Any RD people switch it up?

[pixarmom]

Our boys are 15, 14 and 8. We did rope drop without fail until recently. Three reasons we mix it up now: 1) APs; 2) FP+; and 3) runDisney. Since we have APs we don't feel the need to do everything every time, so that slows down the pace and makes rope drop less critical. FP+ allows us to get to our favorites without waking up early - we're still there by 9:30 or 10am, but just not as rushed as before. And we've done two runDisney trips in the past year. When running the races, we're up super early but not always done with the race, breakfast, showers, etc by rope drop. So FP+ has been particularly helpful!

 

[wareagle57]

I hate getting up early, but I do at Disney. But if I could go more often or stay for longer (8-10 days) then I would definitely mix it up. I'd pick out 2-3 nights to be extremely late nights, followed by sleeping in the next day and going to the parks around lunch, where we would then either have shows to watch or FPs scheduled. If it's a short trip, I want to be there at RD every day, break in the afternoon, and close down a park at night.

 

[eeyoresmom]

Epcot and HS do open at 9 this week but getting up at 7:15 is still a struggle. MK's regular opening hours are 8 AM so she will have to be up at 6:15 on those days.

Perhaps just go to the park that opens at 9 without EMH? That way you can still do rope drop without getting up at the crack of dawn?

 

[Simba's Girl]

This year my kids will be 15,12 &8 when we go. When they were younger we always did RD. Now we are considering splitting up and those awake for RD-probably DH and DD8 going to RD while the others sleep in a bit. We will have a "best parks" choice calendar for them to choose and will meet with everyone else later on. I am planning on scheduling FP+ for later in the day for all of us for the specific reason that some of us will need/want to sleep in. It is vacation after all. I know for certain that DD8 will eventually sleep in later a few days into the trip. DD15 is a wild card as far as sleeping in goes, she tends to be a fairly light sleeper but the middle one would sleep till noon if we let her, which is NOT going to happen at WDW.

OP-you said your guest is a teen, is she old enough to ride transport alone? Just a thought that perhaps she can meet you in the park if she chooses to sleep in? I know my oldest is technically considered old enough for that but I have a hard time believing she is capable of doing it-she's sort of a flake when it comes to directions, even though she'll have her learner's permit in about 6 months, 2 months after our trip! YIKES

We've done it, but I still prefer RD. I'm a morning person and awake by 6:00am at the absolute latest every day. I'm also a "get up, get ready, let's go!" type of person so sitting in a hotel room while waiting for others isn't my favorite thing in the world.

I can be like this, but we will go with the flow and if the others aren't ready then go do things alone or with the others who are ready and meet up later. Obviously using parental common sense as far as this goes.

When DH and I go alone we always do RD. When the kids are with us, well, teenage boys love to sleep. They're just on a different schedule. We are usually in the parks by 11am. That being said they can can stay up most of the night. We end up park hopping to the latest park and when we come back to the resort they are up awhile still. My advice is to go with the group's flow. Every trip is different and every trip is fun! Don't sweat the small stuff!

Pretty sure this will be our new Disney life...

 

[eeyoresmom]

She is old enough to take transportation on her own but is very shy and this being her first time, probably won't want to......I'm sure she will be fine. She is very excited about the trip and that should motivate her to get up early. Also, she is very respectful and won't wa t o make us late, etc. If worse comes to worse, I can either adjust my park plans or leave her to meet us later, depending on how I feel.

 

[Toddgabweg]

We just got back from Disney Feb. 28- March 7 and we did not feel the need to be in the parks at rope drop... in the past we did rd everyday (summer). Crowds were not bad at all the first week of March... had a great time (I actually like fastpass +)