Should I add an extra day??

[Anitsirk24]

I am in the beginning stages of planning my trip, which is now looking to be May instead of September We are looking to leave on May 2, and drive down from NC (around an 8 hour drive), and come back on May 8. I originally planned for 5 park days, and park hop.

My question is...should I add a 6th day to my ticket? Cost wise, it will only be a little more to add it (not enough to make or break me), but I am just not sure about doing a park on the day of arrival or departure. But I know my DD is going to be dying to get to the park on arrival day and I could see her wanting to go the departure day.

Although I know I will be tired of driving, I think being able to walk around will be nice after driving. But I also don't want to waste a ticket if we dont need it.

What do you think??

 

[Dan Murphy]

Welcome to the dis, 24.

As for the ticket, go for it, make your daughter, and you also, smile.

 

[HollieS]

Go for the ticket. You can FP 3 rides and spend the rest of the time just enjoying the atmosphere. Just because you're in a park doesn't mean the day has to be go go go.

 

[KenDoll]

I would add the day for arrival. We drove from NJ ( about 17 hours) and growing up the worst was finally getting there and having to wait the whole first day even if we arrived at 1-2pm we still waited for our whole first day and it was the worst as a kid! Since the cost I believe is like 11-12 more between 5 and 6 day ( it's something around there) it's almost a no brainier. Even if you are tired and you only go for 3 hours to a park just to ride one ride or see one show you get the excitement and magic that you waited for the whole drive! I'm not sure if you are DTD fans or not but we usually save our last day for a round of mini golf and all our DTD shopping, it is not as exhausting as being in a park for ten hours but it still lets you have some final disney magical moments for a few hours before you hop into the car. I hope you have a wonderful trip!

 

[Figmentmommy]

I am in the beginning stages of planning my trip, which is now looking to be May instead of September We are looking to leave on May 2, and drive down from NC (around an 8 hour drive), and come back on May 8. I originally planned for 5 park days, and park hop.

My question is...should I add a 6th day to my ticket? Cost wise, it will only be a little more to add it (not enough to make or break me), but I am just not sure about doing a park on the day of arrival or departure. But I know my DD is going to be dying to get to the park on arrival day and I could see her wanting to go the departure day.

Although I know I will be tired of driving, I think being able to walk around will be nice after driving. But I also don't want to waste a ticket if we dont need it.

What do you think??

We drive also and love having arrival day tickets. The one year we didn't we went to dinner and did some late night swimming which was great - but I know we all missed being able to walk around the parks- even if just for a few hours! We don't do departure day tickets.

 

[swedie]

The adrenaline is up on arrival day, everyone's excited - use it to your advantage.

We drove from SC, about an hour less drive than yours. We were in the car at 6:30am (packed up the car night before with everything except our cooler), drove down, stopping for breakfast, arrived about 2 pm. We were able to get into our room, which we had checked in on-line, had a quick lunch/dinner and arrived at MK by 4:00 pm.

FP+ worked out great for the first day - we were able to get 3 attractions we wanted...no worries, and we went to MVMCP that night, staying until close!!

Again FP+ worked out great for our first full day. Knowing our arrival day was a looonng day, I set up our FP+ for later in the day at HS, this way we could get up when we wanted to and take it easy getting to the park, we were still able to do a lot before our first scheduled FP @ 1:00 pm, but we didn't have to rush in the morning.

This was the first time we did not get hoppers, and we did not miss them. I think with the advent of FP+ it is not as necessary as before. I would not get them again prior to a trip - you can always add them once you arrive if you think you'd benefit from them. Granted, we were there at a time with earlier park closings, so there wasn't much of an option for hopping, but I would use that $$ to get the extra day instead and tour the most recommended parks for each day. Why set up feeling the need to hop - what's wrong with going to the same park after a break at your hotel or another hotel - but that's a totally different topic!

You will have a great time whatever you do (In the scheme of how much you are already spending - a few extra hours in a park is worth the cost of adding a day, knowing you will get 3 of your favorite attractions)

 

[Figmentmommy]

Go for the ticket. You can FP 3 rides and spend the rest of the time just enjoying the atmosphere. Just because you're in a park doesn't mean the day has to be go go go.

We did this on our last trip. We had our 3 FP scheduled for MK, enjoyed dinner at Chef Mickey's in between those FP times and just walked around taking it all in. It was a great way to kick off our vacation!

 

[Laketravis]

My question is...should I add a 6th day to my ticket?

Definitely.

 

[sammons70]

You can never have enough days in the World. Add the extra day.

 

[Bete]

Make your daughter a deal. If she leaves very early for departure that you'll agree to going to the park on your day of arrival.

One other consideration is that you get a nap before going to the park. It wouldn't hurt for daughter to do the same.

I wouldn't worry about settling in until the next day.

Try to pick the park with extra late magic hours on your arrival day.

When you consider the cost of an add on day it's reasonable not to get a full day at the park. Go for it.

For departure day I would go to the park with the extra early hour. Get in some park time. Ask for a late check out and catch a nap before driving home.