FP+ with hoppers/do you regret?

[Babe the Blue Ox]

What time of year do you go? You're schedule sounds like ours, but we're going for a shorter period of time this year so we will be park hopping more.

Early June

 

[twinsmama]

We are thinking of doing exactly this. The only thing that makes me a little nervous is that my kids will be 4 years old and 20 months old so we still need to account for naps, dinner, and a little bit of an early bedtime (probably 8 pm but back to the hotel by 7 or 7:30 at the latest). I'm more nervous that we will feel rushed if we do 4, 5, 6 or 7 pm FP+. Especially if we do a sit down dinner.

Anyone else in that boat?

Yes! I took my kids at age 2.5, 3.5, and now 4 turning 5. They never napped, but we took it easy in the afternoons and do an early bedtime (8pm), so I always booked our FPs for the morning. This weekend will be our first trip with some afternoon FP days and staying out later some nights.

I think one thing is to be ok with being flexible with normal bedtime schedules. If you are wanting to be back at the hotel by 7:30pm each night, you'll need to eat dinner no later than 5 or 5:30, unless it is at your hotel. If you are wanting to take an actual midday break at your hotel, this will not give you much time to go back to the parks before dinner, unless you are staying at one of the closest resorts to that park.

You may find that 4 year old skips naps during the trip and that 20month old naps in the stroller, then you could push through from morning til afternoon, have dinner at 4:30/5, then back to the resort for bed. I like using table service lunches as part of a midday break. Sit down for an hour or so eating and resting, then go into seated shows/rides that don't have a long wait.

 

[bostran1]

Yes! I took my kids at age 2.5, 3.5, and now 4 turning 5. They never napped, but we took it easy in the afternoons and do an early bedtime (8pm), so I always booked our FPs for the morning. This weekend will be our first trip with some afternoon FP days and staying out later some nights.

I think one thing is to be ok with being flexible with normal bedtime schedules. If you are wanting to be back at the hotel by 7:30pm each night, you'll need to eat dinner no later than 5 or 5:30, unless it is at your hotel. If you are wanting to take an actual midday break at your hotel, this will not give you much time to go back to the parks before dinner, unless you are staying at one of the closest resorts to that park.

You may find that 4 year old skips naps during the trip and that 20month old naps in the stroller, then you could push through from morning til afternoon, have dinner at 4:30/5, then back to the resort for bed. I like using table service lunches as part of a midday break. Sit down for an hour or so eating and resting, then go into seated shows/rides that don't have a long wait.

Thanks for the input. I appreciate it. The almost four-year-old doesn't nap at home now so I suspect the same for our trip in September. Sit-down lunches are a good idea too. We are staying at Bay Lake Tower and have tentative plans to do MK each afternoon/evening (we are planning on booking afternoon FP+ for MK each day too with rope drop arrival at other parks each day). It will be an easy trip to MK each day but we aren't too thrilled with the sit-down dinner options there.

I'm interested to hear how the afternoon FP+ works for you this trip. Have fun!