I Need Advice - Full Days in the Parks??

[babieemelly]

Hey everyone! I just need some advice. As you may know we will be experiencing all of the sights and attractions of Orlando from July 9, 2005 - August 6, 2005. We're getting Annual Passes to both Disney and Universal, and we also want to spend a day at Sea World and the Kennedy Space Center. What I was wondering is, do you think we should spend any full says in the parks? On our old itinerary I had like 3 full days in the Magic Kingdom, 2 full days at Epcot and 1 full day at MGM (Animal Kingdom closes early so that really isn't a full day). I was thinking, though, that we'll be in Orlando when the crowds and heat are at a peak. Do you think it'll be too much to be in the parks from 9:00AM - 11:00PM on some days?? I was thinking of maybe dividing the days into three parts - morning, afternoon and evening and then we can go to a park in the morning, relax around the condo in the afternoon, and go to a park in the evening. Or we can sleep late in the morning, go for lunch at a resort in the afternoon and then go to a park in the evening. What do you think?? Which itinerary is better?? Thanks!

 

[Brian Noble]

If you have younger kids, you absoluely, positively, MUST NOT try an all-day park day in the middle of summer.

If you don't have kids, you probably shouldn't try it either!

Given that you're going to have a lot of time, and annual passes to all of these places, I would definitely plan no more than 5 hours or so at one stretch in any one park. The afternoon break idea is a great one.

When we visit a park, no matter the season, crowd condition, etc., we generally leave mid-day for at least a few hours to rest and recover. This is also the time when the lines are longest, so it is a win-win for us.

 

[F1Julie]

I agree with the last poster. Since you will be there for so long, there's no need to try to cram everything in by staying at the parks all day. You'll run out of steam quickly that way. Slow down and relax. You'll have more fun and come home rested instead of worn out. It is a vacation after all.

 

[babieemelly]

Nope,there won't be any kids with us. It'll just be me (18 at the time), my brother (16) and my mom and dad. We're going to take a break throughout the day so we're not there in the afternoon - whether we go in the morning and then back at night, relax all day and only go to a park at night, or go to a park in the morning and then relax and do oher things at night. Thanks for the advice!

 

[tidoublegger]

Hi, I agree that the best plan is dividing the days into three parts - morning, afternoon and evening. Arriving right before the parks open and leave by lunch time for some R & R/lunch/feet resting then go back to the park for dinner, etc. You could possibly keep up the all day park marathon for maybe 2 days, then you'll all be burnt out with sore feet! Your dates indicate that you'll be there for almost a month so I'd skip parks on some days, for sure!

 

[babieemelly]

Thanks for the advice. We weren't planning on going to the parks all day EVERY day, lol! I'm not that crazy Haha! I was thinking maybe spending a full day in the Magic Kingdom and then the next day sleep late and go to a park at nihgt or something. I think we're just going to go to the parks for a full day when we go to Sea World and the last full day we have in the parks before we leave to go home (which will be spent at Epcot 2 days before we leave, and then the day before we leave we'll be in the MK for a breakfast at Crystal Palace and the Make a Dream Come True Parade, and then we'll hang out around the condo and pack and go to DD at night). Thanks again!

 

[princessknb]

That is a nice long vacation!!!! I would just take my time and I really would't try to stick to a schedule since you have so much time.

 

[swilphil]

I was thinking, though, that we'll be in Orlando when the crowds and heat are at a peak. Do you think it'll be too much to be in the parks from 9:00AM - 11:00PM on some days?? I was thinking of maybe dividing the days into three parts - morning, afternoon and evening and then we can go to a park in the morning, relax around the condo in the afternoon, and go to a park in the evening. Or we can sleep late in the morning, go for lunch at a resort in the afternoon and then go to a park in the evening.

You are a smart girl. The parks are unbearably hot and humid in July afternoons. You may want to do a water park here and there during an afternoon, but stay out of the parks. The crowds are worse that time of day too. The parks will be open late, so you shouldn't have a problem getting everything done in 4 weeks!