What does a relaxing Disney World vacation look like?

[Shughart]

My MIL planned us to death our first trip. It was fun because it was Disney but I didn't enjoy it. Being able to cater to each of my family member's personalities the second time made it much better. For us that looks like waking up on our own each morning but with a hard 10am wake up if you're still sleeping. We get ready and head into the park with a rough plan. We do what we can. We mobile order QS so we're not waiting in line. We'll likely bring in more of our own food next time. We do minimal ADR at this point because it usually pulls us out of the park/our groove and we're just not always hungry when it comes time for it. Plus even though we're doing a lot of walking, we don't always want big meals. We're drinking water and sometimes a small meal and then a treat later is better. Someone in our household uses DAS (something I agonized over choosing for our second trip, but I am so glad I did because comparing our two trips was like night and day) so we really truly can only ever do relaxed/laid back Disney honestly. I'm on vacation and paying a lot of money to be there. I'm going to slow down and enjoy it. I remember we spent 2 hours at Club Tinsel after eating dinner because my kids got so into the music they were out there break dancing. Who am I to ruin that vibe? My husband and I took turns going out and checking out gift shops and hunting pokemon so the kids were always safe and we didn't get bored.

 

[fluffybunny88]

I know this post is a few days old, but I felt like I had to give my opinion.

My wife and I have been to magic kingdom togeather 3-4 times, but the other parks we have never really went to. We went February this year and knew it would not be a normal Disney trip, planning everything to the min, and all of that. We had a few things we wanted to do, and some things we were like, I don't have to do that. For example animal kingdom was very busy the day we were there, for most people the safari is a must do, this would have been our first time on the safari, it had an hour long wait, and knowing the "shower curtian" view that you get, we wern't thrilled with that. We were also getting hungry at that point and we had a reservation booked at tiffins at 2 PM, so we went over to tiffins and were like can we dine early, they said lets see, 5 min later we were inside eating, enjoying one of our favorite meals of the whole trip. That was much more enjoyable for us doing that, and while planning is good, its also good to be flexible, especially on a chilled relaxing vacation.

I think the most important thing is have a list of must dos for your group. And must dos is not every ride in magic kingdom 3 times in a day IMO. But if you have a reasonable list of must dos, rides, food, experiences, and plan around those, I think that allows for a lot more time to be flexible and do things that happen as they pop up, grab a new snack, stop for a couple of cavalcades, people watch.

 

[PetePanMan]

We have had difficulty slowing down over the years but it is getting easier (and better). Part of it for us is that as DVC owners we have now been quite a few times and know we will be back. Knowing this helps us avoid the temptation to try to do everything each trip. We like longer vacations (e.g. 8-10 days) with max 7 days in parks and some definite sleep in days. We like day trips to coasts, Parks/ springs etc. to break things up. We now do less dining reservations in advance (still some In parks one) and instead look at what is available when we want to eat.

 

[Figment of Speech]

I'm in the process of planning a relaxation-friendly WDW trip, too. I don't have past trips to draw from, but I can share what I'm taking into account while I plan right now!

First, I think a relaxing trip starts with your choice of resort or other accommodations. Pick the resort you can most see yourself spending time at so that you aren't always feeling like you need to rush out to a park. Check out the amenities, recreation options, lounges, event schedules, and places to simply hang out. Maybe being within walking distance of a park will help you feel like you're wandering into your own backyard, rather than embarking on a jet-powered full-day excursion. Maybe having a full kitchen at a DVC villa or an AirBNB will ease the ADR pressure. Maybe having giraffes outside your window will remind you to savor a few slow moments here and there. Does your idea of bliss involve hammocks? boat rentals? a lazy river? a pool cabana? or just sipping coffee or a cocktail and people-watching on a patio?

Second, a lot of others in the thread have mentioned this, but planning no-park days, no-ride days, or perhaps even no-plan days is key. Some suggested front-loading the park days so you have the rest of the trip to relax, but my plan at the moment is to alternate heavily planned full-park days with lightly planned days for sleeping in followed maybe by lounging at the resort, playing miniature golf, and strolling Disney Springs. Or maybe not. Like I said, it'll be lightly planned. There's no wrong way to schedule this, but if there's a common thread in this, er, thread, it's to find some way to do it. There is some irony in planning not to have plans, but the temptation to keep moving and find the Next Thing to Do is everywhere at WDW, and the intention to resist it almost needs to be conscious and purposeful.

Finally, there is the simple (and also not at all simple) matter of state-of-mind. Planning a WDW trip can be a little like planning a wedding, in terms of how many moving parts there are, how many reservations need to be made, and the pressure to get everything just right on the day of or you might disappoint everyone you know (which really mostly means yourself). But we're allowed to let go of that pressure and accept that not everything is going to go our way. I know my particular challenge is going to be recognizing the FOMO (e.g., "I've been waiting in this line an hour for 7 Dwarfs Mine Train when I could've ridden Dumbo, Small World, and the Teacups by now instead") and focusing on what I do get done rather than what I didn't, as well as on the fact that I'm there with my sweetheart and having a shared experience that is — on some level — still magical. I think everyone's state-of-mind challenges will be a little different, but (unless there are small children requiring lots of attention), it's going to be largely self-imposed, and that means we can control it, at least somewhat, if we're aware of it.

 

[TaraWasHere]

On our last trip to Disney in September of 2019 my Apple watch logged 72 miles walked for the week....just saying. Seriously though, it's never a calm peaceful trip for us. We just try to have one day midweek where we don't have any plans at all. We only go once a year (minus 2020 and 2021) so when we are there, we try to get in everything we can while we can. Rope Drop till park Close everyday that we are at the parks.

 

[VApastor79]

We are a rope drop, up late at night, over plan type of family. By we, I mean, my daughter and I. My wife has grown in her love for Disney, but my daughter and I are full out obsessed. With that said, the agreement with my wife has always been that we would plan one - two days of no parks (depending on length of trip). On those days, we intentionally don't really plan anything we just sleep in, swim, explore, shop, and generally see where the wind takes us. We also take afternoon breaks most days. Sometimes it's to go back and rest, sometimes to swim, and sometimes it's just to have an adult beverage and stare off into nothingness. If it is a low crowd season and we are going to a park for a second time, we often won't go in until afternoon. The best advise I was ever given though for Disney World was this - Plan in things that are relaxing to you, don't try and do everything, and rest.

 

[JennP78]

My solution was to determine what caused stress in past trips and try to avoid it.

Best sentence on this thread. Think ahead to what is going to stress you out and then don't do it if possible.

You got a lot of great advice but only you know what makes you tick. For us, we need to sleep in, not force it, and plan for lots of pool time. Maybe one ADR daily. We try to eat at off peak times because CS crowds can be crazy. We also minimize transportation to the extent possible unless it's pleasant like a boat ride. I have a lengthy commute and don't need to be sitting in a bus or car for any length of time on vacation.

Listen to your body. Don't worry about what you "should" be doing based on what you spent or whatever. If it feels best to sit, then sit. If it feels best to skip rope drop then skip it.

 

[Twitterpaited]

To me, 1 park each day, only riding 2-3 rides a day, exploring a land thoroughly, and having a nice meal. Repeat for several days. Also include a day for just Disney Springs and/or a resort day.

 

[goofyernmost]

The only really relaxing day is sitting on the couch at home and tuning into Disney+. Otherwise you walk your butt off, your feet get sore standing in line, your brain cramps up trying to figure out how much time it would take to get back for your fast pass and skipping a meal because you fouled up and scheduled a FP for the same time as your ADR.

 

[bookgirl2632]

I wouldn’t know. We always come back from our trip exhausted, but the good kind of exhausted. We do plan longer trips and build in two pool days. We also take our time in the parks and don’t sweat it if we miss something.

 

[kylenne]

Best sentence on this thread. Think ahead to what is going to stress you out and then don't do it if possible.

You got a lot of great advice but only you know what makes you tick. For us, we need to sleep in, not force it, and plan for lots of pool time. Maybe one ADR daily. We try to eat at off peak times because CS crowds can be crazy. We also minimize transportation to the extent possible unless it's pleasant like a boat ride. I have a lengthy commute and don't need to be sitting in a bus or car for any length of time on vacation.

Listen to your body. Don't worry about what you "should" be doing based on what you spent or whatever. If it feels best to sit, then sit. If it feels best to skip rope drop then skip it.

All of this is solid, right here. Especially the last part. A lot of the stress people experience at the World is entirely self inflicted by not getting enough sleep, eating properly or staying hydrated, combined with constant fretting over “getting our money’s worth”. I have seen people say they spent too much to be there to spend time resting in the room or sitting by the pool, and I cringe. These are the things meltdowns are made of, and not just in kids. In our case, my gf & I being disabled & neurodiverse has helped us to be much more aware of our bodies’ needs and the importance of slowing down for managing our moods.

Relaxation is going to look different to everyone, but contrary to what some folks believe is very much possible. Probably the only objectively universal pieces of advice aside from listen to your body are take a longer trip if you can, and have as nice/comfortable accommodation as you can manage. It is much more feasible to slow down when you have multiple days in parks, so you don’t feel that pressure to cram everything into the same day (especially at MK). And for us, we need to stay at a Deluxe close to a park. We have always been big believers in midday breaks at the resort (my mom enforced that on our family trips growing up, and I bless her every day for it!), so location and amenities are very important to us. If the resort is close by, that means it’s easier to take those frequent breaks. Having a balcony where we can enjoy a peaceful cup of tea in the morning or drink in the evening is priceless. And I need a hot tub to relax in. I enjoyed French Quarter on a more budget solo trip, but transportation stressed me out too much on that trip and I took a lot of Lyfts/Minnie Vans.


Even on days when we’re getting up early for rope drop, we still take our time getting ready. We know that we will stop to have a resort break at midday when it starts to get hot and crowded so it’s not a big deal to get up earlier. Whether I’m with my gf or solo, I prefer more structure in the morning, and post break is doing whatever we fancy. My only hard rules are 1) no more than 1 ADR in a day 2) a resort day for every 2 park days on longer trips 3) plans are not set in stone. This works very well for me, and I don’t feel the exhaustion so many seem to.

I will say that I have had every relaxing short trips, but I’m an AP and there really is a big mentality difference that comes with being one that I truly underestimated, even being one that isn’t local. The pressure to Do All the Things basically vanished. When you know you can be back basically when you feel like it, things are just different.

 

[TestingH2O]

Just got back from a week, and I would call it a relaxing vacation.

We were up early every day and then took a midday break back at the resort. My parents usually stayed there and my daughter and I went out again.

We had 4 park days and 2 non-park days. We also stayed at AKL in a 1BR. Being able to eat “at home,” have snacks whenever we wanted, and enjoy a glass of wine while watching the animals really made the whole thing feel less stressful.

We did log lots of miles walking, but we are pretty active anyway and it felt great to push a little after a year of being cooped up

 

[cedricandsophie]

We have spent two weeks there without ever hitting a park. We are going back in may 2021 fir 10 days. We bought the DVC special ticket where you pay for 4 days and get 6. It’s actually too much park for me but we will hit MK twice, epcot twice and the other 2 once. We have lunches scheduled at each park. And I like it better that we won’t have park hoppers and be killing ourselves running from park to park. We will get in at opening, get a couple rides, do a nice lunch, maybe another ride or two and then head out early enough to relax and maybe have a light dinner at disney springs.

 

[BarbLynnM]

Relaxing, to me, means not having to get crazy stressed about getting up at the crack 'o dawn to mayby, possibly, hopefully get on a virtual list for RotR, ADR's, Fastpasses, whatever. I had been doing that since himself and I started going to Disney together, until the August we went to check out Galaxy's Edge. We didn't have any reservations for anything other than our resort, and it was eye opening just how liberating that was.

I'm looking forward to enjoying our time at the Fort, checking out the parks and eating at either kiosk and/or counter service restaurant wherever/whenever the mood strikes and boating around the World. My goal is to ride ALL the boats I think just being at the Fort is relaxation right there. I love having my coffee and breakfast outside, listening to the birds and critters, and even hearing other campers getting ready for their day is what I look forward to.

 

[FtW Mike]

We are booked for Christmas . We were last there dec 2019 for a MVMCP and April 2019 for a week.
Christmas is so busy and we have full intentions on going in the ams and if there are no fastpasses leaving when it’s not fun anymore busy . Older kids 19,15 may stay but I will take the two littles to the hotel and hopefully it will be warm enough to swim or maybe mini golf. I’m just not into the go until we drop anymore. We know we won’t get everything done and we are all okay with it .

We were there in 2019 also I don't know how you missed us . I was the guy with the big poop eating grin under a bushy mustache. We are booked for this Christmas as well so when you see me come over and say Hi.
We tend to limit our park time Christmas thru New Years. In MK it hit Christmas specialty rides like JINGLE CRUISE and maybe so other favorites but make sure we see the Parade and Castle Show and 1 night have a Dinner reservation somewhere we can see Fireworks before or after in close proximitry to. Epcot means Holiday performances in World Showcase with Candlelight Processional. DHS and AK are more tour to see Holiday decor.
Our days start a bit latter than most as we need need to give the girls a good bit of Dog Park Time. So our day seems to start with mourning coffee there. If it a non park day for us we may go touring Fort Wilderness in the Golf Cart and visit with friends we have made over the years. Hotel touring could be on tap with a dinner at one of them. We have also been known to hit the pool and just hang out at our campsite and enjoy better weather than at home with a book or movie on the outdoor TV
For us Christmas eve starts after we get back from the dog park with a Breakfast/ Lunch at whispering Canyon Cafe and returning to Ft Wilderness so the Girls can be in the Pet Parade. to be followed by what Disney advertises as the Holiday Golf Cart Parade but is in fact The Ride of Shame. (Decorating and riding around in one's golf cart is a very serious breach Disney rules. If caught by Ft W Rangers the violator will be required to participate and be subject to public scorn and ridicule.). The dogs make sure the Ranger that gives them treats catches me every year
Christmas Day is Tour Monorail Hotels for decor and Gingerbread Displays.
NYE as the local news are advising that MK and Epcot are at capacity by 1030am we don't even try. Hang out in the Campground do a covered dish Lunch with friends and attend Resorts beach party NYD another chill day we may hit either a Water Park or Movie in Disney Springs

 

[juju]

Our DVC home resort is BWV and I love how we can walk to Epcot and DHS. Luckily we have been so often there isn’t the need to see everything, however we have our favorites. We wake up when we do. Always go to every park. Our last trip earlier this month we were at WDW one week and only went on 4 attractions. We went to DHS about 45 mins before closing time and went on my favorite, Toy Story Mania, 3 times quickly then went to an empty Docking Bay 7 for dinner. We also went to Blizzard Beach and floated around the creek 3 times. We also bring inflatable noodles and float around the quiet pool, that might be my favorite. We also go for a slow trots around the resort followed by a leisurely breakfast. We are a couple in our mid 60s with no kids.

 

[bakerworld]

We just returned from a 6 day stay at Jambo with a 1-day ticket which we used to attend the Epcot Garden Festival.

We arrived around 1p. As expected, our room was not ready so we relaxed at a table by Uzima pool with a beverage. We could've ordered QS food but we were trying to decide if we wanted to go to the Springs when we received a text that our room as ready. We spent the rest of the day enjoying our savannah view and the food we had delivered via a grocery service. We slept in the next day, ate a bagel for bkft and arrived at the pool around 11:30a. After a few hours we returned to our room, showered and spent the evening at the Springs. The next day we were planning to repeat our first day however the weather had become cooler (60's) so we returned to the Springs, shopped and ate a early dinner. The following day was still cool so we return to the Springs to explore some of the areas we had never had the time to explore and to show so old tickets at Guest Relations to see if there was any things left on them. We managed to while away the day coasting from one place to another enjoying appetizers and beverages at several places. We were trying to save our appetites for our Saana ADR. Our last full day we attended the Garden Festival and we stayed until 7p, which is late for us and a very long day. We never did get on a single ride. Our last day we stayed in our room until check out and the hung around Jambo/kidani until ME pick up. Very relaxing.

We'll be returning in May to Bay Lake for another 6 day vacation. We purchased 3 day PH's and are hoping to add the day we found on the old tickets. In July we'll be at SSR for a 5 day vacation and probably won't bother with park tickets at all since we're returning in September for another 6 day to enjoy the Epcot Food and Wine. March '22 we have a cruise booked.

 

[NH-to-FL]

Our DVC home resort is BWV and I love how we can walk to Epcot and DHS. Luckily we have been so often there isn’t the need to see everything, however we have our favorites. We wake up when we do. Always go to every park. Our last trip earlier this month we were at WDW one week and only went on 4 attractions. We went to DHS about 45 mins before closing time and went on my favorite, Toy Story Mania, 3 times quickly then went to an empty Docking Bay 7 for dinner. We also went to Blizzard Beach and floated around the creek 3 times. We also bring inflatable noodles and float around the quiet pool, that might be my favorite. We also go for a slow trots around the resort followed by a leisurely breakfast. We are a couple in our mid 60s with no kids.

Wonderful! This sounds very much like our last few visits to the BWI. No roller coasters for us seniors though.

We loved our visits to Disney so much that when I retired we became Disney snowbirds. We visit the parks at least one morning a week, rotating through the parks. We typically visit 2-4 attractions while wandering around the park and then head back home. Sometimes we will stop for a QS lunch. We call it a daily winter walk enhanced by Disney. An ultimate relaxed Disney vacation.

 

[Jeskova26]

Having AP really let’s you relax because you kno you don’t have to do everything.
Avoiding the mid day crowds at the parks is also a nice day to make it relaxing. Go early, leave for the pool/nap come back in the evening