How long to stay?

[kermie7780]

Hi Everybody,

Just signed up to the boards, so forgive me if I'm in the wrong place, or if the info is somewhere else & I just haven't found it yet.

I'm thinking of taking a trip next February during the value season and need help deciding how long to stay. There will be 2 of us (in our late 20s). We'd like to have enough time to really see everything in the parks w/o going commando and wearing ourselves out halfway through our trip.

We're going in February, and we have plenty of waterparks at home, so we're not really interested in spending time at the waterparks.

I'm looking for advice on how long to go, as well as any advice you may have on itineraries. I know it's almost a year away, but I'm already excited I haven't been since I was a kid & my parents took us!

 

[PintoColvig]

Welcome to the Boards!:king:

I'd figure 2 days for MK, 2 days for EP, 1 day each for DS and AK. Throw in another day for checking out some of the resorts, time at the pool, Downtown Disney, or going back to reride some favorite attractions. For me, it takes a minimum of seven days to really do most of what I'd like to do. And we like to do EVERYTHING in the parks.

 

[KnK]

My husband and I go every year in September. We are both in our early 40's. We stay for 10 days.

We enjoying not racing around and also like to have our afternoon pool time. Vacation is meant for relaxing not over working!

We might not spend all day in a park, and somedays we don't even get to a park. There is lots to do, other than water parks. We like to spend a little time at Downtown Disney, also mini golf is always a favorite.

 

[wannab@dis]

Welcome! :wave:

It's hard to say how long to stay since we've been several times. We've had the short 4 day trips and we've also had the week long trips. Our last trip was 8 days, so we had a chance to take our time and enjoy returns for our favorites.

Since this is your first trip in a long time, I would suggest that you look at it from a financial standpoint. How long can you afford to stay? My suggestion would be that you get at least 5 or 6 days in the parks. That will give you a day for each park plus one or two days to go back and visit your favorite attractions. Also, you may want to set aside an afternoon to visit some of the resorts. They are wonderful to visit and the deluxe resorts have great restuarants to try out!

Enjoy your trip!

 

[jim1051]

How long

I agree a week is a good start if you haven't been for a while or won't be back for a while. We have been 9 times since 1983, 6 of them since we joined DVC in 1999. Now we usually go for 5 days, sunday to Friday cause the DVC rates are best on non-Friday and Saturday nights.

Get Park hopper on your tickets for flexible park visiting.

 

[WDWCP]

I've been fortunate enough to have visited WDW many times (12+) from here in Colorado. In addition, I was able to work there on the Summer 1997 College Program and I always try to get back there as often as possible.

With that much experience at WDW, I usually get to do just about everything I want to do in about 7 days.

I'm so excited because my wife and I are going on a BIG vacation there this June and will be spending 13 nights! Other than working there for the Summer of '97, I've never spend this long of a vacation at WDW. I'm also excited because we aren't planning on doing any "off-property" things!

This means we'll be able to get to do all the things we really want to do, and we'll get to do them multiple times! We'll also have a number of days to just relax by the pool, shop around Dowtown Disney, play the mini-golf places, maybe hit one of the Water Parks, etc... We think we'll try the parasailing and renting bikes around either Ft. Wilderness or the Boardwalk area, and maybe renting some of the small raycer boats at one of hte hotel marina's or something.

My advice would be this: Don't worry too much about stressing on how long you'll be there. Make the decisions based on the financials and how long you can afford to stay. My wife and I certainly made some sacrifices in our decision to stay 13 nights. We won't be eating at many table service places and will stick mostly to counter/quick service places. We're staying at the Pop Century instead of one of the moderate or deluxe places, etc...

We're going to get one Annual Pass and one 10-day park hopper ticket, so that will get us the ability to do pretty much whatever we want to do.

Enjoy your trip!!!

 

[bayoutinkbelle]

I took two weeks last summer and it was so worth it. We spent the bulk of our time at Disney, but had a few days to do other things. We're up again for another two weeks in May. I just can't wait!

P.S. Welcome to the board!

 

[CMALOVESDISNEY]

We have done disney in 4 days and in 10 days
if you haven't been there ever or in a long time I suggest 5-7 days since you are not interested in the water parks. We never go to the water parks, so we usually break the days up nicely.
Our last trip before kids we went for 5 days. One day for travel so actually 4 days
we did one day at MK, 1 day at Epcot 1/2 at AK & 1/2 days at Epcot, then back to MK the last day for a couple of hours before heading to the airport.

Downtown Disney is great at night, so we never head there during the day unless we are there for 7 days or more.

Hope this helps!

 

[eroyee]

:sohappy: Lucky you! Actually, we are gonna try for a end of January, 2007 trip again. You cant stay for less than 7 days and do everything and then have a little time to do nothing if you want to. Downtown Disney at night is cool. The WL is our favorite also, with POR next. I would love to be able to go for 2 wks. sometime. that is my ultimate wish.:lol: Just check on this website and others and you will find a million things to do. NEVER boring at Disney.:lol: Give me fairy tales any time, Universal.:hammer:

 

[kermie7780]

Thanks :-D

Hi Everybody,

Thanks so much for all the replies so far :-D

Originally we were thinking of staying at a moderate resort, but then I realized that if we stay at a value resort we could stay a couple more days :-D That about decided it for me.

At this point it sounds like we'll probably fit somewhere in the 5-8 day range. I still have awhile to ponder that ;-) I'm sure I'll be frequenting these boards between now & february....can't wait!

 

[Laura]

I went in the fall for 10 nights. It was the EXACT perfect number of days to do everything at a very relaxing pace. It was great.

 

[Scooter]

7 days works
8 days is better, gives you time to relax
We stayed 9 days once and got kind of bored, having done everything we wanted to do and took a day off to sit around our resort and swim/etc.

We don't rent a car or go off Disney Property though so 8 days was perfect for us.

It varies as to what you enjoy doing.
Perhaps you fish or golf or resort hop.

There is plenty of things to do on Disney Property depending on what sort of activities interest you.

 

[barnum42]

The more days the merrier.

I've made a number of two week stays - always off-site on cheap deals that seem to be only available to to UK residents.

 

[PintoColvig]

We stayed 9 days once and got kind of bored...

That's hard to imagine! We'll be there for nine days in May, so I'll see if it's true! :wave:

 

[barnum42]

That's hard to imagine! We'll be there for nine days in May, so I'll see if it's true! :wave:

I've made several two week trips and I never get bored. Being able to go at a relaxing pace is great

 

[jim1051]

Stay

No matter how long we stay we run out of money before we run out of things we want to do. We have been 9 times total and there are still things I want to try, like the bass fishing, and many other things we just want to do over and over.

The first few times were with our kids in the 80's, then as empty nesters in 1999 thru 2004. Last December we took our kids (3 sons and their wives) and 2 grandchildren (bith girls) so it was another new adventure with different set of "things to do".

We have been six times since 1999 and have never felt "bored". We usually stay 5 nights.

 

[WDWEric]

We are planning a Sat. to Sat. trip (8days/7nights) in mid to late May. 2007, my first son will be 3 in June 2007 and my second will be 1 in March/April (not born yet,any day now)

 

[WDWCP]

We are planning a Sat. to Sat. trip (8days/7nights) in mid to late May. 2007, my first son will be 3 in June 2007 and my second will be 1 in March/April (not born yet,any day now)

3 huh? Is that still free admission to the parks? I forget if its free up to 3, or if its free for under 3...

 

[nibblesandbits]

What I can say is that I have done Disney in 5 days and I have done it in 4. Four is definitely not enough. At the end of it, I felt like I needed a second vacation. Five was definitely better and I'm sure if you can get in 6 or 7 it would be perfect (but I'm a poor college student, so 5 days is about all I can ever afford).

My advice is to definitely take things slow. If you try to do everything you possibly can, you WILL get worn out and will hurt by the end of the trip. This advice is from my own personal experience because never again will I go full till the entire time I'm there.

 

[WDWEric]

3 huh? Is that still free admission to the parks? I forget if its free up to 3, or if its free for under 3...

I am pretty sure it is 3 and under for free, me second son is not born yet and will be 1 when we go, so start the flaming about bringing kids who wont remember the trip