Staying For Free From 8/9/15-8/14/15. Need Advice.

[ybeshsm77]

My husband has a business trip coming up. We are going to drive down from New York State to Disney World. I have two children, a 12 year old boy and a 8 year old girl. We went to Disney last when she was 4 and my son was 8 in late January. No crowds then. We will be going from 8/9 to 8/14 (a Sunday through Thursday). maybe stay one extra day so my husband can do Disney too. We get the hotel room totally for free and we also get paid mileage for driving down, along with my husband getting reimbursed for his meals.
I am afraid of the crowds that week. Our main cost will be Disney tickets. I was thinking of doing only two days at Disney. One day seeing cirque du soleil, another day doing Downtown Disney, and also pool days. What else can we do besides Disney. I have a minivan to get around in. Can do Sea World also. Is that just as crowded? I saw that if I do more than two days at Disney, that I might as well do 4 or more because there isn't as much of a cost difference. How many days is recommended? We will likely get to do this trip again. Next time my husband’s conference will probably be in February for Disney, a year or two out from now. I would rather do more days then. Also we are visiting In-laws the week after Disney, in Florida. They are only a 20 minute drive from the beach. This does not need to be an intense Disney World trip. Just want a little taste of it all. If we only do Disney for two days, which days would you recommend?

 

[ybeshsm77]

Forgot to say we are staying at the Swan and Dolphin Hotel.

 

[MSSANDRA]

My thoughts are that by doing four days instead of two, the crowds will be a bit less of an issue because you have a bit more time and be a bit less rushed. It will be busy, but some schools in the south go back to school that week so it will be a bit less crowed than earlier in the summer. It will be HOT. If you do four days, you can do rope drop, take a mid day break from the heat and return at night. Does DH's conference offer the after 4 tickets so he could join you late evening? Cost doing four days will be less than adding other activities. If you are doing the beach the next week, swimming may be less of an issue.If you choose two days, I would do the days in the middle of the week to avoid people doing a long week-end.

 

[ybeshsm77]

I actually never heard of, or read about, after 4 tickets. That might be a real possibility. He works for a large company. I will have to have him find out about that. We have never done this trip before with his company. You are right in that we are going to be at the beach each day the following week. Can still take breaks to do the pool. Thanks for the info! This advice does help!

 

[rachael95]

You can also check with the conference main desk. I was at a conference down there a few years ago and there was a very cheap ticket designed for "last day of the conference" I got to go even before 4p.m. for 1/2 price on that single day ticket. The ticket was through the conference, not my work. So even if your husband's company doesn't know, you might be able to purchase something for him once you do get down there. He might even be able to email the conference organizers beforehand and find out.

 

[MandiC]

If it were me, we'd just do Disney if you are looking to be cost effective. Adding more days isn't a huge cost compared to doing something else. Since it will be August you *could* do a day at one of Disney's waterparks or even just a day at the pool at your hotel.

 

[Happyjen27]

You will be less stressed by crowds and heat if you have more days to do Disney. I would do 4 days, so you feel better about taking breaks when you need to.