Taking a break in the day back to the hotel. Pros and Cons

[graphite1326]

We go in the Fall and hrs are shorter. We never go back to the hotel for a break. We didn't do it when my kids were little and don't do it now (I'm 61). Like what was said "it's a long walk back to the bus stop" Not to say we don't take little breaks. We just do it at the park.

 

[durangojim]

We’re lucky because we’re able to go 2-3 times a year and we almost always stay at a deluxe or at least a moderate but we choose our 3 FP rides for the day and then decide if we’re willing to stand in line for anything else (usually 45 mins is our cut off). Then we go back to the room, swim, relax, etc and then head back out to a park for dinner and more rides. Makes it a much more relaxing and stress free trip.

 

[LAM378]

With young kids or older people, I think a midday break is the way to go. Even if it’s not crazy hot, it’s still really hard to be out, walking, going from attraction to attraction all day. They need that downtime. Yes, it’s a hassle to leave a park, but it’s worth it for those few hours of rest before hitting a park again.

From what I’m getting from your post, you’re the uncle. My brother is the uncle on our family trips, and my sister and I are the ones with little kids. We always encourage our brother to stay at the parks when we leave, and to stay out later at night than we can. Nothing wrong with sending your family back to the resort midday or late night, and you staying in the parks. It’s your down time, too, and you should be able to spend it how you want!

Believe me, I want to go go go go go when I’m in Disney World. As much as I don’t want the kids to grow up too fast, I look forward to the trips when they’re bigger and we can experience a lot more. But for now, my kids and my dad need the down time.

And just to throw it out there, my favorite memories from our trips are always the downtime. It’s hard to even talk to each other and enjoy each other when you’re rushing from attraction to attraction. I don’t come home with happy memories about rushing from Fastpass to Fastpass, or being all aggravated and sweaty and hungry in a quick service line. One way or another, our happiest times are always when we’re not watching the clock, and don’t have anywhere we need to be.

 

[joejccva71]

I just got back from a 9 day trip and we'd stayed at the Beach Club. Even in Magic Kingdom, where we got there for 8am BoG breakfast, we went back to our resort about 1pm for a break and pool time. Then returned about 6pm and did some more rides and had dinner. We did this like 3-4 days during our entire trip and it was amazing. I was worried before the trip that we would lose park time, but honestly we still got to do everything we wanted (more than once) and it was great to recharge and spend some time in the pool!

 

[BoarderPhreak]

Look, there is only one way to do this Disney thing, you plan to get there at rope drop and you stay until the CM's kick you out, that is how I do it and so that is the best way...

I totally agree; that's how I always did it. Now with a DW and DD - they were indeed the glory days!

 

[Herdman]

We do breaks on the MK and Epcot days since we have two days at each park, and then we have a mid week resort day to sleep in, relax and then head to Disney Springs in the evening. Of course, this is for a stay that is a week or more long. This plan has seemed to work for us on our last few trips. I try to plan it also to have a long day (say staying at AK all day through RoL) followed by a shorter day (one of the MK days where we aren't staying for Happily and Once Upon A time).

 

[DisneyFreak]

During the summer months when the hours are longer and the heat is hotter, we try and get to the parks at rope drop and then take an afternoon break and go back around 4-5pm.

During the fall and winter months we'll sleep in a bit and get the parks later in the morning and stay until close. If we happen to get run down at all we'll just take a break in the park somewhere. We'll have a deck of cards or some sort of Disney book to converse over while we recharge.

If we are at Magic Kingdom we'll sometimes head over to one of the monorail resorts to relax at. We've headed over to GF many times and have just sat out on one of their many outside decks and just look over Seven Seas Lagoon.

 

[HwdStudio]

I am going the week of Fathers Day next month to Disney for a full week with my parents and my sisters family and they have five kids. 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10. I am not real enthusiastic about going when it is so hot, but that's they it is going to be.

We have been debating the concept of going back to the hotel (All Star Music) in the middle of the day to take a rest. It theoretically gives you a nice break. However, leaving the park takes energy too. There is a lot of extra walking out of the park to the bus station, through the heat, and then walking to the hotel room, etc. It all takes a lot of extra time.

I am trying to get some opinions for this time of year if that is a sensible idea or not. I know we have two days at magic kingdom (other parks too). I was kind of thinking of suggesting we do an early day, and a late day for these two days. On the early day, we would leave early perhaps around 5 to go back and rest for the remainder of the day. On the other day, we would start out later, perhaps around noon, and stay through the fireworks.

Can anyone talk from experience?

I think the kids definitely need the break. I don’t know how old you are but if old enough it might be a good time for you to have some “me” time in the parks. They can bus back and you can stay in the park if you don’t feel like you need a break and then meet them later. You can just walk around and do things you want to do without having to keep the group together. I love having time to myself in the parks. Even if I don’t ride anything sometimes I will see a show, shop or just soak up the atmosphere. I love to do this at the MK especially. I’ll take in the Country Bears or the Tiki Room or go to the shooting gallery. Let us know how it all pans out and have a great trip.

 

[Dayma]

We always come back daily for a break in the afternoon. We usually go to WDW 3 x a year at 7 days. We find that relaxing and variety helps us enjoy the day more.

 

[jloucks]

I am going the week of Fathers Day next month to Disney for a full week with my parents and my sisters family and they have five kids. 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10. I am not real enthusiastic about going when it is so hot, but that's they it is going to be.

We have been debating the concept of going back to the hotel (All Star Music) in the middle of the day to take a rest. It theoretically gives you a nice break. However, leaving the park takes energy too. There is a lot of extra walking out of the park to the bus station, through the heat, and then walking to the hotel room, etc. It all takes a lot of extra time.

I am trying to get some opinions for this time of year if that is a sensible idea or not. I know we have two days at magic kingdom (other parks too). I was kind of thinking of suggesting we do an early day, and a late day for these two days. On the early day, we would leave early perhaps around 5 to go back and rest for the remainder of the day. On the other day, we would start out later, perhaps around noon, and stay through the fireworks.

Can anyone talk from experience?

That is a complex equation based on many factors. Ultimately tho, you can sort of distill it down to stamina. Does everybody in your party have the stamina to pull of a busy 14 hour day? Our family does, and so we would never go back to the hotel for a break. Like you said, it does take some time and effort to make a hotel visit. That is not to say you cannot take a solid break without going back to the hotel. My wife and I take a nice 1 hour break and people watch/doze while the kids continue at whatever park we are at.

But, with kids age 1 3 and 5, a 14 hour day is too much. You pretty much have to make the day shorter or have a siesta.

Or... or you could just draw straws and only one person takes the kids back and the rest of you get to enjoy the full 14 hours. That's what I would do.

Hmmm,,, now that I am thinking about it, we had my 5 (maybe 6) year old niece with us last time and she was fine. She went manic-wack-a-doo the last 2-3 hours, but she seemed to be having a good time. The split second the bus rolled out of the stop back to the hotel she went comatose. It was cute.

 

[larryz]

Breaks and quitting while you're still enjoying the day work best for us.

I just can't hack going commando any more.

 

[Fable McCloud]

My husband and I are in our mid 30s with no children and we require afternoon naps in the summer at WDW The humidity just saps our energy. We have park hoppers, so we'll rope drop one park, go back to the resort around 1 or 2, nap in the ac for a couple of hours, before heading out to dinner or to another park. That way, we will (hopefully!) be able to stay until park closing, especially those late nights at MK.

This is usually my strategy as well. My fiance and I are heading down there for our honeymoon in October, and he's already asked if we can go later in the morning and come back around 3 for a nap/shower before we go back. I agree. It's best to take that break to refresh yourself so you don't get sick, dehydrated, or worse. Besides, the resorts around midday are so quiet and nice. I once had the pool at All Star Movies all to myself for like, 30 minutes!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Pros: everything
Cons: none

 

[CaptainAmerica]

When you see those families that look hot and miserable and like they really can't stand one another to the point where you wonder why they would ever want to go on vacation with people they hate so much, 99% of the time those are the people who don't take midday breaks (or stay up too late every night, or both).

 

[jloucks]

Breaks and quitting while you're still enjoying the day work best for us.

I just can't hack going commando any more.

I get too chaffed when I go commando.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I get too chaffed when I go commando.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

There's no easy answer here. It all depends on the individual and a whole host of variables. If you are walking around in 95 degree weather with 100% humidity for 10 hours.......it's a bit different than walking around when it's 65 degrees and slightly overcast. Age, kids (and their ages), weather, health, crowd levels, and planning all factor into it.

I've always felt that pace is the most important aspect..and that is left to the individual.

I've never understood the group that rope drops and begins jogging to attractions, and by mid-day is still speed walking through the park because their FPs are back to back on complete opposite ends of the park. It works for them though and it's all good.

I'm sure they don't understand types like me, that never spend more than 6-7 hours in a park (unless I have an ADR), spaces out FPs, and have some type of logic of the route I'm taking.

There is no right or wrong here. What works for one doesn't necessarily work for another.

 

[DisneyFreak]

Never go to Disney without this!!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I've never understood the group that rope drops and begins jogging to attractions, and by mid-day is still speed walking through the park because their FPs are back to back on complete opposite ends of the park. It works for them though and it's all good.

I'm sure they don't understand types like me, that never spend more than 6-7 hours in a park (unless I have an ADR), spaces out FPs, and have some type of logic of the route I'm taking.

You're both wrong . Obviously the correct answer is to have your FastPasses back-to-back but in close physical proximity to one another.

Pirates-Thunder-Splash
Space-Buzz-Speedway
Mine-Mermaid-Pooh
Mansion-Peter-Small World

Actually, that's another benefit of taking midday breaks. You can park hop more easily, which mean you can load on on Magic Kingdom FastPass days. Magic Kingdom needs the most FastPasses. If you don't park hop, you're probably going to MK for two days, meaning six FastPasses. If you park hop and visit MK for four half-days rather than two full-days, you can take advantage of 12 FastPasses.

 

[TiggerDad]

We take our breaks in the parks, because it takes a long time to get back to the room and then get people calmed down enough to fall asleep and then reverse the process. Little ones can nap in a stroller. Bigger kids can survive without a nap.

I think we're all missing the bigger solution here, which is to split up. Those who want/need a nap can go back to the room and the older kids and uncle can stay in the park if they don't need the nap. Let the parents decide what their kids need; it's really not your call.