Is it possible to sleep in and still enjoy the parks?

[leighe]

I have promised DH that our July trip (17th -26th - I think) will be much more laid back. To him that means not getting up at the crack of dawn and getting to the parks as soon as they open. While we usually don't take advantage of EMH - I do like to be at a non-EMH park about 30 minutes before the gates open. I know, I know, I'm a freak! But I just love being able to see every single attraction in Fantasyland in and hour and a half - I love getting in Space Mountain and Splash Mountain early in the day. Then I kind of feel like we can take it easy and just play it by ear after noon or so when the parks get absolutely packed.

We have been to DW several times together and I was just there with my little sister over Christmas - so it's not like we have to see and do everything. We are also going to be there for 8 or 9 days - so we should have plenty of time.

I guess what I want to know is - does anyone have any suggestions for navigating the parks during the most crowded parts of the day? I'm sure we'll use fastpass but other than that I don't have a clue.

TIA!

 

[weluvpluto]

Maybe you could compromise and get up early every other day

We tried to not get up early a couple of years ago, but my family soon realized we weren't getting to do much.
Get fastpasses for the main attractions, and do the not so crowded ones while you wait to use your fastpasses. Wait to do Fantasyland during the evening parades, Wait to do TOT, RnR until an hour before park close (everybody's at Fantasmic )
Just try to utilize your fastpass opportunities, and hope for rain (it clears the parks out )

 

[lclark0621]

We are not morning people! We never have done the Early Morning Hours & we are NEVER there when the gates open.

Yet we still get to see everything in the parks that we want & we enjoy ourselves very much!

I am the anti-commando Dis addict. I dont like being rushed, being exhausted, etc. I am on vacation to RELAX. We have never left the parks and not done everything we wanted. We are usually there for 7 nights, and that is PLENTY of time to do everything we want!

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

We sleep in . . .we are on vacation! Which means for us we get to sleep past 6am! It is WONDERFUL!!

All our breakfast PS are for 10:00. We have only seen MK 2x first thing in the am when we did Cindy's and CP for b-fast.

After we have b-fast, we go to one of the parks, stay a few hours, go back to the resort and swim and relax, then at dinner time we go back to one of the parks and stay till close.

We enjoy every vacation we have and get to do and see everything at a nice leisurely pace.

 

[John Dobbertin]

Almost everyone posting who "does the park at their leisure" has a list of at least a half-dozen visits to WDW. That's terrific for folks who have-done-it-all. IOP it's misleading for those who are going to go to WDW once-or-twice & spend a bundle doing it -- WDW is not an inexpensive vacation (& I know there are entire threads on that subject). When WDW spends $200 million on one attraction, it might-could be-possibly worth getting out of bed a bit early for two or three days to enjoy that attraction without waiting in a long-long line (also know all about FastPass -- but believe it or not, there are times those are gone for the day by Noon). If you want a few days at the beach, go to the beach. & for all the WDW veterans like ourselves (we spend four-to-five weeks every year at WDW), sure we'll continue to enjoy WDW "at our leisure."

 

[sunny04]

Absolutely! As long as your planning includes this, you will still have a wonderful vacation. DH is a early morning person and I AM NOT! Finally he has begun to rest more on our vacations and we usually get to the parks between 9 and 10 just on our own...but that means we stay up til park closing and after and do special parties etc. that last until midnight. Do whatever you want!

 

[DMRick]

Almost everyone posting who "does the park at their leisure" has a list of at least a half-dozen visits to WDW. That's terrific for folks who have-done-it-all. IOP it's misleading for those who are going to go to WDW once-or-twice & spend a bundle doing it

Right, but the OP has also been several times, so for her, it should work. In December, we told my sis that we didn't have to go to the parks until much later, since we were just going for MVMCP. So when the phone rang at 7:30 am, I realized that one person's idea of early may not be mine. We seldom get there much before 11, but we usually go at "dead" times. It works fine for us, but we have been there a lot, and don't mind if we miss something. Perhaps you can meet your hubby there mid morning, so he can sleep in.

 

[tjmw2727]

Sure, if you are willing to acknowledge that on your late days you may not get to ride say TT but you can still enjoy WS at Epcot then you will have a great time. Also with the start of evening EMH you may be able to sleep in and still do all the E's.

2nd to last trip we went over Christmas / Newyears a trip we vowed we would never do - well never say never! The kids school schedule and the chance to do WDW with Dear sil and bil and dn's was far greater than our "never". We alternated late evenings with late mornings and did a couple early mornings and had a great but also the most relaxing vacation so far, even with the crowds!

SIL and I also did a couple earlier mornings at MK and AK with the kdis while dh's slept in, did the pool or played golf. So if you don't want to sleep in, sneak out and meet him later. That's what cellphones are for!!

Do a bit of planning based on either hitting or avoiding the EMH, use FP and prioritize and have a blast.
TJ

 

[Evil Queen]

DS9 and I are morning people. Even on weekends, we have a hard time sleeping in. So we like to be there as early as possible, but never have made it for opening of a park, but once. But get there right after opening.

DS22 and his best friend, are night people and will wake up with us and start the days with us. We plan on splitting up about mid day. They are talking about going back to the resort for a nap and finishing up with the park with EMH, or PI. So while they are out late, DS9 and I will be realxing at the resort.

Thank goodness that my oldest is use to weird schedules otherwise he would more than likely suffer through my plans entirely. He would do it for his brother only though, so that the little one would enjoy the trip more. They are very close.

 

[AladdinsPrincess]

Dh and I are also not morning people and have never been to the parks when the gates open. However, we are always the last ones to leave the park. I especially love it when MK is open till 11 pm or midnight!

I think you've got the right idea for the busy afternoons - utilize the fast pass! In addition, I would plan to stay till the very end. Ride the rides till the last possibe minute (lines usually start to dwindle anyway) and then take a slow stroll out of the park.

Have fun! Let us know how you do!

 

[leighe]

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I'm sure we are going to have a blast. It's nice to know that it's possible to sleep in and relax and enjoy WDW!

 

[WaltD4Me]

I would think alot has to do with when you are going?

I am not a morning person either -- it's really hard for me to get to sleep early so I can up early, plus I just hate early morning! LOL! For this reason I
go during the slow season. I've never used an early EMH or been at a park at opening and have never had a problem with lines or waits. I was just there this past December the second week...most mornings made it to the bus stop by 10ish (which I still think is early) we didn't miss anything, longest we waited for any ride was 15 minutes for RNR. So yes, it's possible during off season, have no idea if it can be done during peak or holiday time.

For my trip in May though I AM going to try to make it to MK at opening. I really want to see the train come in with the characters, I'm not sure if I'll actually make it, but I'm going to try

 

[kandeebunny]

we NEVER have been at the park for opening...ever LOL and never do morning EMH's

This time we will be @ MK before Opening on April 15th though just to "see-it" do a mid day rest/nap then come back for wishes

 

[Disneylovers]

We are definitely NOT morning people, and we usually go during the busiest time of the year (spring break). We try for one early entry day (to go to AK to see the safari) other than that, we don't see the main gate to a park before 10:00. And we never feel like we missed anything! We make a list of the "must sees" before we leave home, so anything else is a bonus. I must note we travel with our disabled DD who moves slowly, so we never could "comando" through the parks, so we're always at a leisurely pace. DH states we're on vacation, he wants to relax, which translates to "i'm not going to get up earlier than I do for work, just to walk all day around a park!" We also like to stay until the park closes, so we're usually out pretty late which makes waking up at the crack of dawn impossible.

 

[gardengal]

We never even come close to getting there in the mornig. Granted we are frequent visitors, but usually you can walk right on the rides close to park closing time. Also, really take advantage of fastpass. We usually have a meal around 3 pm (less expensive then dinner) and then stay straight through to closing.

Michelle

 

[kaabost]

I am NOT a morning person but I AM at WDW. I like to get to the parks as they open. I just love the feeling knowing that I have ALL DAY in the park (I guess I'm kinda a brat about it). A couple of years ago, I went with my parents and found that they usually weren't ready to go until 9 or 10 am. Weeeeelllllllllllllllllllllllll, that felt a little late to me. Beginning my park day in a really crowded park made "bratty thoughts" come to my head (see trip report). So............the following day(s), I got up and went to the parks myself for EE and either met them back at the hotel around 10:00 or had them meet me in the parks around 11:00. It worked out great! I got my morning park time and my parents got to lolly-gag aroung the hotel for a couple hours in the morning.

 

[erinch]

we're not morning people. We go through one morning of HE** to get everyone out the door and th MK for Early Entry.

Other than that, we reverse the common wisdom and CLOSE the parks down. It's often possible in the last hour to get as much done as it is in the first hour. In particular if there's a parade/show you can often get on the big attractions. E-ride night was a godsend--it's unknown whether EMH evening hours in the summer will be offered or relieve congestion.

The strategy for "late entry" is to do the inside, wander through sit-down things and to save the big attractions for later, when the "early" people are leaving. Because my DD and I are very fair-skinned we can avoid quite as much sunscreen by touring after dark.

When Disney cut back on park closing times after 9/11, it really cramped our style.

 

[Brer_roadrunner]

Wow... I feel like the Army after reading all of your posts... I do more in WDW by 9 am then most of....well you know the rest... I know it's a vacation, I know you should relax, but I don't look at going to WDW as a "relaxing" vacation... I use my time at the Jersey shore to "relax." Plus my wife won't let me sleep in, no matter how much I want to... She makes sure the alarm is set and what ever park is opening early we are there... I might be half asleep still but.... The funny thing about all of this is that I get up later to go to work then I do to go to an early park opening!!

 

[roscodog]

This past January, we did not even get out of the door until at least 11 and this is when the parks close at 8. We took everything at our leisure and did what we wanted to do without rush. It did help that the crowds were down.If the lines were too long, we skipped them or used fastpass. It was fine and everybody had a good time.

 

[alisonbestford]

Well, whilst I'm a morning person (20 years of nursing shifts ), DD (6) and DH certainly aren't!
We hit the parks around 12 (if lucky ) and spend the rest of the day leisurely 'meandering' so's not to get 'stressed out'
Any PS we try to make for around 11 / 11.30 as an early lunch.
Granted, I'm pretty sure we've never seen everything, and we're rarely back in the room until 10pm, but the hassle of trying to get everyone out in the morning just gives me a big headache
Alison