Opinions please--to take breaks or not?

[Karebear]

Hi everyone,

We will be at Disneyland next month with my just turned 6 son and 4.5 daughter. During the week, the park hours are 10-8 (we will get into the parks at 9:00 on 2 mornings due to EE). Any advice on if taking a mid-day break is worth it with such short park hours? We are staying at the DLH so getting back to the hotel should be fairly easy. Any input on skipping a break vs taking one would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[darph nader]

If you're going to be there at least 2 days,YES. Heck even I took a 'break' when I did my solo trip a while back. If you're going commando style,2 strollers may be a better bet. (trying to find a quiet spot may be tough though)

 

[HydroGuy]

I agree it is tempting to skip breaks when park hours are at the minimum.

I would think of it this way. If you go on an EE day you will have 9AM-8PM or 11 hours at the parks. If you took a two-hour break counting walking back and forth to the DLH that would be 9 park hours. That would be roughly equivalent to powering with no break from 9AM-6PM.

So it is a bit of a tossup. If it was me I would play it by ear. If it is especially hot and/or crowded on a particular day, that would make me lean towards taking the break. If it is not too hot and not too crowded and your kids are holding up OK (no breakdowns, etc.) then I might skip a break that day and leave before the 8PM closing if necessary.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

We tend to visit when the park hours are shorter and we don't take breaks. Just see how it goes ~ if you need a break take one.

 

[DangerMouse]

The Monorail will make mid-day breaks so convenient for you at the DLH. I would definitely plan on even just an hour rest time at the hotel. It will really help get you through the rest of the day.

Other places to "rest up" if you don't make it back to the DLH:

Full circle tour on the DLRR
Tiki Room
Aladdin at DCA
Muppets 3-D
Animation Studios in DCA (just rest on the floor while watching the big screens -- so relaxing!)

Have a great time!

 

[teatime]

little ones will get tired, I say go back, do some swimming and lay them down for a small nap. then you have a better chance of no fussing and a better night

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

Other places to "rest up" if you don't make it back to the DLH:

Full circle tour on the DLRR
Tiki Room
Aladdin at DCA
Muppets 3-D
Animation Studios in DCA (just rest on the floor while watching the big screens -- so relaxing!)

When we went two years ago, I insisted on rest times for both kids (then not-quite-five and eighteen months). I think that was a good call, but I love the "at-resort" resting places suggested by Danger Mouse. On the shorter days mid-week in December, I think we will give those a shot if the girls are reluctant to leave the park and don't seem overly tired, especially since it looks like we'll be staying off-property this time around.

 

[Sherry E]

I totally agree with DangerMouse about the locations for breaks, too, if you don't want to schlep back to the hotel. I think breaks are really essential to some people - others can go without them. For some, it makes all the difference to their energy level and to being able to recharge and get that second wind to take on the parks at night. The Animation Building is a great place to relax, as it is dark inside (animated clips are playing on the overhead screens) and you can just kind of plunk down on one of the seats in the cool air and rest your eyes if needed. There were people on the floor as well, when we were there. I actually wish they had more seats.

Another resting option is in the GCH lobby. It is, of course, not in the parks but you can exit from DCA and go right into the GCH. Hunker down in the comfy sofas/chairs in the dimly lit lobby and sip a beverage while you re-energize. We have done that before, and were so relaxed that we had a hard time getting OUT of the chairs when were ready to get a move on back to the parks!!

 

[Kayla's Mom]

I think it all depends on your kids.

For us, we always go in the off season for 3-4 days and do not take breaks. We have 2 girls, ages 2 and 7. When my youngest gets tired, she naps in the stroller.

 

[pixiewings71]

DM gave good in park advice, as usual. I would definitely play it by ear myself, see how the kids are doing about mid day, sometimes a break for lunch in a nice cool place is all that is needed. I would not hesitate tho, if we need breaks we take them, no matter how long or short park hours are.

 

[avalon451]

I agree, it's all about your style-- are your kids good to go for 11 hours straight?

As far as we're concerned, heck, I need a break, never mind the kids. I get visual and sensory overload, so staying in the parks for a break, even in a relatively quiet area, wouldn't do it for me. I need a break back at the hotel. When my family got back to our hotel in the afternoons, we all flopped on the beds, and every one of us conked out quickly. If you're there at opening for MM, you'll probably get lots done anyway; no need to push it too hard to feel like you're getting the "worth" out of your vacation.

 

[amyamya]

DM's rest spots are great suggestions. The Animation Studio saved our last day at DCA. So air conditioned, not really crowded. The kids just zoned in front of the huge screens. I actually loved being in there, too.

 

[Buttercup26]

I am a big advocate of breaks, however I'm always flexible. If the weather is agreeable, the parks aren't crowded and everyone is doing fine skip the break! I do find it very hard to get up the next day after a non-break day, so you might want to consider that as well.

Will everyone be ready to go when the parks open the next day if they powered thru the day before?

The suggestions for places to have a break in the parks are good too. We often use the railroad for a nice break time.

 

[goldies 5]

My husband is the one who needs the break in our family.

 

[wideeyedwonder]

Any advice on if taking a mid-day break is worth it with such short park hours? We are staying at the DLH so getting back to the hotel should be fairly easy.

Count me in as voting for a mid-day break. One of the things that DLR has over WDW is the ability to get to and from the on-site hotels rather quickly, without having to rely on vehicles (and monorail to near-DLH only makes things faster). And where else can you do something even remotely like the 5 minutes it takes to exit CA and enter your room at the GC (using the GC exit)?

We used to do the comando thing with our three kids, but we've had so much nicer stays now that we take a break when we feel like it, or even "abandon" the parks for the night in favor of the pools or DD.

 

[Brancaneve]

We always take breaks but just last weekend we didn't. I can tell you that the second day was a "waste." We were too tired to do anything that none of us wanted to go on rides. We just wandered aimlessly looking for a show so we could just relax and rest. Breaks are key, especially if your hotel is so close.

Part of the fun is hanging out in your hotel room relaxing.
Have fun!!!

 

[Casken]

We have kids aged 7 and 11 and we will be taking a break for sure. The park is open from 10 - 8 on our first day and I think a late day break will be in order. I don't want all of us to get burnt out so quickly. I think a person can get a lot in even though it's a shorter day.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I am a huge fan of DLR at night, and would easily trade an hour or two of the hot busy afternoon to rest up and instead to enjoy that last ice cream while watching the castle lights that hour after the park has "closed".

 

[Karebear]

Thanks for all of your wonderful replies! Part of the reason that we booked the DLH was so that we could take a break without to much hassle if we wanted to. From most of your responses, it seems like a short break would be a good idea. Especially for my daughter--when she goes into melt down mode, it gets ugly quickly

 

[Crazy4Disney06]

Of all our Disney trips to DLR and WDW or DCL with my son (his first trip was at about 19 months and he will soon be 8) we have never scheduled breaks. If we need some relaxation we stop and get a snack, or watch a parade or show. My family goes pretty commando style to try and get in as much Disney as possible before we return home, however I think we are the minority as far as not taking mid day breaks. I say play it by ear......if you need a break take one, if not well that's just that much more time you get to spend at Disney.