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3. Have a morning routine

Seven Dwarves Marching

Image: Disney

Keeping any semblance of a morning routine on a Disney trip can seem impossible—however, there are some things you can do first thing in the morning to help jolt your brain awake. Some of this will require a little prep the night before, but it will be worth it in the end.

When you go to bed, don’t put your phone or alarm clock within reaching distance. Instead, put it somewhere on the other side of the room so you have to get up to turn it off. As soon as you are up, grab a cup or bottle of cold water and drink it to jolt your system awake. When you head to the bathroom after washing your hands, wash your face with cold water immediately.

You can customize things a bit from here depending on how much time you have. Don’t piddle around on social media on your phone—heck, block those apps for the morning if you have to. Before you even eat breakfast, get moving. You can turn this into a full exercise routine by taking a walk or heading to your resort’s gym, but it doesn’t have to be that complicated. Just get moving. Do 10 pushups. Jog in place for a minute. If you have time, try a 7-minute workout or a more intense home workout routine based on your favorite movies or action tales from Darebee.com. If you can get outside to get some sun and fresh air, do it! It will help wake you up even more. If you meditate or pray, do so to start your day on the right foot. Try to do everything so far before the kids wake up and need help getting ready.

Follow up your mini-exercise/kid-corralling with a good breakfast. Unless you’re doing an extra-special character breakfast or heading somewhere like Kona Café, I highly recommend making arrangements to take breakfast in your room. Cereal, oatmeal packets, and fruit are cheap, and you can always pour those funds into other areas of your trip budget. This is easiest if you have a kitchenette in your room like DVC resorts offer. After breakfast, you can finish getting ready and head off to the parks with plenty of energy for your day ahead. Customize your morning routine to meet your needs, keeping the elements that help you wake up and get going.

4. Minty fresh

Girl playing mini golf at Winter Summerland

Image: Disney

There are all sorts of mini-hacks for waking yourself up during the day. We don’t particularly recommend slapping yourself (or getting slapped), but various tricks people use include gentle tugging the hair or ears, using yoga breathing or acupressure, and even eating straight lemons (ouch for the teeth!).

One of the easiest hacks for waking up is one your closest loved ones will appreciate—have some mints! If you can handle straight peppermint essential oil, a drop is usually all it takes to wake up (make sure it’s a grade safe for ingestion). Regular candy mints like Altoids, Tic-tacs, and chewing gum can also work. The stronger the peppermint the better, particularly if you can smell it. Strong flavors like peppermint and ginger can really help wake you up if you start fading.

5. Get the blood pumping

Boys on Expedition Everest

Image: Disney

Remember our tip about exercising in the morning? The same goes for throughout your day. When you feel your energy start to wane, if there’s not a way to take a rest, get your blood pumping.

Walt Disney World requires a lot of walking. Instead of hopping on a friendship boat, take a walk instead. World Showcase and Disney’s Animal Kingdom both have great paths for walking, and outside of the parks, you can also enjoy Disney’s beautiful walking trails, such as the one between Epcot and Hollywood Studios or the one between Magic Kingdom and the Contemporary Resort. If you’re pretty much stuck in one spot, do a little jogging in place or having some play time with your kids somewhere like Tom Sawyer Island or Dinoland USA.

It goes without saying that unless you’re planning on catching a nap, maybe don’t head for the sleepiest rides in the park when you’re tired (I will admit to a Spaceship Earth nap or two). Instead, jump on a thrill ride to stimulate your system and get that adrenaline pumping! The Aerosmith Rockin’ Roller Coaster, Expedition Everest, Space Mountain, and Test Track are all your friends if you need to wake up!

 
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