Park hopping with mid day rest? What time do you stay till

LauraRose

LauraRose

Well-Known Member
I’m currently planning my trip in May for 2 weeks with my boyfriend. Every time I’ve been to Disney World I’ve been with parents and we’ve stayed off site. We always got to park at opening and stayed till around 4 but found the hours of 1-3 way too hot and crowded.

I’m staying at Caribbean Beach (aware of construction) and most of our days are planned of hitting say animal kingdom from rope drop or EMH and staying till 12ish then going for break and then going Hollywood around 5.
We do have some days spending the full day in say magic kingdom and other days will be in universal.

Do you find by the time you’re back in the resort it’s time to go back out? I’m not a nap person as it makes me cranky but was hoping to just swim and relax at pool and take a shower.

Also the parks shut at like 9pm in May. I just don’t want to waste any time, how do you find park hopping?
 
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JIMINYCR

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
Having Park hoppers is great if you are going to be using it. We enjoy sometimes doing 2 parks a day, it changes things up and its useful to switch to a less crowded park if needed. Using the hoppers or going back to the resort will eat up time waiting for buses and traveling back & forth. My DW sometimes goes back to the resort for a break, usually for a couple of hours, I never do. It is useful for her to get that break. It can be valuable if it gives you a change of pace and is relaxing for you and if you need to recharge. I'd much rather stay in the park, find a quiet spot to rest a while.
 
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brifraz

brifraz

Marching along...
Premium Member
We tend to get in at rope drop, schedule our FP+ for 10am, 11am, and 12pm and get out around 1pm. On the ride/drive back to the resort, try to land another FP+ for our evening destination. Rest and relax from 2-4pm, then catch the bus/drive to wherever we are spending the evening and stay there until closing. We do try to use morning EMH as they don't tend to be too crazy and by the time of regular park opening, you have likely hit the headliners that will be getting the long lines (or those are the ones you have FP+ for later). We even do this when we split days with Universal (we always have a car) and hit Uni first thing and then head back to WDW for chill and evening activity.
 
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disney4life2008

disney4life2008

Well-Known Member
Beneficial if you get to the park at opening. The heaviest crowds arrive by 1030am and it's downhill after that. If you do as much as you can by 11am you are winning. I usually am out the park by 11 or 1pm depending on the park. Go back to the room until 6. But again only works depending on time of year. If its early closures then it's almost pointless.
 
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LauraRose

LauraRose

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thanks for all the advice! As the parks are closing at 9 and I’ll probably go there about 5 I’m not sure if that will be enough. I’ll see how it goes and If we’re getting enough out of the day!
 
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righttrack

righttrack

Well-Known Member
How we do it is like this:

  • Hit parks for rope drop (Early EMH or not) - go on whatever we can get on.
  • Lunch at the park we entered, typically quick serve.
  • Go on something less popular as the crowd builds
  • Leave 2pm
  • Resort 2:30-4:30
  • 2nd Park/Dinner Ressie/Fastpass + 4:30 - ? We typically do a second park and a sit down meal. We almost always set our FP+ for afternoon-evening because that is the time it is impossible to walk on anything. When dining at a resort, we usually make our FP+ during the late morning/early afternoon hours and when we go back to a park at night it's for a parade, fireworks, maybe a few quick things we could get on.
  • After Parks Close - Resort time
 
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LauraRose

LauraRose

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
righttrack said:
How we do it is like this:

  • Hit parks for rope drop (Early EMH or not) - go on whatever we can get on.
  • Lunch at the park we entered, typically quick serve.
  • Go on something less popular as the crowd builds
  • Leave 2pm
  • Resort 2:30-4:30
  • 2nd Park/Dinner Ressie/Fastpass + 4:30 - ? We typically do a second park and a sit down meal. We almost always set our FP+ for afternoon-evening because that is the time it is impossible to walk on anything. When dining at a resort, we usually make our FP+ during the late morning/early afternoon hours and when we go back to a park at night it's for a parade, fireworks, maybe a few quick things we could get on.
  • After Parks Close - Resort time
Click to expand...

Great thank you, this is pretty much my plan but probably leave more towards 1. When at resort do you just relax or go pool?
 
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BoarderPhreak

BoarderPhreak

Well-Known Member
It can be done... Last trip we hit the AKL lodge where we were staying for a little R&R and jumped in the pool.

The trick is mustering your energy and getting back out, especially as your trips gets on. There's also the time of travel back and forth to figure in. Personally, I'd rather just stay in the park but that's not always an option, like if you have kids.
 
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Weather_Lady

Weather_Lady

Well-Known Member
righttrack said:
How we do it is like this:

  • Hit parks for rope drop (Early EMH or not) - go on whatever we can get on.
  • Lunch at the park we entered, typically quick serve.
  • Go on something less popular as the crowd builds
  • Leave 2pm
  • Resort 2:30-4:30
  • 2nd Park/Dinner Ressie/Fastpass + 4:30 - ? We typically do a second park and a sit down meal. We almost always set our FP+ for afternoon-evening because that is the time it is impossible to walk on anything. When dining at a resort, we usually make our FP+ during the late morning/early afternoon hours and when we go back to a park at night it's for a parade, fireworks, maybe a few quick things we could get on.
  • After Parks Close - Resort time
Click to expand...

We do almost exactly the same thing! I can't imagine a better way. The down time at the resort is never wasted (it refreshes us for the evening, and without it, the kids would be miserable by the end of the day).
 
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ELeigh

ELeigh

Well-Known Member
LauraRose said:
I’m currently planning my trip in May for 2 weeks with my boyfriend. Every time I’ve been to Disney World I’ve been with parents and we’ve stayed off site. We always got to park at opening and stayed till around 4 but found the hours of 1-3 way too hot and crowded.

I’m staying at Caribbean Beach (aware of construction) and most of our days are planned of hitting say animal kingdom from rope drop or EMH and staying till 12ish then going for break and then going Hollywood around 5.
We do have some days spending the full day in say magic kingdom and other days will be in universal.

Do you find by the time you’re back in the resort it’s time to go back out? I’m not a nap person as it makes me cranky but was hoping to just swim and relax at pool and take a shower.

Also the parks shut at like 9pm in May. I just don’t want to waste any time, how do you find park hopping?
Click to expand...

I have used the timeframe of leaving the parks around noon and getting back in line for a bus around four and found it to be plenty of time to rest. I have young children so an hour a day in the pool is plenty for us and then everyone relaxes for a bit before getting ready to go back out. If you use ropedrop and FP to your advantage you will still fit in plenty of attractions.
 
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splashingatkali

splashingatkali

Well-Known Member
  1. Hit parks early.
  2. Lunch at the same park we are in, quick service.
  3. Leave about 1:30 - 2pm go to resort swim or rest depends on how the a.m. went
  4. Resort 2:00-4:30
  5. Go to 2nd park Dinner Reservation and fast pass usually.
  6. Go back to resort about 8 or 9. We watch fireworks once or twice on a 10 day trip. We leave park right before they start. Avoid the insane crowds
  7. Resort time .... night time swim or relaxing
 
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LauraRose

LauraRose

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
splashingatkali said:
  1. Hit parks early.
  2. Lunch at the same park we are in, quick service.
  3. Leave about 1:30 - 2pm go to resort swim or rest depends on how the a.m. went
  4. Resort 2:00-4:30
  5. Go to 2nd park Dinner Reservation and fast pass usually.
  6. Go back to resort about 8 or 9. We watch fireworks once or twice on a 10 day trip. We leave park right before they start. Avoid the insane crowds
  7. Resort time .... night time swim or relaxing
Click to expand...

Sounds pretty much what I’m planning, thanks for the reply!
 
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