How much time do you REALLY spend in your room???

[SleepingUgly]

I keep reading about how people spend so little time in their rooms so it really doesn't matter if you book a value resort, since you would only be there to sleep, for the most part. Then, on the other hand, I keep reading about how families with little kids should return to their resorts in the afternoons to rest and relax to recharge for the evening. If that is the case, then wouldn't families with younger children spend a considerable amount of time in their resort rooms? And if that's the case, then shouldn't one take the size and comfort of a room into consideration when booking, especially if everyone will return for 2-3 hours in the middle of the afternoons and not everyone will be sleeping at that time?

Just curious as to the actual length of time some of you -- especially families with younger children -- really do spend in the rooms each day ...

Linda

 

[newholidayx2]

Im currently debating this. I may keep us so busy during our Pop stay that by the time we get to WL & BCV we're ready to hang out at the pools/Stormalong Bay

 

[krystyana]

We end up spending a decent amount of time in the room so we tend to put alot of consideration to that....We sometimes eat breakfast in room...we always return for a midday break...for a nap or some pool time or just to relax...so we prefer mod or deluxe.

 

[4theloveofdisney]

We have small children and usually do return for an afternoon siesta. However, we let our budget dictate what kind of room we can afford. Over a year or so ago, Dh said "never again" to a value. (Since then, we have stayed a a value two more times.) We pretty much agree that we are very cramped in a value however, if staying there gets us to WDW, we'll take it anyday! While POFQ is our favorite resort, we will always want to take the kids to ASMo and we cherish the memories we have made there.

 

[bytheblood]

I truthfully think that where you stay has a lot to do with how much time you spend in your room.

 

[pumpkinboy]

I am one of those that takes that mid-afternoon break most days, and it really does save our sanity. Having kids who are rested and resfreshed really helps us all to have a better time. Even if it's just coming back for a swim in the pool, just getting out of the parks at peak times when other families' children are starting to get tired and whiney; in another hour other parents will be screaming at their children, and they will all be just exhausted, but won't leave bcs they spent so much on the vacation and they need to maximize their park time...

Nope, going commando doesn't pay. Taking a little time out at the resort makes everyone's vacation better. So we do actually spend a good bit of time in the room, or the pool or around the resort. Then again, you can take a nice break at one of the Values or Mods, and get rested and refreshed; you just have a little less space in the room, but it'll work. Save your sanity and take a break.

Interestingly, when we stayed a whole week at AKL in the fall of '03, we look back on it and our one regret was that we didn't spend more time just hanging around the resort!

 

[biz410]

I think length of stay and children's ages are the two most important factors.
If you are only staying 3-4 days and planning to do as much as you can, then it is easier to get away with a value. If you are staying for 10 days, you are typically more relaxed about your park time and hang out at the resort more often.
Likewise with the ages. If you have older kids that can go from morning to night, then your room choice won't be vital. But if you have younger kids and plan to spend most of your time at MK, then you can't beat a monorail ride back for down time.

 

[ADisneygirl]

We always spend time at our resort, so we have to take that into consideration when deciding on where to stay. The first day we often unpack, go to the pool, eat, explore, etc. On park days we stop back mid day for a break. We mainly stay at the deluxes, although we did have a great time at POFQ.

 

[AKQJ10]

We rarely spend much time in our room, even now with a 15 month old (We though we wouldn't be able to go "Commando-Style" anymore, but thankfully we were wrong). For that reason, we rarely do things like concierge-level, or even the best view, since it just isn't worth the additional money. I'd rather spend it (since I know Im gonna spend it anyway) on food, souvenirs, more food, etc.

 

[*Fantasia*]

If we are at WL or RPR, we spend more time at our resort, not necessarily mean the room. When we stay at the moderate resort or value, we tend to spend more time in the parks.

How much? It also really depends on how much we did that day. If we were out all day yesterday, maybe today we would only do half a day, then maybe tomorrow we will be out the whole day again, and then maybe the following day we will stay at our resort and take a break from the parks.

 

[Skroops]

We like to leave early in the morning for the parks, and then return around lunch time (either after lunch, or eat at the resort). We head back to the parks usually around 4 for more fun, dinner and fireworks. So, I'd guess 12 hours in the room.
Of course it was an easier trip before having children, we'd just hit the parks all day without returning! In our rooms for 8-10 hours.
Basically, we don't take long enough vacations to hang out all day at the resorts. The resorts are beautiful from the deluxes, the moderates, and all the way to the fun pools at the value resorts. If we were taking a longer vacation, we'd be able to take time out to enjoy them more. As it stands, we want to spend our free time at the parks! So basically sleep, rest, and get ready to go again! Fun!

 

[lclark0621]

We will go back to the room for a mid-day break or nap with DS (he will only be 21 months when we go).

But we wont be there more then for DS to take a nap before an EMH evening.

So we stay in the room at night for sleep & maybe a mid-day nap for sleep or to change after a dip in the pool.

Other then that we are always on the go, go, go at the parks.

 

[Luv2Roam]

2 adults --
We have stayed in deluxe, mod and value.
Most of the time we were/are park people. We spent very little time in the room. We were either in the parks or DTD. A hot shower and bed was about all I really cared about. A coffeemaker was always a plus.

That being said, our last WDW vacation was the end of August and we were at WL. We loved the location, as due to the heat and humidity we returned to the room early afternoons for a cooling, relaxing break. In January, that is not a concern!

On a shorter vacation, resort location would make more of a difference to us.

 

[CherCrazy]

We never returned to our rooms for a mid-day siesta. First...I would fall asleep and miss the rest of the day!! Couldn't take a chance that would happen !!

It was too much for us to go back to the rooms. If you're in the back of the Magic Kingdom, having to get to the exit, ride the bus, fiddle with strollers, etc. We were just better off with the little ones taking naps in the strollers. Our easy days were always at the water parks. Ahhhhhhhh, I could float around all day at BB or TL with a toddler in my lap! How relaxin' life can be!!

 

[BevS97]

we don't do the parks commando style either, but we don't sit in a hotel room all day either (no matter how nice the hotel, I can't see the attraction of sitting in a hotel room, any hotel room) We get ready quite leisurely some mornings (others are up and at 'em mornings) and some afternoons we will come back for a swim - we have never come back for a nap, just doesn't work for us.
If we aren't in the parks, then we go someplace else, Downtown Disney, water park, mini-golf, or *gasp* off-site, maybe do some shopping or eat

 

[minkydog]

We have done it both ways. In years past it really didn't much matter where we stayed as long as the bed was clean and the A/C worked. Since my DH developed heart disease, however, we are pickier because we know we will spend at least part of the day in our room. Last visit we stayed at AKL--it was very quiet for mid-day naps, the Mara was great, there was stuff for me to do while he was resting. One of the days he was not up to much, so we just hung out and ordered room service. Truly a luxury vacation

 

[jlowejd5]

My first "adult" trip, we stayed at ASMu. Spring break of my senior year in college, and I think we paid $350 for the bus ride down from Ohio, the room, and the tickets combined. So we went heck-bent for election the entire week. But hey, we were 22 and in love.

Now we're 31 and married, and things have changed. There are things we know that we're okay with if we skip (most of Fantasyland, because I'm always afraid I'm'a step on somebody's kid), and we use that extra time and the EMH time to really free up some time during the day. We get to stop and see the little things in the park (the street performances, etc) that we'd miss if we were on line for Splash Mountain for 90 minutes.

So we have figured out a way to make time to swing back to the resort and just chill. Maybe eat there (because it's often cheaper than the park). Swim if we feel like it. Or just go up to the room for 45 minutes, sit quietly, CHANGE SOCKS, and head back out.

That's my one tip that I would share with the world. I always hit Target or someplace the week before the trip and buy a brand new package of good athletic socks. I'm not a small guy, and I'm pretty rough on my feets. But I've found if I take the time to de-gunk the swamp, they'll like me at the end of the week.

 

[Luv2Roam]

My thought too on spending a lot of money on a room would make me feel like I "have to" spend more time at the resort to get my money's worth and feel better about spending so much more. And I was not there for a pool area or a resort.

 

[Leota]

We spend a fair amount of time at the resort, not necessarily in the room. Because of that, we are willing to spend the extra money for a moderate or above. We take afternoon breaks & some mornings take it slow in getting out to the Parks. We take advantage of the recreation, pool & restaurants at those times.

When DS was little, we chose to stay in FW Cabins as we had the extra room which afforded DH & I privacy while DS napped. It also gave us a nice deck to sit on & many activities for DS at the resort.

On DS & I's first Mother / Son trip, we did stay at a value & hardly spent any time at all at the resort. However, it was so cramped (even with 2) and so noisy that we have chosen never to do that again. While we were only there to sleep, it was difficult to do even that due to the noise levels.

 

[imatoad]

With me, it's not so much that I spend a lot of time in my room, but rather that I like to return to my room knowing I like being there. Have you ever stayed in a not so great hotel, and end up avoid going back to your room as much as possible. One poster made the observation that, staiying at their favorite resort made for two vacations in one, the parks, and their hotel. I kind of like that notion. I would rather pay to stay at the Poly because I look forward to staying there as much as I look forward to everything else, maybe more so.