Does this sound like too much downtime?

[monica9]

This is an old post but read below to find out how it went.
Sorry to bore you but I know there are some people that enjoy looking at other peoples itenarary ( I know I'm one of those).

So my husband doesn't want to talk about disney this past year and always said he'll talk about it the day before. He knows I obsess about it and he is the total opposite and just goes with the flow.

Well, now that we are 6 days out, he decides to ask to look at the itenarary and wants to have imput about it! 6 days before we leave!!

So my question is, do we have too much downtime? He thinks we should go to MK more. I think its just enough time.....

Here goes:
me, DH and 4 1/2 year old DD

Friday- land around 4pm. Take ME to all star sports. Grab quick Service for dinner, end day.

Sat- Go to DTD early afternoon, walk around. Head to boardwalk inn to walk around (always wanted to visit it). go to the clambake at beach club for dinner. end day.

Sun- Check out of ASsp and get mears taxi to renaissance hotel at seaworld.
Check in as early as possible, head over to Seaworld for the day and night (also have free all day dining there). Late night

Monday- Sleep in, walk around resort (if its warm take advantage of their hotel splash pad). Get to Seaworld in afternoon. Dine with shamu dinner and then end day.

Tuesday- Check out of Ren. and take mears taxi to Wilderness Lodge and check in. Walk around WL then hit Epcot by 1pm hopefully. Dinner at Garden Grill. Stay for illuminations. End day

Wednesday- ohana for b-fast, MK all day, Chef mickey for dinner. watch fireworks somewhere at CR. end day

Thurs- Sleep in. walk around resort. Visit monorail resorts by 2pm. ohana for dinner 5pm, MVMCP until as late as we can handle. end day

Frid- Free day. Do laundry, swim if warm enough, when it gets dark go to fort wilderness and do the campfire sing a long and movie outdoors. maybe check out the lights at fort W. end day

Sat- sleep in and have lunch at whispering canyon at 1130. head to holly wood studios until close to see osborne lights. end day

Sun- Tusker house at 930am and stay at AK all day. Head back to resort and get a good nights sleep.

Monday- MK. BBB at 930, CRT 1030, MK all day until close.

Tuesday- Check out and head home.

Any suggestions?

Update 5 years later
After looking for my past itineraries, I came across this and read through it again. I realized after why I felt I needed so much downtime for my family (daughter needed so much sleep and I knew she wouldn't be able to wake up for rope drop because we found out she had a thyroid disease that always made her tired). Needless to say this worked but we tweaked it a little. We definitely needed to add more time in the parks and we did. Switching hotels worked perfectly fine and made the trip feel even longer. I'd do it again as it felt like a new vacation every time.
I agree that we should've skipped ohana and go to mvmcp earlier. I'd definitely go at 4pm when it opens but ohana is now our favorite restaurant so it was worth it. When we go in December we will have a 13 month old and our 4 1/2 year old will be 9 1/2 and able to do rope drop. We will be taking breaks in between 3 times in the 8 days and doing rope drop and closing the parks those nights. We will see how this goes!

 

[Senator Tressel]

Yes, that is way too much downtime. You have a rest day and then the next morning after that you are sleeping in. If that's the type of vacation you want, that's fine. Seems like you have plenty of time to even go to Universal.

 

[Sparkly]

Sounds a lovely relaxing holiday. You'll have a great time!

 

[labattblue]

Sounds like too much downtime to me, but everybody is different.

 

[delmar411]

Way too much downtime. It doesn't seem like you are going to the parks at all. Why do you need so much rest?

 

[stindall]

Way too much downtime. It doesn't seem like you are going to the parks at all. Why do you need so much rest?

seconding this. Seems like a lot of non-park stuff so why even go?

 

[ReluctantDisaholic]

For us that would be way too much downtime...it looks like a lot of "wander around the resort" time and not much actual park time. Especially with a 4 year old, I would want a lot more time in the parks checking out rides and attractions.

 

[WillAustin]

If we were on a 10 day trip, we'd try for a park on 8 of those days. Not all day, every day, but at least some of the time on most of the days.

 

[monica9]

Well last year we did so much that my daughter was miserable by the end of the week. I had sore leg muscles and was so exhausted from all the walking. Thats why we decided on 12 days rather then a regular 1 week vacation, so we can take our time.

2 days are travel days with only maybe 3 hours to do anything.
that leaves us with 10 days.
2 will be at Seaworld
3 days MK (2 1/2)
1 at Ep (3/4 of a day)
1 at HS (3/4)
1 at AK
1 at DTD (shopping for christmas and visiting resorts)
That leaves us with only one free day. I was hoping my daugther can swim and I need to do one load of laundry.

I feel like that's not that relaxing!

I also have Hoshimotos and need my sleep! my daughter still goes to bed at 7pm and sleeps until 7. I know that it's vacation and staying up until 10 or 11 is no biggie for her, but I don't want it to catch up to her and her be overexhausted by the second half of the vacation. 12 days is a long time!

The first two days at all star sports are just an add on to our vacation because flights were so cheap and we actually save money then by flying in sunday. So those park tickets won't be able to be added onto our wilderness lodge part of the vacation.

We have a 5 day base ticket that starts on Tuesday when we check into wilderness lodge. Can we make it a 6 day and be able to use it the saturday we are at ASsp?

 

[AlixaLock]

Since you asked, I'll say that, for our family, it's too much downtime. Does your four-year-old sleep in? If so, I guess I understand the sleep in, lunch, then park philosophy. I have a four-year old also and we really cherish those park mornings, particularly when she doesn't really sleep in. I would add some park mornings. Epcot and Hollywood Studios are big favorites ... she would KILL me if we skipped our traditional World Showcase Loop or Star Tours and I don't feel like you have enough time in those parks to really enjoy them ...

But hey ... if it works for you, go for it! It's not like you can't adjust as needed when you arrive!

 

[monica9]

ok I need some suggestions. I am not changing the parks we go to each day since we have ADRS already but for the "down" days, what should I do.

I didn't realize that it will only cost us $60 more for a 7 day park ticket vs the 5 day we orginally have. Can I purchase two more days and use one maybe the Saturday for half a day before DTD and then that Friday that is our "free' day? Will that make it less of a relaxing vacation yet still give us time to recouperate?

 

[Senator Tressel]

Adding more days to your ticket makes the vacation more relaxing. You don't have to fit as much in. Also, it is better to get to the parks at opening, then leave in the afternoon for a nap, then come back late. This is MUCH more relaxing than arriving at noon and staying for the rest of the day.

 

[AlixaLock]

=Also, it is better to get to the parks at opening, then leave in the afternoon for a nap, then come back late. This is MUCH more relaxing than arriving at noon and staying for the rest of the day.

This ... for families with young kids, at least ...

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

~As a Commando, reading this plan was like pulling teeth. I'm sure you would probably feel the same way about my touring style, too. Anyway, have a great trip!

 

[eeyorefan107]

We are going in February when park hours are shorter. I extended our trip to 9 days because a 4n/5d commando touring style doesn't work with our family. (Myself, DD18,DGD2, and I'm handicapped.) This time our schedule looks like this:

2/1 arrive, check in to POFQ, DTD for dinner
2/2 DHS, Fantasmic! dinner pkg
2/3 MK, CP for breakfast, back to room around 1, head back for EMH around 5
2/4 No plans--probably go to DQ or TL, weather permitting
2/5 TL or DQ
2/6 breakfast at Chef Mickey's, Universal Studios for the day
2/7 Epcot
2/8 AK
2/9 Check out

I only have a 5d WP&M ticket, but I'm debating on adding hopper and 2 extra days because I don't like water parks. This way I can take a bus to a park on the days my DD & DGD go to TL.

I think you have to see what works best for your family and go for it. We learned the hard way. This time I've spread it out, so it's not too much too fast.

 

[monica9]

Adding more days to your ticket makes the vacation more relaxing. You don't have to fit as much in. Also, it is better to get to the parks at opening, then leave in the afternoon for a nap, then come back late. This is MUCH more relaxing than arriving at noon and staying for the rest of the day.

She won't nap :-( She wouldn't nap last year until around 5pm in the stroller. To take the time to go back to the resort to try to get her to nap and then her not nap will get me very stressed! I don't want to chance taking 2 hours to get her to fall asleep and waste all that time. The parks are only open until 8pm this time of year so its not worth it to me to go back to resort and then head back to the park.

Ugh, I don't know what to do! I guess we will add on 2 days of park tickets and work around our ADRs?

 

[keaster]

I don't post much on the theme park board, but after reading some of this thread, here are my 2 cents...

Only you know for sure what kind of touring style your family will tolerate. Every family dynamic is different (when kids nap, when they eat, bed time, etc).

The plan you outlined would drive park commandos crazy but ask yourself...is your family a go, go commando family? If not, do what feels comfortable. There's nothing wrong with asking for advice, but don't take everything to heart...including what I'm saying

 

[AlohaAnnie]

I do not think there is too much down time. I think you know your family best.


My DH thinks he knows our family but he doesn't

I plan by what everyone likes in our family, taking into consideration all of our other Disney trips what worked for us and what did not. He wants to go crazy and get up every morning for rope drop and stay all day until close. It would kill the kids, myself and him to be honest. He gets a bit passionate about our Disney trips. I want to sleep in some mornings, go back to the resort early some evenings. DD wants to sleep in and get pool time in. DS wants to go back in the afternoon swim and then spend time in the room playing his itouch somedays. We usually go for long vacations. So I make sure everyone gets what they want. It takes a lot to plan. It has been working out for a while so I am sticking to it. If you are there and you decide to go to MK during one of your down days, I say go for it.

Good Luck and Have a magical vacation!

 

[monica9]

[ but don't take everything to heart...including what I'm saying [/QUOTE]

??? Ok, wasn't planning on taking anything you said to heart.....

Anyway, yea, just trying to get some ideas before we leave and wanted to get some input from the "veterans". We aren't commando people but I also don't want to sit around at a pool all day either.

I'm still hoping someone can give me some advice as to what to change in our itinarary???

Do you think a 1/2 park day on the first saturday and 1/2 park day on the Friday "free day" would help liven up the itinarary?

 

[WedgieSock]

Sorry to bore you but I know there are some people that enjoy looking at other peoples itenarary ( I know I'm one of those).

So my husband doesn't want to talk about disney this past year and always said he'll talk about it the day before. He knows I obsess about it and he is the total opposite and just goes with the flow.

Well, now that we are 6 days out, he decides to ask to look at the itenarary and wants to have imput about it! 6 days before we leave!!

So my question is, do we have too much downtime? He thinks we should go to MK more. I think its just enough time.....

Here goes:
me, DH and 4 1/2 year old DD

Friday- land around 4pm. Take ME to all star sports. Grab quick Service for dinner, end day. Agree, good plans after travelling.

Sat- Go to DTD early afternoon, walk around. Head to boardwalk inn to walk around (always wanted to visit it). go to the clambake at beach club for dinner. end day. Resting in the morning and you're not going to a park, ok there is always tomorrow

Sun- Check out of ASsp and get mears taxi to renaissance hotel at seaworld.
Check in as early as possible, head over to Seaworld for the day and night (also have free all day dining there). Late night Nope, no park today, you're leaving Disney to go to seaworld .... ok.

Monday- Sleep in, walk around resort (if its warm take advantage of their hotel splash pad). Get to Seaworld in afternoon. Dine with shamu dinner and then end day. More rest in the morning, only at Seaworld instead

Tuesday- Check out of Ren. and take mears taxi to Wilderness Lodge and check in. Walk around WL then hit Epcot by 1pm hopefully. Dinner at Garden Grill. Stay for illuminations. End day Its day five and you only just enter a Disney park?

Wednesday- ohana for b-fast, MK all day, Chef mickey for dinner. watch fireworks somewhere at CR. end day Ok

Thurs- Sleep in. walk around resort. Visit monorail resorts by 2pm. ohana for dinner 5pm, MVMCP until as late as we can handle. end day Resting most of the day

Frid- Free day. Do laundry, swim if warm enough, when it gets dark go to fort wilderness and do the campfire sing a long and movie outdoors. maybe check out the lights at fort W. end day More rest

Sat- sleep in and have lunch at whispering canyon at 1130. head to holly wood studios until close to see osborne lights. end day Restful morning

Sun- Tusker house at 930am and stay at AK all day. Head back to resort and get a good nights sleep. Ending the day late afternoon for more rest

Monday- MK. BBB at 930, CRT 1030, MK all day until close. Cool!

Tuesday- Check out and head home.

Any suggestions?

My replies are in bold ^^^ my answers are meant to be playful but truthful, you seem to be doing an awful lot of resting. Is there a reason for this? I totally agree with your husband but if the purpose if the vacation is to rest and not do many parks then that itinerary is perfect