IS there anyway to NOT feel tired while visitingWDW?

[tassie42]

we are planning our 2nd family trip this April. We are going during our spring break cause we don't want to take the kids out of school. (summer is just too hot for us)

I've researched spring break and it looks like only some schools in NJ and some in NY have off then.

Last time we went for 5 days but only had 3 full days in the parks because 2 of them were flilght days. also our flight time going to Orlando was really early so we started our trip tired.

We didn't even get to do Ak because there wasn't time. We got up early every day so we didn't have to wait in lines. We never spent more than 6 hrs at the park at a time but were still tired.

We were only out late 2 of the 4 nights.(one night out till 9ish the other 11pm)

This year we thought we would drive ans not do a park arrival and departure day. we also decided to stay 7 nights and spend one full day just swimming and shopping. Do you think this would help us to not feel so tired.

we also thought of sleeping a little late 2 mornings.

So how do you do Disney without feeling exhausted!?

Oh we also follow the unofficial guides touring plans so we don't have to wait in 2 many lines)

 

[PhotobearSam]

Can't really answer your question but that is one cute picture in your SIG....Adorable....!!!

 

[colleen costello]

Our family tries to do "day on, day off." We are NOT park commandos. The kids don't like that and the parents and grandparents get too tired.

If you get up early one day, sleep in the next. Follow advice to rest in the afternoons and have a swim. If you go back that night and stay til closing, don;t get up at 6am the next morning! Spring break is fun because it isn't too hot. The parks are not open real late so you can plan accordingly. A few nice sit-down meals are relaxing as well. We always enjoy meals at the resorts, away from the commotion.

 

[DebbieB]

I always seem to run on adreneline at WDW, I can go and go without feeling tired. Usually on the flight on the way home I "hit the wall" and feel like I can't move! The next day I'm always exhausted, I try to leave at least 1 day before I have to go back to work.

 

[disney2001]

Congratulations on spending more time at WDW.

When we did 10 days - we had enough time.
7 days - we felt shortened - but that is our family.
Our next visit the kids want 14 days - we'll see.

Hints:
If plan one evening late into the night - back at the hotel after 10 pm - plan on not getting to a Park before 9:30 am the next day.

If you do a magical morning - early entry - 7:30 am I think it is -
stay at the Park till 2 pm. Then back to your resort to relax- nap, swim. Make a PS for a special dinner at your resort, another resort or a Park for 7pm - then back to your room by 10 pm.

We never felt rushed or exhausted. We love our trips to WDW
and are ready to go back to work when we come home.
Even though we wished we worked at WDW

 

[Planogirl]

We have always gone somewhere every day. We get up early (we enjoy doing so) and hit the parks. Then we return to the resort when the parks become crowded and either nap or swim or shop (in my case) or whatever. The main thing is to take it easy and not push ourselves. Then we go out again in the late afternoon and enjoy the cooler times and sometimes lower crowds.

This system works well for us but it will depend on ages, energy levels and so on. By the way, we allow a few days for MK, a half day or so for AKL, a full day for MGM and the rest for Epcot. We also work in an evening at Downtown Disney. But again, I would adjust according to your own preferences.

 

[swilphil]

We also take an afternoon break every day and try to get a good night's sleep. I'm also so keyed up that I don't sleep well.

 

[2gether]

DW and I have done the parks two ways...

Our first trip we went all day and did no sit-down restaurants. By the end of the 6 day trip, we were exhausted, both of us were ill.

The second trip, a 7 1/2 day trip, we went 1/2 days, coming back to the hotel to rest through the heat of the day and then heading back to a DIFFERENT park in the evening. For some reason, switching parks seemed to help. We spent one day resort-hopping, and one day at a water park.

And we ate a good breakfast and did a sit-down dinner every day. Getting a good start and a relaxing finish is key to enjoying the whole experience a little more.

My biggest tip: RELAX! Everyone is in such a hurry at WDW. Let THEM be in a hurry....chill out a little bit and enjoy being a bunch of kids together!

 

[tassie42]

Thanks for all the helpful tips!

 

[montblanc]

Our first trip in 99' was only 4 nights, 3 days. We tried to do too much and it was quite tiring. I think you are better off not trying to see too much as it also leaves more to discover for a later trip.

Second trip in 03' we had 7 nights, 6 days and being able to space out really helped. We slept in every day except the first and got 10-11 hours sleep every night. Much more restful and it really didn't make a difference with lines. Our trip in 2004 was for the same amount of time and it was even more restful. Taking it slow (stopping in stores along the way to cool off) between attractions was key to relaxing.

 

[Cobra B.]

I am of the feeling that if you are not tired you are not doing it right.

 

[missypie]

You didn't say how old your kids were...one looks quite young! This won't solve every problem, but in the months before your trip, do a lot of walking in the shoes you plan to wear. I'm not in great physical shape, but I find that if my shoes are comfy, I can walk all day and not feel tired (assuming no heat).

I'm a major planner and months before a trip that will require a lot of walking, I've decided what shoes are coming and have broken them in. DH works out a lot, and is in much better shape than I am, but on the day we pack, he just pulls a pair of shoes out of the closet and packs them with no thought. HE's the one who gets blisters, tired feet, etc.

Also, your body needs some rest time, however you get it. Few people can really stay at MK till midnight one night, then be back at 8 am feeling great. If you're at a park with an earlier closing time, be done with it (don't feel the urge to park hop) and use the time to rest up/do other things.

One more thing: swimming pools and hot tubs are great to relax the muscles. We hike quite a bit on vacation, and if I can swim, get in a spa, or even take a hot bath, muscular aches are minimized.

 

[Golter]

Get prepared before you go..... we (Me32, DW34, DD 13, DD 7, DS 5) never feel tired at the parks. Partly because we run on adrenaline and we can rest when we get home. Secondly, we go when it is cooler and fewer people. I think the heat and crowds really add to normal exhaustion. And lastly, my wife and I are marathon runners and we are in the middle of our training season. We are generally running 40-50 miles a week prior to our departure. My daughter also runs cross country and the two little ones ride in strollers. Now Im not saying you have to be a marathon runner to avoid exhaustion, but if you got out and did some nice long walks in the weeks/months prior to your trip it would help tremendously.

 

[te2077]

i seem to always get so tired by the end of the trip, i find myself getting so grouchy/snippy. this year i was lucky and got the visa 4 for 7. i think in the past the really early flight kept me and my brother(12) from sleeping the night before and i could never catch up at disney.so since we have an extra night we are flying down in the late afternoon and going straight to the hotel. by the time we get there it will be around 9. i know its a little more expensive to do it this way, but i think in the long run it will be worth it for us. then we also plan on not getting up til around 7:30 or so each morining, wich is db regualr wake-up time anyway. Plan to come back in the afternoon for relaxing and also i have planned several sit down meals-at least 1 to 2 a day. (usually breakfast and dinner) hopefully this will help us this year and we will be more relaxed and have a great time.

 

[MinnieGi]

I think it will help that you are spening more days at WDW this time. And since this is your 2nd trip maybe you also won't feel so rushed. It might be helpful to write a list of attractions you didn't get to see the first time that you really would like to do this time. Then you can better plan your in park time on what you really want to try.

We normally take 7 to 8 night trips. On years we have had AP's we would go to a park everyday just for the morning hours eat lunch there and be back at our resort for a swim and nap. Sometimes we would venture back out to a park other times out to the pools again. This year we will have park hoppers only and I am planning on two park days folllowed by a day off and then two more park days followed by another day off and then one last long morning in the parks before we head home. Our "day" in the park however will not be opening to closing. By early afternoon we've had and are ready to return to our resort.

Good luck with planning a more relaxed vacation!