Afternoon parades vs. hotel breaks

[carmiedog]

Most of the advice I've read is to take a break at the hotel in the afternoon when it gets hot and the parks are the most busy. So, uh, how exactly do you fit the parades into your schedule, then?

I had a tentative schedule in mind of leaving the parks around nooon, but that would put us back at the hotel at 12:30, then we'd have to leave by 1:30 to get a good place for the 3:00 parade. Granted, I haven't been yet so maybe my time guesstimations are way off.

How do you do it? TIA!

 

[jeankeri]

Some parades are better than others. Where are you staying; are you close to any of the parks? Also, how many days do you have? Are you repeating any parks more than once, planning to hop on any days? If you are sleeping in at all you can arrive at a park before the parade and stay through 'till closing.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

I would not leave the parks if you want to watch the afternoon parades. It's not worth it for that short amount of time.

We don't watch the parades with 2 little kids. We skip them so they are rested for the evening shows.

 

[hezreck]

Just my opinion, but going back the hotel for an hour seems like a waste of time to me. For that short of time, if I really needed a rest I would just find a quiet place to sit and relax. You don't have time to go to the hotel and actually take nap, so I wouldn't. But then again, my family has never taken and afternoon break so I'm probably not the one to answer your question. We always stay in the parks all day from opening to closing and just find a seat to rest for awhile. And yes, I do have a child who was 3 1/2 and 7 on our last two trips. She just never was a napper.

 

[Mamu]

We like our afternoon breaks. When the weather is warm and the parks are open late, it's nice to take afternoon breaks.

It took 3 visits and 21 days before I got to see all the afternoon and evening parades.

Transporation can be a problem when you leave and return. Waits are always longer then you planned.

On the days I planned to see a certain parade, I ended up going into the park later in the day. When your traveling with little ones they can become very tired and have break-downs.

Can everything be done in one visit, not anymore. Disney has become so big that it takes many visits or a very long vacation. If you try to do everything you'll need a vacation after your vacation.

Don't set yourself up for disappointments. Always give yourself more time they you think it will take. Try to enjoy each park, don't rush from one thing to another. There are so many little things that bring so much joy and there missed when your rushing around trying to see it all.

Yes what you want to do can be done. But it won't be much of a break, I would probably just stay in the park find a quite place and sit and relax.

 

[Bete]

Get to bed the night before very early. You may want to do more strenuous activity the day before; so, you will feel tired enough to go to bed earlier the night before. I would go as far as to say take all showers the night before, too. Eat breakfast in your room on the day you want to do the parade. If you don't bring breakfast items with you, then the day before prepare for it. Go to the park that's early entry for the day. Be there very early! Take in the prime attractions while it's the early hour. Work towards the back of the park doing the early entry. When the general public arrives, you still have time to enjoy the back of the park. They can't fly there. As the general public makes their way to the back, you start going towards the exit. You can still enjoy some attractions along the way getting out, if it's not busy yet. Usually, by following the above we can get out of the park between 11am to 11:30am. Now, you can have your afternoon break and still make it back in time for the parade.

Now, if you refuse to follow the above regimen then my next best answer is to sleep in later the morning you want to do the parade. Go to the park that doesn't have early entry. Have a lunch before the parade starts. See the parade and enjoy the park afterwards; until, you get tired and want to call it quits.

We have done it both ways and they both work. We prefer the early rising because you accomplish a lot more at the park.

There has to be planning and determination to make this work. Good luck.

 

[rlovew]

The parade at AK and MGM have been at 4:00 instead of 3:00 on the schedules as of late and therefore will give you more time. On the day you want to see the MK parade plan to leave after it instead. I have found that as long as it is not the buziest time of year I can find a spot along the parade route at about 30 minutes before the parade.

 

[debkorb1]

If it's summer or a period when there are long opening hours then take the break and make it long! Take it, take it, take it. We were in the Sheraton Vistana which was only about 6-10 minute drive from the parks, but it always takes longer than you think. Trust me, leaving at noon to be back 1.30 is just not worth it because you will have to use at least 30 minutes travelling. You might as well find a cool spot and just sit down with a drink.

We got to the parks at 8.10/20, left at about 12/12.30 and then returned at 5/5.30 and stayed until closing. In MK we caught the Spectromagic parade and fireworks, saw Fantasmic at MGM and Illuminations at Epcot. I personally think there is so much to do at Disney that your No1 priority is to stay fully rested.

I always marvelled at the people coming into the park at 12. The lines were always approaching 45 mins to an hour and it was over 90 degrees! As we were leaving we had already taken in 5 or 6 of the best attractions in the relative cool of the morning without queues and were heading back for a cheap(er) and usually tastier lunch of our choosing and a nap. And then by 5/5.30 the crowds when we returned had generally thinned, a thunder storm had cleared the air and it was much much cooler. We used the unofficial guide touring plans and I swear we never queued for more than 10 minutes for anything in the whole two weeks. People back in the UK could not believe it!

I think given the absolute pleasure we had over the fornight and the fact we were well rested meant missing a few parades was worth it.

I suppose the AK is slightly different because it closes so much earlier so you could stick around for that parade! Although we still do the AK over two half days (i.e. 8.20-1/2)

Enjoy.