Can a trip be too long?

[debdebdebby13]

I'm wondering if anyone has ever gotten bored or felt like their trip was too long? I know, sounds crazy! It's hard think it could happen, but I wonder if anyone has ever experienced it?

We have a trip planned for April 16-24. We will arrive around 10:30am on the 16th so we will get a good chunk of time in a park that day. Since we are staying so long we are considering a beach day and a couple of days at Universal. But then I'm thinking are we going to stress ourselves out and try to do too much? If we forego Universal are we going to get bored visiting and revisiting parks? This will be the 5th trip for DH, DD and I and the second for DS. We've never gotten bored before, but this is the longest trip we've taken.

I guess bottomline question: is trying to cram Disney, Universal and a day at the beach all in 7.5 days too much? I was hoping this would be a more relaxed trip

 

[Gehrig1B]

I guess bottomline question: is trying to cram Disney, Universal and a day at the beach all in 7.5 days too much?

It is in my opinion... too much trying to maximize things to do and you lose the value of the vacation. We generally spend 8-10 days just at Disney and take it slow. Skip the beach if Universal is a necessary visit.

If we include Universal we stay 10-12 days and do 3 days at Universal...

 

[kanerf]

Sense I usually go for 10 days at a time I have learned to take things easier. I rarely spend more than 4 hours in the park(s) and vary the time of day I go. No need to spend 10 hours a day in the parks if you are there for a longer period. There are plenty of things to do outside the parks and why not just set some time just to relax? It is a vacation after all, not a job.

 

[debdebdebby13]

Sense I usually go for 10 days at a time I have learned to take things easier. I rarely spend more than 4 hours in the park(s) and vary the time of day I go. No need to spend 10 hours a day in the parks if you are there for a longer period. There are plenty of things to do outside the parks and why not just set some time just to relax? It is a vacation after all, not a job.

We only get to go every 3 years or so so we are always stressing about getting the best value for our money. It starts to feel like a job after a while. We always want to visit Universal and I always think about a Universal only trip but then I think "can I go to Orlando and NOT visit Disney?" and the answer always seems to be NO. We can't stay any longer or we would, but I'm already pulling the kids from school and feeling guilty about it.

 

[Wdwfan2016]

We go for about 15 days at a time so we can go at our own pace. We don't have to rush and have many relax days. We don't like short trips as it feels like you are never on vacation if you only have 5 days.

 

[gharter]

We do a week twice a year and its never too long.
We also have done a week at WDW and 3 days at Universal and wasn't too long.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

We do two week trips yearly and I love it. You don’t have to rush through the parks, so you can truly soak it all in and enjoy the atmosphere more. With your time of 8 days, I’d personally do 2 MK days, 1 at each of the other parks, 1 off day and 2 universal days. You could forego the universal days for more off days or more time in the parks. But I think Disney + US + beach is too much.

 

[MomOTwins]

The only park I really care to visit more than once on a single is Epcot. Any time we’ve repeated another park it just felt too repetitive. I also don’t mind building in days for pool time. But given all that, I max pit at about a week at WDW.

A beach day would be too much for me with all the driving.A day at Universal is totally reasonable though.

 

[StuckInKS]

For us, 10 days is a short trip and we don't even visit Universal. We do 10 park days (unless we have APs) and don't go until the evening (keep in mind, this was when there were longer park hours). On our "off" days, we visit Disney Springs, swim, visit other Disney resorts, and even go off property to the outlet store. Our upcoming trip is only 8 nights and I am stressing about possibly only having 8 park days and no time to go to Disney Springs or anything else.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Also, to OP, don’t feel guilty about taking kids out of school. I have 5 and we take them out yearly and they’re all excellent students and well rounded people. When they’re older your kids will not remember what they learned during that week but I guarantee they’ll remember that trip. Sometimes family time and memory making experiences are even more important than school.

 

[Lilsia]

I have had plenty of 2 week solo trips. I love them. It is more relaxing and enjoyable then trying to do "everything" in a few days. I have not found a trip anywhere that has been "too long" for me. My daughter and I are planning a 3 week trip to Hawaii this May and if DL opens, we will add a few days there too. I love to travel and can't imagine every getting bored.

 

[auntlynne]

Your first concern was would you get bored... and you end up asking about trying to cram too much in.

And you can’t visit Orlando without visiting Disney.

And you want value for your vacation dollars and cannot go on these trips but every few years.

Are you over complicating this?

A common theme coming through this forum is that the shorter park hours and no FPS, shows, fireworks and reduced in-park dining have lead guests to take it slower, easier; to leave the parks during the midday rush, and just enjoy the experience, looking around to rediscover their surroundings.

By not staying up late, but arriving at parks before official opening time, you can end up with less tired, overly cranky people. The shortened park hours seem to help with the issue of cramming too much in.

I’d say plan on this being an Orlando vacation. Do the Universal AND Disney parks.

Only you can decide if a day at the beach is a good add in. I drove to the Atlantic side three times in 2 weeks in hope of seeing a rocket launch (never went up), but it wasn’t a bad drive from Orlando. If you have no other chance to go to the beach for three years, why not?

And yes, any trip can be too long. Even if you only go for a few hours and you are miserable and not enjoying yourself.

 

[TammyLynn33]

I think the biggest factor which I may have missed is how old are your kids? Do they sleep well away from home, how tired will they be during the day ( or are they in strollers still and can nap) how the heat will affect you guys especially with masks.
I think it’s a hectic schedule. Moreso with littles , unless you are ok with half days or mid afternoon breaks if park hours are extended.
Maybe a am park visit then an afternoon drive to the beach ? They can sleep /relax the car and an hour or two at the beach is a recharge . ( and later in the day you miss beach crowds)
Just don’t push to do too much. I’ve been there done that . It takes away the fun ..
Have a wonderful trip !

 

[Proud Cheapskate]

If you've ever been to Disneyland Paris you'd never ask that question again.

 

[Elle :)]

We have a 10 day trip coming up and it still feels too short! I’m Disney crazy so I never get enough of the parks. We usually do 4 hours in the morning, take a mid day break, and hit up another park or Disney Springs in the evening. I always say I’ll take more time to relax / chill by the pool...yet I never do.

 

[angelmav]

Depends on who you go with

 

[rotlex]

Depends on how you vacation. Our average trips is 12 or 14 days. We generally stay on property, and do only Disney. (Sometimes include the waterparks). It never seems to long for us, but with as many times as we have visited, it is more a getaway from home and live at Disney trip rather than a vacation. We enjoy just being on property whether it's in the parks, at the resort, or just tooling around in the car. When we start the long drive home, we still get a tear in the eye as we drive back out through the gates.

 

[LSUfan4444]

We've done a couple 10 days trips the last two years and to be honest, the only thing that has started to bother me was cabin fever for being in a resort room for that long.

As far as logisitcal planning, even if I am JUST doing WDW, ten days is perfect for me. Allows me to make park reservations in all parks at least twice, have time for two rounds of golf, mini golf/ top golf, a water park day, a full resort day, disney springs twice, etc.

We can certainly do something similar in 7 but ten is ideal to me so far. At some point we will probably plan a two week trip but only do maybe a week on property. I think (at least mentally) at least a change in accommodations is a nice mix up

 

[philbrody]

Sense I usually go for 10 days at a time I have learned to take things easier. I rarely spend more than 4 hours in the park(s) and vary the time of day I go. No need to spend 10 hours a day in the parks if you are there for a longer period. There are plenty of things to do outside the parks and why not just set some time just to relax? It is a vacation after all, not a job.

This is exactly how we vacation although not having FP is going to change things. There were days we slept in, had a late breakfast at O'Hana, spent the day lounging by the pool and having a few drink, then headed out to the parks at 6 or so with FP's for a couple rides.

 

[glocon]

Why not do a split stay between WDW and UO? Spend 5 nights at WDW then 2 at UO?
You would not have time to get bored because you would have one park per day plus a relax day at your resort during the WDW portion of your trip, then two days at UO. We often split our trips this way. It is more expensive to do both WDW and UO on the same trip then to just do one of them as tickets to both are cheaper the longer you stay, but we love both parks and find it is worth it to us. No time to get bored! I wouldn't include the beach though, that's trying to cram in too much in that short of a time.