Dealing with the time change-West Coast to Florida

[jules116]

Hi,

We'll be at WDW June 20-27, staying at POR. Our DS's are 6 and 3 years old. I'm wondering how the kids are going to be with the time change from here in California to Florida. I keep reading about getting to the parks early in the morning, when they open. However, getting up for breakfast etc will feel like 4 or 5am for them.

Does anyone out there have any ideas or suggestions on how to deal with this?

Thanks so much. These boards have been so helpful with my trip planning!

~Julie

 

[eeyoregon]

We are from Oregon and have had a terrible time getting up and out for the early park hours because as you said, it's 4 or 5 in the morning on our body clocks. What we have found, and enjoy are the Late Park hours in the evening. Most of the follks on local time have pooped out by 10:00 but we are still going strong and take advantage of the extended evening hours. It just seems quieter, less crowded and much cooler!

 

[SILLYANDI]

We've travelled quite a bit with our kids in tow, and we've found the "ramp" method seems to work well. We start about a week early putting the kids to bed an hour or so early and waking them up 30 mins early. It doesn't affect school or anything, because it's gradual. We put them to bed earlier and wake them up earlier until we are about 2-3 hours ahead of schedule and we're good to go! It hasn't failed us yet! (the only thing that stinks is that we have to wake up early too!!)

 

[jules116]

Thanks for the advice!

~Julie

 

[JennyW]

We're doing the same - getting up earlier, trying to go to bed earlier, gradually, over about two weeks beforehand.

jenny

 

[Dizneydaz]

The time change is a bear! When my mom and I have done the world by ourselves, we've gotten to the parks early. However, now with my DD6, starting when she was 2-3/4, we no longer make the parks early. (my 19 yr. old niece also had a problem getting up early and then add the 45 min. for make-up-whew!) We get ready, have our breakfast in the room (toast, cereal etc.) and then wake her up, get her ready and head out. She usually eats her breakfast on the run. She's not much of an early eater. We take small boxes and baggies of cereal for her along with a piece of fruit. We always bring extra cereal-it makes a great snack during the day, and we have feed the birdies many times while waiting to do the child swap for Tower. We have never done a sit down breakfast.

One time we did get up fairly early to do AK and my DD fell asleep first thing on the Safari ride. Be prepared for unplanned naps-don't forget the stroller!

We do the parks late-it's not usually a prob. Also, another benefit is we don't mind dining late and it's usually less crowded and less chaotic.

I don't overplan our visits. The last few times when we've had the Dining Plan I have had to plan our day-to-day meals more, however, I know that we won't usually make every ADR-be flexible, go with the flow. If your kids are like my DD, their fav part is the pools (and the water parks) She would be happiest if we swam all day. There have been times when we've had to rearrange our schedule due to the weather. Last Sept. we were heading out the door to do TL and it was raining-back to the room, changed clothes, and headed to a theme park instead. Did TL the next day. I know some ADR are hard to get, but there is always someplace good to go-even without going into a park-(We Love Kona Cafe)

We've tried the getting up a little earlier each day and going to bed earlier but my DD is a night owl and it just doesn't work for her-also it only takes her a few days after we get home to get back to her old schedule.

One thing we've found that works for us is we don't do WDW for our whole trip (I know, I know-it's not me, it's my DM, she has to do something besides Disney) so now we do the side trip first-it gets all of us used to the time change a little before we hit the parks. Last Sept. we went to Anna Marie and Sanibel Islands-it was great, the water was so warm-like a bath tub-not like the Pacific Ocean at all. We plan on doing that again this Sept.

Good luck and have a great time!

 

[jules116]

I think going with the flow will have to be my mantra the whole time we are there. We'll be spending 16days total in FL. We are going to the Kennedy Space Center and DH has cousins in Miami. I think we are going to head down there to see them. I'm going to check out Anna Marie and Sanibel Islands. That sounds interesting!

Thanks again!!!

~Julie