Can kids last for full days in the parks?

[minoh]

How long can children (6-11) handle in the various parks? For instance, if we're to MK for EMM at 7:45, should we expect to have to head back to our hotel to rest in the afternoon? I've made dinner reservations at MK for that evening but now am wondering if it's unlikely that we'll make it all day without needing a break.

I know that all children are different, but I'm having a hard time with advance planning without knowing what to expect in terms of stamina. My kids don't generally wear out too quickly, but the large crowds and lots of walking is sure to take it's toll.

Just curious how others plan their days...

 

[loves to dive]

We've been going since my son was just shy of 3, he's 36 now. We never planned out days, just went with it. If he got tired, we headed back to the resort for a swim or a rest in the room watching cartoons. Most of the time we would head back out to a park until he got tired again. He was a kid with a lot of energy and could go all day and night, he didn't sleep a lot, rarely took afternoon naps and always got up early and went to bed late. To tell the truth, more often than not the breaks for me not him.

 

[minoh]

To tell the truth, more often than not the breaks for me not him.

That's a very good point, we adults will probably be pretty worn out by the end of the day!

 

[Canooknic]

I think it depends on how you spend your time in the park.

We go at the kid's pace; if they want to stop for a snack we do, if they want to go on Buzz 5 times in a row we do (and have!) but if you have a tight schedule and are rushing from ride to ride etc I don't know how long that can be maintained before they burn out. It definitely wouldn't work for my guys, but as you say all kids are different. Mine couldn't do the midday break at our hotel because once they relax/rest they don't want to restart....especially if they start reading!

 

[DLgal]

When are you going? Summer? Winter?

That has a huge impact on how long anyone can last.

 

[minoh]

Going early in March. So the weather shouldn't be too hot and humid, I'm hoping.

 

[spartankid34]

Last trip with 5, 6, 8, 10 year olds we were at the parks from 9:3ish - close everyday of our trip. It was in late february so nice, cooler weather. We most often had a sit down lunch as our "break" DEFINITELY DO-ABLE

 

[minoh]

Great to hear, spartankid34!

 

[danielocha30]

march is the best time to be there! I will just do what the others said, don't rush and enjoy your day, my kids have never needed to go back to the hotel but I always bring or rent a stroller until they where 8 years just to let them rest if they need to, and also we do take breaks inside the park, the weather is going to be wonderful in march and the crowds are too. Have a wonderful trip!

 

[minoh]

Thank you, danielocha30! We're really looking forward to it!

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

We really can't help.
You know your children.

I can tell you that as a child we never left the parks.
If we were tired we took a nap in an attraction that we didn't necessarily care about as children like Hall of Presidents.
We also took a nap in a stroller.

As I've grown up and gone with family members that are young the same thing has happened.
I have a number of pics of 2 of my nieces napping in strollers even during thunderstorms lol.

My one niece went from 7am-1am at MK on NYE at age 9 and then had to stand on the bus back to POP and she was fine.

If you think your kids will be fine then go all day.
If you think the crowds, lines, and walking will tire them out too much then don't go all day.

 

[Spunky946]

All kids are different. We usually go back and take a rest if we are going to stay the evenings. Otherwise we might stay until 5-6 and then go back, swim and have an earlish night. Just make sure you leave early enough to make the break worth it. You really need 3-4 hours to make it worthwile. I can also tell you, if someone is cranky and wants to go back for awhile, it's worth it to have a nice evening.

 

[AshleeH]

Mine can't. Or at least, we've never really tried it. I prefer no whining and no meltdowns in Disney - this includes the adults. The hotter it is, the more crowded, the longer we've been there, the odds increase of someone snapping, so we remove that aspect altogether. At this point, it's just nicer to have a midday break, go back and nap and swim and then have a fresh demeanor going into the parks at night. Number of meltdowns in Disney for this family: 0.

 

[ChasingLeslie]

Took my 5 and 8 year olds in July. We were on the bus by 7 or 8am every morning and they lasted until anywhere from 4 to 8pm. We do fairly hardcore touring.

 

[minoh]

I know there's no way to know without being there and seeing how we make out, but it's great to hear all this feedback. Thanks everyone!

 

[jvz82]

Mine can't. Or at least, we've never really tried it. I prefer no whining and no meltdowns in Disney - this includes the adults. The hotter it is, the more crowded, the longer we've been there, the odds increase of someone snapping, so we remove that aspect altogether. At this point, it's just nicer to have a midday break, go back and nap and swim and then have a fresh demeanor going into the parks at night. Number of meltdowns in Disney for this family: 0.

Wow, you are very lucky, lol. We had all sorts of meltdowns with my 4 kiddos, and the number of breaks/naps had absolutely no effect on this! One day we went back to our hotel for a 4 hour break and took nice long naps, went back to MK for dinner and I actually think the long break had made everything WORSE, and they were crabbier afterwards than they had been before! Another day my 4YO son had a huge meltdown literally first thing in the morning when we arrived, when he should have been the most well-rested and ready to go.

To the OP, I do think it depends on your kids. Our last day at the parks we had to check out of our hotel in the morning so we didn't have a hotel to go back to for a rest. MK opened at 7 that day, so we stayed at the park from 7 am to around 7 pm. It was a loooong day, and the kids were very ready to go by 7. I don't think we could do more than 12 hours in a row. In the afternoon, even my big kids were tired and overstimulated. I put my 8 year old in the stroller and he pulled the shade all the way down over his body just to be by himself for a while. On another day of MK we got there at 7 am, left at 12, came back around 4:30 and my 2 and 4 year olds were ready to leave by 7 or 8. I stayed with my 6 and 8 year olds until 11:30 or so and they did pretty well.

 

[AshleeH]

Wow, you are very lucky, lol. We had all sorts of meltdowns with my 4 kiddos, and the number of breaks/naps had absolutely no effect on this! One day we went back to our hotel for a 4 hour break and took nice long naps, went back to MK for dinner and I actually think the long break had made everything WORSE, and they were crabbier afterwards than they had been before! Another day my 4YO son had a huge meltdown literally first thing in the morning when we arrived, when he should have been the most well-rested and ready to go.

Lol! Well, in the old days (when my kids were 7 and 4 and the following years) we used bribery as well. We told them no whining, no fighting, no bickering, etc. for the entire week. If they did this, they could pick out any souvenir they wanted at the end of the trip. If my kids know nothing else about me, they know I have follow-through, so a single whine and they would've been going home toyless. They were great that trip, so we made the same rule the following year, and so on and so on. They're 13 and 10 now, so it's not necessary - they usually see a few little things around the park while we're there for a week and we indulge them because they're good kids and don't ask for much, but the bribery method worked great when they were young!

My 3 year old is finally getting to the stage where I can reason with her and do the same thing. She's a very good little girl, but it was hard for her to understand she had to wait and pick things she really wanted and not just what liked in the moment. The two of us are going back in two weeks and I plan on taking pictures of everything she wants (and a picture of the store) and letting her choose one thing halfway through the trip and one at the end. We'll see how that works out .

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

As my parents say now... If we had not behaved well they would not have continued to take us.
We rarely had meltdowns because they simply would not tolerate it.
If we started to act up the quite deep voice of my dad saying stop it fixed that.
I recall the last time I ever got nasty on vacation. I was 10 and gave my dad an attitude about something and a little smack on my butt as I walked away ended that then and there.
Like I said in a previous post we went all day. If we were tired we took a nap. If we needed a break we'd grab a snack and relax for a little while. No need to leave the parks in my opinion but of course all children are different.

 

[Nancyg56]

My dgd could not. If we planned rope drop we knew we would leave mid afternoon. We still do but that's because of me.

 

[Disneylover99]

For us, it would be too risky to do EMH and be up super early only to have to wait for dinner at the same park. Too many factors that you can't know in advance.....wait times, weather, moods, etc...

If we do rope drop, we might plan an early TS lunch and then go with the flow during the afternoon.