So am I doing it all wrong?

[amberpi]

If it works - it works, but that's very little park time. I'd skip the breakfast, grab something on the run and enjoy the relatively cooler morning hours. If you would like to enjoy the nighttime shows (lots of trips I see Illuminations every freaking night!), perhaps just do them on EMH hour nights when the park clears out and your DH wouldn't have to deal with the crowds and the kids could stay up and enjoy the parks more as well as the cooler temps?

Again though, if you love your vacations - that's all that matters! I do think you could have some more park time with little change to how your day "feels."

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

Your touring plan doesn't sound fun to me at all. But that's just not how I tour.

So long as it works for you guys, that's what counts.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

If you are content with your experience that is all that matters. We are not commando but I have to say, with the price of park tickets, if we spent just 3 hours in the parks and didn't stay for the nighttime shows I wouldn't feel it was worth it. We do rope drop, have an early lunch in the park and leave between noon and 1:30. Back to the resort for swim or nap, early dinners, usually between 5 and 6 and stay through the night time shows. There may be a few days at the end of the week that we get a slightly later start or leave just before the fireworks if we've seen them earlier in the week. Some trips we may have a day that we don't go to a park at all. It's a very personal thing though. It doesn't sound like your kids or DH wants to change how you do Disney so I would just leave well enough alone.

Your way of doing Disney is similar to my way. I love rope drop because there are fewer people at the parks and hardly any lines. I also like to be at park closings to see the night time shows and ride rides. But I am not in my 20s anymore! I can't do rope drop and park closing for days in a row. My kids (even as teens) couldn't do it either. We are mid day break people, and we all take naps! We still get 8 or 9 hours of park time a day. The cost of tickets is too high for us not to maximize our park time! And we always take a day off from the parks mid week to just relax and unwind.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

If that's how you enjoy your WDW vacation, then that's all that matters!

 

[ToddyLu]

This is how we do Disney

Spend a lot of money on DVC
Spend a lot of money on APs
Spend a lot of money on TS
Sit in the room enjoying a drink while watching animals walk in front of balcony
As I have stated in other threads, watch Alaska State Troopers on Nat Geo
Eat as many M&Ms as possible
Get up by accident like it is a work day, remember I am at Disney, SMILE, and go back to bed
Maybe, just maybe a ride or two

Worth every freakin penny....59 days to go, but who is counting...

 

[AngiTN]

As other have said, if you are happy doing it your way that's all that matters.
It does sound very inefficient so if it's other ideas you are after, then there are some changes I'd make
The simplest is why do you eat at 9:00 and then tour? That puts you eating when it's cooler, touring when it's hotter. Since you say your DH/DS hate the heat why do that?
Why not hit the park at opening, tour a couple of hours and then eat?
And additionally, I can't fathom how you get anything in the parks done. If that is what works for you, great. Wouldn't work for us, that's for sure.
I'd head back to the parks after dinner and shut them down. Again, much cooler then.

I'm definitely in the why bother going to Disney if you aren't spending any time in the parks to speak of group. If a nice hotel is all you are after you can do that anywhere. But, I'm not pay for it so doesn't really matter what I think I suppose. Other than you did ask

I too have a DH that isn't much for mornings. But he's even less about heat. Since we are limited to summer for trips with DGD he realizes the importance of getting up early. Then he naps while DGD and I swim.

 

[DaisyJ]

I can stay in a hotel and swim a heck of a lot cheaper and a heck of a lot closer to home. We go to Disney to be IN the parks, not the pool.

But if that is what you like, eh. You aren't asking me to pay for your trip.

 

[DisneyOma]

Play in the hotel room, swim in a pool where the water is the temperature of pee? Can't you do that pretty much anywhere in August? Why bother spending that much money to do it at WDW? Do WDW during a cooler time of the year?

 

[nautical05]

I think each family is different. Your plan seems to work for your family. We get to the parks early in the morning and spend very little time at the resort. We love how we do it but it may not be the right thing for everyone!

 

[GeraldineW]

I agree with everyone that it is your vacation and if you are happy with it then you are “doing it right” however you are not maximizing park time which is the goal of many guests. With that said you did mention how hot hot hot it is in August and you do not seem to be maximizing the coolest hours of the day for park touring. If you were inclined to make some changes I would suggest you be at the park for 9am when it is a bit cooler, when crowds are lower, instead of at a character breakfast. Even if you don’t want to get up “early” for emh if you are already up at a character breakfast you could already be up at at the park. Move the character breakfast to 10:30 or better yet f you are inclined to lunch. We find that in the August heat it is nice to have an air conditioned break for lunch and pool time but that the earlier morning hours are better for park touring as are the evening hours.

 

[cole4/25]

My touring is different - not better or worse. But I agree with what everyone else said....whatever works for you & your family! As long as you are all happy at the end of the day or end of the trip, that's what counts!
My family & I have always pretty much done the same thing - go in Jan or Feb, no RD, to parks by 10 maybe 11 & always DP & 1 TS a day & stay till we drop & then do it all again!! We leave in 21 days (so much later than usual) & due to new traveling companions the trip will be & has to be very different. I'm trying to be ok with that.....but as long as our newbie Disney travelers come back saying it was great then I'll be happy!! So my ppint is touring plans change - even with in households! As long as everyone has fun then no one is doing it better!!
Your trip will be magical as long as everyone leaves happy. The way you do it & anyone else will always be different but no one is right. Just have fun with what you know!!

 

[pens4821]

If that's what you like, then continue to do it. I think you could save money by going somewhere else and relaxing by the pool all day, but if you're fine with the expense and relaxing all day keep doing that.

If I were you and couldn't do heat, I'd make a long weekend trip in the winter and spend most the days in the park. Then in the summer go somewhere else and relax by the pool all day (I would do the beach myself).

 

[srwarden1928]

The "schedule" OP described sounds like my schedule at the BEACH. Spend most time at the resort, especially pool (and beach), take in a few attractions when in the mood, eat some terrific food every day, don't worry about what time to get up. It can be a very nice, enjoyable, and relaxing vacation. It is most definitely NOT what I would consider doing at Disney. WDW tickets are the most expensive attraction tickets I have ever purchased for anywhere. In order to feel that I have gotten my money's worth for these expensive tickets, I maximize my time in Disney parks. I DO enjoy the terrific food at Disney (and anywhere else I happen to travel). But at Disney I focus on parks first and other things down the list.

I am not on your vacation, and I am not paying for it. I understand OP's type of vacation and enjoy it; I just do that type of trip at SPB. I would be miserable with that type of trip at Disney. Of course I wouldn't do the afternoon breaks that many on the boards swear by at Disney. I have been in every season (not every month) and understand about the heat. It gets hot at home. There are much cheaper places to swim. If I am at Disney, I am at the parks for as much time as possible. Certainly each family should do what works for them, since they are paying for their vacation. OP asked for opinions--this is mine--worth no more or less than anyone else's.

 

[Uncranky Donald]

KEEP HAVING FUN!!! Kids who love to chill in the cozy cool hotel room and not be up at the butt crack for rope drop, yes please!! Keep on keepin' on

 

[perditax]

Wow, I was kind of surprised how many people were willing to bluntly tell you you ARE doing it wrong. Gotta love the internet. This is why I never ask for feedback.

Anyway! I can only handle a few hours of theme park crowds per day myself. And I don't even go in August.

I also hate getting up early on vacation. The idea of getting up for rope drop and staying till the parks close sounds like a long, sweaty, painful day to me, and way too much work in the pursuit of "fun".

It sounds like you guys have a system that works for you. Don't worry about what other people do.

 

[adamreisinger]

I saw the word "August" and immediately thought "yes, you are doing it wrong," but time of year is entirely personal preference -- as is everything else about your trip. The only true "wrong" way to do WDW is to not do it at all. Whatever works for you and your family is how you should do it, whether that's spending all day in one park from rope drop to closing, bouncing between all four parks in one day, or just chilling poolside with a cool, refreshing adult beverage. I know there are ways I do WDW (example: DATW at Epcot in under 4 hours) that I would generally not recommend to anyone else, but I enjoy the heck out of them.

 

[IrishNYC]

That wouldn't work for me and my family, but if it works for you, who cares what I think?

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Wow, I was kind of surprised how many people were willing to bluntly tell you you ARE doing it wrong. Gotta love the internet. This is why I never ask for feedback.

Anyway! I can only handle a few hours of theme park crowds per day myself. And I don't even go in August.

I also hate getting up early on vacation. The idea of getting up for rope drop and staying till the parks close sounds like a long, sweaty, painful day to me, and way too much work in the pursuit of "fun".

It sounds like you guys have a system that works for you. Don't worry about what other people do.

I think you'll find that even those of us that said we weren't a fan of OP's style also pointed out that if it works for them then go for it.
When you ask a question that requires a personal opinion that is what you are going to get.
We are Disney fans here. We just have different styles.

 

[ellie05]

Do whatever works for you! But we don't do Disney like that at all. We are rope drop people, take mid day naps ( I am not going in any pool that has that many kids ever) and then return to the parks in the afternoon.

I am not a morning person, I make the exception at Disney because I hate waiting in lines more than waking up early. When we go on vacations we like to go an enjoy the place as much as we can. After all I can go to nicer hotels with better food someplace else for a much cheaper price. When we do take "relaxing" vacations it is not at Disney.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I am not a morning person, I make the exception at Disney because I hate waiting in lines more than waking up early. When we go on vacations we like to go an enjoy the place as much as we can. After all I can go to nicer hotels with better food someplace else for a much cheaper price. When we do take "relaxing" vacations it is not at Disney.

I'm right there with you. I am a night owl and don't do mornings very well. Never have. I always felt sick getting ready for school.
Disney is the exception.
I still tend to feel sick when I get up early but its worth it to get to the parks prior to RD and really enjoy the first couple hours when you can go on ride after ride with minimal wait. I mean come on this is what I get done in MK in the first couple hours usually... PP, IASW, HM, Mickey's Philharmagic, Winnie the Pooh, and Under the Sea.
At HS I can ride RNRC and TOT twice each in the first hour.
My thought is why go later and wait 2 or 3 times as long for those attractions?