How long is too long?

[LR_BCV]

Okay, this will seem like a really strange question to some of you. We have 2 kids who will be 4 & 8 when we go to BCV in November. We will be there 9 nights. DH thinks this might be too long.

My opinion is, yes, it might be too long if we were staying in 1 small hotel room with no kitchen facilities. But it'll be great staying in a 1 br villa. We'll get APs, we still have several "plusses" on old hoppers to use at the water parks if it's warm enough, we can just relax and take it easy. We won't eat out all the time.

Do you agree? Is there a point when you've had enough for one visit? Or would you stay 3 weeks if you could?

I'm not exactly sure what he's so afraid of; perhaps it is just that we never spend this much time altogether DD is a social butterfly and always wants someone to play with (not usually brother).

We are doing it, but the outcome will determine how many days we get to stay in Aug 2004. I'm hoping it's even longer! So I'll also take any advice on how to make it a great trip.

Laura

 

[jel0511]

I've come to the conclusion for me and my family, we'll either stay 4nights from now on, or longer tays of 10 nights or so. We've been to WDW MANY times over the past few years, and most trips have been in the 5-6 night range. We just returned from a 6 night stay and it just wasn't right. You're not there long enough to really relax and take everything in, but there too long for commando type touring. Our stay last summer was 9 nights and we weren't ready to leave. We relaxed, had MANY pool days, just relaxed by the pool ALL DAY!!! It was GREAT and makes me long for that vacation again. This last vacation, seemed rushed. I wanted to relax, but I couldn't, but I HATE commando type touring. So, for now on, our WDW trips will be of a longer duration, and we'll have to trade off to only going once a year. But I'll get a MUCH better vacation for it, in my opinion!!

 

[DoeWDW]

We've been to WDW often, staying at moderates for up to 10 days. At the 10 day point I'm usually sick of restaurant food.

Now that we're members at BCV, we're hoping for longer vacations. This year we'll be staying 12 nights in a BCV studio. I'm hoping the microwave & mini-fridge will allow me enough flexibility in cooking. I will miss the full kitchen, washer/dryer and the space of a 1 bedroom but the family agreed we'd all rather stay longer with less space.

I'll let you know when we get back.....

 

[dianeschlicht]

We have found we don't like anything less than a week. We found 11 nights to be a bit long though for just 2 of us. With a family, I think 9-10 days would be about right for a liesurly trip. With DVC, you know you will be back often, so you don't feel like you have to be a park commando all the time!

 

[KNWVIKING]

Oh thank goodness, you were talking about trip length.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Oh thank goodness, you were talking about trip length.

Smack upside the head to you, KNVIKING!!

 

[LR_BCV]

Originally posted by KNWVIKING
Oh thank goodness, you were talking about trip length.

aw geez, I'm usually good about wording things better - I was in a Disney state of mind for crying out loud

 

[AEN]

We went for 10 day in August a couple of times. At that time our children's ages ranged from 2 to 8. They were great and kept going. Actually, they are super kids. Some days we wouldn't even return to the room. We went from 8:00am to 9:00pm. We found that the water parks on some days helped to break things up. By the 10th day we were done though. The bad thing one year was that the 10th day ended on Labor Day. The crowds made it unenjoyable. So I will blame the holiday and not the length of stay.

 

[KNWVIKING]

We went for 14 nites once. Loved the length of the trip,extremely relaxing but the payback when I returned to work was a killer. Even if my boss were to allow me to take two weeks off again-which he won't- I don't think I would do it. We will stick to the 8 day/7 nite trips for the next couple years or so, but will go more often.

 

[joepoe]

We stayed in a 2BR at OKW for 10 nights last August. We loved every minute of it. Easy-going, relaxing and over before we knew it. On day 6 I thought, "We usually go home today, what are we going to do for four more days? " I blinked my eyes and it was time to go home.

DVC is perfect for long trips! You just "move in" and make yourself home in Orlando! Laundry and meals are not a hassle. No need to eat restaurant food three times a day if you don't want to. The outlet malls are close by. We bought our 3 DD's fall clothes at the malls during our last trip! We love long trips!

 

[MdmMim]

I love long trips to WDW. (Short ones would be too much of a tease for me.) My last trip was for 24 nights--I hit the parks running when I arrived, but about after about a week, I slowed down and just relaxed, sat by the pool, read, etc.--a true vacation. After awhile, I returned to the parks, but only hit my favorite attractions. Spent lots of time gazing at the AK residents and "my" manatees.

With a longer vacation, there's no rush at all to do anything. It's more relaxing when you don't really have a plan, just play things by ear. You have the luxury of time.

 

[colleen costello]

If you are in a 1-bedroom you'll be fine. We take "extra" trips some with "leftover" points and the studio is a bit claustrophobic after a week. Any room with a bedroom would give me the idea that I could stay for a month!

I am a stay-at-home Mom right now, and I am used to the uneventful daytimes that are inevitable with small kids. My husband runs a busy office and on weekends, especially in a snowy winter like we are having, he goes a little crazy. The kids bug him just by "being kids," and I have to remind him to QUIT being cranky. If your dear man will be challenged by this long a trip, I would bribe him. Budget for a night where the kids go to Disney daycare so you can have an adult meal out, and also offer him an afternoon "alone" where you go off with the kids and he gets to relax. Vacations can be overwhelming with so much "together time" so a little "alone time" should fix Dad right up.

 

[LR_BCV]

wow, MdmMim, now *that's* a long stay! Perhaps someday when I'm retired...

Thanks to everyone who has responded. Great tips and comments, Colleen - I do think that is exacly the problem. I'll be sure to take your advice!

As a new twist, my sister and her family may be taking up our offer to join us for some of the time; so that would take care of some of the "pressure" of being so together: this would give us time for us to do things together as a couple, and free time for him to do stuff by himself without feeling like he's putting too much of the burden on me.

Now if only it weren't so many months away!

 

[walter]

We hope to do a 14 day'er next Jan/Feb at OKW (1 bedroom)! We would normally take 3 or 4 days at VB every other year, but we are trying to go to HH in late Sept/early Oct. this year.

 

[Disney Doll]

We went for 14 days once, but it was "pre-DVC" and so we were in a regular hotel room. I thought it was a tad long, but I think in a DVC 1BR or bigger unit, it would be better because you'd have room to spread out, you could relax with snacks etc. I just think the DVC way of staying is more relaxed and laid back.

I think that at WDW, a 9 night/10 day vacation is operfect. You'll pretty much see everything, and have some "downtime" in there too, where you can relax at the pool etc, without feeling like you're forced to "commando" tour.

 

[colleen costello]

Laura, I looked over your post again and see your kids are the same ages as mine. We did 8 nights last summer and the kids were fairly good. We certainly keep them busy! When they did fuss, it was the same nonsense they pull at home -- fighting, mostly. I also see that you came a long way to Orlando. My reasoning is if you travel far you might as well stay a while!

I think your sister and her family traveling with you will be great. My kids are always on better behavior when my parents are with us because there are other people to 'play with" and more folks separating brother and sister. It's fun to go as a group. It also provides, as you say, "babysitters." I hope to get one meal alone with my husband when we visit next week. Mom and Dad have offered to babysit and they work cheap.

 

[allforpooh]

We usually do 7 days, last Sept we did 10 and by the 10th day we were ready to go.

Of course I think the time of year has everything to do with how long we enjoy staying. I think 10 or more days during the summer or holidays would be something we would do, but we will probably never go 10 or more days during the slow periods.

Denise

 

[Niagara2]

We usually do 10 days but once did 16 days and was ready to go home after 2 weeks. I never thought I would get tired of eating out, lthe park crowds and lines, but it was enough. We are going for the usual 10 days at Easter and Thanksgiving this year and really look forward to it. At day 9 we are still sad it is almost over. We really look forward to the next trip. The breaking point seems to be two weeks as we did Disneyland and California and I was ready for home then too at the14 day mark. All I know is that anything under a week flies by way too fast.

 

[Dancind]

Our first trip was nine days, and so have most of our trips been since. In May, we go for two weeks. Please beware, those AP's are going to be calling your name once you get home. You will find your nine day stay at DVC so enjoyable and unrushed, you will be borrowing points to get back before the AP's expire. And don't be surprised if it's your husband's idea. Diana

 

[eva]

We bought in 96 and I was a high school teacher at the time. So for the first few years we took our 2 girls the first two weeks of June. We loved it , the amount of time was perfect. Sometimes we did break the trip up by heading to Vero or some other beach resort over the weekend. But I don't think that 10 nights is too long at all. In the job I am in now I really can't take more than a week at a time. I really miss those longer trips!