- Mar 13, 2024
- 8,701
- 36
I have a confession to make — I did not practice what I preached to all of you when it comes to my own Disney World vacation.
Disney’s Saratoga Springs
I have been going to Disney World since 1993, and my parents were hardcore Disney people. I’m talking rope drop to close with no breaks. So naturally, when I started planning my own trips, I built in no breaks—that is, until this last trip, when I learned my lesson. This is my official plea to my fellow Disney adults to learn from me, and I promise you’ll thank me after your next Disney World vacation.
I’m talking about taking a midday break! For my entire life, I thought going back to the hotel in the middle of a Disney World day was a waste of valuable park time. I grew up being a rope-drop-to-park-close kind of Disney person, and once we entered a park, we stayed there. But after traveling to Disney World with two toddlers in the middle of June, I officially understand why so many hardcore Disney adults have adopted the midday hotel break trend. It wasn’t just helpful — it completely saved our vacation. After several hours of walking in the Florida heat and humidity, all of us desperately needed a chance to cool down, recharge, and simply exist somewhere that wasn’t a crowded theme park.
Magic Kingdom
We were staying at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and using our own car to drive back and forth between the parks and our hotel, which made the process incredibly easy. My biggest tip is to build this break directly into your schedule instead of treating it like a backup plan. This way, you aren’t missing any Lightning Lanes or dining reservations. We would spend the morning in the parks, head back to the hotel in the early afternoon, and relax for a couple of hours before returning for the evening. Some days, nobody even took a nap, but that wasn’t really the point. We watched TV, snacked, hydrated, charged our phones, and let our bodies recover from the heat. If you’re traveling with young kids, grandparents, or honestly, anyone visiting during the summer, don’t underestimate how much a simple air-conditioned break can improve everyone’s mood.
Disney’s Beach Club Resort
The biggest surprise? The midday break actually allowed us to stay in the parks longer overall. Instead of hitting a wall by 3 PM and calling it a day, we all felt refreshed and excited to head back out for nighttime entertainment, lower wait times, and cooler temperatures. I used to think leaving the parks meant losing valuable vacation time, but now I see it as an investment in the rest of the day. My advice is to stop treating a hotel break as “missing out” and start treating it as part of your Disney strategy. Whether you take a nap, swim at the pool, grab a snack, or simply lie down for an hour, giving yourself permission to reset may end up being the thing that saves your entire vacation.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Sometimes, stepping away from the parks for a few hours is exactly what you need to make the most of the rest of your day. Be sure to keep following Disney Food Blog for more Disney World tips, hotel hacks, and vacation strategies to help you have your best trip yet.
What’s your favorite way to take a break at Disney World? Tell us in the comments below!
Disney’s Saratoga Springs
I have been going to Disney World since 1993, and my parents were hardcore Disney people. I’m talking rope drop to close with no breaks. So naturally, when I started planning my own trips, I built in no breaks—that is, until this last trip, when I learned my lesson. This is my official plea to my fellow Disney adults to learn from me, and I promise you’ll thank me after your next Disney World vacation.
I’m talking about taking a midday break! For my entire life, I thought going back to the hotel in the middle of a Disney World day was a waste of valuable park time. I grew up being a rope-drop-to-park-close kind of Disney person, and once we entered a park, we stayed there. But after traveling to Disney World with two toddlers in the middle of June, I officially understand why so many hardcore Disney adults have adopted the midday hotel break trend. It wasn’t just helpful — it completely saved our vacation. After several hours of walking in the Florida heat and humidity, all of us desperately needed a chance to cool down, recharge, and simply exist somewhere that wasn’t a crowded theme park.
Magic Kingdom
We were staying at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and using our own car to drive back and forth between the parks and our hotel, which made the process incredibly easy. My biggest tip is to build this break directly into your schedule instead of treating it like a backup plan. This way, you aren’t missing any Lightning Lanes or dining reservations. We would spend the morning in the parks, head back to the hotel in the early afternoon, and relax for a couple of hours before returning for the evening. Some days, nobody even took a nap, but that wasn’t really the point. We watched TV, snacked, hydrated, charged our phones, and let our bodies recover from the heat. If you’re traveling with young kids, grandparents, or honestly, anyone visiting during the summer, don’t underestimate how much a simple air-conditioned break can improve everyone’s mood.
Disney’s Beach Club Resort
The biggest surprise? The midday break actually allowed us to stay in the parks longer overall. Instead of hitting a wall by 3 PM and calling it a day, we all felt refreshed and excited to head back out for nighttime entertainment, lower wait times, and cooler temperatures. I used to think leaving the parks meant losing valuable vacation time, but now I see it as an investment in the rest of the day. My advice is to stop treating a hotel break as “missing out” and start treating it as part of your Disney strategy. Whether you take a nap, swim at the pool, grab a snack, or simply lie down for an hour, giving yourself permission to reset may end up being the thing that saves your entire vacation.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Sometimes, stepping away from the parks for a few hours is exactly what you need to make the most of the rest of your day. Be sure to keep following Disney Food Blog for more Disney World tips, hotel hacks, and vacation strategies to help you have your best trip yet.
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Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
Whether you're a rookie or a seasoned pro, our insider tips and tricks will have you exploring the parks like never before. So come along with us, and get planning your most magical vacation ever!
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What’s your favorite way to take a break at Disney World? Tell us in the comments below!
