So every avid traveler either just laughed at me or is wondering if my blog has been hacked. Well no, it’s me, Kelly. I’m just asking this because I was thinking about random things that I could discuss this week and, well, since I was doing so while making my coffee, I wondered: Do those of you who travel with the grown-up crowd hit the parks super early? Or do you prefer to take your time and tour at a more leisurely pace?
I know that after answering some of the various questions from members in the Planning forum regarding early breakfasts and transportation availability, rope drops, and. . .wait. I don’t answer questions about these things! Ha ha ha. I mean it’s not because I don’t want to. It’s just due to more of the fact that I’m not a craz. . .um, not a traveler-who-enjoys-the-morning-hours :-P; i.e. an “early bird,” and more with my having an “alternate travel style” than most guests when heading to Walt Disney World (“WDW”) for vacation.
Did You See That Sunrise?
Ok ok so I know, well I’m pretty sure, that getting to the parks early enough for rope drops and character breakfasts doesn’t necessitate you actually seeing the sun come up over the horizon (LOL), but being that DH and I, out of every trip to date, have only made it to two rope drops, I can’t say for certain! 😀 And, yes, I said TWO! The only reason we haven’t made it to three is simply because I am not quite so “whistle while you work” about being mobile during any morning hour wherein the sun is also shining. There I admitted it. “Hi, my name is Kelly and I am a Night Owl.” (I foresee a lot of these! See first line of Are You a Big Kid Now? *grins*)
However, with this being the case, we obviously tend to miss park openings or fail to make any sit-down breakfasts. (However, I have made it to two of these — and they were on different days than the rope drop mornings we made! I know! I’m proud of me too. *high five*)
So, in lieu of this — and because we gotta eat! — we usually do breakfast in the room. It’s fabulous! So, because DH prefers the hot breakfasts available at most of the resorts:
Bounty Platter ftw (“for the win”)!
We will bring our meals back to the room where we can, at our leisure, sit on our couch and eat breakfast while watching “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” (RIP “Millionaire” attraction). Then, after our room service-esque breakfast, we can head out and start our day by either hitting the pool, going to a park, etc.
So, to those of you who similarly travel like us:
How do you start most of your days?
I, for one, again, am a “I’m-on-vacation-and-ignore-all-alarm-clocks” traveler, but I feel we more than make up those few slept-in morning hours by staying out later; whether it’s meandering as slow as humanly possible out of Epcot before kindly being “escorted” out (tee hee), or making our way to Downtown Disney for some shopping (or trying to see who Stitch can get this year — that’s all I’m saying!), or maybe heading over to Beaches N’ Cream for one ridiculously yummy sundae right as IllumiNations has finished. No matter what we end up doing, I can say that we have never left Disney feeling like we didn’t “accomplish” enough due to our more relaxed touring style.
Wait for me!
So my follow-up question to you is:
If you do pretty much only have yourselves to worry about while on vacation, do you use your time to wander around at a more relax pace or do you still feel the need to just dash off and “bust a move?”
(Sorry! But it’s like an instantaneous thought as soon as I say it!)
Well, I’m interested to hear your thoughts. I swear I find just as many Disney-goers giving me “the look” that all those non-Disney addicts give us when we say we’re heading back for yet another trip, except now it’s followed by a “You don’t get there as soon as the park opens? You mean you *gasp* sleep in??”
So, am I alone in this? (Hmm maybe this why I can sleep in; the resort is so quiet! LOL) — and perhaps maybe you are one of the others also down by the pool at night with a:
Pina Colava -- YUM!
Talk to you soon! 
We sleep in and go to the pool or shop and then go to the parks and close them and enjoy at two parks fireworks when possible.
Your question isn’t out there – I will say as DVC members we did stay at BLT and did open up MK since we were so close. To our amazement MK was deserted which was unusual for us but really fun because we got to go on the rides that usually have long lines during the day several times in a row like Peter Pan’s Flight and Space Mountain.
Well, we aren’t DVCers, but we do go every year, and sometimes twice. And it’s just me and the DW, no kids yet. However, we still both feel that there are things we want to do, and the best way to do it is to be there at rope drop. By 1:00 we are usually done riding all of the must dos, and then it’s leisure time for other things, or we leave and go shopping and relax. Maybe return for some nighttime shows, fireworks, parades.
Sleep in? Nope, we are both wired to be awake by 6:00, if not earlier. (We are empty-nesters in our 50s.) I love sunrises! Mornings are wonderful — watching the world wake up along with me. I spent several wonderful mornings sitting by the Sassagoula at POFQ watching the day come to life — even got to see the rumored otters. Sleeping in would be a waste of time to me. We hit the parks early, but we come back in the afternoon for a break, and then return to the parks about three hours later. We have a very relaxed pace.
In all honesty, I actually do love morning-time at the point when everything is peaceful because the hustle and bustle is over (kids are off to school, so-and-so is off to work, etc.) and having done our two (*chuckles*) rope drops, I know exactly what you mean about the parks at that time! Unfortunately, it’s just so difficult to change your internal clock when it fights and whines and drops to the floor like a safe (I picture it being like little kids when they do that because they do not want to go somewhere! 😀 ) whenever I try to make the most of the day. LOL So, I’ll just have to let it be for now, but can I ask that the next time you’re watching one of those Disney sunrises, you have a cup of coffee for me? 😉 THANKS!
I’m with you! I love sitting on the balcony with a cup of coffee watching the Cast members working around the resort getting things ready for the day. I can sleep in at home. I have also been known to video tape the resorts for hours just so I can relive it at home day after day.
There is nothing like sipping a cup of coffee at Wilderness Lodge, in front to the fireplace, watching the day start. It is my happy spot! On the rare occasion that my family has made it to a rope drop, it has been fantastic…like having the park to yourself…and we go during the busy times! Boy, do I love WDW!!!
DH and I visited WDW for the first time (just the two of us, we don’t have kids) two weeks ago. Yes, we toured at a leisurely pace – with intention. Since it was our first visit, I made sure to do my research ahead of time; we carefully rated the attractions and made sure to hit our “must-dos” each day. Although we didn’t make it to any rope-drops (that two hour time difference is a killer for us!), we did close the park when MK was open until 3am for Magic Hours! I also noticed that there aren’t many coffee options for those of us with milk allergies (what’s up with no soy lattes???), which added to our slower morning pace. Even though I caught the flu on the last day, we managed to finish 95% of our planned itinerary with no regrets! And, without kids, we got to participate in a few extras (Behind the Seeds at EPCOT and African Safari Trek at AK) that we wouldn’t have been able to do if we had kids. I don’t know when we’ll be able to return – it took me 33 years to get to WDW the first time – but I’m SO pleased with our first experience.
As a single 50 something self proclamed Disney fanactic I usually sleep in most mornings while in WDW. I have been known to make an occasional rope drop when meeting my nephew and family.I prefer seeing the parks at a leisurely pace and usually “close” the park after fireworks.I am trying to cut back to two visits a year (has been three the last three years!)With increasing airline prices and my coming from NJ its getting a little expensive! You probably guessed that I’m an Annual Passholder or I wouldn’t be so obsessed!
We are slow risers also. A nice cup of coffee on the balcony is my way of waking up on vacay. Then it is off to the parks for a long day or until we have seen what we want at that particular park. We never feel like we have missed anything.
OMG! We are always up and out early. I have been to quite a few rope dorps. Sometimes we eat in the park, just so we are in a park when it opens. During the Year of a Million Dreams, we noshed at AK for breakfast because we wanted to get on Expedition Everest before a two hour wait. Once we finished we raced out of the restaurant to get to EE. Needless to say we were hindered by a CM holding a rope. Um, I thought, now what? As soon as that rope dropped my BF jog/walked (she was racing another guest), to get to the next rope drop, when my DH went racing by. When he got to the next CM holding a rope her question to him was “Good morning sir. How many members are in your party?”. Perplexed he said “7”. She responded with a “congratulations you are the first family to ride Expedition Everest today.” Must to our surprise and delight, we were the only people in the car! it was awesome and much worth the early hour to get there 🙂
Nice! Oh I so agree that there are definite perks to getting up and out the door, but, again, my inner clock is such a whiner! Ha ha ha! But congrats on the reward! (And the fact that you all fared well after breakfast and EE?? LOLOL! 😉 )
With my oxygen need and ECV that I need to use at my age (80) we find it bettewr to start out at Old Key west Vacation Club after the early morning rush which includes many families with lots of young ones. By the time we get to the park of our choice on that particular day, the rush is over and we can then visit the attractions that we want to on that particular. Lots of planning and meal reservations on the Food programs makes for a truely enjoyable day. Don’t try too much on any day and enjoy!!!!
We’ve never been the kind to get up and going at first light, even when the kids were little. We’re on vacation after all! Doesn’t matter that we’re at WDW, we’re still on vacation. We tend to get up and going, ready to meet the day in mid-morning. Our breakfast ADRs are for about 10am. We’re almost always the last to leave the parks, taking full advantage of our Annual Passes to park-hop, and going to the EMH park of the evening. Only on our last day do we get up early. My middle daughter and I always head over to Magic Kingdom for the first breakfast seating of the day, then go to Fantasy Land to ride the carousel and maybe Peter Pan. Any others in the family/group are more than welcome to join, but that’s what we do.
DH and I have only gone to WDW once without the kids for our 5th Wedding anniversary. I am without a doubt, a Morning Person!! DH on the other hand is far from it. The morning we went to MK, I literaly jumped up and down on the bed to get him up!!(of course, I fell over laughing at the sight of his sleeping head bouncing around like Tigger!!) We go every year with the kids, so we have seen many rope drops, but I just can’t stand the thought of missing a single one!!!
I work in the evenings–so Disney vacations are the only time you find me out of bed before 11am, but I do manage to do it! In fact, for some reason, when I’m at WDW I have no problem getting out of bed when it’s still dark out!