8 days of Disney?

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

Normally, when we go to Disney we go for 4 or 5 days and go to the parks everyday. This trip we're staying for 8 days and I was planning on doing Universal Studios and Sea World. I just started thinking about not going to Universal & Sea World and just going to Disney for the whole 8 days. Has anyone ever done this and if so, what do you do there for 8 days? Do you actually go to the parks everyday or just rest at the hotel for some of the days?

 

[Luv4Disney]

Normally, when we go to Disney we go for 4 or 5 days and go to the parks everyday. This trip we're staying for 8 days and I was planning on doing Universal Studios and Sea World. I just started thinking about not going to Universal & Sea World and just going to Disney for the whole 8 days. Has anyone ever done this and if so, what do you do there for 8 days? Do you actually go to the parks everyday or just rest at the hotel for some of the days?

We usually do 11/12 days! LoL. We did 8 days in Jan and I didn't know how I was going to fit everything! Anyway, here's how we break the days down:

MK: 3 days
Epcot: 2 days
AK: 1 day (this may change for May being that EE is open)
DS/MGM: 2 days
BB/TL: 1 day
2/3 rest or whatever days

We like this because we don't rush and if we don't get to do something one day, no biggie. We'll just get it another day. Also this gives us time to do Disney Quest, shop around DTD and just relax. That way it's not rush rush rush. Also one day we rent the Sea Raycer's and just relax at the pool. When people who aren't Disney freaks think of Disney they don't really think of it as a vacation, more like constantly going. This gives it a more "vacationy" feel to us. Hope you have a fab trip!

 

[luvmy2sams]

Our last 3 family trips have been for 10-11 days each, and we have yet to leave Disney property once we arrive. It's nice to be able to go at a slower pace and not feel guilty for sleeping in, lounging by the pool, etc. instead of rushing out to that must-see attraction at the parks. Having said that...we always end up in the parks for some part of each day because I'm a fireworks addict and must see the shows as many times as possible. We always have grand plans to take advantage of the water parks, miniature golf courses, etc., but we've yet to do that, even with our extended stays. It is possible to spend many days at Disney and not be bored by the end of your vacation.

 

[Gerweniel]

I am sure you will get many replies to your post. My sons and I were at WDW for 9 days this past December and went to the parks each day! There are still a thousand things we did not do, experience or have time for and we are planning our next trip for October - 10 days!
We are not commando travelers, but we were up and out of the CBR by 8:00am and usually did not return until well after 10:00pm, even with those long days, we missed a lot. We spent one great day at Typhoon Lagoon, had a blast at Downtown Disney and Disney Quest, enjoyed our dining plan at restaurants we'd never been to and still there is so much more to look forward to!
There are so many places to visit (we've never played mini golf or walked the boardwalk), parades to watch (we saw NO parades our last trip), fireworks to gaze at and restaurants to try that you will easily be able to fill up your days and not have to rush around doing it.
ENJOY!!! The Disney experts here on the Dis will be able to suggest many awesome things for your family to experience!

 

[Miniefan]

We are doing 8 days and I am wondering if that is going to be enough. I guess it just depends on how you do your vacationing....I have done WDW in only 4 days but 8 gives me the time to relax and enjoy some of the things I really like a couple of times here is our tenative schedule

Fri- arrival Epcot
Sat - MGM
Sun- Ak then Mk at night
Mon- BB then DQ
Tues - MK
Wed- Epcot
Thurs- TL then Mk
Fri - DTD shopping then maybe another park

I still think it is a pretty busy schedule!

Kim

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

Thanks for the replies all. There's alot that we haven't ever seen also, even with all the trips we've taken. Going at a slower pace is always something I've always wanted to do there, so the whole vacation dosen't seem like a blur at the end. I wonder if we could do the water parks in October?

 

[Imagineer wanabee]

We went last year for the first time and just loved it. We stayed in a 2 bdrm at BWV and that made a big difference. I don't know if I would like to stay in a POP room for 12 days! The pace was very relaxed and we really ejoyed just taking our time and sucking up all the Disney Magic. Even after 12 days there were still things we would have liked to do but ran out of time. It is a personal Goal of mine to, at some point, spend 1 month at disney and just disconnect from reality.

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

Wow, you guys are really convincing me. Now I just have to convince everyone else.

 

[4greatboys]

I would say yes to waterparks in Oct. Fl is usually still pretty warm them. Only once we have been in Oct and it was cold and that was last year when Wilma came through.

I think you guys should hit Universal too. Its really a lot fun and if you stay onsite 1 night you can use the FOTL pass the day you check in and the day you check out.

We have done disney more than 8 days and we split up some days park and pool days by either going to the parks a half day or skipping a park on day, sleeping in, swimming and shopping. But we really are park people so more often that not we were in the parks.

 

[MelanieC]

We usually do 14-16 days at WD.

This year we are staying 15 nights and will be doing 12 days at the Disney parks, 3 days at each of the 4 majors and 2 days at the beaches. It allows us to really be able to enjoy the parks. We don't have to rush to see everything in one day. We have the best time and its so great to be together as a family for this length of time. This past year when we did 15 nights and we did 2 days at the beach (1 was the day we went to Titusville to see the space shuttle lift off), 1 day at Busch Gardens, & 11 days at the park. We had the best vacation ever. At the end of our stay DH was trying to convince me to call work and take more time off.

 

[boomhauer]

We're doing 11 days/12 nights (I hate when that happens) next trip. Here is our breakdown:

Thursday - Epcot
Friday - Magic Kingdom
Saturday - Universal
Sunday - Animal Kingdom
Monday - MGM
Tuesday - Magic Kingdom
Wednesday - Epcot
Thursday - MGM
Friday - Magic Kingdom
Saturday - Animal Kingdom
Sunday - Magic Kingdom

 

[lovevacations]

I love this site!! I was just starting to get cold feet about our 12 day May trip and I check in the DIS and here is the perfect thread. We have a 10 day hopper. I think we will get the waterparks option and go to DQ too. THanks.

 

[WDWNicole]

We normally do 8 days. Our schedule for this trip is:

MK
MGM
MK
AK
Epcot
BB/Epcot
Pirate Cruise/Epcot or AK
MK

 

[back2disney]

How many days.
MK-2
EP-2
MGM-1.5
AK-1.5

Definitely do Universal Studios/IOA - Suprise of my last trip. My daughter met Dora the Explorer 2 times with no wait and the attractions are 21st century.
US-1.5
IOA-1.5

rest-1 day or Do Sea World if you've never been before and "nap/relax" during the shows.

edited to add in your 8 day case
MK-2, EP-2, MGM-1, AK-1, US-1, IOA-1, rest-0

 

[dwkwootton]

The longest trip I did at WDW was 2 1/2 weeks and that was one of many trips. Obviously .... I say do it!!! I looked at the ages of your kids in your sig and even more reason to do it. When my kids were the ages of your kids, we were able to spend an entire morning outside of the Imagination Pavillon while they played around the jumping fountains. It was so much fun! There were so many other wonderful times like that we were able to indulge in because we had the time. You can really get into the World Showcase, enjoy the live shows that many people never really see, participate in the activities without feeling guilty that you are missing one of the "must do" items on your "itinerary". My kids are in college now and the Disney memories really do last a lifetime (is this a commercial LOL) Just think, you won't have to be one of the parents who is saying to their kid who wants to play in a fountain or try an activity "no, you can't, we don't have time"!

 

[THESCHULTZFIVE]

Ok call me crazy, but here is what we were planning. We were going to do 1 day at each Disney Park, 2 days at Universal, 1 day at Sea World and rest on the day we arrive(We're driving so who knows what time that will really be). I really wanted to try the dining plan this time since it will now be available to DVC members and we haven't ever done that before. Today I found out that I have to book the dining plan for everyday we have to room booked for. So what would I do with the extra 3 days that we won't be at Disney. I was thinking of eating a Disney breakfast(counter service), heading to say Universal Studios, eating lunch there out of pocket and then not having dinner until we return to Disney that night for out table service meal. The alternative is to forget Universal/Sea World and just do Disney or not do the dining plan. I was thinking that it would be fun to see how the dining plan works, but I know my kids really want to do Universal(I didn't know Dora was there, thanks back2disney). So I guess I will give up the dining plan. I'll still make my ADR's for the places we were going to just pay with cash(they do still take cash right? LOL). We'll save DDP for another time.

 

[DVC Sadie]

We always stay for at least 10 days when going as a family. I also take a lot of solo trips during the year that average 1 week in duration. Now we enjoy spending half of our vacation just relaxing by the pool and having a couple of drinks.