When to go?

[Skiton]

Hi everyone,

I am wanting some advice about when would be the best year to plan a WDW trip for our family. We have two boys (7 and 9) and we've taken them on 3 DL vacations, and our 3rd Disney cruise is coming up in December. We've been waiting on WDW because it will be an expensive trip and I want them to have stamina enough to be in the parks for the better part of the day (which they don't at the moment).

That said, I think anytime in the next few years would be fine, but I'm reading about all of the construction and closures currently going on at WDW. If you were to pick an upcoming year when at least some new stuff would be open, when would it be? This may be a once-only trip for us and I want to have a great experience, not one in which everything is closed and all the new areas are being built. We don't mind waiting.

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[Number Six]

If the new Star Wars land is important to you then I'd look at about 2020.

 

[Laura's Dad]

By that time Avatar, Pixar, and Star Wars lands may be completed. It would be tough for me to wait that long, however.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

Now or sooner. After all, DL is going to be under construction for Star Wars Land until probably 2019. So unless you're going to confine your next few trips to DCL, what's the difference with visitng WDW before Star Wars Land is completed there, too? There's so much to do at WDW, you won't feel like your family is missing out. All that's closed at WDW is the back half of DHS, and there wasn't a lot going on back there in the first place anymore, anyway. Pandora is being built in the old Camp Minnie-Mickey area at AK, and that's no big loss either, at all. Besides, given your family's track record, I bet you'd be back if you liked WDW. So what's to lose by not waiting?

 

[Chant124]

Just go when you want...WDW will always have new things opening...Although I don't always agree what they close forever and replace with something else I always have a good time.

 

[kappyfamily]

I agree with above, I wouldn't let construction stop you. That is the one constant for sure. If you wait 2 years, 11 and 9 years old are great ages to go! I start taking my kids at 6 to WDW, much younger at DL and they had no problem adjusting to the bigger parks. I just made sure we took breaks in the middle of the day. To be honest my husband and I needed the break more then they did. Have fun planning, it's VERY different then DL!

 

[LENNON500]

Go as soon as you can and enjoy!
If your little one's are into Star Wars, there's already tons of options for them in the parks now to give them their fix
There will always be something new being constructed, there will always be ride closures, there will always be change.
As Walt said:
“Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world. It is something that will never be finished. Something that I can keep developing and adding to.”

 

[GaryDis]

I'd wait until 2018, maybe 2021.

First, you know your kids better than we do, so you're a better judge of their stamina. But objectively, there's something to be said for having the older one at age 14, when he'll be allowed to go off on his own, perhaps with his brother. WDW is very safe, so it's a good place to give a kid that sort of responsibility (assuming he earns it), it can make it memorable for both of them, and give you some downtime. That doesn't mean the entire trip, just an opportunity now and then.

The Avatar area in AK is scheduled to open sometime in 2017, which could mean December, and we know how Disney is with schedules these days. That's why I say plan for 2018. But it may not have that much meaning for these boys (have they even seen it?), so I'm not sure it's compelling enough. Who knows when the new Star Wars or Toy Story areas will open? But 2021 isn't an unreasonable date.

I don't get into the "do it now" Millenial mentality, especially giving weight to your comment that it might be a once only trip. Sure a trip now would be enjoyable, but if that means giving up a trip in two or five years, it's a bad trade. It's not as though there are no other things for the kids in the intervening years.

 

[Skiton]

I'd wait until 2018, maybe 2021.

First, you know your kids better than we do, so you're a better judge of their stamina. But objectively, there's something to be said for having the older one at age 14, when he'll be allowed to go off on his own, perhaps with his brother. WDW is very safe, so it's a good place to give a kid that sort of responsibility (assuming he earns it), it can make it memorable for both of them, and give you some downtime. That doesn't mean the entire trip, just an opportunity now and then.

The Avatar area in AK is scheduled to open sometime in 2017, which could mean December, and we know how Disney is with schedules these days. That's why I say plan for 2018. But it may not have that much meaning for these boys (have they even seen it?), so I'm not sure it's compelling enough. Who knows when the new Star Wars or Toy Story areas will open? But 2021 isn't an unreasonable date.

I don't get into the "do it now" Millenial mentality, especially giving weight to your comment that it might be a once only trip. Sure a trip now would be enjoyable, but if that means giving up a trip in two or five years, it's a bad trade. It's not as though there are no other things for the kids in the intervening years.

Thank you, this is exactly what I was thinking. And I probably wasn't clear enough in my original post. I know we could go tomorrow and have a wonderful time, but I think we'd have an even better time once Avatar, at least, is complete. I know my DH would love it, at any rate. Going before that would be like going to Universal before they opened Harry Potter and then wishing we'd waited.

Even if we went in early 2019, my kids would be 10 and 11 and much better able to cope with long days, I think. I don't want to run everyone into the ground, but once you factor in airfare, hotel, park tickets and everything else, I do want to get our money's worth (rather than ending our days at 3:00 like we do at DL right now). DL isn't such a big deal for us, it's an easy flight and we don't need a whole week there, so we've been able to take several shorter trips (and will in the future). WDW is a whole different animal in terms of logistics, so I want to make it count.

 

[Accident]

If your going to wait years, 5 years is the 50th anniversary and some whispers I've heard say it's going to have huge things coming for it.

Destination D is in november (convention all about disneyparks). I'm hoping to hear some timeline news come out of that.

What I'm seeing, there is going to be something worth waiting for opening every year for awhile..

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Oh my gosh, no. Waiting until the oldest is 14 would be too long, IMO.

They are already at the end of phase where they believe in the magic. I've been with a number of kids of all ages, and while I agree you know their stamina best, the seven year olds have all been troopers at WDW. The adults usually tire before the 7 year olds.

And there's no telling what will the future holds for any of us. I speak from the experience of having multiple family members that can no longer enjoy WDW with us.

Whenever someone says WDW, I always advise Daily walks starting 30 days before arrival. They'll do wonders for your stamina. It also matters what time of year you go. In summer, we take breaks to escape the heat, but most of the year we don't.

[Another lesson we've learned is to avoid the sugar-bomb crash. WDW is full of sugar bombs. We eat some sweets, but mostly late in the day, in small portions (share one item). We avoid sugar-bomb breakfasts at all costs. Alcohol can be even worse! ]

The longer you wait, the more costs will skyrocket. And WOW, are they skyrocketing!!!!! There's airfare, food, rental cars, hotel rates, tickets, and more. Policies also change; things that were once included are now an extra fee. (park hopping!)

New rides = bigger crowds = MUCH longer waits ALL DAY EVERY DAY!!!!

I've been going to WDW for many years. I don't regret going when WDW was just MK, not one bit. The one trip that was a bit rough was the first one we took post 9/11. (Let us hope we never have anything like a repeat of 9/11.)

If you want to wait for something specific, then wait, but others are waiting too. If I have learned ONE thing from all my trips to WDW, it is to zig when others zag. Our best vacations happen when we don't do what others do.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Sure a trip now would be enjoyable, but if that means giving up a trip in two or five years, it's a bad trade. It's not as though there are no other things for the kids in the intervening years.

Sorry, but there are no promises in life. We have no idea what will happen five years from now.

Carpe diem!


When people look back on their lives, it is the things they didn't do that they regret the most.

Carpe diem! It is an ancient expression that dates back to (at least) 23BC!