Is a short trip worth it?

[landshark]

I keep contemplating going back to WDW in September, but I'm not looking to make a full week+ of it like the last two times I've been there. I'm itching to go on vacation again, so I'm also looking to keep costs down. After researching prices and park hours here's the schedule I've come up with:

Sun. 12: arrival around noon / MK (9-12am)
Mon. 13: HS (9-10pm)
Tues. 14: Epcot (8-9pm)
Wed. 15: AK (9-8pm)
Thurs. 16: ? / departure around 5pm

Every day is chosen based on EMH and I'm not looking to do everything possible. Just relax and focus on the things I really love--no TS restaurants, though. This way I also won't need my beloved Park Hopper option so that's some money saved. Since AK's quick for me to get through, I've even considered leaving later that night.

With all that said, is it really even worth bothering to fly all the way down there for such a short time?

 

[sissy_42]

I keep contemplating going back to WDW in September, but I'm not looking to make a full week+ of it like the last two times I've been there. I'm itching to go on vacation again, so I'm also looking to keep costs down. After researching prices and park hours here's the schedule I've come up with:

Sun. 12: arrival around noon / MK (9-12am)
Mon. 13: HS (9-10pm)
Tues. 14: Epcot (8-9pm)
Wed. 15: AK (9-8pm)
Thurs. 16: ? / departure around 5pm

Every day is chosen based on EMH and I'm not looking to do everything possible. Just relax and focus on the things I really love--no TS restaurants, though. This way I also won't need my beloved Park Hopper option so that's some money saved. Since AK's quick for me to get through, I've even considered leaving later that night.

With all that said, is it really even worth bothering to fly all the way down there for such a short time?

Many people go on vacation for less time then you have scheduled here. I fly out of town for long weekends at least every other month. To me it is worth it. You have to decide if it is worth it to you.

 

[Pjimmeyer]

In my opinion it would be well worth it. I like your schedule and I think any time at Disney is worth it. I would finish up with MK...I love starting and finishing with MK.

 

[cbg1027]

I think 3 full park days would be worth it. I don't know if I would consider a trip with no TS restaurants though - but I love Disney food and it's a huge part of my trip. So you have to consider what your priorities are.

 

[jblrn2b]

Any amount of time at Disney is worth it!!!!

We are taking an impromptu trip in Jully for 3 nights.

I have just told the kids pick 2 things you must do and then well go from there. So psyched because we've never been in the summer and its too cold in Feb when we usually go to do the waterparks so we are going to do that one day!

Have fun your trip looks fun!

 

[landshark]

I think 3 full park days would be worth it. I don't know if I would consider a trip with no TS restaurants though - but I love Disney food and it's a huge part of my trip. So you have to consider what your priorities are.

Believe me, lack of TS restaurants is a big disappointment for me after eating at so many great ones last year. But it is extra money I don't really need to spend when I'm just as content eating CS, especially after finding places that aren't just burgers and chicken nuggets (although I will admit to craving a nugget now and then ).

 

[antmaril]

Our trips to WDW have never been longer than five nights. I am going in December for three nights. I love Disney and have been there many, many times. However, five nights (or less) are all I need.

 

[JoShan1719]

Definitely worth it. It's nice to go for longer periods of time, but shorter trips are fun too.

 

[Pig Pen]

Sure! I went down in April for 4 nights and had a great time.

 

[pepe of ohio]

What I consider going on vacation is the cost of travel, if I'm going to spend alot of money to get there, and it's a long trip, I'm going to make the travel cost worth the while and spend longer than 4-5 days there. I can't even count arrival and departure day in this tally with a few days of parks, I want to relax and enjoy the resort and be plain lazy while visiting the parks. If it were a few hour drive, yes, good idea but if booking flights for 2, at the rates they are going for, short trips are not even considered for us. When travel costs more than the stay, I'd stay home, and wait till I can go more days, for us the longer the better.

 

[monarchsfan16]

I did a 4 night trip last month. Yes, it is worth it. I've been to Disney enough at this point that I don't HAVE to do everything, and I've learned how to get what I want to do accomplished in a short amount of time. I'm also always planning my next trip back, which helps a lot too. Sure, I've got things I want to do, but if the heat got to me, I simply said, "next time".

I know you're trying to save money, but if you can possibly swing it, I'd really suggest NOT cutting out the hoppers. I'm a grad student, so I absolutely understand the limited vacation fund concept. But with a short trip, if something happens (delayed plane, hurricane, not feeling well, etc), you don't have an extra day lying around where you can play catch up. I've had an interesting run of luck the last few trips, and have frequently found myself adding an extra park or two to my plans in a day to catch up on things I hadn't been able to hit on the originally planned day for various reasons.

 

[mom2clr]

I am taking a very short solo trip Jul 3-4. I do know that if the 3 of us were going, or even just DD2 and I, I wouldn't consider anything less than 5 days. The cost would not be worth it for us. However, since it is just me, I think it's worth it.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

In the past, before we moved from the DC area, 12 of our 41 trips to WDW were 3, 4, or 5 nights. And there was never a rush to "do things" as we just wandered and/or did our favorite or new attractions.

 

[tx2tn]

We recently did a short trip to WDW. The harderst part was realizing that we couldn't do ALL the parks on this trip. The second hardest part was deciding which one NOT to do. For us it was Animal Kingdom.

We like short trips and longs trips. Pretty much anytime in WDW is a good time!

 

[skysmom99]

I certainly hope so! I'm planning a similar trip for my family in November, arriving around lunchtime the first day and leaving around 5 pm on the 5th day. It's not the money thing for me at this point but time to go when it is not A) "I'm going to melt into a big, greasy puddle" hot, or B) so busy that you can't ride anything w/o waiting an hour.

I did a 3 night stay with a group of high school senior last May, and though it was short, we saw and did a ton.

I'm personally going with the mindset that if I don't get to see or do something it's just all the more reason to go again soon.

 

[teach22180]

I think it depends on the situation. I decided I'm not waiting until retirement to see DW in the fall, so I'm taking a 4 night trip this October using my 3 personal days at work. In this situation, my focus is on enjoying a resort I'll probably never stay at again and not being too hot, and also spending a lot of time at the park I can walk to, strolling through the Food and Wine Festival. It will be really different from last trip when I spent parts of 3 days at AK, saw a lot of parades and enjoyed having a boat to DTD.

We are lucky that we can go more than once, so each trip can be different. Of course, if I thought I could never go back again, 5 days would be kind of stressful.

 

[SusieBea]

In December, March, and May, we drove from southern SC for only 2 nights each trip. It was well worth it. Had enough time to have a couple really good meals each trip and spend some time doing favorite things in the parks. Just do it!

 

[Shelton123]

I keep contemplating going back to WDW in September, but I'm not looking to make a full week+ of it like the last two times I've been there. I'm itching to go on vacation again, so I'm also looking to keep costs down. After researching prices and park hours here's the schedule I've come up with:

Sun. 12: arrival around noon / MK (9-12am)
Mon. 13: HS (9-10pm)
Tues. 14: Epcot (8-9pm)
Wed. 15: AK (9-8pm)
Thurs. 16: ? / departure around 5pm

Every day is chosen based on EMH and I'm not looking to do everything possible. Just relax and focus on the things I really love--no TS restaurants, though. This way I also won't need my beloved Park Hopper option so that's some money saved. Since AK's quick for me to get through, I've even considered leaving later that night.

With all that said, is it really even worth bothering to fly all the way down there for such a short time?

That's longer than all the trips we have taken :O We probably will take a 5 night trip this summer though... having been there for short trips every single time, I'd say it's definitely worth it.

 

[GrumpyMom25]

Last summer we were at the beach in FL and I couldn't stand being that close and not going to Disney. We got up at 2 a.m., drove straight to a park, spent 3 nights off property (they had no decent room deals going at the time) and spent 1 day in each park. It was well worth it to me.

 

[terbethk]

I've never spent more than 4 days at the world per trip (excluding my upcoming trip which will be 8, lol, big difference!), and of course its always been worth it. We always see everything we want to see, once DH and I were only in the world for two days and saw almost everything we wanted.