This is going to sound stupid- but I'm serious!

[lmhall2000]

You guessed it...ponytail and little or no makeup- Have you ever gone camping? Once you see 25-50 families piling out of their tents at 7am- ya figure WHO CARES WHAT I LOOK LIKE? But the nice thing is after hanging out at the pool you've got that sunkissed glow- so ya just put a hat on, pony tail it, and slip on some light lipstick- oila! If I feel grimy from the pool I may slip into the shower for 3 minutes, dress and we're out the door. When I'm at Disney I'm more focused on looking at my children's smiles and reactions than how I look in the mirror! And of course ya know- men- they don't do much to make themselves "presentable".
But not a silly question in the least!!

 

[MrsPete]

If a mid-day swim is too much effort, just go back to the resort for naps and rest. Or let the kids play on the playground (no clothing change required).

As for hair, try a new hairstyle or a hat.

For yourself, you could probably get into the pool without getting your hair wet. I doubt the kids could manage that -- at least mine couldn't!

Make up -- I gave that up a couple years ago and I don't miss it a bit! Especially on vacation and especially in the Flordia heat!

 

[jel0511]

This is how I do it. When we get up, DH and I take a QUICK shower, no hair washing. The kids get dressed and off we go. We head back right after lunch and depending on how tired we are, either take a quick snooze or head right to the pool. We'll swim for a little bit if we hit the pool first, then take a quick snooze. Then EVERYONE gets showered (hairwash included here) and dressed and off to dinner. If we snoozed first, then swim and directly to baths and showers. I have VERY thick blond hair that takes FOREVER to dry. I really don't want to get up so early in the morning to deal with washing and drying on vacation, so I do it in the afternoon when I don't have to feel rushed. If I do wear makeup, it's in the evening only. My skin is also very sensitive, and if I wear makeup and SWEAT, its a recipe for disaster with my face. So, I don't wear it during the day, and at night, usually only mascara and some lip gloss. Once I've been in the sun for a day or so, I realy don't want to wear much, and it really doesn't match anyway!!!!

 

[GoofieRuthie]

We are all very low maintenance. I do like to dress up but not on vacation. We didn't do any fancy restaurants, so we went in our vacation attire. I have all one length hair, so I just wash it, brush it and throw in a head band. I didn't bother with a stitch of makeup either. We did come back to the room to rest every day, but I didn't always swim. The DH and I only swam twice the whole week. The older DDs swam most every day though. I'm the type of person that the pool not only relaxes me but it knocks me out. I wouldn't be worth a dime in the park after a nice swim. Not a stupid question at all. I think it's very valid. I can see where it would be way too much of a hassle to swim or nap if I had to spend so much time getting ready to go out. We are a family of 5 and I make the kids take a bath before bed and the DH and I take one when we get up, so we can be up and out within an hour.

(and in case anyone notices that I'm from KY, YES, I even put on my shoes in that hour! )

 

[CamColt]

We do it and we have a good system going. I take the longest so I get up first. I shower, then while I dry my hair(takes forever) DH showers. By the time hes done with that, shaving, combing his hair, etc...Im done with my hair. We then get the kids up, brush their teeth, get them changed and comb their hair...and we are out the door.
After our midday break, I leave the pool first and shower, then DH returns witht he kids and we do it all over again, with the kids getting baths this time too. Again, DH usually can take care of that quickly while Im drying my hair, ironing clothes,packing the bag for the park, etc...
So in short, the only thing that really is a pain, is me having to do my hair twice since I do take so long to do that, but we work around it, getting other stuff done at the same time so its not too bad. And I think the pool & shower midday is really refreshing, especially for the kids.

 

[crazymomof4]

I'm glad you posted this. Ever since I joining the DIS baords I've read about people taking these mid-day breaks from the parks. I just KNOW it would be more hassle than a break for me. No thanks! When we go through the gates of a park, we are there to STAY.....usually until closing. We go in the off-season so park hours are shorter anyway, that makes leaving even more unappealing. We rent a house and do our swimming in the pool on days when we aren't going to a park.

 

[clutter]

I've always taken the break thing like the rest of life... there is no one size fits all.

If we break, we'll never move again. I'm the worst. If I sit, it's over. Plus, my dd is tough to get going in the mornings, so there isn't time for a break. However, in all of our trips at ages from 3 to 6, she's never had a meltdown in the parks or on the bus. (I started to say "we", but I think I've had a few of them. )

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Thank you all for your posts- lots of things to think about.
I don't want to give the impression that my "priorities" are messed up or that I'm all into looks/etc. I am actually what most people would consider "low maintenance" and I also rarely wear makeup- for many years/etc.
However, I am at a turning point in my life where I've started to think more about feeling good about myself instead of JUST being a "mom" for many years and not giving a crap about how I look. Years of frumpy clothes, overweight, no makeup, hair in ponytails. Even my last trip to WDW was like that!
But now I am finally losing weight- enjoying finally buying new NICER clothes after years of wearing sweatpants or baggy shorts and tee shirts only. I also have a new haircut that is short and if I don't flip up the back- it looks like I'm a man with a man haircut or something. So my hair does have more maintenance than it did before. My hair is also stubborn and tries to be straight all the time- so it's a bit of work.... definitely not easy -especially for me not being used to short hair nor used to fixing my hair. Atleast not yet- perhaps by the time of my trip I'll get it down pat better so I can do it faster.
I am also wearing makeup a LITTLE more often (when not on vacation I mean) and while I might not wear makeup every day at WDW- I probably will if we have dining/etc plans in the evening that are more formal than just going to the parks and riding rides and sweating. Know what I mean? I am also trying to take better care of my skin -especially on my face after years of NOT doing so... also to try to help some problem areas I have on my face because of age and so much sun damage throughout my lifetime of the Texas sun. So while I might not wear makeup- I'll still be applying other face care including sunscreen. No more sunkissed face for me, I've had enough of that throughout my life and it shows!

Anyway, just didn't want you all to get the idea (if you were- not saying you were though) that I'm high maintenance and all about looking perfect for others/etc. This is about for ME, not about caring what others think. Wanting to take a little more care for myself- to make myself feel better about myself. Hard to explain.

Anyway, will continue to think on this -but I'm leaning more towards just having DH go back with the youngest midday and taking a nap or doing the pool. The older two also if they WANT to- or they can stay at the parks with me. That might work best anyway- DH sure liked that idea. LOL Maybe sometimes I will too- especially if I don't have plans that evening that I would want to fix myself up a bit- so I wouldn't have to do it all over. Or maybe if that's a day I hadn't fixed myself nicer to begin with- then the pool would be okay since it wouldn't be TWICE fixing my hair and face that day.

The kids aren't high maintenance either really.... just a little bit because just pool and go makes them look like ragamuffins- if you know what I mean. I think they inherited my unmanagable hair. LOL

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Ps. I also think it depends on the family. And you're right- no one can be having a good time if the kids aren't! But I guess I have in the back of my mind that last time we didn't take breaks, my children were all almost one year younger than they will be this trip (which might or might not make a difference) and ALSO there is the little bit of worry that once we go out of the parks- to go to the resort..... that that will be the day for us. Especially my husband is the type that if he sits/relaxes.... it's hard to get him going again. LOL
So all that is in my mind..... but I just wanted to figure out how people actually dealt with the whole issue of getting refixed atleast DECENT for public (not all perfect or fancy fixed up- I didn't mean that) again afterwards.... that is IF I could get my family ready and raring to go again after that dip in the pool and probably nap. LOL

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Just noticed someone mentioned November- that's when we are going~! I didn't know they'd close at 6pm during that time though. I think it would seriously cut our day short to take a break when the park closes that early- especially since with my family we PROBABLY won't end up taking advantage of many EE mornings- if any. LOL

 

[BevS97]

If you're at a stage where your taking more care over your appearance (and I think I need to get to that stage soon...), then you may well find you want to shower and freshen up in the evenings anyway. I found that after a day at the parks I was so hot and sweaty that pool or not, I wanted to have a shower and redo my makeup (or put some on for the first time), before we went out for a meal. Just for comforts sake as much as anything.

Bev

 

[Lisa96]

I'm so glad to hear someone like me worrying about their looks! Even tho it's so casual at Disney sometimes at dinnertime I take a look in the mirror and cringe! And I always seem to be next to one of those perfectly cool, well dressed and well coiffed ladies at the time - LOL! If you are going during shorter hours it might be better to skip trying to get back in the afternoon. Sometimes though, if we're staying for at least a week, I plan on pool time - either an early exit from the parks and remainder of the day at the pool or vice versa.

A few tips to speed up your makeup routine: if you have a "flippy" hairstyle you might want to try out some hair gels or waxes. These can make styling lots easier and can be used on wet hair for a different look. Loreal Studios Grab gel is good, Redken's Waterwax is great to make spikey flip looks - a little goes a LONG way. For makeup, Stila cosmetics has a powder foundation that is very nice. It has SPF15, and goes on very lightly and cleanly. It can be used all over or just to cover up trouble spots - and because it's powder it will help with the shineys. I think maybe Almay or Cover Girl also have powder foundations.

BTW, I am so impressed with your weight loss! You can't do that without changing your whole mindset, so I can understand why you want to take a little extra care and trouble with how you look. Congratulations and have a great trip!

 

[crazymomof4]

Originally posted by BibbidyBobbidyBoo
This is about for ME, not about caring what others think. Wanting to take a little more care for myself- to make myself feel better about myself. Hard to explain.

Maybe hard to explain, but NOT hard to understand! So many of us who have had kids in our lives for an extended period of time (me, for 13 yrs.) are feeling like this. But I think it makes you a better mom if you feel good about yourself.

 

[TandyR]

BibbidyBobbidyBoo...you sound like my twin in many many ways. I am a stay at home mom and being a mom for the longest time ment that I forgot about taking care of myself. Something changed over 2 years ago....I lost 75 lbs (I have kept 70 of it off for 18 months now)...I wear cute clothes now rather then ratty t-shirts, heavy sweaters, turtlenecks and jeans. (I am from Maine so warm clothes are needed.) I changed my hair style and my hair is very heavy and straight and wirey and I thought I hated it before I changed the style, but I found a hairstylist that looked at what my hair does naturally and we came up with a hairstyle that looks gook with my life style...I am able to just add a little styling mud to my hair and let it air dry it takes about an hour to dry fully. I use a tinted moisteriser (w/sun screen), blush and a tinted lip gloss. So I feel like I am taking time to make myself look good but not taking too much time. My DH is a wash and go sort of guy and my DDs view the big tub in the DVC units as their own personal hot tub so when I am getting ready DH deals with them and their bath and cleaning up. So if you decide that you want to take a break, which with the shorter park hours during your visit I wouldn't want to...you might check out quicker make-up and I second the idea of talking to your hairstylist and see if they have any ideas on how to make your hairstyle quicker to do.

BTW congrats on the weight loss and the new you.

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Thanks for understanding! I'm so NOT a high maintenance person- like the furthest opposite you could possibly get. But maybe I'm trying to be higher maintenance but that still makes me lower maintenance than most women? LOL

Anywho- I appreciate you understanding and all the suggestions! I'm so very UNeducated on what products to use to take care of my skin, makeup, hair, etc it's not even funny. It's pathetic really! So I appreciate all the tips.

I will take all your suggestions under consideration and probably do a little shopping and experimenting also- thanks!

 

[crisi]

I don't think anyone thought you were being some sort of uptight fashion princess. Just some of us can get by with throwing on clothes and going (either because we don't care, or we are lucky enough to have hair that can be thrown in a ponytail or airdried and eyes that can be seen without mascara). And even then, its really a matter of when and how you take your trip. I don't think the most casual of us is showing up for dinner at Victoria and Alberts with pool hair and no makeup - where we could get by with going back to the parks for one last ToT ride (especially if we leave the camera in the room).