For people who take short (3-4 day) trips

[kandb]

I read on here of people going to Disney for a long weekend sometimes, a lot of them flying to get there as well. For all you who only go for a short trip. Does it feel like enough time? Do you regret not going for a full week? We have never gone for less then a week. Our upcoming trip will be 11 nights. We don't go commando, so maybe that has something to do with it. Do people who go for short trips, go to the parks from morning til closing? Isn't it expensive with airfare for such a short trip?

 

[Puffy2]

I've always gone for about 4 nights. Once I think I did three and that was too short. I usually see either three...but usually four parks. We hit the park at rope drop. Usually go back to the onsite hotel in early or mid afternoon. Return sometimes in the evening...or swim ...or see a show..or whatever. I usually stay at a Deluxe hotel onsite. I generally think it is plenty of time. But that is the beauty in going every couple of years. Always something new to see because you didn't quite see it all on the last visit.
I also fly. I look for sales on airfare. You have to figure in the gas money you don't spend, the parking fee you don't have to pay and the time you save not driving. For me, flying is easier and not that much considering. Especially since Magical Express is free.

 

[Puffy2]

Oh, and always travel off season and general during the week. Airfare is cheaper on Tue, Wed, Sat... and the hotels are cheaper during the week.

 

[BigHeroKen]

2 or 3 day park hoppers and maybe a party depending on the time of year, seems to be our norm and we always get to do most of what we want. If we miss something we just add it to the list for next time. If we stay longer than 4 nights it is usually because we are adding non-Disney parks to the trip.

Just reading about trips that are 7 nights of longer is exhausting to me.

 

[NJlauren]

Our last 3 trips were 4 nights 5 days. Usually 3-4 park days. I would love to go for a week but it hasn't fit in to our schedule recently. I'm also not sure if we would thrive with trip more then 6 days 4-5 park days.

Saying that I never regret the trip and I really love the time we do have. This last trip I think was perfect with an infant. We go in knowing we won't do it all. This last trip we never did rope drop to close, we did do it one time in a past trip and decided it wasn't for us. If we don't take a break we head back to the hotel earlier.

I don't know if I would say it's expensive or cheap... I find cost to be a very personal thing so am unsure how to answer that.

 

[boBQuincy]

We can't be away from home for more than 3 nights so we take short trips to WDW, usually 2-4 a year. Airfare is usually about $250 round trip and takes less than 5 hours home to theme park so it isn't difficult. We don't run from opening to closing because it is tiring and we know we will be back soon. It is never enough time, there is always more to see and experience, so we go back.

The best part is we see WDW for the Flower and Garden show, Food and Wine, Halloween, Christmas...

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Most of the time short trips (3 or 4 days) are all I get so I arrive and have a blast. I even take breaks during the day because I figure I can do anything I missed another trip and I want to enjoy the resort too.

Sometimes I fly, sometimes I drive. I live only 8 hours away. As far as expense for airfare, since I live so close I will fly if I can find it cheap - my last trip I got 49.00 each way through SW which was great - I couldn't drive for that cost since I own an SUV.

When we go as a family, we drive and it's usually 4 or 5 days. My husband says a week is too long.

I'm always jealous of folks who can go for long stays since I can't go for a long stay.

 

[Ambear]

I had to budget my vacation time this year cause I'm going on four vacations. Disney was one of the short ones and we went for only four days over memorial day weekend. It definitely did not feel like enough time. We just wanted one more day. I'm blaming it solely on the heat though. It prevented me from enjoying the outside stuff and spending most of my time indoors or condensing all my activities to the night hours. But we still had a blast! I think for me five or six full days would be the perfect length and plan on doing that next year.

 

[goofyernmost]

I may go to the area for more days, but, I never have scheduled more the 4 days at WDW. There is so much else to see. I have, however, gone just for three or four day as recently as in Feb of this year. Since I had been so many times before, it worked out to be just the right amount of time for me. I saw everything I wanted to see and took my time doing it. So, yes, it can be done, but, it totally depends on your expectations. If you aren't happy unless you have seen everything, then don't do it that way.

 

[patrickpiteo]

We usually do 4 at disney and two...dare I say at the dark side Universal .. We have enough time to see what we want since we been to both so many times..

 

[Tink415]

I prefer long trips but have taken plenty of long weekend 3-4 day trips due to work and school schedules. We live too far away to drive; there use to be plenty of flights at very good prices, but the last few years, not so much. We fly SouthWest and JetBlue and I don't like their schedules or prices the last few years, makes long weekend trips harder. The only way we can fit in events like MNSSHP or MVMCP is with a weekend trip. Anyway, we don't go morning till night at the parks any more no matter how short or long a trip is
And yes, its expensive and there is never enough time!!

 

[jrt1176]

I took my niece for a week her first trip a few years ago and plan another week for her 10th birthday...

After that, I think we can go on some shorter laid-back trips, and even some last minute ones,because she will have seen it all twice.

I think a week is plenty of time. I love Disney, but I don't know how people go for two weeks or longer, etc. I would think you'd be ready to leave the magic and go home. Where as after a week you could still stay a couple of extra days, etc. Of course, that's just my opinion!

When I was a kid we always went for 5-7 days, but we went a lot, so it we saw what we wanted and relaxed.

 

[JennyDrake]

We can't be away from home for more than 3 nights so we take short trips to WDW, usually 2-4 a year. Airfare is usually about $250 round trip and takes less than 5 hours home to theme park so it isn't difficult. We don't run from opening to closing because it is tiring and we know we will be back soon. It is never enough time, there is always more to see and experience, so we go back.

The best part is we see WDW for the Flower and Garden show, Food and Wine, Halloween, Christmas...

DITTO!!!

I live on a working farm and it is hard for me to be away more than 4-5 days (3-4 nights) at a time. Like PP, I do not go during peak seasons. And yes, I also take midday breaks!

 

[Planogirl]

We only make it a point to visit two of the parks so a few days is long enough. We do other things in the area too but I could see just going for a long weekend if all we did was Disney.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I love short trips. The minimum we will do is three full park days (four nights). But short trips can be super fun. It is more expensive if you calculate out a $/day because of the airfare and the tickets. We try to do one week trip once a year and then if we can do a second trip, it will be a short trip.

 

[Daddee]

Doing a 4 nite/5 day trip this time. Early flight in late flight out. All 4 parks with no hopper. My DD and I can commando parks. But that is not the plan. I'm sure we will get everything in. We have 2 adr's out of the parks also. And have 1 flex day built in. If we can get thru what we need to do in MK in 1 day. We will go off plan for the day. AK is scheduled for our last day it will be a half day.

 

[suzimar57]

Have taken several 3-4 day trips when I've gone alone (during F&W) -perfect amount of time for me!

 

[loves to dive]

When I go solo I usually go 4 nights 5 days. Plenty of time for me to hop into each park and do what I want to do yet not be hurried. I go solo to things like F&G and F&W so tend to spend more of my time at Epcot anyway and just go to the other parks to ride the rides that I feel I must do (can't miss TOT or EE) otherwise I just wander around and enjoy the feel of the place. I always stay on site so that might make a difference.

 

[scrhsa]

I have never been more that 4 days in the parks so I can't say I regret it. And I drive roughly 20+ to get there. It's all I know. We go all out so we are able to do pretty much everything we want. I really wouldn't know what to do with myself if I had more time. And my sister and I have just decided to take a trip to celebrate our 50th birthdays....hers was last July and mine is coming up in Dec. We are going for a whopping 2 days. We'll have to cut out a lot but 2 days is better than no days.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

Ithink 3-4 days is plenty. I don't have to see and do it all every trip. Leaving things undone gives us something to look forward to next time and keeps the trip from getting dull.