How Much Of Your Vacation Do You Spend At Resort Hotel? Poll

[Raineman]

Is the resort a big part of your vacation plan, or is it just a place to sleep, eat and keep your stuff?

 

[slappy magoo]

It's varied. Since having kids, we're spending more time at the hotel for naps whereas I'd be thrilled going to parks non-stop. Also, our last trip, it was so hot, plans to get rest and then head back to parks in the evening had to be squelched because it would still be in the upper 90s and over 90% humidity by dinner time. So we spent more time either in our hotel (Bay Lake Tower) in the pool, or onsite restaurants. OR we'd clean up and go to another hotel for dinner, mostly by monorail to Poly or GF, but also by our own car. Even plans to take a boat to WL or FW got nixed because of the humidity, we would have looked like we sprinted to Whispering Canyon Cafe by the time we got there if we didn't go by a fully air-conditioned car.

 

[Disney4family]

We've never spent a lot of time at our resort. We're at the parks as long as we can keep going - even when the kids were little. They would take a quick nap in their strollers as we shopped, had a Gran Marnier Orange Slushie or just sat on a bench and took in the beauty of the parks. We felt it took a large chunk out of our day to walk to the front of the park, walk to the bus stop, wait for the bus, ride back, walk to the room and then do it in reverse to get back to the park.

We also hit the parks as soon as we get off the Mickey bus and stay as long as we can until we have to go back to reality.

We do love coming back to the resort at the end of the day, walking around the shops and grabbing a water or snack to bring back to the room. We also have our occasional evenings at the pool. We enjoy evening swims since we won't get burned and we can relax and have fun after a great day in the parks.

 

[UncleMike101]

We spend the first day at the resort unwinding from the ten hour drive to get there.
After that it's a bus stop, a place to sleep, do laundry, pick up packages sent from the parks, and grab a snack occasionally.

 

[Tom Shade]

Being that my wife, 2 daughters (12, 7) and I are early risers. We hit the parks very early and grind it out all day with a relaxing sit down dinner each day. Then head back to resort for swim and relaxation around 630-7 each day. Daughtesr are not big fans of fireworks, but we will do the electrical parade one night.

 

[Schneewittchen]

We aren't hang out at the resort types..... If we need to rest, we'll do a pool day or resort hop. But mostly we're park commandos.

 

[Herdman]

Our habits have changed over the years. Now that our daughter is 17 and doesn't ride Dumbo and similar rides anymore we find that we take less time to tour a park and usually come back to the resort for a couple hours each day after lunch, except for AK since it usually didn't take a full day to tour there. We just stay there until we are done. We are early risers, get there about 30 minutes before rope drop and often have ridden many rides before the park starts to get too crowded. We go with a plan, and it makes the day much more enjoyable for everyone if we aren't spending much of the day waiting in lines.

 

[SAV]

As we all have gotten older and been numerous times, we're starting to spend more time at the resorts. It used to be Park Commando every day and only sleep there, but now we're building in a resort day into the vacation plan. On park days we still will get there at RD and leave after the nighttime shows, but now the kids are old enough to take a late night swim too.

 

[Weather_Lady]

Other than sleeping at night, we spend a good 3 hours at the resort every afternoon for naps/pool time, and sometimes one whole afternoon or evening during the week, especially if we're having a TS dinner at our resort. (We're spending 10 hours a day in the parks or on transportation to/from the resort, however, so the 3-hour break is still just a small part of our day, and that nap is what makes those 10 hours of touring possible).

 

[DarthVader]

We spend some time at the resort as my kids love swimming and if we stay at a resort that has a slide or other water activity that just increases their desire to spend more time.

I find this to be a balancing at, we want some resort time to enjoy the pool, but also go out and see the sights, i.e., visit the parks.

 

[Disneydreamer23]

I have 2 kids 2 and 4 months, for me its more of a sleep and get to the park, once my children are older and Its not as much as a hassle to get them ready for the pool etc I think the resort will be a lot more fun, at this point I get up and leave , I will say when I stayed at AKL I did walk around a lot I hope to stay there for my 30th in 3 years so my kids will be 5 and 3 so It will ne a fun experience.

 

[righttrack]

I think the big question to ask is "Do you plan to have a non-park day?"

If not, are you an Extra-Magic-Hour-Morning-to-Extra-Magic-Hour-Evening group?

We are more the latter, but do find time to enjoy the resort midday as many do. Florida in summer, when we go the most, is just too hot to run around midday, so we enjoy our resort then.

 

[EvilQueen-T]

We spend more time at the resort during the summer months. We take a heat break from roughly 2-4 each afternoon then get cleaned up do dinner and then head back to the parks. In the winter months when the parks close early we'll do the movie, marshmallow roast, and depending on where we're staying a sit down meal at the resort later in the evening. Depending on who I'm traveling with we'll spend some time in the resort lounge or pool side bar but usually only once a trip on an all adult trip.

 

[TB4244]

We're usually at the parks all day but we do occasionally hit the quiet pools for a few hours here and there.
It helps my aching feet!

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Sleep there (obviously !!)

Apart from that -
Breakfast = less than 40% of the time
Lunch = less than 5%
Dinner = never
Explore = less than 5%
Relax/pool = less than 10%

 

[LAKid53]

Outside of sleeping and other necessary resort activities, we probably spend an additional 3-4 hours at our resort. Usually sleep in until 8:00, go work out at the gym for about 45 minutes, back for cleanup and breakfast and hit the parks no earlier than 10:30. Stay for several hours, leaving around 3:00 to return to our room for lunch/swimming/nap, then head out again around 5:30-6:00 for dinner, more rides/fireworks, etc. Usually get back to the resort between 11:00pm & midnight. We are definitely not the commando rope drop to closing type of guest.

 

[Timsierramist]

The resorts are certainly a part of the overall Disney experience, from the moment you jump on the bus, in my opinion. But the main reason I am there is for the parks, and I spend every waking moment possible exploring the parks. Tired? Nothing a cup or two of coffee can't fix or an extra long lunch break.

This has been one of the main reasons I haven't upgraded from the value to the Moderate Resorts. I simply cannot justify plopping an extra $100-300 dollars per night for a room when all I use it for is bed, shower and Breakfast. I'll sleep comfortable all the same.

 

[harryk]

Just to sleep....go for the parks. We are now taking time to relax in the afternoon at the resort....found aging has had a lot to do with it.
But just sleep is the main reason ..resorts are near by and we make use of them. The pool - have used 3 times in 20+ years.

 

[Dave Z]

We are only at the hotel to sleep, we make rode drop and return when the park, of the day is closed.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

For us, every trip is different...but even if I were looking at it for a place to sleep...I want to be comfortable. i.e. bigger beds, larger room for more stuff and just not feeling like you're tripping over everyone getting ready for bed or in the morning. Now if the resort happens to have a great pool, theme park views for fireworks viewing, great dining, etc. - then we'll definitely spend more time there.