Mid-day break-- Practical?

[PEC]

Mid-September are generally the lowest crowd days. You can get a lot done in a little time. If you did stay until say 4 I believe you will hit all the attractions you want and probably a few bonus ones. If for some reason the 14 month olds starts to get cranky around 1 you might could switch to the come back in the evening plan but other than that the going until about 4 O'Clock would be OK.

 

[Pmlocke]

We'll be at MK for one day with a preschooler and a toddler. Our plan was to head back to the resort midday for a rest. But then I started looking at maps and reading about bus schedules... Is it even practical to try to go from MK back to AoA for a break midday, then return for a few hours? (We'll be using the bus.)

The older one will be ok without a nap, but the 14-month old will definitely need to rest. She's not the type to sleep in the stroller or anywhere with distractions. But if we're looking at over and hour round-trip travel time to go back, that's a lot of wasted time.

Has anyone gone back to AoA from MK and returned in the PM? Did it work out ok? If not, what are your favorite 'rest' locations at MK? Does the baby care center have rocking chairs and/or a dark room?

If we stay at the park, I imagine we'll probably leave the park for the day by 3 or 4.

My wife and I travel down to WDW every year and we always stay at the All Star Music. We are now in our 60's and the mid day break is a life saver. We leave the park (which ever one we are at) at around 1. We take the bus back to ASMu and rest by the pool for about four hours. Then it's back to another park for the evening. That break keeps us refreshed and it breaks up the day. Especially since we may do the MK in the morning and Epcot that evening. The next day we switch. It makes for a more diverse day and keeps the trip interesting. Of course, you will need the park hopper to accomplish this.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

Depends on your circumstances. Mainly if staying off site, how far off? I am 40 minutes away so for me it wouldn't be practical. Also once I was back and in my pool that would likely be it for me that day. So I go for rope drop and get a lot done before the crowds start building around 11. And that is when my FP+ start so by the time 2-3 rolls around, I am usually done with what I want to do. Rest of day is relaxing at the pool.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

for me also because of the time and effort getting from/to the park and the car, once I'm at MK, I do what I want and then leave.

 

[Chrelaine]

We stayed at OKW this past May w/DD4. We took mid day breaks every day but one. It was nice to have some quiet time or pool time to recharge. Yes, it takes time to get back to the room but we found it to be so helpful for all of us. We are not go 100 mph for 12 hours straight people, no offense to those that are...we just aren't. The crowds and lines would start to get to us, so we would leave and go back out for dinner in much better moods

 

[Day-Day]

Thanks-- we're there on Sunday the 13th, so no NOJ or MNSSHP... hours are currently scheduled at 9-9. Being a Sunday and no special events, crowds may be a little bigger, but not so bad that I'm worried.

Plan will be no break, quiet lunch, leave by 3-4; but we'll have that break time in our pocket for a back-up. Realistically, I don't think we'd make it back to the park. DD is sort of an I'm-done-when-I'm-done person, and she'd be a definite grump if we tried to go back after her brain exits 'park mode.' (Or if we tryt o make her leave before she's done.) Much easier to get her into a new mode, like 'swimming mode' or 'movie mode' and just let her stay there until bedtime!!

Kids... they're all sort of trouble, eh?

A number of our more recent visits have been without kids; what a difference (good and bad).

If you don't plan to visit MK in the evening it would be nice to visit on one of the days that has a special evening event because the MK will probably be "empty" up to 4pm. If this is not an option, I agree that crowds should be fine going on the Sunday. I've been a pretty big planner to avoid crowds for many of our visits but have learned during our September visits that I don't need to put much effort into this.

 

[Mac30188]

I would suggest the break, although I think it is less about the resort and more about the individual children and setting realistic expectations with children that young. It is not about how much you do in a single day, but enjoying your time that you do spend at WDW. As long as you go in with an understanding that there will be many things you won't see and do what is in best interest for the child in question, it should work out just fine regardless of whether there is a ton of time spent on the bus. Watching an child hit their exhaustion point and melt down is not going to be fun regardless where you are and what you are doing.