Kids and difficult park days?

[Cherrypie]

Originally Posted by Procrastinator

Ha, yes, sloth like, but first ride was EE, got there 9:30, had 4 times round that. Then ice cream on way to safari for 11, then KRR at 12, lunch at 1 at Tusker house. Came out of lunch 2:45, into lion king for 3. Out of lion king and over to nemo for 4:30. Then out of nemo and over to fop for FP. Bit of criss crossing the park, but taking it slow. Not quite sure we could have done much more without some faster walking. But anyways.

Today has been a good day. Rope drop to sign up for jedi, then split up for little mermaid / RnR. Then jedi training, snack break, ToT, then Hollywood and Vine for lunch. Almost 2 hours again. Then SDD fp. After the SDD fp at 3:30 they both wanted to stay and do more instead of going to the pool. We split up again for a last ride / show. Left about 5.

I think maybe the end of the AK day they were tired, but that was not the bigger issue - it was / is the sibling bickering / competitiveness. But having talked to them about behaviour and taken away pool time last night and then split them up for parts of today it was a really good day. Happier and much better behaved.

As a slight aside Hollywood & Vine is not the greatest restauarant or buffet, but maybe that is why it was so quiet. We probably had characters at our table every 5 mins while we were eating. That was good fun!

I def like the dinning plan, and the location of the resorts is obviously great. But we are so cramped in these roooms, looking forward to a bit of space in a villa next week!

Please don't think my post was bemoaning our whole holiday! Had 7 great days prior to "AK day", just none that were as park orientated, which makes me question the value of going to the parks. And i still do. But today worked well. Tommorrow is not a full day either and then we are in a villa so they can have a bit of their own space. Roll on week 2!

And thanks to all that posted, some of the suggestions we do, some we might try, all useful!

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We tend to do full days (emh to 4ish first week) - always have as we all get fomo if we go back early. One year we decided to go back for more breaks but I felt like I was constantly on buses. We start having later starts the second week and doing fireworks etc.
My kids bicker wherever we are (home, Disney, supermarkets, shopping) so I just try and ignore them and they soon pack it in 😂
Enjoy your second week xx

[Bobbins]

We just got back from having our grandchildren (and their parents) with us and the younger two were hard work. The nearly 3yr old boy hasn't used a push chair for a year and refused to go in one, but is still having a late morning nap, so by 11.30 or so if we stopped he'd just fall asleep. The nearly 5 yr old girl was a bit overwhelmed by spending so much time with her just 8yr old cousin, and got into a stroppy flap if she wasn't right next to her ALL the time.

To be fair, they were all great on the flights, and the younger two slept fine in the same bed while we were on property, which was a pleasant surprise. Second week in a villa all they wanted to do was play in the pool - we went to the resort (Windsor Hills) pool and little water park once, but they chose the villa pool next time we asked.

Oddly they all seemed to come to life early evening so meals at that time all went better than we expected (as long as middle one was sitting next to her cousin!).

The older two went on all the rides (the nearly 5yr old loved ToT!) but the Disney activity they probably enjoyed the most was completing the books and collecting the Wilderness Explorer stickers at AK. The nearly 3yr spontaneously said "I liked that ride" when we came out of Na’vi River Journey.

[sully301]

i couldn't cope from 9-7 no matter what the pace i don't think. What about hitting rope drop then coming out of the park at lunch time going to the pool/nap then returning in the evening for fireworks?

[mickey house]

4-5 hours is enough for us in this heat and with the crowd levels.

[Kawaii]

We are here now with our 8 year old and are constantly changing our plans due to how she's coping. We planned well but knew that we would have to adapt and that's what we've done. We only do a half day in the parks with either a rest or a swim in the afternoon and either Disney springs or a park in the evening. We all enjoy it more when we don't drag days out. Even though we are only here for 8 nights.

[Scaramouche]

That’s way too long for us. I’d be crying at that. Maybe if it’s the odd long part day in the holiday, but if that’s every day, in that heat I couldn’t cope.

Could you not go for opening, go back to the hotel for a swim/sleep and then head back out for the evening? Also AK is a horrendously hot park so that probably wouldn’t have helped.

[Mickie]

Originally Posted by pchivvy

Try split days.


With regards to the toy buying demands, we gave our kids their allowance and told them they could buy whatever they wanted with it, but once it was gone, it was gone. It's amazing how quickly they think twice about a toy when they are buying it themselves!

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We’ve fairly successfully extended this into the rest of the year. Gave him an allowance last year, and this year have made him save his spending money from his pocket money and birthday present money etc. A 6 year old has successfully squirrelled away about £100.

There is a downside though he keeps putting on shows and events and changing us entry 😂

[kansaskitty]

We went with kids much younger, 3 and 1 and are planning next year with 5, 3 and a baby and we only ever do rope drop until 1-2pm maximum. Then a long afternoon napping, tv and splashing at the resort and only go back in the evenings once or twice. Even did this on our honeymoon as two adults.

There’s a big difference between four hours in air con if it’s a character buffet lunch then interactive shows... and four hours in air con laid on a bed asleep/watching tv.

More down time! I know the holiday costs a lot but cheerier kids has to be worth it!

[7SeasSailor]

If it was me I would have either 2 buggies or a double. I think that your kids are tired between the heat and the amount of exercise. Are they hydrated?