Where other than Disney World for family vacation?

[Nutbean]

We've been to Disney World 3x in the last four years. We love it and it's pretty much the perfect family vacation for us as there is so much to see and do.

We're thinking of going somewhere else next year and were considering Universal Studios/Discovery Cove/Seaworld but with the newest Harry Potter expansion expected to be completed in summer 2014, we're concerned about crowd levels (we usually go in September specifically to avoid crowds and lines for rides).

Then we started to think about maybe trying Disneyland in California for a couple of days followed by a cruise to Mexico. Still undecided though.

Suggestions? Where, other than Disney World, do you love to go for your family vacations??

 

[kerplop]

If you want Disney then I'm a big proponent for trying out Disneyland instead. My feelings are that DL is now what I always loved about WDW, without the new things I don't like. Regular old FP, not having to make dinner reservations 6 months in advance, and better commitment to the guest. In my experience they're kind of going through the golden age right now with their park.

If you want non-Disney then there are literally thousands of places you could visit, depending on your family's interests.

 

[Upatnoon]

We've been to Disney World 3x in the last four years. We love it and it's pretty much the perfect family vacation for us as there is so much to see and do.

We're thinking of going somewhere else next year and were considering Universal Studios/Discovery Cove/Seaworld but with the newest Harry Potter expansion expected to be completed in summer 2014, we're concerned about crowd levels (we usually go in September specifically to avoid crowds and lines for rides).

Then we started to think about maybe trying Disneyland in California for a couple of days followed by a cruise to Mexico. Still undecided though.

Suggestions? Where, other than Disney World, do you love to go for your family vacations??

If your kids are old enough to enjoy cool sights and museums, Washington DC is a great place for a family vacation. And most of the attractions are free.

 

[DizneyLizzy]

National Parks! Depending on how much you like to drive, you can road trip it, or you can stick to parks that are close to major airports. You can also combine it with a day or two in a big city.

-Yosemite is close to Lake Tahoe/San Fran.
-Olympic National Park, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Saint Helens are close to Seattle
-Acadia National Park is not too far from Boston


Lots more, but these are some examples.

 

[gtpoohbear]

We love the national parks too! You can easily spend a week in the larger ones exploring, and if you do some planning and research there are a lot of guided tours and programs that are great for families. Our favorites are Glacier, Yosemite, and Yellowstone.

While I would love to go to Disneyland sometime, if you are looking to change things up, I would think outside the Disney bubble (gasp, I know!) even if just for one year.

If you are into beach vacations, Beaches resort in Jamaica is great for families. (Just don't go in June unless you like rain. Speaking from experience unfortunately, lol!) Atlantis also looks interesting, but I've heard a lot of complaints about it being so over-commercialized.

Big city vacations have a lot to offer as well. We had an awesome trip to Chicago a few years ago, and are planning one to DC/NYC next summer.

My big goal before the kids are grown is to do an ABD trip, depending on your budget that might be worth looking into as well. Getting to experience something exotic while knowing Disney is going to take care of you seems like the best of both worlds

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[DizneyLizzy]

We love the national parks too! You can easily spend a week in the larger ones exploring, and if you do some planning and research there are a lot of guided tours and programs that are great for families. Our favorites are Glacier, Yosemite, and Yellowstone.

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Glacier is my absolute favorite. It's quite a journey to get there if you are traveling from the east coast though! When we went, we flew to Boise and drove north. It was a bit of a drive, but one of the most beautiful I have ever taken.

I think you can fly to Kalispell from some cities.

 

[ErinTwinmom]

If you are fans of fort wilderness and the hoop-de-doo you might consider Branson Missouri. It hits a lot of the same buttons as Disney but in that country way. They keep things on the wholesome side, there is a nice amusement park and waterpark and a ton of theater and dinner theater. Lot of nice hotels but close to the lake of the Ozarks which has lots of nice campsites and rentable cabins if that is more your speed. Also you can rent watercraft to play on the lake or fish.
It was never my favorite vacation spot but next to Disney I can't think of a place more family friendly.

Ps
Did Disneyland at the end of June and it was awesome. I loved it and wished we had stayed more than 3 days. Then we did some southern California and visited grandparents. Lego land is for little kids I'd skip if yours are older than nine and I felt truly guilty about giving sea world my money with as run down as the animal exhibits were, I wish we had tried Knotts instead.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

We loved Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and the Badlands, but we're a tent camping, hiking family. Bugs and blisters are not for everyone.

We also enjoy cruises because you can take your kids somewhere very different, while still having a "home away from home" and food for picky eaters on board the ship, and sea days where you're all forced to relax and dress up for dinner. I've heard the very short cruises to Mexico can have more of an adult party atmosphere than longer cruises, though.

We really enjoyed our trip to San Diego/LA because there was a wide variety of things to do, from theme parks to museums, zoos, day cruises, and Hollywood. We flew into LA because it was much cheaper, drove down to the San Diego area for a week, then headed back to LA for a couple days. This is making me want to go back.

I don't know how old your kids are -- we've decided to wait until the youngest is a bit older to see D.C. so they can all learn something. We also like Chicago for a long weekend because the whole city/museum/public transportation atmosphere is so different from home, but it's very family friendly.

 

[dminnie]

Age of kids?

National parks...many of them are not so remote that you can't have a hotel room. Check out Jr. Ranger programs at them. Smoky Mountain Ntl Park., Rocky Mtn. National Park are both great. Acadia. Amazing sights, trails, waterfalls. Washington DC...amazing how much there is there to see and good food. Get a hotel near the metro and you're all set. Montreal also has so much to do and tons of good food.

 

[Legendteri]

We live in MO, so we like to go to Silver Dollar City for family vacations. In a small way, it is like Disney as in it has a definite theme as opposed to an amusement park. The food is pretty good too.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

Branson, MO
Gatlinburg, TN
Nashville, TN
Washington, D.C
San Antonio, TX