10 Days - Too Long?

[chrysano]

Hey there!
Heading back to WDW this fall (October 26-November 5) and staying in a 1br at Villas at Wilderness Lodge. Traveling with our daughter for her 3rd trip - she'll turn 3 a few days after we get home.

Our usual trip is about a week and this one is the longest trip we've ever planned. Is 10 days too long for an (almost) 3 year old?! We're excited to have the extra time to make up for naps, pool time, etc. but don't want to push it. I appreciate any input!

Thanks!

 

[popgfd]

I always plan longer trips of 10+days (but I should say we are DVC).
More days equates to less stress. No commando style rushes to the parks; more pool time and leisurely meals; looking for Hidden Mickeys and leisurely strolls.

If you have the time and resources, I feel it is more relaxing and less stress which equals a better vacation for all including DD.

Pop

 

[t_catt11]

10 days is the optimal time for us. We get to hit everyting that we really want to do at least twice, and we don't have to rush. We try new things, we might sleep in once or twice, we park hop, we try new restaurants.

On day ten, it starts feeling like it's time to go home.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Coincidently, I'll be there about the same time as you, 10/22-11/2. I'll let you know! It's the longest I've ever stayed there. Last year, I stayed for 9 days, the longest I'd ever stayed before. At the time, I thought that was the perfect length. But this year, flight schedules "made" me stay longer (those darn flight schedules!I must admit, I'm looking forward to finding out if it's too long.

 

[Mousemom]

Our family always plans for 8-9 days. We end up feeling like we wished we had a couple more days when we leave. It seems like there is so much to do and you feel so rushed. I think 10 days is great. It will allow for down times and less rushing around, somthing that a three year old needs. Have fun!

 

[AshleyAnn]

We aways try to go for 9-10 days. We would go longer but I can't get off work for any more time longer than that! We find that we have enough time to relax a bit and not be rushed during the trip.

 

[momof2gr8kids]

Our first trip was 11 nights and we loved it. We didn't feel rushed, got to go to a park for half a day if we felt like it, had time to enjoy our table service meals, shop, etc.

Our next trip will most likely be for 10 days as well. The thought of only seven nights already makes me feel rushed! LOL

But, coming from Canada flights are a huge expense of our trip. If we were closer and could afford to go more often, less days would be ok.

 

[W.E.D.]

10 days is perfect. As PPs have said, it is SO much more relaxing when you don't have to rush. If you can't catch a specific ride or attraction, don't worry, it will still be there tomorrow.

We had always done 5-6 days. Last December we did 10 and it goes down as our best trip ever.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

We never go for less than 10 days. It's the few more days you always wish you had.

 

[jmangum100]

I don't think it's too long, of course this is our first trip with the kiddos We are going from 5/31/12-6/14-12. A whole 2 weeks in Florida We plan on going to the parks 7 days, but broken up a little so we have relaxing time at the pool and stuff. Then we head off to the beach the last couple days. I seriously cannot wait until our trip gets here. Arrrggghhh too long!!!

 

[Freakygeek]

We went for a week, then 11 nights, then 13 nights and now we are back to 11 nights. It seems to be the perfect length for my group of travelers, although CanCan always pushes for more days.

11 nights gives us traveling days, time to take things slow and still hit our highlights at least twice, time to explore our resort, time to go to Universal, and usually time to hit the waterparks. It makes us feel like we spent enough time to justify the long and expensive flights from Canada and the upgrade in resort class.

Any longer than 11 nights and I start to miss my fiance and my dog, I get tired feet and my back hurts from the beds, and I get tired of sharing a shower with so many other people.

 

[tzolkin]

We went for a week, then 11 nights, then 13 nights and now we are back to 11 nights. It seems to be the perfect length for my group of travelers, although CanCan always pushes for more days.

11 nights gives us traveling days, time to take things slow and still hit our highlights at least twice, time to explore our resort, time to go to Universal, and usually time to hit the waterparks. It makes us feel like we spent enough time to justify the long and expensive flights from Canada and the upgrade in resort class.

This is what works for our family as well. We arrive late morning/early afternoon on day 1 and just relax and enjoy the resort, 10 park days, then get up leisurely and leave around 11am for home on day 12.

Our first trip we had 3 young children. We didn't eat much and the ticket price was almost nothing for the extra days, so it was just the price of the extra hotel nights to extend our stay. I considered all the ticket days after 3 or 4 to be "extra" days, so I didn't feel that we were missing out on park time if we took a 5 hour nap or enjoyed the resorts. For us, the longer trips are relaxing. We know we can do all our favorite attractions even if we're only in a park for a few hours at a time (usually 3-4 hours in the morning and evening). If we were only doing 5-7 days we would feel like we needed to be in the parks from open to close to "get our money's worth". I think that would be more exhausting and we would wind up with more meltdowns (both kids and adults )

 

[LilyWDW]

Last October we went for 10 days including travel so we had 8 full days there.

This June we will be in Orlando for 8 days, but are only doing 4 park days (super budget relaxing trip so a lot of off time).

Next October (2013) we are currently planned for 11 days including travel with 9 full days there.

I love the longer trips because we don't feel as rushed. We can do half days in the parks. We don't have to try and push through full days by being there are rope drop and still trying to see the night time events. We can spend more time at the places we love without sacrificing the things we like.

 

[katibosch]

We are going for 10 days. I really want to be able to go slow, not stress, take our time, wander around, go back to the resort and take a nap if we want to, sleep in if we want to, and just RELAX.

I will just be getting done with bank examiners right before we leave so my stress level will be at its highest and I am really looking forward to just decompressing so I can come back home and face the next set of examiners (which will come in July or August, probably) with a clear head.

10 days and 11 nights was about all we could afford at a value. I told my DH we could go up to mod for about $300 more but obviously would have to cut a couple days off to make up the difference as we have a pretty set and strict budget. We both decided we would rather have the extra days than the extra amenities.

 

[jcvalenti]

My travel group (my sisters and their kids, and a rotating cast of hangers on) always go for 10 to 14 days. We have had many young kids with us throughout the years, so we usually rent a big vacation house and stay off property. What works great with that length of stay off property is that you can plan your trips to be leisurely, with many "flex times".

Staying that long let's you go by the kids schedule. If she's hot and cranky one day, you can go back to the room and just swim or nap whenever you want. You can build in plenty of time for character breakfasts or pools or just walking around looking at things.

For us, the only time we go for less than 5 days is when it's just the adults and we're going just for Food & Wine.

 

[linzbear]

I love 10 day trips

I will say - do NOT split stay with a toddler over a 10 day trip though. DS2.5 freaked out when we moved. We moved from a 1bed to a standard hotel room - DH wanted to add a few more days on to our vacation and that's how we did it.... very bad idea. DS kept asking when we were going to back to our room, and where our room was, and he was just not happy at all when we moved.

Lesson learned, booking 13 days straight for next year and taking this year off. Not moving hotel rooms anymore. Though I'm a touch worried that DS will remember BLT and want to go there when we're booking VWL...

 

[ObsessedWithDW]

We are staying 9 days with our 6 and 3 year old. I think it will be more relaxing and less stressful. No worry about getting to do all we want to do in a short amount of time. I can't wait and I am sure we will never go back to a 5 day DW vacation.

 

[disneyshakeygirl]

For me, 10 days is just perfect. The length of stay, I think, is one of those decisions that is a personal decision (although having opinions is certainly a bonus and a great help!). Only you know how much you can tolerate, what you want to do etc.

As others have mentioned, you'll be able to fit in everything that you need and want to do, less stress - basically everything is at your own pace.

 

[CatesRDisneyFans]

We always try to stay 10 days whenever we can and we've never thought it was too long. The time goes by fast and we always wish we had more time.

10 days gives us enough time where we don't feel rushed. We almost always take an afternoon break for swimming at the resort or napping.

 

[undertheseas]

10 is great! We seem to get to to ride our favorites a few times, ride something new, relax. If it's raining one night we can skip the fireworks and see it another night. Best of all, we can eat at a lot of good restaurants