Our View: Avoiding the Disney World "Meltdown!"

I often get asked how my kids (ages 2, 5 and 8) can manage full days in Walt Disney World without meltdowns (it’s true, they rarely melt down).  The thing is, we don’t go morning to night nonstop and make sure to do things to help us get rest throughout the day. Here are some of our favorite ways to break up our day and get the most out of the parks.

Dining: It may seem crazy, but we almost always choose the Deluxe Dining plan.  It's not cheap but to us, having the down time of built in meals is best for our family.  We discuss the rest of the plans for our day and discuss other options we are interested in.  We don’t bring any electronics for the kids into the park, so this is great dedicated family time too!

Shows: Shows take up a good amount of time and are a nice way to break up the day.  We’ll plan on a midday show so we can all get out of the sun and have a long sit.  Sometimes our littlest will nap in the stroller and one of us will walk around with him so he can sleep and the others can have a stimulating break.

Resort Break: On longer trips, we like to go back to the resort midday.  We’ll nap, swim, read or relax. Then we hit the ground running for the afternoon and evening feeling refreshed.
Resort Day: On longer trips, we like to do a “resort day.”  We’ll either stay at our resort for the day and enjoy the various amenities or resort hop.  We love to check out all of the other hotels on property!
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Disney Springs: Disney Springs is a great way to stay entertained and still enjoy a bit of Disney magic without the hustle and bustle of the parks.  We’ll do some shopping and pin trading, grab a bite and enjoy a sweet treat!

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About the Author

Morgan Sheena, Enchanted Planner
A Disney vacation makes Morgan Sheena "irrationally happy!" She's passed that love onto her entire family, having done seven Disney vacations personally in addition to being known by friends and family as a "Disney Expert". Morgan is a pure Bostonian, running the Boston City Moms Blog, but still has the native New Jersey in her. She married her college sweetheart, is a mother of three, and a graduate of Brandies University and New England Law | Boston.