Need Advice on balancing time between the parks and resort?

[Jessica0312]

Hi!

My family (DH, DD7 and I) are going to Disney this July. I have been quite a few times (most recently October with some girlfriends for F&W and last April for Spring Break with my DD) but my DH is just not a fan. And I get it. The last time he went was 2007 and I was a bit younger and was a bit of a park commando (even with mid-day breaks, my family nicknamed me Zoom).

My idea this trip is to get to the parks before RD and leave by 3 ish (a few days we have lunch reservations but I am still working those out). I have a feeling that neither my DH or DD (who loves her resort time just as much as the parks) will want to go back. I *know* we don't have to do everything and won't but I also am excited to ride our favorites, have my DH ride all the new rides since he hasn't been in so long and have DD ride a few she wasn't brave enough to do last trip. However, I also know with the July heat, my family will be much happier if I am able to slow down.

Any tips on finding a balance between park fun and relaxing at the resort? This is what I have so far...please please please feel free to critique!

7-25: 7:55 am Breakfast at Ohanas (DD request), then MK (we should be there by opening)
7-26: Animal Kingdom, lunch at Chef Mickey's at 1:30 (I'm going to change this, I just can't figure out where to schedule this meal. Really want to try brunch because I read good things and my DD hasn't been to this character meal). Also thinking about maybe heading to Fort Wilderness in the evening.
7-27: Day off from parks, 10 am breakfast at Homecomin' (staying at POR, so easy boat ride away)
7-28: 8:15 am Garden Grill breakfast, the Epcot
7-29: Hollywood Studios, 1:30 pm Mama Melrose Fantasmic Pkg (only nighttime show DD hasn't seen that she wants to see)
7-30: Early Morning Magic at MK. Flight leaves at 4:20 pm

Any advice?

Thank you!
Jes

 

[eliseisawkward]

I love Chef Mickey. As an adult. I cannot wait to share it with my future children. We did it on our departure day and that was fantastic. You could just push it as late as you can for your AK day and it might still work out ok if you get all your FP done in the morning. This might be a day you can convince your family to go back to the park for Pandora in the dark if you’re aiming to “con” them into it.


Otherwise your plan seems great! Just try to schedule all your FP and keep telling yourself to slow down.

 

[Jessica0312]

I love Chef Mickey. As an adult. I cannot wait to share it with my future children. We did it on our departure day and that was fantastic. You could just push it as late as you can for your AK day and it might still work out ok if you get all your FP done in the morning. This might be a day you can convince your family to go back to the park for Pandora in the dark if you’re aiming to “con” them into it.


Otherwise your plan seems great! Just try to schedule all your FP and keep telling yourself to slow down.

LOL, "con" is probably a good word! The main reason I want to change Chef Mickey's that day is I want to try Satu'li Canteen in Pandora. DD rode Flights of Passage last year and didn't care for it but loves Navi River. I'll still prob FP Flight of Passage so my DH can try it and hopefully, we'll RD Navi for her. Otherwise, our favorites are the shows and I'd love to catch Chip & Dale in their Dinosaur costumes (if they still do that). I actually feel we can be out of this park at a decent time...maybe lol.

 

[kaabost]

I, too, am a commando so I completely understand your dilemma.....even though you aren’t calling it a dilemma . I wonder if you might be able to pleasantly walk your family back to the hotel and as they begin to relax, you politely excuse yourself and go back to the parks for some unadulterated commando time!!!!!!

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Chef Mickey is our traditional arrival day meal. I know everyone hates on it, but we love it and it’s perfect for arrival day because it gives you a taste of the characters and Disney ambiance without a park day. Since you’re going in the heat, makes sense to take a long resort brake in the middle/heat of the day (say 12-5) so when you’re in the park in the morning and evening it isn’t so hot. You could have the morning more structured and the evening visit more relaxed. Just a thought. You’ll have fun no matter how you visit.

 

[Elephantay]

Other than your first day, it doesn't look too bad to me. Personally I wouldn't care to rush Ohana so much. Its expensive- plus I actually think it's the rushing that does the less enthusiastic people in. I've found as long as we take our time, we are all more tolerant of the amount of activity we do. Also, you may want to consider not doing a day off. Your trip is short and if you went someplace even just for fast passes it would help with your wish to get to some attractions. Would a pool day and a park around dinner time work for your people?

 

[wahmtexas]

Have fun! On your park day off you may consider backing up your Homecomin reservation so you don't have to get up and out early on your park day off

 

[Kellina]

I don't think your plan looks bad! Similar to what we did last July! One day totally off from the parks- we did a late breakfast at O'hana that day, swam, and rented at boat (stayed at the Poly) it was super fun and relaxing!

We mostly hit the parks first thing, did a TS lunch, a few more rides, then back to the hotel by 3ish to swim and eat. It's so hot we were all tired!!

Maybe instead of Chef Mickey's you could do Tusker House that day since you're already at AK? have you been there before? It's awesome and has great characters as well! Just a thought so you don't have to run all over the place!

 

[kniquy]

My idea this trip is to get to the parks before RD and leave by 3 ish

With it being July the heat and humidity will be intense. If you want your husband to enjoy the trip I would RD as you are planning but leave by 12-1. This could mean planning a TS meal at 12:30 at the park you are at, get yourselves out of the heat and leave for pool time in the afternoon. I think the evenings at the parks have so much to offer, so i would plan on going back to the park for the evening maybe by 6pm catch fireworks.

7:55 am Breakfast at Ohanas (DD request), then MK (we should be there by opening)

I would not push to get to MK for opening -- that would mean rushing through your meal. Really plan for at least an hour for a character meal. You want to enjoy the meal and not constantly be looking at your watch rushing the experience. With this maybe plan your first FP for 10:30-11. You might get to the park by 9:30 so maybe you can get a bit done while the crowds are still pretty low. Staying at PO how do you plan to get to the Poly that early? To make it easier (on your husband) you could uber right to the poly vs taking the bus to MK then monorail to Poly.

lunch at Chef Mickey's at 1:30 (I'm going to change this, I just can't figure out where to schedule this meal. Really want to try brunch because I read good things and my DD hasn't been to this character meal).

If you are going to be at AK maybe consider Tusker house. It is a really good character buffet meal. You can pair it with a rivers of light package too. Pandora at night is amazing so i would plan a little evening time at that park. And dining at AK avoids more traveling around on property.

 

[Jessica0312]

I, too, am a commando so I completely understand your dilemma.....even though you aren’t calling it a dilemma . I wonder if you might be able to pleasantly walk your family back to the hotel and as they begin to relax, you politely excuse yourself and go back to the parks for some unadulterated commando time!!!!!!

This might be the best idea ever! I have actually been toying with the idea of a solo trip after reading so many trip reports here!

 

[Jessica0312]

Other than your first day, it doesn't look too bad to me. Personally I wouldn't care to rush Ohana so much. Its expensive- plus I actually think it's the rushing that does the less enthusiastic people in. I've found as long as we take our time, we are all more tolerant of the amount of activity we do. Also, you may want to consider not doing a day off. Your trip is short and if you went someplace even just for fast passes it would help with your wish to get to some attractions. Would a pool day and a park around dinner time work for your people?

You have a point about Ohana. I'm not too worried if we don't get to MK by rope drop since we are doing the Magic Morning here on our last day. And (fingers crossed) if they release the Disney After Dark for our trip, we might do that as well lol.

My DD needs that day off in the middle and sadly so do my feet. But a few hours in the evening is a fantastic idea!

 

[Jessica0312]

With it being July the heat and humidity will be intense. If you want your husband to enjoy the trip I would RD as you are planning but leave by 12-1. This could mean planning a TS meal at 12:30 at the park you are at, get yourselves out of the heat and leave for pool time in the afternoon. I think the evenings at the parks have so much to offer, so i would plan on going back to the park for the evening maybe by 6pm catch fireworks.

I would not push to get to MK for opening -- that would mean rushing through your meal. Really plan for at least an hour for a character meal. You want to enjoy the meal and not constantly be looking at your watch rushing the experience. With this maybe plan your first FP for 10:30-11. You might get to the park by 9:30 so maybe you can get a bit done while the crowds are still pretty low. Staying at PO how do you plan to get to the Poly that early? To make it easier (on your husband) you could uber right to the poly vs taking the bus to MK then monorail to Poly.

If you are going to be at AK maybe consider Tusker house. It is a really good character buffet meal. You can pair it with a rivers of light package too. Pandora at night is amazing so i would plan a little evening time at that park. And dining at AK avoids more traveling around on property.

The hours you suggest are great. Two of the days I think we have 1:30 lunch reservations so I thought we'd eat and then go back to the resort. The other days I was going to see how it was going...but I know its important to show him that Disney can be relaxing too lol!

Yea, you all are absolutely right...I'm okay with not getting to MK at rope drop. Oh and I definitely planned to Uber. We used that last year a few times and it is SO WORTH IT!

We did Tusker House last year over Spring Break but I definitely like the idea of eating in AK to reduce travel. I just don't know what to do for the 5th meal. Last year when we went for Spring Break I felt like we spent so much time sitting down at character meals, I was really trying to reduce the number of them this year.

Thanks all for the advice! It is much appreciated!

 

[ncc1701]

OP just a FYI for your 10:00am at Homecomin. On our trips to POFQ the boat usually started at 10:00am but the bus was running much earlier. So check it out once you are at POR. You will be able to boat back.
If you don't go to Trail's End there are plenty of places to go at Disney Springs.

 

[eeyoresmom]

With it being July the heat and humidity will be intense. If you want your husband to enjoy the trip I would RD as you are planning but leave by 12-1. This could mean planning a TS meal at 12:30 at the park you are at, get yourselves out of the heat and leave for pool time in the afternoon. I think the evenings at the parks have so much to offer, so i would plan on going back to the park for the evening maybe by 6pm catch fireworks.

I would not push to get to MK for opening -- that would mean rushing through your meal. Really plan for at least an hour for a character meal. You want to enjoy the meal and not constantly be looking at your watch rushing the experience. With this maybe plan your first FP for 10:30-11. You might get to the park by 9:30 so maybe you can get a bit done while the crowds are still pretty low. Staying at PO how do you plan to get to the Poly that early? To make it easier (on your husband) you could uber right to the poly vs taking the bus to MK then monorail to Poly.

If you are going to be at AK maybe consider Tusker house. It is a really good character buffet meal. You can pair it with a rivers of light package too. Pandora at night is amazing so i would plan a little evening time at that park. And dining at AK avoids more traveling around on property.

100% this...at least the top part. Another consideration is that it rains around 3 pm every day, just as you would be heading to the pool. I am trying to balance resort and pool time for my family next month as well. DH could never step foot in a park and be happy, DD likes rope drop to close and the others are somewhere in between. We will do rope drop every day since we are early risers and leave the parks after lunch around 1:30 or so like we always do. Im going to try switching it up by only planning to see the HS and MK night time shows ( we've them all 100 times) This way we can decide that afternoon if we want to return to the parks, hang out at the resort or visit DS. We stay at deluxe resorts and I feel like its such a waste to not take advantage of the cool stuff there as well.

 

[Wild4Walt]

Is everyone in the party early risers? I've balanced our trips ( my DH is not a morning person ) by planning some days getting a later start to the parks and then we stay in the park later that day.

You also have to resign to the the fact you can't see and do everything because there is only so much time. Let everyone pick 1 or 2 Must Do's each day and focus on those. Everything else is cake. It'll help avoid burn out and allow you to get in some relaxation.

 

[Jessica0312]

Thank you for the feedback! So my tentative plan is to rope drop every day (except MK day because we do have the early magic hour reserved for later that week) and leave by 1 pm ish. The only night that I really want to make sure we head back is for Fantasmic...the other evenings if we go back, it's a bonus and if not, that's okay too. I know we can't do everything and I have been enough times that I don't need to (and of course, we'll be back!).

 

[Jessica0312]

Is everyone in the party early risers? I've balanced our trips ( my DH is not a morning person ) by planning some days getting a later start to the parks and then we stay in the park later that day.

You also have to resign to the the fact you can't see and do everything because there is only so much time. Let everyone pick 1 or 2 Must Do's each day and focus on those. Everything else is cake. It'll help avoid burn out and allow you to get in some relaxation.

Thankfully we are all early risers, he more so than me.