First Time To WDW! How Many Days Should We Stay?

[ZBSW]

Hello folks,

Our family of two adults and a 6 year old will be staying there in January. This is our first time there, did DL twice this year, so I'm wondering how long should we stay to get a good WDW experience.
We'd like to stay 7-10 days, anymore would pull our son out of school for more than a week.

So is 7ish days enough time to get a good non rushed experience of the entire park?
We'd also like to squeeze in Universal if tike permits.

I'm glad we've found this forum. Great info on just about everything WDW.
Thanks folks.

 

[madchatter]

7 is a nice length. Longer is good but you'll need to concentrate on breaks and off days. The resort is much larger in scope and each park is far larger than DLR.

When we had a 6 year old it took a lot out of him. I would consider a stroller on certain days as well. It makes your days a lot easier when the hours get long.

We like 7 nights. It lets us hit parks multiple times and still take it easy a day or two along the way.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

We find 8-9 nights to be perfect. 5 park days with a couple of rest days in between.

 

[LaBelleVie]

We usually do 7 nights/8 days and do five park days. It works out pretty well for us. Obviously, you can take several trips to Disney and still not experience everything, but we feel like this is a good approach for us.

 

[ZBSW]

Thanks for the replies.

We're trying to get everything in on this one trip since we live in Hawaii. Airfare is looking to be around the $1000 range per person for a round trip ticket. Plus it'll be over 11 hour fly time.

 

[cassie58]

8 - 10 days is great to give a full day in each park, 2nd day in some - definitely MK, and some half days between parks you want to do a little more in. It also gives time for a rest day in the middle, for resort time or some days to sleep in and go later to do night shows. Park hoppers are great for flexibility.

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

Depends on how you want to do Universal. I think 2 days at Universal is a necessity, but I also think it's easier to stay on-site at Universal to take advantage of their perks as well as not deal with the transportation hassle. However, since it's your first time at WDW, I'd suggest at least 6 WDW park days.

I do not like to do a park on my arrival day. I typically head to Disney Springs the first day, wander around, and eat at one of the table service restaurants there. So that adds an extra night to my trip length to begin with.

 

[HoboDan2012]

My first trip to WDW was 7 days. The next 2 trips after that were in the 7-10 days each. I now like to do shorter trips since now I know the things I like to do and don't do, so weekend trips are now more my thing, trying new restaurants and riding the few attractions I love. Although, I am itching for another week long (or longer) trip back to Orlando.

 

[kayteekt]

The majority of our trips, regular family vacations, are 7 days. However, if you are coming from Hawaii, I would come as long as you can. The difference between 7 and 9 or 10 days tix is pretty minimal. Have fun!

 

[Figment Mom]

My son (age 9 at the time) and I loved our 10-day trip. The longer you go the cheaper the per day price works out to be. And with the fact that you're coming from Hawaii, I'd travel for as long as you can.

In our 11 days (we flew in very early our first morning and out very late our last night) we did 10 days in the parks. We did all parks multiple days (except just one day in AK) and a day in the middle where we went to Disney Springs, Fort Wilderness, and checked out some other resorts.

We did our favorites over and over, did afternoon breaks at the pool, and really felt like we were doing everything we wanted to do.

I treated it a bit like a once-in-a-lifetime trip since I didn't know when we'd be back.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Since you'll be traveling so far and basically losing two days in travel I would do 9 nights. When we drive from NJ we always do 9 nights. Friday to the following Sunday with Friday and Sunday being travel days. That way we have Saturday to Saturday in the parks.

 

[Hopefully]

I think for a first trip I would do 10 days, if you can. I recommend going to the park at rope drop staying until after a quick serve lunch and heading back to the room for a swim/rest break and then back to the park in the evening.
WDW is way bigger than DL. You will be surprised.
I would do a minimum of 2 days MK, 2 days EC, 2 days AK (with the opening of Pandora and the new nighttime things) and 1 day DHS. Then you can build in a rest day and time to explore Disney Springs.
I would not try to also do Universal on your first trip.
Have a Great Trip

 

[justme0729]

I would do 8 nights.. enough to go to each park in the morning and at night with half of the day to relax. I would also rather stay at a better hotel for less time (since 7 days is enough) than go to a hotel I'm less excited about for 10 days

 

[Beer Me]

We do 6 or 7 nights with 7 day tickets (park hoppers but that's a different discussion). An additional night or two would be nice but we are usually constrained by work schedules.

Personally, I would not want to leave wdw for a day at Universal. Travel between the resorts is a hassle and I would feel like I was wasting Disney time. What i would do is stay at a Universal hotel for a night of two at the beginning or end of the week. Plan on two days to see both Universal parks and soak up the Harry Potter stuff.

 

[Nancyg56]

Thanks for the replies.

We're trying to get everything in on this one trip since we live in Hawaii. Airfare is looking to be around the $1000 range per person for a round trip ticket. Plus it'll be over 11 hour fly time.

This makes a difference IMO. Our first trip when our DGD was 4 we went 8 days. We wished we had more, so that was nice. Second was 10 days, and it was a good length for us. YOu are going to lose 2 days just in travel time, so I would suggest the longer stay woudl be better, 9 nights at least. I am not a fan of attempting to "get it all in" You cannot and trying will exhaust you and your family.


If you decide to add Universal I really would encourage you to add the extra days rather than keeping 7 nights. WDW is huge, encompassing 4 parks. I don't skip parks, and think that there is a lot to do for children and adults alike in each park. WE also build break days into the trip. A span of a week or more without time to relax can knock your sox off.

 

[kitkat4622]

We find 8-9 nights to be perfect. 5 park days with a couple of rest days in between.

we like 8 nights also

 

[RIdisfan]

We like 10 days , not so fast of a pace see most every thing . May even get some ince days out of your 10 days .

 

[goofy4tink]

Since it's such a long distance to travel, and your ds is just 6, I wouldn't have an issue with him missing school for a few days. I would try for 10 days. That gives you time to do US/IoA. I like to spend two days there, but with a little one, you aren't going to be doing any of the really big rides with him. But, 10 days gives you a nice 7 days in WDW parks, a day or two at US/IoA, and a day to relax midway!
My first trip to WDW was when my dd turned 6 (actually had her 6th birthday at WDW!!). We were there for five days/four nights. We did a lot, but not nearly everything!

 

[happymommy]

Coming so far, I wouldn't do less than 10 days (we live on the East Coast, and go to Hawaii every other year, and never go for less than 2 weeks; this summer I'm going for a month).

I'd focus on Disney personally, and skip Universal. We've done Universal when our kids were a little older than 6, but still found it a bit more appealing to big kids. It also was pretty much a one and done thing for me.

Since you have one child who is only 6, how much school are they really going to miss? They're only young once, so I'd go as long as you can!

Disney World is huge. You will have plenty to do there without doing Universal as well. I'd get a 10 day park hopper (no water parks).

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

When we do an all WDW vacation we like 6-7 nights. We will take at least one day off from the parks to do other things Disney; miniature golf, Disney Springs, surrey bike, favorite restaurant, relaxing at the resort pool with a drink etc. We like to get to each of the parks while there as well.