How short is too short?

[PersonalizedMouse]

We usually spend a week at Disney. Luckily we have been there multiple times. New work and school schedules are making a week seem impossible. I was thinking of doing a short trip because we are a short two hour flight away. How long have you stayed where it doesn't feel rushed. In an ideal world I'd do longer but some seems better than none.

 

[Hootch]

The shortest trip we did was three days. It was attached to a beach stay with some of my family.

I think the key is to temper expectations. You know with a short trip that you can't do nearly everything. Plan what you can and be happy with it.

 

[kmb584]

We usually spend a week at Disney. Luckily we have been there multiple times. New work and school schedules are making a week seem impossible. I was thinking of doing a short trip because we are a short two hour flight away. How long have you stayed where it doesn't feel rushed. In an ideal world I'd do longer but some seems better than none.

I spent many long weekends there without feeling rushed. My best friend lives 45 minutes outside of Disney, and before my daughter was born I would fly down on an early Friday morning and back Monday afternoon. I knew that I wasn't going to be able to get a heck of a lot done so I suppose that helped with the "rushed" feeling. We'd buy 2-day tickets, sometimes upgrade to hoppers, and pick which parks to spend Saturday and Sunday at. Sometimes we were there for RD, sometimes not, but either way we stayed until close, and surprisingly accomplished quite a bit with such a limited amount of time.

 

[ChasingLeslie]

While a short Disney trip is better than no Disney trip, I think four days is really the minimum to make it worth the flight and give you time to experience the parks.

 

[spartankid34]

My last trip in November was over the holiday weekend, and being teacher I was able to leave late Friday, and come home late Monday, so 3 nights, and 2 1/2 days (since Monday wasn't a full day). It was too short, and too rushed...granted we went specifically for F&WF, so I wasn't disappointed we didn't get as much done, but was still stressed.

 

[MischaOz]

Three days - one non-park day and 2 days at MK. I think they key is managing expectations and not trying to do too much. I enjoyed focusing on the one lark rather than trying to jam too much in.

 

[kiramay]

For us, 3 days. 2 MK and 1 Epcot. We're planning a short trip for Christmas 2016 because we'll already be in Florida. I wouldn't fly or drive for less than 5-6 days though.

 

[BobC]

I'm doing 4 days, 3 nights in 11 days.

My shortest trip ever and thinking I should have done 5 days.

I still think having 2 full days will be nice and my arrival day I'll be in DIS around 11. Shouldn't be bad! I'll take that over no Disney!

My longest was 10 days and it was amazingggggg.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

We've done trips: 1- 9 days. (Esp where we visited FL for thee days, but spent only one at WDW)

I don't know how you normally visit WDW, but we've tried almost every combo and resort.

Simply put, time = $. When time is a limited commodity, the value of our time increases. Use extra services that save time: rental car/taxi vs. Magic Express/waiting for WDW buses. Deluxe resort vs. value /mods. That's the gist of how to get more from shorter trips.

For multiple shorter trips, consider an AP (or using up old tickets). An AP adds being able to go to a park on arrival+departure days, plus hopping.

Also consider staying club level (also called concierge level). Adding luxury to your visit is one more way to get a little more from shorter stays. Search for the concierge thread to learn more. Then again, we've also done one night stays at Pop and AoA. If you tend to stay at only one resort- short trips are a fun way to explore new resorts.

Try using our adage, "We'll do that (again) NEXT time."

 

[tlmadden73]

I guess it depends on how close you live and if you don't mind paying a higher cost for park tickets.

I have moved closer to WDW .. (NC) .. so I am now a days (9 hours) drive away down I-95.

Last October (mainly because I had a 2-year old and was unsure how he'd be) .. we did a short off-site trip .. 4 nights, but only two park days. The first day just being a Downtown Disney trip and the last day being a pool day. Did we want to stay longer? Sure. Did we have a lot of fun memories? Heck ya.

Because of the success of that short trip (and wanting to go again while my son is still free) .. We are going again this August for another short trip (my son will be turning 3 on the trip)). Same thing .. 4 nights (on-site) .. one Downtown Disney afternoon, 2 park days .. and one pool day.

These two short trips were relatively low cost as well .. less than $100/night for lodging and the ticket for the two adults were from 10-day no expiration tickets (so about $75/person/day).

I see the downside to short trips is having to pay near $100/day for tickets. With the removal of no-expiration tickets, the cost of short trips goes up significantly per day.

So I am all for short trips .. especially when you have a toddler that would probably be pretty tired after more than 2 park days anyway.

That doesn't mean I will not want to do a big week long trip with the rest of my family sometime when our kids are older.

 

[angierae]

We did Sunday-Tuesday once. We arrived Sunday morning, unpacked, had an early dinner at Kona, and went to the halloween party at 4. On Monday we rope-dropped MK so my daughter could meet Peter, did MK stuff until a lunch reservation at Tony's (her favorite), then went to DHS and spent the day there, finishing up with Fantasmic. Tuesday we went to DTD before our flight home. It was lovely. (We had been in Orlando for a different event Friday and Saturday.)

 

[caperguy]

We're doing 2.5 days at the end of this week - we'll let you know! Got a hotel deal with Hilton, which was the catalyst for the whole trip. I agree with many of the others on here, that you have to pick what you absolutely want to get done. I think I'm going to leave wanting more, but this will be a good introduction for our 6 year old, so we can better plan for next time, when his sister is old enough, too.

 

[Micca]

Four nights is nice!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Less than 4 full days is too short. Need a day for each park. You might be able to do 3.5 with Animal Kingdom being a half day park.

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

Any time at Disney is better than none! We literally just booked a last minute two night trip so we can go to the 20th anniversary of Food and Wine at Epcot. We got $59 flights from STL to MCO and so it is just a 2 hour flight. Flying down Sunday evening and then going to Epcot Monday all day and then flying home Tuesday morning at 10:30 am. We could not resist! No bags either! Just taking a personal item with change of clothes and travel size toiletries!! We booked ASM cheap and have ME so it is all good! I say go for it!! The only thing I wish is that the flight got in earlier on Sunday, but I can't complain too much for $59 bucks!

 

[Accident]

We usually spend a week at Disney. Luckily we have been there multiple times. New work and school schedules are making a week seem impossible. I was thinking of doing a short trip because we are a short two hour flight away. How long have you stayed where it doesn't feel rushed. In an ideal world I'd do longer but some seems better than none.

You've been there, how long do you need to feel it was a worthwhile trip? How frequently do you go? We also like long trips but have done a couple days here and there. Usually there is somethign we're going for so it's that event plus the days surrounding it for us and we always wish we had more time to be lazy and not go back to work but never hated going.

I'd probably not do less than 3 days including travel days if I can get in early and out late so it's not 2 lost days. If I'm in town for something else, i'll take what I can get especially if someone else is paying for most of the costs and it's a quick ticket into the park

 

[PSUGuy]

Four park days was our low number and like some previous posters this was tacked on to the end of a Savannah/St Augustine trip in March of 2012. We drove straight from St. A to AK and hit some slow traffic on I-4, wifey had a little too much coffee and ended up watering the bushes on the right where you swing along the outer rim of the AK parking lot. We get a chuckle every time we pass that point.

Bill From PA

 

[ArwenMarie]

We love short trips (we are also a 2 hour flight away)

The shortest we have done is four nights/3 full park days, although I could probably be convinced to do three nights/2 full park days

 

[heywagners]

We usually do 4 days (2 MK, 1 Epcot and alternate the last day HS/AK every other year). 3 days can be okay if you manage your MK expectations - especially if you can go in a not as busy time of year. As you said, ANY trip is better than NO trip!

 

[maxiesmom]

4 days is enough to get by. One park a day with the nights spent at Epcot.