When do you normally first enter a park most days you are there?

[Cornish Lad]

Never bothered to rush around in order to get there for RD - just arrive around the published opening time. Also cannot understand people taking time out in the middle of the day to go back to hotels etc. What a waste of time and money - we stay until closing to get out full value out of the ticket price. There are plenty of places to sit and relax throughout the parks so why go to all that fuss of leaving and then coming back again?

 

[Spencer Wright]

Never bothered to rush around in order to get there for RD - just arrive around the published opening time. Also cannot understand people taking time out in the middle of the day to go back to hotels etc. What a waste of time and money - we stay until closing to get out full value out of the ticket price. There are plenty of places to sit and relax throughout the parks so why go to all that fuss of leaving and then coming back again?

I find the mid-day break absolutely essential, especially for pool/showering purposes. I'm used to the walking and crowds, but the heat for me is brutal. I typically go in late June or early August. The most I can do is opening through the end of dinner. If I was in a park all day I would STINK!!!

One might also argue that not making use of resort amenities (which would occur if someone is in the parks all day), could be a waste of money.



Any tips you might be able to recommend in order to make a full day of it it?? What are favored relaxation spots for you in the parks?

 

[figmentedfollies]

For me, it's a mixed bag. I do say we try and show up before 10 am, but that's not always the case, especially if that's not our first day at a park. Sometimes we have a PPO breakfast, which is obviously before rope drop and on my last trip I somehow managed to make it to rope drop at HS without meaning to? I got up and was ready to go and got to the park well before nine.

 

[KristinU]

Wow I’m actually amazed how many people actually are there for rope drop everyday! My family would never do that, we have never made a rope drop in four trips. I have teens who love to sleep, they can sleep until mid afternoon here at home so I feel lucky if I get them out the door before noon on vacation and I consider getting to the park by 11:00 a great early start to the day for me!

This is the way my teen DS is in normal life (he was up at 11:00 today for example), but he sure loves rope drop. I think it makes him feel like a VIP just walking right on to attractions.

 

[figmentedfollies]

Never bothered to rush around in order to get there for RD - just arrive around the published opening time. Also cannot understand people taking time out in the middle of the day to go back to hotels etc. What a waste of time and money - we stay until closing to get out full value out of the ticket price. There are plenty of places to sit and relax throughout the parks so why go to all that fuss of leaving and then coming back again?

For me, some sort of midday break is essential. Does this mean a TS in the middle of the day or finding a quiet/shady/air conditioned spot? Sometimes. But other times I like to go back to my resort, which recently has usually been a deluxe and pretty close to the parks. I just need a break from the overstimulation. Besides, the resorts are quieter then and when I decide to go back to the parks, often families are leaving and I find the crowds to be a bit lower. I love the parks at night over the morning.

 

[cluvsdisney]

I didn't vote bc we arrive at the parks at different times. It could be anywhere from 10am - 5pm if it's an extra magic hour night. I can't remember the last time we were there at rope drop...maybe 10-12 years ago. We FP+ the rides we like with long lines, fill in time with shows, rides with shorter waits and having a bite to eat. We usually go to the MK at least twice so we'll split the FPs so we can ride all the headliners without the big lines. This works for us. We're lucky that we go frequently (DVC Members) so we treat the parks as something to do while we're there but they aren't the reason we are there if that makes sense.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Never bothered to rush around in order to get there for RD - just arrive around the published opening time. Also cannot understand people taking time out in the middle of the day to go back to hotels etc. What a waste of time and money - we stay until closing to get out full value out of the ticket price. There are plenty of places to sit and relax throughout the parks so why go to all that fuss of leaving and then coming back again?

We like to use the resort amenities especially since we’ve been staying deluxe lately. It’s a short walk or monorail ride back to the resort. We still get 8-10 hours in the park with a midday break. Also going in August is brutal. We need our pool time. We’re doing November next trip and DD still wants pool time midday. I like getting away from the biggest crowds. When we’ve stayed offsite we did a TS lunch as our break but we would then leave the park by 7-8. 12 hours of stimulation was enough for us. With midday breaks we shut the park down.

 

[Cornish Lad]

We like to use the resort amenities especially since we’ve been staying deluxe lately. It’s a short walk or monorail ride back to the resort. We still get 8-10 hours in the park with a midday break. Also going in August is brutal. We need our pool time. We’re doing November next trip and DD still wants pool time midday. I like getting away from the biggest crowds. When we’ve stayed offsite we did a TS lunch as our break but we would then leave the park by 7-8. 12 hours of stimulation was enough for us. With midday breaks we shut the park down.

Coming from the UK we normally stay for 14 nights (21 next year) so actually take days out of the parks to enjoy the resorts or visit DS for a meal and some shopping so park days are just that - a whole day in a park. Also easier for us I guess as we don't have any kids (except me!) with us.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

I like to get to the parks when it opens, however, when traveling with elderly family I find that one hour after the park opens makes it easier for them as the entrance is not so crowded.

 

[Arielfan98]

10am for my family. Not too early, not too late. I like to sleep till 9am.