Are you able to relax in Disney?

[princess pooh]

I've gotten really good at relaxing at WDW. It's not a vacation for me unless I spend time reading on the balcony or enjoying a drink by the pool. My go-go-go days at Disney are over

 

[Luckymommyx2]

I think DVC changed how we vacationed in more than one way. Before we were more of the "commando" style, trying to get everything we could in because we didn't know when we'd be back. Now that we're DVC members, we know we will definitely be back, and chances are, very soon! We find our vacations are so much more relaxed now. We stop and smell the roses, literally!

 

[Leota]

Relaxing in WDW is totally possible & completely rejuvenating. After being as much as we have & knowing another trip is always in the cards, we feel absolutely no pressure to "do it all"
When DH & I go alone, we sleep late, have a leisurely breakfast, do a Park for a couple hours, have a nice lunch - lounge at the resort until it's time for a fine dining event, maybe watch some fireworks, maybe just stroll.... Movies in bed are nice too.

 

[smnornes]

I think it is totally possible, and I'm planning on it next week! The minute I check my bags, I need to tell myself "I'm on VACATION" and just let everything else go. Otherwise, it takes me days to chill and really get the vacation speed going.
Last year we went to WDW with another family/kids for a week. It was crazy. This year, I'm taking just dh and our kids and we're going for 10 days. I made sure to include down time each day since I know our kiddos love to swim.
We are planning a few busy days, along with the relaxing days. Knowing we have extra time should help a lot.

 

[goofie4goofy]

Relaxation and how you find it is different for everyone. We do not consider WDW a relaxing trip by any means. We have been so many times that we sleep in, don't rush anywhere, have TS meals and really are not in a hurry to go anywhere or do anything. Still, not relaxing for us, we don't go there because it's relaxing we go because it is fun.

For us relaxing is waking up to the sound of waves a few feet from our room, having a leisurely breakfast go snorkeling on pristine empty beach drinking a Red Stripe at 10 am having fresh fish tacos for lunch geting a massage before a romantic gourmet dinner....then getting up and having the same relation....we may switch it up a bit by going for a sunset sail or dinner on the beach.

Since you have 2 weeks, what my DH and I do often is do a split trip. We spend the first half in WDW then go to the caribbean. The islands are a short flight from MCO and for less than the price of another week in WDW you can have a truly romantic relaxing trip.

Two of our favorites:

www.biras.com all meals and transfers included
www.capjuluca.com breakfast served on your private verandah everyday inc

Just a thought for you, as you can have the best of both worlds.

 

[pezpam]

It's totally possible to relax, but it's all in the deciding...... If you decide to try to do everything, well, not so relaxing. On the other hand, you can choose to wake up when you want to, hit a park or water park, leave sometime after lunch, head back to the hotel/pool/spa/whatever, clean up and get dressed for dinner, relax over dinner, enjoy dessert, etc......

On my first trip with DD, I thought it would be our one and only WDW trip, so while we didn't go commando (she was 5), we did fit in as much as possible. Now that I have admitted to myself that I'm as hooked on WDW as she is, I know we'll be back and the 'need' to do everything is gone. While we do still hit the parks, we also spend plenty of time at the pools or talking over a nice dinner or looking for characters (we're both hooked on character pics) instead of feeling like we HAVE to stand in line for an hour for any particular ride. I do think it helps to know enough about WDW to know what needs to happen to get you on your must-do rides and such, but it's possible to do those and relax before and after. I could go on and on, but it all boils down to *choosing* to leave the commando-tour behind....

Having a vacation you don't need to recover from is such a nice luxury..... Try it for at least a few days on this vacation and see how you both like it. If it works for you, great, if not, well, now you know.

Enjoy!

 

[jordancej]

Going Disney is not what i call relaxing vacation, i'm there to be in the parks from sun up to sun down (I go commando style, if you havent guessed that yet). There is just too much to see and do. I relax when i get home and sleep for about for about 24 hours straight! If i wanted a relaxing vacation, which i have done.... i would go back to Mexico, Playa del Carmen and chill at the beach all day. But anyway, each person has what they feel is a "vacation", this is just my style.

 

[Disney Crazy Family]

We allways go for at least two weeks and have done 30 days

We relax, sometimes we just sit around the pool for a day

Sometimes we hop the local transportation from the travel center
and go elsewhere

Sometimes we just go to the parks and sit and watch people

We do what we want when we want and it is completely relaxing and
much more enjoyable

 

[TheBeadPirate]

I am certifiably Disney commando....or at least used to be. DH told me a couple of seasons ago that if I continued to be that way he was no longer going to be an enabler. He was going to do Disney the relaxing way and I could rub my own sore feet at the end of the day!
Imagine the love there!

However now we make a list before we go. I Absolutely want to ride/see/do in WDW.....(pick however many<we do 5 each>) and if there's time I'd like to try...(we pick something we've never done at WDW). Although I find it hard to believe there's still stuff out there we haven't tried. Last trip we did Jellyrolls at the BW and lazy river(LOVED IT!) at water park.

If it fits your budget try a vacation club accomodation. They can be rented by $ if you're not a member. The kitchen is great for pizzas late at night, and coffee and bagels on the balcony in the mornings. Also the whirlpool tub is to die for!

We're going back for Thanksgiving weekend and have no plans for the parks at all. At least not yet!

 

[bopper]

We schedule in the relaxation. We do two park days, and then the third day is a "sleep in", hang out at the pool, or do something like rent boats or horseback riding kind of day. Then repeat.

 

[theostwalts]

I guess it's all how you define relaxing.

We are going next month and dh is already complaining about it not being a relaxing trip. He knows that I like to from open to close everyday. So he thinks WDW vacations are among the least relaxing trips ever.

Yet to me it is relaxing. Yes I am going nonstop all day and most of the night but just being there relaxes my mind. True I get tired but I am so happy there that I don't care. Having nothing to do but have fun is relaxing to me. Does that make sense?

How about you split the time between the parks and a Disney cruise? Now, the cruise truley was relaxing. I didn't feel the need to be on a constant go all day. We actually slept in on the cruise.

Makes perfect sense to me!!!! That is what I loved most about our Disney vacation. Just being away from the office and having fun is a big stress relief. Pull up to the front of the resort, hand them your keys and start having fun. Sounds relaxing to me

 

[pepe of ohio]

We've come to notice that after 38 some visits to WDW since 1977 that the last bunch of stays are in the 8-12 night range and with time, relaxation comes naturally. If you're in the World for 4-5 nights, its rush rush rush to see all the parks and get things done. Long ago we did just that, course we were alot younger and didn't have alot of money but now that we're alot older, kids grown and married and we're financially stable, longer trips are now affordable and with the extra time we space our park visits out to about every other day with the off days doing shopping, dining, exploring, relaxing by the pool with a good book. We always stay deluxe and enjoy the ammenties of the resort and lounging away the day by the pool with a picnic lunch and some beverages in WDW is sheer happiness.

We see all the parks at a leisurely pace especially now with AP's, its nothing for us to pop into a park for a meal or a few hours since we are not using up a park ticket. AP's makes this seem like we rule the kingdom, not worrying about how many day are left on our tickets. I'ld have to say, going for 2 weeks would be sheer heaven, alot to do in and around WDW just on property that most people going commando do not have time for and nothing beats sleeping in some mornings, eating at a TS for breakfast and lounging around the pool with the days newspaper till wifey wants to go shopping.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

We always relax in Disney (thought we don't sleep late). We take our time, do some lounging, and one of the most relaxing things we do is Resort Creep. We get an ADR at another resort, and just spend some time there. We love it!

 

[Pixiedust34]

If you're staying for more than a week, pick a day toward the middle of your stay to not go in the parks. Schedule a nice table service breakfast at one of the resorts. Take you time eating--you're in no hurry! After breakfast, you can do something like:

--take your time resort hopping to check out the unique lobby areas
--ride the monorail or one of Disney's boats if you haven't done so already
--head to Downtown Disney and take your time browsing around
--rent the water mice or do another activity
--go back to your resort. Do some laundry and go swimming. Catch up on writing postcards. Enjoy a drink at the bar.
--have dinner at one of the resorts
--In the evening, you can go to Chip & Dale's campfire and free movie, or do one of the dinnershows

On our 05 trip, we were Commando for the first several days. Then, we took a day off to relax. I hurt my ankle and needed that day to rest it, plus dh and the kids were beginning to sag after running ragged for so long. One of the best afternoons of our trip was spent at the pool area at POR. I iced my ankle at Muddy Rivers (bar near the pool) and it was so relaxing to *do nothing* except soak in the atmosphere. Dh and the kids swam for a whole afternoon without rushing. I think the kids used the pool slide about 100 times each! We all appreciated the downtime. We got caught up on laundry that evening, and we were ready to hit the parks with First Day Excitement all over again the day after we rested.

 

[WDW Princess]

A few months ago, we actually did 4 parks in one day, then came back to the first park to watch the fireworks.... By the time we got home (over an hour drive time), I was so exhausted I could not remember my own name! The following day, I felt like I needed another vacation from our Disney vacation. We came to conclusion that at that pace, we do not even get to enjoy some of the wonderful amenities that Disney resorts offer. Since we go frequently, we go to parks for only one day (one or two, at most, parks) and the rest of time we treat ourselves to leisurely walks, working out at the gyms that most resorts offer, hanging out at the pool, spa treatments, trying new restaurants.. So we have "trained" ourselves to relax even at Disney.

 

[cnids00]

I believe there is time to do both, I know when we go to the parks in the morning, we stay until 2-3PM, go back to the resort, go to the pool, lay down and watch TV or go to the bar and have a drink. After a couple of hours we are back to "What park do we want to end the day with" question, or what restaurant do we want to eat dinner at...if we don't feel like going out again that evening, we will continue our relaxing moment and go to bed early for the next days adventure.

To me it is hard on your body but SO relaxing for my mind that it all gets evened out

 

[Disney4Drew]

I would only be able to relax if we were going for 10 or more days. I could definitely relax on a 2 week vacation!! Go for it!

 

[Eeyore2003]

When it's just DH and myself, that's all we do. Disney is our stress reliever. As for the parks, well, we don't care what we do in the parks or what we get done. It will always be there next time. Now if we go with someone, we usually pick up the pace, but not it's not very often I go "commando" anymore. We'll be there for 9 days starting a week from Sunday YIPPEEE!!!
Anyway, here's my little mini schedule, which we will probably not follow to closely. A Disney vacation is truly what you make it, the relaxing things are there for all to see and do, it's just that most people only see the rides, hustle and bustle in the parks.

We have not bought into the DVC yet, but we were even thinking of doing that and get enough points for 2-3 weeks, which we can use when we retire for our "winter break" in the south. There's just SO much else to do at Disney besides the parks. And it's SO relaxing. Slow down and smell the roses!!!

Sunday-Around 9, check into Boardwalk Villas (a one bedroom villa with jacuzzi will set the perfect stage for relaxation)
11:30 ESPN Club to watch football game
4:00 Downtown Disney, I usually get some special soaps/shower/bath stuff for the week
Eat where ever, we'll be stuffed from all day at ESPN.

Monday-
9:00 Yachtclub Galley Breakfast
Epcot-there's at least 3 free programs at the Food and Wine Festival we want to listen too and we'll fit in our favorite rides (or not) and spend the rest of the time browsing around World Showcase, we might go back for nap/pool before dinner or just stay, don't know
6:00 Dinner at Alfredo's

Tuesday-Sleep In
Shopping at Downtown Disney lunch at Wolfgang Puck Cafe at noon.
3:00 Head to MNNSHP
Eat either at park on somewhere on Boardwalk depends on when we get done at the party

Wednesday-my one early-ish day (certainly not the 5:00 it used to be!!!)
8:00 Head to AK
Breakast/Lunch counter service
When we've had enough head back and relax at resort
6:40 dinner at Grand Floridian Cafe

Thursday-Sleep In
10:00 Breakfast at Olivia's
Head over to MGM and do what we feel like there
If we get back in time pool/read/relax
6:40 Dinner at Artist Point

Friday-
DH has a conference to attend in the morning
10:30-12:00 I'm going to Kitchen Conversations with Iron Chef Cat Cora at Epcot
We'll probably meet up there around noon and DH will find something to eat at the Food and Wine Festival
Head over to Downtown Disney for a movie
7:00 Dinner at the Turf Club (one of our new ones to try)

Saturday-
DH has a conferece in AM
I'm heading over to the spa at the Dolphin for a facial and pedicure
Small snack type lunch somewhere on the boardwalk
Relax/movie/shop/nap/pool whatever
5:00 Head over to Party for the Senses

Sunday-
DH has a conference in the AM
I'm going to get things organized and packed
12-2 Sweet Sunday's luncheon at Epcot
After that I found 2 more free programs I'd like to attend
Evening- Head over to Downtown Disney
8:00 Dinner at House of Blues (another new one to try)

Monday-
Breakfast somewhere-not sure yet
do any last minute shopping
Leave by late morning

 

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

I am certifiably Disney commando....or at least used to be. DH told me a couple of seasons ago that if I continued to be that way he was no longer going to be an enabler. He was going to do Disney the relaxing way and I could rub my own sore feet at the end of the day!
Imagine the love there!

However now we make a list before we go. I Absolutely want to ride/see/do in WDW.....(pick however many<we do 5 each>) and if there's time I'd like to try...(we pick something we've never done at WDW). Although I find it hard to believe there's still stuff out there we haven't tried. Last trip we did Jellyrolls at the BW and lazy river(LOVED IT!) at water park.

If it fits your budget try a vacation club accomodation. They can be rented by $ if you're not a member. The kitchen is great for pizzas late at night, and coffee and bagels on the balcony in the mornings. Also the whirlpool tub is to die for!

We're going back for Thanksgiving weekend and have no plans for the parks at all. At least not yet!

I would say that I fit into the category of certifiable Disney commando. I would imagine that is a hard habit to break. I never used to think I was commando because I wasn't one of those yellers and screamers but I definately have time schedules (i.e. be at PoC at 10:00am then cut back over and be at Splash Mountain by 10:30) and it's not a pretty picture people. Maybe that's what he means by "can't relax in Disney".

Thank you all for taking the time to post your wonderful suggestions!!

Pixiedust34, I forgot about the Mouseboats and I've never done the campfire/movie at FW although, I remember hearing about it some time ago and thinking then I wanted to give it a try. Thanks for reminding me.

Eeyore2003, definately consider purchasing DVC!! It's the best investment in us that we could have made!!

 

[Eeyore2003]

I would say that I fit into the category of certifiable Disney commando. I would imagine that is a hard habit to break. I never used to think I was commando because I wasn't one of those yellers and screamers but I definately have time schedules (i.e. be at PoC at 10:00am then cut back over and be at Splash Mountain by 10:30) and it's not a pretty picture people. Maybe that's what he means by "can't relax in Disney".

I love the "it's not a pretty picture thing"!!! You saw my "schedule" for our upcoming trip next week, well, here's a typical 5-10 year ago schedule with kids. EMH of course!!!
5:30 me up to get bathroom, 6:00 kids up
7:15 at gate front of the line
7:45 OH JOY-they let us in to the hub!!! BIG PLUS
GET TO THAT ROPE KIDS
8:00 rope drop
Space Mountain, Buzz, Peter Pan and in front of the Fronteirland hub rope (shortest route) by 8:50
9:00 Rope drop
Splash, Thunder, Haunted Mansion
BREATH and walk calmly to Mickey's Philharmagic (in more recent years) and then Pirates!!! LOL

Not pretty indeed!!! Boy have we changed huh??? To tell you the truth, it DID takes us a few times to get the "relaxed mode" down to a science. It IS a very hard transition!!!