>Commando Relaxation

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John showing us years ago how to relax!

  Relaxing on a Walt Disney World Vacation is sometimes tough to do. We try to never be Disney Commandos. We figure if we don’t get to something this trip, we’ll do it next trip. But most people don’t have the luxury that we do of getting to Walt Disney World yearly, or just about. So they try to fit so much into their day, that sometimes they not only go Commando, they make themselves tired and miserable. So how do you experience as much as Disney has to offer and still, take a break during the day? Well, it may sound silly, but you go on another attraction. I know some of you just stopped reading looked at the screen and said, “What are you talking about? How can I take a break by going on another attraction?” Well, it is actually kind of easy to take a break and experience another attraction all at the same time. What you do is pick the attractions that will let you rest, while you enjoy the Disney Magic.

One of my favorite Attractions to experience and take a well needed sit is at the Country Bear Jamboree. The show for the Country Bears is seventeen minutes long. It is also in an air-conditioned theater. This makes for a nice

little rest, and it is a fun attraction besides. Another great place to take a rest in the Magic Kingdom is the Hall of Presidents. This is a great show/experience and it is twenty three minutes long. I especially like going here mid-afternoon when it is really hot.

In Animal Kingdom a great place to take a break with young children is the Affection Section of the Conservation Station. This is basically a petting zoo, but they do not have any food for you to feed the animals, which makes it nice

for the kids, since the critters won’t run at the kids to get what is in their hands. Another place to take a rest in Animal Kingdom is at Finding Nemo the Musical. This is a sit down attraction/show that is about a half an hour long and will also thrill the kids.

In the Disney Hollywood studios, there are a few shows that you can see that will give you a chance to take a break. You can experience the thrilling, such as Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show or the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! Or a Broadway Musical type show, like Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage. Each of these shows is twenty five minutes or longer, but only the Beauty and the Beast show is inside.

In Epcot, you can go to the American Adventure and not only enjoy an uplifting Patriotic show, but you get to sit down for thirty minutes. The building for the American Adventure is a nice place to relax even before you get into the theater. In the building’s rotunda, you can have the pleasure of hearing a small choral group (called the Voices of Liberty) sing different patriotic songs.

But the best attraction to take a break on and still enjoy the show is Ellen’s Energy Adventure. This ride takes place in Ellen DeGeneres’ dream, as she falls asleep watching Jeopardy. In her dream, next door neighbor Bill Nye teaches her all about energy and helps her to learn enough to win at Jeopardy, against her old college roommate (Stupid Judy). The reason this is a great place to take a break and get your energy back (no pun intended) is that the ride itself take almost 45 minutes; what a nice amount of time to relax.

So, you see even if you are going Commando in Disney, you can take a break and still continue on your quest to get as much done as possible. Just make sure when you are leaving any of these attractions, that your entire group is with you; I have seen some people fall asleep in each of them.

>Time for a Break

>This probably should have been one of my first posts. By now I think you might have realized that when we “Do Disney” it isn’t as others do. We are not Commando Disney Guests that run from one ride to another, we don’t sit down and make a detailed plan of attack, as to what attractions we are going on and in what order. We are much more laid back Disney visitors. A lot of first time Disney Guests are not like this. They figure they want to see and experience everything, so they start when the sun comes up and GO until well after dark. The problem with this, in my mind, is that while you are GOing, you are not taking time to see, and really Experience the Magic of Walt Disney World.

So, my advice is to Do and Relax. This is the way my family “Does Disney”. We do something and then relax a while. I know that this may not be for everyone, but it does work and you can still cover a lot of the parks and still enjoy your vacation. With the Commando style, you come home from Disney needing a vacation. That is silly. The commando style also promotes crankiness. Disney is the “Happiest place on Earth.” When you run from place to place and attraction to attraction, you get tired, the kids get tired and people get cranky. You can pick-out the first time Disney commandos. They are the ones waiting in the queues, or on the sidewalk for the parades or fireworks, and the mother and father are grumbling or just flat out yelling at each other and the kids are crying and not one of them is happy. What a way to spend your vacation. The lesson from this is “Don’t be a Commando.”

I know First time visitors might say, but we haven’t been to Disney Before, we want to see it all. Well, my first response is, I have been there almost yearly for most of the last decade, and I still haven’t seen it all, so give up that thought. What you need to do is decide what you need to see and do and what would be nice to see and do.
 This is where the Disney Planning Video comes in to play.(This was talked about it my post on 4/25/10) The thing to remember though is even if you have a list of things you need to do, remember to take a break through-out the day.

How do you do this without missing anything or without stopping and not wanting to get started again? One way to take a break without leaving the parks is to enjoy the shows and indoor attractions. Things like the American Adventure or Ellen’s Energy Adventure in Epcot and The Hall of Presidents or the Carousel of Progress in the Magic Kingdom. In the Animal Kingdom, you can sit down and enjoy a show at the Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo or Flights of Wonder. Over in Disney’s Hollywood Studios you can watch Beauty and The Beast on stage,

 or Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show, or the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! At all of these shows and attractions you sit down for more than five minutes. Every one of them is an enjoyable way to take a break during your day in Disney.

If you want to leave the park for a break, you can always go back later in the day. If you do leave the parks, you can go to a resort for lunch, or you may want to take a few minutes to go shopping. Don’t forget the Pools are great; take a swim break, or remember my post from 5/19/10 and go play Miniature golf.

You can take a boat ride,

  or hotel hop (as mentioned in the post on 4/27/10). Any of these things will be enough to “recharge your batteries” for more park action. And they all will give you a chance at a Magical Experience in another way.

So, now that you know, when you go, you need a break, to Experience all the Magic. And some of your break may lead to an Unknown Magic just waiting to be found!