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View Full Version : How do you spend your time at WDW?



GrumpyFan
03-06-2008, 01:46 PM
I'm sure this has been posted before in some sort of manner. But, I was curious how others spend their time while at WDW? Are you a up early in the morning and straight to the parks, or do you go later in the morning and stay until closing. Or, some combination thereof?

We usually go non-stop except to sleep at night the entire trip, tiring ourselves out almost completely. We will sleep most of the way home on the plane. It's like when we're in Disney, we have this energy level to go and see and do as much as possible. Not that we're commando, trying to squeeze everything in as possible, but we definitely stay until park closing every night. Throughout the days, we usually take a couple of breaks in a hammock or lounge chair or a long mid-afternoon lunch or something similar.

Funny story (kinda). On our last trip we took some friends who were, as they put it, "in better shape than us". Funny thing is though, we were out-walking them and out-lasting them in the parks every day. They would want to get to the parks around 9, when we usually go later, but we adjusted for them. But, then they were ready to leave around 8, and we were still going strong. Several times they left early and went back to the room to rest.

MississippiDisneyFreak
03-06-2008, 01:54 PM
We are usually up early every morning...how late we stay depends on whether we are staying for Fantasmic, Illuminations or Wishes...we've never stayed past any of these shows...I understand with extra hours that some people are at the parks for 16-20 hours but a 12-14 hr day is usually our average, we do not generally take naps in the middle of the day.

tennantsrwe
03-06-2008, 02:03 PM
We're usually up pretty early most days. Grab a quick breakfast in our hotel rooms...poptart, granola bars..and then it's off to a full day at one of the parks. Never really been much for park hopping so we usually go where there are EMH, either AM or PM. We always do a CS for lunch and then TS for dinner. Typically we're at the park until closing or pretty close to it. If we do happen to leave early our girls like to do the gift shop at the hotel or swim, weather permitting. I guess you can say we try to squeeze in as much magic as time permits. Although we are guilty of sleeping in a day or two, sometimes til ten :secret: if we're just really tired. LoL! 10:00 is waaaayyy late for us, :)

DNS
03-06-2008, 02:35 PM
Our first several trips, we got up around 6 a.m., had a light breakfast at the hotel, then headed for the parks. We would not go back to our room until at midnight or after. We now don't push ourselves so much. We get up around 8 a.m. and head out, but we take a rest mid day or go to do some resort hopping mid day, then change parks for the evening and get back around 10 p.m.

c&d
03-06-2008, 02:50 PM
We're late goers to the parks. DH & DS usually sleep late. I get up in the morning and head out to the pool to get some :sun:. Sometimes I'll get up and run. No I'm not a crazed runner, but we tend to go in late April and I have a race every Mother's Day.

When DS & DH finally wake up they'll come down to the pool and hang out. We usually eat lunch at our resort and then head over in the afternoon to the parks.

The only time we've ever gotten up and moving quickly was when we headed out to the water parks. I need that prime tanning location don't want to be stuck in the shade. Eventually I have to get out of the wave pool at TL.

SBETigg
03-06-2008, 03:09 PM
We go with the mood, depending. The first day, we head straight for the MK, take a brief break, head to Epcot and stay to closing. The second day, we're up early and off to a park.

After that, we usually sleep late and get to a park around ten. We typically do a park from 10-2, rest at the resort from 2-4, and head to a different park for the rest of the night with a late dinner break or a post-park dinner break depending on closing times. Mid-week, we'll have a day at the resort without park time or with just one park. I work out the ADR schedule and we work around that, but otherwise wing it as far as what park or if we'll take extra resort time.

We're strictly Poly or GF vacationers now, so we do love our time at the resort as well as our time at the parks. We're not commando park people, but we do end up doing our favorites in each park two, three, four or more times a trip. And some fine dining options are on our priority list, too.

disneymom15
03-06-2008, 03:14 PM
We usually get down to the food court for breakfast at about 9am. After that head out to one of the parks. Sometimes we'll take a mid afternoon break and then back to the parks. We always stay for sure till fireworks and illuminations are over.

SleepinB
03-06-2008, 03:21 PM
We tend to hit the parks when they open. We eat a quick breakfast in our room (pop-tarts, cinnamon rolls, etc.) We are able to hit many of the most popular rides before the lines get too long. Being from the West Coast this is especially hard the first few days.

As we became more experienced WDW visitors, we lengthened the number of days for our visits. Now we don't try to cram as much stuff into each day. We are usually done with a park by late afternoon or early evening (especially AK or DHS). We head back to the hotel, get freshened up and maybe grab something to eat. After some relaxation, we either head to a park that is open late or get in some miniature golf at Fantasia Gardens.

With the longer stays, we avoid the parks on the weekend. Weekends become our resort and tourist shopping days. We also break up the week with a visit to one of the water parks.

.

January-2007
03-06-2008, 03:22 PM
We like to get up early, be at the park for opening, return to the resort to sleep, swim, relax, then return to the parks in the evening. Fun times. It doesn't always go this way, but we really enjoy our trips when it does! :mickey:

4277
03-06-2008, 03:28 PM
We always get up early and have breakfast at our resort and then head to whichever park has emh. Last yr we did have breakfast at Crystal Palace one morning and we really enjoyed that. Ever since our kids were little we have been going back to the resort for an afternoon break and even now that they are grown we still seem to need that much needed break. We sometimes have dinner at the resort and then head back to one of the parks. Last yr was the first time we made adrs. Not a fan of scheduled meals, I would rather just wing it. We sometimes stay for the fireworks but have never stayed until the parks closed.

JPL
03-06-2008, 03:49 PM
I'm usually up early and they drag me kicking and screaming out of the parks at closing :thumbsup: I go back to my room sleep a few hours and repeat.

Mrs Grumpy
03-06-2008, 04:17 PM
We are there from opening to closing :thumbsup:

FenwayGirl
03-06-2008, 04:24 PM
Open to close for us as well, but we tend to take our time and enjoy the surroundings. Not much rushing from attraction to attraction.

scootch713
03-06-2008, 04:31 PM
We are up and at parks at opening... but do take a break every afternoon. Even if it is just to swim, just get out of the hustle and bustle of the park. We go in November, so the parks are not open late anyhow. We usually just have breakfast in the room(except for an occasional character breakfast) and then ahve an early lunch at 11am

snerd475
03-06-2008, 05:06 PM
We arrive at the given park at opening. We're usually done by 3 or so, head back to the hotel, maybe take a swim, maybe a nap (but not for awhile - too much fun to be had!), and either have dinner at the hotel, or go back to a park for the evening festivities.

The only consistant is getting there first thing. The parks start getting much more crowded around mid-morning due to the later sleepers ( I save that for weekends at home!), so we really enjoy our mornings.

MK_Mtns
03-06-2008, 06:09 PM
with the long lines, we want to do as much as we can. from opening to closeing, EMH, and so on...we are always doing somethng.

IloveDisney71
03-06-2008, 07:22 PM
It depends on the time of year we go.
If it is the summer months (HOT) and the parks are open for longer hours we usually get up early and are at the parks when they open. We like to take advantage of the EMH's. We usually take a break at mid-day for a short nap at the resort and then head back to the parks until they close.
During the cooler months, we don't get as tired so we are usually at the parks from the time they open until the time they close. :mickey:

AllDisney
03-06-2008, 08:02 PM
We get to the parks around opening time and stay until they kick us out:secret

We try to capture all the magic each & every trip, because we never know when we'll get back.

We eat breakfast around 8 or so, get a snack early afternoon and then look forward to a great TS at one of the fantastic restaurants on property. At this point, we are charged up to stay at the parks until they close!

Dsnygirl
03-06-2008, 09:14 PM
:mickey: We are usually up around 7 am with our girls, eat bkfst in the room (unless we have a special character bkfst booked) and then try to catch a bus around 8:30 or 8:45 to get to the parks by 9:00 or so. There are often a day or two, though, where we all just sleep in and don't get to a park until 10:00... sometimes you just have to catch up a little!! :blush: but we definitely stay until closing at whatever park we're at, or leave one to go to another that is open later... we rarely head back to our room early. And just like you - we find that there is some eternal, magical well that just keeps filling us up with energy when we're at Disney - even our girls don't get worn out, and they're 6 and 9!! We just keep going, and sleep well... and we also do take breaks during the day to just people watch and catch our breath. That definitely helps us keep going!! :thumbsup:

dteed
03-06-2008, 09:49 PM
It differs for us day to day and trip to trip. We almost never go all day and night. During our trip last summer we did a water park every morning and we were there at opening till lunch, back to hotel and parks in the evening. In Feb we stayed at the parks most of the day, evening dinner at a Resort and DTD after. In two weeks, my oldest will be there with his school band so we will do whatever my DS11 wants. Grandma and Grandpa will be there as well so DW and I will take off for Tampa on Sat and see the Yankees, then dinner at Narcosees. I will on occasion take one or both of my sons and do a very late EMH at the MK.

Mickey91
03-06-2008, 10:08 PM
Attractions/Dining/More Attractions/More Dining:mickey:

Maleficent's Dad
03-06-2008, 10:10 PM
I'm usually up early and they drag me kicking and screaming out of the parks at closing :thumbsup: I go back to my room sleep a few hours and repeat.
:funny: :rotfl:


We ARE a morning family! :blush:

We're up between 5 and 6 (yes, in the morning!) and DW and I take turns running or going to the fitness center. We take turns showering and feeding the kids.

We go to our park for opening and go "commando" for the first few hours, hitting the rides that are important to us. We have lunch in the parks or one of the close resorts.

Then it's back to the resort where we'll be a lot more laid back - pool, boats, TV, relaxing...

We normally head into EPCOT's WS for dinner and then catch one of the shows - Illuminations, Fantasmic!, Wishes, etc... sometimes our night-time routine is the Boardwalk's "entertainment."

When it's time for the kids to go to bed, we head back to the resort (thank goodness the parks usually close down close to 9). DW goes to bed early and I go to the pool for some alone time.

By 6 the next morning, we're doing it again! :mickey:

LoriMistress
03-07-2008, 12:14 AM
We're always at the parks before opening, leave by 12-1pm to head back to the resort for a nap. Later in the evening we head back to the parks. On our off days we'll visit some resorts or hit DTD/PI.

bringbackhorizons
03-07-2008, 04:48 AM
DH says I'm like an army sgt, when I'm at Disney. I like to hit the parks for when they open, so we're generally up by 7am, with the 5 hour time difference, thats midday to us!!:D

brownie
03-07-2008, 11:51 AM
We get up early, eat breakfast, and get to whatever park we're going to at least 30 minutes before it opens. We'll spend all our time in a park. We haven't generally spent much time at our resort when we've gone, although I'd like to try to do that on future trips.

#1Dduckfan
03-08-2008, 07:34 PM
We tend to get to the park early in the morning, come back and relax in early afternoon, and then head back out for early evening. After going non stop for many years, I have found that this way has been best for us.

Recently we took a trip with friends and they did not like to get started early in the morning. There were many times that we didn't leave the hotel until 11 or 12. I did not like doing it this way. I seriously felt like I missed out on a lot of my day.

Genie1953
03-08-2008, 08:02 PM
We stayed at Port Orleans RS our last trip. We got up early, ate CS breakfast at the food court or TS at Boatwrights, then headed to the parks by 8:30....then back to the hotel for a swim and nap in early afternoon. Then we had a mid to late afternoon meal either at the hotel or at the parks. That way we could stay later at night at the parks. Worked out rather well and did not get overly tired. :mickey:

Gator
03-08-2008, 09:37 PM
Hard to hit the parks early as we are from CA. The 3 hour time change is a killer. But we do stay till the bitter end and never take a nap in the middle of the day.

bruin1344
03-09-2008, 11:30 AM
Usually got to Parks late morning. Stay at parks till late afternoon. Go to the pool. Then go to Pleasure Island, EMH Park, or Boardwalk :beer: at night. I am anti-TV or internet during my vacations so im rarely in the room.

JuicyMoose17
03-09-2008, 11:50 AM
We get up early everyday for the most part and we usually head back to the hotel room in the middle of the day when its really crowded to freshen up and relax. Then its back to the park where were eating that night or wherever we feel like.

We used to go early and stay all day but that was when we first started going and haven't seen a lot. It was pretty tiring.

Marilyn Michetti
03-09-2008, 12:07 PM
We're a couple of old folks, and can't "marathon" anyhthing anymore.

We get up early, have breakfast at the resort or go over to 1900 Park Fair, and get to our park at opening. DH might go back to the resort to rest, but dealing with the bus and my ECV is just too hard, so I'll sit somewhere and read or people watch.

After dinner, we're done for the night. I have M.S., and know better than to push it. If DH is feeling like he wants to go back over to Epcot, he goes, and I watch T.V.

We usually stay for a week, and just do the parks as the Spirit or my body leads. We have a wonderful time, and are ready to go home when it's over.

We'll be back on Dec. 6th to do it again.:thumbsup:

GrmGrninGost
03-09-2008, 12:26 PM
Open them up, shut them down! I can swim and sleep when I get back home! :mickey:

NJ Camper
03-09-2008, 12:38 PM
When we first went we would marathon it open til close now we slow it down a little we go when ever we get up and when we feel we had enough we go back for a rest after you have been many times you start to slow we have seen most other then what might be new or things we wouldn't do DW isn't big fan of coasters another reason we don't do universal bad part is i love them well guess we will have to find somethingfor her because i need a coaster fix this year hope to make it to universal for 1 day hopefully i guess if you have time you can go slower we usually stay 2 weeks so we have time to do the slower pace if you only have 3-4 days you need to go faster if you want to cover most of it

aurorafan
03-09-2008, 03:32 PM
On our first trip in Oct. we had a early CS breakfast at the resort and then got to that day's park at or just after opening. Hit our top rides, had lunch and went back to the resort for swim/relaxing/etc. Went back to the park for dinner and festivities :). I plan to follow the same routine when we go back in Dec. as it worked really well for us :).

When I went with my best friend for our mom's trip a couple of weeks ago we got up early most days and were at the parks shortly after opening. We had park hoppers that time and other than doing our ADR's we just saw and did what moved us, but we did end up going back to the hotel for an afternoon break 2 out of the 3 days we were there ;).

Princess2BsMom
03-09-2008, 04:22 PM
Since this will be our first trip I can just say how we are going to plan on doing. I will let you know what we really did after we get back. ;) We will be traveling with our DD who will be 4, so we are planning on hitting the parks early and then breaking for an afternoon break and then going right back at it late afternoon. It seems to be the thing to do with a little one.

ASweetLov
03-11-2008, 03:16 PM
We set our alarms to the time the park we are visiting the next day opens. We bring our own breakfast items so while one is taking a shower the other is eating breakfast and vise versa. By the time we get to the park it is early but not everyone is rushing at the same time.

We like to take it slow. We figure whats the rush, there are always future trips so we enjoy as much as we can without rushing. We return to the resort around 3 to eat and rest for a tiny bit before returning. Then we just stay at the parks until after the fireworks:mickey:

Septbride2002
03-11-2008, 03:43 PM
I could go all day but my husband feels like this is HIS vacation too - and the man wants to chill a bit. So we usually go to the parks in the morning when it is the least crowded, and we are there till about noon. We'll grab counter service at the park or at the resort and then we'll go back to the room - he naps, baby naps, and I usually read a book or go down to the pool. Sometimes I nap. :)

Then we go back in the early evening and usually eat dinner in a park and stay for the evening fireworks - except at Studios - in which case we ride rides till they boot us out.

~Amanda

disneyworld55925592
03-11-2008, 03:55 PM
We always wake up at about 7:30 hit the foodcourt for a quick breakfast then head into our park. We normally come back about 2:00 for a swim then we shower and clean up and go out to dinner at a hotel or go into the park we plan to spend our night at. We usually last till about 10:00? We are deffently park hoppers though we always do one park in the morning then a different park at night :thumbsup:

Erin C.
03-11-2008, 06:30 PM
Our motto for every trip is GO WITH THE FLOW...we know what parks have EMH and that is as far as our planning goes. We don't set an alarm and we usually are walking into a park around 9:00ish. We always take a break at lunch time and swim and chill out and head back to a park until we drop. As my DD14 says....we can sleep when we get back!!! :)

pook@wdw
03-11-2008, 06:52 PM
Being @ WDW gives one an energy unlike anywhere else! (or so it seems) We are a 2-park-a-day family, and try to get to our chosen park at least 45-60 min before the parks opens. Most of the time, we are the 1st in line and have been lucky enough to be selected "Family-Of-The-Day" on several occasions, which gave us free FP access to all the attractions. So, we can usually do all we want by noonish, head back to the resort for some "down time", and head out to our late afternoon/evening selection around 4-5 pm. This schedule allows time for us to do a resort-hopping day or water-park day if we so choose! We don't normally hit the parks w/the EMH , as they tend to be more crowded and our schedule pretty well allows us time to do all we want. We figure we'll have plenty of sleep time when we get home. We don't want to miss a thing!:thumbsup::mickey:

LudwigVonDrake
03-11-2008, 07:29 PM
I used to do the "commando" route: get up early and hit the parks and stay in the parks all day. Now it's more leisurely and I go back to the hotel in the middle of the day to swim in the pool and relax before going back. I stay as late as I can in the parks. Park hopping is a definite and it's not uncommon to go to one park in the morning, one in the afternoon and another at night. I like doing the parks this way instead of the continuous going and basically being exhausted when the vacation is over. Who really wants a vacation from your vacation? :mickey:

wilshade
03-11-2008, 07:51 PM
I like being at the park early, usually before opening. With the exceptions of the Safari and Conservation Station at the AK, there are no attractions that I feel a need to rush to. I'll take my time and just enjoy the parks at a nice easy pace.

Sometimes I will stay to park closings. Other times, I wont, depending on circumstance.

I do; however, plan at least one day outside of the parks to truly relax and rest.