Afternoon breaks a must?

[southtexasmom]

When we were at WDW last June our youngest was 11 months, we had planned on taking a afternoon break but she fell asleep in the stroller and had a good long nap. I think it really depends on the child and parents. We only get to go once a year so we want to spend every possible second at the parks.

 

[lmjacobs]

You know your kids best. My DD first trip she was 2.5 and NEVER slept or napped. We're both ADHD so we are constantly on the move - I knew the excitement and action would not be too much for her. We took a stroller and on the day (I think 3rd day) that she fell asleep at MGM we just pushed her around and the older kid got to ride. I have taken the little one a few more times and she's 9 now. Never need a break. She keeps going, and going. Hydration is a must but she wants to soak in every minute of WDW. We took a couple of trips in July and we'd have to sit in the shade a couple times per day at MK and eat popsicles. I've never had to worry about the trips back to the hotel. The travel time to and fro adds up and can cut at least four hours out of your day for rest/travel time. Even if you drive your own car it takes forever to get to the parking lot.

 

[Nora94]

we just went April 22 - May 1 with our girls - Elise was 2 3/4, Tara was almost 6.

We were amazed that they didn't need breaks. Both are great nappers, early to bed early to rise kids. Elise took naps on our shoulders while in wait lines. Tara did fine w/o any.

The day we did Magic Kingdom we started with Chef Mickey's at 8:15. Than we went to MK. We stayed till they closed at 11:30ish!! Elise took ONE 45 min nap while we waited for Dumbo than was good to go for the rest of the day. They both got cold, and a little sleepy, but putting on a sweatshirt and one fast ride and they were back to being excited. I would NEVER have thought we would do that but we didn't want to miss out and they were still going strong. Oh, wait Elise took about a 10 minutes nap on the train around dinner time. Had forgotten that.

The only day we took a nap that we scheduled was the day we were going to do the extra magic hours at Magic Kingdom. That day we stayed till 1:30 am so we knew they would need a nap and they did fine staying up till that late. The next day we had to be back at MK for Cinderella's table breakfast at 8:10 LOL. That was a hard morning but not terrible. We did go back for a nap that day too.

Really we had thought we would nap, but it didn't work out most days. My advice is play it by ear. Give yourself the option but don't force a nap if they are going strong. When we realized it was a good hour worth of travel time (to the hotel and back) we didn't want to be gone from the park for a good 3 - 4 hours minimum.

But this was also our first and maybe ONLY time we were going. If you know you are going every other year you might look at it differently.

Nora

 

[DisneyMomx7]

If we didn't take breaks on our first trip (kids were 2 1/2, 4 and 5) we wouldn't have had anymore trips! I think you have to look at the whole picture - not just how much you are able to do, but how much you are going to enjoy it. Kids just can't enjoy anything when they are overtired. Three years later we still take and afternoon swim/nap break. I even lay down with the kids - I never know who falls asleep faster. As for the strollers, dd will turn 8 in September. SHe's the size of a 5 or 6 year old - we still do the double and single stroller thing. After seven kids I really have learned to do whatever it takes to make things easier (within reason) and not to sweat it. If it makes our vacation easier to have the kids in the stroller thats what we do.

 

[NJDisneymom]

We took breaks this trip and honestly I am hoping to not need them on our next trip (probably not until my son is about 4-5). Between our breakfast, lunch or dinner PS's (never all 3, but sometimes 2) it was hard to find time for the breaks. Some days our breaks were at 2pm other days at 4pm. My ds takes a 3 hour mid-day nap at home and WILL NOT nap in the stroller so giving him the 1-2 hr. break in the afternoon really wasn't even enough for him.

He got very sick last Wednesday (day 6 into our trip), and I'm not sure if it was just a stomach bug (DH had it the night before) or if it was from the exhaustion. My 5.5 year old was fine, just sometimes falling asleep on the buses at night.

 

[Jaxs27]

I am thinking we won't do a nap. Last year we went to Sea World and they were a year younger and did great. I will just let them nap in the stroller and take breaks at the park. I just think the whole nap process takes a long time, with loading up the car and going to the hotel, unloading and then loading back up again after. My kids are good troopers and have gone without naps before and are fine. Actually my 3-year-old has given up naps.

 

[WDWFAN9]

We've always stayed on property so that we had the option of returning to our room mid-day, but never have. When we first started coming to WDW the youngest two were in strollers and they just napped along the way. We always tried to take a break in the park - airconditioned attractions in the hot afternoon are great. I just figured if we headed back to the resort my kids would sleep on the bus, and then be ready to go when we got to our room....so we just stayed in the park and it always worked out fine.

 

[crisi]

My kids are 9, 7, and 5. We tried the afternoon break thing once, and it didn't work - the kids were bouncing off the walls of the hotel room. They couldn't wait to get going again. So we gave up on anyone actually resting - occasionally we went back to the pool for a few hours.

This was our experience as well. Once they got old enough to swim and didn't need the nap, the swim break is a must - but only because the kids think pool time is needed every day!

Gage your own children. Some of us find our kids need to nap at the hotel room, some like a pool break mid afternoon. Some will sleep in a stroller, some don't need a nap at all.

alleghator

If your almost five year old is a good walker, you probably won't need a stroller. I'd plan on the seven year old hoofing it - unless they are a particularly unmotivated walker. My kids will be just five and just six this next trip, I'm planning on "limited stroller rental." Probably evenings at Epcot when everyone is over tired.

 

[Secret agent Tink]

I wouldnt get my hopes up on staying ALL DAY. the kids really do need breaks because when its 3:00pm and you want to keep going your kids will be crying and having fits,so.........

have one parent take them to a resort pool!


or relax and watch disney cartoons!


or Downtown disney is a great resting spot!


Stroll up and down the boardwalk!

or if your in Magic Kingdom mabye head to Tom Sawyer island!!

this will not suck the fun out of your vacation. Even though it seems like it. Have a great time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[disneykid1961]

We just returned on Sunday and we took breaks every day. In fact, DS (7), actually asked for breaks about 2:00 each day when the sun was getting very hot. We arrived at each park at opening, rode lots of rides without waiting because we were there early, then got back into the car, which was parked close because we were there early, and went back to our hotel, which was a 10 minute drive. DD (3) and son swam, didn't sleep, but recharged their batteries. We ate an early dinner off-site, sometimes in the room because we reserved a fridge. The heat really made them not want to eat much, so we all survived on wraps, granola bars, cereal and milk and fruit. Saved lots of $$ too.

One hint for the return to the park. Sometimes we would be directed to a parking spot way at the back of the park. Tell the attendant you're meeting friends at your original and much closer parking area and when it's time to leave, you'll be very close to your car. We always got a great spot upon returning to the parks around 5-6 becuase lots of families that didn't choose to take the break were leaving or park-hopping. Also, if you take the break and have a hopper option on the ticket, you can go to another park for evening shows, fireworks, etc. We were only there for 4 full days, and took breaks each day, and we crammed everything in with no meltdowns. Maybe try a day with a break and see if it helps keep everyone happy. ps: get squirt bottles with the fan for the heat. and get each kid their own if you can so they won't fight about them. When you get into a hot car at mid-day, it was the only thing that kept them from complaining. Good luck and enjoy!

 

[disney1fan]

Thanks for all the answers. I guess I'll try to do without the breaks and see how it goes. None of my girls take naps while at home anymore and we are staying offsite, so it seems that a nap on the stroller when they get exausted should be enough. If they get too tired then I'll revise the game plan!

 

[kapica3]

I agree, if it were mid-summer I would say definately do the break. But in Feb/March and with a stroller I wouldn't waste the time going back and forth to the hotel. I think you may do better with one sleep-in morning during mid-trip to kindof refresh everyone or one leave the park after the 3:00 parade day to go swimming. I'm with you, I don't want to miss the magic.

When my DD was 4 we did the parks from early opening until close without a stroller and without any complaining from her.(She was so excited about everything she saw-she never asked to be carried or picked up at all) I think it was a 6 day trip at the time. We just made sure to do some walking attractions interchanged with some sitting attractions and a nice sit down lunch each day. She did fall asleep each night in the car on the way back to Allstars. But beside that she did just fine. My niece on the other hand at 5 years old was asking for the carriage as her legs hurt. No one knows your children like you do. You are the best judge. What ever you do have fun and be flexible.

 

[MariDisney]

We'll take an afternoon break almost every day on this upcoming trip. Our usual pattern is to get to the parks early (we often have an 8:05 ADR) and then tour until after lunch. We'll go back to the hotel and then swim or lust lay on the bed and read or whatever for one to two hours. We shower and then feel refreshed for the rest of the day. We almost always hit a different park late afternoon. We'll have dinner in the park and then DTD or EMH in the evening, depending on our mood. Sometimes we come back and swim again late night. DD6 is still a decent stroller sleeper, so she sometimes falls asleep toward park closing. We rent a car and I think that makes the going back and forth easier. It's rarely more than 10-15 min. from the park entrance to our room.

 

[rt2dz]

OK, I haven't read every post, but...

I don't believe leaving the parks for breaks are a must. We've done it both ways & on the days (every trip we've taken) that we don't leave the parks for a break ALL my kids are much better behaved.

What is more important is to not commando tour. Don't have too set of a plan. If your kids want to stop for something unexpected (characters), let them. If they decide half way through a line (even after 35 minutes) they don't want to ride that ride after all, don't. If you need to ride a ride 14 times in a row, do so. It is MUCH more important to follow your kids lead. Then there are soooo many in park distractions: ie, MK = Tom Sawyer's Island & AK = Bone Yard; You can take the train around, slip into a/c shows. Also, don't wake your kids up to get to the parks early, they'll be happier working on the amount of sleep they need. And don't feel as though you need to close down the parks or see the night time parade & fireworks. If they have had enough at 5:30 without a break, then be done for the day. Just my advice.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

This was so interesting for me to read.............so many times I read "you MUST take an afternoon break", but for a family like mine, staying offsite, going in off-peak times (last week of April), I can't see myself getting to AK at 9am, leaving for a break at 12, coming back at 4pm after our break, and seeing all we need to see before it closes at 6pm. I'll rent a double stroller for my DS's 5 & 2, but I can't feasibly see us leaving a park when the park hours for the day are so short............

 

[belle&beast]

We are going January 14-21 and are going to play it by ear. My DS will turn 2 on our trip and right now he only naps about 50% of the time at home, and my DD4 only rests--hardly ever falls asleep. So for the first 2 days I booked lunches so we can all have a break and relax. (We have the dining plan, so they will be our table service meals.) The parks seem to close pretty early for the most part, so we will be getting to bed at a decent hour, so right now I am not worried about naps. But if we find we do need a break, we will definitely take one!

 

[Stacerita]

Taking a break doesn't necessarily mean going back to the hotel and napping. We never do that. But we will sit on a bench while the sweetpea enjoys a Mickey Bar. Or staking out a nice place to catch the parade and people watch for a while. Or just slowing down from the hurry hurry hurry. Also, since leaving the park and returning to the room can suck up tons of time, you might want to consider maybe sleeping in a day or two. We slept in two days out of our 8 and it made all the difference.

 

[bubbasmom99]

LOVE the afternoon siesta! Need the change of scenery and pace. The parks can be so overstimulating -- even for adults! It's nice to come back, freshen up, relax for a bit, and even grab a 20 minute snooze.

This past trip, we had a day where we slept in and didn't get to the parks till almost 11, and we figured we could skip the afternoon break... but it turned out to be so weird -- felt like everything was out of sync. For us, we function better doing the early morning park/afternoon break/more in the evening routine.

 

[SqueakyMouse]

When the parks are very busy, you really need to be at the parks early and late in order to do everything you want with the minimal wait. That being said, it was nearly impossible over Christmas to get my family to stop. Thus, we were walking zombies for a good part of the trip!! Take a break if you can. If the weather's warm, go for a swim.