Day #3 and we are already exhausted

[SaraJayne]

I'm so afraid to miss something lol. We are going to use our travel plans ap today and see if that helps

Yes, you're missing having FUN on vacation with your family. Slow down and relax. You won't see or do everything. It will be there next time.

Stay away from the apps, as they will just make you hyper aware of things you "MUST" do.

 

[scootch]

I too firmly believe in a break sometime during the day. It makes the trip so much more relaxing. Even if you don't sleep.... just getting out of the busyness of the parks makesa HUGE difference. You will still felt like you did enough.

 

[Lynne M]

It's been said many times on these boards that there's no wrong way to tour WDW.....but this is a prime example of the wrong way to do it. When you're burned out, when you're exhausted, when it's not fun anymore.....you're doing it wrong.

OP, using the touring plan app is not gonna fix what's going wrong with your vacation. It's likely going to make things worse, and make your family even unhappier. You're trying to do too much. Way, way, too much.

The beauty of WDW is the huge variety of fun things to do that are NOT in a theme park. Your resort pool. Fun activities at the resorts, like movies on the beach. Recreational activities like boat rentals. Shopping and dining at DTD. La Nouba. Disney Quest. The water parks. Golf. Checking out the other resorts. Nearly anything that suits your fancy.

Stop. Shut down the touring plans app. Do something different. Go to the parks for awhile in the morning, then come back and swim at the resort. Relax. Go back to the parks after dinner, when it's cooler and less crowded. Tomorrow, go over to DTD in the morning , then hit a water park in the afternoon.

Staying in a theme park for 12 hours may be some people's idea of a fun time, but it sure isn't mine. Go by what's right for your family, not what the books and touring plans say.

And take this advice from a veteran WDW visitor - more than 30 trips over the past 25 years. The surest way to guarantee that you'll have a lousy WDW vacation is to do too much because you're afraid you'll miss something. Is this a vacation, or checking boxes on a to-do list? It's supposed to be fun. Go have fun.

 

[mesaboy2]

It's been said many times on these boards that there's no wrong way to tour WDW.....but this is a prime example of the wrong way to do it. When you're burned out, when you're exhausted, when it's not fun anymore.....you're doing it wrong.

OP, using the touring plan app is not gonna fix what's going wrong with your vacation. It's likely going to make things worse, and make your family even unhappier. You're trying to do too much. Way, way, too much.

The beauty of WDW is the huge variety of fun things to do that are NOT in a theme park. Your resort pool. Fun activities at the resorts, like movies on the beach. Recreational activities like boat rentals. Shopping and dining at DTD. La Nouba. Disney Quest. The water parks. Golf. Checking out the other resorts. Nearly anything that suits your fancy.

Stop. Shut down the touring plans app. Do something different. Go to the parks for awhile in the morning, then come back and swim at the resort. Relax. Go back to the parks after dinner, when it's cooler and less crowded. Tomorrow, go over to DTD in the morning , then hit a water park in the afternoon.

Staying in a theme park for 12 hours may be some people's idea of a fun time, but it sure isn't mine. Go by what's right for your family, not what the books and touring plans say.

And take this advice from a veteran WDW visitor - more than 30 trips over the past 25 years. The surest way to guarantee that you'll have a lousy WDW vacation is to do too much because you're afraid you'll miss something. Is this a vacation, or checking boxes on a to-do list? It's supposed to be fun. Go have fun.

Pretty much what I said, but you said it far better!

 

[SaraJayne]

It's been said many times on these boards that there's no wrong way to tour WDW.....but this is a prime example of the wrong way to do it. When you're burned out, when you're exhausted, when it's not fun anymore.....you're doing it wrong.

OP, using the touring plan app is not gonna fix what's going wrong with your vacation. It's likely going to make things worse, and make your family even unhappier. You're trying to do too much. Way, way, too much.

The beauty of WDW is the huge variety of fun things to do that are NOT in a theme park. Your resort pool. Fun activities at the resorts, like movies on the beach. Recreational activities like boat rentals. Shopping and dining at DTD. La Nouba. Disney Quest. The water parks. Golf. Checking out the other resorts. Nearly anything that suits your fancy.

Stop. Shut down the touring plans app. Do something different. Go to the parks for awhile in the morning, then come back and swim at the resort. Relax. Go back to the parks after dinner, when it's cooler and less crowded. Tomorrow, go over to DTD in the morning , then hit a water park in the afternoon.

Staying in a theme park for 12 hours may be some people's idea of a fun time, but it sure isn't mine. Go by what's right for your family, not what the books and touring plans say.

And take this advice from a veteran WDW visitor - more than 30 trips over the past 25 years. The surest way to guarantee that you'll have a lousy WDW vacation is to do too much because you're afraid you'll miss something. Is this a vacation, or checking boxes on a to-do list? It's supposed to be fun. Go have fun.

 

[2binak]

I'm so afraid to miss something lol. We are going to use our travel plans ap today and see if that helps

You cannot and will not see & do it all so for the sake of your vacation, please stop trying. Vacations are supposed to be enjoyable, relaxing & fun. It doesn't sound like your's is living up to that so it's definitely time to change your plans. As other's have suggested, take breaks, even in the parks. Grab a drink or a snack, find a bench or table, sit back, take a few deep breaths and just take in everything that's going on around you. As one of my favorite sayings goes: "take time to smell the roses"

Maybe it is time to regroup. If the vacation is wearing you out and your family is not really enjoying it you may want to rethink your approach.

My family is "that" family. You know the one..............looks like we are wandering around with no destination. The family that does not always make rope drop, strolls through the parks and hit attractions in what looks like a willy-nilly fashion. We are the folks who never used child-swap, took off right after the parade and had a nap and hung swimming in the morning.

The truth is that we always knew what we were doing..........Disney is the destination but is not the objective for us. There is plenty to do and plenty to see but you cannot and will not experience it all on any one trip so why don't you all slow down. Figure out a few must-do attractions, check out show times and see if they work into your plan and then just slow down. Enjoy the resort, go swimming. Hop on the monorail and do some resort hopping. Relax in the afternoon, tap and and go back to a park after dinner. Get a nice beverage or snack and stake out a great spot for the parades or fireworks and relax with your family.

Disney is a vacation and is not a job. Clearly this has turned into work for your family so if it were me I would change my approach.

I was laughing as I read this because this describes my family to a tee. I just never thought of us looking like we didn't know what we were doing but now I can totally see that as being the case

 

[disneychic2]

You've gotten a lot of great advise here and I will just add my 2 cents. DH and I go every year at least once and we usually get to the parks early, do whatever we want, have lunch and around 3 head back to our resort. We go to the pool, relax and sometimes enjoy a power nap. Around 6 we head back to the park and again do whatever strikes our fancy without rushing around. This past April, we took our 5 year old DGD for her first trip and we got up when she woke up, ate breakfast at the resort, went to our park of choice, did whatever she wanted to do, then came back to our resort after lunch. Every day. She never naps at home, but she napped every day at Disney. We always intended to go back to the parks after supper, but never made it even once. She enjoyed the pool and just hanging around the resort. Then it was fairly early to bed. It was a different trip, but we all had a lot of fun and no melt-downs!

We go a lot in September and the heat can be brutal. Try taking a wash cloth with you and wetting it throughout the day to refresh yourself when you get hot. Staying hydrated is important too. You can get ice water at most of the CS places for free. Good luck and hope you and your family enjoy the rest of your stay!

 

[Mom2six]

We were there for 10 days earlier in September. We had so much fun. It was a great time and none of us can wait to go back. BUT, we had a relaxed style. When we got too tired, we went back to the resort. We had "ideas" of what we wanted to do throughout the day, and evaluated it as it came up - if we weren't in the mood for that show, or didn't feel like staying until the fireworks, we changed the plans. For us, the resort was an important part of the fun! We just enjoyed being there and soaking up the environment, and we still did tons of rides/character meets/restaurants etc. It's about the FUN not how much you get done. If you only did one thing that day and had the best time doing it, in my opinion that is more successful than doing 50 things and being miserable (of course, you aren't just going to do one thing but you get my meaning.)

Have fun the rest of your trip. Don't get too exhausted!

 

[Lynne M]

Thinking on it some more....I think this is a common mistake of first timers who have been to a Six Flags or other amusement park. At Six Flags you go, you ride all the rides, and then you go home. They think a WDW vacation will the same way. You go to MK on Monday and you ride everything and you go to Epcot on Tuesday and you ride everything and you go to DHS on Weds and ride everything and AK on Thursday and ride everything, and that's your WDW vacation.

What separates WDW from a Six Flags is that a theme parks are only part of the reason to go. And that 'riding everything' in a WDW park is next to impossible in one day, unless you have triathlon-level stamina.

 

[princessSunshine]

That's one of the reasons we take noon breaks and a whole day off in the middle of a trip away from the parks and just relax at the resort pool and recharge our "batteries"!

Too much of a good thing can really put someone off Disney...running yourself ragged all day can tire anybody out.... Take some park time off.... enjoy your resort, relax, have a drink, play some miniature golf...you're not supposed to need a vacation from the vacation when you leave!

first responder hit the nail on the head - time off is a MUST to avoid burn-out and resentment!
and for your MK or Epcot question - MK, lower crowd counter = bit more relaxing

 

[Mississippianna]

Ditto all the great advice from PP. Take mid-day breaks, stop and rest in the middle of your vacation. Sit down and just BE there.

If you go, go, go the ONLY thing you will be missing is the fun.

 

[Hunclemarco]

I'm one also for taking your time....see a common thread developing here by all?
If you do feel the need to stay in a park all day, try to at least relax and just sit at a park bench for a while, or relax at a restaurant...not looking at the time.
Going commando to get to "everything" will only create the exhaustion you're feeling now. Just the thought of stressing about getting a lot done can ruin your vacation.
Attempt to see the attractions you "must do", but try not to force it all in. You'll need another vacation once home to recover from the one you're on now.

 

[Nancyg56]

I was laughing as I read this because this describes my family to a tee. I just never thought of us looking like we didn't know what we were doing but now I can totally see that as being the case

One of my favorite photos is my 4 YO DGD perched on my DH shoulders, map held open as she studied it through her Minnie sunglasses. We must have looked like we were so lost that a child needed to take over

The truth is that it is really easy to let that adrenalin kick in and beat feet throughout the parks. If that works for a family that is great. It does not work for us. We get a lot done but not at a frantic pace.

 

[snowcupid]

The thing is you are going to miss something anyway--I don't care if you're there one day or twenty. I've yet to see or do "everything" in all my trips.

Slow down and have a leisurely day or no one in your group is going to want to come back. Step away from the apps, they will entice you to try to do even more.

ITA! We pick one or two things at each park that we really want to do. Everything else is just bonus. If we tried to do it all we would be disappointed and exhausted.

 

[danny1649]

Due to an increase in the number of Live Report and Just Back threads, the Theme Parks Attractions and Strategies Moderator Team has decided to start moving these over to our trip report forum. The purpose of the theme parks attractions and strategies board is to help people find valuable information to plan their trips, discuss the attractions, and changes that are happening at Disney World.

Live trip reports, and just back threads are really a better fit for our trip report board. You can find the trip report forum here:

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=18

We know that everyone loves to talk about their trips, and we do love to hear about everyone's trips. So, please share your trip stories, and read about other trip stories over on our trip report forum.

 

[bigbabyblues]

I'm so afraid to miss something lol. We are going to use our travel plans ap today and see if that helps

Honestly, I agree with everyone else. It sounds like you need to slow down and take a break. It isn't possible to see and do everything in ten trips, let alone one, even if it is a slower time of year.

Hope your trip gets better!