How long does your family tour for each day?

[lou7401]

Just wondering how many hours a typical family tours for each day. We are going at the end of August and I'm trying to figure out our itinery and dining reservations. My kids are 13, 12 and 8. Will we collapse from hearstroke early in the day? LOL

My thought was to get to the park right when it opens, have lunch around 1:30 then head back to the hotel. Then we'd relax and swim in the pool and head back to the park for late afternoon and evening touring plus a sit-down dinner. What kind of time frame should I plan for? How many hours to relax is enough? I know every family is different but I'd be interested in hearing what everyone does.

 

[landiscarrier]

We relax when we get home from vacation! We have 3 kids 5,9,12 and the last time we were to Disney our kids were 3,7,10 and we went all day long! The kids held up well and wanted to keep going. Of course there were days that we went to the pool but we mostly did that at dusk when the pools were less crowded.

 

[pennyplanner]

lou7401,

My family has only been in November when temps are cooler and I went once the last week of April on a solo venture. My DSs are now similar in age to yours.

Here's the deal for us. We get up early in the morning. Do a quick Pop Tarts/sm cereal box breakfast and get to the bus by 8 a.m. We then tour and break for lunch by 11:00 or 11:30 for a CS lunch. Maybe we'll ride another attraction and head back to the WL. We swim or just rest and put our feet up (that's me!) and then head back out to the parks around 4 or 4:30, again eating an early TS dinner around 6 p.m.

My only suggestion as a change to your plan is to eat your lunch much earlier. You'll be surprised how hungry you will be! And if you eat at 1:30 by the time you finish and return to your hotel, it will be rather late.

I experienced one day in late April that was very hot and humid. I could pick out all the northeast vacationers because they were all wilting (me included )! Now by August, your family will be aclimated to the heat. But remember FLA's summer heat and humidity can really do a number on you!

Enjoy your trip!

--penny

 

[Mary Diehl]

Our family is going in June and have the same set up as you described. We are heading into the park that has the morning EMH and will do as much as we can up until 12:00. We have our ADR's at a restaurant for around 12:30 at that same park. We will then head back to our hotel to swim and relax for about 2-3 hours and then go into a different park(most likely the one that has the evening EMH) for our ADR for dinner and then we'll see how full it is after we're done eating. If it's too full, we'll go into a different park. I have a list of which parks are the least crowded each day during our week here, and will use that as a deciding factor if one of the parks is too crowded. Try to remember to relax--my husband always says "I need a vacation from this vacation"

 

[cavepig]

Our group has 2 little kids (3 & 4), my parents (50-60), and then 5, 19-30 year olds. We do what you have planned. We get to the parks for opening, do stuff and have lunch then head out around 1:00-1:30. Go to the resort and swim, etc. Then head back to another park for dinner and evening stuff. It has worked well for us for many years, with and without the 2 little kids. All day in one park is just too tiring.

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

When we went in late August 2002, DD was 8 and DS was 4. We park-hopped and did not return to the resort the first two days without "suffering," but the third day we returned for a swim and nap to prepare for Fantasmic that night. Strangely, the fourth day we were all cranky and miserable - but instead of going back for a nap rode the boat from Epcot to MGM, which refreshed us enough, I guess. OTOH, we never stayed in the parks past dinnertime, preferring an early bedtime - and the parks closed earlier that time of year, too, so it made it less efficient to go back out for only an hour or so.

It was hot, but the kids loved using the misting fans to cool off. I do recall some complaining about the heat at Epcot (our cranky day) and the AK, where the foliage and the crowds made it oppressive. However, I'd prefer a hot, miserable day at WDW to a snowy, miserable day here in NY anytime!

I'm taking the kids back this August (yay for free dining!) and have bought Park-Hoppers again, but am planning out only the mornings. Once we've hit the target attractions for our scheduled park, I'm leaving the afternoons and evenings for whatever the kids want to do.

 

[Evil Queen 12]

Well, you're right every family is different. It depends on how many children you have and their ages. I have one child, a son, age 5. I keep him in a stroller, as advised by 'Disney Experts' as to keep the complaining at a minimum. We typically get up at approx. 0600, clean, shower, eat breakfast--usually something we've bought at the store and keep in the fridge or a quick pop tart for my son, and leave the hotel. We arrive at the park waiting in the line as it opens and begin the day! We will take our time touring everything and waiting in lines to ride everything. We'll stop for either an early lunch or a late lunch depending on how many snacks we've packed with us for the day. (This is based on a day at MK) The only time we ever go back to the hotel for an afternoon of relaxation is when we stay at a Deluxe Resort (with the exception of Animal Kingdon) because of the proximity to the park. Other than that we stay at the park all day. My son doesn't complain about the heat or being tired because he's laid up in a stroller with a water bottle next to him and a viser over his head. (Ahhhh, the life of a 5 year old) As for my husband and myself, well, we're so excited about being in Disney we'll sit down on a bench and just talk if we get tired. It's not worth ruining your vacation to get in all of the sights at Disney at the expense of your family's relaxation time. If you know that your family will be overwhelmed and tired, complaining to go home or just upset because they can't sit down for a moment, then by all means, go back to the hotel, swim and freshen up for the evening. Enjoy your vacation which means everyone in your party needs to have a good time, whatever it is that you have to do to make that happen, you do it. Have a wonderful time on your trip and be safe.

 

[Msslaydbug]

we are always at the park when they open , take an afternoon break and then head back in the evening. I can't even imagine trying to stay all day ! I would be exhausted

 

[lou7401]

Thanks everyone!! You've given me lots of good advice. I THINK I'm going to eat a CS lunch earlier and then head back to the park earlier than I originally planned.


We learned our lesson in August of 2001 (as you can see in my signature). I tend to be a "Commando" when we go to theme parks and I drove my family into the ground. My husband isn't even going with us this time (he's leaving after the first part of our trip in St. Pete's) - his motto is 'Disney in August? No way - no how!' So it's just me and the kids. Even they aren't as nuts about Disney as I am and I've even had to promise them not too cram too much in! The weather makes such a difference. When we went to Disneyland last June is was in the low 70's and no humidity and all of us easily lasted all day in the park.

Once we've hit the target attractions for our scheduled park, I'm leaving the afternoons and evenings for whatever the kids want to do.

That's a good idea too. Are you making dinner reservations?

 

[kaygela]

I would recommend making dinner reservations. We have been there in the summer and the evenings can be quite busy. The temps are a little cooler so alot of people return to the parks to have dinner, do some rides, and see the night show. I wouldn't want to wait and kill valuable time waiting for a table and IMO, it's nice to sit down for a relaxing dinner. I would rather do the counter service during the day. My preference is an early dinner (especially if you are having an early lunch) and then do some rides while the masses are eating dinner during the typical dinner hour. The lines for the rides will be shorter.

 

[speedyf]

I think it really depends on the time of year that you visit. We have visited the past 2 years in June and will be returning again this June. The parks are usually open later....for instance, MK is open 10am to 11pm or Midnight every night of our stay. That makes it much easier to take a break in the afternoon knowing you will still have plenty of time in the park in the evening.

We usually get to the park for opening....eat CS lunch around 11:30....hit a few more rides....grab a fast pass on the way out. We usually break for about 3 hours and return to the same park around 5pm or 6pm.

We do this with all the parks except for AK. We usually tour AK from opening and we are usually able to get everything we want to get done by the time the parade is passing at around 4pm. After the parade, we head out of the park and take the evening off (Downtown Disney, swimming, etc).

Now...if we were going at a time when the parks closed at 6pm or 7pm....we would probably just try to stick it out all day. Most of the time....those park hours happen when it's cooler anyway....and it's much easier to stick it out all day when the temperatures are in the 70's or low 80's as compared to the 90's with 90% humidity during the summer months.

Our trip in 2004 was our first time back to WDW in about 10 years. My Mom and Dad and sister joined us. We didn't take breaks because I didn't want to miss one minute of being in the parks....but, by about 6pm....everyone would be worn out, complaining, fighting, etc. It just was not worth it. Boy....did we learn our lesson.


Speed

 

[MickeyMonstersMom]

That's a good idea too. Are you making dinner reservations?

I have made an ADR for one TS meal each day, mixing it up between breakfast, lunch, and dinner based on places and meals we enjoy. We're familiar enough with the transportation system that wherever we are at the moment we can get to the restaurant with little fuss. It really helps that we've already done a commando trip and a relaxed trip, so there's little pressure to see and do everything all at once.

 

[Marie2794]

When we go to a park, we're there from open to close. Our dd has been 4, 5 and 6 on our trips. She's the equivalent of tigger, taz and the energizer bunny all rolled into one though. lol At the end of the night we're all exhausted, but she's even more energized and rarin' to go then when we first arrived.