⚡️Theme park morning power-ups
7 no-drama tactics to get your family to the park on time
Is it like herding cats? How to get your family out of bed and ready in record time
Last time I talked about how things can go wrong at rope drop. Here’s what reader Ric said in the comments:
This is so true! So today let’s dive into what might be the biggest challenge of your vacation. How to get your family out of bed and to the gates early in the morning.
I’ve got seven tactics to share, and hopefully a few will resonate with you. Bonus: some of this works at home too. 😉
Give them a try & let me know how it works out on your next vacation. Happy traveling!
Try these morning techniques on your next trip
Figure it out the day before
It’s super important to get everyone on the same page about your morning schedule. Have a discussion early in the evening, like at dinner, to figure out what time you really need to get up.
Be sure everyone understands WHY it’s so important to get up so early. You’ll get to have the park almost to yourself, with much less waiting in line. You could even be the first ones on a ride.
Know your target arrival time, then add 15 minutes
To set a realistic schedule, you’ll need to first establish the time you need to leave your hotel room. Use the guidelines I discussed in my last newsletter to figure it out:
Pad your schedule and add a few extra minutes to that target arrival time. The worst thing that can happen is that you get to the gate before anyone else. Total bragging rights!
Schedule a character wake-up call
Your kids may have never experienced a wake-up call before. Now’s the chance!
The Disneyland, Disney World, and Universal Orlando hotels all offer character wake-up calls. You should be able to schedule them directly through your room’s landline phone.
When the call comes in, be sure to hit the speaker button so everyone can hear. At Disney, you’ll probably get a message from Mickey himself. At Universal you can choose from characters ranging from the Minions to Optimus Prime, and a few less-expected voices.
Here’s the character wake-up call options we had at Universal Orlando’s Hard Rock Hotel a few years ago.
Yes, you should also set your phone alarm too, just in case something goes sideways.
Lay everything out the night before
This is your family’s chance to get ready like firefighters do. Get everything out and ready to go BEFORE you get in bed.
This includes shoes, socks, backpacks, mouse ears - anything you will need for the morning should be set out in one pile for each person.
The more you do before bed, the later you can sleep. If it makes sense, take your shower the night before too. Minimize those a.m. tasks.
💡 Everything with batteries should be on a charger overnight. The last thing you need is a dead phone or Magic Band. I have started bringing a multi-outlet charging strip on my trips, so I don’t have to scour the room for outlets and everything stays together.
Have a plan for coffee/breakfast
Let’s not skip the most important thing - coffee.
Whether you make it in your room, grab a cup from a coffee shop on the way to the park, or order room service, a little something can go a long way to power that first hour of your morning.
One of my favorite hacks is to pre-schedule a room service continental breakfast.
Room service delivery is a guaranteed way to make sure you get up on time. Schedule it on the early side and graze while you get ready.
One $20ish room service continental breakfast usually includes pastries, fruit, juice, and an entire pot of coffee. Add a side of bacon and it’s enough for a light breakfast for two or three people. The coffee is usually much better than the stuff you’d make yourself, and you can almost always find to-go cups in your room.
Getting breakfast delivered takes one of the biggest wild-cards out of your morning schedule. No wondering what the line is like at Starbucks or where to find your early snack. Just eat while you get ready & head off to the park.
If room service isn’t your thing, pick up a few pastries or a banana the night before, to eat in the room or on your way to the gate.
Know where you’re going
Going to the wrong place was one of the top rope drop fails I discussed last time. Make sure you know:
How to get from your hotel to the park
Where to line up at the park gate and rope
What is your intended first attraction?
Have everyone’s tickets ready
These days it’s harder to forget your tickets, since they are most likely on your phone. But be sure everybody’s media is accounted for. And if you do nothing else, ALWAYS buy your park tickets in advance of your trip.
Want some advice about choosing your park tickets? Check out these posts on the GoInformed.net website. BONUS: They are podcast episodes too! Click the links to get the scoop.
What am I forgetting?
What else makes a morning go more smoothly? Share your thoughts in the comments.
Master your theme park morning
Go Informed Podcast episode 19 is all about how to master your theme park morning. Catch it on your favorite podcast app, including: