Will 3 nights at WDW feel too short?

[writur]

Planning our first family trip to WDW for this Fall (kids 5 and 3). We have in-laws in Orlando so will hopefully get to WDW every few years (yay!). So, we're not trying to fit everything into this trip, as much as I have the urge to do so. We were originally thinking to go for 3 nights/4 days:

Day 1: 1/2 day at MK
Day 2: full day MK
Day 3: 1/2 day Epcot, 1/2 day MK
Day 4: 1/2 day HS or AK

But now that I'm planning out our time, it seems so short. I don't want to spend all that $$ and feel rushed or like we missed out. Or, maybe with small kids, that will be more than enough time and we'll be ready to go home. Any opinions?

If we add a 4th night, it would up the cost by ~$300. Which at this point, frighteningly enough, seems almost marginal.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

I'd add the extra night, and not worry about what you may not get to see or do. I'm going on my 31st and 32nd trips in June, and I still haven't seen and done everything. Do you mind if I ask where you are staying?

 

[Mikie]

Well, on a site for plannngDiney vacations, of course the answer is yes! Any trip feels "too short!"

You will most certainly NOT see everything in that time, and "feeling rushed" will, I think, come down to how much you tell yourself "I'm coming back, I don't have to do it all!"

If you are willing and able, I'd add the day, turnEpcot into a full day and AK a full day, leaving still 1 full plus 2 half at MK and DHS as a half day.

 

[LaurenT]

It would seem way too short for me. But it's subjective .... even when I stay two weeks it seems too short!
But you have young kids and you'll be back. Do the three days, get a feel for what you like and you'll have a better idea of exactly what to do next time...

 

[nilla]

As long as you don't expect to see anywhere near everything during this trip, I'd say it's better than nothing! Plan heavily and use your time wisely when there.

 

[Joshuy]

No matter how long or short you go, you need to have the attitude of planning well ahead of time, then being flexible once you get there. No matter what, you can't do everything and that's okay. Just keep repeating "we'll be back....we'll be back...." that makes me happy and more relaxed.

 

[lahobbs4]

When we do a short trip like that, we stick to two parks. Three at the very, very most! We don't park hop and with your little ones you need to really concentrate on the ones they will enjoy the most right now. I agree that Epcot is a full-day for our family (our kids are 6 and 5).

HS isn't a draw for my kiddos. They sat through the Disney Jr show once and don't care to do that again. Toy Story Midway Mania is great, but mine are just as happy on Buzz Lightyear at MK. But, your kids might be obsessed with Jake and the Neverland Pirates or Sophia so that park would be a MUST for your family. I hope this helps even just a little.

 

[writur]

Thanks for the quick responses! Glad to hear it's better to plan a full day at Epcot; I told DH that, but he remembers being there as a kid and thought it would be too old for our kiddos (I didn't go there until I was a teen and loved it).

We were only planning to park hop b/c my ILs will be camped out at the Food and Wine Festival. But maybe I'll tell them to come to us and put the $$ saved on tickets toward the 4th night.

@Jenny Sanders -- we haven't booked yet, but are looking at a monorail resort. Given the trip is so short, I don't want to spend hours waiting for and riding buses each day. Leaning Contemporary b/c of all the construction at Poly. Hoping for the % room discount...

 

[starsweeper]

We can only make 5-day trips because we drive down during fall or spring break. I have young kids (8,8,4,3) so we focus on MK. If you could add another day, I would so it's not so rushed.

Here's what we did during Spring Break:
Day1: 1/2 MK, 1/2 HS
Day2: MK
Day3: 1/2 MK, rest at resort after 2:00pm
Day4: MK
Day5: AK, leave for drive home by 3:00pm

Our October 2015 trip plans:
Day1: Epcot FW & World Showcase (if kids get bored, hop to MK)
Day2: 1/2 MK, 1/2 HS
Day3: 1/2 AK, rest at resort after 2:00pm, MNSSHP evening at MK
Day4: 1/2 Epcot FW, 1/2 MK
Day5: MK

 

[Anne5555]

We went for 4 nights in September and spent 4 hours or so at Epcot that first night, 1 day at Hollywood Studios, and 2 days at the Magic Kingdom--only 3 1/2 days in the parks. We had free dining so spent more time at sit down meals than we would have otherwise. We didn't do everything, but we felt we did enough. My daughter met so many princesses, and we rode scores of rides. Another day would have been nice to have some down time, maybe just rest at the pool and do some activity that night. By day 4 some of us were getting tired and foot sore. I felt so rushed to make our fastpasses and catch as many rides as possible between shows at DHS that I did not notice the scenery very much or take as many photos. We did like Hollywood Studios for the Toy Story ride and meet and greet, other character meets, Muppets show, frozen singalong, Star Tours, Beauty and the Beast show, and Fantasmic. It was a full day park for us.

 

[lillyshula]

My husband and I went last June as part of a honeymoon trip. We spent two days in the Disney parks. With us, we went to Animal kingdom and Magic Kingdom one day, and Hollywood Studios and EPCOT on the second day. We did everything on our must do list and had a great time. Would we have liked to spend more time in the parks? Sure, but it was a great trip. With young kids though, it may be easier not to hop too much. When my girls were younger, we would only hop once or twice the whole stay. My girls loved nature more, so Animal Kingdom was more of a draw for them then Hollywood Studios.

It seems like no matter how long your vacation at Disney is, it never feels like enough time. If I was in your shoes and could swing the extra $300, I would. It would give you a little more time to explore or even go back to favorites on the last day. One of my favorite memories was from a vacation in 2012 where on the last day we went to every park and rode our favorite rides one last time!

On the other hand, you could stick with your original plan and save the $300 for souvenirs or put it towards your next vacation. If you are pretty sure this will not be your only vacation to Disney, it doesn't hurt to miss out on some things and hit them next time. My five year old (was three her last Disney trip) will enjoy our trip this May more than she did in 2012 because she has helped plan out what we will be doing. She will get to experience more rides and won't be as shy meeting the characters.

 

[hookedonears]

Planning our first family trip to WDW for this Fall (kids 5 and 3). We have in-laws in Orlando so will hopefully get to WDW every few years (yay!). So, we're not trying to fit everything into this trip, as much as I have the urge to do so. We were originally thinking to go for 3 nights/4 days:

Day 1: 1/2 day at MK
Day 2: full day MK
Day 3: 1/2 day Epcot, 1/2 day MK
Day 4: 1/2 day HS or AK

But now that I'm planning out our time, it seems so short. I don't want to spend all that $$ and feel rushed or like we missed out. Or, maybe with small kids, that will be more than enough time and we'll be ready to go home. Any opinions?

If we add a 4th night, it would up the cost by ~$300. Which at this point, frighteningly enough, seems almost marginal.

During many of our trips, we've only stayed 3 nights. Staying only 3 nights, four days actually helps avoid burnout. It will feel short, and you will hate leaving, but it also guarantees that you will be planning your next trip immediately. It also makes planning and use of time extremely important.

FP+ has made park hopping a much more viable option. It does appear that the MK is a priority for y'all, with 2 of your 3 days there. On day 2, I would consider only a 1/2 day at the MK and 1/2 day in the afternoon at AK. On day 3, in the afternoon, I would consider a 1/2 day at DHS instead of MK. We always love ending our trip at the MK, our favorite park by far. I would consider ending your trip the last 1/2 day at the MK. That would be 1-1/2 days at the MK and a 1/2 day at each of the other parks.

 

[Fantabulously Cherry]

In a word, YES! LOL! My Feb 2003 trip was only 3 days. I kept wishing for an extra 4 days. Either way, 3 days at WDW is better than one most other places.

 

[ktlm]

For us, that would be a very short trip, especially when DD, now 9, was 5 and under because you really do move slower with littles. We have been every year since DD was 2. Her first trip we did 2 days MK, 1 day EPCOT, 1 day DHS and 1 day AK (AK turned out to be half a day with the rest of the day back at MK since she was not an AK fan). That trip we were in EPCOT 1 day from open to close and felt we did not have enough time. Since that first trip with her, we have done 2 days at EPCOT every trip. For a trip that short, we would probably just do MK and EPCOT, and skip the other 2 parks. My DD would disagree with your DH that EPCOT is not for pre-schoolers. EPCOT has been DD's absolute favorite park other than MK, since she was 2-- there are princesses and other characters all through World Showcase, Nemo Ride, Turtle talk with Crush, boat ride in Mexico, Figment, Living with the Land, Club Cool (if you don't mine them getting sugared up), performers in World Showcase, Agent P missions (your 5 old might really like those but may need some help), Soarin (not sure if your 3 year old is tall enough- DD was when she was 3), Spaceship Earth, aquariums, and I'm sure a bunch of other things I am missing. DD has always ranked Biergarten at EPCOT up with Princess meals- loves that German band and dance floor. If you can swing the time and money to add a day or two, I would do it.

 

[GillianP1301]

It would be too short for me, but honestly any time seems to short to me. If you can comfortably add the extra night, then I would do it. If you can't, then you will still have a great time. I think in your shoes, I would probably not try to do all the parks, especially knowing you will be back pretty regularly. I would probably do something like

Day 1: 1/2 day at MK
Day 2: full day EP
Day 3: full day MK
Day 4: 1/2 day HS or AK

 

[tlmadden73]

Yes ..

BUT . since you can't do it all .. just enjoy it. I would suggest just even doing two parks and just three park days (since you only have half a day that first day) ..
I would even not bother with the park hopper either for such a short trip (save a little money there too).

I'd almost prefer short trips (but more frequent) than the giant week-long trip. (As a matter of fact .. I took my son (2) last October for a 2 park day trip (spent the other days pool or Downtown Disney) .. .we enjoyed it so much that we are doing it again (4 nights, but just two park days) in August. The theory is to not wear out the little one (and us)

 

[Jenny Sanders]

You could always save money by staying at a moderate resort like POFQ. It's the smallest resort, and the bus waits have never been that bad. I've stayed there 3 times, with a 4th visit coming up in June. I would also skip the park hopping. It tends to take up a lot of time.

 

[tink9702]

yep too short! ha ha

In all seriousness I'd drop the Park Hopper (your kids are young to go from RD to close anyway) and do this schedule:

Day 1: 1/2 day at MK
Day 2: full day MK
Day 3: full day at Epcot
Day 4: 1/2 day HS or AK - I'd consider leaving as late as possible for home on this day and making it at least until 3pm to make it worth it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Planning our first family trip to WDW for this Fall (kids 5 and 3). We have in-laws in Orlando so will hopefully get to WDW every few years (yay!). So, we're not trying to fit everything into this trip, as much as I have the urge to do so. We were originally thinking to go for 3 nights/4 days:

Day 1: 1/2 day at MK
Day 2: full day MK
Day 3: 1/2 day Epcot, 1/2 day MK
Day 4: 1/2 day HS or AK

But now that I'm planning out our time, it seems so short. I don't want to spend all that $$ and feel rushed or like we missed out. Or, maybe with small kids, that will be more than enough time and we'll be ready to go home. Any opinions?

If we add a 4th night, it would up the cost by ~$300. Which at this point, frighteningly enough, seems almost marginal.

For us, it would seem short for a vacation. But time is much longer than zero nights. If the option was 3 nights or not at all, then I would go for 3 nights. We lived in Virginia for 4.5 years and could not go to Disney has often. Frankly, 1 day would have been sufficient if I could have gotten down for it.

Unless one were staying for 2 weeks or more, you would be hard pressed to find time to fit it all in. I would suggest enjoying and making the best of what you are able to do. 3 nights is plenty to enjoy.

If the 4th night is doable, I would add it.

 

[WhispyPixie]

any amount of time at WDW is "too short"