Itinerary order advice

[5ofus]

So our trip is still four years away, but I'm constantly planning and re-planning it in my head and would love to hear some advice.

We're a family of five. The boys will be 8, 6 and 4 when we eventually go and although we won't really know how their personalities will pan out, it looks like the two little ones will be the dare devils (hard to tell with the baby!) while DS1 is a little more reserved and cautious and I think I might have traumatised him for life last year when I took him on Splash Mountain!

Anyway, this will be a big trip. DH is not at all interested in New York so we're not going there. We'll be doing both Disneyland and WDW as well as a Disney cruise (hopefully on the Fantasy) and US/IOA (even if the kids aren't interested, I MUST see WWOHP). Possibly SeaWorld and/or Legoland, but they aren't high on our list of priorities. I'd like to visit the Disney Family Museum (sans kids if I can manage it) in San Francisco, but we will leave SF out if time doesn't allow it.

We're looking at about having about five or six weeks and will be flying into Dallas, so will hit Orlando first, and would prefer to fly out of LA on the way home.

So my question relates to the order of attractions. Should we do WDW, US/IOA or the cruise first? Should we break up the theme parks with the cruise in between? If we do that, should we do the non-Disney stuff first or WDW first because we'll be doing DL on the way home? When I was 20 I went to WDW for the first time and after a week of commando parks in the day and Pleasure Island at night, I was so exhausted that I slept for the first half of the cruise the following week! With kids I know it won't be quite the same, but I'm still anticipating some form of exhaustion.

People think I'm nuts for thinking about all this so far in advance (including DH), but I know there are some plan-a-holics here who would understand.

What do you all think?

 

[clarkfamily]

I'm too much of a newbie to offer any real advice on your itinerary...but I had to comment that your trip sounds AMAZING! How lucky your little ones will be to share in something so special!

I'm just sad we have to wait four years for the trip report!
Enjoy every moment of the planning and anticipation!

 

[PrincessInOz]

5ofus - You're probably in good company here because I don't think that planning this far in advance is nuts at all. If it were me, I would be doing a heap of research into when the traditional discounts come out for the time of year that you're planning on going. I think AllEars might publish something along this lines. It may help you decide what order to do things in if you look at the dates and try to maximise discounts and savings.

 

[Caroline NZ]

Yay for someone else who plans in advance. I don't feel so bad now, planning our trip in 2 years (well, 1yr & 11 months now!) time.
5-6 weeks will be awesome. We will be away for 4 weeks, but 5 weeks would be better.

 

[5ofus]

Thanks everybody for making me feel more normal (well less crazy anyway).

PIO, I probably should have mentioned that we'll be going over the Sept/Oct school holidays but whether we're gone more before or after depends on discounts, deals and cruise itineraries I guess.

We started saving for this trip before DS1 was born with the idea of taking all three (we always planned 3) when the oldest was 7, but moved it back to 8 when I decided I NEEDED to go on a Disney cruise and also after traveling with a 3 year old... we figured 4 for the youngest would be much better

 

[CairnsGirl]

We were in Orlando for our holiday September last year. We did our 9 nights at Disney then went on the cruise. After running around Disney World the cruise was a nice rest.

We came back refreshed ready for seven more nights doing Universal, IOA, Seaworld, Kennedy and Busch Gardens. Harry Potter Land is fantastic!

 

[australiankaren]

hey there

cruise last...awesome way to finish off the holiday..

I too have a few trip plans in the works....my annual to WDW with DH, but now the son and his family...want to do WDW with us in 2014 DS,DDIL,DGS 7, DGD 6 & DGD 5 [ ages in 2014] plus other DS & his GF, and now parents are tagging along.....so may be a huge family thing..oh and did I mention they all want to stay at Bay lake tower using our DVC points for 2 weeks........ok, need a lie down now..

But back to point, planning ahead is great..you get the discounts and the buzz from the planing as well...

So, keep us informed of your plans

 

[aussietravellers]

Just wanted to chime in and agree with the others and say it is never to early to start planning!!!!

In fact, I think the planning is almost as fun as the holiday, well not really, but the planning is part of the fun!

 

[Jade+3]

We were away for 4 weeks - did 14 nights Orlando, 4 night Disney cruise, then 9 nights Anaheim. I liked doing the cruise after WDW, it was nice and relaxing.

 

[arje]

I can offer some advice from experience as that is pretty well what we did on our last trip in 09/10. We did 7 weeks (Dec/Jan) and took in US/IOA (8 nights), WDW (18 nights), 7 night cruise, San Fran only for the Disney Family Museum and then 5 nights DL - and that was the order we did it in. I will say that doing DL and San Fran after the cruise was very difficult, because after stopping and relaxing, we had to ramp up again. Flying into LA and doing DL first makes alot of sense before heading over to the East. Breaks up the flights as well, especially with young children. Doing Universal between Disney parks also breaks up the Disney overdose feeling that you might get. I reckon getting off the cruise and flying to San Fran would work, as then you could possibly organise a flight home from San Fran, or at least fly SF/LA/Syd. We drove from San Fran to LA via Yosemite which was nice, but then 5 days following up at DL was tiring. This time we're cruising last before heading home, which I am very much looking forward to. Hope this helps.