A relaxing swim?

[ArwenMarie]

Now we take a kind of divide and conquer approach. We go back to the room, my wife gets the kids ready to swim, I take them to the pool while she naps, and then she transitions the back out of pool gear.

That's exactly our deal...DH takes them and I deal with getting them ready to go and cleaning up after

 

[Ladyfish77]

It also depends on your group/kids. My youngest (who is now 19!) still loves going to resort pools and he's a lifeguard! You'd think that the pools wouldn't be a draw, but they are. He always wanted/wants to get in some pool time at any hotel we stay at (we obviously do not have a pool at home). He went on a trip to Disney with his HS guitar ensemble and he made sure to get some pool time in. We are going this fall, and I'm glad he's now 19 (last time we visited together as a family he was too young for me to let him go off on his own) so he can choose to stay in the parks or go back to the hotel.

I'm with you that a middle of the day break for pools would be a lot of work--I don't like having to dry my hair and re-style (ha, do I really style it???) it after a mid-day swim.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Last trip we spent a day at the pool. My granddaughter would rather pool it than go to the parks. We cancelled a whole day at Epcot to have the time but well worth it. For us.

 

[bbjunkie]

When we are there, the afternoon pool break is a must. We are there in the summer, and the cool dip in the pool in combination with it being a giant, relaxing foot soak makes pool time awesome for us. We do only have one kiddo, and she is old enough to shower and get ready by herself for the most part, so maybe that influences our choice.

As it is, we get to a park for rope drop, do as much as we can until about 1:00, then take the bus back, chill in the pool for a couple of hours, and head back to MKin the evening around 7:00 and stay til 1:00 am. So, we have 10-11 hours of park time at the time of day when it isn't as crowded and we can get the most done. We are "breaking" from 1-7, and that gives us plenty of time to travel,mango at the pool, nap for a bit, get ready, and head back out.
Once a week, we stay in the park for the afternoon to the the daytime parade, but we are out of the park, done and exhausted, by 6:00. So, if we go all day, we aren't getting any more park time in, and we're more tired and our tootsies are more sore as well.

 

[TavieP]

Mini rant alert.....Ok, so am I the only one who doesn't find swimming relaxing? It seems like everyone who goes back to the resort for a mid day break heads to the pool. The last thing I want to do after spending the day outside at MK is to go back to my room, get everyone in bathing suits, go back outside in the heat and spend time in the pool, go back to the room and "de-pool" everyone, then get dressed and head back out to a park for the evening. I'm not the only one, am I? end rant/

Nope - when I was there a couple weeks ago, one day myself and my 3 friends (all 30-something women) did an early morning at MK, came back to the resort midday for a "rest and swim", and then went back in the evening for dinner and more MK.

My 3 friends went to the pool. I stayed in the air-conditioned goodness of our AKL one-bedroom Villa and took a bubble bath in the whirlpool tub.

Much more rejuvenating, IMO.

 

[Daisy62]

We have been to WDW so many trips that the pool is very important part of our stay. We always have a pool day where we don't do the parks. On a few other days we leave the parks at 2 and hang at the pool for the day. We then shower and go to dinner and relax at the resort. It's funny we have a nice unground pool at home that I haven't stepped foot in this year but I love the Disney pools and the views of the MK from them. Just can't be beat for relaxation.

 

[Kalliope]

Swimming is a must for us on Disney vacations.

 

[kaybird]

We don't do the resort pool thing, but if we are there in the hotter months, a lazy river break in the afternoon is a must for DH and I. Gets us away from the park crowds and heat in the afternoon, and nothing is more relaxing for us than floating on a tube!

 

[MidgeD79]

I go swimming every day at Pop Century! We have no access to a pool at home at the summers in Michigan have not been swimming friendly. The last I went swimming was at Pop Century 2 years ago (not counting last week when we were at WDW).

 

[mkla2015]

I feel that same way on this one. I hate the pool time- with 2 little ones, it's not relaxing at all. Then after swimming, everyone has to take showers and wash hair- we can swim at home. Our last trip to Disney only involved 1 afternoon in pools and that was more than enough.

 

[Wendybird55]

I agree going back to pool can be more of a hassle than worth it with changing into suits, getting set up at pool, changing out of suits, etc. Then at times I find hanging out in the pool relaxing and cooling especially on very hot days. Sometimes DH and DS want to go to the pool and I'm not in the mood for the hassle so they get changed and head out to the pool and I stay back in the room for awhile to relax, organize, whatever then maybe head out and sit by pool and watch them or just continue relaxing until they return to room. I find the more trips we have to Disney the less of a hassle the pool is because we not in a rush to get anywhere or do anything. It's more of a hassle when you use pool as an afternoon break but want / need to be back at a park by a particular time for an ADR, event, ride or whatever.

 

[kj2mom]

Mini rant alert.....Ok, so am I the only one who doesn't find swimming relaxing? It seems like everyone who goes back to the resort for a mid day break heads to the pool. The last thing I want to do after spending the day outside at MK is to go back to my room, get everyone in bathing suits, go back outside in the heat and spend time in the pool, go back to the room and "de-pool" everyone, then get dressed and head back out to a park for the evening. I'm not the only one, am I? end rant/

You are not alone. I think swimming can be far more exhausting than staying in a park (maybe enjoying a TS or sitting on a curb waiting for a parade). We have never done mid day breaks.

 

[bookgirl]

I am not much of a pool person. I do sometimes go back to rest in a nice cool air conditioned room, but coming back to sit in the heat by the pool is not my idea of a good time.

 

[danny1649]

When we take afternoon break we lay down in air conditioned room and take a nap.We are old though, whoa let me rephrase that or it will be 3 days before the swollen eyes to reopen,where I can see to post.I'm old and very young wife of 47 years take a nap.Can't remember exactly I think it was arranged marriage when she was 1yo and I was 10ish.

 

[Allison]

Why are rant about something discretionary to each person? Do what makes you happy.

 

[gtpoohbear]

Personally, I'm not much of a pool person. I'd be fine with going to the pool once, for about 30 minutes, during a week-long trip, lol! But my kids love it, and end up enjoying it even more than the parks sometimes.

How we "do" pool time though depends a lot on the time of year. In the summer when it's unbearably hot, we just can't stay in the park all through the afternoon hours. So a break at the hotel is mandatory. And if we are going to be hanging out at the hotel for several hours, you can bet the kids will want to be in the pool. Fortunately, Dh loves the pool too, so sometimes he will take them and just let me stay in the room and relax.

During more reasonable-weather visits, we actually prefer to alternate days. One really full park day, open to close, and then the next day do more relaxing and pool time, maybe some DTD. I think it's a far less stressful way to structure a visit, but again, just not doable for us when it's hot.

 

[Kalliope]

I am not much of a pool person. I do sometimes go back to rest in a nice cool air conditioned room, but coming back to sit in the heat by the pool is not my idea of a good time.

There's the problem. You're supposed to be *in* the water.

 

[KEVD]

My kids love swimming at the pool. My wife and I could take it or leave it. Some days we "divide and conquer" the pool time. Other days we all go as a family. But I always find myself a bit bored with it, personally.

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

I think swimming is exhausting.

We have always found taking a mid-day break to be much more tiring than just staying in the park all day.

I agree, swimming is exhausting. Sitting in the pool with a Turtle Krawl from the Gurgling Suitcase is totally relaxing to me though.

 

[bookgirl]

There's the problem. You're supposed to be *in* the water.

Well the in part would last about 20 minutes and then I'd just be sunburnt HAHA so even less incentive to Relax.