How long do you spend at the parks in the morning?

[G. Fite]

Hello!

I am planning my families 8 day trip (May 27-June 4th) and I am wondering how much time people spend in the park each morning before heading back for a rest.

If we get there right at opening, does 4 hours seem about right? I do not want the kids to get hot and over-whelmed.

How many "breaks" do you usually take in the morning? Say we get there at 8:00 for an early morning will we be hot and tired around noon?

Any info would be appreciated!

Thanks!

Gina

 

[mommiepoppins]

we go early at 830 am and then we leave at 12 and come back around 4

 

[abeyst]

we go early at 830 am and then we leave at 12 and come back around 4

We get there before park opening and leave between 11 and 12. We're back by 4 usually.

If we want to be back for a parade we leave the park even earlier in the morning or stay late and leave right after the parade. Then we take naps and have dinner but don't go back to the parks (or if we do it's really late, just for fireworks or Fantasmic).

 

[bobcat]

We usually will have lunch in the parks someplace and head back to the resort about 1-2pm. Our last hour or so before we leave we usually do a FP ride (that we got before we had our lunch) see characters, or do a show. When we head back to the resort we rest or swim. Sometimes we don't make it back to the parks until dinner time, but since we go in the summer the hours are later. This keeps us pretty well rested and out of the hottest part of the day.

 

[staci]

We go right at opening and generally have lunch in the parks. (CS by 11:30 to avoid the crowds, if sit down then usually right at 12.)

Then we usually headed back to the resort after eating, and maybe walking slowly through the shops on the way out.

 

[problemchild718]

4 hours in the am then return for dinner and playtime eve

 

[mom of five]

Just leave before you get hot and hungry(no matter what you had actually planned on). That walk to the car/wait for the bus is a bummer if you're hot and hungry!

 

[lauritagoddess]

Does everyone really go back to the hotel for a nap? I can't see getting my DS who hasn't napped for a year and a half to willingly agree to leave the park and take a nap. And if we go back to the hotel, he'd never want to go back to the park, lol.

 

[runner26.2]

The afternoon nap works for some and not for others. We have three children. On our trip last fall our DD6 had a nap a couple of the afternoons but our DS3 fought like h$#l not to sleep. We eventually relented and just made him have some quiet time. Having said that, he did fall asleep in the stroller the one day we didn't go back in to the room ... go figure

I guess the answer is, you won't know til you try ... but you know your child best and do what you think is best. If they sleep great, if they don't so be it.

 

[skuttle]

Before we had DS, DH and I went to WDW 4 times and we never went back to our resort for a break. We brought DS to WDW in December and thought we'd try to do disney just like we used to as much as possible and change things as needed. We never went back to the resort for a nap. DS always napped in his stroller.

 

[ShellyMouse]

with my being 6 this past time we went, we never went back to the hotel for rest/nap. she is a great sleeper inner (LOL). if the alarm isn't set, she sleeps til 9 or so (some days 10 at WDW). so we just slept in everyday, took our time getting around, then we were off for the rest of day. the only day we got up early was b-fast w/donald at AK. we stay at parks later in evening.

have fun!!

 

[o2bacelt]

As long as I can remember we've always gone back to the room in the afternoon. My parents did this with me, when I was too old for a nap, we'd go hang out at the pool and relax a little. Grab a bite to eat. Something that wasn't at the park.

We plan on doing this with out DD when we leave in 9 days (woohoo single digits!) that way even if she doesn't sleep she at least gets a little down time from the bustle of the parks.

 

[TriMom]

We come back for a nap, or rest. I just wanted to chime in that as a child we went to Opryland (now a shopping mall ) every summer for vacation. As a kid, I enjoyed the pool as much as the park, and that was just a square campground pool. So because of my wonderful childhood memories, we go swim in the afternoon, then head back to a park for evening entertainment.

 

[clonetothebone]

It doesn't have to be a nap.....

Does everyone really go back to the hotel for a nap? I can't see getting my DS who hasn't napped for a year and a half to willingly agree to leave the park and take a nap. And if we go back to the hotel, he'd never want to go back to the park, lol.

I thought the same thing on our first visit in 2003. Why waste all that time traveling back and forth to CSR? Well believe me after being at MK from opening until the fireworks went off the next day DS5 and DD3 weren't worth anything.

The key is to get out of the hot sun and not be standing in long lines. The standing is more tiring than running a marathon. We would go back and go swimming or just turn on the tv and turn out the lights and relax. After realizing this we had much more fun and the kids had enought stamina to last a little later in the evening.

 

[Rainman]

We have a 7 yr old, 4 yr old, and 1.5 yr old. We never had any luck leaving and comming back. Found it too hard. We always try and get to the park as early as possible. A lot less crowed. We always try and have a sit down lunch or early dinner via a resevation. We go as long as we can and leave. When we get back we try and take a nap and then have some fun at the hotel.