Son likes to sleep, how to do all we want without rope-drop?

[cinnderly]

Our previous trips we hit rope-drop most mornings, swam and napped afternoons, and went back out at night. We've always gone in August, so that was a good strategy for dealing with the heat as well as for getting on the rides we wanted.

This August we are going back after 4 years. My son is 15 now, and we are going the week between the end of summer camp and the beginning of school. At camp he gets up at 7 every morning, and for school we are up at 6, so he will definitely not be wanting to get up early. Plus he's a sleepy teen anyway. What strategy should I employ? The last time we were there we were among the few magicband testers, and we used FP+ for 3 days. I'm sure it's changed some. I know there is a thread with all of the FP+ info, which I will peruse, but I would love to know what people who don't do rope-drop do with FP+, regular fast pass, days to avoid parks, etc.

Any help will be much appreciated, thanks!

 

[uccats97]

I would sleep in and make your 3 FP+ choices in consecutive hours starting with the time you plan to arrive in the park (ex:12, 1 & 2) You can make a 4th FP+ as soon as you redeem your 3rd. You can continue making additional FP+ as long as there are FP+ available. Stay on property and buy park hoppers. Start in a non extra magic hours park then hop to the park with evening extra magic hours. Those are the best once your kids hit their night owl stage.

 

[cinnderly]

Thanks! We are on property with hoppers, and evening EMH is a definite.

 

[pens4821]

I would have a talk with him. Let him know how much you could get done by being up early. Let him know that there will be time in the afternoon to take little nap if need be. Also throw in that the heat will be less early.

If he isn't having it, then make the FP starting around 11/12, but let him know just how hot it'll be and how much less you'll get done. If he's into doing a lot, I'm sure he'll be ok with getting up. If he just wants to take a sleep in relaxing trip, that's ok too.

I was never (and still not) a morning person. However, when it came to doing fun things on vacation I've always been ok with getting up.

You could also think about going early and having him meet you. Only you know your kid and know if that would be a good idea or not.

 

[Karin1984]

Who are the others in this story? What is their opinion and rhythm? If you have younger children who are up early and want to go to the park, you need a good reason for them to explain they can't yet because their brother likes to sleep.

I agree with Pens and talk to him. It depends on the teen, but if possible, I would let him meet you.

 

[cinnderly]

Who are the others in this story? What is their opinion and rhythm? If you have younger children who are up early and want to go to the park, you need a good reason for them to explain they can't yet because their brother likes to sleep.

I agree with Pens and talk to him. It depends on the teen, but if possible, I would let him meet you.

It's just me and my son. Single mom.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I'd ask him first what he wants to do before assuming he won't get up for rope drop. He might surprise you!

 

[buzzrelly]

Personally, I would let him sleep in and tell him to text me when he's ready and we could arrange a place to meet. I am up at the crack of dawn, Disney or not, so to sit around for hours waiting for someone to wake up and get moving would irritate me.

Take advantage of one of the nicer aspects of having a teenager…giving him (and yourself!) more freedom

 

[cinnderly]

I'd ask him first what he wants to do before assuming he won't get up for rope drop. He might surprise you!

We've already talked about it. And I know him, haha

 

[cinnderly]

Personally, I would let him sleep in and tell him to text me when he's ready and we could arrange a place to meet. I am up at the crack of dawn, Disney or not, so to sit around for hours waiting for someone to wake up and get moving would irritate me.

Take advantage of one of the nicer aspects of having a teenager…giving him (and yourself!) more freedom

I'm not the most morning of people, haha. I should clarify I don't intend to let him sleep all day, but probably until 10 or so.

It's there anyone who could give advice that has toured this way before? I know there have been many debates on the merits of sleeping in and getting up early, is love to hear from folks who are able to get everything in without getting up very early. Thanks!

 

[melanielll]

I agree with the letting him meet you strategy. He's old enough to drive (at least in most states),so he should be old enough to sleep in and meet you later.

I remember a particular incident when my kids were teenagers. My youngest was whining about being tired and wanting to go back to the room. Everyone else was still wanting to do things. So I told her to go back to the room. She looked stunned. I repeated it, and she refused. Apparently she wasn't that tired and hated the idea of us having fun while she was lying in bed watching Degrassi on her tablet (which was what she was planning on doing). So I told her she could either go back to the room or stay with us and stop whining. She stayed and stopped whining. It was a glorious parenting moment. Yes - you have to pay their auto insurance when they are teens - but you can send them away (short-term) without being arrested!

 

[Karin1984]

It's just me and my son. Single mom.

Power to the single moms who take their children to Disney!
I'm a bit like Buzzrelly, I get annoyed when I have to wait for people to wake up and get ready, but if you do not mind, or can entertain yourself in the hotel lobby, near the pool, etc. then you could also wait. I would then stay at the resort till lunch, go to park and have lunch in an air conditioned space, schedule your 3 FP and stay to close. Next day: Repeat.

You've already talked to him, I see, what did he say? Getting fun things done or sleep?

I usually get the feeling that those who tour in the afternoon are the people who go to WDW more often and/or do not mind if they don't ride everything, because there is always next time.

 

[Klayfish]

I know I am in the minority here, but we never rope drop anymore. Everyone has their own opinion, but for our family, it's a waste. I am, however, in the camp of if rope drop is what you REALLY want to do, then don't give him a choice. You're the parent, you're footing the bill, he will need to deal with it. But if neither of you are really early morning people, then why bother? I get up at 4am during a normal work week and 8am on a normal weekend. When I'm in WDW, no way in the world do I want to get up at 6am. Not happening. If you're going to be able to stay later, then you're really not missing anything by not doing rope drop.

You can still get plenty accomplished. Hopefully you know which rides are more crowded than others. We simply get FP+ for the more popular rides, and we get them early. So for example, if we plan to get to the park by 9:30am, we'll have a FP+ for 10am, 11am, noon. As soon as we get in line for the noon FP+, we jump on MDE and grab another one. Then we'll spend the afternoon on things that traditionally don't have long lines, sprinkled in with any additional FP+ we can get. Great example in MK is something like Mickeys' Philharmagic. Afternoon is a perfect time to see that, especially in the summer. Many of the other lines are long, it's hot out. Mickey has a very short wait, it's dark and air conditioned. Same with Ariel. If you can stay toward park closing, you'll get as much done in the last hour the park is open as you would in the first hour...and you don't have to stand there with the rest of the flock outside the gates for an hour.

So my $.02...don't sweat it. You'll get plenty done, just use FP+ and know which rides need it and which don't. We haven't done rope drop in years and have no plans to in the future (except water parks, because they open later).

 

[goofy4tink]

It depends on when you want to get up and start the day. If you stay in until late morning, it's going to be brutally hot/humid when you start out. But, if you're both willing to deal with that, then fine. I would be very tempted to have a nice big breakfast, perhaps a brunch type thing, then head out. Your ds is old enough to know what he wants to do, so getting around the parks will be easier, vs having a 6 y/o who wants to see everything, do everything!!! Sit and discuss exactly what you both want to do...then focus on those things. That allows you plenty of time to sit and relax. Head back to the resort around dinner-time. Hit the pool, stretch out, relax. Grab a bite to eat. Then, head back to a park that night and stay until park closing.

 

[mom2rtk]

I probably wouldn't take a late sleeper to Disney in the summer. The afternoon heat is when I want to escape indoors.

 

[cinnderly]

Power to the single moms who take their children to Disney!
I'm a bit like Buzzrelly, I get annoyed when I have to wait for people to wake up and get ready, but if you do not mind, or can entertain yourself in the hotel lobby, near the pool, etc. then you could also wait. I would then stay at the resort till lunch, go to park and have lunch in an air conditioned space, schedule your 3 FP and stay to close. Next day: Repeat.

You've already talked to him, I see, what did he say? Getting fun things done or sleep?

I usually get the feeling that those who tour in the afternoon are the people who go to WDW more often and/or do not mind if they don't ride everything, because there is always next time.

He definitely wants to sleep!
Honestly, the thought of getting up really early isn't so appealing to me either. I don't mind letting him meet me at the parks if there is something I want to do before he's up, but I'm wondering how I can make sure he gets to ride everything, and that we get to do stuff together. This will likely be our last time doing Disney until he has his own kids, so I want to hang with him as much as we can.

If I schedule the 3 FP+, aren't they tiered, therefore making it impossible to get a FP for all the rides we want?

 

[cinnderly]

I know I am in the minority here, but we never rope drop anymore. Everyone has their own opinion, but for our family, it's a waste. I am, however, in the camp of if rope drop is what you REALLY want to do, then don't give him a choice. You're the parent, you're footing the bill, he will need to deal with it. But if neither of you are really early morning people, then why bother? I get up at 4am during a normal work week and 8am on a normal weekend. When I'm in WDW, no way in the world do I want to get up at 6am. Not happening. If you're going to be able to stay later, then you're really not missing anything by not doing rope drop.

You can still get plenty accomplished. Hopefully you know which rides are more crowded than others. We simply get FP+ for the more popular rides, and we get them early. So for example, if we plan to get to the park by 9:30am, we'll have a FP+ for 10am, 11am, noon. As soon as we get in line for the noon FP+, we jump on MDE and grab another one. Then we'll spend the afternoon on things that traditionally don't have long lines, sprinkled in with any additional FP+ we can get. Great example in MK is something like Mickeys' Philharmagic. Afternoon is a perfect time to see that, especially in the summer. Many of the other lines are long, it's hot out. Mickey has a very short wait, it's dark and air conditioned. Same with Ariel. If you can stay toward park closing, you'll get as much done in the last hour the park is open as you would in the first hour...and you don't have to stand there with the rest of the flock outside the gates for an hour.

So my $.02...don't sweat it. You'll get plenty done, just use FP+ and know which rides need it and which don't. We haven't done rope drop in years and have no plans to in the future (except water parks, because they open later).

Great advice, thank you! Getting to the parks around 10 or so, coming back around dinner, heading out until closing is exactly what I imagined. We have park hoppers, and I was thinking we could schedule our FP+ for the evening park. Will we still be able to get FP's at the park we hit in the late morning? Are the only FP's available to us the ones we schedule ahead of time?

 

[cinnderly]

It depends on when you want to get up and start the day. If you stay in until late morning, it's going to be brutally hot/humid when you start out. But, if you're both willing to deal with that, then fine. I would be very tempted to have a nice big breakfast, perhaps a brunch type thing, then head out. Your ds is old enough to know what he wants to do, so getting around the parks will be easier, vs having a 6 y/o who wants to see everything, do everything!!! Sit and discuss exactly what you both want to do...then focus on those things. That allows you plenty of time to sit and relax. Head back to the resort around dinner-time. Hit the pool, stretch out, relax. Grab a bite to eat. Then, head back to a park that night and stay until park closing.

I don't look forward to a long August afternoon outside, but I think we can make it work. The big breakfast, out until dinner, back to park until closing is my ideal.

 

[Klayfish]

Make your FP+ reservations as soon as your time window opens (60 days out, I believe). That way you can pick the things you want. Yes, there are tiers, but some are more restrictive than others. MK for example gives you lots and lots of choices (I don't recall, but it may not even be tiered). Epcot is a pain, as Soarin', Test Track and FEA are in the same tier and you can only pick one. Anyway, book as much as you can 60 days out. Then like I mentioned, as soon as you get in line for your 3rd FP+ of the day, hit MDE and go grab another. You won't get 7DMT or FEA, but you'll be surprised how many top tier rides you can still get. We "tour" a lot like you mentioned. We get to the park typically sometime between 9am and 10am. We'll stay until mid-afternoon or whenever we just feel like we're done and head back to the condo (we stay offsite). Then if we feel like it, we'll go back at night...or if we're tired, we just chill at the pool. We also have days where we plan to get to the park at 4pm and stay until 10 or 11pm. Those days we sleep in, have a lazy breakfast, hit the pool, take a nap, then head for the park.

Summer afternoons really aren't that big of a deal if you plan it right. Sure, you don't want to be standing in some outdoor line for an hour that has no shade. The line for Tomorrowland Speedway comes to mind, that one is hot. But there are SO many rides that are in the a/c, and/or the standby queue is indoors or at least in cool shade. It's pretty easy to plan for that.

 

[clutter]

Single mom, only kid - dd19. She and I did a number of trips together, it's a great way to spend time together! Like your son, she didn't really want to get up early. (The one time she really tried, she just went through the motions until around 11.) So in almost all of our trips, we went later. Even in August. We skipped the nap/swim thing, did our extra rest in the morning (I'd bring a book and got a cup of coffee and really relaxed while she slept in - heaven!) Then we'd do what ever we felt like doing. We'd have ADRs somewhere for dinner and work around them. We had a blast!

So, I'd recommend making the skeleton of your trip. Both of you should make a list of the things you each absolutely want to do and work around them. Make some ADRs, if you are doing that. Have a early dinner/late lunch instead of those mid-day naps. Work some fastpasses around the meals. And then just go with the flow the rest of the time. The best part of the trip will be hanging out together, and sometimes its those spontaneous things that just make it more fun. I do, however, recommend hoppers. For two of you, it's not that much more and it will give you more freedom.

As for fastpasses, it looks like you are going in late August. That's a great time for lower crowds. If you're only doing 4 days, it's tougher to get everything done. But if you are there for longer, you'll be fine. Of the FPs available, pick the ones that are the most important!