Are We the ONLY Ones Who DON'T Get to the Parks Early?

[wannabee princess]

I've just been reading the #1 touring tip thread, and only see one person mentioning that they don't get to the parks early...everyone else suggests that as their #1 tip (well, the majority of suggestions was EARLY arrival!).

If I were going to the World alone, I WOULD be one of those early birds. However, my dh is one who thinks vacation is the time you get up when you wake up, get a light bite to eat, then leave the hotel and head to the parks around 9. I think we only arrived at a park before opening one time in all the times we have gone.

So, I was wondering, how many others don't leave for the parks on the first buses? Do you have family members who want to go later and others who are just impatiently waiting to head out? How do you handle it?

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

We have never been ones to run with the pack. I think I have one early morning planned this trip. We are second shift type of people at home or elsewhere and go accordingly. Have found that by going later the rush of the crowd is ahead of us, most of the time, and really does not make a difference. I do not like to be at park openings, too much hurry up and wait to suit me.

If I ain't having fun, it ain't vacation. We leave tomorrow morning and are taking three days to get down there this time so I won't have to drive 10-12 hours a day. Ahhh, the pleasures of retirement!! LOL

See you there whenever you get there. LOL

Slightly Goofy/Linda

 

[GlennandAnn]

We usually arrive at the parks around 4 or 5 PM. It's just too hot for our kids during the day, so we hang out at the pool all day long. We have dinner in the parks and then do all of the rides and things we can in the time we have. I think our style would be different if we only went to WDW once a year or less, but because we're very lucky to go pretty often, we don't feel the need to rush and soak everything in all at once.

Ann

 

[My2Girls66]

We don't usually go early either but last week we had ressies at Cindys - it was great- no one in line for Pooh or Peter Pan. Walked right on before breakfast.

 

[KCritter]

Another late riser here. Hey, I'm on Vacation! I wake up when I wake up and don't want to set an alarm. It helps that we've been to WDW many, many times (and are DVC members) and don't feel the need to see and do everything on every trip. If we miss something this trip, we'll catch it next time. I know everyone doesn' t have that luxury, however, and I can sympathize with those who don't want to miss a thing.

 

[Tiziminchac]

I haven't been to any of the parks at opening time in years. I never do the commando thing. But I live closer than most people. I understand that people want to get all they can from their trip, but I like to take it easy and see no point in getting there at the crack of dawn (well you know what I mean) and running across the park to ride stuff first. As a matter of fact, I'm toying with the idea of going today. It's a two hour drive to the parks from home so that will put me there at lunch time. But it doesn't matter to me, I know that no matter when I get there I will never see it all in a day. My only problem is finding a freind that will drop everything and go too!

 

[frannn]

It was great! We only did it for MK, though, and had PS for CRT and CP lunch those days. It really worked out well, but I don't think we would do it every trip and definetly not for every park.

 

[DisneyMim]

Haven't stepped foot into a park early in years. We don't feel the need. We go often and have APS and a large part of our vacation is just "chilling" all together, enjoying a quiet relaxing breakfast (something we never seem to be able to do at home) and then heading over to one of the parks when we feel like it!! We know the parks so well that we know what rides to do when and almost never wait for anything. We also eat at odd times, I think this has always helped us. It is a vacation after all and I think everyone should do what they feel they should do and what works for them.

 

[wannabee princess]

Originally posted by Tiziminchac
As a matter of fact, I'm toying with the idea of going today. It's a two hour drive to the parks from home so that will put me there at lunch time. But it doesn't matter to me, I know that no matter when I get there I will never see it all in a day. My only problem is finding a freind that will drop everything and go too!

Oh!! How I wish I lived close enough to do this! I would gladly drop everything to go -- I love being spontaneous!

 

[edcrbnsoul]

I'm with you guys the only early Morning I have planned is a PS at Crystal Palace before the park opens, other than that I'll be there when I get there. The park opens at 9am I'll be there by 10 1030 . But I'm sure my kids will be hopping up and down on my bed getting me up.

 

[randyl]

We used to Disney the commando way - not anymore. Years ago we would get to whichever park we would be going to that day as soon as it opened and then we would close the place. Now that we are able to get there several times a year, we take it easy. We sleep until we wake up, have a leisurely breakfast (never make PS's usually) and get to the parks between 10 and 11 (10 would actually be early for us). Our dinner PS's are never earlier than 8 PM so we stay in the park until 5 or so, head back to the resort to enjoy the pool and then head out for our late dinner PS's.

 

[randyl]

Of course, that whole plan goes down the drain when we bring our 5 year old son!

 

[Claudia Kellenberger]

I always go somewhere during the first 2 weeks of December, when the crowds are a bit lower. I don't feel the need to rush to the parks in the morning. I refuse to set an alarm clock while on vacation. My own body clock wakes me up around 8:00.
I need to shower, get dressed, and then go for a good buffet breakfast. So...with all that, I don't get to the parks until about 11:00 am. That's fine, and I still get to do most of the things that I want to do.

 

[Magic2000]

Although we don't get to the parks right when they open, we do like to get there early. We like walking down Main Street when its almost empty, and walking on the rides in Fantasy Land with no crowds.

We don't set an alarm to get up at any certain time (unless its for a Cinderella PS!!); but we do still manage to get to the parks rather early. Then, we leave around lunch time to go back to the room and swim. Or we'll go have a nice lunch at one of the resorts. Then, we head back around 5:00 PM or so.

We've also been many times, and we like taking our time walking around too! But I do find there is something magical about walking around the Magic Kingdom or Epcot when there are hardly any people around.

Enjoy your trip!!!!!

 

[Synonymous]

"Are We the ONLY Ones Who DON'T Get to the Parks Early?"

Definitely not, thank goodness! If you were, the whole strategy would go down the drain. The crowds flood in the gates in the late morning and early afternoon. The whole point of getting there early is the vast majority of guests don't do it.

You'll notice that folks who've posted here saying they take their time getting to the parks have also stated that they don't care if they don't get to do everything. If you're not someone who feels that way, you'd best get yourself out of bed in the morning

 

[Disney Ella]

DH gets cranky if you rush him in the morning while he's on vacation, so we usually get to the parks around 9:30 - 10:00. After last year, I think I have convinced him that it would be a good idea to get to MK at opening. I can live with getting to the other parks later.

 

[HaleyB]

Originally posted by Synonymous
"Are We the ONLY Ones Who DON'T Get to the Parks Early?"

Definitely not, thank goodness! If you were, the whole strategy would go down the drain. The crowds flood in the gates in the late morning and early afternoon. The whole point of getting there early is the vast majority of guests don't do it.

You'll notice that folks who've posted here saying they take their time getting to the parks have also stated that they don't care if they don't get to do everything. If you're not someone who feels that way, you'd best get yourself out of bed in the morning

Tom is right. If you have never been in for EE, please don't start now! LOL. We have done it both ways, and both have merits. We will go for EE on 4 or 5 mornings out of 8 park days on this trip. Our kids are young and get us up early anyway.

 

[sugermouse]

One of the reasons that we go to DW in the summer is to take advantage of the late park hours which allows us to "sleep in" in the morning and not feel compelled to be up at the crack of dawn.

The other rule we use is related to the length of our trip. The longer the trip, the later we sleep. Reality is, to each his own. Remember, this is your vacation, it is not a contest!

 

[Cinderella37]

I must agree with the other posters. My fiance and I never get up early to go the parks. He usually gets up around 7:00 to golf at least three or four days of the 11 we're there; days he doesn't golf he takes his paper into the concierge lounge for coffee.

I like to take my time in the morning getting dressed (refer to my TL vs. BB post about my prissiness ), so some days we don't get to the parks until 11:00am. We prefer the evening hours, have the luxury of long trips, and the luxury of not having kids - at least for the next five years.

Have fun on your trip and go to the parks when you feel like it. It is possible to have a relaxing WDW vacation!

 

[bunnyfoo]

I'm not much of a morning person ... so I usually don't get to the parks until 11AM (that's early for me) I'd like to get to the parks early one day to see what the opening is like.