A Day in the Life of a Vacationeer - Part 1

I'll be covering much of this stuff in a pre-trip meeting down the road, so it's not exactly required reading.



The main objective of the vacation is to have fun. That's very basic, but more specifically, it means having a nice balance between having fun (typically in the parks), spending time with each other, and relaxing. Some families approach Disney World with a "commando" approach (and I don't mean going sans undergarments), meaning they plan every minute meticulously, and spend each day going from attraction to attraction, ride to ride, stopping only for eating and bathroom breaks. The problem with that is the burn-out factor; even without kids, that strategy will wear anyone out very quickly. With kids, it's a recipe for a disaster in melt-down city.



There's a better way to enjoy much of what Disney World has to offer, and that is to mix early mornings with breaks. For some, getting up early in the morning while on vacation is unthinkable. In fact, the vast majority of Disney World visitors agree, and don't arrive at the parks when they open, opting to sleep in and come in the late morning. That's not a terrible strategy, but it guarantees that the late sleeper will spend more time standing and waiting in lines, which makes for a poor use of time and fewer attractions to experience; in other words, less fun.



The parks generally open at 9:00 am, so getting up between 7 and 8 makes being at the parks when they open possible. With relatively few people at the park openings, it's easy to enjoy the first few hours of each day experiencing more than would otherwise be possible. "The others" tend to grab lunch around 12:00 and crowd the parks in the early afternoon, the hottest part of the day. My suggestion is to grab lunch slightly earlier (coinciding with an early morning), and then taking a break shortly afterwards. Some may want to go for a swim, take a nap, shop at Downtown Disney, or whatever. The parks cool and calm down closer to dinner.



It's also advisable to have at least one day of rest during the vacation, which may involve visiting a park later in the day/evening, or even not at all. Ending the night to reflect the early mornings will help everyone get enough sleep, while still having plenty of time in the evening to enjoy themselves.



Most people tend to hit "the wall" by the second or third day when going "commando." I was initially resistant to the early rise and taking breaks approach, but it's a proven and widely-recommended strategy. Skeptics are of course welcome to disregard that advice, but can start using it at any time.