Would you do a short trip?

[Stacy's a freak]

My fiance and I want to take his 3 kids to WDW. They are all perfect ages (6,9, and 15 - but any age is perfect right? haha). We have already scheduled a trip to visit family in early August in SC which is already a 13 hour drive south from us in NY. Should we go a smidge early and drive all the way to WDW for a whirlwind 2-3 day trip (a total of 20 hours)?

Background: These kids have never been to WDW. Fiance hasn't been in about a decade+. I have been several times in the last 5 years and would be OK with just visiting a couple parks in a liesurely fashion since I have been so recently. But I would prefer to do a longer trip to give them a chance to really settle in and enjoy the four major parks. But that means we would have to wait until 2013 to do it (sad). Should we bite the bullet (and the cost) and give us all just a taste of the magic in August? Here are my concerns:

1. Long drive.

2. Hectic commando-style 2 days to see probably just 2 parks = cranky kids (and adults after such a long drive)

3. Not a great bang for the buck since it pays to stay longer (park ticket prices).

What would you do? Has anyone done this and did you feel it was worth it?

TIA

 

[Ktharee]

I voted no for you in this case. It would be too rushed and the kids would absolutely want more time there. Not fair to the relatives in SC to have the kids NOT wanting to go see them. I would hold off and spend these next months planning a great LONG trip for all of you. I've done 3 day trips, but as you can see from my sig, I go often. Just my two cents!

 

[disneyfanlincoln]

If its the only chance you are going to have seize the opportunity, but if you have a chance of a longer trip in the near future save it until then. My only comparison is a 5 day trip, I come from uk so it takes 20hours of travelling to get to WDW counting travel to and from airport and flying time and then you have to contend with the jet lag which I basically ignore because I fly back before I've adjusted to Florida time. It's hard work, my 6 year can do it through sheer excitement but we all have our grumpy moments through tiredness. As a Disney addict, I'd probably do the trip for 3 days even though it's hard but fantastic work !!!!

 

[stargazertechie]

For a first trip no, I wouldn't do it.

DH and I just had a 30 hour trip to Disney (it was planned to be 3 days/2 nights and it got cut short) and it was great... but only because we were just there together in September, and we're going back in November... kind of like an addict getting a fix

 

[CarolineB]

Go for it and don't rush through the park(s). I agree the kids are at a great age and even if you only go to one or two parks for a short trip, that would be great.

 

[Steve's Girl]

I would not necessarily say no way, but probably not. I think a longer more relaxed trip would be much more enjoyable for the kids to experience their first trip to Disney. Not to mention the cost per day is pretty steep for a short trip.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

I can't believe I just voted against someone going to WDW, but I did. Waiting until 2013 might seem like an eternity, but it is just a year. If you go and do a rushed trip for the first visit, there is a good chance it will leave a bad taste in their mouths which could carry over into their next vacation. For a first timer, I highly recommend taking your time and enjoying yourself - something that is difficult to do with such limited time.

Of course, I'd have a hard time not ditching the kids at the relatives and driving down with just me or me and the husband...

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

That is the way we do most of our trips, but we only live 6 hours away and no children, and we have been multiple times. I would not do that with that long of a drive and for the kids first time.

We went for 3 or 4 nights on our first trip and I didn't have a clue what WDW would be like and we really only got to see the MK, I don't recommend it at all.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

Hey Suzanne, please thank your soldier for serving. My family loves him, too, and we don't even know him.

 

[scrapper2k]

I voted no since it would be their first time. We just did a three day trip commando style and felt "cheated". The time flies and the kids won't have time to linger anywhere. August is going to be hot, humid and crowded.

 

[wdw_monster]

if all i had was a day or 2 i'd go for it in a heartbeat!!i'd just check out the highlights, of course 2 days is not long enough to really enjoy it. whatever you miss is just an excusse to come back some other time!!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

The only way I'd add that distance to my travel time is if I lived in another country & thought I'd never return to the US, or if someone's health was bad & I was concerned they wouldn't make it another year. Obviously, I voted no. I would save that extra money & stay longer next year, or take another mini-vacation closer to home.

I voted no for you in this case. It would be too rushed and the kids would absolutely want more time there. Not fair to the relatives in SC to have the kids NOT wanting to go see them. I would hold off and spend these next months planning a great LONG trip for all of you. I've done 3 day trips, but as you can see from my sig, I go often. Just my two cents!

I think this is a very good point. The 6 yr. old may enjoy visiting relatives as much, but it's very unlikely a 15 yr. old would be happier staying with relatives, when they think they could be in WDW longer instead. Visiting relatives & eating in is rarely more fun for a teenager than staying in a hotel & eating out with non-stop entertainment. That is, unless the relatives are very special people that are the best entertainers ever.

 

[dragonfly57005]

No.
I hate to rush. Your kids will still be the perfect age in a year or two when you have the ome and budget o enjoy your stay.

 

[anadyr21]

No. There are 3 kids in your group, all of varying ages, who are going to want to experience different things. You could all break up, but that kinda defeats the purpose of a family vacation. It could be doable with 1 or 2 kids near the same age, if you stay at the parks from rope drop to close, and make good use of the Fast Pass, which now has a limitation. But you'll need a vacation from that. And Disney World in August!?! Without a midday break!?! And you'll all be in the car for hours, together!?! You'll be ready to kill each other.

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

~I'm a huge fan of short trips, but this sounds like a hassle. I may have voted yes, if you were flying in and out, but not with the long commute. This will be your first trip together as a family and it will be well worth the wait!

 

[glocon]

My original plan was to vote yes, of course, any Disney is better than no Disney. But after reading your post, I am voting no. You list more reasons NOT to go than TO go, so it seems like maybe you deep down want to wait and have more time to show them the whole World.

2013 is not that far away, and you can get the video and let the kids watch it and help you plan it too. The anticipation of knowing that you WILL be going, and planning, are both so much of the fun.

I think you should wait and plan a longer more relaxed trip.

 

[d1gitman]

i voted yes, but only based on if I would do it for us.

not sure about the total time available for your trip as you say 2-3 days (20hrs). we just did a whirlwind trip to US/IOA for 2 nights and hopped over to WDW for 1 night and loved it (with exception to our issues with contemporary resort).

if you are saying you will drive 1 day, do 2 park days and then 1 day to return, i would say yes. However, it being the kids first time ever, that makes me think wait till you can do a longer, less rushed trip.

one thing that could make a big difference is if one of the parks is open late on one of your nights there. we lucked out and MK was open till 1am so we were able to cover a lot of ground that evening with low crowds.

i hate to say wait for a disney trip but in this case with your parameters, i would say wait so you can have more time to soak it in.

 

[kaligal]

Yeah, I would.

You're going to be driving all that way down. Might as well go a little further and get some Disney time.

If I had the extra days, you bet I'd do it!

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

Hey Suzanne, please thank your soldier for serving. My family loves him, too, and we don't even know him.

I will, thank you

 

[Maggie Lizer]

I voted no, only because you seem to be saying you will be going in 2013. I'd wait a year and take them on a longer trip there, rather than take them for 2 days in August, for fear that they'd have a bad time (too hot, too crowded, didn't get to see enough so they conclude there is nothing good there) and end up not interested in going back.