Poll: so who takes midday breaks and who doesn't?

[teacher31]

I'm a break person. We are at the opening about 45 minutes before hand, stay until lunch. Sometimes we have an early lunch at 12, other times we eat at the resort. We'll swim, take a quick nap, throw in a load of laundry. We sometimes eat an early dinner at the resort around 5, and then hit the park by 6 to stay until the fireworks. I look at the time away from the parks as a little perk, and so do my kids - 13, 11, & 10.

 

[eliza61]

We go in August also. We have to take a break especially in the mid day. The sun is just too intense. A couple of hours at the pool and we're back in business

 

[beattyfamily]

I picked yes but would have preferred an answer of "Sometimes".

We sometimes take a pool or just cool off and relax break.

Other times, we stick it out and make it through the whole day!

 

[queenof hearts]

We are going in early December. Two moms three teenagers. I know they will not want to get up early but I think we will get up for the open and just take our time. No need for a break it should not be too hot!

 

[Skylarr29]

We always, always take a break. It doesn't matter to us if it is crowded, summer, winter or any other factors. We just like to take afternoon breaks. We also like to use this time to enjoy our resort... afterall we are paying alot of money to stay deluxe. We also shower and refresh and then go out again at night.

 

[Andy too]

We take a break every afternoon. Usually the kids don't nap (although closer to the end of our trip they do). Just lay down in the AC, watch TV, have a swim.

Saves on food$, too.

 

[lustergirl]

We definitely take a mid-afternoon break. Being from the north we are not used to the heat. We usually hit the parks around 10am, stay for lunch at that particular park and head back to the resort. The boys go swimming, my husband wanders around meeting other people (he is quite the conversationalist), and I usually collapse in the air-conditioned room for a mid-day snooze. Then we head back to the park that has the extra magic hours going on and enjoy the rest of the night.

 

[Terk-1]

I do, even when I'm on a solo trip. I'm an early riser anyway, so I'm always at the parks early. I'll stay until lunch (or shortly after), then head back to my resort for a swim and a rest, then head for a different park around 4-5pm. This way I get a second wind and am not so tired by 7-8pm at night.

 

[jimmalru80]

We always take breaks. We have never opened and closed a park without leaving for a break. It's just too long a day for us. We park hop, and the break allows us to rest, shower and change for dinner. Our trips have been in June, July or August and it's tough for us to go all day in the heat.

 

[damom2daboyz]

I work night shift and it is horrible trying to switch over to being awake during the day. So, we hit the parks for the emh, then back to the resort for my pm nap, and back to the park for late emh. It really helps me get thru vacation and transition back to work.

 

[grinningghost]

Always!

We go in summer when it's super hot and rainy. We've learned it's much nicer to get back to the hotel BEFORE the rain really gets going. Sloshing through puddles just gets old quick.

I have MS and all that walking and heat is tough on me. I need that afternoon siesta so I can party all night later on!

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

No breaks for us. We go either in November or February so the heat is not really an issue for us.

 

[Loves Disney]

I voted "No!" even though for us it is more of a "Kinda". We come back to the hotel before we head out for dinner and in that time we get ready to head out again, put our bags down, and take care of any other business there is to take care of. Sometimes we'd sit out on the balconies at the Grand Floridian Resort! (weeee!) lol. Anyway, we don't stop for breaks, we just happen to eat dinner at some nice places and after a hard day's walk around the parks, a good clean up is in order lol. We take in as much Disney as possible and to be honest, we don't get tired!

I know some people get tired during the day, but not us....!!! lol. We take advantage of the EMH evenings and mornings so we generally go to sleep rather late and get up rather early. From then on...it's "go, go, go!!".

I consider us lucky that we can do this and still have time to "stop and smell the roses." We don't pass by the little, yet equally important aspects of WDW and for that I am happy! "Carpe Diem!"

 

[robinb]

We always take a break. My DH can't stand to stay in the parks all day!

 

[eclectics]

We don't get to go down to WDW a lot and when we do go we like to stay at least 10 days, so we have the luxury of not having to commando the parks. No kids to entertain either, so a break is very nice if only to stretch your legs out and give the tired dogs some rest. We're also not as young as we used to be!

 

[ryanmilla]

Used to do all day, but that was before we had kids. Also, we would get in when the rest of the crowds were getting in, so it took us longer to do the parks.

Now, that we have little ones (DD5 & DS2), we are there at opening and gone just after lunch. Usually back in the evening. However, with this schedule, since we are there at opening, we still get to do everything we want to do. I don't know what I would do there the rest of the day.....ok, maybe I'm kidding there, I know exactly what I would do, more of everything.

But the break is great for the kids. Keeps kids and DW and I from getting cranky.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

We took afternoon breaks when DD was 3. She is not one to fall asleep in the stroller though.

In September I only have 2 days where we are staying past lunch. That is for AK and MGM. For AK we are going to try and stay all day and watch the parade. For MGM we are going to stay until we are done, but not stay for Fantasmic. We have an ADR at Mama Melrose for lunch that day so that will be a nice break.

The other days we wil take a break at the hotel (nap for DS;swim for DD) and then hop to a different park. DS will be 14 months and he will fall asleep in the stroller when tired. Our evenings just consist of an ADR and the evening parade/fireworks/show and taking our time. We won't be rushing around trying to ride rides.

I hope this plan works out well for us. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Randy K]

I think there is a little more to this answer than just yes or no. If you have small children than I think the answer will always be yes out of necessity if you don't then I would say if the trip is for 6 days or less than definately no because there is too much to do and traveling back and forth and taking breaks does eat up alot of time. If you are staying 7 days or longer than breaks for at least a few of the days would be advisible to not burn yourself out. We also take breaks at the parks. I don't feel you have to go back to the hotel to take a break and then you don't waste all that extra travel time.

 

[FanofG00fy]

We are Breakers!!!

We are up early, hit everything hard, then around 11:30...12:00....it's hotel time! I absolutely Love Love Love my afternoon Break.

We usually grab a quick snack at the resorts food court. Then we go back to the room, eat, and BF lounges out on the bed and turns on the tv. I take off my shoes, let my feet air out and sip a cold soda. Peace. This time I'm going to have a portable DVD player...so movies will be playing. Sometimes, we talk about what we could have done different to get some more in, and sometimes we sit around just talk about the wonderful time we just had. I'll soak my feet in Epsom salt.....aaahhhhhh Then freshen up...decide where we are going.

Around 4....we head back out....People with very tired children and very tired themselves are getting off the bus, as we get back on. We call our breaks "Our together times" or "Get-back-to-the-room-so-I-don't-loose-my-mind times"

Absolutely am crazy about my breaks!!!

 

[mikesdisneymom]

no way i would't do that for the world