Can't decide 4 nights or 5???

[jewell]

I am staying on site and I saw the mastercard deal that if you stay 4 nights you get the fifth free, but I don't have a master card so I'd have to apply for one. We will be there August 12 (Sunday) and were planning on staying four nights, but I'm thinking about adding another night. But would five nights be too long? We will have three kids with us (13, 11 and 9) and we don't drink so I know we won't be doing the clubs or anything like that.

We will be leaving on Saturday and driving down (we always stop somewhere in GA and make the trip into Orlando the next day). Coming home we will also stop somewhere along the way and spend the night. IF we leave on Thursday we thought about stopping in Savannah for the night a doing a little sight seeing there for half a day or so. But I can't decide whether to spend another night at US or not. If we spend four nights, we will have Sunday evening, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at the parks, would another day just be too much? I just can't decide. What would you do?

 

[robvia]

Depends on your Commando level and whether the kids fight or not.
There's plenty to do, you could add a morning visit to Wet N Wild (WnW), the kids would really enjoy the slides. And there's Sea World of Florida (SWF).
There are some who have stayed for a week and don't get bored.

3 days is plenty to see IOA/USF plus the onsite pools. You could use the extra day to drive over to Busch Gardens Tampa. It's 75 miles, takes about 1.5 hours. Good to leave very early in the morning at 7am to avoid traffic. You could visit that park for the day, and drive back that night to your on site hotel.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Our most recent stays have all been 5 nights. Now, we'd like to move it up to 7. We never move our vehicle, & never get bored. Like you, we don't go to clubs either. We have a DS(15), & he didn't want to leave after 5 nights. We are very laidback tourists, & never get in a rush on vacation. If you're more of a commando style tourist, you may get bored. Since we're not, I can't imagine being ready to leave after 4 nights.

 

[Fan2CSkr]

We average 5 nights but every once in a while I get 7! I could stay longer. Its all about staying on-site. We love a down day or two to completely enjoy the hotel. We don't do the clubs either but never run out of things to do.

 

[Melanie230]

We are using the same deal. We are staying 6 nights. This way we can use one day as a pool day! Go for the 5 nights.

 

[jewell]

Hmmm, well I have two different opinions here, I hope some more people respond too. I would love to do SeaWorld---but since we are going in August I think it would be too hot to spend a whole day there, although had we went during a cooler time of the year I definitely would have loved to go to SW. And for the water parks, I hate to spend the money for them when there are three great pools at the resorts we can use for free.

I can't go commando style---I guess I'm getting too old and too fat And I HATE hot weather ~~I know what you are thinking then why are you going in August? Well, it's the only time I could go, so better to go in August than not at all! I just wanted to make sure we wouldn't get bored, I know the kids would love the pools and I'm sure we can do some shopping in City Walk, I just hope my hubby doesn't get bored, he, unlike me, loves going commando style. At times I remind him he has to slow down for me, he tries very hard although I know it's hard for him to, but he is a great guy.

Okay, for now I think I'm leaning towards staying five nights, I know it will be several years before we go back to FL (hubby likes to go different places every year). Thanks so much for your opinions, it really does help!

 

[bubba's mom]

why not stay an extra night if it's free you're not losing anything and that's just MORE relaxin' to do

you would have an extra day to do your favorites or hang by the pool. we went 5 days last year and are staying 5 nites/6 days this year (just can't get enuf!) we really enjoyed catching most of the shows (still haven't seen them all) taking time at meals, strolling and dancing at CW....we just love to be "leisurly" at UO. if you're already staying 4, you'd get another nite free...why not?? if you really don't want to stay, don't....leave....you're not "losing out that money" for the room..... JMHO

 

[robvia]

You can visit SWF even in August. What you do is arrive early at 08:30am, stay until 1pm, and leave when it gets hot. Then you visit a Universal park at night. Many people have this funny idea they can only visit one park per day. But the two park approach works great and keeps things from getting boring.