This Would Be Nuts, Right?

[Anonomom]

Our trip is 10/29-11/3, with me, DH and 3 kids aged 13, 10 and 8. Our original plan was:

10/30: Epcot
10/31: EEMH at DHS (planning to get to the park by 5:15 am); evening at the resort doing Halloween stuff
11/1: EEMH at MK
11/2: Back to DHS, as this is when I was able to get reservations for Oga's and a Lightsaber. But skipping EEMHs.
11/3: Drive home.

We don't have park hoppers, but were thinking we could add them on later if needed. And here's where I go off the rails: Instead of hoppers, I am tempted to buy AK After Hours tix for 10/30. Financially, it seems like a decent deal, giving us 5 hours at AK with a guaranteed chance to see all of the Pandora stuff (which would be new to us).

But...is it nuts to do RD at Epcot, then stay at AK until midnight, only to wake up at 4:30 am to get to DHS the next day? Especially given that my kids are really psyched to celebrate Halloween at the resorts, so it's not like we'll end up in bed particularly early.

 

[Alesia]

That sounds like a recipe for disaster to me

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Dont do it. This is one of those things that seems like it might be doable when you’re well rested and planning from home, but is going to be miserable actually executing it.

 

[skippytx]

Nah, I wouldn't even try to pull it off. Not with the kids. I could handle it as an adult if I needed to, but it's not just the hours, it's the physicality of everything. I can run on 4 hours of sleep for a few days, but that's just being at home. Walking 7 to 12 miles a day, eating park food and junk and trying to pull that off on 4-5 hours of sleep a night. Disaster waiting to happen.

 

[SG131]

Nope, definitely not. Not with kids.

 

[YawningDodo]

Oh man, don't do it. It will be at least 1:00 AM by the time you get back to the resort from AK DAH, probably later. You're looking at a maximum of three hours of sleep between two long days. That's not just how you get cranky kids, that's how you get cranky everyone--and weakened immune systems while in the middle of your visit to the giant petri dish that is WDW, to boot.

It's not worth it. It seems doable now, but when you get there it'll be miserable.

 

[Imamom2]

No - if you're not staying on property don't do it. If you could midday break it's possible but when you plan to get up that early you will be miserable. Tired at Disney is not fun and then you have to drive home...

 

[Gehrig1B]

But...is it nuts to do RD at Epcot, then stay at AK until midnight, only to wake up at 4:30 am to get to DHS the next day?

Yes, it is a plan for disaster. Don't do it. I wouldn't even try it if a young adult without kids...

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Bunch of scardy cats, you lot. Sounds completely logical. Go for it.

Will your kids tantrum? Sure.
Will you hate life? ABSOLUTELY
But you will have potential blackmail material on your kids FOR LIFE.

 

[Anonomom]

Thanks, all. Temporary insanity has passed.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Our trip is 10/29-11/3, with me, DH and 3 kids aged 13, 10 and 8. Our original plan was:

10/30: Epcot
10/31: EEMH at DHS (planning to get to the park by 5:15 am); evening at the resort doing Halloween stuff
11/1: EEMH at MK
11/2: Back to DHS, as this is when I was able to get reservations for Oga's and a Lightsaber. But skipping EEMHs.
11/3: Drive home.

We don't have park hoppers, but were thinking we could add them on later if needed. And here's where I go off the rails: Instead of hoppers, I am tempted to buy AK After Hours tix for 10/30. Financially, it seems like a decent deal, giving us 5 hours at AK with a guaranteed chance to see all of the Pandora stuff (which would be new to us).

But...is it nuts to do RD at Epcot, then stay at AK until midnight, only to wake up at 4:30 am to get to DHS the next day? Especially given that my kids are really psyched to celebrate Halloween at the resorts, so it's not like we'll end up in bed particularly early.

Why not just do all of DHS on 11/2 with EEMH? You could then do AK on 10/31, during the day, not invest in extra tix and not exhaust everyone.

 

[JimmyBean42]

I know your kids are young but did you plan on 5 hour energy or caffeine for them? That would surely help. Never too young for a red bull. Although the Halloween candy will help a bit, the crash comes faster.




(PS before anyone comes after me, that is a joke).

 

[DWillowBay]

No one has a good time on that itinerary. Everyone will be exhausted and potentially miserable. I'd go with things that are priorities and let the rest go. Being anywhere at 5:15am is not a vacation...not in my world.

 

[Calee]

Why not just do all of DHS on 11/2 with EEMH? You could then do AK on 10/31, during the day, not invest in extra tix and not exhaust everyone.

This

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Thanks, all. Temporary insanity has passed.

I think we all have those moments planning a WDW trip

 

[GeneralTso]

Yup.
That's the opposite of vacation.

 

[Disneypro1]

Yes..nuts.
One park per day and no hoppers. Always.. The best way to get the most done..no stress no mess. Easy to plan.

 

[disneygirlsng]

That sounds absolutely fantastic to me, and is actually kinda similar to what I'm doing those same dates. Contemplating AK AH on the 30th (though I'm at least going to be at MK and watch HEA), and doing EEMH at HS on the 31st, plus Wild Africa Trek the afternoon of the 31st. To add to all that I'm doing all the W&D races that weekend!!
However, with kids those ages, I probably wouldn't do it. I would do it in a heartbeat if it were just adults.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

No don’t do that.

Last trip we did a 3 am wake up, 6 am flight, arrived to Orlando by 840, in the MK by 11 am and stayed until closing. In bed by midnight. The next morning we got up for AK EMH. I talked to DD12 about this months before and she was all for it! Well by 9 am in AK DD has a bit of a breakdown and claimed she HATED AK and didn’t even know why we were there. I told her we needed to go and then she got upset because she thought she was ruining the trip. I told her that wasn’t the case and she needed to sleep. We went back to the room and she slept for 3 hours. Then we were good again.

Sometimes plans seem great until you are there. For all future trips day 2 will be a late start because we always go hard the first day. We run on pure adrenaline.

 

[sullyfam]

I would definitely not do what you were thinking, but it sounds like you already came to that conclusion. Here is what I would do with 3 kids and that many days:

10/30: Epcot
10/31: AK
11/1: MK (don't think you need to do EEMH). If you plan a full day/night there, you should be able to do most things you want to do with FP etc.
11/2: HS and if you are up for it, EEMH (If you plan to do EEMH, call it an early night at MK)
11/3: Drive home