Afternoon Pool Break ???'s

[ElsasFan]

I have a few questions about afternoon pool breaks. For those of you who take them, how long (generally) are you out of the parks, if you go back in the evening? How much of that time is spent prepping for the pool (getting the kids into swim suits, sunscreen, etc.) and getting ready for the rest of the day?

An afternoon swim in the hot temps sounds great, but when I think about having to bathe all of my kids afterwards (I'm assuming that most do bathe their kids after being in the chlorine water--maybe not?), shower myself and get ready again, I wonder if it is really worth all of the effort. I guess the showering could wait until the end of the day because everyone will just get sweaty again in the parks in the evening, but I always feel sticky and sweaty after swimming and wearing additional sunscreen. Spending the evening like that doesn't sound much fun.

Please share the logistics of how you make afternoon pool breaks fun and not-too-much work!

Thanks.

 

[Rosebud123]

My kids are 11 and 13, so they can manage a quick shower by themselves. Truthfully, they don't always shower after a pool break! Sometimes they just put on clean clothes and off they go!

Honestly, when it's crazy hot we need some type of afternoon cool down. Even if we didn't swim we'd definitely take another shower.

 

[Planogirl]

Back in the day, we usually didn't bother with the pools but when we did a quick rinse-off after swimming was adequate for us. A full bath could come later just before bedtime.

As for time spend back at the resort, we tried to be as flexible as possible. We might leave the park between 1 and 2 and then head back in time to eat at 6-6:30 or even earlier if we were ready to go.

 

[DisneyFive]

We have found that it takes way too much time out of the day. We go to the pool after we get back in the evening from the parks. However, we go in the fall when parks close earlier, like 9pm for MK and EP, 8pm for HS, and 5pm for AK.

You are looking at a good 3-4 hours minimum for an afternoon pool break. We tend to value that time in the parks too much. It might be nice to schedule one day during the middle of your trip for an afternoon off, but that's just our take on it.

Dan

 

[ErinInCT]

How old are your kids? We always come back around late lunchtime (1ish or so, unless we are staying to see a parade) and eat at the pool (we have a kitchen in our DVC villa). We have two kids so DH and I could tag team and each get one ready. We definitely showered b4 going back to the parks which helped refresh and energize us. Then we'd go back for dinner after 6pm. I don't remember it really being much of an issue. It is much easier when the kids are self sufficient! Maybe have them wear their bathing suits under their clothes to the parks to make it quicker!

 

[wdwjeffc37]

We always stay for at least 7 nights and have park hoppers so we almost always take a break back at the resort. It might take 3-5 hours depending if we swim or just rest but we are usually heading to another park for the evening. We usually rope drop a park and use our FP+ for the afternoon/evening park headliners. We also try to take advantage of morning and evening Extra Magic Hours to maximize our park time. An afternoon rest break really helps when you rope drop and plan to stay until park closing especially with EMH. That's what works for us. Cheers!!!!!!

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

We went in My with our two-year-old and did pool breaks on two of our three park days. They were both about three hours from leaving the park to returning. One of the days, we actually didn't end up at the pool - we just relaxed in the room while DD watched some Disney Jr. and took a nap. (We don't have cable at home, so that was a huge luxury for her!) The other day we swam. We just changed into suits and slathered on sunscreen real quick, swam for 45 minutes or so, then headed back to dress for dinner.

I am a lazy mom and feel that swimming is basically equivalent to a bath.

 

[cliveywolves]

We normally go July / August time, so we normally hit parks at RD tend to dip out the around 2/3pm for a break and pool time then go back to park around 7pm..

 

[jtowntoflorida]

We don't shower after swimming, either, unless it's really hot and we just want to be more refreshed. Sunscreen isn't an issue for us...we put more on before going to the park anyway. I generally clip my hair up and keep my head above water so getting ready to go back to the park isn't a big process.

That being said, how long we take for a pool break generally depends on many factors: where we're staying, which park we're going to, how hot it is, how tired we are, and how long we plan to stay in the evening. Our shortest break has probably been two hours; the longest closer to 8 (in the summer, when it was super hot, and we were planning on staying through 2 a.m. for EMH).

 

[ChelleFeegan]

We usually leave the parks about 1 (we drive normally though) so are back by 1.30, then we swim, sleep, shower and return to the parks about 6/7

Because we do this, we find we don't need to have a days break from the parks at all.

 

[preemiemama]

We always go in the summer, and by 1-2 pm the heat has become intense enough that we are ready for a break. Basically, we rope drop a park that does not have EMH (so we are at the entrance by 8:45 for a 9:00 opening). We stay in that park through lunch, and head back to the hotel at 1-2 pm. We then swim, shower, and even nap/do laundry (if we have a 1 or 2 BR villa). We then hop to (typically) a different park to eat- usually Epcot- around 5-6 pm.

After dinner, we may also head to MK for the rest of the evening to get in some rides there with shorter lines. MK is usually open until 11-12 or later, and we stay until we get tired (usually around 11!).

 

[JZCubed]

I have a few questions about afternoon pool breaks. For those of you who take them, how long (generally) are you out of the parks, if you go back in the evening? How much of that time is spent prepping for the pool (getting the kids into swim suits, sunscreen, etc.) and getting ready for the rest of the day?

An afternoon swim in the hot temps sounds great, but when I think about having to bathe all of my kids afterwards (I'm assuming that most do bathe their kids after being in the chlorine water--maybe not?), shower myself and get ready again, I wonder if it is really worth all of the effort. I guess the showering could wait until the end of the day because everyone will just get sweaty again in the parks in the evening, but I always feel sticky and sweaty after swimming and wearing additional sunscreen. Spending the evening like that doesn't sound much fun.

Please share the logistics of how you make afternoon pool breaks fun and not-too-much work!

Thanks.

From my perspective, you've asked the question in reverse. For us - how much time can be spent in the Parks before the kids are wanting to go to the pool?

Unless we have nighttime activities, we arrive at Park opening (a/k/a Rope Drop). Once we leave the Park - it's about the pool. The only reason to leave the pool is because you have ADR for dinner. Our child prefers going to 'Camp' at a resort while the Mrs. & I go to a Signature for dinner.

Logistics of bathing - showers are poolside to rinse off chlorine.

Going back to the Parks sounds great, but by the time we get to attempting it, we're more comfortable with either dinner or just enjoying a cocktail.

I hope this helps answer your questions.

 

[JimmyV]

We have found that it takes way too much time out of the day.

We find this to be true for us as well. Back in the day, when the only park was the Magic Kingdom, and you bought 8 or 11 attraction ticket books, taking a mid-day break made sense. Otherwise, you would use up all your tickets by early afternoon! Once Disney went to the ticketless attraction system, we stopped taking pool breaks and instead we find in-park strategies for resting and cooling off. When we opt for a pool day, we do so as a day off from the parks to give our bodies a break. Or, we go to the pool at the end of our time in the park with no intention of returning to the park. So perhaps we might leave the park at 3:00. Go to the pool. Have a nice dinner, and call it a night. But getting dressed again to go back to the park seems like a good idea on paper. It just never happens.

 

[Marbel]

It depended on the park we were at that day. No hoppers. AK closes early so we spent the full day there. Epcot was one full day and one half day where we didn't go back in the evening. HS we left early afternoon and didn't go back. We only took breaks for MK days. We would do RD, leave the park at 1-ish, swim, relax, have supper at our trailer (we were at Fort Wilderness) and go back to MK around 8. It did us a world of good to take those breaks. The midday heat is brutal and the crowds at MK really heavy in the afternoon.

 

[Dr Gevil]

Since we bought DVC, our typical park visiting day schedule goes some thing like this -

RD (or close to) and stay in park until 1 or so. Head back for a swim for afternoon (we usually shower/freshen up for dinner after swimming). Dinner around 6:30. Head to park for the evening, or a lot times, watching the daily movie on the beach and call it a night.

Now with SAB at BCV, we have definitely added more days of hitting the pool at 10am (ensures getting a good spot/chaise, as things all gone by 1pm when everyone heads back for said afternoon break. ), stay until 4-5, then get ready for dinner and evening park time, esp. if evening EMHs are in effect.

Before I never wanted to waste park time for an afternoon swim break. Now I couldn't live without one. #reformedcommando

 

[teacherlisa1978]

We always do a pool break. We also always go in August and need the break from the heat and the parks. We leave the parks by about 1 and usually have a dinner ADRabout 7. We have a 5 year old and try not to do very late nights. We've done Fantasmic with him but try for a sleep in morning the next day. Our mornings are for the attractions, anything we might get done in the evening is just a bonus.

 

[Moushe]

I am on the same boat - debating whether or not to take a mid-day pool break. I have a 2.5yo and an 8mo so we will need to at least sit and relax in the air conditioning by mid-day. one option I'm considering is letting them play in the splash pad at MK (its by Storybook Circus) that way they can cool off and we dont have to leave the park. I'll just take a change of clothes for the kids.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

We didn't take a pool break when the kids were younger but do so now and I find the vacation much more enjoyable. We usually get to whatever park we are going to at RD (and will go to morning EMH parks for RD) and then stay until around noon. By that point we've managed to do the headliners we want to do, it is getting warm, and the park is crowded. We don't have much interest in standing in lines longer than about 20 minutes so we'll head back to the resort for pool/nap time. We'll then leave the resort for an earlyish dinner and then back to the parks around 7.

 

[DisneyFive]

This reminds me of a funny story (well, I think it's funny ) before our first ever visit to WDW. We were hanging out with neighbors/friends and we were telling them how we were going to go to Disney world. We proceeded to tell them how we were going for 7 nights so we should have plenty of time to see everything. We also told them about how we planned to chill out by the pool in the afternoon, maybe have a drink or two... Then one of my neighbors asks... "Have you ever been to WDW?" I said no, and he said, (in a friendly way) "Well, let me know how your plan goes and tell me when we get back." I said o.k.

Well, sure enough, I had to laugh once we got back home. We didn't take an afternoon break once. We were having too much fun at the parks all day. ...and 7 nights? Would have loved to have one or two more.

We love our pool time, we just love it in the evening. I totally get those that do it in the afternoon.

Dan

 

[aretha30]

We go at RD and are out of the parks between 1-3. We head to the hotel quick change into swimsuits add some extra sunscreen and off to the pool. We are there for a few hours and maybe head back for a quick nap (depending on how the day has gone). We don't shower since we are heading back into the parks to get sweaty and gross again, we are usually back by 5-7 (depends on when we left).