It’s time to discuss a hard truth. Too many people over schedule themselves when planning a Walt Disney World vacation. It’s easy to fall into the trap of scheduling park day after park day, being in the parks sun up to sun down, with no rest in between. Today, I want to remind you of the importance of taking time to rest. It is your vacation, after all.
Long Days Can Be Exhausting
As a guest of a Disney Resorts Collection Hotel, you’ll definitely want to take advantage of the perks that come with staying on property. One of the most popular perks, Early Theme Park Entry, is available to all Disney Resort guests (and guests of other select hotels). Early Theme Park Entry entitles you to an extra half hour in the parks prior to park open for everyone else.
As Marcus discussed in a recent post about Early Entry as part of your Disney World strategy, that extra time gives a noticeable head start to your day. To that point, Disney Adults can get a surprising amount of items checked off your wishlist with lower wait times. Another smart strategy is to use that time to get in line for the most popular attractions. Beat the crowds, and you’ll once again have lower overall wait times. As an added bonus, morning hours allow you to enjoy theme park action before the heat of the day sets in.
Give Yourself Time to Rest & Recharge
MouseHouseNews.net encourages you to take advantage of Early Theme Park Entry during your vacation. However, I’m also here to suggest granting yourself a couple of mornings to sleep in or lounge around your hotel. This is especially important if you have late night activities planned like Extended Evening Hours (for eligible Deluxe Resort guests), Disney After Hours events, or specially-ticketed seasonal parties. Too many late nights with early mornings in a row has the potential to leave anyone exhausted! We’ve all seen the overtired kids and cranky adults who could have benefited from a little more zzzz’s. Giving yourself permission to sleep in sometimes will go a long way toward your overall enjoyment of vacation.
Schedule a Non-Park Day or Two
What is Disney World without the theme parks? I know, I know. The theme parks are the reason why many people choose to come to Disney World in the first place. I’m definitely not suggesting you skip out on visiting any of the four Disney World theme parks. However, depending on the length of your stay, I 100% advocate taking a day (or more) to enjoy other parts of Disney World.
Have A Resort Day
There are many things you can do during your Disney World vacation that don’t require a park ticket. Start by checking out the recreation activities at your resort. Every resort offers a variety of free and paid activities. Just some of the options include poolside activities, Movies Under the Stars, campfires, and various arts and crafts (Mickey Tie Dye or Mosaic creation, anyone?). Definitely check the activities schedule to see which specific offerings are available during your trip. Whether you’re an art enthusiast, a DIYer, a nature lover, or something else, there’s an activity for you!
Go Resort Hopping
One of my favorite things to do on a Disney World trip is to go resort hopping. Resort hopping is the practice of visiting multiple Disney Resorts Collection Hotels during your vacation. Instead of spending the day in a theme park, you travel between resorts to explore their lobbies, restaurants, shops, recreational areas, and themed environments.
Using Disney’s complimentary transportation options makes resort hopping extremely convenient. You can easily make a day out of exploring the resorts along the monorail loop, the Skyliner route, or even taking Disney buses or boats to connected destinations. A day of resort hopping is still full of Disney magic, minus the cost of a park ticket. Save the budget, save your sanity (from overstimulation and crowds), and give it a try!
Visit Disney Springs
Among the activities in Disney World that don’t require park entry, Disney Springs is certainly a top Disney Adult pick. Disney Springs is Disney World’s shopping and entertainment district. Are you shopping for the perfect gift or souvenir? You’ll find numerous national and specialty retailers at Disney Springs. This includes two of my favorites: World of Disney (featuring the world’s largest collection of Disney merchandise) and Disney’s Days of Christmas (a year-round Christmas store).
Want to catch a live performance? There are multiple stages and even a Cirque du Soleil show! Looking for other amusements? Compete with friends at Level 99 or the Splitsville bowling alley, watch the latest movies at an AMC movie theater, or have some photos taken at the dedicated Disney PhotoPass Studio.
Finally, you may come to Disney Springs with an appetite, but you won’t leave hungry. There are over 50 restaurants and dining options from which to choose. While Advance Dining Reservations are recommended for some locations, there are also many options with walk-up availability. Additionally, Disney Springs has numerous quick services and snack locations too. Variety is the spice of life!
Give Yourself Permission to Rest
I am guilty of trying to tack on “just one more thing” to my wishlist every time I’m in Disney World. While it can be extremely difficult to resist doing as much as humanly possible on your vacation, you’ll be much happier with the results if you keep your expectations realistic and give yourself some down time. After all, you can always book another trip!
If your Disney World vacation is on the shorter side, I recommend planning for a midday break outside of the theme parks (at the very minimum). You can still resort hop, grab some time at the pool, or take a short nap. The most important thing is to actually give yourself time to recharge a little bit. The theme parks can be hot, crowded, and overstimulating. You don’t want to be that person having a meltdown in the middle of Fantasyland!
Stay tuned to MouseHouseNews.net for more tips, suggestions, and honest reviews to help you plan your next Walt Disney World vacation. We’re also excited to share the sights and sounds of Disney World with you on the MouseHouseNewsNet YouTube channel. Be sure to Like & Subscribe for more magical fun! We’ll see you real soon!
