Afternoon Break

[3DisMunchkins]

What time do you usually do an afternoon break? I always have a hard time getting my kids to leave but they always nap when I do and then close the parks at night. I have an 8 year old and 2 11 year olds. This year I'll also have a 9 and 12 year old! They are not as accustomed to staying up as late as mine and I don't want to push them too hard. The fun part should be getting DBF to wake up after a nap!
Thanks!
Jana

 

[GatorChris]

We rarely go back to the hotel for a break. Only a few times have we gone back to HoJo or something to take a swim. And that's either if it's so hot we can't stand it, or we've been to the parks for 4 or 5 days and we want something a little different. When we do, we always will eat lunch, maybe hit one ride, and then head to the hotel. But only for a few hours max. With kids aged 8-12, you probably won't need too many nap/rest times.

 

[pinkprincess30]

We usually eat lunch outside the park so that's a great time to break away. Food can be a great motivator! lol! Other than that, let the crowds be your guide. When things get hot & packed it's time to go! We find it hard to leave too but when we put it off we always regret not getting back to the room earlier.

 

[22Tink]

I know lots of people take afternoon breaks to nap or swim but honestly, we never do. Our break is a TS late lunch/early dinner. We take our time eating our meal and relaxing there before heading back out into the park. When our kids were little they would just nap in the stroller and they all quit napping at a fairly early age. We do always have one park free day and go to the beach to relax but other than that we're pretty hardcore park goers!

 

[Aladora]

DS is autistic so he tends to get overwhelmed by midday so we always go back to the hotel around 1:30-2:00 for a bit of a break. When we were in WDW in December we did not go back for a break and found he was done by dinner time.

 

[HydroGuy]

What time do you usually do an afternoon break? I always have a hard time getting my kids to leave but they always nap when I do and then close the parks at night. I have an 8 year old and 2 11 year olds. This year I'll also have a 9 and 12 year old! They are not as accustomed to staying up as late as mine and I don't want to push them too hard. The fun part should be getting DBF to wake up after a nap!
Thanks!
Jana

It depends but is usually tied to lunch plans and FPs we happen to collect. If we can get a good FP for 2PM we will break later. as the FP runner I will often hang in the park a little extra to get FPs while the others head back to the hotel. Let's say the next FP window is 2PM and I can get an Indy FP with a return time of 8PM. I will wait to take a break to get that FP and then head out. Sometimes everyone waits with me as we do something to kill the time.

Bottom line is we usually leave the parks 1-2PM. We come back 5-6PM usually depending on dinner plans and evening shows we may want to see that day.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Before we had a child, we never took breaks at Disneyland. On our last trip we had a 1.5 year old so we did go back to the hotel each day. If I am remembering correctly, we went back around 1pm or so. Basically right after lunch. But mainly because that's when he would nap at home.

With older kids, I think I'd just play it by ear and go back when they seem like they may need a break (or if they even need one at all.)

 

[3DisMunchkins]

Thanks for all the input! I think I'll try to get out by 2 if we go back to hotel.
Hadn't thought about the idea of hanging back to grab fast passes...this is the first time I've been with a second adult in a while!
We'll see how the first day goes...can't break because hotel isn't available til 4. Just afraid the 9 yo may melt down by 9pm!
Luckily we have 5 days to see everything!

 

[HydroGuy]

Thanks for all the input! I think I'll try to get out by 2 if we go back to hotel.
Hadn't thought about the idea of hanging back to grab fast passes...this is the first time I've been with a second adult in a while!
We'll see how the first day goes...can't break because hotel isn't available til 4. Just afraid the 9 yo may melt down by 9pm!
Luckily we have 5 days to see everything!

They may let you use the pool before 4PM and you may get lucky and the room is available before 4. You can break at 3PM and do the pool then rest/nap at 4PM.

 

[Aladora]

Thanks for all the input! I think I'll try to get out by 2 if we go back to hotel.
Hadn't thought about the idea of hanging back to grab fast passes...this is the first time I've been with a second adult in a while!
We'll see how the first day goes...can't break because hotel isn't available til 4. Just afraid the 9 yo may melt down by 9pm!
Luckily we have 5 days to see everything!

We used to get the earliest flight and head right to the parks on the first day but found that DS ALWAYS melted down around lunch time. Not surprising since the earliest flight means that we have to wake up around 4:30am. The last few trips we have taken flights that get us to Anaheim early evening so we go right to the hotel, have a good night's rest and then head to the park. No more meltdowns!

 

[Kindermouse]

Mine doesn't nap any more, and hasn't for many years (13) but we take a break every day. it helps moral and anything that keeps spirits and stamina up and crankiness down is huge for us on vacation. plus my feet thank me. while i dont usually have a hard breaking time it is usually around 1-2pm. I know its time to go because the crowds swell and we all start to feel a little over stimulated. My son swims or just watches a little TV and winds down for a bit while I read or nap then we go back around 5-6. As much as I would like to be hardcore in the park and do rope drop to close the one time we tried it it was a tear-filled emotional roller coaster of an evening and my feet hurt so bad when we got back to the hotel I almost wished we had just stayed home. I mean really, I can fight with my kid at home for free if thats how our vacay is gonna roll.

 

[BriannaRuth]

We do pretty much like Hydroguy. We get there 30 minutes early to be sure we're one of the first ones in the park, then we take a break to the hotel around 2 and return about 6 or 6:30. My girls are 12 and 16 now so they are way too old for naps ordinarily, but they will definitely sleep at the hotel if we go back, or they'll go to the pool. We leave it up to them which one they want to do now that they're a little older. By the time I've been in the parks for 7 hours on a 90 degree day and it's just getting hotter and more crowded, I need the break as much as they do!!

We try to time FPs as well.

Sometimes if we're in DCA we'll do a leisurely TS meal followed by the 2:30 show at the Hyperion, followed by a visit to Animation Academy instead of the hotel break.

We also do like Aladora and get a later flight, relaxing at the hotel and/or DTD that first night. We used to try arriving really early and getting as much time in the park as we could on day 1, but it was exhausting, especially since we'd often get there so early we couldn't even check in to change clothes or unpack before hitting the parks.

 

[hlbtimes2]

We average a 2, sometimes 3, hour break most days. We tend to go around 3-4 pm, depending on crowds, heat and any FP we might have. That gets us out of the park at the hottest time of the day, and brings us back right before sunset. While we are at the hotel we change our shoes (sandals during the day, sneakers at night) and grab jackets, and leave anything behind that we purchased or know we wont need for the evening (sunglasses, sunscreen, etc). Then we head back, have dinner and hit the night time entertainment.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Thanks for all the input! I think I'll try to get out by 2 if we go back to hotel.
Hadn't thought about the idea of hanging back to grab fast passes...this is the first time I've been with a second adult in a while!
We'll see how the first day goes...can't break because hotel isn't available til 4. Just afraid the 9 yo may melt down by 9pm!
Luckily we have 5 days to see everything!

I'd melt down by 9pm on the first day without an afternoon break! Especially during summer, the heat takes so much out of a person. We follow a similarish plan to you, usually leave the parks around 1-2pm come back around or after dinner & shut them down. With 5 days there is zero need to push that first night. I'd go straight through until the kids are showing tired signs, ideally bugging out before the nighttime shows start so as not to get caught in that rush. That way everyone is fully refreshed for hitting the parks early the next day!

 

[Astylla]

We're just two adults and find around 2:30-3:30 is when we walk back. Since we are usually at rope drop it close to it , that time lets us freshen up , cool off , relax, etc.

If hours are short it might not be needed but must times it lets us get the most done without dragging at night lol.

 

[Butterfly123]

We usually break 1:30 or 2:00, after being at the gates half hour before opening, then we are back around 5:00 or so.

This is in the summer with the longer hours. If I was going off season with shorter hours I know we would break less, or even not at all. But it's hard to be early for rope drop and then stay until after 10:00 or 11:00 without a break in there.

 

[azdisneylover]

If going back to the room isn't feasible, there are many spots in DL, DCA and DTD that are not as busy, quiet and peaceful to rest and relax. Great Moments with Mr Lincoln, for example, lunch at Carnation Café, etc you are out of the sun and relaxing. Lots of places in DTD to grab a bite to eat, like Rainforest Café, for example. Nice and cool in there too. See a movie at the AMC Theaters in DTD (matinee prices are reasonable, then grab a bite to eat). Everyone will be feeling ready to get back into the parks. Whitewater Snacks in the GCH is a nice place to get something to eat and enjoy peace and quiet. You can enter through the entrance to the hotel across from Grizzly Rapids exit. Lots of food choices so you should be able to get everyone something to eat without much complaining, and, it is usually quiet in there. Really nice.

 

[Indiana Scott]

We've found that we don't need the breaks anymore because we've learned to be more relaxed at the parks. We take lots of sit-down breaks and don't rush from one thing to another. We're able to do this because we're lucky enough to spend 5 to 6 days in the parks. We also don't feel like we have to "do everything" since we know we'll be back. I think it also helps that we stay away from heavy, fatty meals and try to eat light. Digesting stuff like that takes lots of energy.
Basically we've just learned to take things slower and even though we're getting older, we don't need the breaks (yet).

 

[disneychrista]

Take in something a little more low-key helps. Visit the Tiki-Room and enjoy some Dole Whip (they are huge and easily shareable) mid-afternoon. Don't rush through lunch, take your time, discuss what you've done that day (so far) and what you plan to do the rest of the day.

 

[casagray]

With two adults, you may want to switch off doing "breaks" - one stay at the park, one go for rest time. You may also split up in the park - the have to do everything as often as possible group, and the slower paced group - but plan to meet up for a few breaks and/or meals. It also depends, as others have said, on when you go (how hot, really), how late the parks are open, and your group's interests.

As an adult, I like a short break from 4-6, enough to change if I need to for a cooler evening, take a short nap, put away any souvenirs I picked up, etc. I just have to convince my aching feet I can make it the rest of the day...