Any tips to get our group of 8 out in the morning?

[Kateandsam]

We are traveling in March (4 adults, 2 young kids, and 2 babies). I know it is going to be peak season and I'm looking for suggestions on getting everybody out of the hotel in the morning so we're not arriving at the parks at noon. Unfortunately, one of the group is not much of a morning person and I don't want him to be irritated all day, but in the same respect I'd like to be back at the WL for naps and pool time by noon. What has worked for you? Thanks in advance!

 

[Tiggerlover91]

Explain to the one who isn't a morning person that you are going to be there at peak time and you NEED to be in the parks early in the am. Getting back to the hotel to rest and have pool time is a FANTASTIC idea. My husband and I are funny, we don't leave the parks to rest. Once we get back to the hotel room, we're in for the night! Now since we're going to be there for 9 days this time, we might shift things around a bit. I have TONS of PS's this time so I'm still debating if I want to go back to the room to shower and change for dinner. Just get PLENTY of rest your first day when you arrive. Have a good dinner and be back to the room early and hit the sack. See how your non morning person does the next day and play it by ear after that. Believe me when I tell you, he or she will adjust!! I have never been a person to get out of bed before 10am, but when I was in DW in 98, I was up by 6:30 every morning! Even the morning we went to Universal and didn't arrive there til 10am. It'll work out for you and HAVE A BLAST........ALWAYS.........

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[Emily921]

How about getting those 2 way radios and having all the early birds head to the park and the non morning person meet you when he gets to the park? He could shoot for a 10:00 am time and once he is in the park, he could call you. You could set up a meeting place. If you get the 2 way radios, make sure you get the 14 channels with the subchannels to limit the interference. Also set up code names so you both know it is your intended party.

 

[disneydreamerinny]

Get/send a wake up call from Mickey. That always helped us get our butts out of bed.
If that doesnt work, sick the kids on him. Nothing like excited kids jumping around and squeeling with excitement at 5am...


All Star Music 10/4/98
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[tyna]

I am a morning person and even on vacation like to be up and moving as soon as possible. I have been challenged with a husband and 2 sons who are not morning people. At
wdw I get up first and take a shower then wake my husband and send him out for coffee, the walk to the food court seems to clear his mind so he can function. While he's gone I get myself ready and get everyone elses clothes out(I pack in outfits so this is easy to do) I get my oldest into the shower and dress the 3 year old before he's fully awake(we have to do this at home as well or he would'nt be dressed until noon) While my husband is showering the kids eat breakfast in the room and I get the stuff we need to take that day ready. We always are on the first bus and my guys are even smiling. I think having food and coffee in them really helps.

 

[wmears13]

Thanks for the tips. We are going in a group-10 of us-in July this year. 2 of my sisters & families and us! 1 sister and family are s-l-o-w movers. I have made a deal with them. They do the first day my way and then if they think getting to the park at noon works better, then they can do it. We already plan to split up, we know we can't stay together all week without committing murder! (I have a feeling their kids will get up and go with us, while Mom and Dad stay in the room! )

 

[ny'er]

ICE WATER

 

[pstepka]

I, too, wanted to be up and out early because we were there during NON-peak season, which meant the parks closed earlier. However, I found that a relaxing morning made for a much better day at the parks. No one was crabby, tired, etc. We had time to eat breakfast and relax before heading out.

So, my suggestion is don't stress out about HAVING TO BE THERE at park opening. Maybe if you're only going for 2 days you'd want to get the most out of it, but otherwise, just relax and have a nice time. It's not worth the stress/aggrevation of having a strict schedule if the rest of the day is going to be affected by it.

It's vacation -- relax and enjoy. It's possible to do both, trust me

 

[MickeyDoug]

I live with a non-morning person. I always wake early and can get up and going if needed. On vacation I get his buy in on the day we must get going (and concide days to let him sleep late). I get him to commit to getting up, have him plan to skip his AM shower (shower the night before), plan his clothes ahead of time and pack the camera bag/day bag in advance. I also plan breakfast that is grab and go--travel mug of coffee (extra strong) and a muffin. If he is early we can eat in the room leisurly--if not out the door with food in hand.

All this helps but I find what works best to to lie about the time. Typically I tell him the event is 30 minutes before it is or just build in extra time--estimate 1/2 hour travel time if you expect 20 minutes etc. I also at 8:05 tell him is is "almost 8:30 and we need to leave at 9" This works well in the morning when he is still too alsleep to focus on the clock!

I will be coordinating us, my folks and brother and sister-in-law and their two kids at WDW (Disney-MGM Studios together) in April. I am already planning stratagy to get all of us ready together early--we are staying at two different places

 

[wmears13]

You have my sympathy and all my admiration! Here's hopeing you have better luck than I will!

 

[Bennet]

Strong hot coffee

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[jeninfl]

It is hard when you are traveling with other adults. I have traveled to many different places with adults and family members. You have to respect their desires as it is their vacation too, and maybe they want to sleep to noon. Since you do not, you tell them that you will be leaving the resort at 8am (example) and will not be waiting for them. And then make a meeting time in the park for later that day and state that you will wait for them until 1/2 hour after that meeting time and then you will move on if they don't show.

This may sound harsh, but it is your vacation and if this is what YOU want then you should do it. You have to understand that every family may do things differently, It doesn't make it wrong, but if I spent an entire week with my sister and her husband and kids I would expect to do things on my own a few days so I could do what I wanted and they could do what they wanted.

 

[bjakmom]

One thing we always do as we return to our room the night before is stop by the food court or one of the bakeries and pick up a muffin or croissant and some fruit and juice for a quick, early breakfast. We hit the parks really early and by the time we're ready to stop and grab a snack or eat an early lunch , the crowds are usually entering the parks in droves. We get out in the early afternoon, take a nap, a swim and return to any non-EE park for the evening - only way I know to enjoy the peak season!

 

[AllanJ]

True, getting to the park at opening time and staying there until closing time makes the best use of your hopper pass or UMP but ... it is not reasonable to expect everyone to leave the hotel early and also return late.

Remember, the late sleepers do not have to get up at the same time as the early risers, they can get an extra 30 to 45 minutes of sleep while the early risers are occupying the bathroom and dressing the children.

Finish all snacks as soon as you return to the hotel in the evening, then turn off the television and have the late sleepers get ready for bed first. This way they will tend to get up earlier the next day.

Many late risers are not simply sluggish, they genuinely need more sleep. The above tips will give that to them.

In addition, don't do a full service sit down breakfast with waiter on most days, that consumes a great deal of time. (I do not recommend Disney packages with meals.)

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[This message was edited by AllanJ on 02-25-01 at 08:56 PM.]

[This message was edited by AllanJ on 02-25-01 at 09:05 PM.]

 

[Kateandsam]

Thanks everyone for the great tips---I think for sanity's sake, I'm just going to take it easy and go with the flow. Everytime we go I'm a stressed out wreck--I have vowed to actually have a vacation this time. Wish me luck and thanks again for the advice!!!!

 

[waltfan]

Buy a shotgun.

 

[DisneyHumbug]

I try to get at least one of my teens to shower the night before - that helps when you are all sharing one bathroom.
This past week, my brother and family were in the room next door. My s-i-l was 1/2 hour later than we planned the first morning. When she realized the difference it made in the lines that morning, she was "on time" the rest of the vacation!

 

[KangaT]

What's worked VERY well for us on trips with my in-laws (who had a harder time getting in gear first thing): We took a breakfast order from everyone before going to bed at night. One of us showered at night, we both got up at the same time in the morning. The "unclean" showered while the other got dressed. The dressed person headed for the food court and picked up breakfast for the whole crew and brought it back to the room. The other got dressed, then woke the kids and the in-laws and got them moving. By the time one of us got back with the food, the children were dressed and my in-laws were either dressed or pretty close. We got coffee into my father-in-law, and by the time we'd finished our breakfast, even he was ready to head for a park.

We have the same game plan for our May trip this year, but I want to try a Mickey/Goofy wake-up call once or twice this time. I know the kids'll get a kick out of it.

And your non-morning person may surprise you. One of my boys is definitely not a morning person, but in WDW he's usually the easiest to get moving first thing!

Good luck!

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[disneyworldsk]

that's why we stayed on property. my teen ds for a couple of years before quitting wdw with the fam wouldn't get up and my dh and him would struggle and conflict with that. my dh strongly believing in him getting up early but after one bad vacation i convinced him that staying on property meant ds can meet us whenever he wanted and it made for a much better day. jen in fl is correct.

 

[mco65]

The easiest way is to keep your group small.

My kids, who are not typically morning people, have no issues waking up early to get to a WDW park for rope drop.
My wife, who is not a morning person as well, is typically the one getting everyone up early for rope drop.
I am a morning person and can be ready in < 5 min... plus i take a shower the night before..

When we add more folks to our trips, my wife losses her mind because she can't stand missing Rope drop so, if there are more in the group say a 2nd family or other family members, if they are not ready when momma is ready, they can meet us at the park.. if its someone who might need some guidance then someone volunteers (me) to stay behind and come with them..