Is this practical?

[Bearybear]

We (me, DH & DS 5) are visiting WDW in the middle of August. We are staying at the AKL. We had been planning on going to the parks first thing in the morning then going back to the resort around noon-1PM to rest and swim, and return in the evening. My SIL said she thought they'd be able to do that, too, and it was not practical. All the guide books recommend it, and honestly, I think it is the only way to avoid complete melt-downs. Has anyone here had problems doing this? Or is it really going to be impractical to take a break in the middle of the day?

 

[Disneychix]

My family likes some 'rest' time at the resort for napping/swimming during the day. Even before I had my DS we took a mid-day break! I think that is a very good plan. Might not be the most 'practical' but you'll all feel better after a rest and for my family that really helps us get through the long hot days!

Have fun!!

 

[Wendybird55]

It's tough to say...the one factor that adds time to this plan is transportation. Depending upon the park you're in and your resort and such some people feel by the time you get back to your resort and then the time you have to leave to get back to a park counting for travel time isn't worth it.

But then - if you plan around EMH it can work. If you take advantage of EMH almot every day the afternoon break can work well. That extra hour does help to get alot done. So by noon or 1pm you would feel like you've done enough and are ready to go back to your room.

BUT if you need to get up early almost every morning for EMH - and stay late the night before becuase you take an afternoon break, it can be tiring.

I can go on and on...Every family and person is different. I would say see how it goes. Plan your meals and such to allow for a break. Some days you may want to take the break at your resort and it will work out great. Other days you may be into whatever you're doing at the park and not want to go back to the room. Your son will be the main guiding force to how your days go.

My son isn't a big napper. Last year (he was almost 2 then) we had an early start (DS was an early riser) and usually after dinner were back at the room. DH surpirsed me with an Illuminations cruise on so that day we made sure to go back for a nap/rest as we wanted DS to be up for Illuminations.

We're going in Sept with DS who will almost be 3. I planned my meal ADRS based on going back to the room for a rest. I know we will not do this every day, buy certain days I know we definately will. I want my son to see Spectromagic & Wishes this year . So on that day I'm definately going back to the resort after lunch to rest. I planned my dinner ADR for Tony's at 6:30p figuring it will give us time to rest and get back to MK for dinner and then after diner we'll be ablt to stroll around Main Street and find our place for the parade.

My main suggestion is to allow for some felxability and go with the flow of each day. I'm not sure, but if you have a stroller for you son he may nap in it. Mine did last year when we were at DHS - he fell asleep in his stroller after lunch and was up in time to see the parade.

Have fun and do waht works best for you and your family.

 

[2sets]

That was my plan when my family (2 2yr olds, 2 3.5yr olds) went in May '08. However, I was pleasantly surprised when the 2yr olds just napped for an hour in a stroller and the 3.5yr olds just powered through from about 8:30-4!! I couldn't believe it! My kids are usually very structured so I never thought this was possible. This next time though I do want to catch Spectomagic and Wishes, so on that day we will be heading back to our place for some quiet time. I think it is a good plan to plan on going back to your place for rest/naps and that way if they' can't make it all day it's not a let down and you can go back in the evening anyway.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

We always travel in the off-season when the park hours are shorter, so it's not practical for us to go back for a mid-day break. Even when the children were smaller we didn't go back, they just took a nap in the stroller. The only days I really find it mandantory that we go back for a break are MNSSHP or MVMCP days. We do go back on those days and take a very late nap, all of us, and go back for the parties which don't close until midnight.

 

[Bearybear]

Thanks for your opinions. My son doesn't nap, but I'm more worried about the August heat and humidity, which we don't get here. We will take it by ear. We are there for 7 nights and don't have any ADRs except 2 character breakfasts and the fireworks dessert party (we don't have the meal plan). Also, we don't care if we don't get to see and do everything. We just want to have fun.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

I think it is totally practical. We do it on every trip. We often leave the parks by 12:30pm or so and return around 4:30-5:00pm.

 

[monorailsilver]

Yep, I have done it on every trip I have ever gone on to WDW (well I am not 100% sure on the first trip since just the MK was there).

We plan around the parks that have the am EMH & go to that one. We get there before opening. We eat lunch in the park & head back 'home' & aim to get there by 1.

The kids nap, the dad naps (otherwise he is a cranky pot), I do laundry. When I was a teen, we'd hang out at the pool for a few hours.

Then we'd go back around 5 after we all showered. And we'd be able to stay out until 10 or 11 (I wouldn't push it past 11 with my kids last summer ages 7, almost 5 & 2).

The mid day heat is a killer & it lets us all cool off & get refreshed.

 

[SmallWorld71]

We (me, DH & DS 5) are visiting WDW in the middle of August. We are staying at the AKL. We had been planning on going to the parks first thing in the morning then going back to the resort around noon-1PM to rest and swim, and return in the evening. My SIL said she thought they'd be able to do that, too, and it was not practical. All the guide books recommend it, and honestly, I think it is the only way to avoid complete melt-downs. Has anyone here had problems doing this? Or is it really going to be impractical to take a break in the middle of the day?

My 2 cents: Not only is it pracitcal, it is necessary! There is a HUGE difference in traveling to WDW in the summer and other times of the year. When we go in Feb. or April we will often stay a full day in the parks. Do this in August and you will be miserable! We've taken four trips to WDW in August and IMO the only way to tour AND enjoy yourself is to do what you plan to do. Unlike in Sept. when it is still very hot, but the parks close early, they are generally open late in August which makes your plan completely doable. Everybody does things differently, but make sure when you read advice that you know it is from people who have traveled during the summer. My kids are old enough to do full days in the parks, and ALL of us prefer to take that mid-day break. SIL will likely change her tune sitting on a hot curb waiting for the afternoon parade ready to pass out.

 

[amylevan]

I've done it on most of my trips - all except 1 has even been without kids. It's stinkin hot in Florida, and a break for a nap or a jump in the pool is a necessity if you are going to be up for park opening and still be going strong for the evening entertainment (well at least if you want the trip to be a vacation, and not need a vacation from your vacation when you are done.) Besides, you do pay a lot of money to stay in these resorts, it's nice to actually enjoy them a little.

Having said that - the Studios is a little more difficult to schedule a break with the shows. And AK is usually only open a shorter time, so we usually don't break when we go there, we just take the evening off.

So in our house, it's not only practical, it's expected.

 

[cuppycake]

We always went thinking we might (which is the potential plan this time still), but our kids have always been just fine. When they were tired, they napped in their strollers and we just strolled around, shopped, etc.

We are there in Sept when it's hot, but we just try to make sure we get into the a/c sporatically, and it really isn't that bad at all.

It really does depend on your family, though. Some people are go go go, and some people just can not handle that. Are you outside in the heat people? Are you sitting in the a/c people? Are you we have to have 10-12 hours of sleep people? Are you hiking/biking/walking people? Your lifestyle will make a difference.

We made our ADRs this time for the 6 - 6:30 range just in case....we'll have to see.

ETA: I think it helps for us that we're used to the hot. We've lived near DC and now in St. Louis, so we have our fair share of 90+ and HUMID

 

[ktlm]

The only complete meltdown we had was when we tried to get DD to leave the park for an afternoon break. All we got was an extremely angry kid that refused to nap for over two hours until we finally gave up and took her back to MK (where she promptly happily crawled into her stroller and took a nap). We didn't take mid-day breaks pre-DD and we quickly learned that we wouldn't be needing them with her either. Now, in August, you will have to do something because of the heat. There are plenty of places in most parks to get in the air-conditioned indoors to sit down and see a show or have a snack- if you don't leave the park, be sure to take advantage of those during the afternoon. We were there in May for DDs 2nd trip and it was in the 90s. We found that DHS was the worst park as far as the heat because there is very little shade. DD actually was ready to leave there in the middle of the afternoon because of the heat. She loved the block party bash, but after standing out in the heat and sun waiting for that and then dancing in the parade/party in the heat and sun, she was done. I would say take your cues from your son.
Also, 7 nights may be a long time for only 2 ADRs. WDW counter service can be extremely repetitive and my DD will barely eat most of the CS food. She never met a chicken nugget she didn't like until she got the ones from WDW CS. If it hadn't been for our TS meals (we usually do 1 per day), I don't know how we would have gotten enough food in her to keep her going. You might want to think about adding a couple ADRs. You can always call Disney Dining and cancel even the day of. Our last trip, I did that very thing when we decided to go to a different park for the day. I also was able to call from inside a park and move a reservation to a later time. Biergarten might be a fun place for your DS, my DD loves it there. We also found that instead of an afternoon break a later lunch in an airconditioned restaurant was enough to charge everyone back up and keep us all going from park opening to closing. You can also call disney dining from inside the park and they can tell you what, if any, restaurants have openings that day. I keep the Disney Dining number in my cell phone. The only thing is it can be hard to find a place quiet enough inside the park to get through the automated system. That thing doesn't like park background noise!

 

[Magical09]

We did this for our trips. I have young kids and I have them pick what activities they want to do the most and make sure we do it in the morning hours. By the time lunch comes everyone is hot, hungry and cranky. We will either eat at the park and then go back to the hotel or eat at the hotel. My kids enjoy the pool just as much as the parks. They can nap if needed. Then we go back out around dinner time when it is cooler.

We typically stay at a Disney hotel so it is not too much time for traveling.