9nights/8days DLR on property, HELP?!?!

[Wadeandbasia]

Help me defend myself.

Of the five relatives and friends that we have seen since beginning our trip, all have thought this was waaaay too long to spend at DL.

Can you help me?

To me, this crazy trip makes sense, because:

I don't want the kids to pout when it's time to go home.

I want our youngest (DS2) to get used to the idea of characters and rides.

I want to take naps in the hotel and swim as well.

It is a perfect excuse to spend every moment with my family.

When, after six days, we finally see my brother/his family, I don't want to need to run and see everything.

I've never had time to do all the extra things, like ride on the Main Street vehicles.

Feel free to add on (even funny stuff)

Wade

 

[CrazyDuck]

First of all how do you spend more nights than days at disneyland? Second... Even 8 days is not enough mouse... At the end of your trip there will still be something you wanted to do or see that you put off thinking that you would have time later. No matter how long you stay this will always happen! Have a great trip...

 

[caygrayloremomma]

We just got back from an 8 day park hopper and got it for the exact reason that you did. Lots of people thought we were nuts but guess what- it's not their vacation so I didn't really give a crap what they thought.

That said we were travelling with a nine month old, a five year old and a nine year old. It took them a couple of days to stop freaking out about the themed rides (they were fine with the ones that they could see- Dumbo, Teacups) but any buildings where it was unknown and fully themed took a little getting used to. We took midday breaks- weren't panicked and did it at our own pace. The result- we were not tired- were satisfied and relaxed at the end of the trip and did everything we wanted to do at least twice over. The last couple of days were great because we were able to repeat the things that they really loved and we saw all the shows.

To each his own- really it's your trip and no one else has a say. It's nice when people share unsolicited opinions isn't it? (sarcasm)

 

[mikayla73]

First of all how do you spend more nights than days at disneyland? Second... Even 8 days is not enough mouse... At the end of your trip there will still be something you wanted to do or see that you put off thinking that you would have time later. No matter how long you stay this will always happen! Have a great trip...

I'd guess the morning of the 9th night they are going back home.

And I agree that no matter how long you have you'll always want to do more or have missed something that you wanted to see/do. I know there are a lot of people that say you can do "everything" in a couple days, but I just love being at DL and a couple days is not long enough for me. Although if it was a couple days or nothing, I'd do the couple days without a second thought, but I digress.

I say don't worry about defending your self to them, just ask them who's paying for it? DH and I don't have any kids and while we do take other vacations, most of ours are to Disney at least in part so we get the "look" and "weren't you just there" all the time.

If you want to explain it to them, tell them the things you listed above. It is a vacation after all and just the feeling of not being rushed to see/do it all in a couple of days should be enough of an explaination. There's a lot more to do at DL than run from ride to ride to fit it all in.

People who don't "get" the Disney magic, won't understand anyway. It's the way the air smells, the sounds, the feeling of happiness that I always get as DH and I walk hand in hand toward the gates listening to the music play. It's more than riding rides and seeing characters, although that is part of it. If they don't get the magic, you can't explain it to them.

Holy cow ... someone kick the soap box out from underneath me please!!! LOL

 

[deletedpenguin]

I'm one of those people that don't like to rush from ride to ride. I stop, appreciate the scenery/atmosphere, and take photos. I enjoy taking my time, and this generally translates into longer trips, but with that said, I think 9 nights and 8 days is a bit too long. Start losing its magic after awhile.

But that's just me...

 

[SeattleTink]

We always go for an entire week to Disneyland.

Our next trip is in a couple of weeks and we have 8 day hoppers. People think we are nuts, but we 100% love every minute of every day.

You can see and do everything you want to do and most of the time do it 3 or 4 times.

We are PNW like you and only get to SoCal every 2 years, so we take advantage.

Like you said it is YOUR vacation.

A Disney vacation is the best family vacation. We do everything together - it is a great week of totally being with each other and really enjoying the Disney magic together.

Have a great time and just ignore what others may say...we totally understand!

 

[luvsmickey1968]

All I can say is, DON'T LISTEN TO THEM and you cannot defend yourself because nothing you are going to say is going to make them understand or they wouldn't be questioning you in the first place!
As long as everyone who is actually going on the trip is good with it, then who cares what everyone else says!
Everytime we go to Disneyland, everyone says this to me as our trips are always eleven days long and yes, we spend all those days at Disneyland!
Last year we took two of these "long" trips and if we could afford it, we would go again right now!
The only thing is that this it too long for my husband so the children and I leave earlier and the joins us half way through!
Everyone always asks me how I can spend that much time at Disneyland and I don't even bother answering them anymore because there is no point but I will share them with you as I know that you will understand.
The reasons are:

5. I want to do EVERYTHING once and others things maybe twice and maybe
three times. I like to spend hours on Tom Sawyer Island and we like
visiting all the shops and looking around at the hotels

4. I like to enjoy leisurely sit-down meals and not worry that it is taking
time away from rides.

3. Like you, our Disneyland is a great way to spend lots of time together as
a family.

2. Although I am a morning person, my family is not so that whole idea of
getting to the gates first thing to maximize the time just doesn't work
for them.

1. And the number one reason is, I LOVE DISNEYLAND AND CANNOT SAY
HOW MANY DAYS WOULD BE TOO MANY. SO FAR, THE LENGTH OF
MY TRIPS HAVE BEEN DICTATED BY HOW MANY DAYS I CAN AFFORD
AND WE HAVE YET TO SAY THAT A TRIP TO DISNEYLAND WAS TOO
LONG.

I also think that your point about the fact that when your brother joins you, you will not need to run and see everything.
We had friends join us on our last trip and I think the reason that it worked out so well is that I had the first five days to do everything I wanted so I was a little more easygoing!
I also agree with CrazyDuck that at the end of your trip that there will always be something you wanted to do or see that you put off thinking that you will have time to do tomorrow!
Have your wonderful "long" trip and just remember that as long as you and your family enjoy yourself, that is the point!

 

[BC Disney Lover]

Just putting in my two cents here:
The few trips that we have taken to Disneyland have been 3-5 days and by the last day I'm tired of lines, people, mediocre food and even my own children. We always go open to close and don`t sit down for decent meals, or go back for naps. On our last trip we had the Southern California City Pass so we did a day each of San Diego Zoo, Sea World and Legoland before getting to Disney.If we did that everyday for nine days I would have a breakdown.

That is exactly why I think your plan sounds great. You can go at your own pace and not worry about getting there every morning first thing and staying to close the place every night. You`ll be able to catch all the parades and shows and your kids can spent as much time in places like Bug`s Life water area and Redwood Creek area without you rushing them through. You can also enjoy some of the great restaurants.

Go enjoy yourselves and don`t worry about everyone else. And if by some chance it`s too long of a trip you`ll know for next time.

 

[mariezp]

Wadeandbasia, I totally understand all the reasons why you would want to take plenty of days! I would just tell anyone that didn't agree that everyone has their own likes and dislikes. Disneyland just happens to be what you like!

We have been going for 2 weeks for the last 7 years. Our first trip we also included several other attractions since it was our first trip to CA. However, since then we have just decided to avoid the traffic and spend the entire 2 weeks only in the park. For this years trip we will have another family with us the first week and a second week alone. It will be 2 totally different experiences.

I have heard many people say they can see the park in 3 or 4 days and would be "bored" with as many days as we take. If I only went that many days I would feel like I missed the majority of my vacation! Lots of days give you plenty of time to take in EVERYTHING at a leisurely pace.

luvsmickey1968, my family sounds like yours in that no one except me wants to get up at park opening. With plenty of time we don't have to try to beat everyone to the park. We come in for afternoon breaks everyday. And we also often leave the park right before closing to avoid the crowd.

We always have plenty of time to try out all the various dining options and try out all the yummy snacks I've been taking notes on. There's plenty of time for shopping, collecting autographs, all the shows, parades, fireworks, and riding attractions as much as we want.

Besides all that, I also LOVE the fact that I get to forget all the worries of everyday life! No cooking, no cleaning, etc.... for as long as possible!

So don't let anybody get you down. Your buddies here understand!

 

[sydangel68]

You should share our plans with your family... we are spending 6 nights at GCH at DLR then we are off to WDW in Orlando and 7 nights at All Star Music then another 5 nights at Polynesian Resort.

So all up we are spending 18 nights onsite at both DLR and WDW all in the ONE trip!!!!.

Believe me I know that will not be enough. We visited DLR resort with DS2 (at the time) and he rode the Pooh ride 34 times in succession we counted.. LOL.

Oh and we are flying from Sydney, Australia for this great experience. You can NEVER EVER get enough of Disney and lucky my DH agrees

I can completely understand where you are coming from. Enjoy your vacation.

We leave in 25 days....OMG.

Take care
Angela

 

[cseca]

You should share our plans with your family... we are spending 6 nights at GCH at DLR then we are off to WDW in Orlando and 7 nights at All Star Music then another 5 nights at Polynesian Resort.

So all up we are spending 18 nights onsite at both DLR and WDW all in the ONE trip!!!!.

Believe me I know that will not be enough. We visited DLR resort with DS2 (at the time) and he rode the Pooh ride 34 times in succession we counted.. LOL.

Oh and we are flying from Sydney, Australia for this great experience. You can NEVER EVER get enough of Disney and lucky my DH agrees

I can completely understand where you are coming from. Enjoy your vacation.

We leave in 25 days....OMG.

Take care
Angela

WOW!!!
That sounds awesome! 18 days with the Mouse at both locations... what a dream... have a wonderful time and a safe flight!

And to the OP.
I personally think that those days are too long mainly because there are only 2 of us and we tend to rush from one thing to another... and was never given any opportunity to spend that much time at DL... hehe.

But if I could, I would grab it and who cares what other people think!
As long as your whole gang is happy...
And for the rest of the family that doesn't want to spend it all at the park, they can always grab a tour bus and go to other places in CA while you're spending a leisurely time at the park.

Have fun!

 

[pigletforever]

We leave December 30 for 12 days at DLH. We have 8 day hoppers which we will upgrade as soon as we get there to AP. We plan to take several other trips this next year to experince the Wine fest, Halloween etc.

We won't be spending all of our time at DL. We are going to lego land, knotts berry farm and Universal. One day at each of those.

I am jealous of the person doing CA and FL in the same trip. But I think you forgot the cruise.
I don't want to be rushed. I want to do things over and over. I have never been to DL. But I have been to WDW several times. When we go there for 12 days I feel rushed, there are still things there I ahve not done. But I want to have this time with my boys. there won't be many more family vacations - the oldest is 19 plus he lives in Kansas where he goes to college.

My sis doesn't understand how I could go for so long but then I don't understand how she can spend 2 weeks lounging on a beach in Hondures for 2 weeks scuba diving.

To each his own. I choose to spend my vacation money on a while she spends hers on .

 

[JaneJetson]

I'm one of those people that don't like to rush from ride to ride. I stop, appreciate the scenery/atmosphere, and take photos. I enjoy taking my time, and this generally translates into longer trips, but with that said, I think 9 nights and 8 days is a bit too long. Start losing its magic after awhile.

But that's just me...

Since 2004, I've been to Disneyland close to (maybe even more) 200 times. It hasn't lost it's magic for me at all. I LOVE it. I could easily spend 8 days there in a row.

 

[JaneJetson]

We always go for an entire week to Disneyland.

Our next trip is in a couple of weeks and we have 8 day hoppers. People think we are nuts, but we 100% love every minute of every day.

You can see and do everything you want to do and most of the time do it 3 or 4 times.

We are PNW like you and only get to SoCal every 2 years, so we take advantage.

Like you said it is YOUR vacation.

A Disney vacation is the best family vacation. We do everything together - it is a great week of totally being with each other and really enjoying the Disney magic together.

Have a great time and just ignore what others may say...we totally understand!

How exactly do you get an 8-day hopper? I didn't think they had those. How expensive are they?

 

[CoolPool]

How exactly do you get an 8-day hopper? I didn't think they had those. How expensive are they?

The 8 day PH "gate" price is said to be $244/adult and $214/child but you can get advance purchase discounts/online discounts. For example, getawaytoday is showing $204/adult and $174/child. Check around for the best deals, or just bite the bullet and get an annual pass.

 

[HydroGuy]

When you ask questions like this to people who love Disney you will get a lot of support for 8 days at DLR.

The one time we did a four day trip to DLR my kids were bored on the fourth day. We did tour agressively, spending 11-12 hours per day indide the parks. But we took 3-5 hour breaks every afternoon.

In any case, I can see your relatives' point of view. We plan for three days now and that is about right for us. If we wanted to go slowly we would do four days. Eight days? No one in my family would go.

 

[JaneJetson]

The 8 day PH "gate" price is said to be $244/adult and $214/child but you can get advance purchase discounts/online discounts. For example, getawaytoday is showing $204/adult and $174/child. Check around for the best deals, or just bite the bullet and get an annual pass.

Oh, I'm not actually getting one...I was just curious. We are only getting a 2 or 3 day hopper when we go. I used to have an annual pass until this year. I don't go often enough now that I live 1500 miles away.

I was curious because I assumed an 8-day was not too much cheaper than an AP.

 

[bumbershoot]

Well, I'm of a couple minds on it, if I were the one doing it.

It might be too long away from home for your kids. My son is really good at traveling, and doesn't need much else than a bed where can snuggle with one or both of us and he's fine, but being away for so long can get old for him.

It won't be enough time that you'll feel "ah, now we have DONE Disneyland"...well it might feel that way when you're leaving, but you'll want to go back, and that's where the true trouble will start with friends and relatives.

For me personally, I would never spend the money to stay on site for that many days! I would rather double my stay and stay off site. But that's just us.

 

[mariezp]

there won't be many more family vacations ...

So very true! My son will be 18 in December. While he has no plans to leave home at this moment, one never knows how many more opportunities you have to make the memories that will last a lifetime.

My sis doesn't understand how I could go for so long but then I don't understand how she can spend 2 weeks lounging on a beach in Hondures for 2 weeks scuba diving.

To each his own. I choose to spend my vacation money on a while she spends hers on .

Well said! People go lots of places I have no desire to go. I used to have "wanderlust" too but now I am perfectly content to spend all my vacation time at Disneyland.

When you ask questions like this to people who love Disney you will get a lot of support for 8 days at DLR.

Yep! We are just the kind of people to back you up!

 

[heatherleigh]

I think it's a perfect amount of time. Last year we stayed for 8 days (only 7 days in the park.) Although we went open to close, we STILL didn't get to ride/see a lot of things! I had no clue Soarin' even existed (nor half of the other rides in CA.) My kids never went to the Pirate's island or Tom Sawyer's either. We only ate at two restaurants in the park, and we completely missed the CA restaurants.

Unfortunately, we cut our trip down to 6 days on our upcoming trip, but that's because we're doing San Diego as well. I purposely scheduled our SD portion before the DL one, just in case my husband agrees to add on a day or two. I doubt it will happen, but it's a nice thought. I also like to keep it open in the event we get chosen for the Dream Suite!

I think it's important you go for several days prior to your bro joining your family so you can do everything you want. When another family enters the picture, it always changes the dynamics. That's one reason I never want to do DL vacations w/ friends. The only way I would, is if I could have a few days in the park, Alone, with my family like you're doing.