Please help me with my HS day!

[jvattes]

I am having a heck of a time with our HS day and hope you all can help.

Background: we are a family of four - Me, DH, DD10, DS6 traveling in end of July/beginning of August. We are staying on property at AKL and are on the dining plan. Touringplans has our crowd level at a 2 for the day; I'm not sure I buy this as the World in general has a crowd level of 8 but at worst I'm probably looking at a 5.

Our day at HS is scheduled after a break day and before a pre-rope-drop breakfast ressie at AK (Tusker House). Coming after a break, an early start should be quite fine. On the other hand, coming before an early ressie presents a potential challenge for seeing Fantasmic and still getting enough sleep for the next day.

As it stands now, I have us starting the day at rope-drop, having QS lunch in the park, and breaking at 3p to go back to our resort (AKL) for a break. We have a 6:20 ressie at Mama Melrose. This is where I think the day gets sticky -- in order to allow time for travel from and back to the park, we would need to break by 2p if we are going to have a break worth having.

How can I rearrange our day to give us a more restful break? I was considering cutting our dinner reservation in favor of breakfast, but the only good options for a TS breakfast would be Cape May, which still makes for a lot of running around (bus-boat transfers). Another idea is to have dinner at Boma on this evening, making the dinner feel a part of the break back at the resort. Yet another idea is to just counter-serve it all day, all meals... doesn't sound yummy to me though.

This is the one day that is ick for me. Help???

 

[JimmyV]

A couple of thoughts. First, do you really need to go back to your resort for your break? DHS sets itself up quite nicely to have a relaxing afternoon. You could do your rides between park opening and 1:00 or so, and take a "break" in the afternoon by seeing some shows like Beauty and the Beast, American Idol, Little Mermaid and/or Indiana Jones. That is a very slow paced afternoon. This would eliminate the back and forth travel which can be less relaxing than actually staying put. And you will be in air conditioning most of the time.

A second option would be to walk over to the Boardwalk area. Or take a launch. Go over to Cabanas at the Dolphin and hang out at a sofa lounge with some refreshments. The kids could even dip their feet in the pool, or bring suits for them and let them swim. This would give you the break you want without killing too much time.

And finally, your idea of switching dinner over to Boma or (Sanaa perhaps) is a good one. If you are going to go back to the resort, you might want to stretch out your time through dinner to make the travel worthwhile. And I think that either Boma or Sanaa are better choices than Mama Melrose. But that's a personal preference.

 

[sharonabe]

First off, you cannot go swimming at a resort pool where you are not staying at that resort, so please don't try to do that.

With the summer heat/humidity, I think a break back at your resort is a good idea. CS at HS is a hit or miss, so why not break earlier and eat lunch back at AKL. You could do CS next to the pool and have a swim or CS at Mara or plan a lunch TS there.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Yes as a PP said forget the advice to swim in another resort pool BIG no no even though you OP did not suggest it

Mama Melrose is one of our favorites as is BOMA can't go wrong with either of those Personally I would make a day at DHS eat at Mama's its a park that is easy to relax in No need to go back for a break mid-day and I think your next day Tusker early ADR will be fine too ( another we really love )

 

[JimmyV]

First off, you cannot go swimming at a resort pool where you are not staying at that resort, so please don't try to do that.

The Swan/Dolphin pool isn't regimented like the Disney pools. If you go to Cabanas and order food/drinks, you are a guest of the property for an hour or so and no one is going to call you out for walking over to the pool.

 

[jvattes]

Thanks for the help!

It has occurred to us that HS does allow for a more relaxing day, by its nature, than some of the other parks. So pushing through is a possibility.

I am just so afraid to make the next day no fun for being overtired...

Whattodowhattodowhattodo....

 

[Luvchefmic]

Thanks for the help!

It has occurred to us that HS does allow for a more relaxing day, by its nature, than some of the other parks. So pushing through is a possibility.

I am just so afraid to make the next day no fun for being overtired...

Whattodowhattodowhattodo....

I still think you will be fine, you have a break day before DHS day so will be going in rested DHS as you agree can be a relaxing day AK ( my favorite park by the way and not a 1/2 day park IMHO ) is also a set your own pace stroll along and relax kind of day too I LOVE your plan Don't second guess yourself I would leave it alone

 

[Day-Day]

I doubt the level 2 rating as well.

If it is hot and humid, which is likely, it is tough to get really rested and cooled off even at DHS. 2.5 hours at the resort has a decent amount of time for us for a break. This allows enough time some to visit the pool and others to take a solid nap even take a shower if needed. We get some drinks and eat a snack with our shoes off in the air-conditioned room .

Getting on the bus at around 3pm would be close for us. In order to get back for the 6:20 ADR, you would probably want to be at the resort bus stop by 5:30(?). I would probably plan to start walking for the exit closer to 2pm; depending on where we are and what we are doing in the park, it always seems to take a little more time to get out to the bus stop than we expect. This should get us on the bus to the resort around 2:30pm. (We almost always drive to DHS so I'm not real sure on the bus service.)

 

[GillianP1301]

Because you said you have some uncertainty around seeing Fantasmic due to concerns of enough sleep for the next morning, what I would do is stick with your plan for the 3pm break and make your ADR for Boma. That will allow you the time to assess if your family is feeling up to returning to HS for Fantasmic. If they aren't, no biggie, you're already at your resort and can have some swimming or animal viewing time. If you are, then just head back over to HS after your meal. At that point, you'll have had a 4 hour "break" from the park and won't feel as rushed or crammed in as trying to rush back for an in park ADR.

 

[jvattes]

Because you said you have some uncertainty around seeing Fantasmic due to concerns of enough sleep for the next morning, what I would do is stick with your plan for the 3pm break and make your ADR for Boma. That will allow you the time to assess if your family is feeling up to returning to HS for Fantasmic. If they aren't, no biggie, you're already at your resort and can have some swimming or animal viewing time. If you are, then just head back over to HS after your meal. At that point, you'll have had a 4 hour "break" from the park and won't feel as rushed or crammed in as trying to rush back for an in park ADR.

This occurred to me as well. Dining at the resort allows this assess and alter the plan approach, whereas a ressie at MM forces us to return.

I think I'm going to change to Boma.

 

[lizabu]

I would ditch the Dinner reservation. Have a good rest. Eat dinner at the resort or my favourite thing is get to Fantasmic 1 hour early. For the early show they let you go in and sit down. Have your meal there. Perfect way to kill the time. Your options for food are endless. Buy CS at HS or if you see some nice sandwiches at your resort take them with you. You're allowed to bring food in.