How many days?

[WooPigScientist]

Looks like I've talked the hubs into 12 days onsite for our 2017 trip (counting arrival/departure days). We'll be there last of Jan/first of Feb, probably staying at POR Riverside (although I'm still up in the air on this), and it's me, husband, 4 year old, and 6 year old.

I looking for opinions on how to allot our days. 180 day ADR will be in July, and I'm sketching everything out so that I can make a million little changes between now and then - I obviously have nothing better to do with my time I have 2 days slotted for non-park - one to stay at the resort, swim, etc, maybe a late 1900 PF breakfast, and one to go to Disney Springs. Park days I'm thinking 3 at MK, 2 at EP, 1 at HS, 1 at AK. This was our schedule last year (minus 1 non-park day) and it was great. I am glad for the extra non-park to spend more time at the resort and enjoy the pool.

That leaves me with 1 more day to fill. What would you do with that day? I also have half a day on departure morning - we could easily go to a park until 2 or 3 or do a fun breakfast somewhere. I'm leaning toward adding another MK day (kids' favorite park), but maybe AK or HS? Two at Epcot is definitely enough for us. My son is pretty big into Star Wars, but not sure he'll have much interest hanging around Launch Bay for 2 days. I'm up in the air on AK. While I think the theming is great and over the top, its just not my favorite park - never the best day of my trip. But the new evening stuff is pretty enticing! And maybe 4 days at MK is a bit much . . . Ugh. Talk about creating my own problems!

I tend to get my brain stuck in a rut and choose the same old stuff. Opinions? Suggestions? Thanks!

 

[GillianP1301]

I would add another park day - you can go back and re-do some favourites or hit some things you missed the first time around. We do 10 days (including arrival and departure) and always get 9 day park tickets so that we can do a park for a few hours on arrival day and that gives us one "off" day, which is usually offsite somewhere. We don't go early morning to late at night all days though, having that many park days means we can be more relaxed about it. Some days we may leave the parks late afternoon and not go back, so we'll swim or just enjoy the resort, things like that. Once you get up over 5 or 6 park days, the amount to add on additional days is negligible.

 

[isabellea]

I would go back to AK. For our family 1 day at AK is never enough because we love the shows and the trails. Or I would play mini-golf and go to ft wilderness for the tripled ranch (pony rides), dinner at Trails End and finish the day with the bonfire sing-along with Chip and Dale

 

[JimmyV]

With that many days to play with, it would be a shame not to check out Hogsmeade and/or Diagon Alley. While I might not do that instead of going to a Disney park, I would certainly do that instead of repeating a Disney park.

 

[pa. dad]

A water park that time of year may be iffy but I'd consider Universal also. Your ratio of disney days seems fine.

 

[skysmom99]

I adore MK! I could easily spend a 4th day there.

 

[WooPigScientist]

Once you get up over 5 or 6 park days, the amount to add on additional days is negligible.

This is why I'm sorely tempted to cram a bunch of park days in!

I would go back to AK. For our family 1 day at AK is never enough because we love the shows and the trails. Or I would play mini-golf and go to ft wilderness for the tripled ranch (pony rides), dinner at Trails End and finish the day with the bonfire sing-along with Chip and Dale

Hmmm, forgot about the bonfire sing-along. I think my kids would enjoy that!

I adore MK! I could easily spend a 4th day there.

We love MK too! We have the most fun there with our kids. I do fear wearing it out on a trip though, so I can't make up my mind. I thought it might be good for the last half day. We did this last year and leaving straight from MK was a really great end to the trip. We had rode everything a couple times earlier days in the week, and it was so relaxed and fun just skipping from favorite to favorite. I know we can get our favorites in multiple times in 2 days, and definitely in 3, so we don't HAVE to have that 4th.

 

[WooPigScientist]

With that many days to play with, it would be a shame not to check out Hogsmeade and/or Diagon Alley. While I might not do that instead of going to a Disney park, I would certainly do that instead of repeating a Disney park.

A water park that time of year may be iffy but I'd consider Universal also. Your ratio of disney days seems fine.

Funny you say this! The reason I got 12 days out of my husband was that the original plan was to spend our time to Disney, then move over to Universal resort and spend two days in the parks there. Then I talked myself out of it (but kept the extra days, ahem). My kids aren't tall enough to ride many of the more thrilling rides and I'm a HUGE rollercoaster fan, so I don't want to be tempted to leave my family to ride solo part of the day or feel like I'm missing out on stuff (even thought that's silly since I'm having a great vacation with my family - what am I honestly missing out on!) I can also see my kids getting a little overwhelmed at this age with Disney AND Universal overload. So I have it on the wish list for a few years from now

What are water parks generally like that time of year? Last year we were there the first week of January and enjoyed swimming in the resort pool, but it was definitely chilly when we got out. We dried off, wrapped up in our towels, and hustled to the room!

 

[pa. dad]

Funny you say this! The reason I got 12 days out of my husband was that the original plan was to spend our time to Disney, then move over to Universal resort and spend two days in the parks there. Then I talked myself out of it (but kept the extra days, ahem). My kids aren't tall enough to ride many of the more thrilling rides and I'm a HUGE rollercoaster fan, so I don't want to be tempted to leave my family to ride solo part of the day or feel like I'm missing out on stuff (even thought that's silly since I'm having a great vacation with my family - what am I honestly missing out on!) I can also see my kids getting a little overwhelmed at this age with Disney AND Universal overload. So I have it on the wish list for a few years from now

What are water parks generally like that time of year? Last year we were there the first week of January and enjoyed swimming in the resort pool, but it was definitely chilly when we got out. We dried off, wrapped up in our towels, and hustled to the room!

WOO
Average jan temps are high of 70 and low of 50 approximately. So thats why i say water parks are iffy.
BTW Universal does have several single rider lines where going by yourself might be easier and quicker.