Just back, afternoon breaks

[The Sorrentino's]

My youngest is a napper, but then my others are not nappers. I have planned to take a break everyday and now I'm thinking that my others probably will not want to. I was thinking that with all the walking and excitement that they will all want a nap or a break. This will be my kids first time to WDW, but maybe after the 2nd or 3rd time being there they already know what to expect and they will not have a problem taking breaks. I have no clue .

Cadence

 

[tjmw2727]

My youngest is a napper, but then my others are not nappers. I have planned to take a break everyday and now I'm thinking that my others probably will not want to. I was thinking that with all the walking and excitement that they will all want a nap or a break. This will be my kids first time to WDW, but maybe after the 2nd or 3rd time being there they already know what to expect and they will not have a problem taking breaks. I have no clue .

Cadence

I think an afternoon break is a great even if you don't have nappers!! Somtimes even when my girls think they don't want to leave the park a swim and some "regular play" time ends up being a favorite time of the day. Even now at 8 and 10 we do a mid afternoon break most days, especially if we are going to do a late night.

TJ

 

[jenr812]

Unfortunately it's not my DD4 who needs some downtime in the afternoon, it's my DH but rather than go back to the hotel by himself, he'll stay with us and be cranky for hours SO usually we all have to go back and hang out in a darkened room for hours until he's ready to return. Any ideas?

Why don't you take the kids to the pool while DH gets his rest??

 

[dtsaos]

3 kids-DS turning 5 on trip, DD 3 and DD 8months. We are fortunate enough to be staying for 11 nights so that we plan to just take it easy the whole time. Some days wake up and go straight to parks and then leave when everybody's ready. Other days chill out at hotel and then go to parks when we feel like it. DH usually gets kind of commando but has promised me that he will chill this time so that when we get home it hopefully won't feel like we need a vacation after our WDW vacation! Of course we are getting 10 day hopper passes so we can do as we please at our leisure....I'm really looking forward to enjoying some down time on this trip!

 

[disneyfanfamily]

When we went 2 years ago, my 8 and 6 year olds did not need naps. My almost 3 year old was a good stroller sleeper. We are not planning on doing afternoon breaks every day. We so far have 2 full days at MK (not in a row). We are just going to go with the flow. Leaving the parks and then coming back to the parks just seems (to us) like a pain. And I for one, do not like leaving the parks - but I would - for my kids sake! For us, breaking in the afternoon will not equal nap. It will equal more fun - the pool! Can't wait! 25 days left!!!!

 

[pixiepower1971]

I have found that mid day breaks really depend on the time of year for us. My daughters (9 and 7) are fine going all day from open until close. We take our time eating(usually CS) and take breaks for ice cream, shop browsing, etc. A show or ride like TTA, Universe of Energy, etc are great as well to recharge on.

In the cooler months all day is fine every day UNLESS you are on a long vacation. You tire out after a few days of non stop fun and need to sleep in, take a break somehow.

In the hot summer months we have found that leaving the parks after an early lunch is wonderful. We swim, if someone wants to nap they can, others read, color, etc. The afternoons are HOT and CROWDED in the summer. Even if you are fine you run into many CRANKY people! We find taking a break and coming back at dinner time allows us to stay until park closing, no matter how late that is. Nothing is better, IMO , then the parks at midnight in the summer- cool as you can get and not so crowded.

 

[jenr812]

When we went 2 years ago, my 8 and 6 year olds did not need naps. My almost 3 year old was a good stroller sleeper. We are not planning on doing afternoon breaks every day. We so far have 2 full days at MK (not in a row). We are just going to go with the flow. Leaving the parks and then coming back to the parks just seems (to us) like a pain. And I for one, do not like leaving the parks - but I would - for my kids sake! For us, breaking in the afternoon will not equal nap. It will equal more fun - the pool! Can't wait! 25 days left!!!!

25 days for us too

 

[disneyfanfamily]

jenr812 - What is exciting is that we are staying at POR also AND our kids don't know either!!! They won't know until we get on the plane!!! Have just as much fun as us!!! We will be the family of 5 DS10, DS8, DD 4 (almost 5) and me short and petite and husband (handsome if I say so myself!).

Take breaks if you want. You know your family better than anyone else. It is really personal preference. We just want to get as much Disney as we can since we do not go that often.

 

[tjmw2727]

Yes, ITA... late mornings and some early evenings if you have the time work wonders as well.

Nothing like sleeping in, having breakfast and a swim before heading to the parks, or heading back early evening for some time at the resort for a swim, bike ride and some relaxing. I think that compared to a "normal" vacation WDW is so high intensity that we forget how much we enjoy a swim, or afternoon by the pool with a good book.

TJ

 

[Thinktinknpixiedust]

We took our DD last year when she was 18 mos. We decided to see what she would do. At the time she was a very reliable 2x's day napper. She stayed that way at the parks, however she would be chattering away, pointing and giggling and then BAM. she would pass out. She took power naps and was in a fantastic mood when she woke up! this year we'll do the same thing. But we always leave wiggle room for downtime if needed.

 

[Little Whistle]

Whether or not your children take naps at home is not really the issue. They are on vacation and they may and may not stick to their schedules. When we traveled to WDW the first time our children were 5 and a new 8. They did not take naps but we made sure we came in from the hottest part of the day. It really did everyone good. I think we fell asleep one time. When we ventured back to our hotel we generally stayed in the room and laughed and talked about the evening activities. The very next year we did the same and it worked very well for us. This year is going to be altogether different. We will be traveling with our new addition of one year, my 8 yr. old and 11 yr. old, plus another family of 5(ages 10, 8 and 5). As in the past we plan on returning so the little ones can nap and the older children can either swim or visit the conceirge lounge. My advice, listen to the rhythm of your children. And if that does not work go with your gut. There is no single formula that will work for everyone.

 

[jenr812]

jenr812 - What is exciting is that we are staying at POR also AND our kids don't know either!!! They won't know until we get on the plane!!! Have just as much fun as us!!! We will be the family of 5 DS10, DS8, DD 4 (almost 5) and me short and petite and husband (handsome if I say so myself!).

Take breaks if you want. You know your family better than anyone else. It is really personal preference. We just want to get as much Disney as we can since we do not go that often.

How neat!! Maybe we'll see you at the pool!!! We're hoping for building 14

 

[The Sorrentino's]

Do anybody find that they do not return to the parks after afternoon break? How much of an interuption is it to break?

Cadence

 

[pixiepower1971]

We always return to the park. I find it more relaxing then anything else. I used to think it would be a hassle and would waste the day. Not so. On the rare day that we stay through the afternoon when it is hot out, we drag through the afternoon and do very little. When we take a break we rest and are ready to go and stay all night. When the weather is cooler we do stay all day and don't really need the break.

My rule is that if everyone is fed and its getting hot and we are sniping at each other...we need a break! Or if there is a really late night EMH. My kids LOVE to be out really late. But park open to late close in the summer can beat you up after a few days!

 

[powellrj]

Do anybody find that they do not return to the parks after afternoon break? How much of an interuption is it to break?

Cadence

We never returned to the park after an afternoon break. Once we got back to the hotel, there always seemed to be enough there to keep us busy or we would find another activity!

 

[jeast]

Sounds like a 'different strokes' thing to me. everyone's style/kids are different.

we are planning a swim/nap in the afternoons. we may swim first to get rid of the extra energy. If not we will do our regular 'quiet time'.

 

[DMRick]

We always seemed to return (unless the weather turned bad, or we had other plans). When our kids were younger, we towed our RV down, so when we returned it was to the campground and either lunch in the camper or Trails End (and we were most often in MK back then..there was no AK or MGM, so it might have been different) so it was a quick boat ride "home". Often swimming played into it. Back then you could pool hop, so we often went over to the Poly after lunch to swim nd then came back for quiet time or naps (we needed them, I don't know if the kids did LOL). Only you know your family, and I would just take it one day at a time and see what works for you. I don't think there is a good or bad way to to this..just lots of "depending".

 

[crisi]

Sounds like a 'different strokes' thing to me. everyone's style/kids are different.

we are planning a swim/nap in the afternoons. we may swim first to get rid of the extra energy. If not we will do our regular 'quiet time'.

Very much. And as someone said, it will also depend on when you go. A three year old who doesn't nap in Febuary may be wiped out when he goes at the age of six in August.

Candece, we've had "mixed luck" getting back to the park for much "productive" time. Though as I said, we don't nap - but we did manage the mid afternoon swim last time. We will get back for dinner, maybe Illuminations or Fantasmic, and maybe a ride or two. Particularly when we stay at the Epcot area resorts. Getting back to MK has always been problematic for us - so we schedule our mornings there. It also depends, I believe, on park hours. We often travel in lower crowd times, which means earlier hours. With the MK closing at six, leaving the park at 1:00, starting a swim closr to 2:00, pulling the kids out at 3:00, getting ready to go and if we are really good and efficient changing and catching transportation, getting back to the MK at 4:00, and leaving at 6:00 is a really tight schedule and barely worth the travel time.

If we schedule our evening at Epcot or MGM, we get out of the pool at 3:00 or even 4:00 and are at the park at 4:30. We catch one attraction, have dinner around 6:00, and still have time for a second attraction after dinner before Illuminations starts.

 

[rt2dz]

for those of you that have gone...did the mid day break and it didn't work for you...do your children regularly nap daily at home? The reason I ask is that EVERYDAY from 1-3 is quitetime at our house. I have a 6, 4 and 2 year old. The 6 and 4 yr old no longer nap..and haven't for several years. BUT they daily take that time to chill on their bed and read or do a quiet activity while the 2 yr old naps. I know here at home, if they miss the time, I can tell in their behavior. Our plan is to continue this when we go to Disney in Jan. 2006. Our kids are also in bed by 8:30 night. That will probably be pushed back a bit so that they can take in the movie (we are staying at Fort Wilderness) Anyway, I guess I'm just curious if the vacation itself threw your normally napping children off schedule or if these reports were coming from kids that weren't normally nappers/mid day break kids at home. (KWIM?) Due to time of year and park hours our days won't be as stretched out anyway. We'll take in breakfast at Ft. Wilderness boat over to MK and then monarail to whatever destination for the day. Have lunch at the park and then head back to the Ft. around 1-1:30 and then just kind of chill for a bit. We don't really have concrete plans to go back to the parks...but will taken in movie night and such. Anyway, I was just curious about the schedules of the kids that weren't napping and if it was just a ''so excited to be a Disney thing'' maybe?

The baby always naps at home, from about 11:00/11:30 for about 1.5 to 2 hours. Our older DS doesn't nap and hasn't for awhile, but he does take quiet time, by his own choice. He'll veg on the couch and watch some tv (usually documentaries) or sit at the table and color or read books. And he does this at 1 pm like clockwork til about 3 pm. At home both kids are in bed and asleep by 8:00pm to 8:30 pm. They sleep until somewhere between 7 am and 7:30 am (baby) and till about 8:30 am (DS4). At the parks, their schedules were very different. The baby took a 45 minute nap early (10 am) and a two to 3 hour nap at about 2 or 3 pm. What time they were willing to go to bed varied widely, from 7 pm to midnight and they woke up anywhere between 7 am and 10:30 am. The day we got home they were back on their normal schedules without missing a beat. It was just MUCH better to follow their leads.

 

[rt2dz]

rt2dz, thanks for the post. My boys will be the same age as yours when we go. We just got back from Chicago and went one whole day doing stuff. The baby took two short naps in the stroller and my 4yo (who doesn't nap) was going strong all day long. He did need to rest from the walking though. Did you have your 4yo in a stroller? If so, what kind? A park rental?

My 4yo does not use a stroller at home, except when I do my 3.5 miles. But I knew he would need one at Disney. The baby is too little for rentals and I don't find them very comfortable looking (hard plastic, no reclining) or convient (no storage, lines to get them or return them, can't use them to and from parks/DTD), so we brought the double jogger. I was VERY happy with that decision (posted a thread on here about our experiences with it). So were both the boys.