Planning Question-HELP

[bartleby1]

I know you probably don't want to hear this, because it is a hard decision to make, but really, only you and your family can decide what works best for you. So read all of the pros and cons that work for everyone else, but then you need to make a choice based on your family and touring style. Personally, we don't do afternoon breaks because my kids are very easy going, don't melt down, and will fall asleep on a ride if need be. We tried to leave once and the kids fell asleep on the ride back to the hotel and then were ready to go again! I do, however, know many kids (and adults!) that need a break.

We try to do one short day (like AK which closes earlier or doing a half day of a park that we go to more than once) followed by a really long day (stay for the night time show). Then, we have a rest day of pool, maybe DTD, etc. This works for us because we take longer trips (usually 12-14 nights). This really wouldn't work for a shorter trip though.

Also, because we go for longer, we don't feel the need to pay for hoppers. We get a 10 day pass and do one park a day. Plenty of time to see what we want without hopping. However, if we were going on a shorter trip, I might consider hopping. I believe adding hopping for our family is roughly $250. I'd rather stay an extra night or two with that money. I know that some people can't imagine going without hopping because they love the freedom to switch parks. It really is a personal choice.

Good luck with your decision! Keep in mind that you can always add hopping to your tickets once you are down there if you feel you need it.

 

[momsavealot]

OP - I think it depends on where you're staying. If you're staying at a monorail resort, I think it is advisable to come back and rest midday. In our experience, nobody really napped but it was nice to regroup, maybe shower and change, or hang by the pool. This August, we will be staying at a value resort and I don't want to waste time on buses going back and forth, so I think we will try the other approach this time. On days we do early EMH, we will not stay late, and, on days we do evening EMH, we will sleep in and go in later in the day. Also, we are doing what we did last time and taking a non park day half way thru our trip. It works wonders! Just lounge by the pool, go to DTD or explore another resort. Good luck!

 

[2 Little Mermaids]

We just went on our first family trip and from reading these boards I came up with two plans and played it by ear. #1 arrive early and see what we want to see. Leave around 2-3 for rest, supper and bath. Return around 7-8 for the night events. #2 Arrive early, see the afternoon parade and then leave before night events. I have two little ones and the older one had a 1/2hr nap in the stroller. We were having so much fun that they didn't want to leave. We were there from 9am-8pm and they cried leaving then. So I my vote it to have 2 plans and go with how your feeling at the time! Have fun!

 

[waw1961]

Do you realize how expensive Disney is? Get up early, hit the park all day, stay for PM EMH, drag yourself back to your room, wake up early the next day to do it all again. Sleep when you get home.

Amen to that !! You go until you have nothing left. You run your wife through the parks like there's no tomorrow, you make the kids have fun whether they like it or not. This is vacation doggone it, there's no time to rest !!

 

[Racknack]

Sleep when you get home.

I'll drink to that!

Karnak

 

[cmusschoot]

I think going back to your room to "rest" depends on where you are staying.

I have small kids (2 and 4) so I pay a bit more so we are within a decent trip back to the resort (we usually stay at Wilderness...this time at Boardwalk). My kids need the rest and therefore will last longer (until fireworks) in the evenings.

If you have to get back using the bus, it can be a long trip there and back...up to an hour...that is a lot of time. But if there are EMH or you are going to a party where your daughter will be up late a ride back to the resort for a rest might be worth it.

I say don't overplan and worry about missing something and let how you feel dictate what you do...some days you may need a rest (esp. if it is HOT), others you may be able to go all day....

Enjoy planning, it is my favorite part, don't stress and know that there is NO WAY...rest or no rest, that you will be able to see everything. Gives you an excuse to go back

 

[natnelliesmom]

Do you realize how expensive Disney is? Get up early, hit the park all day, stay for PM EMH, drag yourself back to your room, wake up early the next day to do it all again. Sleep when you get home.

Unless you can afford to do WDW twice a year.... this is the only way to do it! I find that no matter what our plans are before we get there, (and we always think we'll take it slow and easy) there is so much we want to do that we just get up early and do the parks all day long! And we have a 4 and 6 y/o! It's just too much fun in the parks to spend all that time bussing forth and back all afternoon for a rest!
We usually build in rest day mid way through our trip, but even that ends up as at least a half day in the parks!

I say... make a list of what you want to before you get there. Then decide while you are there wether you need a mid-day rest or not. You may find that an ice cream bar in a shady spot is all the break you need to get through the day! Especially with a 7 y/o!! My 4 year old won't nap in Disney World!!!

Have fun!
-Sarah

 

[Mate]

Thanks all!! I make my ADR's on Sun. so just trying to decide how much is too much and how much is not enough. She isn't a nap kinda gal either, but I think she will enjoy some down time to swim at the resort.

 

[CapJack]

To all those posters that took an hour to get back to resort where were you staying? I have never had the trip back to resort midday take more than a half hour and stay at POP. I also vote for park/rest/park on most days.

 

[exwdwcm]

i think each family is different based on their individual touring style and personality. We LOVE the park/rest/park strategy and use it everytime, even when it was just 30 something DH and I.

We do stay on site, so getting back to the room is fairly quick. We open the parks- we find that first hour we can accomplish so much with little or no lines, which is key for us. We hate waiting in long lines. Hit the big rides, get FPs and then we aren't cursing ourselves later because Soarin has a 60 minute wait and no FP. We won't wait for a ride with an over 20-30 minute line (we typically go in off season, so it isn't a problem anyhow).

We open the park, go commando that first hour or two, then slow it down. We usually break when we just feel ready---could be noon or 1pm. We usually do a 2 hour break or so. Head back anytime between 3-5pm. Then enjoy another park in the evening (we love hopping!!) and stay until close.

with toddlers and adults with health issues, a break is a must for us. For some families, it just doesn't work. I know we end up all happier and less crabby with a break. and by 'break', i don't mean just a nap. for my 2yo, yeah, it willl probably be a nap, but it might just mean watching tv, resting, enjoying a swim or lunch at the resort. We are staying at WL, so we also want to have time to enjoy the resort.

We also do one sit down meal per day, usually dinner, although we do 1-2 breakfasts and maybe one sit down lunch to break it up a bit. We enjoy the dining WDW offers, so we like taking advantage of it. For some, that serves as a 'break' in itself!

For our longer trips- 10 days or so, we also build in a 'break day', where we don't do the parks and simply sleep in, do DTD, tour other resorts and enjoy the pool a bit. for our trip in Dec, we will have our breakday on the day after MVMCP, since we will ahve a later night- let us sleep in the next day and catch up on sleep!

 

[kim532]

We have always done park / rest / park, even before when we traveled just 2 adults. There is a lot of walking.

My rest is always sleep. I take at least an hour nap. When I read people swimming for thier rest, it cracks me up. Swimming always makes me more tired. I would be passed out after being at the parks and then swimming. I think for me the chlorine does me in.

 

[Karpkg]

The last time I went to WDW, it was just DH and me(age 26) and we went commando style 3 days. I now have a strained achilles tendon that reminds me of that trip every morning that aches so that I limp until it warms up then I forget about it till the next day. (and I used to do gymnastics in high school and college and this is my only lasting injury...)

Now, with 2 kids age 6 and 4 1/2, and me older and wiser, I'm going to try the early emh-park, retreat and rest, then revive and go. I dunno about the late emh, (I'm the only night owl, kids are out at 8, DH by 10) but I'm willing to reverse my sleep schedule for the family.

For the most part, I have an idealistic schedule and then there's my realistic schedule. I'll make the must have list short and get it done, then everything else will be gravy. I'll definitely pay attention to me and my family's body signals. If I keep in my head that I'll always return in the future and just enjoy the moment, I'm sure I'll have a great time, and so will you!

Has anyone heard of a Dis-zilla yet?