Here now, and changing plans...

[LibrarianBecky]

We are here now, and having a great trip. We are half way through with our ten day trip, and my family is starting to feel the effects of all of our fun. Yesterday was our fifth day of rope drop to evening touring, and I decided I would have to change our plans. So, instead of doing rope drop as HS today, we are taking the morning off. I'm planning on us getting to the park around noon, watching the shows we want to see, using our evening TSM and StarvTours fast passes, watching the Osborne Lights and doing Fantasmic. Of all our days, I think HS was the best choice to shorten. I was planning on us doing rope drop so we could do TSM twice, but with the heat/humidity this week, we need the break more.

As much as it goes against my little commando heart, I am enjoying my coffee on the balcony as I write this. Out of curiosity, how many 'breaks' do you build in to your vacation?

 

[wdw4rfam]

In a 10 day trip, we plan 1 full day off of parks and 2 mornings where we only go after lunch.

 

[kmb584]

We leave tomorrow for a 10 day trip and I don't plan our breaks ahead of time. What I do is when I see that we're starting to get grumpy because of the early mornings I plan for the next morning off, rearranging FP+ if need be. We'll bumble around and take our time that morning and head to a park around 11.

 

[Eoywin]

We always have a rest day in the middle of our trip. Sleep in, hang out by the pool, sometimes go to Disney Springs. It's a great way to recharge and relax.

 

[msmama]

I pretty much don't do any full (open to close) days. Either we go early and stay no longer than dinner time, or we start late and go until night (rare - but occasionally). I also try not do early mornings after later nights.

My son and I both need more down time than the average person I think so it works for us. I've found keeping us happy beats more rides and attractions every time!!

 

[Mikie]

You're quite wise to listen to the grumbling and plan a break! We always go for 6 full park days plus sometimes something real short on arrival or departure days, depending on flights. Every time, I say I'll build in at least a half day break, but it never really happens. My kids have been pretty little, though, so "full" days went from RD to 8:30 up to 10:30 if we did nighttime entertainment. Next trip, I'm hoping to achieve a different balance! Maybe extending the trip will do it, but I suspect we'll just add in a water park if I do that

 

[LibrarianBecky]

We leave tomorrow for a 10 day trip and I don't plan our breaks ahead of time. What I do is when I see that we're starting to get grumpy because of the early mornings I plan for the next morning off, rearranging FP+ if need be. We'll bumble around and take our time that morning and head to a park around 11.

Lol, yes. When my husband was grumbling (not very quietly) about how much he hates people last night during Celebrate the Magic, I knew he needed a break. My son and I don't sleep in (just not in our nature), but my husband is happily snoozing right now. It will be a better day for everyone by taking a break I'm sure.

 

[Happy_2_B]

Out of curiosity, how many 'breaks' do you build in to your vacation?

Most of our trips are 10 days. This year we are there from 12/4- 12/15. We have two full days pre-planned out of the parks with absolutely nothing on the itinerary (it is a vacation, after all), and an optional 3rd day (our favorite park return day) if we so choose. Our breaks are usually scheduled every three to four days- but this year we have 2 very long days back-to-back, so a break is scheduled on the day after those two.

 

[kmb584]

Lol, yes. When my husband was grumbling (not very quietly) about how much he hates people last night during Celebrate the Magic, I knew he needed a break. My son and I don't sleep in (just not in our nature), but my husband is happily snoozing right now. It will be a better day for everyone by taking a break I'm sure.

Oh, I know! I'm wide awake by 4:30a so slow mornings are not for me, but vacations are the only time my daughter sleeps beyond 6am so I take advantage of the quiet time!

 

[okilydokily]

One trip we had purchased AP's since we had two 10 day drips planned in a years time. It was nice because we felt more comfortable taking breaks and hopping more. If we only went for an hour or two one day, no big deal as it didn't cost us more. It made breaks seem less of a waste.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

My family just naturally wakes up early. We are used to waking up around 5:30 so if we sleep until 7:00, it is sleeping in for us. On our last 3 trips, we planned to sleep in on at least 2 different days and still made it to the parks for rope drop without rushing. So, for us, when we need a break, we find that taking them midday is the best thing and only staying until park close one night at each park. So, on a 10 day trip, we would only plan to stay at the parks until close 4 nights and on all of those days, we absolutely take a midday break after lunch (with Animal Kingdom being the exception since it usually closes around 6:00 when we are there) and head back to the park around 4:00. On days when we aren't staying until close, we usually leave around dinner (our ADRs are usually lunch on short days and dinner on the days when we take a midday break) after grabbing dinner at a counter service location or we will order pizza for our room.

 

[loves to dive]

Our style is no planning so no planning for breaks, they just happen when needed. We will book 3 FP maybe a week out, more often than not just the night before since we rarely know what park we are going to be in the mood for until then. We do our 3 FP then decide what we want to do after that, if we want to ride a ride, we stand in line (gasp). We don't book ADRs in advance, if we want to eat TS we book it the morning we get to the park and just go to GS and see what is available. I have an AP and my son always has PHs so we just sort of come and go with the flow. If we decide we don't want to be in a park we go back to the resort and either rest or go to the pool. We used to spend more time in the parks but my son is a disabled Navy vet, he has some unexplained, to date, back problem that sometimes causes his legs to go numb so resting is more important now.

 

[sharadoc]

We are here now, and having a great trip. We are half way through with our ten day trip, and my family is starting to feel the effects of all of our fun. Yesterday was our fifth day of rope drop to evening touring, and I decided I would have to change our plans. So, instead of doing rope drop as HS today, we are taking the morning off. I'm planning on us getting to the park around noon, watching the shows we want to see, using our evening TSM and StarvTours fast passes, watching the Osborne Lights and doing Fantasmic. Of all our days, I think HS was the best choice to shorten. I was planning on us doing rope drop so we could do TSM twice, but with the heat/humidity this week, we need the break more.

As much as it goes against my little commando heart, I am enjoying my coffee on the balcony as I write this. Out of curiosity, how many 'breaks' do you build in to your vacation?

Welcome to the "Dark Side".

 

[mom2grace]

Lol, yes. When my husband was grumbling (not very quietly) about how much he hates people last night during Celebrate the Magic, I knew he needed a break. My son and I don't sleep in (just not in our nature), but my husband is happily snoozing right now. It will be a better day for everyone by taking a break I'm sure.

And it's no so much even the sleeping, but the break from humanity!

We usually do 6 day trips and have at least 1 break day in the middle. We do not do open to close either.

If you are looking for more easy mornings, a late breakfast at Kona Cafe is nice if you are headed to MK or Epcot. Or tour at RD and then come back to your resort around 2 and swim, explore, etc.

 

[LBlovesM&WDW]

Although my H does love Disney, he needs some breaks/new scenery, especially in hot weather. Our last trip (sweltering August heat), we would leave the parks in the afternoon and either head back to our resort, tour another resort or shop at Disney Springs (I'm really trying to get that to stick). Years ago, pre-H, I would go to the spa with my mom smack in the middle of our trip--it was a wonderful treat and rejuvenated us mid-vacation.

 

[Chi_Kel]

We usually do 2 days at parks, then take a break and enjoy the resort we are staying at. There's so much to do not inside parks! The Boardwalk is always a great option, as well as Movies by the pool, campfires and renting Surry Bikes! I hope you have a great rest of your vacation!

 

[busymommy2pink]

We usually take 10 days. A break day in the middle. Our kids love the Disney resorts so we stay and play there too. We have stopped our park days in the middle if everyone has had enough. It's amazing what just saying leaving is ok and lets go relax does to the mindset. We've had virtually no melt downs (adult ones either) since we took a chilled out pace. We plan no more than two rope drops. We find they cause us to rush and rushing my kids just causing stress and arguing. We get there when we get there this upcoming trip we have one MK rope drop on a party day planned. That's it!

 

[RedAngie]

For a 10 day trip, I probably wouldn't do more than five park days. And no more than two consecutive days in the parks. Yes, I know a 10 day ticket is not all that much more than a 5 day ticket, but I NEED whole days of down time, just relaxing at the resort, or going offsite for a while, or touring the other resorts.

 

[LilyWDW]

I have not done a 10 day trip, but on my last 8 day trip I took one full day "off" and then the other days were either rope drop with leaving early or starting late. I never do from morning to late. I just can't physically do it. On my "off" day I usually plan DTD but it's a late start and just taking my time and relax. My early nights may contain dining reservations at DTD or a resort, but again, it's relaxing (I usually stay at POFQ so getting to DTD is easy).

 

[Baklava]

On our 10 day trip days 5 and 8 are designed so that there's no need to go to a park unless we feel feisty. Those days have no in-park ADRs.