Kids and difficult park days?

[Noodle500]

Half days for us too. Up early and get loads done. Lunch then back for chill or pool.
Don't be ruled by the fastpass. You don't have to stick with them or even use them.
We've cancelled before as DS just seemed tired and crotchety.
Maybe do a pool day with a round of Disney golf?

[vampiress88]

Originally Posted by BevS97

If you get to the park for opening you can do a few rides with a short queue. Do your three fastpasses quickly. As soon as you tap into your fastpass move the next one sooner. So you can do three in an hour to hour half if you’re on it. Then pick up some more fastpasses after your three. By about 1pm start thinking about heading out. A few hours in the pool or just relaxing and then consider coming back in the evening when it’s quieter and cooler.


I find we tend not to go back out in the evenings as once we are back we get comfortable. However whenever we do it I remember why it’s such a good idea.


We also like to have a lazy pool morning and then arrive at the park around 3 and stay late. This works well for us if we are wanting to see fireworks etc.

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Basically this for us. My kids are 3 & 4. Neither had a stroller. The 3 year old was the one that was a pain majority of the time on holiday but for us it’s usually one that’s misbehaving and crying not both. They both had their moments.
Our longest day was 9-6/7ish. It was our first park day and they both basically just kept going until they wanted to leave. So when we had done all the fastpasses if we had been there since rope drop they were alway given the option of another ride or home.
First day they kept choosing rides. Rest of time it was usually home. This was also a big reason of why I went for an annual pass as I’m offsite and hated paying the parking but since they were included in the ticket then I relaxed a bit otherwise I might be feeling the same as you. Most of ours were only for a few hours to get a few things done it all depended on what the plan was. I know two of the days we went and did 3 fastpasses and home. Was a bit of a mop up those days to get the things done that we couldn’t have before.
I definitely think shorted park days worked better especially for fireworks etc but I found that the kids can paddy no matter where. They paddy at home so why not at Disney. Half the time they don’t know why they are doing it. They just get upset and frustrated. Half time I feel like that and want to cry too.

I think maybe your too full on. We do anything from min 3.5 to max 9.5ish hours in parks but the next day is always a free day. One on one off has always been how we did it even before kids. Lot of tones by afternoon kids wanted to go on ride etc but then there was a choice.
I love plans and itineraries and will alway try to get them to go with my plans but there has to be some wiggle room and options for them otherwise they will get fed up and it becomes a chore to follow a plan rather than a holiday.

[NewtoOrlando]

Originally Posted by Lemmonie

Mine are 11and 13. It’s constant bitching at each other to be honest 😂 parks or no parks 😂

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Mine are the same age, and exactly the same! It’s a breath of fresh air when they’re actually nice to each other as it’s like a miracle has happened 😂😂

[NewtoOrlando]

My kids are 13 & 11 and in all honesty they would hate to be in a park for that long! It’s too hot for them, no matter how many rest breaks you have. The more tired and irritable they get the more they wins each other up, which winds us up, and we all end up really grumpy and not enjoying ourselves. We did 12-9 at MK last year, by the end of the day we were all frazzled and short with each other, it’s just not worth the hassle! That’s the longest we have ever spent in a park even with kids that are older. We generally do early mornings or late nights, with the other half of the day spent around the pool chilling or the evening at Disney springs etc.

I figured out that sometimes as a parent we have to admit defeat as do what we want to do, even if we’re enjoying ourselves, and do what is right for the kids, and if it saves stroppy/grumpy/tired little beings then I’m all for it!

[Dayle]

Yes our summer days in the parks are similar to Bevs we may return to a park in the evening just for a wander. We have done full days in October or September but it is very different in the summer heat and humidity.

[aqualiv]

That seems a very long time for lunch, how are you spending two hours on it? Don’t the kids get bored?

[JoJo88]

Mine are now 16 & 13, and after the first three trips, (starting when they were 4 & 6) which were very park centred, we now don’t do Disney at all and sometimes do no parks! This year we only did Busch, as they much prefer relaxed days doing whatever we fancy.

As for the bickering, they do that wherever we are, I can just cope with it better if I’m not traipsing round a hot park that I’ve paid £££££ to get into

[loves2plan]

That's a long day for anyone, let alone two young children. As adults, we wouldn't want to do a 10 hour park day, and neither would our children (older teens). What we find works well for us is to spend a few hours at a park in the morning, then go back to our resort for pool time, and then head out to a different park for a few hours on the evening if we fancy it. I've found that children, especially younger ones, can enjoy pool time just as much, if not more, than park time. It's just about finding the right balance that works for you

[Mexy02]

Mine pick at each other constantly , always have they are now 18 and 15 . It gets no better at all. Sorry .
From what you say it’s part of the reason we delayed going to Orlando until they were older ( I know personal choice but it worked for us ) and chose oct/nov as I couldn’t cope in the heat in summer let alone them. Both managed it better because it was like a summers day here. I couldn’t do a theme park here on a hot day so wouldn’t expect them to either if I’m honest . We have longer park days because it’s cooler but still go by how the kids feel even now and us . If someone’s had enough we leave , no point hanging around to end up arguing but mine are older so will say they have had enough. I agree I think some of it’s boredom for them rather than tiredness and parents wanting value for money to justify the cost ( trust me I’ve done it myself) , but the kids love a beach and a pool ! Take them anywhere in the world with one and they are happy for some reason. We’ve just come back from Sicily and my 15 lived in the pool at the villa .
Hope it works out for you for the rest of the holiday ,perhaps let the kids choose what the6 want to do tomorrow . X

[Moorlandman]

We only do half days at the parks in the summer months. Way to busy and hot. We do return in the evenings for the shows and fireworks😀