Mid-Day breaks and the pools??

[Disney01]

Okay, everything I have read says that a midday break is essential when going in the summer. But, I'm imagining that the pools must just be absolutely packed. Is it possible to find a seat? What about evening? Can you find a seat in the evening?

 

[la79al]

From what i have read, a lot of people have found that afternoon breaks don't work. the water parks reach capacity early in the morning. some people leave and go to the pools or go back and take a nap but don't feel better when they are done and often don't return to the parks.

 

[DisneyJen0504]

We have been taking midday breaks for as long as I can remember. We arrive at the park early, leave after lunch when the sun is hottest and parks are packed, and head back to a different park, DTD or wherever for the evening. One our afternoon breaks we do different things each day-usually I lay by the pool and DH always goes back to the room for a nap. After a few hours rest, we shower and get ready to head out. This allows us to have more energy for the evening and we get to break up our days a little. Having been to WDW a few times, I dont feel we would enjoy being in the same park from open to close, not to mention being tired.
I dont think it is a matter of afternoon breaks working or not working. It is a matter of preference (as long as you are staying onsite). I would not recommend going to a water park during the summer in the middle of the day b/c yes it may have already reached capacity. But if you want to go back to the resort for a swim, we have never encountered crazy crowds at the quiet pools at our resorts and we have visited in the summer. On our visits, the pool area was pretty empty in the early evening.
Lastly, I feel midday breaks are essential in the summer to rest and relax so you can do and see more on your vacation as well as to prevent overdoing it in the heat and humidity.
Have a great trip!

 

[AUDramaQueen]

I think it depends on who's going and their ages? We have three kids (4, 2 and 7 months) and this past trip we went back every afternoon for naps and sometimes a meal (we were at OKW with a full kitchen). This worked great for us. We took the baby to the pool once because he had napped at the park and it wasn't very crowded (this was Memorial Day Weekend). We were at one of the quieter pools though, not the main one.

Now, when my DH and I went before kids, we could handle going to the pool (at BW) and then back to a park, but I wouldn't advise it with kids...

 

[10drum]

No, the pools aren't always packed.

3pm til 5pm, are busy, but not bad, and if you're taking some quiet time, go to a quiet pool, there are always seats availble.

Personally, I swim, stay in the pool, or at the pool bar.

Going back to a WDW resort for an afternoon break is probably one of the best perks of staying on property.

Go to the parks when they open,
do the popular attractions before it gets too crowded,
go swimming(take a break),
go back in the evening,
have a nice dinner,
and enjoy the less popular(sometimes the best) attractions later.

Now, that"s a vacation!

 

[pepe of ohio]

I totally agree with the past posters. For over 20 years, we have always gone to the parks early, come back to the resort and swam or taken a break and waited until evening to go back to a different park for the second half of the day. most of the commando style people have had it for the day by evening, or people staying off site are heading for the parking lots, I always comment on the line of guests leaving the MK for the monorail and the line is usually back to the park, thse are the off site guests or driving guests. We most always stay at the Poly and return either by boat or monorail with no wait. In the evenings the pools are mostly empty, few kids, some adults lounging but really pleasant through the night. Seems when the life guards are gone for the night most guests are pooped and stay in. We usually meander the grounds, take our cooler or a bottle of wine down to the pool area and relax and reflect on the day and discuss plans for the next day.

Going commando reallytakes the stamina out of a person, espically during the summer months. After all our trips, over 30, we have seen that and done that and casually go about the parks doing our favorite things, mostly seeing everything but at a casual pace and that noon break, getting out of the mouse race at the parks, is our lifesaver. Plus, on property, the resorts are themed to the nines and the late night pool dip with friends is beneficial for rejuninating the soul and instilling the magic of Disney World.

 

[RayJay]

Another vote from me.

Parks early, out by noon.
Back at resort for swim
Maybe a nap
Then Dinner and show
Then more swimming at late night.

I really believe a midday break is essential and we don't do commando.

Yes the pools are crowed, some are bigger than others, the Poly was the worst I've experienced but there was still room.

Quiet pools are usually not crowded.

Have fun
RayJay

 

[SqueakyMouse]

Okay, everything I have read says that a midday break is essential when going in the summer. But, I'm imagining that the pools must just be absolutely packed. Is it possible to find a seat? What about evening? Can you find a seat in the evening?

Yep, this is what we found at the end of May. We spent 8 days at AKL and tacked on another night at CSR. Both pools were pretty packed from morning until evening -- AKL especially. With 2 little ones (4 and 2 yo), I thought for sure we'd take breaks in the afternoons. Sadly, both refused to nap. The pools were definitely less crowded during the evening hours. However, this was also when the parks were less crowded during our stay.

 

[susy]

When Ds was younger and would nap (we did too) it worked fine.

Now he's 7 and doesn't nap, so we have a different strategy.

We are not commandos, so we don't feel the need to see and do absolutley everything. We are just about enjoying our vacation.

Also, remember the afternoon thunderstorms.....

While at the Poly Memorial Day weekend, we practially had the pool to ourselves in the morning (and got a cabana for the day).

Our new strategy is [I]one park a day[/I]-usually we go early, eat a nice sit down lunch-it really helps to relax and re-energize you....stay another hour or two (until about 2pm) and head out. We usually relax for an hour in room or so and then swim until dinner and maybe even after.

If you like to sleep in and stay up late (especially with the new night time EHM)-

you could do the pool in the morning/day and head to the parks in the evening.

going back and forth just got to be too much for us-we just do one park a day now.

 

[SpoonfulofSugar]

Okay, everything I have read says that a midday break is essential when going in the summer. But, I'm imagining that the pools must just be absolutely packed. Is it possible to find a seat? What about evening? Can you find a seat in the evening?

The pools can be busy but you can usually find a seat in the back or at one of the less busy quiet pools, but you'll probably be in the pool and won't need a seat. The evenings are usually less crowded than the afternoons and much easier to find a seat because it's usually kids in the pools.

 

[Saphire]

In the seven or so times we have visited in the summer, we have never been in any park between 1:00 and 4:00! The pools can be crowded in the afternoon, but I found that to be true in Febraury, too. Just to take a cool shower and lie down for a bit, read or nap, gives us all the energy we need to go back around dinnertime. We walk in refreshed around 5:00 as we see crowds of tired people leaving. I don't think we could do it any other way!

 

[mamalle]

we usually do the same- we are right at the park at opening. lunch at the CP at noon and maybe a ride or two after and leave by two to head back. when we stay at the CSR we never have a problem at the pool but we have seen it crowded at othe resorts. POP was crowded when we went in May and last 4th of july week- I swear we couldnt fit anymore people in the pool at the POFQ- that was the most I have ever seen pack a pool and chairs.