20 days every second year or 10 days every year?

[MiaG]

what would you do?

10 days Disney Holiday 2016 May
10 day Universal & offisite holiday May 2017

or the long wait for 2017 August for 20 days Universal and Disney holiday

 

[Minniesgal]

I don't think I'd wait for 2017, not sure I could so I'd probably do the 10 days.

Not sure Universal is worth 10 days though. I'd probably do 7 and 3 each trip.

 

[married2mm]

I'm a huge disney fan.
Would take as many annual trips as possible-whether 5 days, 10 or 15.

Another who wouldn't spend that long at universal either;but at the end of the day, it's your holiday: your choice.

 

[bex7583]

in a ideal world it would be 20 days every year but if thats not an option i would always go for the longer trip

 

[BudgieMama]

I'd go for shorter trips every year because:
a) I am seriously homesick and two years is a long time!
b) I would miss my budgies too much to be away nearly 3 weeks!

 

[Elise79]

Frequency over duration in this house! I can't imagine not going to Florida at least annually - I love being out there and it doesn't matter how long its for

 

[zavandor]

I don't think I'd wait for 2017, not sure I could so I'd probably do the 10 days.

Not sure Universal is worth 10 days though. I'd probably do 7 and 3 each trip.

Universal alone 10 days, certainly not worth.
But staying on the International drive to do:
- 3 days Universal
- 1 day shopping
- 1 day Seaworld
- 1 day Aquatica
- 1 day Discovery Cove
- 1 day Tampa Bush Gardens
- 1 day Kennedy Space Center
- 1 day a few attractions on the International Drive (I liked escapology a lot, for example)

would certainly work.
However my religion forbids me to go within 200 miles from a Disney theme park and not visit it.

 

[chmurf]

20 days every second year,

especially if you're looking at 2017 when a lot of new things will be open.

In 2017 you'll get Pandora and a night show at Animal Kingdom
Disney Springs will be completed or almost completed.
Disney's Hollywood Studios will be almost through a major overhaul

2015 and 2016 will have guests visit construction-wall-city.

2016 will have new things like King Kong and a new Jurassic Park attraction at Universal

so if I were to do 2 10 days trip, I would certainly do Universal in 2016 and Disney in 2017.
I don't think I'd manage to do universal/offsite in 2017 knowing that all the construction walls I saw in 2015 and 2016 are down, and the new rides/land is there, and not go to WDW.
So, in a sense, it's a no brainer, (for me), Universal in 2016 and WDW in 2017 or no 2016 trip and a longer trip in 2017
doing WDW in 2016 and Uni in 2017 just wouldn't make sense (as far as openings of new rides are concerned)

if it was up to me, I'd wait for 2017 and discover all of this (wait, that's exactly what we'll do, lol)

 

[smiths02]

20 days is too long for us. Having a 20 day vacation is basically impossible for my DH.

I'm with chmurf, though, I would do Universal 2016 and Disney 2017.

 

[MiaG]

I didn't even realise there are new things opening in US, in such case it may be worth doing small & cheaper us trip next year and 20 days in 2017.

Keep the opinion coming - love reading them.

Off to google Universal projects

 

[Kath2003]

Last 5 trips have been 7, 10, 9, 11 and 4 days (4 as part of a 10 day trip). Have also done up to 23 days. 10 days works for us - enough time and sensible cost - and we only do Universal in that time This year we are doing 14 days though - just worked out better.

 

[scoobydooby]

20 days would win for me. Far more cost effective as only one lot of flights, time to take a relaxed pace and there will be a tonne of new stuff at Disney by 2017. Get a caravan in Wales in between. You'll still have a great time!

 

[MiaG]

What I am thinking about 2017 with Disney track I won't be surprised that most projects go live in 2018 and I will be so annoyed skipping a year

but...

If we do small holiday US&IOA only, last minute deal next year and keep the cost as low as we can, the big 2017 is still may be possible

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

I voted 20 days, this is what we tend to do and I love going there for 3 weeks, especially after the long flight

 

[tinkerpea]

In an ideal world, I'd do a quick 10 day trip in 2016 and a long 21 day trip in 2017 had to add the day as being there a day short of 3wks would annoy me
Were in a Similar situation dh and I are Doing an adult trip in may this yr,
And really can't figure out what to Do about 2016 I could probably miss It, but knowing the kids they Would Want A trip.

 

[disney2014plan]

Personally I'd prefer a longer holiday every 2 years, for a few reasons. Firstly, it's nice to have some downtime built in, secondly longer stay = more flexibility - double the chance to snag that FP or ADR you have been wanting to get.

BUt, there is no right or wrong way, and whatever you decide, you will have a great holiday.

 

[2Tiggies]

If the cost of 2 sets of flights is not an issue, I'd do two shorter trips.

 

[steve_rob]

Did a 7 day trip once as a last minute booking and swore to never take a short break to Florida again - sat in Orlando airport not wanting to get on the flight home because we'd only just scratched the surface. Not sure another 3 days would have made it any more palatable. Give me a long trip every two years.

As a matter of fact, this year we will be doing a 19 day trip (my longest in Florida ever) and I haven't been in 4 years now, so I can totally understand where you're coming from. Although we have done Paris and California in the meantime since my last WDW visit, so that's probably cheating...

 

[Elise79]

Did a 7 day trip once as a last minute booking and swore to never take a short break to Florida again - sat in Orlando airport not wanting to get on the flight home because we'd only just scratched the surface. Not sure another 3 days would have made it any more palatable. Give me a long trip every two years.

As a matter of fact, this year we will be doing a 19 day trip (my longest in Florida ever) and I haven't been in 4 years now, so I can totally understand where you're coming from. Although we have done Paris and California in the meantime since my last WDW visit, so that's probably cheating...

See, we have done anything from 4 nights upto 16 nights and I have never wanted to leave so for me the time there doesn't make it any easier.

What I find easier is knowing how soon I will be back again so we always have another trip booked.

TBH it's not even the theme parks anymore we just love FL and I look forward to our days at the coast just as much. I think FL has the variety that a lot of other places don't.

Oh and the weather... I don't mind Florida weather at anytime of year sure makes a nice break from the yukky weather we get in the UK!

 

[chmurf]

See, we have done anything from 4 nights upto 16 nights and I have never wanted to leave so for me the time there doesn't make it any easier.

I have another experience from one-nighters to 25 days stays. (luckily the one nighters didn't involve a transatlantic flight

The odd thing is that, trips are either too short, or too long.
The short trip thing was adressed, so let me talk about long trips.

We realised that after 20 days (or so) we are too tired to truly enjoy the trip. I don't know if we're homesick, or too tired, or if it is because we realise that it will be over soon (you don't get that kind of realisation when you're there for a short period of time. That moment when you look behind you and you know that there is more behind than there is ahead)
but there is a point where we can become cranky.

It's really odd, because we're in our favorite place on earth, but sometimes, it's just time to go home.
We also realised that the best recipe for a long trip is our ability to change activities.
We know that doing 14 days at disney then 7 days at universal would be a recipe for total disaster.
instead we do a full stay at disney's, then slice the stay up into 3 ou 4 days blocks. A bit of park, then a day at the beach, then some parks againn do a bit of universal (even if it means paying a throaway night at Uni), then shopping, and a maximum of 3 to 4 hours of parks on any given day.

Everyone is different, but this works for us.
A long trip may not suit everyone. Florida is tiring, and if it's a parks only trip, then it may be best to do a shorter trip and pack as much as possible in a 10 nights stay.
Long stays do not mean more parks, it means more rest time in between, and enjoying all the other things florida has to offer.

21 days of parks from sun-up to sun-down is just madness (IMHO)

So if I may amend my previous statement. If OP is looking for a mainly parks-centered trip, then 10 days each year might sound fun.
If they're looking for quality florida time and taking their time to enjoy at a slow pace, then 20 days every 2 years are the way to go
Not everyone will cope with a 3 weeks trip. And some will prefer a longer stay to be able to take it slow.

In the end it depends on each individual guests .