Families that take breaks - can you help me with timing?

[MNDisneyMommy]

When we went as adults we took midday breaks. Now with kids, they are essential.

Last trip we went with 1 yr old, 4 yr old, and two sets of grandparents (in addition to us middle agers). We started at rope drop, had an ADR for lunch around 11:30-12:30 or so. Ate, went back to hotel, either slept (1 yr old) or swam or just talked or looked at pics, etc. We aimed to get back to the park around 4 and left again around 7. A few days we had different plans (dinner ADR or something) but we we only spent one night out late (for MK parade/fireworks). Kiddos slept SO well once we got going.

I'll be honest, we were there in October and are from up north and by the time we were done with lunch it was getting hot and crowded and we usually just wanted to hightail it back to some cool calm for a bit. A few times a couple would stay after lunch for a bit, that was their choice (my brother spent some extra time in Epcot, my parents spent some extra time in AK, my in-laws did some MK time, etc.).

The kiddos really needed that midday break though - they would usually make it through lunch because they were hungry, but after that - whoa nelly! Most days we couldn't get back to our hotel fast enough. We'd usually have one asleep in transit. They would just get crabby and short-tempered..more whining, more fussiness, etc.

I have heard folks do a "break in the park" - so they plan for a while in A/C, or in a shady spot with a drink/snack...I think that would work for adults or bigger kids who understand enough to take a break, but my kids were way too little for that and I think they would have just wanted to run around in circles. Worth a shot, though!

Good luck! Just go with the flow...be flexible! We missed some FPs, we missed an attraction here or there...we just went with the flow. It worked. Less stress.

 

[Story Girl]

For the past four trips with our daughter, we have taken midday breaks. We do RD, attractions til 11 or 1130 and then lunch. Back to the resort between one and two for rest/pool. Back at park for 5-6. I will say that for us, having a car is essential. Having a car makes getting back and forth much more efficient time wise for midday breaks. This year we are testing the waters with our nearly 5-year old that does not like to nap anymore. I am still of the belief that the overwhelming stimulation with necessitate a nap. But we will see. If not, I am sure our days will end earlier in the early evening.

 

[Merx]

Really useful thread, as I was wondering the same thing

Got a transport question, we'll be staying at Pop Century for our October trip, will be relying solely for Disney buses.

How much time should I allow for to get back from the park entrance back to the resort? I understand it depends on how lucky we are in terms of the bus schedules. I've read from another forum that buses back to resorts on midday is not going to be as frequent.

Is 45 minutes a good ballpark figure to allow for travel back to resort?

 

[Minnesota!]

We do rope drop, work the park till about 1230, have lunch at the park or go back to the resort for lunch, then swim, shower, rest with some Disney TV, and then go back out about 5 till park close. My kids have kept this up since their first trips at age 2. We sleep from about 1130 – 630/7.

 

[J.Casto79]

We just played it by ear. My infant naps in the stroller like a champ. My 4 year old usually does not. To go with little ones, you have to understand that you can make plans, but they may not work out. You don't want to have a terrible time fighting to discipline a tired cranky toddler. It's just not a fun way to spend a vacation and it definitely isn't fair to discipline them for something that is out of their control. You have to remember that the whole trip is an upset to their normal routine.

We went last month. We made it most days from about open to around 2. But that could have been anywhere from 1:30-3:30ish. We only made it back in the evening once and got back in around 6. I think that day we left around 2-2:30.

 

[MinnieF]

I have DS3 and DS1. We do an early TS breakfast (like 7:30 or 8:00am), then go to the park. I usually book a couple of fast passes before lunch. Have lunch in the park starting between 11:30-12:30. Then book another fast pass for after lunch. Head back to the resort around 2. Go to the pool/rest for a couple of hours. Then get ready to go to dinner. Have a TS dinner starting 5:30-6:00 either at a hotel or in a park. If dinner is in the park, then we'll hang out at the park for a while probably until close, then go back to the room. If dinner is at a hotel, we'll play it by ear and may or may not go back to the park.

 

[Aliceacc]

We go over the summer, when the parks open early and stay open late.

We tend not to use the EMH for the most part. We go to the park that had them YESTERDAY, for rope drop. We tour pretty hot and heavy for a few hours, use our FP+'s from about 11 am, then break for lunch.

Then it's back to the resort to nap or swim.

We have a dinner ADR at 6:30 or so, then stay till fireworks.

 

[gatormom2tots]

Rope drop, lunch at 11, back for naps (older ones might swim for an hour or two instead). Back to the parks about 6ish-close.

 

[Susan Storm]

We go over the summer, when the parks open early and stay open late.

We tend not to use the EMH for the most part. We go to the park that had them YESTERDAY, for rope drop. We tour pretty hot and heavy for a few hours, use our FP+'s from about 11 am, then break for lunch.

Then it's back to the resort to nap or swim.

We have a dinner ADR at 6:30 or so, then stay till fireworks.

This is exactly the kind of schedule I am hoping to do with my toddler and older kids! So your kids managed staying up through fireworks and getting up for RD the next day? I have been wondering so much if we can do this, and your post gives me encouragement!

 

[Aliceacc]

It works for us now, and worked most of the time when they were younger.

Every so often, we would have to call it an early night. And, of course, your mileage may vary.

But 4 or 5 hours in the afternoon, napping and swimming, made a world of difference for us.

 

[constantstar]

Last trip (kids 2 & 4), we stayed RD to night show with stroller naps in the parks. It was perfect for us. If we had tried to go back to the hotel, they would have fallen asleep on the bus. Plus, I have to see Festival of Fantasy! However, next trip, we're bringing my in-laws. I know they're going to need a mid-day break as they've never been to Disney and we go hard in the parks. These replies are giving me ideas. I hate to "waste" the time going back to the resort. But, it's going to be necessary and hopefully lead to a fun trip for everyone

Has anyone mixed up the days - like I'm thinking take a break on our 2 Epcot days but then just leaving early (5ish) on our MK and AK days. Does that mess up sleeping patterns? There's so much I want to do - it's going to be hard to prioritize and cut some of it so we can take it slower.

 

[tami82]

We go around 9:00 after,rope,drop to,avoid congestion on the busses. Around 11:30 or 12:00 eat and go on rides again till about 1 or 2, go back to resort to swim, eat around 5 and go back to parks later on for a bit.

 

[mommyk8]

I have a 10, and 4 year old that are night owls. I plan to do rope drop and breaks every day. With option to return to a park or hop to another.

 

[Macprincess]

Our scheduled breaks also depend a great deal on the time of year were at WDW. In the summer we almost always do rope drop. We try to get rides done during this part of the day. We would pack a snack to keep bellies full and then have an ADR around 2:00. We would take a break after a late lunch. Often times in the summer you get hit with afternoon lightning, thunder, and rain that you can pretty much set your clock to happening between 4-6. We nap and rejuvenate during the late afternoon. Then head back to the parks in the evening concentrating mostly on the nighttime entertainment.

The rest of the year we do RD, lunch around 11. Rest. Then back to the parks around 4ish until we feel like were done for the day.

We also like to do two park days, followed by a down day(pool, water park, or Disney Springs), then two more park days. It works for us. Our children are teens now, but when they were younger my husband and I also tried to use one of the down days to each take half a day off doing something we enjoy why the other parent was on kid duty.