When do you go off world?

[g--force]

Ok, new guy here so be nice, please! Actually a long time reader, first time poster...
Any way, planning trip #2 for late Feb 2014 (230 days but who's counting). Was there for 7 days in 2012, spent the entire time at Disney and loved every minute. Going back for 10 this time and DW and DD (15 yrs) want to take 3 days to see the ocean and go to Uni. So my question is, when do you think is the best time to go "off world"? Beginning of the trip? Couple days in the middle or at the end?
We're staying all 10 at PORS so that's not an issue. Just curious if anyone thinks one time is better than the other to leave?
Thanks everyone! and I look forward to joining more conversations...

 

[englanddg]

Ok, new guy here so be nice, please! Actually a long time reader, first time poster...
Any way, planning trip #2 for late Feb 2014 (230 days but who's counting). Was there for 7 days in 2012, spent the entire time at Disney and loved every minute. Going back for 10 this time and DW and DD (15 yrs) want to take 3 days to see the ocean and go to Uni. So my question is, when do you think is the best time to go "off world"? Beginning of the trip? Couple days in the middle or at the end?
We're staying all 10 at PORS so that's not an issue. Just curious if anyone thinks one time is better than the other to leave?
Thanks everyone! and I look forward to joining more conversations...

If you are staying on site the whole trip, then I would do it towards the middle to late middle of the stay...around days 5 - 8...

It's about pacing. Go in with a bang, 4 days in each of the 4 parks, 1 day of rest (water parks, reset), 2 days at Uni, 1 day at the beach (look into the new Atlantis exhibit at Port Canaveral, very interesting, if you are into that sort of thing...and there is always Daytona and the Speedway)...then 1 day of rest (water parks, reset) and one last day at the World.

My 2 cents.

 

[G00fyDad]

We go for 4 days at the parks then day 5 is a Clearwater Beach day, then 4 more days in the parks. Zero desire to go to Universal, so it is just the one beach day and the rest are spent at WDW. If we get kind of tired of the parks we will go to an outlet mall and shop or just back to the resort and swim.

 

[g--force]

I'm not real excited about Universal either, but my DD will be 15 at the time and even though she loves Disney, I think she'll have fun on some of the bigger coasters.

 

[Mr Toad]

The only time I left the property was when we left for home. We typically only spent 4-6 full days at WDW, always on property. So we never really left the property to go somewhere else.

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

We normally do Universal on day 6/7 one each for IOA/UNI also a day at Seaworld.We start with the 4 Disney parks in whichever order then finish with the Disney parks on the flip side.As for the ocean ....Meh as i live on an Island that you are never more than 10mins frim the sea (even with our 35mph speed limit)

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

P.S. Welcome to our Mad little family of posters

 

[Poofiesdream]

I would go in the middle!

 

[Blueskyze]

Welcome! I would agree that the middle of the trip is probably the best. That worked well for us last year - hit all the Disney parks, then spent 2 days at Universal drinking as much Butterbeer as possible (I'm a total Harry Potter nerd), then we were ready for a few more Disney days to finish up our trip!

 

[foreverbelle]

We have done it once or twice ourselves, specifically on our honeymoon back in 06' we were there for ten days, and went to the parks for a couple of days, about 3, on the 4th we headed out to the beach before doing another day at the park and then ventured out to do Kennedy at the time. I will admit breaking it up like that helped with the hubby who at the time was not a Disney fan and had never been. Its a nice break spreading it out that way.

I will add my welcome to the boards as well!!!

 

[Patrick_Ears]

Last few times we have done stayed just on property, but this time we will leave because of Dining out somewhere else. No DDP this time..unless its free!

 

[Mukta]

I love Universal/Islands of Adventure. I have done the beginning of a trip and the middle. I think I prefer going in the middle of my trip.

 

[JIMINYCR]

We plan to get totally immersed at Disney for the first few days. Thats the real reason for our trip to Florida. Then we plan a couple of side trips off property. Finishing the rest of the trip entirely with Disney. We've done some of the off property dinner theaters, museums and also a day each at Uni/IOA and Sea World. There are some great things to experience around the Orlando area, and they do add to the cost of the vacation. But Disney comes first and gets us coming back.

 

[JillC LI]

We've done it two ways. On our last trip, we flew to FL late at night and stayed at Uni the first night so we could have early entry to the WWOHP and get express passes the next day. So our first trip day was at Uni and then we drove to WDW and spent the rest of the time there. However, if you're not staying at Uni, then I would do it as we did another time which is to head over to Uni one day in the middle of the trip. Get there early though if you want to see all the big attractions in one day.

 

[G8rchamps]

We typically go for 7 days and plan day 4 as an off day, though we don't leave property. Our off day is water park or DQ. We do leave that night for dinner to get a non Disney meal in. I would think middle to end.

 

[smk]

Our trip last year we had planned to go to Universal, however, when the rubber met the road, we could not bring ourselves to leave the WDW resort area. We went to play putt putt, hung around at DTD, went swimming, but did not leave the grounds of the world. We just simply love being there, it is a peaceful, relaxing time we both crave. We would be the couple strolling in the parks, holding hands and getting in your way. Doesn't bother us, just pass us by, ask us to move politely, and we will gladly step aside for you, we will still be content to stroll.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I would do it in the middle. Mind you, I've never tried it this way, but I've tried it the other possible ways and really didn't like it. Of course, these were both childhood trips but we had one trip where my parents put Disney in the middle and a couple of others where we did everything Disney first and then moved on to other things. While all of the other things were fun, I would have preferred to begin and end with WDW.

 

[acishere]

Usually we start off at WDW and do at least 4/5 days there staying on property, then we get a rental car and switch to an off property hotel closer to Universal and spend 2 days at the park there.

 

[mousehockey37]

I would agree with most everyone else. Do some big time WDW at the start, but be open after the first few days. Take into account what the weather is doing/going to do. You don't want go get stuck in a coaster park on a stormy day where the coasters may not be operating. Sure, Central Florida in the summer has this everyday, but in a trip of 10 days, it's possible to have a washout day. So, if you're not the micromanaging type, have an idea of what you'd like to do, but be open to changing it should the weather throw you a curveball.

 

[piazza]

you might want to have a look at the crowd calendar to help make your decision.