Mid-day break with no hopper?

[Snow's Mom]

We just returned from a 7-day trip. No hoppers. I had planned to take "breaks" each day, but it just didn't work out. The first day, the weather was so nice and everyone was having fun, so we just stayed until about 4:00 and called it a day.

We stayed at PC and the walk to our room was not that short. It just seemed like it would be easier (less walking and hassle) to see everything we could see and then take the evening off. The idea of waiting for a bus and walking to our rooms and back...not that appealing.

Afternoons were really HOT, so the break sounded like a good idea, but honestly, even the pools were more pleasant in the evenings. Swimming in the heat of the day would not have been restful at all.

The only time we left and later returned to the parks was for Wishes or Fantasmic.

We did work in breaks on a previous trip when we had hopper tickets and switched parks. But for the same park....what am I missing or doing wrong?

[alaMode]

If I didn't hop to another park in the evening, I'd do the same thing you did! IMO there's no reason to go through the hassle of leaving and coming back to the same park, especially if your resort isn't nearby. And it seems that if you have an early evening you're more likely to get to the park at opening the next morning.

Did you enjoy your trip? Were you able to see/ do pretty much all you wanted?

[Fastpasssteve]

Perhaps your pace in the parks is part of the issue. If you run yourself ragged in the morning, I would understand your reluctance to return in the evening. Perhaps the evening return can be a more leisurely stroll through the park, instead of a high-speed mission. Perhaps the evening would be a good time to take the path of least resistance. Go to attractions that are less crowded. OR...go on favorite attractions during the evening parade when lines are shorter.

I did a trip last October without Hopper and it worked out well. I did notice that having a nice Table Service meal at least once a day gave us a period of time off our feet and in the A/C.

If you burn out in the first part of the day, you may have difficulty returning in the evening. Also, consider having a nap in the A/C instead of pool time. Pool time and sunning onseself always leaves me sapped.

[Snow's Mom]

Yes, we did do and see almost everything I had scheduled. We were with a group of 11 and only my family had been before. The FPV's (my family) had the hardest job. The rest took it pretty easy, just going where they were told.

If we'd have left and returned at 4:00 or so, it would have messed up our "rope drop" the next day. The kids went to bed pretty early.

Our bus rides weren't that long, but the walk to the bus, followed by the walk to the hotel ---times two--- would have added up. I would have loved to get out of the mid-day heat, but it's hard to leave the park when you're holding a fistful of FP's!

[KatrinaJ91]

Our bus rides weren't that long, but the walk to the bus, followed by the walk to the hotel ---times two--- would have added up.


I agree! We never leave and come back...it just seems like such a waste of time and energy to us! Of course, we don't get there at rope drop either. We get to the parks whenever everyone gets ready and we can get out the door! No time schedules on vacation EVER! (ok, fastpass times only!) If we want to stay at the park for fireworks, we get there later in the afternoon and do our swimming/exploring before we head to the parks. I guess to each his own, but we don't like wasting an hour leaving the park, getting a bus, walking to resort and then an hour back.

[KylesMom]

I guess that's why we love the comfort & convenience of a rental car, combined with A/P (hopping) passes that allow us to experience a whole new scene in the evening. At 2:00 in the afternoon, we can leave one park in the heat & crowds of the day,be back to our resort in no more than 20 minutes, hit the pool, take a brief nap & return to another park for an ADR by 6:00 pm. We garner a whole fresh perspective in the evening by this routine.

I should add that we almost always hit rope drop in the am/and many times morning EMH, except for arrival & departure days. The "hop" to a different park seems to refresh everyone.

[Fastpasssteve]

Trying to keep a group of 11 people together and happy in a park sounds completely dreary...let along impossible.

It would never occur to me to not see the fireworks at night. Wow.

I guess it's also a different mindset. I am on vacation the entire time I'm in WDW. The resort, the pool, the transportation, the restaurants, the parks are all part of the vacation. No matter what we're doing, it's part of the entertainment because of the company.

[Ms. Mode]

We have taken a mid-day break and had a nap in the AC before and it worked out well for an evening in the parks.

When I'm at WDW I just can't stay out of the parks, I love it there, it's where I want to be. :blush:

[Disney-4-Me]

It doesn't sound like you missed anything you wanted to do so you didn't do anything 'wrong'. I'm immersed that you did what you wanted to do with 11 people. That's not an easy feat!

Our personal preference is afternoon, evening and late night at the parks so we are at the other end of the spectrum. It's a good thing people all have different preferences. It helps balance things out.:thumbsup:

[NJGIRL]

We haven't purchased hoppers in years and never take mid day breaks. It works fine for us and we get maximin time in the parks.

[johnO]

No hoppers needed for us, take our time and enjoy..

[diz_girl]

We did work in breaks on a previous trip when we had hopper tickets and switched parks. But for the same park....what am I missing or doing wrong?


It sounds like you enjoyed your trip, so you didn't do anything wrong.

[joonyer]

To each his own. That's why they call it "Magic, Your Way" :thumbsup:

[luvdiznee]

I think this was why we were so much more tired our last trip to WDW.

We havent bought hopper tix in years, but this last trip we did since we only had 3 days and still wanted to do all 4 parks. So we ended up going park to park without a break. Thank goodness for the cruise that followed, because it gave us much time to rest up.:marg: