What is your typical length of a trip?

[TwingleMum]

Lately we have been going for 5 days which IMHO is too short its just what we could fit in now. How about you? What is your ideal length of trip (realistically not if you won Lotto , that's another discussion.)

 

[Bullseye]

11 nights, 12 days has been our thing for about eight years running. But last day is just travel day home. We only do one trip a year so I make it last. Although we're thinking about spitting between two 7-8 days trips instead in the future. Number of park days have been diminishing though as the years go on. You can only do the same things so many times.

 

[CynBeth]

We usually go for 9 days and visit every few years. We also have a few days for other area attractions.

 

[snikki]

9-10 days every 2.5-3.5 years.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Lately we have been going for 5 days which IMHO is too short its just what we could fit in now. How about you? What is your ideal length of trip (realistically not if you won Lotto , that's another discussion.)

So I voted 4-5 days but really our averages are 2-4 days. Our longest trip ever was 4 park days and 5 hotel nights and our shortest trips have been just 1 day as we drive in so no real travel required. I'd say our sweet spot is 3 park days and 4 nights. We might skip a park or hop (especially a lot more now since you have to have a park reservation and there are times we only book a few days prior so I just take what I can) and like to do 5 nights but we usually tack on family visits, beach time or other travel with Disney so we cut it short. I could see if we only went every 2-3 years then we would probably stay longer. I laugh when people say they only have 6 or 7 days in the park, how will they get it all done, it's like seriously, how could you not get it all done, that seems like so much time.

 

[godfather927]

I answered 7-8 days but it varies in our case since our kids are still young. When my kids were infants/toddlers and my dad still lived north of Orlando, we would only do single day trips to MK. When they had gotten a bit older, we had planned for a longer trip right before covid hit. We finally went on a 6 day trip (5 park days) back in April. We're now planning to go again at the end of the year for our longest trip yet (total of 12 days due to super high costs for the flight, we figured we might as well stay longer to get our money's worth.)
Not sure how bored we'll be after 10 park days considering we were just there in April, but we'll find out soon enough. Ideally, for us I think 7 or 8 days is kind of the sweet spot for an annual trip.

 

[Bullseye]

So I voted 4-5 days but really our averages are 2-4 days. Our longest trip ever was 4 park days and 5 hotel nights and our shortest trips have been just 1 day as we drive in so no real travel required. I'd say our sweet spot is 3 park days and 4 nights. We might skip a park or hop (especially a lot more now since you have to have a park reservation and there are times we only book a few days prior so I just take what I can) and like to do 5 nights but we usually tack on family visits, beach time or other travel with Disney so we cut it short. I could see if we only went every 2-3 years then we would probably stay longer. I laugh when people say they only have 6 or 7 days in the park, how will they get it all done, it's like seriously, how could you not get it all done, that seems like so much time.

Belle, I'm just curious are you a Floridian? I could see 2-4 days being ideal if I lived within an hour or so. We're retiring to Florida in about six years and I expect that's probably going to be my average stay once when we do.

 

[barb969]

We do Sunday - Saturday, 6 nights, so we don’t have to deal with weekend crowds.

 

[godfather927]

We do Sunday - Saturday, 6 nights, so we don’t have to deal with weekend crowds.

Counter-intuitively this isn't actually an issue in the parks, since on-average, crowds are thinner and wait times are shorter on the weekends according to Thrill Data. This seemed to be accurate with what we observed when we were there in April. Possible exceptions include epcot weekends during festivals, but even then, thrill data shows that it's mostly a wash compared to weekdays.

 

[Beachmom0317]

5-8 days 1-2x a year. We like to enjoy the resorts so we do 2 parks usually and enjoy the resorts, DS, enhancements

 

[Magical2017]

A week is perfect.

 

[MEC004]

We did 5 last time and it wasn’t enough. We are going 10 days with 6 park days/2 travel days/1 resort day.

We like to do MK our first and last day. This time we are adding two visits to HS. 1 day for each Epcot and AK.

 

[maleficent55]

Never been so just voted with what our November trip is planned for which is 10 nights, so 11-12 days

I couldn’t figure out how to make it any shorter one wanting to double up on some parks and also having rest days

 

[gatorlisa]

3-4 days is my average. Have only done a 7-9 day trip 3 times, when on an annual pass. All other trips have been just taking a few extra days along with a weekend to make a long weekend trip and doing 1-4 park days. The week long trips have been fine as a novelty, but I think in the long run the shorter trips are better for me. I'm in GA about a 7.5 hour drive away.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Belle, I'm just curious are you a Floridian? I could see 2-4 days being ideal if I lived within an hour or so. We're retiring to Florida in about six years and I expect that's probably going to be my average stay once when we do.

Former Floridian, we're South Carolinians and about 6-7 hours away depending on traffic. We just like to torture ourselves by driving lol. We've gone down for weekends, quick day trips when we've tied disney into a family visit etc and we've decided to go down sometimes as late as two days before however we don't do that as much anymore since our kids have so much more going on with school and park passes block us out sometimes. If we had to fly, we'd def not go as much. We might be on the same plan, not retiring but looking to move back when our kids finish high school.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

9-10 days.
Used to start flying out on a Friday afternoon. Changed to Friday morning which we liked cuz it gave us more time to relax and explore the resort. Then grab dinner somewhere.

Then in 2019 we figured let’s get the last flight out on Thursday night. Which is great…..if there are no delays which there were.

2021 and our trip to CA last month we left Thursday morning. Still relaxed and explored and grabbed stuff to eat, but we figured we’d rather leave last flight in the afternoon Thursday (so let’s say that’s 4 pm-people only have to take a half day or can leave early given we are close to our local airport).

Only time we won’t leave Thursday night anymore is next year depending on when the cruise we want to do leaves.

And we always leave the next Saturday.


I should note we always incorporate a day at a water park (although a friend just did discovery cove and said it was the best day of the whole trip and the best operations by a SW owned park on said trip) and a day at universal (though when epic universe opens that will obviously change lol)

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

I consider 8 nights to be the minimum on just about any trip/vacation which requires flying (which includes Disney for us). My ideal for Disney is 10 or 11 nights, because I prefer shorter park days and time to enjoy the resort and relax. Little one just started kindergarten though, so our upcoming trip is 8 nights to avoid taking her out of school for more than a week.

 

[TwingleMum]

.

Former Floridian, we're South Carolinians and about 6-7 hours away depending on traffic. We just like to torture ourselves by driving lol. We've gone down for weekends, quick day trips when we've tied disney into a family visit etc and we've decided to go down sometimes as late as two days before however we don't do that as much anymore since our kids have so much more going on with school and park passes block us out sometimes. If we had to fly, we'd def not go as much. We might be on the same plan, not retiring but looking to move back when our kids finish high school.

Our son is in College in SC and the last 2 years we pick him up at the end of the semester drive to WDW spend 5-6 days and fly home. This trip I cheated and I am flying directly to WDW a day ahead **AHEM** to get the hotel room "ready" so they just come straight to the room after driving. It's a sacrifice, I know having a whole day at WDW by myself but somehow I will struggle through.

 

[klmall]

We have done as short as 4 nights and as long as 8 nights for our upcoming trip. Most trips have been from Maryland but now we are living in Colorado so driving isn't reasonable. Sometimes we drove from Maryland but I vastly prefer to fly if possible so we don't arrive tired.

I would love to do two weeks just one time probably partly on site and partly in a house off-site to slow down and enjoy rest days which I have never done on any trip other than a half day at Disney Springs on our MVMCP party day. Maybe next trip after this one coming up!

 

[Genie+]

5 or 6 days.

We’d prefer 8 or 9 days if only we had the time. Someday…