How do you and your family do your vacation?

[Ms.Disney]

DF and I are going in Sept. for a week for our honeymoon. We go on day trips to the parks all usually for about 3 or 4 hours. We want to spend as much time in the parks as we can and still not kill ourselves. We are on the DP so we have ADR's every night. So my question is how do you and your family get the most out of your vacation? In other words.....I'm looking for a good plan of attack :mickey:

[psychotekkie]

Get up early and hit the parks in the morning. You will find the crowds extra light and the weather cooler (relatively speaking). It just sets you up for a great day. Around noon, settle down, have a bite to eat, and then head back to the resort for some "nap" ;) time or a dip in the pool. Maybe rent a boat for some fun.

Later on, head back into the park (I guess depending on your ADR), and get in a couple more hours of fun. Turn in a bit early so you can rest your feet and be up for another relaxing morning tomorrow!

PS. We used to pop over to Downtown Disney after the parks closed, which is a fine idea if you want to go clubbing a bit. HOWEVER, if you are going there to shop, then avoid going in the evening. Instead go in the morning and it will be like a whole different experience with no crowds to fight, and stores all to yourself. The evening was like a madhouse when we were there.

[Mickey91]

We get up early, hit the parks and stay until they close!! Can't imagine being there and not spending it totally immersed in the attractions!!:mickey:

[snifflesmcg]

I start the day early (hard to do for a night owl) and stay in the parks until they close. If you want quieter dining, hit the resorts for meals instead of the parks. I agree with shopping DTD during the day.

[LovinWDW]

The key is getting to the parks early. We have 2 little ones so an afternoon break is needed for swimming or napping. After a nice sit down meal around 5:30 we head back to the parks until they close.

[kakn7294]

We get up early and head to the parks where we stay until they kick us out at night. If we have an ADR somewhere other than a park, we'll head back to the park (or another park) after we eat.

[countrycharmer]

For us, it is a bit "different"... we go to relax and the kids have done the parks so much on all our trips that we usually relax as much as we can, sleep until even our tiniest "diva" wakes up and then do whatever we feel like, be it to hang around Coronado pools, DTD, etc.

If we want to go to a park, we always get up EARLY and head there and spend the day. We plan that in advance to make sure that we have any dining reservations made, etc.

Usually we prefer to try to go late in the evening, especially when the parks are open SUPER late...mk - 3:00 a.m., and it is almost like the parks are open just for us, no lines, no waiting, and you can ride over and over until your hearts content!

[Ms.Disney]

Thanks everyone for sharing! I love to here peoples different approaches, :mickey: Keep em coming.

[SimbaandNalasMama]

how long will you be there? (sorry if i missed that!) I think it depends on that and what you want to accomplish, ya know? we used to go over mardi gras break when i was growing up, and Dad is well, clark griswald ;) So the plan of attack was "GO GO GO GO" We went in early and left late. there were no 'fancy' restaurants on the agenda, only counter service....his thinking, we dont have time to stop. We were usually only there 4 days, so we had one day in each park (this is before AK) and one day to go back and do what we missed....talk about being tired, but satisfied.

Now, when hubby and I go (we have no kids) we take it at a leisurely pace, partly because we know what we want to see and do and know what to miss.

Also, when are you going? (again, sorry if i read right over that and missed it) :blush:

[SimbaandNalasMama]

DF and I are going in Sept. for a week for our honeymoon.

duh so now i see....a week and in sept :blush:

gosh you can so take it leisurely. plan for a day in each and use the other days to go back and hit what you missed. we do enjoy afternoons at the pool too.

[ryca1dreams]

We only have one young un' who is 10. Our plan so far, and for this Sept trip will be, to get to the parks right after opening. We're never there for "rope drop", but we will stay late.

We do break up our days with Park Hoppers. So, in the middle of the day, we will switch to another park. We base some of this on EMHs and some on closing hours. We will stay in the parks for late EMHs and late closing hours, but avoid parks with early morning EMHs. We'll also avoid MNSSHP this year. One day we're going to Typhoon Lagoon and Disney Quest.

I have a whole color coded schedule done out with park times, ADRs, EMHs, etc. It sounds real rigid and scientific, but it is actually very flexible and we've found it to be a good way to manage our time. And we can always just ignore the "schedule". We just have fun.

[playdead88]

before we leave we all come up with a list of must do attractions - when we get there we hit the parks early we get there prior to opening and we go till around 2pm then we head back to the resort to hang out and relax before we hit it again that night - we also do a lot of counter service dining - it takes up a whole lot less time than table service and that helps get more in during the days :mickey:

[TheRustyScupper]

1) We still take the family (up to 19) each February.
2) Our days are pretty much
. . . breakfast prior to the park
. . . go to parks mid-morning
. . . eat lunch about 1:30pm-2:30pm
. . . leave parks about 5:00pm
. . . dinner either on-site or off-site
. . . spend 1-2 evenings at WDW just to see the park lights
3) We do not do DDP.
4) We find that we don't eat at too many TS places at WDW.
5) We think the quality and uniqueness is ebbing.
6) We consider only 3-4 on-site TS eateries due to quality.
7) Besides, DDP is an excuse to "graze" and eat too much.
8) Also, there are better restaurants off-site.

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

before we leave we all come up with a list of must do attractions - :mickey:

I ordered the Disney maps so we've already got our days planned out. Since it's just DH & I now we're taking our time at the parks. I've never been to the Boardwalk area, so we're doing that our first night @ WDW, then MK & AK the next & MGM on our way out of town. Since we'll have FRSP for the first time in years we'll be back again in October or November for at least a day trip.

[DisneyGiant]

Get up early and hit the parks in the morning. You will find the crowds extra light and the weather cooler (relatively speaking). It just sets you up for a great day. Around noon, settle down, have a bite to eat, and then head back to the resort for some "nap" ;) time or a dip in the pool. Maybe rent a boat for some fun.

Later on, head back into the park (I guess depending on your ADR), and get in a couple more hours of fun. Turn in a bit early so you can rest your feet and be up for another relaxing morning tomorrow!

PS. We used to pop over to Downtown Disney after the parks closed, which is a fine idea if you want to go clubbing a bit. HOWEVER, if you are going there to shop, then avoid going in the evening. Instead go in the morning and it will be like a whole different experience with no crowds to fight, and stores all to yourself. The evening was like a madhouse when we were there.

We do exactly as described here. But we have two kids in tow - ages 6 & 10 - whose goal of the vacation is to go on all the "rides" they love.

For a honeymoon - you may want to sleep in a couple days, and take advantage of the extra magic hours at night. We found we were always going to the early hours, and then were too tired to take advantage of the extra magic hours.

Or you can still go early, but nap during the afternoon. Those dang kids wouldn't nap! ;)

[Jared]

Arrive to the parks at opening. Lines do not begin to build until 11 a.m. or noon because few guests can wake early.

My family tours a theme park from 9 a.m. until 2:30 or 3 p.m., stopping for lunch around 12:30 p.m.

We go back to the resort for swimming, relaxing and resting until our Advance Dining Reservation at a table service restaurant. To end the day, we hop to another park for fireworks and nighttime fun.

:)

[alilprincessmom]

When we do more than just day trips we like to split up our park time. We start early with the park opening and then take a break after lunch, head back to the parks for dinner and stay until closing.

[Lizzie]

We will probably get up early for park opening and emh and than grab an early lunch and come back to the hotel for a quick swim and a nap. Than head back to the park grab an early dinner and stay till park closing.

[RaRaRoundTheWorld]

If I were on my honeymoon, I suppose this is what me & my DH would do:

Wake up early on some days and sleep in on others. If we went to the parks, it would be early to ride and later on in the day, just to be in the parks.
Things we would like to do are lounge by the pool, enjoy a spa couples massage or treatment, take a carriage ride, horseback ride at the ranch, rent bikes, rent a boat or go to DTD and do a little shopping and definetly (again, what I would do) do the RIchard Petty driving experience.

I hope this gives you a few ideas. Have a wonderful honeymoon!

[LoriMistress]

Dh and I went to WDW for our honeymoon in November 2003 so we'll share our tips to you.

We left our resort to the parks by 7:30am. This seems like a pain to wait at the parks for an hour but well worth it. There were times that we got in the parks early and "officialy open the parks" or we got to eat at a nice restaurant in the parks without a ressie because we were on our honeymoon and the fact that we arrived at the parks early.

Stock up on FP, FP, FP so you'll wait less in line.

Leave the park by 12pm to head back to the resort and relax. I would arrive back to the the parks around 4-5pm.

And my final advice would be relax...you're on your honeymoon.

[mickey-mouse35]

First, congratulations on your upcoming wedding/honeymoon! :mickey:

We took our honeymoon and five-year anniversary at Disney. Important thing is to schedule some downtime--plan to sleep in a couple of days, as mentioned, and then to get up early a couple of days to hit the parks.

I agree to have a list of must dos so you can see those. Make a ressie at a great restaurant or two at one of the resorts--we liked Cali Grill during Wishes and Kona Cafe at the Poly.

Have fun!

[Aggie97]

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding!!! :mickey:

I know it may not be the most efficient way to do the parks, but DH and I like to sleep in when we're on vacation. We usually head over to a park around 11-12, and close down the park that night. We like evening EMH too, especially at MK and Epcot. We don't do a ton of park-hopping, as it eats up a lot of time, but we will do it in the evenings sometimes to take advantage of EMH.

On our fifth day, I usually plan a "down" day, when we relax, visit other resorts and go to a nice dinner, such as CA Grill.

Have fun!!!

[dteed]

We go both ways, depending on how we feel. If we go early we relax at the resort pool during the mid-day, and go back in the evening. We have been known to go all day and night but that is the exception more than the rule.

[TIGGERSDOBOUNCE]

We get up early, hit the parks and stay until they close!! Can't imagine being there and not spending it totally immersed in the attractions!!:mickey:

:mickey: Gotta agree...We are at the park before it opens...no matter what park it may be that day...and we are at the park as one of the last guest out at the end of the night...I'm talking about up and out of the room at about 8am and back to the room and asleep at about 1 - 2 am daily for 8 days straight...we fiqure we are on vacation to relax the rest of the year; we might as well enjoy our time :mickey3: HOME :minnie: to it's fullest.

FUN FUN :tigger: FUN

[Dedivah]

It all depends on the trip.

When we take the kids, we have 2. We get up early have breakfast and head to the park. We have lunch in the park and hang out until around 3pm. Our ADR are normally around 7pm or 8pm. We head back to the resort to rest our feet and take a nap. The guys head to the pool then around 6 or 7 we head out to our ADR. After we eat we go back to the park with EMH.

When we iti s just Dh and I. We sleep in, then have breakfast at the resort or in the park depending on which park we choose. Try to get Fastpasses on all the rides we really want to go on. Do the rounds have lunch and head back for some rest and ADRs then head back to the park with EMH or head to Paradise Island.

[mickey-mouse35]

Gotta agree...We are at the park before it opens...no matter what park it may be that day...and we are at the park as one of the last guest out at the end of the night...I'm talking about up and out of the room at about 8am and back to the room and asleep at about 1 - 2 am daily for 8 days straight...we fiqure we are on vacation to relax the rest of the year; we might as well enjoy our time HOME to it's fullest.

You must be REALLY young with lots of energy!!! :D :D :D