Is it worth going to Florida for 1 week?

[Gaynor]

Hi all,
only been back a few weeks and I'm itching to get back.
Anyway we were planning a week somewhere in Europe during the school summer holidays but having spent the last couple of days trawling the web I find the prices silly :scared1: in fact I've found a week to Florida cheaper than a week on the med :confused3 so as my title says is it worth going all that way for just 1 week?

[kevin harrison]

Hi all,
only been back a few weeks and I'm itching to get back.
Anyway we were planning a week somewhere in Europe during the school summer holidays but having spent the last couple of days trawling the web I find the prices silly :scared1: in fact I've found a week to Florida cheaper than a week on the med :confused3 so as my title says is it worth going all that way for just 1 week?

We've done it before. The only problem is it's very tiring.

The advantage you have is you've been before, so you won't need a couple of days to get used to everything - Layout, where to visit, eat etc.

[wayneg]

As a 1st visit a definite no I would say,
We have done it but we had been plenty of times before so knew exactly what we wanted to do.
As Kevin said its very tiring, you dont want to waste any time so on the go the whole week.
Thats my view but my brother and Uncle both went for a week on their 1st visits. they dont go anywhere for more than a week, they cant understand how I can spend more than a week in theme parks and go 3 or 4 times a year, year after year.
My Brother thinks Disney is Hell on Earth, doesn't like crowds, kids or rides:lmao: :rotfl2:

[Melcatfish]

I would do it but take a different approach to your other trips. Be realistic about what you are going to fit in and just go for it - let's face it, if it is cheaper than the med it is definitely more fun :)

Mel
x

[penlanspice]

My vote is for Orlando :goodvibes

We went for a week a few years ago and to be honest it was one of our best trips.
We both had a really bad week at work and I was only kidding when I suggested it to DH! LOL. A week later we were in Orlando!! and because we hadn't planned for months or prepared it was great.

[castanea1985]

No contest!!
Just make sure you don't do too much! Plan a cut down version?!
Tracy

[wicket2005]

Not tried it but give me Florida no matter what is what I say. So if that is the only option go for it.

[angel659]

Absoloutly. Its tiring, but worth it. I would never turn down a 7 night stay to WDW. In fact, in 6 weeks I am off for a 6 night stay :woohoo:

[CoralCayTownhome]

If a week is all you can do it is better than not at all :goodvibes

We have been for a week before and it is great if you have already been to Orlando and you just pick and choose what you want to do. Just don't do too much and with the great exchange rate it will no doubt be cheaper than most med resorts :)

[lawlesslovewdw]

DH & I did a 5 night night trip in Feb. I would say go for it. Stay on site if possible dont go off site and enjoy every minute:cool1: better than being on a beach in Ibiza!!;)

[JohnnySharp2]

Personally I would say no, perhaps a bit negative as I guess a week in Florida isn't such a bad thing.
Can only go off our own circumstances, the long flight means our sleeping pattern is disrupted for at least a couple of days and I hate the last day of the holiday as it's such a long tiring day....couldn't face going and having to come home in just a weeks time.

[wils]

As others say go for it! We managed 5 parks in 6 days once! We were exhausted but I wouldn't change a minute. Obviously now we have kids I wouldn't push it so hard. We are going for 8 nights later in the year but we have realistic expectations of what we'll see and we are prioritising :)

[natalielongstaff]

1 week is better than no weeks :woohoo: i would go for it :)

[Hilary]

is it worth going all that way for just 1 week
DEFINTELY! :cool1:

I have taken 5 one-week trips over the past 7 years (1 was actually for only 6 nights). They have been every bit as 'worth it' as our two-week trips. :thumbsup2

2 of the trips were 'got to see and do everything in a week' WDW trips, and the others were more laid-back with only the occasional park visit. So, although I agree with others who have said that it probably wouldn't work if it was your first trip, I think it can work well for a busy week if you plan what you want to do/see and then go for it (but you'll be shattered when you get back ;) ).

[amystevekai&bump]

we've been to Sarasota for a week only and that was fantastic - doing nothing felt like we had been there for a fortnight!!!

If you were to do Orlando I would perhaps plan most of your time for relaxing and maybe just a day or two at the parks - I reckon that way it will feel like a lot longer and would be much more relaxing!!!

Sounds a great idea to me!!

[Cinderella2006]

We are going for a week in August and if I am honest I wish we had booked two weeks but only because we have had a change in circumstances (baby due end of Jan). :eek:

I have never considered booking for a week before, not Florida anyway. We like yourself were going to take the boys somewhere in Spain for a week, felt a bit guilty as we had just come back from a belated Honeymoon in Dominican Republic!
We were looking at £1800 self catering for the four of us to go to Spain, hotel nothing special, even a decent Caravan somewhere was almost £1000! :confused3
Having only just come back from Florida in November and not much changing we thought a week would be fine, we won’t be doing the water parks, Universal, Bush or Kennedy Space Centre.

We got tickets from undercover tourist, 6 days £399 for all four of us, which I thought was a good price. We are staying on site so will make the most of the pools to chill out. For me there is no comparison, Florida every time and I can stock up on some cute baby clothes too!

I say book it!

[Beth__WDW23/6/02]

Yep it is worth it.
DP's Mother and Father and Neice joined us on our trip in 2004 for a week,although we was there longer.
They did pretty much most of the parks, we also chilled out , shopped etc.
Although they didnt see everything Disney had to offer they didnt mind and we had fun.
I've just asked DP if he would do a week and he said YES DEFINATELY so there is your answer just be realistic with your time/parks etc.

Happy planning. :wizard:

[Elise79]

We did 8 nights last year. We took it fairly easy and took pool breaks every afternoon and knew which attractions we had to see and those we didn't mind missing ;)

We don't tend to suffer to badly with Jetlag either way so it worked well for us. :goodvibes

I'd say go for it!!!

Elise

[T16GEM]

We did it when FIL was living there, we just decided to get a cheap flight and hop off for the week, I wish we could do that now!

I would say go for it, just don't try to cram it all in and you will be fine! At the end of the day if it's cheaper than the Med then I would just book it, think of how much fun you will have - oh you are making me jealous! ha ha ;)

[Mrs Dazzle]

We have had exactly the same dilemma here! We've already had a great two week trip to the States earlier this year (Vermont skiing and then a few days in Boston). On the flight home I thought we could get in a 'cheapy' to Florida this October half-term (I'm an admin officer in a school so cannot take term time hols) - we all have loads of Virgin flying club miles, plus thought we could use our friends' apartment in Ft Myers which we'd used before. However, no availability on Virgin, plus friends have a long-term let in their place. I wasn't to be defeated thought - and that's when the problems really started:rolleyes1 :eek: I thought I'd use some of my Tesco Clubcard points - can't do that until August since I've got loads this last quarter, and the only place (now) that has availabilities through the Clubcard deals (but with no guarantees in August) is through Cosmos. Didn't want to risk that so sourced flights myself.

To be honest, we'd set a budget as to how much we wanted to spend in October (epsecially given our ski trip was many $$$$ and we're off to Florida for three weeks with our ski buddies next year), and I didn't want to go over that. This meant indirect flights (I've got a thread pleading for help with decision making with these since it will be out first trip to Florida flying non-direct:scared: ), and I'm transferring my Clubcard points to Airmiles which should pay for the hotel and/or car hire.

We can only go for 8 nights, so the family sat down and I gave them the options of where in the world we could go for our money. We'd all decided, after three ski trips the last couple of years, we wanted HOT. So I offered Cyprus, Tobago, Majorca, Tenerife and Florida. It was unanimous:cloud9: So, the final planning phase has begun, just to make sure those indirect flights are the best out there - and 7 days in the parks will be just fine for us. You see no matter how long we've ever spent in Florida, we've only ever done one week in Orlando. What will be strange for us this time is not having the beach - but we will spend time in Universal /IOA (our fave parks), do MNSSHP again (love it), MGM, Typhoon Lagoon and possibly Sea World (not done it the last few trips) - and spend time just chilling out which DH and I will both need by the time October comes :cool2:

Like people say - surely one week in Orlando is better than none :cheer2:

[Lemur]

I've been going to Orlando since 1992, once for three weeks, mostly for two weeks at a time, a few time for a week/8 days and twice just for three to five days (but that was work). Each time has ben well worth every minute.

Sometimes I do all parks, sometimes I do no parks, other times it's all shopping, another it's no shopping, sometimes I do a mix of parks and non-orando based things like roadtrips to a country park or wherever and hire a boat or something.

No two visits are the same - whether it's with my girlfriend, a friend, a group or friends, my brother, colleagues or strangers - but every single visit is without regret.

I say do it, but make sure you set at least one day aside to do "nothing" (bar sitting by the pool, reading, napping) and recharge then set another day aside for a brand new experience like Blue Springs State Park just north of Orlando where you can wim in a natural spring - all you pay for is parking and snacks from the small gftshop/food bar.

That's my suggestion anyway. Enjoy.

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Have you booked yet?? Looks like the vote is mainly for 'yes' and I would agree.

[Lisash]

Go for it. Given the choice I'd take a week in Orlando over a week anywhere else every time :)

[jns]

we done a week too

go for it , who wants to go to the Med after been to Florida
if it was me and I booked the med I would spent the whole week saying
why did I not go to WDW instead , now thats just me

[mousette]

I'd say go for it.

We have been for a week a couple of times.
Only because we have two greyhounds and hate to leave them for more than a week at a time.

I think it defintley helps to stay on site then you don't spend too much time travelling to and from the parks.

So my vote is yes, go for it and have a great time :cool1:

[Vicki1971]

Do it!

I'd spend every moment in Orlando if I could.

We went for the first time in 2006. We flew via a non direct route. We did spend a lot of time waiting around in airports but it wasn't too bad. It was three flights, the longest being just over 5 hours.

This year we went direct with Virgin. I got bored on the trip. The last couple of hours were horrible. The entertainment wasn't as good either. But we got there and had a great time.

I have booked a week away next year. It's my DH 40th and I wanted him to be away for it. We are leaving the children with my mum. DH birthday is during school term time so we could not take them with us. We fly out two days before his birthday and land back the following Thurday.

To get over the jet lag we booked the Friday off work too. It will give us 3 full days before going back to work.

Go for it!!!!

[Strommie]

We have been for a week on a couple of occasions. We knew we wouldn't be able to do everything we normally do when we go for longer, so prioritised accordingly. We still had a fab time :thumbsup2

[carolfoy]

my first ever visit was for one week, definately worth it! even though I wasn't a DISser then and had no real idea of where to stay, where to eat etc it was still a fab holiday.
Imagine going unplanned now? ((((doesn't bear thinking about))))

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

We went to Poly for one week in August onbe year. It was great, but then again, we did NOT go to the parks whatsoever (HERASY! HERASY!) just chilled out and went shopping.

It depends I think how active you are going to be.

[londondude]

A week in the sunshine state or a week in the Med??? that's a real hard choice NOT:rotfl2: florida everytime:cool1: I've been going every year since 1995,off in in 7weeks again and i really cant wait.... love the florida feeling:dance3: Go for it and have a great time.:cheer2:

[Verity Chambers]

We said that we would never go for a week, but then the opportunity presented itself and we jumped at the chance. We had a fantastic holiday!

[PoppyAnna]

Personally I would say no, perhaps a bit negative as I guess a week in Florida isn't such a bad thing.
Can only go off our own circumstances, the long flight means our sleeping pattern is disrupted for at least a couple of days and I hate the last day of the holiday as it's such a long tiring day....couldn't face going and having to come home in just a weeks time.

This is exactly how my DH is and I bet if I put it to him he would say no too.
I would do it though. Sleep when you get home, I say! Don't think I could put my (small) kids through two long flights in seven days. If a fairy granted me a weeks babysitting (fine chance) I'd go with DH only!

[PoppyAnna]

PS - How cheap was it and where did ou find this deal?

[juju216]

We have been for 1 week twice, and I would do it again because we loved it so much. As I said in an earlier thread, my youngest son was easily homesick then, but he is older now so we are going for two weeks this year.

The kids got over the jet lag pretty quickly, and it was definately worth it. Go for it:banana: :banana:

[cazzie]

We went for a week last year and it was great, we even managed to do two lots of MNSSHP. :) I can't say it felt any more tiring than when we go for two weeks, although I am not sure it would be the same if you were taking children (just DH and me).

[JohnnySharp2]

This is exactly how my DH is and I bet if I put it to him he would say no too.
I would do it though. Sleep when you get home, I say! Don't think I could put my (small) kids through two long flights in seven days. If a fairy granted me a weeks babysitting (fine chance) I'd go with DH only!

Hi,

I don't disagree and I realise everyone virtually bar me has said it's worth it, however for us it's too far to go for 1 week.
It wouldn't necessarily be the same for other people, just with Joshua being Autistic the flight can be very tiring for all of us - hence we prefer to go for 3 weeks now.
Relaxing is something we often don't get the chance to do at home, so 1 week would be just too hectic I am afraid - if it suits your circumstances then go for it, but it's not for us. ;)