For those of you who take Disney Trips for 1 week or Longer...

[jennifer293]

Our first trip last May we were hitting a park every day leaving our room at 9 am and getting back at 10 or 10:30 pm. Although the kids never complained I just felt it was maybe a bit much (God knows my legs were KILLING ME). We were there for 7 days then. This time we are going to get there July 14 and kinda hang out at the resort, go eat at the food court, and maybe go to DTD or to the pool.

All the other days we will go toa theme park, next day water parks or pool, next day theme park, next day pool or water park...ETC> There will be one day I think on the 17th in which the in-laws want to take DD shopping at DTD for her birthday so of course I cannot pass up a shopping trip.

I just don't want to have the ON THE GO feel this trip...Plus the baby is not as Happy Go Lucky as she used to be so I am thinking she may have a little trouble on this trip....I HOPE NOT!!!!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Say you are there for 6 nights and 7 days, how many Non Theme Park Days do you have or do you do have Theme Park days back to back?

Many years ago, my familyi went for a week. We stayed at the Poly back when concierge was much cheaper than a standard room today.

our family tradition was always to hit the parks and cover everything. Then we took breaks--a day if needed where we did other stuff.

Nowadays--if going for a week, I would do the same thing and not do the pakrs every single day.

4-5 days is enough park time...assuming that on some days you do park hop so that you do hit everything you wish to see.

 

[vicceja]

Hi!

Most Definitely!
The great thing about having longer stays, especially with kids is that you can take a break during the day and go back to the resort for a rest and return to the parks that day. I think a longer vacation means a less stressful vacation.

 

[psufamilyluvsdis]

2 or 3 days of the parks and take the rest of the time off. We love just being there and relaxing, and it helps us make each trip different and gives us time between each park, so when we go back we are excited about going like we haven't been there forever! It is really nice to take a day and go see the other resorts and eat at different restaurants! I can't wait for our trip in March!! That's all we talk about!!

 

[java]

We are an early entry family all the way- hitting the parks everyday. We have little ones so sleeping in is not an option! We do take breaks mid day and will lay low in the PM's some days. But we are generally at the parks non-stop. My 11 year old is a VMKer so this year he will want to do all the quests that weren't out last time. and he still nags about the tour we never took...so I think I am going to have to take that tour too! It is all fun. This trip though I really hope to see the pool!

 

[Daydreamer64]

We always do 9 night 10 day trips (including 2 days of driving to and from ) - same evey time - it's so easy and this works for us-

2 off days and 2 half days-

**day 1-Arrive around 11 pm on a Friday night-( we drive down after work/school from Atlanta )- settle in for a deep rest and sleep in the next morning

**day 2- wake when we are ready- get a snak at the resort rest., buy signature books and our first pins of the trip from the resort gift shop- then it's off to DTD for DQ and shopping and then a late lunch/early dinner at Rainforest- back to the resort for some swimming/playground/walking tours type things to settle down from our day

**day 3- We ALWAYS start our vacation with MK- opening to closing- all day touring

**day 4- EPCOT- because it is more relaxing to us then MGM or AK so we are resting a bit not running from MTN to MTN like the boys do in MK

** day 5- OFF day (if you can call it that )- sleep-ins, swimming, playgrounds, Mom does laundry, TV chill time to cool off from the heat and get rested--we usually end this day at the campfire sing along at Fort Wilderness campground via the MK boats- it's a really nice way to enjoy the landscaping of the resorts -boat rides during sunset and so on...

**day 6- MGM- opening to closing- ending with Fantasmic- this is such a small park that we really enjoy the kids play areas and we like to explore all the door handles and props from the movies ( like the umbrella from singing in the rain )- we just wander all day and stop to investigate things if we want to

**day 7- AK- all day- again - such a small park- we really just meander through the animal exhibits- opening to closing- then it's off to WL to eat at the Bar-b-que place- the name always escapes me but we have a great time with the horse races and so on

**day 8- REST day- again with the laundry, swimming and so on- usually by this time the boys are so worn out that thay are still sleeping at 12 noon- Mom doesn't mind though - I take a good book and read by the pool while the laundry is washing!

**day 9- last park day so it's off to MK all day long - opening to closing

**day 10- pack to go home- check out, go to DTD to get any forgotten purshases, have lunch there and get on the road for home

 

[rt2dz]

I don't know why more people don't take advantage of an early arrival.

Because my kids would be gripey and whiney. They wouldn't be enjoying anything going on and dh and I wouldn't be enjoying anything with them in a mood. DH and I could suck it up, but the kids just wouldn't. It just makes it better to follow their lead. Sometimes we are out the door by 7am, other times not till closer to 11 am.

 

[Laurajean1014]

We go for 10 days and ear-mark 3 of those days as non-park days.

At least one or two to water parks or pool and another for Downtown Disney.

 

[kparc]

Because my kids would be gripey and whiney. They wouldn't be enjoying anything going on and dh and I wouldn't be enjoying anything with them in a mood. DH and I could suck it up, but the kids just wouldn't. It just makes it better to follow their lead. Sometimes we are out the door by 7am, other times not till closer to 11 am.

That would make a difference! Mine would be the opposite~ they would whine and compalin if they had to stand in long lines in the hot sun. It all boils down to knowing whats best for your family I guess. We do always go right before the girls have to return to school so we get them into the routine of getting up early just before we go ( They have to get back into that routine anyhow but there are some testy days during that time). They do enjoy sleeping in the rest of the summer and so do I. I make them do lots of walking all summer long to gear up for the trip, too!

 

[bettyann29]

We are going in May for 8 nights/9 days.. In past we have gone for 5 days, 4 days and 3 days.. so this is the first actual long trip so Im all excited that we will have so much time.. My current plan is to go to the parks when we get there and stay till closing on the first night.. then we are doing 2 full days of parks and than on day 4 will take a day off from the parks and go to Typhoon Lagoon, Downtown Disney and then maybe go see Fantasmic so that way when we are actually in MGM we wont have to stop for that and can keep riding rides.. then we plan on being in one of the parks every day until the last day.. I figured we'd eat breakfast and then the kids can swim for a bit, check out, check our luggage at the front and then let them decide which park we will go in for the last time and ride rides till its time to go..

We will be exhausted, but it will be so worth it..

 

[bigbabyblues]

We don't do any days away from the parks. Our last trip was 7 nights/8 days, and we were in the parks all the days. Only 1/2 day on arrival and departure days. Our trip in 2004 was 10 days, and we did miss one day because of Hurricane Jeanne, but that wasn't something we planned. We almost always have a character breakfast before the park opens if there is one, if not, at the gates when the park opens. We take a break around lunchtime at the resort, then back to the park in the afternoon around 3 or so until closing.

 

[vellamint]

The least we have gone is 9 nights - the most 12. I try to get a resort day in there but most visits it just does not happen!!

4 days in major parks
2 days in water parks
2 days Universal
2 days Seaworld
1 day Disneyquest and DTD
arrival and departure days

this time we are not going to seaworld and only going to Universal one day but I am adding Busch Gardens, Daytona Beach and Gatorland so it is a wash.....

(Next time we may try Cypress Gardens and the Space Center)....and I also have always wanted to walk around International Drive and do those hokey places like the upside down arcade!

So many places....so little time.....