I'm planning an extended trip to WDW, any advice or tips for making the most of a longer stay?

LindseyDisney

LindseyDisney

Active Member
So, my trip plans changed a third time. This time, we are returning to French Quarter for May 2026, checking in on May 2nd and leaving on the 13th. If I did my math correctly and had enough coffee, that’s 12 days. We plan to do park days on arrival and departure, but do you have any advice for longer trips? In the past, we've stayed 5 or 6 days. It’s 3 adults, and we have a 10-day park hopper pass. No car.

I have 5 restaurants I want to make reservations for. I'm hesitant to add more dining reservations, as I don't want to be too focused on sticking to a schedule and end up stressed or tired. My family and I are hoping for more spontaneous dining experiences.

Restaurants I have planned to make reservations, in no particular order:
Crystal Palace (Breakfast)
Kona Cafe (Breakfast)
Grand Floridan Cafe (Brunch)
Chef De France (Dinner)
Yak and Yeti (Lunch)

We do plan on going to Chef Art Smith's Homecomin' on arrival day, but we don't plan on making reservations because we're not sure when we will arrive. This might be a mistake. Wish us luck!

We have places and points of interest we want to see, such as the Boardwalk, Flower and Garden, and we plan to spend more time in Animal Kingdom and Hollywood since I missed them a lot when I got sick on my previous trip. Since it's a longer trip, I just want to make the most of it, if that makes sense. Do you have any advice for longer stays?
 
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nickys

nickys

Premium Member
Plan a couple of days in each park.

Take some time to see some of the resorts as well. Like the art and animals at AKL, the lobby and Carolwood Pacific room at WL. The stables at FW.

Go and see Yee Ha Bob at POR, the Jazz band at POFQ. Many of the resort lounges are fun too, I like Victoria Falls at AKL and the tiny bar Gurgling Suitcase at OKW.
 
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JIMINYCR

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
On our 2 week trips we get to plan some extra things like a tour or plan on doing something off property in the Orlando area ( if we have the money to do so). We aren't as stressed to get everything done in a day and realize we can revisit the parks on another day so that makes the stress levels much lower or we can choose to wait in lines or not. We can take time to interact with CM's ( EP pavilion CMs are very interesting to converse with). We usually visit a couple of resorts we haven't stayed at to look around. We visit other resort dining areas that serve different offerings or shops to find some things unique to those areas. I enjoy looking at Main Street windows, the building architectures, just wandering places off the usual pathways. You can work in a competitive scavenger hunt in the parks. Several lists can be found online.
We also stay at the POFQ resort which has the Sunday morning beignet run. DW and son worked that in on our last trip and they enjoyed it.
You have much more freedom to go outside of your usual WDW trip style and do not up differently. Have some fun with making it a memorable trip.
 
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D

disneypopstar

New Member
LindseyDisney said:
So, my trip plans changed a third time. This time, we are returning to French Quarter for May 2026, checking in on May 2nd and leaving on the 13th. If I did my math correctly and had enough coffee, that’s 12 days. We plan to do park days on arrival and departure, but do you have any advice for longer trips? In the past, we've stayed 5 or 6 days. It’s 3 adults, and we have a 10-day park hopper pass. No car.

I have 5 restaurants I want to make reservations for. I'm hesitant to add more dining reservations, as I don't want to be too focused on sticking to a schedule and end up stressed or tired. My family and I are hoping for more spontaneous dining experiences.

Restaurants I have planned to make reservations, in no particular order:
Crystal Palace (Breakfast)
Kona Cafe (Breakfast)
Grand Floridan Cafe (Brunch)
Chef De France (Dinner)
Yak and Yeti (Lunch)

We do plan on going to Chef Art Smith's Homecomin' on arrival day, but we don't plan on making reservations because we're not sure when we will arrive. This might be a mistake. Wish us luck!

We have places and points of interest we want to see, such as the Boardwalk, Flower and Garden, and we plan to spend more time in Animal Kingdom and Hollywood since I missed them a lot when I got sick on my previous trip. Since it's a longer trip, I just want to make the most of it, if that makes sense. Do you have any advice for longer stays?
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Hey there! I highly recommend planning a mix of park days and relaxation, especially with an extended trip. Don’t hesitate to take midday breaks back at your resort to recharge—it can make all the difference for your evening plans. You’ll be able to enjoy the parks in a more leisurely way without burning out. Also, try to explore the resorts themselves! Some of the lesser-known activities, like visiting Animal Kingdom Lodge to see the animals or catching live entertainment at Port Orleans, can offer a nice, low-key change of pace from the busy park days.


For planning, I’ve found that being flexible is key. With more time, you can afford to revisit favorite attractions or try something spontaneous. And if you're looking for a bit of variety, consider exploring options like Discovery Cove for a relaxing day outside the parks. It’s a great way to mix up the vacation experience! Enjoy your trip!
 
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