stay at parks all day with young kids???

[happy-go-lucky]

Hi all,
This will be our first trip to WDW with a 4, 7, & 8 yr. old. We will be staying 6 days. I'm trying to plan our itinerary with lunches and dinners as well. Do most of you with young children stay at the parks all day or do you go back for naps/swim/cool down? I feel like we will never get to do everything if we go back midday but I also don't want 3 miserable children. Advice on what seems to work best please.........

 

[MareSINY]

We always take breaks. We hit the parks early in the morning, stay until 1 or so, and then head back to the hotel for a couple of hours. The girls don't nap, but we just give us all a break from the parks, and then we'll return later in the evening around 5 or so, and stay for about 3 - 4 more hours.

I personally don't try to do everything and see everything, because I know it's not possible. I just see what I want to see, and everything else is just a bonus. Nothing is worse than trying to do a trip with a family if worn out whiney kids. LOL We try to keep everyone happy.

 

[MHTeacher]

I sometimes feel like I'm in the minority on this napping/swimming thing here on this board. We have taken our DDs three times in the past 5 years. The first time they were 5 and 7; second trip, they were 7 and 9; this past time, they were 9 and 11. We rarely go back to the hotel to swim, or nap. But my girls are used to going, going, going all the time. You know your kids better than anyone. If they are used to naps, and resting, then you might want to return in the afternoon. But if they're like mine, go all day.

Have a wonderful first trip!

 

[fanofdisney]

I would suggest a break- you won't miss much if you leave for just an hour or two. I need breaks myself!

 

[aka-mad4themouse]

My kids are 14 & 16 and we still take a mid-day break of some sort. Why? Because it's hot, we're tired and the crowds reach their peak in the afternoon.

So, we usually return to our resort at mid-day and hang at the pool, shower & nap or just find a cool place for a late lunch/early dinner. It helps to recharge everyone's batteries. We return to the parks in the late afternoon (after the parades) and then stay until closing.

If you're little one is accustomed to a nap or "quiet time" in the afternoon, getting away from the over-stimulation and heat of the parks is usually a good idea. No one has a good time if a preschooler is having a meltdown.

 

[G's mommy]

Also depends on time of year you are visiting and the weather. We find that in the summer months, you really need some kind of break from the heat during the day. My son is also one that has been able to go and go all day, he is almost 10 now so naps and resting are not even in the picture for him. If we go back during the day, it's normally around 4:00 or so, swim and chill out, then head back for evening activities.

 

[MelanieC]

We have never done the "nap" or break thing and it's always worked well for us. When our kids were littlier they would nap in the stroller while DH & I would take breaks doing baby swaps. We find it more tiring to travel from a park to the hotel and then back later. We find it more restful to have 2 sit down meals and rest by doing relaxing attractions in the afternoon.

 

[KimR]

I'm with MHTeacher, we've never take nap/swim breaks. When the kids are very young (4 and under), they've always napped in the stroller and by the time they are 5 or so they are ready to go all day - and I mean early morning to late at night. That's just my kids, though; as long as they are doing something interesting they can go, go, go. However, we do take small mini-breaks to sit down with a snack or just to rest a bit. Also, in the later afternoon, we'll give them the option of whether they want to keep going or go back to the room to freshen up and relax a bit before dinner. I'd say about half the time at least one of them will want to go back. I'd play it by ear and see how your kids do. When we first started going to WDW, I thought for sure they'd need breaks and naps but their stamina amazed me. They actually have more energy than DH does.

 

[loveysbydesign]

We're going for the 1st time in May with ds-7 and dd-almost 4 and I think a break will make my kiddos grumpier because they'll be angry that we're leaving the park! We're planning to just take the afternoons easy while in the parks, e.g sit on a bench and have snacks while people watching etc. However if they do get too hot and cranky we will gladly retire to our condo at Windsor Hills since it's not too far away!

 

[kerry34]

I have found, with my kids, that it greatly depends on each child. In my group of 5 kids, I have 3 that could easily go all day and night. When my oldest two kids were 5 and 3 yrs of age we could easily go all day long. My 10 yr old son is fine now but when he was small he needed naps so couldnt have gone all day. My 6 yr old twins are complete opposites, 1 could go all day and the other has had enough by early afternoon. In my experiences, you will most likely have to play it by ear. Maybe the best thing you can do is assume that you may have to take breaks during the day and wait and see. If everyone is cheery and having a great time during the afternoon then keep going. If not then plan accordingly. That is pretty much how I do it. We have had days where the kids wanted to go back to the pool and swim and others where they wanted to stay in the park all day long. It is very tough to predict something like this because there are so many variables, like
the weather, if it is hot you get tired easier, the crowds, how the kids slept the night before, etc etc. Good luck and have a great trip!

 

[3mickeys&me]

We always just stay at the park. We save pool time at night when we get back. My younger one just napped in the stroller. Do whatever works best for your family.

 

[rie'smom]

My family and I have been going to the parks for over 24 years and we have never taken breaks. My kids have always wanted to stay in the parks.
Now on my first trip with my parents-in 1973- I wanted to swim at the hotel but of course back then WDW consisted of the MK.
In this case, I would note how your kids are feeling. Believe me, you'll know whether or not you need to take a break!

 

[madalex]

I need the mid-day break more than my kids do, but they clamor for it as well. They don't want to be in the park from open to close and they love going back to the hotel to rest or swim.

Also, as someone else said, don't even try to "do everything." I don't think it can be done in 6 days at WDW, especially if this is your first trip. Do as much as you feel comfortable with, given your children and how they are reacting to it all. But trying to "do everything" just adds to the stress of what is supposed to be a fun filled, family vacation.

 

[pixiepower1971]

If the weather is cool we do not take breaks at the hotel. If it is hot we do sometimes take a break but often times we find getting on TTA , riding UOE , or other a/c shows /rides in the hot part of the day is enough to recharge us. We also find park hopping helps as well. The down time while hopping helps us recharge and we are ready to go. My girls are sun up to sun down on the go all the time kids. A lot will depend on what your kids like.

 

[deedeetoo]

We have never taken breaks. We have been 3 times with kids. First with dd when she was 18 months, then again a year later when she was 2.5, then when dd was 5 and ds was 2. Our kids have always napped easily in the stroller so we never felt the need to leave the parks. Usually when they fall asleep dh and I find a place in the shade and then take turns going off and doing things that the other one doesn't really care for.

But we are also not late night people. My kids never make it past about 9pm so a very late night would have us heading back to the hotel at 8pm at the latest. So yes, we never see fireworks or the late shows that so many people seem to love. I guess since I've never seen them, I don't miss them, but if you really planned on staying late I can see where a midday break would be necessary.

 

[fitzperry]

I would suggest a break- you won't miss much if you leave for just an hour or two. I need breaks myself!

But how do you leave for just an hour or two? Unless of course, you're at the MK and staying on the monorail, or at Epcot and staying at an Epcot resort. On our most recent trip, we stayed at POFQ, and by the time we got out of the park, on a bus, and back to our room, it had already been about an hour. We did take breaks on a couple of days when it was particularly hot and the kids were getting kind of unruly, but I often find that it's easier and just as refreshing to find a quiet place to sit down and have a cool drink or visit an air-conditioned attraction. Actually, I love sitting in the shade watching the world go by while my kids have a snack and blow off a little steam (or nap in the stroller, though those days are almost behind me).

 

[southernbella]

Hi, We are those folks that are at the parks from the moment it opens to the moment it closes. Our little ones are 5 & 17 months. We plan a late afternoon "find a shady spot & chill out for awhile" time. DH (or I) can use this time to do things that the others don't want to, or go get surprise gifts. The little one takes a nap & I make our 5 year old sit down, eat something & rest. Our last trip we had the inlaws with us. Several days we didn't make it to the parks until a few hours after they opened. personally, I didn't like it, but the inlaws didn't mind. Like other posters said, you know your family best. Sbella

 

[lillygator]

we never do full days...my girls are not stroller nappers and while they are used to being on the go...when we go to Disney I don't want to be on the go...it's a vacation. We usually head back to the resort for a few hours in the afternoon to swim....nap...etc....and then back into the parks for dinner.

We also like to "use" the resort.... We are just not a commando vacation style family....I'm even thinking of changing it up and sleeping in...hanging out at the pools in the afternoon and then going into the parks at night!

 

[jann1033]

we have never done the go back and nap routine but we also go off season so less heat and less crowds...we go at opening and usually are done by dinner /closing time ( except epcot ) and eat dinner at a resort.

if we went from opening and the closeing was midnight i could see wanting a nap but it is so much running back and forth we always have just taken a long sit down lunch meal to rest mid day. that is when our kids were about you kids age and even now when we go kidless

imo offseason it just does not make sense to leave at 12 or so, it would take me at least 3-4 hrs to get back and forth, eat and even swim or take a cat nap...just not good to me...

plus i have a hard enough time sleeping the day before we leave so i'd be laying there staring at the ceiling wondering what i was missing listening to hubby snore the whole time! ( we are so like that family on the recent wdw commercial...wdw is the only place we ever get to earlier than anticipated cause none of us can sleep so we end up leaving early..we always drive)

 

[wdwlovers5]

I'm with you. I have taken my nephew now 5 since he was 1 year old and never took a break to go back to the room etc. When he was tired he would nap in his stroller and we would sit and people watch or eat (peacefully -haha). Once I get to the parks I don't ever want to leave nor does my nephew.