Question about midday breaks

[Beccone]

This is the first year we will be planning on taking breaks midday, we planned on it last year but because of Tropical Storm Fay we ended up leaving the parks early most days instead of leaving and coming back. So my question for those of you who take breaks, about which time do you leave and come back? I'm mainly thinking of MK because one of the days we are there I'd like to see the parade but it's at 3pm so right around the time we would be at our hotel. DHS and AK parades are not an issue because we are only doing 1 day each there, Epcot and MK we are there 2 days so those are the days we plan on breaking. We lucked out last year on the heat because of the storm but I know how August can be so I know we'll need those breaks this time around. Thanks in advance!

 

[GenerationX]

We've been going in August for many years now. Our typical break starts between 1:00pm-3:00pm, and we typically return to the parks between 4:00pm-6:00pm.

We have breakfast in the room, lunch at the park we tour in the morning, and dinner at the evening park. The afternoon rains usually occur doing our breaks.

 

[DisneyChik17]

I would say that if you want to get that extra rest in AND catch the parade, sleep in that day. Sleep until you are ready to wake-up, get some breakfast in the food court, hit the pool, then head to the parks around 12 or 1.

 

[TakeMeThere81]

I agree with PP that waiting until late to enter the parks would be a good idea. That way maybe the day you catch the afternoon parade you might have the stamina to catch the evening events as well.

Other days, we have left the parks at like 11:30 and came back around 2pm. You save money by eating breakfast and lunch in your hotel also. So around dinner time, 5-6 pm you can have a nice sit-down dinner which is restful as well.

 

[Pens24]

I agree with PP that waiting until late to enter the parks would be a good idea.

The only problem with this is that the parks will be more crowded in the afternoon if you want to go on some of the most popular attractions. What we usually do is go to the parks early, and leave around 3pm and then return back into the parks around 6.

 

[tigsmom]

We used to take breaks because the kids were small and needed them, now we take them because we like to. :lol:

Hit the EMH park at opening and do as much as you can before noon, break for lunch a a quick dip or nap (even just a rest in the a/c in the hot summer does wonders for an hour or two). Then hit another park at night (for us that's usually the EMH park).

 

[Disney<333]

We are going for in 3 days and our plans are for most days is hot the park at opening leave at 2 or 3 or 1 and come back after 4 in may it will be hot and you really need to be indoors from 1-4. (trust me I lived in orlando for half my life and now south florida) It also rains for like half an hour in the middle of the day.
Next trip May 20-25 2009 at Dolphin :sohappy:

 

[Disney<333]

I would say that if you want to get that extra rest in AND catch the parade, sleep in that day. Sleep until you are ready to wake-up, get some breakfast in the food court, hit the pool, then head to the parks around 12 or 1.

I would say rope drop then leave early and come back just in time for the 4 o clock parade.

Are you going to work at Disney?:veryconfu
Next trip May 20-25 2009 at Dolphin:sohappy:

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

we usually hit any EMH morning hours and stay until about 2pm - 3pm ...sometimes we have lunch at the park before we leave. Then back to the hotel for a swim and a rest and back to the parks around 6pm-7pm and usually do whichever park has evening EMH

 

[toystorymaniacs]

It depends on where you are staying. IF you are staying at a monorail resort them stay until 12 or so and plan on being back right at 3:00. IF you are staying anywhere else, I say spend the morning at your resort put the baby down for an early nap ( I assume that's why you are heading back) and get to the park in time for the parade and stay until it closes. I would suggest taking the train to frontier land gabbing a FP for SM or BTMRR and watching the parade from back there.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

Our last visit over Christmas 08 was the first time we've built breaks into our daily schedule. Our aim was to avoid the parks during the busier middle of the day having been there since park opening.
We generally left around midday and returned around 5pm. There were exceptions but it worked well for us.

 

[Beccone]

Thanks for responses everyone! Now I'm even more confused about what to do because when I made our ADR's today I couldn't get anything later than 5:30 at Crystal Palace on the one night and 6:30 for Chef Mickey's on the other day we are at MK. And 5:30 for both Akershus and Beirgarten. I was hoping to not go back to the parks until around 7 or so. I like to get to the parks at rope drop and even plan on doing a few morning EMH so maybe I'll just leave earlier than I was planning on and going back to the hotel and getting back to the parks earlier. We are mainly going back to the hotel just to give the kids a break, because it can get ugly when they crash, lol. Noone takes a nap anymore so we were thinking of just spending time at the pool and escaping the midday heat.

 

[tigsmom]

Thanks for responses everyone! Now I'm even more confused about what to do because when I made our ADR's today I couldn't get anything later than 5:30 at Crystal Palace on the one night and 6:30 for Chef Mickey's on the other day we are at MK. And 5:30 for both Akershus and Beirgarten. I was hoping to not go back to the parks until around 7 or so. I like to get to the parks at rope drop and even plan on doing a few morning EMH so maybe I'll just leave earlier than I was planning on and going back to the hotel and getting back to the parks earlier. We are mainly going back to the hotel just to give the kids a break, because it can get ugly when they crash, lol. Noone takes a nap anymore so we were thinking of just spending time at the pool and escaping the midday heat.

My kids stopped taking naps at 18 months, but when they were little they napped at WDW. It's overwhelming to the little ones and they were just worn out from running to the characters and rides. :lol: A quick dip in the pool and then they would :snore::snore:

 

[Beccone]

My kids stopped taking naps at 18 months, but when they were little they napped at WDW. It's overwhelming to the little ones and they were just worn out from running to the characters and rides. :lol: A quick dip in the pool and then they would :snore::snore:

I would be one happy mommy if even one of mine fell asleep while there, then I might feel a littel less guilty about keeping them out late, lol. Last summer my daughter who was almost 2 fell asleep a couple times in the stroller while in the parks and all 3 of my little ones were passed out on the drive back to the house we rented at night. Maybe if I'm lucky they'll fall asleep in the car on the way to the hotel and then my dh can carry them to our room. I can always dream right?

 

[coltow]

We usually arrive at parks at (or just before) opening. We stay until about noon. Sometimes we have lunch at the parks but most of the time we grab lunch back at resort. We hit the pool for a bit, rest up, and head back around 4-5pm. We then stay until the kids start to get tired, sometimes that's 8pm and other times that's 10pm.

We also always take a day in the middle of our trip that we call a pool day. We sleep in and hit th pool for awhile. We usually plan to NOT go to a park that day to give us all a realzing day. We'll have dinner at a resort and hit downtown for some shopping, then back to the pool or to bed early. That one day seems to refresh us and the kids for the next few days.

 

[durangojim]

We usually go back to the resort (most of the time the WL or BC) between 12-1, go for a swim then take a nap, and go back to the parks between 5-6. Makes a big difference for my kids who are 3 and 1. Also, my 3 yo enjoys going swimming almost as much as he likes going to the parks.

 

[disney1077]

My mom and me like to head out to the parks early. We ride the popular rides first then we grab lunch around 11am or 11:30. Then we might ride a couple of more rides. Then we head back to the resort take a nap or head down to the pool for a little while. Then we go back to the park at around 4pm. The only time we stay late in a park is if we want to see the afternoon parades.

 

[bigorangeandy]

As the week goes by we tend to take a break earlier than the day before. So first day somewhere between 3-4pm, last day 12-1pm. It helps to get into the AC and maybe a dip in the pool. Our heading back seems to depend on what we feel like that evening.

 

[disneygirl76]

This is the first year we will be planning on taking breaks midday, we planned on it last year but because of Tropical Storm Fay we ended up leaving the parks early most days instead of leaving and coming back. So my question for those of you who take breaks, about which time do you leave and come back? I'm mainly thinking of MK because one of the days we are there I'd like to see the parade but it's at 3pm so right around the time we would be at our hotel. DHS and AK parades are not an issue because we are only doing 1 day each there, Epcot and MK we are there 2 days so those are the days we plan on breaking. We lucked out last year on the heat because of the storm but I know how August can be so I know we'll need those breaks this time around. Thanks in advance!

We take a break each day - usually leaving about 3 pm and heading back to the resort. Then we get ready for the evening - relax and change - and head back to the resort where there are EMH's or where we are having dinner. I know that we leave around parade time - but we usually catch the parade at MK on the last day and then head home. We don't stay for the DHS block party or the Jungle Jammin' parade at AK.

 

[DisneyChik17]

We take a break each day - usually leaving about 3 pm and heading back to the resort. Then we get ready for the evening - relax and change - and head back to the resort where there are EMH's or where we are having dinner. I know that we leave around parade time - but we usually catch the parade at MK on the last day and then head home. We don't stay for the DHS block party or the Jungle Jammin' parade at AK.

That is one of my FAVORITES! I think everyone should stay for it. We went back to AK on our last, after already having seen this parade 2 days before, trip JUST to see it again. You need to go see it one day.