Please help me decide--HH (5 nights) or WDW (4 nt's) with teens?

[mickeymom629]

Every time I plan a trip to HH, I end up cancelling it for a trip to WDW instead. I only have 165 points available for this coming spring break trip (including borrowing), so I made reservations at HH for April 9-14th. I figured that since we were in WDW last spring break and for 2 weeks in the summer, we could try HH and ride bikes and relax. (We did stay at HH for 2 nights in Jan. '03, but it was rainy, cold and the only thing my kids did was take off their winter coats to go in the pool)

Well, even though we felt like we needed a break from WDW after our summer trip, we are all feeling that need to be there (especially me!). HH is a 10 hour drive and WDW is 14 or more. I don't think we will be able to go back again until summer of 2007, so I am wondering if I should call MS and see if there are any two bedrooms at OKW for 4 nights (164 points).

Here's the thing--my kids are 12, 14, 16 (my 18 year old doesn't have the same break this year since he's at college) and I'm afraid they will be bored silly at HH during spring. I know they will enjoy the pool, but the ocean will probably be too cold. I know we will like to bike. I am not sure how much I will like driving just to get dinner somewhere, and I am so confused from reading reviews that I don't even know where we should plan to go. And if the weather is bad, we won't have much of anything to do--unlike WDW!

Anyone with teens have any advice?

 

[justloveit]

I gave my 16y/o DD the option of taking friends on vacation to the beach(HH) this summer, or to WDW. She chose WDW because there is so much more to do and she was bored at HH when we visited last summer. I found HH to be very laid back, which is more my idea of vacation, but the bored teenager kind of ruined the ambience! Good luck with your decision.

 

[Disneyaholic]

Why don't you let the kids decide. Since there are three of them, you don't have to worry about a "tie" vote. But try to be as objective as you can when you ask -- from your post it seems like you already have your preference. I know when I give my kids a choice like that, lots of times they will choose what they think *I* want, not what they really want to do.

BTW, you may be very pleasantly surprised by HH in April. This year is the first time in about 7 years that we aren't going for spring break and I will miss it horribly!

 

[ccw]

Or you could spend a couple of nights at HH on the way down and then finish up at WDW. We love HH but with teenagers I would choose WDW (and will be going there myself with three teenage boys in a few weeks for our spring break!) Looking forward to giving the boys some freedom to explore the parks, go to a baseball game, etc.

 

[westjones]

Or you could spend a couple of nights at HH on the way down and then finish up at WDW. We love HH but with teenagers I would choose WDW (and will be going there myself with three teenage boys in a few weeks for our spring break!) Looking forward to giving the boys some freedom to explore the parks, go to a baseball game, etc.

We like to do this too, but with Vero Beach. We go to WDW for 3 days and then head over to VB for two nights. Have you been there? My kids like it better than HH. I remember they had activities just for teens (my kids are younger). The beach is right down the stairs from the pool.

But we also tried stopping at HH for two nights on our way down to WDW. That worked nice too. So you get a little of both worlds. Since you are driving by the HH area, that might work best for you. Drive to HH and stay Sun and Mon then head down to WDW on Tuesday and check in. That gives you the rest of the week at the parks.

VB is a couple hours from WDW, so we usually start at WDW and then go over to VB before we end our trip.

DJ

 

[NMW]

I would ask them. I bet they pick WDW though!

 

[mickeymom629]

Thanks for the thoughts! Actually, OkW only has 3 nights available, so I put myself on a waitlist. But now, after reading your replies, I might just call MS today to see if the 3 nights are still available and stay at HH on the way back home. That might work out just great.

Appreciate the help!

 

[mickeymom629]

Well, just to follow up (if anyone cares)--as I was making the change in ressies, the CM said that the 4th night at OKW had opened up! I don't have more points for more nights (I already borrowed all but 1 from next year), but that's okay because I really don't know when we'll be back next. BTW, my kids definitely wanted to be in WDW. They couldn't believe that we would be only 4 hours away from WDW, if we were in HH. But I'm going to surprise them now! DH and I will pass by HH signs and say "Let's forget HH and go on to WDW!"

Debbie