Have any of you been to WDW for more than a week?

[janette]

We did a 10day trip in November & again in March. It was great, just wish it could have been longer. Really no rush to do everything. Getting 20days out of the AP was also good

Now if I could just figure out how to make it back again this year!

 

[skiwee1]

We go twice a year staying 10-14 days each time! It still isn't enough time. We do have a much more relaxing time then if it were shorter though. Definitely chose a resort that you can relax at . We always stay at the Poly because we like to spend half our time at the pool. Unfortunately this next trip will only be 9 days as DD starts kindergarten and I don't want her to miss more then that. I am depressed already thinking about the shortened time we will be there! LOL!

 

[Alice28]

We were able to go for 10 days last Feb/March. We were able to do it for several reasons:

Able to get Shades of Green rate at the Contemporary for $77 a night.

Got super cheap airfare on Southwest Airlines ($82 each way)

We got a 7 day park hopper plus. Our first day we didn't go in the parks. We did a monorail tour and Chef Mickeys. One other day we did Downtown Disney and some resort hopping for dinner, and the other day we did Typhoon Lagoon.

We brought stuff for breakfasts and snacks in a whole separate suitcase- ate cereal or bagels every morning for breakfast and saved some $ that way. Also bought a case of H20 on our way in and that saved a few bucks too.

It was nice to tour at a leisurely pace, especially with two young children. We park hopped almost every day- one park in the AM, another park or just dinner in the PM. One day with did MK all day, but with a nap time in the middle of the day. It really made the days flow nicely to always go back for that rest, and then back out in the evening for dinner at Epcot or one of the other resorts.

Hope this helped a little...

 

[AZKathy]

We usually go around 2 weeks every trip. Since we are so far away, we only make one trip a year and get the most out of our airfare!<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_1_113.gif' border=0></a>

We find it wonderful to visit WDW non-commando. We go in the morning to a park, head back for a lazy afternoon at OKW, then go back to a park in the evening. If we don't make it back to a park that evening...oh well! Got plenty of time! The best way for us to make the most out of the long trip in saving money is to buy AP's and then get back the next year before the 12 months is out, so we get a lot of days on the AP's. We also only eat one meal out while we are there. Breakfast is in the villa<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/12/12_12_6.gif' border=0></a>, we do lunch at the park, usually a buffet, then we eat at the villa for dinner<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/3/3_13_8.gif' border=0></a>. That saves a lot of money, also.

This year is the first time, we can't go for two weeks and I know we have to visit commando to get things done we want to do. My BIL did not want to vacation at WDW in the summer, so we can only do a week over Thanksgiving week<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/1/1_4_7.gif' border=0></a> due to schools.

I love long vacations at WDW!!!!

 

[catsrule]

We go for 8 days, this year we are going for 9. You can take your time. Go to Sea World one day. Lounge at the pool. We always get an Annual pass and go a second time before it expires for 8 days.

 

[Dan Murphy]

My trips in Dec have been from 9 to 13 days. I always do USF/IoA at least one day, a few times twice. It's is the way I like to do it.

 

[vernon]

Like many of the overseas visitors my visits tend to be 2-3 weeks. You might pick up some useful tips from the UK trip planning and trip report boards as most of those deal with longer WDW vacations.

If finance is a possible issue you have a couple of options to cut down on your accomodation costs. Splitting your stay (1 week onsite 1 week offsite) will help cut down the cost, this is particularly worthwhile if you're planning to spend time away from WDW visiting SW, IOa and Universal. As you're going with your parents you could make a pretty sizable saving by renting a private home for the whole of your group. These homes are usually available for a similar price as a hotel room and has the added advantage you can have breakfast (toast and cereal) in your own kitchen. WIth a small child it also allows you to put baby to bed and the adults can stay up in your own living room and enjoy a glass of wine/beer chatting without fear of waking baby or leaving them unattended.

Staying on site offers many advantages in ease of access to the parks, but by staying for 2 weeks it does allow you the luxury of not having to do the parks "commando style" , you can work at a pace that suits all of your group and if you go for AP's you don't feel so bad if you leave the parks at 4.00. In those circumstances the 30 minutes staying on site saves you becomes more of an expensive luxury than the necessity it is on a short stay.