Midday Break

[lynzi2004]

Headed down at the end of the month. 2 MK days. Seeing the parade both days is pretty much a must. My DD has watched my sister's home video of it more times than I can count! If we do rope drop both days, do you all suggest breaking before or after the parade for the day? How long does it take by boat to exit MK and get to the campground? How long do you all normally stay before going back to the park? Should we leave 11-2, or 4-7ish crowdwise? Thanks!

 

[Maligator]

Not sure about parade times, but I always budget about 45 minutes to/from the fort by boat. That counts in wait time if you have just missed one. If you hit it right, the trip is only about 15-20 minutes.

We come back from all the parks around lunch time. One, because it's hot when we visit and two because we camp with our dog wants a bathroom break. Gives us time to relax and recharge before heading back around 4pm till close.

 

[TXWAC]

Depends on open and close. And the kids. If they are old enough and the day is short you may be able to 'find a quiet place' for a few hours. If it is a long day and the kids are small take a few hours at the Fort. Plan on an hour to get back to Fort and and hour back to park. Just do. Kids and boat lines just happen.

Or you could be like us and rent a stroller and just stack em two deep.

My kids will sleep through anything.

 

[Maligator]

Not that I think this is you, certainly, but your post made me think of it....

My wife got run over by a lady with a stroller last year. We had a few more close calls with Moms with the "death stare" pushing those things and yielding to no one. We joked that this year we will wear steel toed boots just in case :lol:

 

[TXWAC]

We never ran over anyone, but we are guilty of loading one down with so much stuff you couldn't find the kid at the bottom.

It was a god send. We went in January during a freak cold spell 8 years ago. They had to sweep the frost and ice off of the Fort boat dock before the days first trip. Everyone looked like transient Eskimos wearing every piece of clothing they had. By noon everyone was carrying piles of clothes around. Felt like you were at a laundry mat.

 

[lynzi2004]

Thanks all! The kids are 2 and 4. On Saturday, the hours are 9am-12am. I think we will likely take our break after the parade. If we let them sleep in the afternoon, they are night owls and can easily go till midnight on vacation. Monday we will just have to see. We have CRT reservations at 4pm so it will likely be before the parade or not at all. I just see everyone posting about a midday break and when I look at the schedule, I don't see how anyone with kids has the time to leave the park, eat, and nap and still get back! Lol

 

[5kidsmommy]

We never did breaks when my kids were little but we were never rope drop people. We would just go later in the morning or early afternoon and stay until close. I can do open to close but my husband and boys prefer to sleep. Now that everyone is older my daughter and I hit the parks at rope drop and the guys catch up with us later.

I crack up about the strollers, I never had an issue when mine were still in strollers, but my last trip I noticed they were everywhere and I had to dodge them. Of course my daughter is in a wheelchair so I felt like I was the one doing a lot of dodging, I was surprised by how many people just walk right into wheelchairs and then give me the death glare. Sorry I can't just move if you walk in front of me.

 

[peg110]

They had to sweep the frost and ice off of the Fort boat dock before the days first trip. Everyone looked like transient Eskimos wearing every piece of clothing they had. By noon everyone was carrying piles of clothes around. Felt like you were at a laundry mat.

And this is EXACTLY why I love camping. In my camper, I can bring a wider variety of clothes instead of assuming the weather will be good or bad. When traveling by air, I have to limit it (or find other creative ways of getting it there and back). This means I either wear the same outfit multiple days (and also consider the laundry facilities) or I have to make sacrifices in what I bring. This of course doesn't preclude the need to pack wisely, it just allows me more flexibility.

Sorry I can't just move if you walk in front of me.

I hear you there. I will say, there are awful people on both sides of the stroller/ECV/Wheel chair discussion. Many with/on those devices are very polite and courteous and still get cut off all the time. Just as many will be the ones to cut others off.

Likewise, the regular "Pedestrian" (Singles, couples, families, groups, etc..) have similar qualities. (good and bad). I think the problem is, is that we tend to focus on those with the strollers/chairs/etc because it's not something that we (those without) have to deal with on a daily basis. Our perspective is skewed.

As someone who has had to use a stroller (but my kids are older now) as well as deal with a wheel chair (one trip my eldest had issues and needed one), I have seen BOTH sides. I try to be courteous and understanding of others regardless. It's not always easy but I try. I think if everyone just "TRIED" it would be a better place overall.

 

[5kidsmommy]

And this is EXACTLY why I love camping. In my camper, I can bring a wider variety of clothes instead of assuming the weather will be good or bad. When traveling by air, I have to limit it (or find other creative ways of getting it there and back). This means I either wear the same outfit multiple days (and also consider the laundry facilities) or I have to make sacrifices in what I bring. This of course doesn't preclude the need to pack wisely, it just allows me more flexibility.


I hear you there. I will say, there are awful people on both sides of the stroller/ECV/Wheel chair discussion. Many with/on those devices are very polite and courteous and still get cut off all the time. Just as many will be the ones to cut others off.

Likewise, the regular "Pedestrian" (Singles, couples, families, groups, etc..) have similar qualities. (good and bad). I think the problem is, is that we tend to focus on those with the strollers/chairs/etc because it's not something that we (those without) have to deal with on a daily basis. Our perspective is skewed.

As someone who has had to use a stroller (but my kids are older now) as well as deal with a wheel chair (one trip my eldest had issues and needed one), I have seen BOTH sides. I try to be courteous and understanding of others regardless. It's not always easy but I try. I think if everyone just "TRIED" it would be a better place overall.

With the wheelchair I am the same as I was with a stroller, I moved slowly, tried to stay off to the side and watch for people. I tend to be pretty observant to those around me. In all my years of pushing a stroller I never ran into anyone. But oh my goodness. I had three people trip over my daughter on our last trip. One I felt really bad about because he was a young boy (8-9) and he was just trying to navigate a very busy main street and just literally ran in front of us. I apologized profusely. But the other two were people that just randomly cut in front of us.

I have though in the past dealt with people nearly running me over. One particular incident at another theme park had me biting my tongue. Apparently you can drive fast and honk at teenagers and if the don't immediately move so that you can get through you have the right to hit them and push them out of the way.

At the end of the day we all just need to try and be aware and courteous to one another, it only takes a moment.

 

[peg110]

I had three people trip over my daughter on our last trip.

And they probably interpreted it as "You ran into them". I am not saying you did, but it's all the perspective. So as many times as I hear stores of people being hit or hitting other people with their "Whatever" devices, I still try to take it with a grain of salt. Getting mad does little to help the situation. Some people, however, are just rude and obnoxious no matter what you do.

Apparently you can drive fast and honk at teenagers and if the don't immediately move so that you can get through you have the right to hit them and push them out of the way.

Oh, I see this all the time. When it's MY teenagers (or Tweenager) and I see it, they get a earful from me and the DW. My DD18 is at that age where she always sees everyone else's mistakes but not her own. I try to help her see that it's always a different perspective. Since she has an "ART" background, I try to use that to illustrate it with real every day incidents.

At the end of the day we all just need to try and be aware and courteous to one another, it only takes a moment.

^^^^ THIS x 1000 ^^^^

So very true. That's what I try to do. I wish I could say I am always successful, but alas... No. But I do try.

 

[5kidsmommy]

And they probably interpreted it as "You ran into them". I am not saying you did, but it's all the perspective. So as many times as I hear stores of people being hit or hitting other people with their "Whatever" devices, I still try to take it with a grain of salt. Getting mad does little to help the situation. Some people, however, are just rude and obnoxious no matter what you do.


Oh, I see this all the time. When it's MY teenagers (or Tweenager) and I see it, they get a earful from me and the DW. My DD18 is at that age where she always sees everyone else's mistakes but not her own. I try to help her see that it's always a different perspective. Since she has an "ART" background, I try to use that to illustrate it with real every day incidents.


^^^^ THIS x 1000 ^^^^

So very true. That's what I try to do. I wish I could say I am always successful, but alas... No. But I do try.

Oh no in this case my teenager was the victim. I was with him. Walking ahead of him through a narrow area. We heard the honking but I paid little attention to it because we were walking through a narrow and congested walkway. Anyhow once we got out of the area this woman shoved him as she went by and said "didn't you hear me honking?". I was shocked that a) she touched my kid b) SHE TOUCHED MY KID and yelled at him. She then drove off quickly. I have never had an incident like that. If we were not heading out of the park I would have notified security. Just because you are in a scooter doesn't mean you get to go faster than everyone else. But my teenagers are actually pretty good, they are patient, heck when we go to amusement parks they are more willing than me to wait in long lines. Good kids, I am pretty lucky.

 

[peg110]

WOW. All I can say, is that I hope Karma does exist. Sounds like you have pretty good kids there. I am sure my DD18 would have made a loud and less than appropriate comment. Not that she wouldn't be in the right (assuming the same situation).

I guess I can't help but to think back to the old Cartoon.... Grin and Bear It.