Leaving to re-enter for Illuminations

[Corbinator]

My kids are 4 and 8 and do not stay up late. We have no dinner reservations, no dessert reservations, no party tickets, and no fps for special seating for shows/parades for our week. Everything is early in the day for us. We plan to wind down and swim and take it easy each night. Pizza or food court is fine with us.

I am considering on ONE of our Epcot days leaving early and going back to our room to cool off and rest and then returning for the evening and fireworks. This is the only night I am even thinking about it. My kids will just think the fireworks are cool and won't have anything to compare to, so this is not a question of which one to go to. Our park schedule/non-park days/party days/closing times/etc is the determining factor in narrowing it down to Illuminations.

What time would you leave and what time would you come back? And what would you do about eating?
Any and all ideas welcome. We will be bussing it back to AoA; I will let my husband know that leaving with the masses takes longer and prepare him. Thanks.

 

[Robo]

My kids are 4 and 8 and do not stay up late. We have no dinner reservations, no dessert reservations, no party tickets, and no fps for special seating for shows/parades for our week. Everything is early in the day for us. We plan to wind down and swim and take it easy each night. Pizza or food court is fine with us.

I am considering on ONE of our Epcot days leaving early and going back to our room to cool off and rest and then returning for the evening and fireworks. This is the only night I am even thinking about it. My kids will just think the fireworks are cool and won't have anything to compare to, so this is not a question of which one to go to. Our park schedule/non-park days/party days/closing times/etc is the determining factor in narrowing it down to Illuminations.

What time would you leave and what time would you come back? And what would you do about eating?
Any and all ideas welcome. We will be bussing it back to AoA; I will let my husband know that leaving with the masses takes longer and prepare him. Thanks.

Leave about 1:00-3:00PM.

Edit:
Eat at your resort.
(Unless you can get an ADR at Beaches and Cream at the Beach Club, or at one of the Boardwalk Resort restaurants sometime in the interim.)

Arrive back in Epcot 60-90 minutes before IllumiNations.

 

[cigar95]

The afternoon break, as suggested by Robo, is a time-honored strategy. You'd just be making it a little longer. If you are visiting at a slower time of year, you could reduce that 60-90 minute window to more like 45-60. During the less busy periods that I usually visit WDW, 20 minutes is more than enough time to grab a good spot for the show.
This will still give you time to soak up some of the nighttime ambiance of World Showcase, which is, for now, probably my favorite environment at WDW, with the lighting, the water, the look of the pavilions after dark . . . . (The Eiffel Tower, for instance, looks convincingly real at night.)

 

[Corbinator]

Thank you! I never thought of eating on the Boardwalk or an Epcot resort but that is a really good idea too. Will look to see what's open.

 

[GaryDis]

Beaches and Cream at the Boardwalk Resort

Speaking of needing a break, you know better than that. It's at the Beach Club.

 

[Disney_Alli]

Another option would be leaving by 1pm then heading back to the parks for 7pm and eating in The Land pavilion. The counter service there has some really great options.

 

[MrsJamesPSullivan]

We leave around 1 when we're taking a break. I would be back at Epcot around 7 and grab something at one or two of the great CS restaurants in World Showcase and find your spot to watch and eat.

Before your trip grab a pack of glow sticks at your local dollar store for the kids. Makes waiting for the fireworks a little easier.

 

[Robo]

Speaking of needing a break, you know better than that. It's at the Beach Club.

Well, now that you mention it...


Fixed!

Thanks!

 

[lovethattink]

I second Beaches and Cream! And recommend a No Way José for dessert. (Chocolate and peanut butter lover's dream.)

Since your kids aren't use to staying up late, you might want to make sure you don't have anything scheduled early the next morning. Til fireworks end, you get transportation back to the resort, and you get back to the room and ready for bed, it's going to be pretty late for them.