Should we add the extra day?

[entirelysplendid]

My daughter will be 6 1/2 when we head to Disney World for her very first trip. We are super excited!! As of now we have reserved 6 nights at a deluxe resort with a 5 day park hopper pass (we are driving, so arrival and departure dates are only 1/2 days without a trip into the parks). Now that I am scheduling ADRs and planning the days I am starting to think it might be a good thing to add one more day onto the trip (leaving Sunday instead of Saturday) --- we want to be able to spend mornings in the parks, come back (for 3-4 hour) rests (and pool time) in the afternoon and then some evening activities back in the parks. We are not doing any water parks. The cost of that additional night is not small, but maybe it is worth the extra day? I am looking for advice/suggestions from families with younger children --- what would you do? Would you add the extra day (even if it means maybe canceling a pre-paid event or two?) Even if our daughter doesn't nap during the day, daily downtime will be good (out of crowds and heat for a bit) and allow us to have some fun int he early evenings. I am trying to schedule things so we don't feel rushed. Thoughts on adding the day/night?

Thank you!!

 

[Happyinwonerland]

What time will you be arriving? We drive down and go straight into MK, And just check into our hotel after we're done for the night. Could you do that? that way you could get in an extra half day without adding a night's stay, and could keep your ADRs.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Is this your first trip to Disney world? Trekking back and forth to the room each day for breaks sounds exhausting. So much time taken up just traveling to and from. Your odds of making it back every evening are slim.

 

[jsantini]

We go about once a year. Even before traveling with kids, we take afternoon breaks and it works really well for us. I wouldn't add the extra day if it means losing money on prepaid events plus the cost of another night, but I would do a relaxed pace even with 5 park days. A stressful vacation pace is really hard with a child. Even with the breaks, you can see a lot in 5 days. We do a half park day on arrival too. Don't forget that time at your resort is part if what you are paying for too, and is a valuable part of a Disney vacation.

 

[sharona]

Mid day breaks are essential to a happy rested family. No point in spending all the money and all that time planning only to end up with a tired cranky group who aren't enjoying anything.

 

[Nancyg56]

We plan breaks but that works for us. I would not add a day if you are giving up event you have paid for.

 

[quakechicago]

I'm not sure what you've prepaid for but I am always up for an extra day and night at Disney. We play hard and the husband needs the rest even if the (now 4 yo) kiddo doesn't. If you can swing it, I would. There is never enough time to see and do everything unless you stay for a month and never slow down.

It also depends though on where you're staying and when. If you are going during Halloween or Christmas parties you can do one of them instead of paying for an extra hopper day and have a hotel morning/rest or hit DTD or the outlets for a shopping trip.

 

[entirelysplendid]

Thank you, everyone, for your replies! I have a couple of prepaid ADR's, but I realize now that the $$ is refunded if I cancel in time. I am not wedded to our Hoop Dee Doo dinner reservation, so I could take that $ and apply it to the extra day/night. I feel like afternoon breaks are going to be good for our family. I wish we could do a 1/2 day when we arrive, but after a 9 hour drive I think we will want to stay around the resort. Hmmmm, lots to consider. I really appreciate everyone's different perspectives - thank you again for the replies. (My sister just reminded me that if we decide to add and extra day, it will also give us one more opportunity to maybe catch that elusive CRT reservation I'd love to have, but I know that is a loooong shot and not a real reason to add an extra day!)

 

[Nancyg56]

If your events are refundable, then take the extra day. AS I said, we like breaks during the day, but we usually make RD, and then are back out til late. Even when my DGD was young, we used the evenings as part of the trip.

ON our first trip back since the kids were young, we skipped the dinner shows. The only "extra" we paid for was teh Sunrise Safari, and it was worth everypenny. We made plenty of ADR's but that was it. WE saved teh shows for the next trip.

If you want to add teh additional night, think about going to Fort WIlderness for dinner at Trails End. It is reasonable priced, and then Chip and Dales Campfire SIng a Long. It is FREE!!!! My DGD loved FW when we took her to the BBQ (A colossal waste of money for us). I wish we had gone to teh sing a long instead.

 

[tinkerbesh]

I would totally add the extra day, even at the expense of an event. It will make your day to day so much more relaxed. You'll get more quantity AND quality overall.

 

[Thing 1]

If you can swing the money, an extra day is great. The money is the hotel and food, extra days on the tickets are super cheap. We drive about 10 hours and we always do a late afternoon/evening in Epcot on arrival day. Its the most layed back park for us and we make it an early night. We too often take a break mid-day, but not 3-4 hours. About two hours total and not every single day. We do an early night sometimes too if we skip a nap.

 

[han22735]

I too agree using any possible excuse to add the extra day..I just added 2 extra days to our January trip just to save on airfare

 

[entirelysplendid]

Oh my gosh, you all have been a great help. I just added the extra day/night - yay! Thank you again!