To nap or not to nap

[magslucero]

A friend and myself are going to Disney in just under a month. I've made all the dining reservations and everything. However, now I'm wondering if we should break in the middle of the day. I figured we're both in our mid 20's and I haven't napped since I was 8, but the Florida heat may take its toll on us. Any opinions? Thanks

 

[CaseyMouse]

That's what we plan on doing! I remember how tired I was in the afternoon the last time I went! It kinda helps break up the day too! And get a recharge!

 

[eaj1228]

Nap!! Part of vacation is getting some rest. I loved my midday breaks where I could relax in my room and watch a little television and put my feet up. I didn't always fall asleep but always felt recharged.

 

[Cafeen]

I'd suggest to play it by ear.

Now, I know this goes against Disney Obsessive Planning Syndrome, but what I mean is see how you're feeling a few hours before reservation time. If you think you need a break, take one and come back for dinner (or take one after lunch, depending on when your reservations are).

I'm only 33, yet I need my breaks every day as well. A quick, 1hr nap or so, maybe a shower and change of clothes, and I'm good to go until late that night.

 

[DisneyFanatic09]

Okay so I was at WDW last August... so its was super hot and humid, Im from AZ and im used to the heat but not the humidity ha so the humidity did us in. So if your not used to the heat or humidity it might just take it toll on you... Also it kind of depends on what kind of "vacationer" you are. If you are the "crazy i can last all day without sitting down" and your okay with that then immerse your self in the magic! but if you cant simply do without a break then go for the nap Personally we went went went all day without the nap and we did fine (even with the humidity). Hoped this helped

 

[Uno Mas]

We have always been "no break" people and napping in the middle of the day would make me feel absolutely ill. However, I have found that since we've been AP holders for several years now, the pace has lessened. I look for opportunities to go back to the room to "change into a different pair of shoes". We always stay at an Epcot resort and that's where we end most nights, so that makes it very convenient to pop back to the room. However, if i make the mistake of sitting on the bed for a minute, I fear I will never get back up! It's like Shangri-La in there - so cool and clean. Just the ten minutes to change shoes is heaven!

 

[DCTooTall]

Ad another for playing it by ear.

You may also find that taking a mid-day break (either for a swim, nap, whatever) is a bit more relaxing and enjoyable way to break up the day.... and then allow you to return to the park to close out a LATE EMH night after crowds start to die down. (Cause you know parents may start pulling their cranky kids out after some parades/fireworks to go to bed.)

 

[ValDawg]

To me, as long as you get a decent amount of sleep at night, you should be good...I'm also in my 20's and I don't think I could nap while at Disney World, unless I was just exhausted. I'm too excited to go see and do things. But if you stay out till 2 am with EMH and get to the parks at rope drop the next morning, you're likely to wear out fast! So I say just make sure on nights you stay out late, sleep in a little bit! Also, the restaurants (the TS ones, will give you a nice break during the middle of the day or evening.) And if you really feel like you need a nap or you're going to not enjoy yourself, then do it!

 

[magslucero]

Thanks for all the opinions
I'm from Arkansas so humidity isn't that big of a deal. I'm used to feeling like I just got out of a shower all day
I talked to my friend too and got his input. I think we are going to wing it and see how we feel throughout the day. Wish us luck

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I'm also in my mid 20s and I have no intention of napping. I nap at home, not at Disney! However...I will be taking breaks, just while I'm in the parks. I don't rent a car and with where I usually stay, its not worth it to me to take Disney transportion back to the hotel then back to the park. It eats up all the time I'd want to spend on my break. Why not grab a snack to split and find a quiet corner/tree/bench to sit down and chill out by, just watch the world go by? That's what I plan on doing. I can see the appeal of going back to the room and taking a shower or changing though. I've just always felt the travel negatively outweighed the benefit of doing it. This trip I'm only going for 4 days and the 4th day is really only a half day, therefore I'm maxing out my park time.

 

[Sally]

I know that we will be in each park most of the day and for EMH at night, and I love the play it by ear gameplan for breaks.

When we started planning we were staying at FW, and we would take breaks for lunch/dinner at the tent, but I got a free dining pin. So now we are at ASMo and no real breaks planned.

 

[Raff42]

I have always found it easiest for my lot if we did one park in the morning, came home and had a rest - tv or pool lounging and then went to a different park at about 4 ish. But we do use the magic hours so we have more time.

 

[magicLAL12]

You're definitely going to need to play it by ear.

Before we left for Disney (we just returned), DBF thought I sounded ridiculous saying he would need a "nap" every afternoon. After a few days, however, he began to understand what I was saying.

The first few days of your trip, you will probably find yourself too excited to officially "nap," and the only resting you will do will be at night or the occasional shut-eye down by the pool.

After the initial adrenaline has worn off, all of the EMH, walking, and humidity can certainly get to you! Even if you can't sleep in the afternoon, I would tentatively give yourselves a few "break" hours to sit by the pool, on the balcony, or just to unwind on the couch!

Every trip differs, so there may be days that you aren't tired at all. Regardless, we both found that incorporating a break into our days rid ourselves of any potential grumpy-fits later in the afternoon- and gave us a chance to freshen up before heading back out for evening hours!

Have fun!

 

[TavieP]

I'd suggest to play it by ear.

Now, I know this goes against Disney Obsessive Planning Syndrome, but what I mean is see how you're feeling a few hours before reservation time. If you think you need a break, take one and come back for dinner (or take one after lunch, depending on when your reservations are).

I'm only 33, yet I need my breaks every day as well. A quick, 1hr nap or so, maybe a shower and change of clothes, and I'm good to go until late that night.

THIS.

 

[ZehnJahren]

I like rope drop and late nights at the park. That being said, I'm a napper while down there. One day on my last trip, I took TWO naps in one day! (I went to AK for EMH, stayed for two hours, napped, and then headed to HS for a few hours I think, napped, and then finished the night at Epcot for Illuminations) It was so nice to be gogogogogo and then head back to a cool, dark room and get a comfortable break.

 

[goofyernmost]

I'm not a nap person. This was drilled into my head from a very early age. My Father loved his naps. My Mom would constantly be trying to wake him up and then letting him know that "he had an eternity ahead where he could sleep, wake up and live now".

Anyway, in spite of that ingrained thought I still have always, since my first visit taken time out in the middle of the afternoon to go back to the hotel, relax, rest my feet and then go back. I used to remember a novelty song that I had heard years before with the lyrics I believe written by Noel Coward..."mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day sun".

A couple of hours sets me straight and gives me the energy to enjoy the evening. However, you are very young and unless you have a physical problem, I doubt that you will actually need that much rest. The atmosphere of Disney keeps the adrenalin levels pretty high. It all depends on individual stamina.

 

[wdwgirl03]

I'm also in my 20s and while I don't necessarily take naps when in WDW, my family has always been park hoppers so we usually go to one park in the morning, take a break (go back to the resort, swim, etc.) and then head to another park later.

That being said, there have been a few times when we've gotten up for morning EMH and stayed at the parks until the evening!

 

[laurabeth]

My sisters and I are planning to play it by ear with this trip to Disney. I am a little afraid of the humidity beause in the last year in a half I adjusted back to a very dry climate and although it's much warmer hear, generally, I know the humidity will take its toll. That being said, after reading some conversations on this thread and other threads throughout these boards, I have recognized that we may have to add in some breaks, definatly will have to if we partipate with all of the EMH...so ya probably will have to have a couple of naps but not necessarily every day but as needed.

 

[NJDiva]

I am a big fan of the nap...if for no other reason to cool off or drop packages...and your ticket is good all day so it's not like you're missing out on anything. and if you have a AP it's a true bonus...go to one park during the day, do lunch, take a nap during the hottest part of the day, head to another park to close out the night. remember, you are there to relax and enjoy your vacation...you shouldn't come home more tired than when you left!

 

[elaine amj]

I'm not much of a napper - too excited when I'm at Disney. My DH loves his naps...on a typical day, he naps for about an hour after getting home from work. That said, i planned nap times on our last trip and we skipped most of them. There was one day near the end of a 10 night trip that he begged for a nap and I ended up staying at Epcot with the kids while he went to get some beauty sleep. Granted by then, I WANTED a nap too - but my kids were begging to stay.

As for my kids, I stopped allowing them naps at WDW because they woke up cranky and miserable 2 hours later.

That said, our next trip is in late August, and my TA convinced me to have a daily break planned to combat the heat.