Do you prefer one long trip each year or 2 or 3 shorter trips each year?

[edk35]

and why???? I am sure some people will say they prefer 2 or 3 LONG trips each year too.

As we approach being members for 3 years....I am starting to see that we might like to go a couple of times a year for shorter stays of like 4 or 5 days vs one long stay in the summer for 10 or more days. The past two years we have gone for a long summer trip, a week in Nov. and about 5 or 6 days in Jan. Well we are going to scale back on these longer trips. I am thinking this next year we will do 4 or 5 days in Jan. and about 5 or 6 this summer at HHI and another 4 in Oct.

Just curious.

[Tiger926]

When we first bought DVC in 2004, we did multiple trips for a few years. Last year, we realized that it was costing us a heck of a lot more money to do that, plus we live in Canada, so it's a long drive. If we fly, then there is more airfare to pay for as well. Plus, I'm a teacher, so we are restricted to Christmas holidays, March Break and summer -that's it! These are all peak season times, plus we don't like travelling in winter (Dec., Jan or March) as we have to deal with lots of colds and viruses at this time of year (DD was hospitalized with serious health issues at 22 months for our 1st official trip home - it was very scary!).

Now we go for approx. 2 weeks each July, and we really like that! We plan our trips so that we can use 1 AP for both, and it gives us the year to plan and such, and we love that! Our expenses have gone down too, so that's great as well.

So, for us, it's one long trip each summer! Tiger

[MinnieGi]

We like to do one 10 day trip per year. I love to unpack and feel "at home" while living in my Fantasyland. I enjoy it more with a longer trip than a short jaunt.

Financially too it just makes sense for us. We fly down from Philly and its just to expensive for the four of us to do that for two or three short trips a year. Plus now that the kids are in school and are involved in lots of activities its harder to get that time away several times a year. Back when the kids were preschoolers we did do twice a year trips for about 6 or 7 days each and sometimes even a third trip.

I guess I should state that even though we only do one 10 day WDW trip we do two DVC trips a year as we routinely visit HHI for a week every summer. It helps financially that we drive for that trip.

[ua1992]

While I would love to go "home" for an extended period of time, work doesn't work out for that. Instead we look for really cheap flights, get an annual pass and go a few times a year.

[jamstew]

You're right--I'd rather take 3-4 long trips That said, if I had to choose between one long trip and three shorter trips, I'd do multiple trips because I miss Disney when I'm not there! For me, though, a short trip is a week. Once I've paid for airfare, I want to stay as long as possible, and five days just isn't long enough.

[edk35]

Originally Posted by MinnieGi

We like to do one 10 day trip per year. I love to unpack and feel "at home" while living in my Fantasyland. I enjoy it more with a longer trip than a short jaunt.

Financially too it just makes sense for us. We fly down from Philly and its just to expensive for the four of us to do that for two or three short trips a year. Plus now that the kids are in school and are involved in lots of activities its harder to get that time away several times a year. Back when the kids were preschoolers we did do twice a year trips for about 6 or 7 days each and sometimes even a third trip.

I guess I should state that even though we only do one 10 day WDW trip we do two DVC trips a year as we routinely visit HHI for a week every summer. It helps financially that we drive for that trip.

I think our kids are going to love HHI this summer. We are going to drive too...about 9 hours I think. Can't wait to try it. We were going to go in Dec. for 5 nights over NYE week, but decided to save that money since it is right at Christmas for one thing and I think the kids would enjoy it more in the summer. I was a bit worried that their first trip there in the winter might give them a false sense of what HHI is like and NOT want to try it next summer. Plus we need more points to visit in the summer so my as well save them for that trip too.

[omalley1118]

We like to go once for 7-8 nights. Once I get there, I never want to leave. Plus, with all of the packing and travelling, I want to settle in for awhile once we are there.

OMalley1118

[edk35]

Originally Posted by ua1992

While I would love to go "home" for an extended period of time, work doesn't work out for that. Instead we look for really cheap flights, get an annual pass and go a few times a year.

That is what I am hoping to do too. We decided to try and go in late Jan. again because the airfare is soooooo cheap then. Even if it is only for 4 or 5 days....I think it will be nice to get away. We have been 4 times in Jan. but usually for 6 nights. That has always been our SHORT trip. Our other trips are min. 8 nights and we have gone for as long as 14. Now that our kids are getting older it seems not all of us will be going together so I see us taking shorter trips a couple of times a year to accomodate schedules.

[MinnieGi]

Originally Posted by edk35

I think our kids are going to love HHI this summer. We are going to drive too...about 9 hours I think. Can't wait to try it. We were going to go in Dec. for 5 nights over NYE week, but decided to save that money since it is right at Christmas for one thing and I think the kids would enjoy it more in the summer. I was a bit worried that their first trip there in the winter might give them a false sense of what HHI is like and NOT want to try it next summer. Plus we need more points to visit in the summer so my as well save them for that trip too.

They will LOVE HHI!!! At least my kids do and so do DH and I. Its so relaxing yet still has Disney touches. The staff there is hands down the BEST!!! Although a winter trip might be fun, I just couldn't imagine not being able to swim and lay out in the sun while at HHI. We also love their beach and very calm water.

A 9 hour drive shouldn't be too bad. We drive it in 12 and make it down in one day. But stay at the Hampton Inn on the island that first night and then wake up the next morning to go check in at DVC. Even though our villa is usually not ready we gain access right away to the beach house and we immediately set up our spot in the SUN!!!

[jekjones1558]

The drive is too long for us (Minnesota). We don't go for less than 7 days because it is hard to justify the cost of airfare and rental car for fewer days than that. But we have never stayed for longer than 12 days, and even then one of us has had to leave early because of our dog. The planning and anticipation is a big part of the fun in owning DVC, so I much prefer being able to have multiple trips each year rather than one long trip. We are retired and have enough points to actually do both long and 7 day trips if we could just get every one in the immediate family healthy enough!

[tjkraz]

We're leaning toward longer trips. When the kids were younger we could do multiple Sun-Thurs trips to conserve points. But it's getting harder to find good vacation periods so we're taking fewer trips of longer duration. And then you've got the hassle of driving or flying from 1000 miles away.

Really the long trips are more restful, too. It's not easy to squeeze a WDW trip into 5-6 days.

[edk35]

Originally Posted by tjkraz

We're leaning toward longer trips. When the kids were younger we could do multiple Sun-Thurs trips to conserve points. But it's getting harder to find good vacation periods so we're taking fewer trips of longer duration. And then you've got the hassle of driving or flying from 1000 miles away.

Really the long trips are more restful, too. It's not easy to squeeze a WDW trip into 5-6 days.

See we are realizing we don't have to visit every park or spend all day/night in the parks anymore. So that is why I want to try a shorter trip and see how we do. Shoot we might decide that we wished we had more time. I guess until we try it....we will never know.

[tjkraz]

Originally Posted by edk35

See we are realizing we don't have to visit every park or spend all day/night in the parks anymore. So that is why I want to try a shorter trip and see how we do. Shoot we might decide that we wished we had more time. I guess until we try it....we will never know.

Hey...whatever works for you.

My mindset tends to be that WDW is so far away that it's hard to come and not try to hit all of the parks. I'm not saying that we go on every ride--that's certainly not the case. We have done a couple of short trips but that was just DW and I without the kids.

Our upcoming trip is 8 days / 7 nights and that seems have worked out well in the planning stages. It gives us an opportunity to hit each park at least twice (we tend to tour in half-days) with a handful of little activities sprinkled in like a spa visit for the girls and pirate cruise for the kids. Still time left for some pool hopping and general R&R.

[Husurdady]

" C " , all of the above plus for the last 3 Sept [07,08 & 09] a 4 day cruise thrown in for good measure.

[edk35]

Originally Posted by tjkraz

Hey...whatever works for you.

My mindset tends to be that WDW is so far away that it's hard to come and not try to hit all of the parks. I'm not saying that we go on every ride--that's certainly not the case. We have done a couple of short trips but that was just DW and I without the kids.

Our upcoming trip is 8 days / 7 nights and that seems have worked out well in the planning stages. It gives us an opportunity to hit each park at least twice (we tend to tour in half-days) with a handful of little activities sprinkled in like a spa visit for the girls and pirate cruise for the kids. Still time left for some pool hopping and general R&R.

The longggggg trips are heavenly too. When we went for 14 days....we had such a restful trip. We weren't tired. We actually skipped parks a few days. It was great. I have yet to experience just one trip a year since becoming DVCV members...so to think of just one week...a year makes me . SO I think we will try these two shorter trips and see what happens. IF I had a zillion dollars I would go every quarter.