Is it worth going for just a week ?

[Shocking Hocking]

Hi , We had our first Florida trip this Oct and are looking at going back again the same time next year but we can't take my son out of school like we did this year . I have seen a couple of holidays for one week but just wonder if it is worth it . We have a big holiday planned at Easter and one visiting my mum in the summer . Don't know if we should get a quick Disney fix in October or just wait and book for summer 2015 . We really enjoyed everything about going in Oct . If we do have to wait till 2015 I think we would enjoy going a bit further than just the parks and maybe do a little travelling . Any ideas or help would be welcomed . Thank you

 

[marypoppins81]

I think it depends on you. For us we would only go knowing we can enjoy it at our pace and take in most of what we want. That means a minimum of 14 nights as it is such a long flight. If you're happy to do things at a faster speed or miss out on some of the parks them it's fine.

Counting down to 14th May!

 

[orangetiggs]

We have done a week back in 2008 and it was fine for a quick fix but was just two adults, ot sure i would go with kids for a week

 

[BudgieMama]

We're planning our first visit, and have booked for a week as any longer was prohibitive due to cost and DH getting time off work. We did NYC in a week this summer and are happy to have quite a full on holiday, and prioritise as necessary... but that wouldn't suit everyone!

 

[marypoppins81]

I think it depends on you. For us we would only go knowing we can enjoy it at our pace and take in most of what we want. That means a minimum of 14 nights as it is such a long flight. If you're happy to do things at a faster speed or miss out on some of the parks them it's fine.

Counting down to 14th May!

 

[Kath2003]

Trying one week on the next trip. Only worth it if you're adults only and have good flight times IMO.

 

[flortlebap]

We did a 7 night trip in August and have an 8 night trip for next September planned.

It's totally worth it for us, but only if we don't take the kids! We do 14 nights with the kids because the pace has to be much slower, and you lose the first night because they're too tired to do anything after travelling. When it's just adults we can hit the ground running. We actually did more on our 7 night trip last year than our 14 night trip the year before that. But it worked for us because we have been so many times we have seen nearly all of it, so we can be picky with what we do and just leave the stuff we aren't crazy bothered about. If we hadn't been in 3/4 years we couldn't do less than 14 nights.

You would probably also have to just stick with Disney as you wouldn't really have much time to head off property with only a week.

Anyway in some circumstances it's totally worth it. It depends on your own touring style and how tired the kids would be etc.

 

[Tony Toon]

We've gone in October for a week a couple of times in the past and absolutely loved it. Our family were pretty well grown up by then so I can't offer any insight into doing a week with younger children in tow. We planned carefully before we went and did everything we wanted to and in all honesty it felt longer than a week! Absolutely loved it and would do it again without a doubt if we could. Would second the vote for good flight times.

Mrs TT

 

[BudgieMama]

We did a 7 night trip in August and have an 8 night trip for next September planned.

It's totally worth it for us, but only if we don't take the kids! .

I probably should have included that in my previous post- we don't have children in tow! That would probably change things!

 

[chmurf]

I wouldn't do it
reasons shot at random :
long flight, jet lag adjustment, florida heat, less time so faster pace and tendency to overdo it.

with kids it would be a nightmare (as far as my family is concerned, I'm not pretending to know what's best for other families)

I consider that 10 days is a bare minimum to justify sitting for 9 hours one way in a flying tin can

I guess one week in Florida sounds better than one week in Rainytown-on-thames, but I would rather save the money for a future longer trip, even if it means skipping a trip and postponing it 'til next year.

from my standpoint, one week is just too short for a european guest, because, we it basically takes us 2 days to go there and back, so one week is only 5 full days. A US guest will do that just fine. But with our friend jetlag ...

 

[Tarzan]

I probably should have included that in my previous post- we don't have children in tow! That would probably change things!

We went for 9 nights with a 5 yo, 6 yo and 5 month old.
It was due to a lack of annual leave availability at work. We had a great time and would definitely rather go for a week than not at all.

ETA Jet lag wasn't a problem and we had a lazy day at downtown Disney and another day at Florida Mall.

 

[pampat]

Only you know if you could cope with it, but one thought: if you come back after a week and your children go straight back to school the following day, will they be able to cope with the jet lag for a couple of days while trying to keep up with other children in their classes?

Pam

 

[Kath2003]

from my standpoint, one week is just too short for a european guest, because, we it basically takes us 2 days to go there and back, so one week is only 5 full days. A US guest will do that just fine. But with our friend jetlag ...

How did you figure 5 days? If I left today and came home next Saturday (7 nights), I'd have 6 full days there?

I agree with others - worth it if you don't try to cram too much in. Jet lag isn't really a problem since you'll be fine after the first night (at most you might wake up early and have to get another early night on Day 2, but nothing major for adults). The jet lag will be the usual when you come back (worse because you're getting up at what feels like the middle of the night) but that's the same for any trip duration.

 

[Elise79]

We must be the odd ones out here but will quite happily do 7 nights - and we our DD who is now 5. She has done all sorts of trip lengths over her short life - everything from 7 nights up to 16 nights.

On the short trips just make sure you have your priority list and you can't do everything.

Jet Lag isn't really an issue - first couple days you wake up early make use of it and hits the parks at rope drop. On the return you really need to know what works best for you. DD & DH sleep on the plane then stay awake all day till bed time while I have to have an afternoon nap. All of us are generally alright from the day after we land.

 

[wayneg]

We have also done short trips, we try stretch it to 9 nights if possible but done 7 nights no problem. You won't know til you try for yourself but we wouldn't think twice.

 

[chmurf]

How did you figure 5 days? If I left today and came home next Saturday (7 nights), I'd have 6 full days there?

7 nights including one on the plane. So 6 nights onsite, and 5 full days

here's from my standpoint, where we don't have direct flights to Orlando from Paris.

If I left tomorrow Sunday (for coherence, it's already mid afternoon) and came back next sunday (7 nights)
I would land in Orlando roughly at 7pm. Sunday (0 night, 1 day spent, 0 full day in Florida, barely enough time to do anything at night)

Monday (1 night and 2 days spent and 1 full day in Florida)

Tuesday (2 nights 3 days and 2 full days in Florida)

Wednesday (3 nights, 4 days and 3 full days in Florida)

Thursday (4 nights, 5 days and 4 full days in Florida)

Friday (5 nights, 6 days and 5 full days in Florida)

Saturday (6 nights, 7 days, but I have to be at the airport at 11am for my 2pm flight back to france with DME pickup at 10am, so that's not a 6th full day in florida, it's even impossible to hit a park in the morning)

Sunday (7 nights, including one on the plane, 8th day of the trip, but still 5 full days in Florida)

of course, a later flight on the way home can make it a bit more time in Florida, but hardly a full 6th day in most cases. Only 5 1/2 days at best

hope it makes sense.

 

[wayneg]

7 nights including one on the plane. So 6 nights onsite, and 5 full days

here's from my standpoint, where we don't have direct flights to Orlando from Paris.

If I left tomorrow Sunday (for coherence, it's already mid afternoon) and came back next sunday (7 nights)
I would land in Orlando roughly at 7pm. Sunday (0 night, 1 day spent, 0 full day in Florida, barely enough time to do anything at night)

Monday (1 night and 2 days spent and 1 full day in Florida)

Tuesday (2 nights 3 days and 2 full days in Florida)

Wednesday (3 nights, 4 days and 3 full days in Florida)

Thursday (4 nights, 5 days and 4 full days in Florida)

Friday (5 nights, 6 days and 5 full days in Florida)

Saturday (6 nights, 7 days, but I have to be at the airport at 11am for my 2pm flight back to france with DME pickup at 10am, so that's not a 6th full day in florida, it's even impossible to hit a park in the morning)

Sunday (7 nights, including one on the plane, 8th day of the trip, but still 5 full days in Florida)

of course, a later flight on the way home can make it a bit more time in Florida, but hardly a full 6th day in most cases. Only 5 1/2 days at best

hope it makes sense.

Thats not a traditional(as in a package) 7 night holiday. If you bought a 7 night package you would get 7 nights in the hotel, you wouldn't return until the Sunday and land back home on the Monday.
Now most of us book flight only we can do however many nights we want but a 7 night holiday is traditionally 7 nights in resort meaning 6 full days.

 

[Kath2003]

7 nights including one on the plane. So 6 nights onsite, and 5 full days

here's from my standpoint, where we don't have direct flights to Orlando from Paris.

If I left tomorrow Sunday (for coherence, it's already mid afternoon) and came back next sunday (7 nights)
I would land in Orlando roughly at 7pm. Sunday (0 night, 1 day spent, 0 full day in Florida, barely enough time to do anything at night)

Monday (1 night and 2 days spent and 1 full day in Florida)

Tuesday (2 nights 3 days and 2 full days in Florida)

Wednesday (3 nights, 4 days and 3 full days in Florida)

Thursday (4 nights, 5 days and 4 full days in Florida)

Friday (5 nights, 6 days and 5 full days in Florida)

Saturday (6 nights, 7 days, but I have to be at the airport at 11am for my 2pm flight back to france with DME pickup at 10am, so that's not a 6th full day in florida, it's even impossible to hit a park in the morning)

Sunday (7 nights, including one on the plane, 8th day of the trip, but still 5 full days in Florida)

of course, a later flight on the way home can make it a bit more time in Florida, but hardly a full 6th day in most cases. Only 5 1/2 days at best

hope it makes sense.

7-night holidays means 7 nights at your destination, not 6 + one travelling - that's a 6-night holiday. My 7 night holiday starts Sat, ends the following Sat, but don't land until very early Sunday - so 6 full days in my destination and 7 nights out there. Potentially, with an evening flight home, you could have 7 days in the parks (admittedly a shorter last day).

As it happens, I'm flying indirect, so I land in Florida early evening and leave early afternoon the following week. That still gives me 6 full days (and 7 nights) out there (Sun-Fri inclusive) - it's just that I arrive a couple of hours later (direct would get me there at about 3-5pm, so I lose out on 2-4 hours there) and leave a couple of hours earlier. I'm back in the UK by 7am on the Sunday. The "night" on the plane isn't part of my 7-night holiday (bonus 8th night?!).

 

[chocolateMinnie]

Hi , We had our first Florida trip this Oct and are looking at going back again the same time next year but we can't take my son out of school like we did this year . I have seen a couple of holidays for one week but just wonder if it is worth it . We have a big holiday planned at Easter and one visiting my mum in the summer . Don't know if we should get a quick Disney fix in October or just wait and book for summer 2015 . We really enjoyed everything about going in Oct . If we do have to wait till 2015 I think we would enjoy going a bit further than just the parks and maybe do a little travelling . Any ideas or help would be welcomed . Thank you

short answer is yes - in 7 trips only one was for three weeks and the other six for one week each. We managed to do everything we wanted to at WDW each trip plus a lot of lovely meals but only add one off-site day. Yes there are lots of things we would love to add if we had more time but we just make the most of the week we are ther (and relax when we get home )

Never had a full pool day though apart from our three week trip.

 

[flortlebap]

Thats not a traditional(as in a package) 7 night holiday. If you bought a 7 night package you would get 7 nights in the hotel, you wouldn't return until the Sunday and land back home on the Monday.
Now most of us book flight only we can do however many nights we want but a 7 night holiday is traditionally 7 nights in resort meaning 6 full days.

We think of it as 7 full days

Day 1 - travel, get to hotel for 5ish
In between - full days
Last day - 3/4 day, leave for airport at 4ish

By my logic, we are only an hour short of seven full days