.
Another thing to consider is the distance from your house to the airport.
Since my family doesn’t live in a big city, we prefer to stay the night before at the airport hotel.
This allows for less travel time, and you get the added benefit of not stressing out about leaving an important item at home. You can always do a quick double-check upon arrival.
Enough about preparation and planning, let’s talk about the night before.
A few hours before bedtime, you may want to reconsider your favorite caffeinated beverage and instead go with tried and true water. Any sort of stimulants, such as caffeine or nicotine, will not help calm your excitement down.
You’ll also want to avoid watching any stimulating movies or tv shows that allow your mind to wander. Some shows are okay to watch, just make sure it is something that doesn’t require your undivided attention.
Take a nice, warm bath or shower before climbing into the bed. This will relax your body and prepare you for a good night’s rest.
Make sure the thermostat is set at a comfortable temperature for everyone. Too hot and you will toss and turn, too cold and you will be reaching for more covers.
Do your best to take your mind off of the big trip. Don’t think about all of the fun rides and great dining options you have planned in your itinerary.
I know, this is probably the hardest part. Just don’t do it.
One of my personal favorite tips for falling asleep fast is incorporating some sort of “white noise”. I usually try to keep on a ceiling fan on the low setting, just to have something to focus on instead of the dead silence.
You could also opt for some calming music tracks playing low in the background.
This works for some people, but others tend to find it distracting. I’m somewhere in the middle, but I prefer my fan to be running in the background.
Kids Too Excited to Sleep Before Disney
Many of the same principles I describe for the adults will apply to the children as well.
No caffeinated beverages and absolutely remember not to let them have their candy or dessert after dinner.
Sugar affects children a lot differently than it does adults.
Kids should have a nice warm bath before a big trip (in order to relax them and make them fall asleep quicker.
Another idea is to read them a book or let them watch a non-engaging cartoon and please DO NOT mention the fact that they are going to Disney World the next day.
Trust me, they are already well aware. The last thing you want to do is open the door for a series of questions before bed. You can answer all of them the weeks before or during your travel time.
Now that we have them down, you will now be able to climb into bed for a little shut-eye.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve gotten the recommended amount of sleep, you can ensure everyone in your party will be well-rested for the big day ahead!
It’s time to relax, and enjoy your vacation and all of the fun activities Disney World will bring to you and your family.
Even though we do everything we can, sometimes we can still be too excited to sleep before your trip to Disney World. And when that happens, feel free to refer back to this article.
For now, I’m going to leave you with the classic commercial that’s all about being too excited to sleep before Disney World:
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