Do you go to parks early or stay late with the young kids?

[alicenwonder99]

With young children who usually sleep around 10-12 hours a night, you can't do both: get to parks at opening AND stay late at night. My kids are too old for an afternoon nap. So, it's either getting to parks at opening and going to sleep early, OR staying at the parks late and then sleeping in the next morning.

On our last trip, I tried to do both. We got to AK about 9:30-10am, stayed until about 2pm, went back to the room for a nap (which was a disaster...by the time I FINALLY got the kids to fall asleep, it was time to get them up...my 5 year old was really hard to wake up from his nap and he seemed to drag the rest of the night), we ate dinner, then went to MVMCP. The kids still couldn't stay awake until it closed at midnight, and by around 10pm, they started slowing down and we had to leave before 11pm.

I know everyone says to "go back to your room and take a nap in the afternoon" but unless you have a toddler who still naps, that just doesn't work!

So, what works for you? We'll be going in September when the parks will be closing around 8pm-9pm anyway. And then what about EMH nights? I think I like to get to the parks at opening better than staying late. But it's so hard to get the kids to leave the parks when the parks are still open.

My younger kids will be 7 and 6 on our next trip.

Mary

 

[zurgswife]

We have been going since my kids were toddlers and have done both. We do/did EE in the am especially for MK. We don't necessarily stay until closing each night but in Sept 9pm (for Epcot illuminations really isn't all that late). I would plan a few nights later and sleep in a little bit.

As far as naps go. We always go back to the hotel and rest and swim. My kids are now 14, 13, 12, and 8 and everyday at least 2 fell asleep while just sitting around the rooms. So, I wouldn't force nap time if your kids are older but I would have some down time.

 

[Mom to Jordan]

Are they eaarly risers are kids that like to stay up late???? We like to open the park and turn in early. Our best friends never get there before 10:00 or later and close the parkk every night. Most night that return early, we do dinner at some resort sitdown resturant.

 

[crisi]

My kids are too excited at Disney to sleep in, so we are to the parks at opening with no problem getting them moving. But keeping them up to see Illuminations is a one time per trip activity. Last year we did MNSSHP and it really wasn't worth it to us - the kids were far too tired by nine - and my daughter was pretty tired by eight.

 

[Pixiedust34]

We've done both (staying up late & getting up early). Staying up late is the only way you get to see the night shows.

My kids were just-turned-9 and almost-7 on our last trip. The thing that did help us with our energy level was going back to the room for a break most afternoons.

No one napped, but it was August and we all took showers and changed into fresh clothes mid-day, which was a good way to re-charge our batteries during a HOT time of year. Some days, we'd use the pool for about an hour, and then head back to the park. Everyone had an extra boost of energy after that afternoon break and change of clothes.

We did end up doing laundry more often than anticipated, but we didn't mind. It was so hot that we needed that change of clothes during the afternoon.

 

[java]

We prefer the Morning extra hours so that is what we normally do. I say normally because now I have 2 that are older- so I took those 2 back for the late nights while dh stayed in the room with the 2 little ones(he wanted to watch a ball game- so everybody happy!) But the morning hours just seem more managable. It seemed so much more crowded at night. I think it is easier for the adults to stay up later than get up early- so they are more popular. My vote go early.

 

[traviesojmt]

We always take advantage of Extra Morning Hours. I feel that we ride more in the first couple hours of park opening than any other time of the day. My DS 8 is old to nap, but we still head back to the room after lunch for a break. He usually swims or hits the arcade for a little while. Even an hour or 2 away from the park regenerates us all. We have never taken advantage of the Extra Evening Hours. It is just too late for all of us.

 

[Hannathy]

We have never napped, tried it once but like you it was a disaster and too much work for me. Usually we plan on taking a break of sorts in whatever park we are in, Tom Sawyer island in MK or Hall of presidents 3o minutes of air conditioner, ride the train or monorail all around.Universe of enrgy, or a late lunch. When you are going it isn't open late so it really isn't a much longer day than they are used to in school. We spend LONG days at the park because we don't get there very often, I'm talking opening till midnight at Easter and my 5 yr old loved it. Fell asleep on the way back to the room everynight but the day we went to the waterpark we didn't leave the room until 10 and was home earlier that night.

I am looking forward to extra evening hours 'cause we really aren't morning people but we did it for the rides but 2 AM yeah! Disney is great at night.

My kids never sleep 12 hrs either at least until they hit teenage then if you let them they would sleep 20 and just get up to eat!

 

[beattyfamily]

We've done both and in the same day too...

We love doing EE mornings and then leaving for a swim. I've never had luck going back for naps. Very rarely did that happen. Instead we go back to get out of the sun and swim or just chill.

Sometimes we don't go back at all though but in that case we do not close the park at night.

We mostly let our kids take their naps in the stroller.

If we want to do a park at night for MVMCP or Wishes/Spectro or Fantasmic, we can still open a park but we don't stay more then 3 hours and then we go back and swim and get our second wind.

No matter how well rested I think my younger DD is (and my older DD for that matter) they have never made it past 11:00p at MVMCP. My younger DD has never made it to the second Christmas parade. She's always asleep in the stroller. But the rest of us enjoy it and tape it for her so she can see it when we get home. She's always made it to the fireworks though and always made it to Fantasmic.

Basically my girls go with the flow and nap in their strollers. We follow their lead. We have stayed in a park all day but only made it to about 7:00p. With a rest (not a nap but just relaxing) back at the resort, we've stayed till 11:00p.

Every family is different.

We

 

[lauritagoddess]

We're at the park at the opening. My son is a really early riser no matter what time he goes to sleep, so it works out better for us to open the parks since staying up late would just make him horrible the next day. He also won't take a nap and if we left the park I'd never get him back later so for now it's open the parks and leave in the late afternoons. I figure we'll eventually make it to the evening things like Illuminations and Fantasmic when he's older.

 

[lorrainesy]

I think of the magic hour the same way as Disney itself...you can't do it all. The way we are doing it this time is just picking our favorite parks (MK and AK) we will go to all their magic hours morning or night. As for EPCOT and MGM the normal park hours are enough for us as we do not spend a lot of time there. If they have a magic hour and we fell like getting up for it or staying late, if we have the enrgy we will other wise we are fine wit leaveing to get rest or go swimming.

 

[lisaross]

trip late august. we have two boys 4 & 6 - they are usually in bed by 8p and also need about 11 hours sleep! so this is what i'm planning for our 8 night trip.

The first few days i'm doing mornings and afternoons at the park. Planning a sit down lunch for a bit of a break from the heat and then either leave b4 dinner or if they don't seem to tied maybe stay for an early dinner then leave! Other days sleeping a bit later in the morning and trying for the fireworks this is it:

Monday - Epcot for opening 1:00p lunch plan to leave park 4 or 5.

Tuesday - MK for opeing - 1pm lunch will try to stay for a quick bite for dnr and leave by about 6 if they can hold out maybe even staying for the fireworks if they are loving it.

Wednesday sleep in and go to MGM hoping to arrive by 12p have a 2:45p lunch reservation and will stay for the Fantasmic show

Thursday our rest day -- no parks (unless they are begging.) and planning on going DTD in the late afternoon for dnr and some shopping.

Friday - AK all day and dnr at Boma 6pm.

Saturday - go to MK again after sleeping in a bit and go the Chef Mickey's for 5:30p and if we miss the fireworks on Tuesday night then we'll try to stay.

Sunday - again sleep in a bit maybe go for a swim then head back to Epcot - go to the countries and dnr at 6pm and stay for illuminations show.

This is what i'm hoping for - as for what aactually happens we shall find out.

lisa

Wednesday -

 

[alicenwonder99]

Thanks everyone for your input.

I'm a "get up before the birds" person, and my dh is the total opposite (he works 3rd shift). I'd rather get to the parks at opening because it seems you have the parks to yourself. Not to mention you can get a couple of hours in before the heat strikes you down!

I think we'll get to the parks for opening, then go back to the hotel for a swim after lunch. And we're staying at the Contemp so that should make it easier for the MK day. Then we'll hit another park for a couple of hours in the evenings.

Now I'm off to plan it!

Mary

 

[golden1]

My kids are younger and are early risers(6am) so we will be going early. My dd doesn't nap but ds does. I think that one of us will take dd swimming or somewhere else for awhile while ds naps in the afternoon. I think we will skip most later hours activities because they are usually in bed by 7:30-8pm. I might try to keep them up for Spectromagic/Wishes one night. I'd hate for them to miss that.

I figure most days will be like this:

At park for opening.
Tour until lunch
Lunch at park or hotel
Back to hotel for nap/rest
Back to park until 7pm
Back to hotel to sleep.

We are staying in ASM suites for a few nights and then transporting to BWV for the rest of the trip so one of will stay with the kids at night, and the other one can go out to a park for awhile. This is our plan, and we hope it works out! We are going to be flexible though.

 

[kimberwing]

We hit the parks early and did the resort pools and water parks in the afternoon. This was with a 5 and 3 yr. old. We have the "take your time and be flexible" philosophy," so it worked well for us. And TG for Fastpass!! We did however, return to parks in the evening for fireworks and shows.

 

[SnowWitch]

When my boys (now 16 and 13) were toddlers we used EE and then returned to the room for a nap. Then returned to the parks around 4-5pm and stayed until they closed. Back then MK closed at 11 or 12 then we did e ticket. They did great. We continued this routine until they no longer required naps to stay civil. Our next trip our daughter will be 14 months, she will dictate the hours we keep. Who knows how she will do, she has been a more schedule type child than her brothers ever were so we may be back in,the room by 9 every night. Who knows.

 

[deedeetoo]

We are early risers. My kids tend not to care so much about fireworks and my youngest who is now 5 doesn't like loud noises. This makes the choice easy for us. I'm hoping to hit Illuminations one night, and Wishes one night, both on days when we can sleep in the next morning. But if that doesn't work out, that's OK. When you go with kids you have to pay attention to their sleep needs or your vacation will be very unhappy. You don't want tired, cranky kids at WDW. Everyone will have a much better vacation if they are well rested, Who cares is you miss some stuff? What's more important - seeing everything, or having a good time with your family?

 

[MrsJackSparrow]

We go to parks in early a.m. (by about 9:30) and stay late (until about 11). We park hop, so the kids get a break on the bus and usually doze. We also eat our main meal as lunch rather than dinner (cheaper, easier to walk off, and not in a food coma for remainder of night). We also go back to the room for about 2 hours say 2:30-4:30. We close the drapes and the kids change out of their hot clothes and feel so nice to lay in the cool sheets. Sometimes they sleep and sometimes they don't but the downtime definitely works on them. DKs are 7 and 5 and we have been going each year for the last 3 years. We used an umbrella stroller up to age 5 and they would doze in the strollers, too. We change gears frequently to work downtime into our day. Helps keep them fresh!

 

[kimberwing]

Speaking of strollers, we rented ours from the parks (did home-brought strollers once but that was just more packing) and they were worth their weight in gold.

 

[NotUrsula]

We did both, and still do. We've even done both on the same day, though we usually don't do THAT more than once per trip. We almost never spend afternoons in the parks; we are generally out by 11:30 am and do not return until around 5 pm. Usually we will spend the down time hanging out by the pool, doing some light shopping, reading or sleeping.

Part of the reason that I think it works for us is that we don't do schedules and routines for meals and sleep -- ever. We always eat when we feel like eating and sleep when we feel like sleeping, so it's no different at WDW. Of course, when kids are little they can easily sleep in a comfy stroller if they need a catnap.