How do you plan each day?

[SDSorority]

Hi everyone! What is a general daily park touring plan for you? I know all of us have different needs, but I'm wanting to hear ideas of how everyone structures their days to help give me ideas on how to go about structuring ours. Prior to our special considerations (and in our younger years...) we would go commando sun up to sun down "rush rush rush". ...and end up sore and with blisters on our feet. SO, for this trip, I'm looking for ideas on how to pace ourselves. What does your schedule generally look like?

 

[cornflkgrl]

Be there at rope drop. Stay for an hour or two, leave. Go back to resort and rest, relax, pool, gift shop, wander around our resort, arcade. Eat. Come back at about 5-6 p.m.and stay until fireworks if the kids can handle it. That's our plan. Like you said, everyone has different needs. Depends on what/why you are avoiding commando touring (crowds? Heat? Stamina?) Also depends on time of year probably. I would plan different for summer than for fall or holidays.

 

[Baklava]

We did rope drop most days and stayed in the parks fairly late, but we used the DxDDP as a way to ensure we did a lot of table service meals and therefore took long breaks rather than pushing through and having issues later. We also made good use of Uber, especially after late dinners at resorts.

We do not do peak season or heat. Between my anxiety and my asthma, high summer is Right Out.

 

[minnie mum]

Without knowing what your "special considerations" are, it's difficult to know what planning tips might be useful for you.

We generally avoid going during the hotter months or the busiest weeks. We stay on site. I rent a wheelchair from an off rental agency. I can walk, pushing the chair when I am able to, park it for short periods if I want to, and ride in it (with DH pushing it) when I need to.

We try to hit RD every morning. We usually go to the most recommended park and use a sensible touring plan to avoid long standby lines, and we try to maximize our use of FP. We generally leave the park after lunch for a resort break. Then we'll have dinner and enjoy the evening in the parks until after the fireworks or whatever, then return to the resort for the night. Evening EMHs are permanently in our rear view mirror now.

We do a non park day every 3-4 days.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

My older son is on the spectrum so we usually have the DAS to help. Our day usually goes like this:
7:30-8:00 - we usually have a breakfast ADR sometime between this time. We love breakfast and we usually plan a PPO breakfast at each of the parks at least 1 time.

9:00 - we are usually done eating breakfast by this time and we start exploring the parks. Usually we get FPs throughout the day so not particular what time...we always have a return time on our DAS.

11:30-12:00 - we usually have an ADR for lunch sometime around these times. We like sit down meals bc quick service meals can be somewhat chaotic for my older son and he doesn't do well in that situation.

1:00-1:30 - we are usually done eating at this time...for our past 2 trips after lunch my hubby has taken my toddler back to the resort for "rest/nap" time and I did all the bigger rides with my older son.

3:00-4:00 - my hubby would meet back up with us and we continued with family activities.

5:30-6:00 - we would have another ADR for dinner around this time

7:00-7:30 - we are usually done eating around this time and we either decide to go back to the park or back to the resort (depends on how tired our kids are)

This has been the typical schedule for the past 2 trips. It might be a little different on our next trip bc my boys will both be a little older, but its still the same basis. I always usually have a plan like this though bc my kids both do better with structure and schedules vs just winging it.

 

[SDSorority]

These are all very helpful!