Are we crazy to not do a rest day?

[shan981]

I don't know that you need an entire "rest day", but it does seem like you have a nice mix of busier days and not-so-busy days. Are you counting on the twins sleeping in a stroller? If so, do they do that now? I ask, because not one of my four kids would sleep in a stroller. Ever. I would look at the parents serenely pushing sleeping toddlers with naked envy. Obviously, the fact that mine wouldn't stroller-nap affected our touring style.

The other thing I would stress to you is flexibility. You seem to be willing to switch things up if needed, which is good. I would just keep an eye on the kids, make sure they're still having a good time. If you need to drop an ADR or two, well, there will always be a future trip. When my younger DD was 2-3, we realized on about Day 5 or 6 (slow learners!) that, if she needed a break or to get out of something, she'd just wet her pants. It was quite effective. Just a reminder--kids have a way of letting us know when they've had enough...

I'm not counting on them sleeping in the stroller. The main reason we picked CR was so we could return to the room easily from MK (where we will spend the most days) for naps if needed. If they sleep in the stroller, great, but if not I'm planning to head back. They have not napped in the stroller since they were young infants, but admittedly I haven't really had them out for a full day at an amusement park or similar yet. I'm kind of strict (some would say crazy?) about their nap time right now so we plan around it for the most part.

I'm definitely prepared to be flexible, because it's so hard to plan when I'm not sure how they will be in 6 months. So much changes week to week with them, so it's just too hard to predict.

 

[motherof5]

If we are planning to do mid-day breaks most days, likely even every day? It will be me, DH, DS10, DS(almost)2, DS(almost)2, staying at POP one night (late arrival) then CR for 7 nights. This is how I tentatively have our days planned:

Saturday (11/24) - arrive late afternoon/evening
Sunday - MK - Crystal Palace lunch 11:45
Monday - Epcot - Via Napoli lunch 11:50
Tuesday - MK morning, HS night (trying to get Slinky Dog FP) - no ADRs
Wednesday - AK - Rainforest Cafe 11:45
Thursday - Chef Mickey breakfast 9:50, T-Rex 3:30, MVMCP night
Friday - undecided but will do whatever park(s) we want more time at, have Garden Grill lunch at 11:55 and dinner at 4:15 (really want to eat here and not sure which will work)
Saturday - HS - Hollywood & Vine Fantasmic package 8:05am, Beaches & Cream 4:10pm
Sunday - MK - BOG breakfast 8:50am - leaving early afternoon

I tried to do mostly lunches and we would take our break at the resort after those, then just kind of wing the evenings. Figuring we can either all go back to a park, or one of us could take DS10 back and the other stay with the littles, or we could all stay in if we need more of a rest. But I don't have a full "rest day", unless you count the party day. What do you think? I'm open to suggestions, this is our first long Disney trip, and first time with toddlers.

Depends on you and your personalities you could be fine with 1/2 day rest or none. Do whatever you are comfortable with, you can always change once you get there.

 

[nickid22]

I don't think there is a such thing as a true "rest day" when you have 2 almost 2 year olds.

I think a as long as you keep a flexible schedule, you will be fine.

 

[shan981]

I don't think there is a such thing as a true "rest day" when you have 2 almost 2 year olds.

Truer words have never been spoken.

My "rest day" will be after we get back and I send everyone back to school/daycare while I take at least one extra day off, lol.

 

[JediBonas]

We've never done a rest day. When the kids were 2 and 3 we'd head back and try to do naps at the hotel mid-day, after that if they slept in the strollers that was fine, if they didn't that was fine as well. We usually do a park at opening and then head back to the resort after lunch and then decide if we want to rest for awhile, go swimming on go back out. Works well for us and has worked, so far, with the kids (last trip in January they were 6).

 

[jacknsally19]

It seems like you have a lot of people saying that they don't take full rest days. I'm going to argue for 'scheduling a down day' and changing if you don't need it. Its very easy to add a day on to your tickets but once you have purchased it - its a sunk cost.

We always enjoy a day off from the parks because we need some time out of the parks and not very scheduled. When we've stayed at the CR - we have enjoyed going over to FW and playing on the playground, the horses, etc. At that time of the year, you should be able to see some decorations at the monorail resorts.

(Just had to play devils advocate - either way, have a great time!)

 

[shan981]

It seems like you have a lot of people saying that they don't take full rest days. I'm going to argue for 'scheduling a down day' and changing if you don't need it. Its very easy to add a day on to your tickets but once you have purchased it - its a sunk cost.

We always enjoy a day off from the parks because we need some time out of the parks and not very scheduled. When we've stayed at the CR - we have enjoyed going over to FW and playing on the playground, the horses, etc. At that time of the year, you should be able to see some decorations at the monorail resorts.

(Just had to play devils advocate - either way, have a great time!)

Thank you! I appreciate hearing both sides. I'm going to look into FW, that would be something we could do on our party day also if we do end up not taking a full rest day.

 

[mjkacmom]

We did 6 days in a row, rope drop, no res5 days. We came back to our villa in the afternoon, and rested for a few hours before heading to a park at night. We did zero late nights.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

I say, remain flexible but DO IT! If you can manage commando touring, good on you for finding out. But don't try to kill yourselves, and don't get emotional if you HAVE to call it a pool day or rent a stroller because you cannot move your legs more than a shuffle any longer ... enjoy your trip and enjoy your pool days IF they happen!

 

[NYCgrrl]

I'm sure one or two action packed days will allow you to know your family's need or lack of it for a rest day. Easiest enough to change your plans as needed.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

It so totally depends on your family.

I wouldn't be able to do that many days without a real rest day.

But 20 years ago, when my family was young, sure, we could do it.

Play it by ear. And have fun.

 

[stace1214]

To each his own but here is what we do. We have been going every summer (July or August because DW is a teacher) with our daughter since she was two and she is now six so this will be our fifth year in a row with her. We do rope drop each morning and get as much done as possible before noon. At noon, we do a QS lunch and then go back to our hotel from 1-4 or so depending on our ADR time that night. We usually have an ADR around 5 either at a resort close to the park we will be at that night or at that park. It takes us until 6 or so to eat and then we go to the park until closing that night. We usually schedule FP at night so we have guaranteed rides at night. We never do a break day and our vacations are nine days minimum.

This is exactly how we do it for our summer trips. The long afternoon break is enough for us not to need a break day. I do have to say though, by the end of our trip when the kids are really tired, we usually do cancel plans for a half day and spend the day at the pool before going to the parks in the evening. The half day is a perfect rest.

 

[YesterDark]

It depends home long you're at the parks. If you're there all day.... Uh good luck.

My last visit was with a 4 a 2 and a preggo wife. We rope dropping 3 days and rested/pool day one. You need the rest day. You are doing it right with character meals and stuff, it's what I did.

However if you are not rushing, going back to the resort for naps etc. Then you should be fine.

 

[dreamit]

I think that's a long trip with kids to not have a day away from the parks. You'd be surprised how often I've read on these boards someone saying that their kids' favorite part of their trip was their time at the resort pool.

 

[abinormal]

I think if you’re not going open to close every day, it’s pretty good odds you don’t need a rest day. We like to keep on a regular bedtime schedule so we didn’t need any.

 

[sk!mom]

If we are planning to do mid-day breaks most days, likely even every day? It will be me, DH, DS10, DS(almost)2, DS(almost)2, staying at POP one night (late arrival) then CR for 7 nights. This is how I tentatively have our days planned:

Saturday (11/24) - arrive late afternoon/evening
Sunday - MK - Crystal Palace lunch 11:45
Monday - Epcot - Via Napoli lunch 11:50
Tuesday - MK morning, HS night (trying to get Slinky Dog FP) - no ADRs
Wednesday - AK - Rainforest Cafe 11:45
Thursday - Chef Mickey breakfast 9:50, T-Rex 3:30, MVMCP night
Friday - undecided but will do whatever park(s) we want more time at, have Garden Grill lunch at 11:55 and dinner at 4:15 (really want to eat here and not sure which will work)
Saturday - HS - Hollywood & Vine Fantasmic package 8:05am, Beaches & Cream 4:10pm
Sunday - MK - BOG breakfast 8:50am - leaving early afternoon

I tried to do mostly lunches and we would take our break at the resort after those, then just kind of wing the evenings. Figuring we can either all go back to a park, or one of us could take DS10 back and the other stay with the littles, or we could all stay in if we need more of a rest. But I don't have a full "rest day", unless you count the party day. What do you think? I'm open to suggestions, this is our first long Disney trip, and first time with toddlers.

I found long days in hotel rooms torture with young kids. It was just too hard to keep them occupied. What worked best when mine were young was to keep their getting up and going to bed times as close to normal as possible. One of mine could take a long nap and stay up later but the other was not a napper. She just needed her regular bedtime to stay sane.

I think your days look good except I wouldn't plan such early lunches unless you are doing EMH in the mornings. If rope drop is 9, then I wouldn't want a lunch earlier than 1. Honestly, I would stick with counter service lunches for the flexibility. I would do ADR's for early breakfasts if you're early risers or say 5ish dinners.

Crystal Palace is a great breakfast spot if you get a time before park opening so that you're in ahead of the crowd. I prefer BOG for dinner.

 

[MonaMN]

We don’t do full rest days. We tend to be rope droppers, so will often do that, then head out of the park when it gets crazy to do pool/resort exploring. But we get stir-crazy with too much time - I can’t spend more than about an hour or so at the pool.

Sometimes we will sleep in the night after fireworks or evening shows too, though we usually don’t sleep as much as I wish we would!

 

[shan981]

I found long days in hotel rooms torture with young kids. It was just too hard to keep them occupied. What worked best when mine were young was to keep their getting up and going to bed times as close to normal as possible. One of mine could take a long nap and stay up later but the other was not a napper. She just needed her regular bedtime to stay sane.

I think your days look good except I wouldn't plan such early lunches unless you are doing EMH in the mornings. If rope drop is 9, then I wouldn't want a lunch earlier than 1. Honestly, I would stick with counter service lunches for the flexibility. I would do ADR's for early breakfasts if you're early risers or say 5ish dinners.

Crystal Palace is a great breakfast spot if you get a time before park opening so that you're in ahead of the crowd. I prefer BOG for dinner.

Thank you! Someone else mentioned that my lunches were early, too. But right now my twins get up between 5-6am so I’m afraid if we push lunch back too much we will be setting ourselves up for major breakdowns at the restaurants, haha. I wasn’t able to get any PPO breakfasts until the end of our trip, and my TA suggested not spending happy, less crowded morning time on meals, so that’s why I set it up that way. With any luck my twins will start sleeping in a little before then (wishful thinking) and maybe I can try to push things back. I was hesitant to do ADRs for dinners because we have hoppers and I figured we would kind of wing our evenings after a break. But maybe I will rethink that.

 

[MonaMN]

We are early risers too... we like to book a few late breakfast ADRs that are our early lunch. Breakfast is cheaper and there is always something for everyone to enjoy.

We rarely do dinner/evening ADRs unless we know we are doing evening show/fireworks in a park because we like to be flexible.

 

[rideswithchrist]

our first kid trip- my almost 3 year old puked on me after waking him from his mid- afternoon nap so we could go back to Epcot, and my 7 year old ended up with a Fever after 4 park days.
SOOOOOO, we are taking a "off park day" but really, it is because we want to go see all the other resorts without dipping into park time. We have no desire to go to Disney Springs again so we will either check out all the resorts the day we check in- OR we will plan a resort hop day as a "rest day".

Just watch your kids, if they need a longer rest- go for it. If your family likes to go early and then call it quits by 3, do it! Or if you figure out that you are like us and sleep in, go for a few hours, then go take a nap and return to stay late into the night, do that!

Everyone has a different groove. We LOVE LOVE LOVE Epcot at night we discovered, so it was so much fun for us to go in the morning and ride some rides, then go back at night and ride it all again.
Also, we took our lunches in so anyone that is hungry can eat whenever they want.