getting out the door to the parks early - let's share tips

[tmt martins]

I wish they would REMOVE all tvs from WDW rooms! What an incredible waste of time when so much fun and excitement is right outside your door.

I can't help it. I nag, cajole and generally get on everyone's nerves a little.

--penny

I just hide the remote .I watch my news at 6:00 when I get up ,then flip it to the previews channel so when they see what they are missing going on in the parks it help to motivate them.

 

[Melora]

We're from the West Coast so getting up at 6 AM is out of the question. That's 3 AM our time and there is no way anyone is going to do well having gotten up that early.

We usually manage to hit the parks by 9AM if we are really pushing it. We have no trouble staying up late though!!!

 

[SpecialK]

So how do you get your kids up? Mine (ages 8 and 10) are usually early risers at home, but WDW just knocks the stuffing out of them. I tried the late morning after a late night, earlier bedtimes, more breaks, slower pace....how do you do it?

 

[bleeps]

Not turning on the tv is a great idea. DH and DD always get hypnotized. I think next time I'll have to unplug it the night before and tell them there must be something wrong with it

Oh, now THAT'S brilliant! May have to resort to this in order to save DH and DS from "the glaze." I'll just have to be sure that I'm the one who volunteers to make sure the set is plugged in....

"DH has never worn a watch and never has a clue what time it is. Some time during our first night there, I wake up and set the clock an hour ahead."

Love this one, too -- my DH is the same -- doesn't wear a watch and has NO idea what the time is (and time in "his world" seems to move at a very different pace than out here with the rest of us). Must be nice to be so clueless and have someone else take care of everything for you (but I DO sometimes wonder how he manages at work)...

 

[liamsaunt]

Well, I'm sure you'll all think I'm horrible, but I change the clock in our room. DH has never worn a watch and never has a clue what time it is. Some time during our first night there, I wake up and set the clock an hour ahead. So, when the Mickey phone call comes at what is really 6:30am, DH thinks it's 7:30am and he doesn't grumble nearly as much. I know you are all thinking that there's no way I could really pull this off, but I assure it has worked on many trips. DH really is just totally clueless and has no concept of time. I'm the planner and he just goes where I say when I say. He likes it that way. So, this trick really does work for me!

OMG, I do the same thing, except at home! Our bedroom clock is set 25 minutes later than it really is. My DH and I take the train to work, so it is important that we are on schedule and he has a tendency to dally around. He must know the clock is wrong, but it works to get him out the door on time.

At the parks, our timesaving tips are to eat breakfast on the way to the park (just a bagel or something), have backpacks/wallets ready to go the night before, and lay out the next day's clothes.

 

[sanctus]

"Eject" button on the beds.

No breakfast. We can eat when we get home.

Put sleepy children on roller skates so they can be easily pushed to the bus stop.

Ice to help my family wake up more fully.

If all else fails, sleep at the bus stop.

 

[NMAmy]

DH and I are both early birds anyway so getting out the door for us is no problem. Now that dd is 15, though, it's more difficult to get her up and going.

However, at WDW, all I have to do is lean down and whisper in her ear, "The Rock-n-Roller Coaster is waiting for you," and she's out of bed like a shot and getting ready!
I just change the ride mentioned each morning depending on what park we're going to. I wish it was that easy to get her up for school.

 

[leebee]

We don't get up early, pure and simple. Experience has taught us that the kids (and the adults) cannot get up early and stay up late (for Wishes, Illum, etc) and still have fun. The mid-day nap thing has NEVER worked; aside from actually LEAVING a park as planned, if we do get back to the hotel, there's no sleeping- there are cousins to visit with, pools to want to swim in, excitement that cannot be overcome. Instead, we sleep in the morning and get to the parks around 10-11ish with a peaceful morning and full b'fast under our belts. Late lunch seatings (around 2:30-3) give us a good midday break, and we are ready to continue through the night, until the last puff of fireworks smoke drifts from view. Sometime in the early evening (7-8ish) we have counter service supper. BTW, the kids are 5,7, and 9, and we go to WDW twice a year, give or take.

 

[goodeats]

I don't have to travel with kids yet, so I have it a little easier than most of you. Though, my sister is a late sleeper.

One thing that works really well in the humid weather is to not shower in the morning. Seriously, you're going to be sweaty and sticky anyway it was pointless. We were coming back to swim and shower around 2:00 before we went out to dinner around 5:00 or so, so it was a waste of time to shower int the morning too. That afternoon shower was all we needed most days. We'll see how it works in December, though.

 

[LoveMickey]

The TV tip is a good one. I don't know why I never thought of that.

But then you don't get to hear the Zippidy doo dah day!!

I wake up early, go for coffee, bring back DH coffee and get him out of bed and into the shower.

If I'm ready first, he'll try to catch up.

 

[shewelch]

I just hide the remote .I watch my news at 6:00 when I get up ,then flip it to the previews channel so when they see what they are missing going on in the parks it help to motivate them.

Yep! We had a "previews channel only" rule and it really got everyone motivated!

 

[mmcguire]

We're renting an offsite house with some relatives, one of whom is not very enthusiastic about visiting WDW. We're anticipating that she won't be terribly motivated to get up early for park opening, but fortunately, we have our own cars. DH and I decided that we'll get up at our usual early time, and whoever wants to make opening can take the "early car" with us. If others want to sleep in, they can take the "late car" whenever they are ready. This way we avoid arguments and resentment because someone got held up by someone taking too long to get ready, or someone feels like the early birds won't "allow" them to sleep in.

We learned years ago on a trip with DM and DD that trying to force others into our schedule doesn't work. DD is a workaholic accountant, but when he has time off, he likes to sleep! He kept up with us the first day, but didn't want to get up the day we went to Sea World. Rather than coercing him to go, we left him at the hotel, where he was still in bed when we returned that afternoon. He thoroughly enjoyed his extended rest, and we enjoyed not having a crabby tired DD dragging along.

 

[Tandyc]

A huge time saver for us is to pack our outfits at home in ziplocks with all clothes needed for the day. (socks, underwear, shorts, top, hair boble, everything!) Then each night we all agree on which bag of clothes is appropriate for tommorrow, depending on where we are going, (Water park, MGM, Seaworld, ect.) Then there is no squabbles about which shorts match which top ect. My kiddos are big enough to dress themselves, so they get out of bed, throw on the bag of clothes, and hit the road. We are not morning people and we are from the West coast so this really make all the difference for us! A bagel or croissant on the way to the parks and we are good for several hours.

My kids clothes fit into gallon ziplocks, DH and I use Jumbo bags We're Pooh-sized

Hope this helps others! Oh and it makes packing your suitcases so much easier. Squish all the air out of the each bags and wow does alot fit. If your bags get searched at the airport the bags slip back in no problem!

 

[michvin]

Well, I'm sure you'll all think I'm horrible, but I change the clock in our room. DH has never worn a watch and never has a clue what time it is. Some time during our first night there, I wake up and set the clock an hour ahead. So, when the Mickey phone call comes at what is really 6:30am, DH thinks it's 7:30am and he doesn't grumble nearly as much. I know you are all thinking that there's no way I could really pull this off, but I assure it has worked on many trips. DH really is just totally clueless and has no concept of time. I'm the planner and he just goes where I say when I say. He likes it that way. So, this trick really does work for me!

That is hysterical...really....
I would milk that system as long as you can!

 

[Leota]

But then you don't get to hear the Zippidy doo dah day!!

I wake up early, go for coffee, bring back DH coffee and get him out of bed and into the shower.

If I'm ready first, he'll try to catch up.

I'm afraid you can't hear the "Zippety Doo Dah Tip for Today" any longer anyways. They did away with that before 2004...

 

[massielovesdisney]

We pack disposable bowls and spoons my husband walks down for milk and coffee while we get dressed and my kids eat cereal in the room while I do my hair & makeup.Eating before we go to the parks saves time and money. We then don't need to waste touring time eating and there bellies are full until lunch-time or later. We try to eat a late lunch and then not eat again until the park closes.