Common advice ignored

[StraightToDumbo]

I think the question of taking resort breaks depends on when you're going & where you're staying. In winter, we don't find breaks necessary. In summer, we do. And we specifically choose deluxe resorts that we really enjoy returning to mid-day for a rest or a swim. The resort time is an enjoyable part of the trip, not time that we feel is stolen from our time in the parks. Because we're staying at a Disney resort, we're still immersed in the magic.

It took me a long time to get to this point where resort time was thought of as anything but a means to get back to the park. We really embrace resort days, because it is suppose to be a VACATION after all. Not just an all out sprint for 7 days. Love our resort time so much, we now schedule day on, day off for parks.

 

[mamamelody2]

We do not take afternoon breaks out of the parks. If we need to, we will sit for a while, but Disney transportation takes a while and I'm not willing to lose that much park time.

I do get the free QS water, but in September found it to be harder to find than I thought it would be. Lots of "kiosk" type places didn't have any. They would give a cup of ice, though. Basically you need to find a place that has fountain beverages. They are the ones that have cups of ice water.

 

[No Windows]

I ignore the "take a midday pool break/nap" advice. We're totally commando and we go go go all day. The only time we really slow down is to eat or people watch. We also park hop like crazy.
I can sleep on the plane ride home! No naps! No naps ever!

 

[LovePug]

We never (gasp) do rope drop. Mostly because of disabilities of one of my family and they are unable to get moving in the morning. We often don't go to the park until 1-2:00 and eat a late lunch/early dinner around 3:30-4:00.

 

[Parker Clan]

I never check crowd calendar or touring plans which are always recommended. In the 6 years I've gone recently I've never once thought while I was there "man I should've checked crowd calendars to plan "
We go to parks on whatever day we want to go and have never had trouble

 

[nursejackie]

Day on, day off? Nooooooo. In 17 days we have one day off. On the other 16 days we do one park in the morning plus a water park or pool time in the afternoon, then back to a park most evenings. By leaving day we may be in need of a rest but we've certainly made the most of our time until we return the next year.

 

[StraightToDumbo]

Day on, day off? Nooooooo. In 17 days we have one day off. On the other 16 days we do one park in the morning plus a water park or pool time in the afternoon, then back to a park most evenings. By leaving day we may be in need of a rest but we've certainly made the most of our time until we return the next year.

We use to be like that, but we became too wiped by the end to enjoy it.

 

[DeterminedOne]

I joined this board for the the ideas/advice. If the idea or advice won't work for me, I ignore it. Nothing wrong with that.
Thanks for the advice about getting in the food pick up line for water. I also appreciate the idea of having bottled watered delivered to the room.

 

[Redqueen17]

We carry ponchos every trip, used them maybe once. But I won't be caught without them.

 

[Anthony Vito]

My only complaint with the cups of ice water is that they, for health code reasons - I understand that, can't just fill up our water bottles for us. I just found it particularly difficult at times to get the cups of water and try to get them transferred to the camelbak bottles (with a stroller to control as well).

I really think Disney should have some "water filling stations." I know fewer people would purchase bottles of water, but I think they'd make up for it by the PR of stressing health and safety by keeping hydrated, plus, they could partner with someone like Camelbak to make the water stations sponsored. "Water Refill Stations, sponsored by Camelbak." On top of that, they could have Camelbak (or Nalgene, or whoever) make some Disney Parks bottles that people could buy at the parks for $15.

 

[mikegood2]

My only complaint with the cups of ice water is that they, for health code reasons - I understand that, can't just fill up our water bottles for us. I just found it particularly difficult at times to get the cups of water and try to get them transferred to the camelbak bottles (with a stroller to control as well).

I really think Disney should have some "water filling stations." I know fewer people would purchase bottles of water, but I think they'd make up for it by the PR of stressing health and safety by keeping hydrated, plus, they could partner with someone like Camelbak to make the water stations sponsored. "Water Refill Stations, sponsored by Camelbak." On top of that, they could have Camelbak (or Nalgene, or whoever) make some Disney Parks bottles that people could buy at the parks for $15.

They do have a Water filling station half way thru the que for Na'vi River Journey, so hopefully that's a sign that they plan to add more as they expand the parks. People seemed to like it, because it slowed down the lines with people filling up bottles. We would have done the same thing, but it was our first ride of the day so our Contigo water bottle were already full.

 

[dreiwhit]

My only complaint with the cups of ice water is that they, for health code reasons - I understand that, can't just fill up our water bottles for us. I just found it particularly difficult at times to get the cups of water and try to get them transferred to the camelbak bottles (with a stroller to control as well).

I really think Disney should have some "water filling stations." I know fewer people would purchase bottles of water, but I think they'd make up for it by the PR of stressing health and safety by keeping hydrated, plus, they could partner with someone like Camelbak to make the water stations sponsored. "Water Refill Stations, sponsored by Camelbak." On top of that, they could have Camelbak (or Nalgene, or whoever) make some Disney Parks bottles that people could buy at the parks for $15.

Every time we've been to a QS restaurant, its wall to wall people waiting for their food. The one time I did wait for a cup of ice water, it was a 5+ minute wait. That tip is just not worth it for me.

I attended a couple of training classes, and the facility has water bottle filling stations, which I had never seen before. I'd love to see more of those at WDW.

 

[Blanquita]

I ignore all the advice to go bagless and cram everything into pockets. To me having pockets full of stuff is uncomfortable. I have to carry an inhaler, sunblock, my phone, and other things. No way do I want all of that in my pockets. I'd much rather spend 10 minutes in bag check and carry my stuff in a cross body bag.

I also won't go ask for free ice water. I'd much rather spend money and get a bottle of nice, clean flavored water. It is more portable that way too.

I've being reading everything and i wonder, what its a flavored water? like a coke but without bubbles?

 

[maxiesmom]

When I say clean flavored, I mean without the Florida taste. The tap water in Florida has a strong sulfur smell and taste. Some people are not bothered by it, but I don't like it. I will also sometimes bring in flavor packets, like Crystal Light, to flavor the water.

 

[StraightToDumbo]

When I say clean flavored, I mean without the Florida taste. The tap water in Florida has a strong sulfur smell and taste. Some people are not bothered by it, but I don't like it. I will also sometimes bring in flavor packets, like Crystal Light, to flavor the water.

Yeah, that's totally a thing. The tap water is gross in Central Florida. It's bottled or bust for us. Even with a Brita I can still taste the sulfury goodness.

 

[cwis]

Every time we've been to a QS restaurant, its wall to wall people waiting for their food. The one time I did wait for a cup of ice water, it was a 5+ minute wait. That tip is just not worth it for me.

I attended a couple of training classes, and the facility has water bottle filling stations, which I had never seen before. I'd love to see more of those at WDW.

Just so you know, some outside carts do offer cups of water; there is rarely a wait at these locations.

 

[MrsArcher2B]

I stay offsite in a villa and last time we never made it to rope drop. My man loves his sleep and it actually works better for us to have a lay in until 9 or 10, depending on the night before, get up, get ready and head out somewhere for a great breakfast. Then we get to the parks for 11-12 and really enjoy them. We take our time and love the shops. We'll grab a burger or something as a late lunch but not a full on sit-down meal and we never take time out to leave and then come back. Later on we get a good dinner somewhere outside the parks.

This time I think we might even do some outside stuff in the mornings a couple of times and spend a late evening in the parks because we've never done that.

We prefer a bag to bulging pockets, so we share a smallish backpack and take turns carrying it. There is no way I would be carrying water or snacks or a poncho. I just can't be bothered. We'll buy what we need. It could be different when we have kids but right now that works for us.

 

[Spencer Wright]

I use a really small umbrella and keep it in a draw string bag. Under armour has draw string bags now which has a sort of clip on the front so you don't have to worry about holding it.

It typically had an umbrella, hat for rides, and water bottle and I barely noticed it. Great way for a guy to carry around a couple things.

 

[Indio]

We never take a "down" day and hang out at the resort all day. Those tickets are expensive and we want to get every nickel out of them!

 

[StraightToDumbo]

We never take a "down" day and hang out at the resort all day. Those tickets are expensive and we want to get every nickel out of them!

Right, but a lot of people will buy the amount of tickets they need minus days they don't go to the park.