I've never done a park open to close - question (s)

[hereforthechurros]

I’m in the same boat as you OP, never done it, no interest in doing it. That middle of the day break is what makes a WDW vacation feel like a vacation. Escape from the heat and crowds to lounge in the pool or have a drink or nap. Fighting crowds and waiting in lines for 12+ hours straight is the opposite of fun and relaxing in my book.

 

[disneycat321]

We do open to close regularly at DLR (8am to midnight - 16 hours!), but not at WDW. This is mostly because our WDW trips are longer and we need to conserve our energy for all those days! We tend to take breaks during the day because we don't want to take a full day off from parks, but I know many enjoy doing that. Also, we stay on property at WDW but not at DLR, so we like to have some time at our resort every day. And last...the heat. We go when it's hot. Heat is exhausting to me, and I usually need a break for a nap!

If I was going to do an open to close day at WDW, it would probably be MK, just because there is so much to do and so many different rides. I'd definitely schedule a TS meal, probably for lunch if it was a hot time of year, and maybe even for lunch and dinner. I could also see doing open to close at EPCOT, which is our favorite park. But then the following day would have to be very easy to make up for it.

 

[Farro]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies everyone. It's interesting to read how everybody tackles their trips.

We do go for longer trips because we go less often, about 9 nights. We love hoppers, so we will always have those.

I think we'll try an open to close, but maybe Animal Kingdom since it's not open that late. Just to say I did it.

 

[SaintsManiac]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies everyone. It's interesting to read how everybody tackles their trips.

We do go for longer trips because we go less often, about 9 nights. We love hoppers, so we will always have those.

I think we'll try an open to close, but maybe Animal Kingdom since it's not open that late. Just to say I did it.

Definitely hang out at Nomad Lounge. Best place in AK to chill out.

 

[Farro]

Definitely hang out at Nomad Lounge. Best place in AK to chill out.

I'll be in there by noon.

 

[Rach3975]

We've only gone with kids, so the only time we ever did open to close was a day when HS opened at 9 am and closed at 8 pm. It was a long day--my kids (and DH!) could never have handled 2 days like that back to back. Even on our usual (shorter) days we always plan on a TS lunch for a break and use shows for other breaks. (My 13-year old has special needs including a sleep disorder, so at Disney he takes catnaps in shows. DH likes to do the same. The 2 of them like shows as much as rides, even when they aren't napping.)

DH and I are doing a kid-free trip this fall. We'll have half days on our 2 travel days plus 2 full days. On one of the full days we're planning on doing MK open to close. We have TS ADRs booked for lunch and dinner to give us a break. I'm also going to try to leave a few hours open in the middle of the day just in case DH decides he wants a real break after all.

 

[Cynergy]

We are all day warriors and have always been. For us being in the parks is the vacation and we try to maximize our time there. We plan a TS lunch and dinner most days and strategically hit air conditioned shows to be our breaks. For us it doesn't make sense to go back to the resort for a break. By the time you walk to the buses, wait for a bus, ride to the resort you've wasted an hour or more, then repeat that for the ride back. Assuming you stay for at least an hour at the resort, you've lost 3 hours of park time in the middle of the day. But to each their own. Rope drop to fireworks works for our family so that's how we do Disney World.

 

[HausofDisney]

Everyone does Disney World differently and enjoys the parks at their own pace. However, my family always rope drop when the park opens and doesn’t leave until park closing. Simply because we cannot justify spending crazy money on a Disney vacation and not spending the entire day at the park, we save up for a long time to even be able to go to Disney World. We have to get our money’s worth and not be sitting at the hotel. We do not have an AP and cannot vacation to Disney World often, only every few years if we are fortunate enough. So we have to make the most of our time and actually be in the parks. I completely understand that not every family can do this, especially with little kids. We are only fortunate enough to be able to do this every time we go to Disney World because my entire family are of adult age. The only time we really “relax” is when we take meal breaks during the day, even then we prefer quick service meals. Being at the parks isn’t exactly my definition of relaxing, but it’s always a great time. We never have any problems going on the rides we want to ride, sometimes riding our favorites more than once. There are times at Magic Kingdom where my family has walked onto Splash Mountain without a FastPass, rode the ride, and ran back up again to ride it 5 minutes later with no wait again. That’s the benefit to going at rope drop. The first two hours of the parks being open is generally our favorite time to enjoy the parks or during a special event like MNSSHP. We also try to catch at least one parade during the day.

 

[toasterstrudel]

We typically do open to close at MK and Epcot, and just half days at HS/AK. We like to go go go on vacation. We can sleep at home

We do the top priority rides in the morning, then when the crowds pick up around 10/11, we start using fastpasses. We have a TS lunch for a nice cool break, and then finish up our 3 fp's and start looking for the 4th. If we need to cool off we will pop into a show (philarmagic, COP, etc) and relax a bit. Then we feel recharged and ready to tackle the rest of the day!

Typically we only spent half days at HS and AK. This year we are planning to mid day break at HS. We will get there around 6 for their extra extra magic hours, and should be done by 11. We will leave for the resort and swim,nap, etc for a few hours. Then return for our 5:40 TS dinner and 6:50 FP for SDD. Then we will see what we can do until fireworks. We love the fireworks at HS so the break will be worth it. Its more about not being bored haha than not doing open to close.

We find that is just takes sooo long for transportation that the breaks usually aren't worth it for us. We will be there for 8 nights and have 2 sleep in lazy days where we can catch up.

 

[dachsie]

I have done open to close many times. Usually plan a sit-down meal. will go see a few shows to rest. If at MK, will go to GF to take a rest in lobby. I don't tend to do that much anymore - getting older I guess. Will not do it in Aug cause its too darned hot. LOL

 

[MickeyWaffles]

We have done some rope drop to close days. My sister and I did a 9:00 am to 3:00 am MK day once, which was definitely our longest park day.

For us, rope drop to close means we are in the parks all day without going back to the resort (the only “break” from the parks is transport in between them if we hop.)

We would have one TS meal on these days. Usually a late TS lunch during the hotter hours of the day and then a late QS dinner.

We find the shows in all the parks to be relaxing in the middle of the day for breaks on longer park days. I know that for me, there is some sort of adrenaline rush that kicks in to keep me going all day at WDW

 

[disneygirlsng]

I am in the parks open to close every single day I am there, no breaks. Unless it is an rD trip, then things change a little bit, but not too much. I think the longest I've gone in the parks is 18 hours straight (7AM-1AM). I know everyone does things their own way, but I couldn't imagine going and only spending 6-8 hours or less in the parks each day.

 

[Farro]

I am in the parks open to close every single day I am there, no breaks. Unless it is an rD trip, then things change a little bit, but not too much. I think the longest I've gone in the parks is 18 hours straight (7AM-1AM). I know everyone does things their own way, but I couldn't imagine going and only spending 6-8 hours or less in the parks each day.

Well to be honest, I start to get bored. We are there 9 days, that's a long trip and we get to each park plenty of times. I'm usually sick of everything by end of trip! That's why we only go every few years.

I will make a valiant effort!

 

[SaintsManiac]

Well to be honest, I start to get bored. We are there 9 days, that's a long trip and we get to each park plenty of times. I'm usually sick of everything by end of trip! That's why we only go every few years.

I will make a valiant effort!

I get bored, too. That's why MK is the only place I could go open to close.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

1. That's weird, right?
2. When you do open to close, do you mean you don't leave at all to go back to resort for a break?
3. Do you just find a spot to relax in park?
4. Do you schedule sit down meals?
5. More than one or does that take up too much time?
6. Do you find you get on most of rides in doing it this way?
7. Do you take the time to wait in the longer lines since you are there all day?
8. Do you watch all the shows, etc?

1. No

2. Yes. (Some days we take breaks.)

3. Not quite sure how to answer. We sometimes visit quiet spots in the parks (on non-break days), but generally just short visits. Last trip, we saw the Pixar mini-films = a 'little break' for us.

4. We often do at least one, but not always. We also sometimes enjoy waking early and having a little quiet time around dawn.

Mind, we rarely arrive before the gate opens. IMO, if gate time is 9am, then arriving before 9:20am = roughly rope drop o'clock.

5. No more than 1 TS per day! Some of our TS are at hotels, and we may linger. Other days, no TS or break. Mind, I have seen MK open 7am-3am! and even 24 hours! Other times it is only open 9am-6pm. AK hours used to only be 9am-5pm. It was easy to stay 9am-ish to 5pm-ish.

6/8. All the rides we want to ride. We don't visit all rides, shows or parades, but often do re-rides of rides of favorites. We've seen pretty much everything, but not every visit.

7. No. Just the opposite! Long waits are very rare, except very new rides or rare special events.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

That middle of the day break is what makes a WDW vacation feel like a vacation. Escape from the heat and crowds to lounge in the pool or have a drink or nap. Fighting crowds and waiting in lines for 12+ hours straight is the opposite of fun and relaxing in my book.

Funny thing is, for us, sometimes our 'breaks' end up being one of the most rushed/stressful parts of our day! We regularly joke about our less-than-relaxing WDW breaks.


Trying to arrive for ADR's is one of the more stressful things we do at WDW.

 

[123SA]

Past 4 trips, all in August, we've done 5 days at Universal, then 2 weeks at DIsney. We generally do open to close. Over the years, I've found that mid-break day breaks do not work for us. A quick break actually tires me out, and a long break seems wasteful. We do usually spread 4 non-park days throughout the trip and use them as "rest" days -- we sleep in in a bit, go to a water park or Disney Springs, but recently we've used these non-park days to add on the after hours events. If we do an after hours event, we'll miss rope drop and arrive at park around 11am.

We usually have one TS meal per day, either lunch or an early dinner, which serves as a much needed break.

It's a tiring 3 weeks. We adjust as needed. In 2015, we were too tired one day and missed AK rope drop. In 2017, DS had a broken foot and twice needed a mid-break, so he went back to resort with one adult (my discovery that a 3 hour break left me more tired than no break at all). 2016 and 2018 we didn't need breaks.

I do tend to schedule rides in the morning followed by lunch and shows or the longer indoors rides like Small World, or Spaceship earth in the heat of the afternoon.

 

[Auntrosie]

Open to close and I stopped getting the hopper. The park closes before I’m ready for it to.
I enjoy a nice suite off property full kitchen. So, good breakfast in the suite, we pack lunch (hearty salad) and snacks, buy one meal in the park. I have to say that bringing a lunch is under-rated - Meal selections are made in advance (no wondering around looking for a short line to find someone a burger or goodness knows what else) No waiting - no stories about the CM Wait Staff, or other guests. I get hangry; I could easily be the star player in a “mean guest lunch story”. Our decision to have lunch is made when we find a nice spot and the timing is right. The one smoker in the group is all too happy to go to the locker and bring back the cooler. Plenty of fresh food and half frozen bottles of spring water for the afternoon. If not, there’s usually at least one of us that needs a break and is happy for a quiet walk alone to the locker while the rest of us have a nice rest “in our perfect spot” before lunch. I know this rant is almost not on point but it’s why I’m perfectly happy to be in the park all day - rope drop to close.

 

[rteetz]

When you do open to close, do you mean you don't leave at all to go back to resort for a break? Do you just find a spot to relax in park?
Do you schedule sit down meals? More than one or does that take up too much time?
Do you find you get on most of rides in doing it this way? Do you take the time to wait in the longer lines since you are there all day?
Do you watch all the shows, etc?

It’s been a while since I’ve done a single park open until close.

I do usually have one sit down meal whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner and then snack or quick service for the others.

There are periods where I relax or just look around in shops. I will wait in longer lines as well.

 

[TangledHairDon'tCare]

DH and I have done RD to Kiss Goodnight twice at MK and both times we rode every single ride at least once (minus the carousel). Our breaks were the People Mover, COP and Tiki Room plus sitting down for snacks and a QS meal. With my 4yo, we can’t go that long so we start late and stay late. On our next trip we’re planning a resort day in the middle but not because we need a break. I just want to take advantage of everything the resort has to offer since it’s our first time staying Deluxe!