Advice for Scheduling Down Days

[cgattis]

I wouldn’t count a water park day as an “off” day; they can be as exhausting as a park. If I had two weeks in the August heat, I’d do each water park once. I’d also plan some pool time in the morning or afternoon of HS day(s); we rarely take advantage of our resort pool unless I really make a point of it.

 

[fla4fun]

My trips are usually 11 days and I try to schedule a break day about every fourth day. So three park days, break, three park days, break, three park days. Sometimes I end up moving the break days around once I am there, depending on weather, whether I stay healthy, whether my feet hurt, etc., but most of the time, it stays pretty set that way. I find I can handle three solid park days before needing a day to rest and recharge. My rest days sometimes include a short visit to Disney Springs or some resort hopping, but sometimes (depending on where I'm staying) I just chill at the resort for the day.

 

[jsbowl16]

We will be there the same time you are but for 10 days in the middle of your vacation. We go every year alternating between July and August to get two vacations out of each alternating year season pass. We do not do off days. Instead we take every afternoon as a break from about 1 to 5 because it is hot, humid and rains almost every afternoon in the summer. We tried staying for full days one year and we were burnt out by day 3 which ruined the rest of our vacation. We use the time in the afternoon to swim, sleep, explore the resort and possibly shower a second time. We are there at rope drop each day and then stay until park close each night usually scheduling fast passes at night when crowds are much higher.

 

[Cindylieu]

As the varied responses here would indicate, everyone's resting needs are so different. You really must know your own group dynamic.

I am planning our June trip for 5, ranging in age from 15-69. I plan highly structured Park mornings (including rope-drops) but I do not plan much structured activity in the afternoons; this allows flexibility. Those who want to stay and play may do so, those who want to take a rest at the hotel also feel free to do that. I plan 2 park days and one rest day, repeat for the trip’s duration. Rest days include optional Disney Springs, resort hopping, and a (not optional) TS ADR; so you can see that they are active days but are not super structured.

That all said- just play with it! You know the stamina of your group, their waking/napping needs, and their tolerance to heat/rain/sun. Good luck!

 

[hertamaniac]

Down days do resort hopping besides monorail loop (since you will be at GF). Recommend FWL, FW for lunch at Trails End, AKL, OKW via DS boat.

 

[DaniMoon]

Your plans look similar to ours. We are going for 13 days the end of August. I have pool days sprinkled throughout and do plan to hit MK and another park our departure day (our flight leaves at 8:30 pm). My kids will be 10 & 11 and my "chill" days are scheduled for days after we plan to close a the park. My youngest is not a pleasant child if he doesn't have enough sleep. We have avoided night time shows the last few trips because of this. No WP for us tho, my youngest barely likes the pool.

I also like the fact that I can be flexible and if there is a total washout day in the forecast I can bump thing around.

 

[wisteria1019]

I like to think of "down" days as similar to sea days on a cruise - it gives you permission/an excuse to chill and explore your surroundings. Sleep in a bit, leisurely breakfast or lunch etc... Then hit the ground running again the next day.

 

[dkrauss]

I tend to find Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom less full days then Magic Kingdom and Epcot. So I tend to take break days after those 2. Of course animal kingdom you probably want to do one night.

An alternate for thought. Using EMH - and some of those EMH mornings then you may want to go waterpark or something to relax in evening. This is more maximizing getting done using more of the EMH. I tend to want to leave the morning emh parks by early afternoon as they tend to get crowded - going to another park for a while or waterpark or get a dinner reservation at Disney Springs on those EMH days.

Thr, Aug 2: Arrive, visit MK in the afternoon
Fri, Aug 3: MK morning EMH / Epcot Evening
Sat, Aug 4: Animal Kingdom (morning EMH) - late dinner Disney Springs
Sun, Aug 5: HS (morning EHM) - stay late to see nighttime activities
Mon, Aug 6: Break - waterpark then dinner Disney springs
Tue, Aug 7: Epcot evening EHM
Wed, Aug 8: Magic Kingdom Evening EMH
Thr, Aug 9: Break - waterpark and then dinner Disney springs
Fri, Aug 10: Magic Kingdom Morning EMH - late dinner Disney Springs
Sat, Aug 11: Animal Kingdom (morning EMH) - stay late to see nighttime
Sun, Aug 12: HS (morning EMH) - waterpark evening
Mon, Aug 13: Break - waterpark then dinner Disney springs
Tue, Aug 14: MK Morning / Evening Epcot EMH

The OP has a 10 day park ticket.........with Water Parks. So the Water Park portion is not considered a used day on your 10 day ticket? The plan above doesn't work if you visit the Water Park on your break days? If the water park can be used independently of the 10 park days.............this plan is better but exhausting from my perspective! Water parks can be very tiring. I've never used this ticket so I'm curious how it works.

Doug

 

[eeyoreali]

I'm hoping to go for Nov 30 - Dec 14, 2019. I'm planning the arrival & departure days to be relaxed (pool, shopping, exploring, etc). Then 10 days of parks and 3 rest days. It'll be my husband, myself, and our two kids (who will be 6 1/2 & 10 then). We don't usually park hop or leave for breaks during the day. I want to have a few days of to sleep in and then spend the days just like arrival & departure day. It'll be our first time going when the Christmas decorations are up & I'd love to visit as many of the resorts as we can to see what they each do.

Our schedule will be very similar to yours. I think you have a good plan started!

 

[cgattis]

The OP has a 10 day park ticket.........with Water Parks. So the Water Park portion is not considered a used day on your 10 day ticket? The plan above doesn't work if you visit the Water Park on your break days? If the water park can be used independently of the 10 park days.............this plan is better but exhausting from my perspective! Water parks can be very tiring. I've never used this ticket so I'm curious how it works.

Doug

A 10-day ticket with water park option gives you 10 park days and 10 water park days. You can use a park day and a water park day on the same calendar day if you choose (but not two park days). Tickets are good for 14 days from first use (I believe that's the correct number), so yes, you could use the water park days in between.

 

[mickey&minniealways]

We are planning a vacation for early August. We haven't been as a family since Nov 2016, and I know a lot has changed. Also, we're planning a long vacation - a sort of once in a lifetime 13 day trip to Grand Floridian. We are so excited! Now I'm planning for our Fast Passes and daily visits to the parks. Because we are theme park commandos, trying to fill every day with as much park fun as possible, we usually don't take a down day, and now we're faced with making some decisions in advance of FP booking (2 weeks from now). Here's the deal:

• Trip is from Aug 2 (arriving around noon) - Aug 14 (departing in the evening)
• We have 10 day park hoppers with water parks
• We have 3 children in tow - DS(14), DS(12), DD(8)
• We definitely want to have some nighttime fun
• We definitely want to visit MK on the day that we arrive

So, after looking at lots and lots of the crowd calendars out there (I used to like Josh's but it is no more), I'm still feeling a little less than confident about how to plan. I'm trying to decide whether or not to take our last day off from Parks or a third day off in the middle. Here's what I'm thinking and I'm looking for feedback regarding whether I should be taking days off in the middle of the week or on the weekends. My current plan:

Thr, Aug 2: Arrive, visit MK in the afternoon
Fri, Aug 3: AK
Sat, Aug 4: EP
Sun, Aug 5: MK
Mon, Aug 6: Break
Tue, Aug 7: HS
Wed, Aug 8: Break
Thr, Aug 9: MK
Fri, Aug 10: AK
Sat, Aug 11: Break
Sun, Aug 12: EP
Mon, Aug 13: HS
Tue, Aug 14: MK

Considering that it is August and will be hotter than Hades have you considered doing the parks in the am, an afternoon break is the resort pool and go back to the park after that. This is what we do.

 

[tinkerhon]

Except Water Parks can be crazy on Saturdays - there's always a tradeoff

Yes ! Did that once - never again ! Was packed !