Have you ever had that excitement of trying something new at a Disney park?

You may have been to the Disney parks just once. Maybe you’ve gone a few times. Or maybe you’ve gone more times than you can count. But without fail, there’s always something new you can do at a Disney park. A new place to dine, a new attraction to experience, a new event to attend…

For me, it was my first time attending Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios. It was an absolute blast, filled with dapper Christmas vibes, fun and incredibly entertaining musical shows, Christmas-themed food, and very short ride wait times.

But I made this really silly mistake and paid for it by the end of the night.

We Were Walking Non-Stop

By the time my wife and I sat down to watch the Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along, it was 11:30pm and we had been in the park walking non-stop since 4:00pm.

By that time, we had been at Hollywood Studios since 4:00pm. Caught up in the excitement of our first Disney Christmas party, the beautiful decorations, and the incredible shows, I didn’t realize that we were walking in the park non-stop. Five minutes into the sing-along, I fell asleep. I was exhausted.

I was going non-stop for almost 8 hours without taking a break.

Not one single break!

Taking Breaks Could Make or Break Your Disney Trip

If you want to be fully present on your Disney trip (especially for a special ticketed event like Jollywood Nights), taking breaks shouldn’t just be an afterthought.

Without a break, your body goes into “overload mode.” Your muscles don’t get the chance to replenish glycogen, leaving your muscles feeling heavy, tight, and stiff. Your metabolic system doesn’t get the chance to flush out metabolic byproducts made from constantly walking, leading to fatigue and exhaustion. Your joints don’t get the chance to re-lubricate, leaving them feeling stiff. Your body pumps blood less efficiently, leading to venous pooling and swelling in your feet and ankles.

This leaves you feeling stiff, exhausted, and defeated.

But I Thought Movement was Medicine!

You’re absolutely right: Movement is medicine and motion is lotion.

The thing is, these popular phrases were coined with the idea that most adults don’t get enough movement in their daily routine. And while the average adult does need to get more movement into their day, this phrase leads us to believe that any amount of movement is good for you.

However, when you’re literally walking a marathon at Disney, too much movement without a break will spell trouble.

Giving your body a break gives your muscles a chance to replenish glycogen, your metabolic system a chance to flush out byproducts, your joints the chance to decompress and re-lubricate, and your body the chance to pump blood back up to your heart.

Essentially, taking breaks – even 5-minute breaks – gives your body the chance to recover so you can watch the fireworks without feeling burnt out.

4 Strategies to Take Breaks so Your Body Can Recover at Disney

It’s so easy to get carried away when you’re trying a new experience at Disney.

Most Disney travelers know that taking breaks is important. But in practice, it’s hard to remember to take those breaks throughout the day. Here are four strategies I love to use at Disney to remind myself to take breaks:

• Set a Reminder on Your Phone: Set a reminder that goes off every 60-90 minutes. Even a 5-minute stretch break several times throughout the day can make a huge difference in how you feel during the fireworks
• Have an Accountability Buddy: This is one of the most underrated strategies at Disney. An accountability buddy helps you stay on track throughout the day and keeps you from getting carried away
• Take Extra Time During Meals: Taking an extra 5 minutes during lunch and dinner to do some quick breath work or stretching will kickstart your body’s recovery process
• Freshen up in Your Hotel Room: Taking extra time to rest up and change in your hotel room is a game-changer. Not only does it allow you to have more energy for the fireworks, but it also helps your body recover so you can walk 25,000 steps on your next park day

I definitely learned my lesson at Jollywood Nights: take breaks throughout the night or your body will force you to take one.