Is it really possible to leave WDW for lunch?

[Zeebs]

We are a family of five, who on our trip will be 4, 6 and 8. We stay offsite and go for opening, and leave about 2.30 ish but we generally don't go back. We spend time in the pool at the villa, go shopping or just relax at the villa. Occasionally we go back for a dinner. We find that if we spend any more time there or get the kids staying up too much past their bed time they get cranky, we then get cranky and the trip no longer becomes as enjoyable as it could be. Everyone does it differently you need to decide what is best for your family and don't worry that you are doing it differently to others. Some people can't believe that we would put our kids to bed around their normal bedtime while at wdw but we know if they don't, it isn't pleasant.

Kirsten

 

[crisi]

When we were offsite in 2012, we could get from our cabin to Epcot (or back) in 8 minutes. Now, that said, the wait for the tram mid day can be long, and if you're in World Showcase, it's a long walk to the front.

Bottom line, if the meal is your only goal, I wouldn't do it. If you need a break anyway or are preparing to hop to another park, then it's probably worthwhile.

That's it - the drive isn't the problem. Its that depending on what park you are in and how the parking lot trams are running and how fast you walk you are it can take 30 minutes just to reach your car - longer from the Magic Kingdom or the back of Epcot if the trams are slow and you are in the back part of the lot. Then, depending on the parking situation at your hotel, you can spend another ten getting to your room. Then you turn around and come BACK the other way. And if you are tired, walking from the back of Animal Kingdom or Epcot to the parking lot is not a refreshing way to spend twenty minutes. I'd do shorter days - which means you'll miss things like fireworks - over a roundtrip break.

 

[tlh0726]

Unless the kids (or adults) really need the break, I would not do it.

It takes way to much time and not worth the hassle.

 

[Mainemama]

Another option for a resort break... Take the monorail (or boat) to the Polynesian. *The kids can play in the sand while you lounge and sip a tropical drink. *Maybe you can even snag a hammock! *Captain Cooks is a much more relaxing scene than MK CS, too, IMHO. We have hit an afternoon meltdown if we push much past 1:00. *My 4-5 year old in particular really needed that break. He never napped at the hotel, but would swim and slow down a bit.*

 

[Holly Quinlan]

unless you are staying onsite I wouldn't

 

[maxiesmom]

Another option for a resort break... Take the monorail (or boat) to the Polynesian. *The kids can play in the sand while you lounge and sip a tropical drink. *Maybe you can even snag a hammock! *Captain Cooks is a much more relaxing scene than MK CS, too, IMHO. We have hit an afternoon meltdown if we push much past 1:00. *My 4-5 year old in particular really needed that break. He never napped at the hotel, but would swim and slow down a bit.*

As long as you are aware that you cannot swim at any resort but the one at which you are staying. That can be a problem for kids--seeing a fun looking pool, only to be told they are not allowed to swim in it.

 

[Gracie09]

We never leave but we also don't do 9-9 days. Even I would be cranky after that long of a day. We tend to do rope dropish have an early lunch. The girls nap in the stroller. Then an early sit down dinner. Back to the hotel soon after for swimming and bed. We do stay one night for wishes but it's a day we plan a later breakfast ADR.

 

[cjbcam]

When we went in March (2013) my 4 kids all ten and under youngest being 2 needed a break. We would do rope drop stay till around noon eat and head back to room for nap/swim and would be back in the parks by 3:30-4. We would stay till 9 or 10 and go back to bed. We stayed at POR and doing that worked out great. Our two youngest still fell asleep in stroller around eight.

 

[martikus]

We find it too much of a hassle. We get there at rope drop and them head back to hotel at 3 or 4 pm. DS NEVER sleeps in so we find this works for us. Sure we have to miss night parades/shows but we always enjoy our trips and will catch the evening shows when he is bigger.

Make sure to do agent p in Epcot. This was a highlight for DS in October.

 

[Crystal824]

We find it too much of a hassle to do this everyday. With that being said, we generally plan a couple of days where we hit rope drop, go back to the hotel swim, etc. and then go to a diff. park for dinner and the night show.

 

[dougsmom98]

We stay off site. We have done a number of different scenarios. When our kids were really little, we would get to the parks at opening and push and stay through until about 4. We would go back to the villa, swim, have take out and get the kids to bed by 9 pm. When we went one year in the summer, we got to the parks at opening and stayed until 12-1 pm. We would grab take out lunch on the way back to the villa, then we would eat, swim, nap and head back to the parks for 5 pm until close. Now that my kids are older and we have been so many times, we only do 2-3 park days during a 7 day vacation. We go from opening until close and take a day off in between to rest and swim.

In terms of the amount of time it takes to get back off site, plan an hour commute (it might be less) including the time to get to the exit (10-12 minutes), get to your car (10-12 minutes), get to the hotel/villa (20 minutes - or less depending on where you are staying). It might take longer at Magic Kingdom because it is the furthest away and you have to take the monorail or the boat over to the parking lot. That sounds like a long time, but it really isn't. Riding in the car and getting away from the crowds is a nice break too.

 

[arcticdisneylovers]

Since your kids are past the napping stage I wouldn't waste the time. But we only have 1 DD, now she's 9. This Feb is our 5th annual trip. We always stay onsite at CR. We have a pre-opening ADR in the park of the day, we stop for TS lunch in the park and then we usually leave by 4pm to get ready for our 5:30pm ADR. Then we watch wishes from our balcony and go to the pool. But if you want to see for the fireworks and you don't think your kids can handle a whole day I would make rope drop then head back to your room for a late lunch and a couple hours rest before you return to the park.