Should we start at the beach or Disney World?

[uramr]

We are considering a trip to Florida next year that will start several days before Easter and go until the Saturday after Easter with half the trip at Disney and the other half at the beach. Currently we are trying to decide if we should start at the beach or Disney. If we start at Disney, we will be there over Easter weekend.

Where should we start--at Disney or the beach?? Any thoughts or advice? Thank you!

 

[kbelle8995]

Well if you went first to Disney and then to the beach it might be a nice relaxing end to your vacation. However Disney will be packed on Easter weekend, its a tough choice.

 

[MainMom]

Starting Easter weekend? I would choose the beach first.

 

[uramr]

We had originally planned to start at the beach but one of the crowd caldendars has the days leading up to Easter a little less busy??

 

[Kobey]

Hi, you're the lucky recipient of my first post here. Figured it was time to quit lurking so much.

I was in a bit of the same situation for my trip this year. I decided that since we live up north and I'm day-glo white, even with sunscreen I might make a mistake and get burned. If that happened, the rest of my Disney vacation would be pretty miserable, so we're going to the beach after all the parks. That way if we do get a sunburn we'll be at the end of our trip anyway.

 

[lizard1]

I'd do Disney first and then the beach because I always feel like I need a vacation after I go to Disney.

 

[ghtx]

Hi, you're the lucky recipient of my first post here. Figured it was time to quit lurking so much.

I was in a bit of the same situation for my trip this year. I decided that since we live up north and I'm day-glo white, even with sunscreen I might make a mistake and get burned. If that happened, the rest of my Disney vacation would be pretty miserable, so we're going to the beach after all the parks. That way if we do get a sunburn we'll be at the end of our trip anyway.

That's a good strategy, but keep in mind that you will be (at least your face and arms will be) out in the sun all day at WDW too. In fact I am outside for more hours when I am visiting WDW than when I am visiting the beach.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

It will be crazy the entire trip, so my advice is to choose between the following:

Start at the beach to acclimatize to the heat or;
Start at WDW so the vacation can end with a restful few days allowing you to return to work relaxed instead of exhausted.

I would do the former since we are not commando WDW tourers...

 

[mom2rtk]

We have done a lot of Beach/Disney trips. I very much prefer Disney then beach (for recovery). But given that it means you'd be there Easter weekend, I would do beach first.

 

[cakebaker]

We usually do the beach after Disney. 1) it's a way to rest up for the drive home and 2) it gives us something to look forward to and helps ease the pain of leaving WDW!

 

[Kobey]

That's a good strategy, but keep in mind that you will be (at least your face and arms will be) out in the sun all day at WDW too. In fact I am outside for more hours when I am visiting WDW than when I am visiting the beach.

Thanks for the welcome. I guess I'm not white all over, my arms and face get a lot of sun. It's my legs and torso I'm worried about. Somehow wearing shorts at Disney every day doesn't seem to get me a lot of sun on my legs. Maybe it's the covered queues, but last time I came back after a week just as white as when I got there. I didn't do any pool time though, so that could have made a difference.

It's probably nothing to worry about if you're responsible enough to apply sunscreen regularly. (I'm not very diligent with it. I tend to think about sunscreen after I've already started to burn.) I made up my mind to keep the beach for last after a friend of mine went this Easter and did the beach first. He burned his ankles so bad he had to miss out on golfing and was in pain the rest of the trip. So even though it should be easily preventable, I can't take the chance that my common sense could be on vacation at the same time I am.

 

[MrsDuck]

Pft, beach first, then Disney. It's a good way to end a trip and the beach may be a kind of disappointing after the fun and excitement of WDW!

Seriously though, you can't go wrong!

 

[Hootch]

We have always done Disney first with a restful break at the beach.

 

[kenny]

unless you are huge beach people I would say beach first. The excitement and action is disney can lead to a let down after and bum out your beach half

Instead of relaxing after your disney trip rest up at the beach before. Disney will be just as crowded week after easter as week leading up. That being said you have long days ahead of you. Use the beach to rest and hit the park running!

 

[housetomouse]

The week leading up to Easter is (I think) worse than the week after Easter. Normally I'd say go to the beach after Disney, because you'll need to relax, but in your situation, I think you're better off going to the beach first and going to Disney after Easter Sunday. Then again, I don't know when the school breaks are in 2016. Historically, many schools have their break the week leading up to Easter and go back to school the Monday or Tuesday after Easter Sunday. This is probably still the case, even with Easter being a bit early in 2016. Correct me if I'm wrong, anyone!

We have gone 3-4 times the week leading up to Easter (sometimes leaving on Easter) and it is crowd level 10 nutso in the parks (and in the church we went to - no parking, standing room only in an outdoor tent). Magic Kingdom has stopped letting people in a time or two for a few hours the years we were there, but it wasn't a big deal - it never lasts for long. But this is a week you probably need to go to rope drop if you don't want to be in a sea of people all day. It's really crowded!

 

[GovieMom]

We had originally planned to start at the beach but one of the crowd caldendars has the days leading up to Easter a little less busy??

Don't pay attention to that; all the days at WDW during the two weeks surrounding Easter will be jammed.

 

[gtpoohbear]

I would do the beach first, simply because I'm always sad for a few days after leave WDW, and I don't think I would enjoy the beach much at that point. Is just be wishing I was still at Disney the whole time!

 

[Rosebud123]

Tough, tough choice. Although I first wanted to suggest ending with the beach to get some relaxation, I think WDW is so much more fun and exciting and it's always nice to save the best for last.

Guess I'd look at easywdw's calendar and stay in WDW at the lower crowd dates. Actually, what I'd do is maybe just drive to the beach for one day and stay at WDW the whole time!

 

[Planogirl]

Hi, you're the lucky recipient of my first post here. Figured it was time to quit lurking so much.

I was in a bit of the same situation for my trip this year. I decided that since we live up north and I'm day-glo white, even with sunscreen I might make a mistake and get burned. If that happened, the rest of my Disney vacation would be pretty miserable, so we're going to the beach after all the parks. That way if we do get a sunburn we'll be at the end of our trip anyway.

Welcome Kobey! Your comment about getting burned makes a lot of sense. I was ready to jump on the beach first bandwagon too until I read what you said.

 

[dispooka]

Also depends where you are traveling from. We like to do the beach first since we are coming from the west coast. That way we can adjust to the time change before we have to get up early for rope drop.