Is this too many late nights with kids?

[JChoma]

We'll be at Disney 4/18 (Monday) thru 4/23 (Sunday), flying home on Monday. Now that I know Rivers of Light AND the Star Wars shows are opening in time for our trip, I'm wondering if our schedule will push my kids (ages 5 & 8) too far. We plan to arrive at parks at rope drop every day. I previously planned for us to leave AK and HS in time for dinner, but now we HAVE to stay for those shows!

Please help weigh in on this most awesome of problems to solve Would love any suggestions!!

Here's a recap of our trip:

• Monday- Friday: Staying offsite in a vacation home with a pool in Clermont, 12 miles from Disney.
• For this reason, it's a bit far for mid-day breaks.
• May be also be nice to have dinner at home and let kids swim some of those days.
• My parents and in-laws will be with us Mon-Fri.
• Saturday the g-parents depart and Saturday & Sunday just my husband, kids and I are staying on-site (Caribbean beach)

Monday, Magic Kingdom: rope drop arrival, leave around dinner
Tuesday, HS: rope drop arrival, leave after Star Wars show (We want to do jedi training so have to arrive at opening)
Wednesday, AK: rope drop arrival, leave after Rivers show (**good idea to arrive around 11:00 or noon and have a chill morning at home?)
Thursday, Magic Kingdom: rope drop arrival, leave before dinner (maybe leave late afternoon to enjoy pool)
Friday, Epcot: rope drop arrival, leave around dinner
Saturday: Pool at our resort day, Epcot late afternoon & dinner
Sunday, Magic Kingdom: Rope drop arrival, stay for fireworks

Thanks for any input!!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

You're mistaken about the Star Wars fireworks. The stage show starts April 4, but the fireworks and projection show don't start until the summer. I'd guess the stage show will have a few showings throughout the day, so you won't need to stay at DHS all night.

 

[Figgy1]

That all depends on your kids some can do it and others not so much. My little guy at 5 did open to close commando style with no problem. he kept us out most nights. Only you know your children

 

[Princess Kaylee]

That depends on your kids. It may be best to wake up late and stay late. Don't overdo it, I'm sure they will be fine. When everything else fails sugar them up with Mickey treats .

 

[ToTBellHop]

You're mistaken about the Star Wars fireworks. The stage show starts April 4, but the fireworks and projection show don't start until the summer. I'd guess the stage show will have a few showings throughout the day, so you won't need to stay at DHS all night.

Yes but Symphony in the Stars still runs in April.

I think it is REALLY hard to keep kids out in the parks all day for fireworks w/o a break. Maybe your kids have higher endurance though. I also can scarcely imagine being entertained at DHS from 9 am to 9 pm with kids those ages. Maybe break it up with dinner over on Crescent Lake (Beaches and Cream if available?).

 

[Princess Kaylee]

Yes but Symphony in the Stars still runs in April.

I think it is REALLY hard to keep kids out in the parks all day for fireworks w/o a break. Maybe your kids have higher endurance though. I also can scarcely imagine being entertained at DHS from 9 am to 9 pm with kids those ages. Maybe break it up with dinner over on Crescent Lake (Beaches and Cream if available?).

We usually break up the day with a character lunch!

 

[DisDadWoz]

It really depends on your kids and how they are with staying up late normally. Usually a break back at the resort or a long dark attraction (Ellens energy adventure) would recharge ours back in the day.

 

[sjv]

When you stay off property leaving and coming back is a pain , we did it our first visit and it seamed like as soon as we got back to our hotel we had to turn around and leave. What we do now is have a late lunch followed by a show/long slow ride .

 

[SAV]

Every Kid is different and only you know your kids. My kids both toured commando style with us from open to close at that age and they were fine for the week. If you feel the need, just build some down time in the park you are at. Meaning, go to Hall of Presidents and see if they'll crash while in there. COP is good for that too. The shows you are going to see are actually rest time for everyone too.

Believe it or not, AK seems like it is the hottest park. You would think with all of the vegetation and whatnot, it would be cooler. So getting there mid-day will have you feeling hotter. I'd still try to get there at RD and do Safari. Do Nemo and FOLK during the mid-day hot times since those are air conditioned. Do Kali since it will cool you off.

I think your leaving MK early on Thursday will be a nice enough break that you won't require any extra time each day for chill time. So I'd rethink that leaving MK at dinner on day 1. I doubt anyone will want to do that.

 

[Jim Chandler]

Just remember you are in Clermont and with the 12 mile ride it is not up at 7 have breakfast leave at 8:30 and drive 12 easy miles and you are at the gate.
It would be more like up at 6/6:30 have breakfast on the road by 7:30. If you come down 27 to 192 getting through 192 can be time consuming. Never mind the parking lot to the main gate.

If you want a time out during the day from the MK you could always go to GF or Poly for a late lunch. That could be a good time for a break.
You could do the same at Boardwalk or Y&B when at Epcot.

I know when our 3 kids were that age we went 4 days straight on the 5th we all crashed at the pool.

 

[MissingDisney]

When you stay for The nighttime shows, it makes for a very late evening. Walking to cars, crowds, traffic, etc. Are your kids ok with getting up at 6 am after getting to bed at 10 or 11 pm the night prior following a day of non-stop stimulation and activity? Only you know that for sure. I will say that from my personal opinion, you are going to be very hard pressed to make a full day of Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios from rope drop to a nighttime show. More so at HS. There's just not enough to do. (And AK is my 2nd fav park so I'm not bashing it-love it there) If you are absolutely set on seeing the night time festivities I would suggest you start your day quite a bit later to make it more enjoyable for everyone and avoid a lot of downtime. Everyone could be better rested and maybe even catch a swim at the house in the morning before you head to the parks. Just a suggestion.

 

[JChoma]

Thanks so much for the feedback! I think we're going to make out first 2 days (MK & HS) "leave around dinner" days and not totally push the kids. Wednesday will be a late night with Rivers, but I think we can relax a bit more Thursday and make up for it.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Not sure if it's possible with your plans, but we were always able to keep our kids (when they were younger) in the parks late by giving them a solid midday break. We'd hit the park at opening, head back for a rest anytime between 1 and 3...and then return for dinner and the evening. We were onsite the whole time, so it was a bit easier, but it enabled us to take in fireworks and evening EMH with young kids.

 

[JChoma]

Not sure if it's possible with your plans, but we were always able to keep our kids (when they were younger) in the parks late by giving them a solid midday break. We'd hit the park at opening, head back for a rest anytime between 1 and 3...and then return for dinner and the evening. We were onsite the whole time, so it was a bit easier, but it enabled us to take in fireworks and evening EMH with young kids.

Thanks! We are staying offsite from Disney (house in Clermont) so I'm worried by the time we get to where we're staying, it'll be time to come right back. We were gifted this vacation house for the week so I can't complain about a free place to stay, but I do think next time we'll stay onsite! I think we're going to try for 3-4 late nights broken up over the course of the week, and just gauge how the kids are handling things. We all know that if the kids aren't happy- NO one is!

 

[DiSnEyF@n]

Not sure if it's possible with your plans, but we were always able to keep our kids (when they were younger) in the parks late by giving them a solid midday break. We'd hit the park at opening, head back for a rest anytime between 1 and 3...and then return for dinner and the evening. We were onsite the whole time, so it was a bit easier, but it enabled us to take in fireworks and evening EMH with young kids.

This is such a great idea! Even if you do it a couple days (maybe one of the days you plan to be out late)... Any little break will hopefully give them the steam they need for the night. I do have to say tho that when we took my step kids when they were 8 and 6 they were totally fine morning to night. I think it really depends on the kids and their stamina. I say give them ice cream around 7 and that might give them the extra boost, too, to get them through the long night. Whatever you choose they're sure to enjoy themselves!

 

[JChoma]

This is such a great idea! Even if you do it a couple days (maybe one of the days you plan to be out late)... Any little break will hopefully give them the steam they need for the night. I do have to say tho that when we took my step kids when they were 8 and 6 they were totally fine morning to night. I think it really depends on the kids and their stamina. I say give them ice cream around 7 and that might give them the extra boost, too, to get them through the long night. Whatever you choose they're sure to enjoy themselves!

If we were staying onsite I think we would plan mid-day breaks, but a friend has offered use of a vacation home in Clermont for free for the week, so how do you turn that down? But, I think we've planned so that no early morning follows a late night except for two days.

Mon-Wed we'll be at the parks from rope drop until dinner, with the goal to get the kids home and maybe a quick swim then bed by 9. Thursday we'll swim then get to the MK around lunchtime, and stay through Wishes. Friday is Epcot and we'll stay for Illuminations. Saturday is mostly the pool, and AK at night (for ROL, yay!) Sunday is our last day and that's a totally full day at MK. I'm sure we'll be exhausted but will plan a more relaxed pace, some time at HOP and/or COP for breaks and yes, ice cream and treats for energy (hey, this is vacation, right ??)

We'll play things by ear based on how the kids are doing, too. My hope is that with a stroller for my five year old, some sugar and some breaks for shows, the kids will hang in nicely. Guess we will see!!

 

[DiSnEyF@n]

If we were staying onsite I think we would plan mid-day breaks, but a friend has offered use of a vacation home in Clermont for free for the week, so how do you turn that down? But, I think we've planned so that no early morning follows a late night except for two days.

Mon-Wed we'll be at the parks from rope drop until dinner, with the goal to get the kids home and maybe a quick swim then bed by 9. Thursday we'll swim then get to the MK around lunchtime, and stay through Wishes. Friday is Epcot and we'll stay for Illuminations. Saturday is mostly the pool, and AK at night (for ROL, yay!) Sunday is our last day and that's a totally full day at MK. I'm sure we'll be exhausted but will plan a more relaxed pace, some time at HOP and/or COP for breaks and yes, ice cream and treats for energy (hey, this is vacation, right ??)

We'll play things by ear based on how the kids are doing, too. My hope is that with a stroller for my five year old, some sugar and some breaks for shows, the kids will hang in nicely. Guess we will see!!

That really sounds like a great plan all around! You sound like you have it all figured out... Make sure you take time to stop and smell the roses and really take in the fact that you're there bc it goes by too fast! Lol I hope you and your family enjoy the trip!!!!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

This is such a great idea! Even if you do it a couple days (maybe one of the days you plan to be out late)... Any little break will hopefully give them the steam they need for the night. I do have to say tho that when we took my step kids when they were 8 and 6 they were totally fine morning to night. I think it really depends on the kids and their stamina. I say give them ice cream around 7 and that might give them the extra boost, too, to get them through the long night. Whatever you choose they're sure to enjoy themselves!

Yeah...by those ages, you can probably get by without a break. We were at Disneyland over Christmas with our girls, who are now 7 and 9 and they went from 7 or 8am until late every single night. Still, the previous midday break method was awesome when they were 2 and 4. Now, I think I'm the one who needs more of a midday break! LOL

 

[bigorangeandy]

You will know your kids and the rest of the family, and when they need a rest, leave early, or sleep in the next day to recover. The one thing we always say is that , I guess that we will just have to make another trip back, if we can't do everything.