[MerlinMatt]

Have you ever had a day on a vacation that was either really, really long or was so packed full of stuff that you we simply impressed with yourself? Have you ever tried to push the limits so far that by the time you got back to your room, you barely made it to the bed before you were asleep?

The first day of our vacation in May would make the grade. We surprised the kids by waking them at 3:30am and driving to the airport. We landed at MCO around 9am and we were at the Epcot gate just after 10:30am. We rode SE, got our FP for M:S and ate lunch at the Cantina in Mexico. From there, we rode M:S, Ellen's Adventure and did the Ice Cream Social.

We went back to the hotel to change and then headed to dinner at DTD at Portobello's. We got back to the room around 10:00. 18.5 hours. Not bad for the two of us, DD8 and DS12.

Who's got better ones?

[Tinkerbelle67]

Wow! DH and I had a day like that but without the kids. Your DD and DS are real troopers.

[WDWaddict]

On a Disneyland trip in 1996..we left Indio, CA at 6am(we all got up at 4:30am or so) and drove to Disneyland. We got there at the opening and stayed until 12pm. All day we rode rides and didn't leave the park once. We were all dying by the time we got back to the hotel around 1am.

[MissDisney]

Once, on a trip without kids, we got up really early so my husband could play golf... I went to MGM for early entry. Then, we met for lunch, stayed at MK until evening, and went to Marketplace for dinner. Unbelievably, we thought it would be romantic and wild at that point to go to PI. We got there and were older by a good 10 years than every single other person there! We must have looked like dinosaurs to them! We swallowed a cocktail and our pride and made it back to the hotel for 12:30 bedtime, our latest ever at WDW!

[mwalter]

This is an easy one. It was New Year's Eve 2002 and our first time at WDW for the Christmas holidays. It had been mostly a cold week with highs in the high 50's and low 60's until the 30th when it finally warmed up to the mid 70's. New Year's Eve, we decided to spend the entire day at MGM because it's our favourite park. We did every show including Fantasmic and I even got in the hot seat at Millionaire (bombed out at 32,000). It was a warm day but the forecast was for thunderstorms in the late afternoon right through the night. We decided to be optimistic and hope they forecasters were wrong. It was Florida after all. But the rains came right on time. It stopped raining long enough for the early Fantasmic show but shortly after that it started raining even harder and then the thunder and lightning started. If you ever have the chance to do ToT at night during a thunderstorm, you must do it. It makes the experience even more awesome. We stuck it out until about 11:00 PM but by then we were thoroughly soaked even with ponchos on and we gave up and went back to hotel. We didn't even stay up for midnight.

[inluvwithdisney]

Ours started with school and work on a Friday!!! Kids went off to school and my DH and I off to work!!(I work at home tho) We had a full day just acting regular!!
At 9pm we suprised our kids with the trip to WDW then off to the airport for a 12:40 flight!! We basically flew most of the night with the lay over!! My DS threw up on the 1st flight and the attendants were less than helpful or nice!!
Arrived at POR at 9am! At this point DH and I have been up for 27 hours!!!
Our room was not ready!! So we went and had breakfast!! Still not ready so we changed and went and hung out at the pool!! Finally our room was ready!!Everyone went to the room and dropped!! NOT ME I was too excited!!
So I went to the laundry area and washed the stuff from the throw up incident!! When I got back after a bit everyone woke up and we went to the lobby to suprise our kids with the friends we were meeting!!
Then off to MK for rides, the parade, and the fireworks show!! We got back to the Hotel at about 11pm!! I was beyond exhausted!!!

I had been up for basically 40 hours!! I dozed a little on the plane but did not really sleep!!! Total Marathon day!!!!

[chiasgirl]

When we were there in 96 (just DH and me) we were up and at the drop rope for MK at 7:30 - early entry was at 8. We spent the day there then went back to Dixie Landings, changed and headed to DTD on the river boat. We then hung out at PI until 1 am, getting back to our room around 1:30. The next day we were up at 6:30 to make it to our next early entry!
We had an absolute blast but now that I am no longer in my early twenties I just don't think I could pull it off!

[hiner]

Our first day on our trip, this May. Woke up at 2:30am, woke DS up at 3:30am, hopped in limo to the airport, landed about 8:30am, got our car and headed to Gatorland. Got lost on the way, hung out at Gatorland until early afternoon, and left for WDW. Got a little lost again, but found a grocery store and stocked up. Headed to our resort and missed the turn, finally turned around and were able to check in. Unpacked while DS and DH investigated everything. Took showers and headed to Chef Mickey's. After CM we headed to the Magic Kingdom for the testing of the extended hours. Hit all the popular rides, watched wishes and headed back to the resort.

It was an easy day, but too long without sleep. We always plan our first day on not hitting any major parks due to lack of sleep. You guys who venture into the parks after getting up so early to travel should all get metals.

[SnazzyCMB]

Mine was my first day of my trip last year. We woke up at 3:30am for a flight at 6:30am (after getting no sleep the night before-too excited!), landed at MCO around 9ish, arrived at Coronado Springs around 11, checked right into our room, were in Magic Kingdom at 12:30pm. Rode Space Mountain, buzz, splash, small world, pirates, peter pan, and had photos in toontown with mickey. It was 6pm and MK was closing that night (it was off season) and we monorailed to epcot. Rode mission space, spaceship earth, hista, and went to the UK pub to have a pint and watch Illuminations. After illuminations we walked counter clockwise around world showcase (it was virtually deserted because the park was closing). then, we hopped on a bus to DTD. We walked around, shopped, until everything closed (around 12am). Bussed back to CS, passed out in bed around 1:30am. then work up at 5am to get ready for extra magic hour at epcot the next day! whew!

[ilvminnie]

I think ours would have to be DD's birthday last year. We got her up early to do birthday presents from mom & dad and then hit MGM as early as possible. We did just about everything in the park & then went to Chef Mickey's for the birthday dinner. Then we went back into the parks for a little while until it was time to surprise her with the birthday Illuminations cruise. After Illuminations we got to ride around in the lake a little more & then we all hung out in the lobby for a little bit before turning in. It was just such an exciting, fun-packed day & I can't believe we did it all in 1 day!

[MerlinMatt]

I'm SOO glad I started this thread. I'm LOVING these stories!

[tigger]

After reading all these stories I have nothing to add.

[roxie]

We thought we were bad making the kids get up at 6am, eat breakfast at 7am and be at the parks by 8am...and then make them do the whole day and a late dinner!

What an inspiration you all are

We can push our kids even more next time!! (You know that I am actually serious here - we love to get as much out of Disney as we possibly can!)

[tragic312]

my longest day was the first day going to WDW. it was my first time going. i was so excited the night before i didn't know if i was ever going to go to sleep. surprisingly i did. once the alarm went off early the next morning, i jumped out of bed and rushed to the kitchen to make breakfast. after getting ready and packing up rob's dad's car, he was taking us to the airport, off we went. there was no traffic on the road and i was secretly wishing his dad would drive faster to the airport. after going through all the security checkpoints and all that stuff in the airport, we made it to our gate. while in air, everytime the pilot made an announcement, i hoped it was "we're approaching orlando." what made the day longer was waiting for the mears shuttle bus to pick us up. it was the longest hour of my life! when it finally showed up, of course, there were other people coming with us and going to different hotels. i wanted the driver to take us first to our hotel. i never told him to take us first but i wished it. seeing the people get off the shuttle and go to their hotels increased the excitement and anxiety.
finally, we reached the hotel, checked in and made it to our room. i wanted to drop everything and just go. rob wanted to unpack and settle in first after all the traveling we did so far. i wanted to go to MK first but we didn't get to go there on our first day. all i wanted to do was see the castle. we didn't get to MK until maybe two days later.
but, the first day of my first trip to WDW was the longest disney day i ever had. i know my wedding day will probably take the number one spot but this is it for now.

[disneyguy]

My longest day at WDW was the day I got sick at Epcot, and there is only ONE, UNO, 1 that right!!! 1 first aid station for the entire park!!! and they have no way to get you there, other than you walking. It was just as easy for us to walk back to the bus and go back to the resort.