How many days should we stay?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
How many days should we stay?
17
Mon, 11-26-2007 - 7:32pm
Ok it's our first trip & we'll be going to WDW the first week of March, I just made our flight reservations! So dh & I & my girls are 11 & 8 it is our first trip. (Actually dh & I have each been when we are kids, but it barely counts--so long ago). We are flying in from Alaska and spending about 11 days in Florida. We'll want to do a few other things though. I'd like to stay onsite for the Disney time and then move to a different hotel for the remaining time. About how long should we plan?

VickiSiggy.jpg picture by mamalahk

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Avatar for preludejf
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Mon, 11-26-2007 - 8:12pm

How about 1 day for each park: Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot and MGM = 4.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-21-2007
Mon, 11-26-2007 - 8:26pm

Hi! How exciting! What are the non-Disney things you definitely want to do/see? I'd start there and then plan rest of the trip at WDW. Someone else, I saw, suggested one day for each park...in my opinion that is not enough! I'd get at least six park days, including two for Epcot, (which is the largest and really could count as two parks: Future World, and the World Showcase) and an extra one that you could split into water park in the morning, and a "repeats/favorites" afternoon...Also, six days is the least amount of time where you could do all the theme parks without feeling like you're rushing all the time and stressing out...particularly if you've all never been before!

My DH and DS9 and I were there this past August for 9/10 days - and didn't leave WDW at all! It was SO nice to be able to take mid-day breaks and enjoy the pool and know we'd have the chance to go back and ride our favorite rides more than once! And we STILL didn't do it all - not even close! We spent two days at the MK, two and a half days at Epcot, one day each at the Animal Kingdom and the Disney Studios respectively (now DIsney Hollywood studios), and half a day at each of the water parks...arrival and departure days were spent traveling and just relaxing by the pool - we flew in from Oregon, so I can almost imagine your long flight! Now I'm not advocating necessarily that you don't leave WDW...I think it would be very possible to go see Sea World or the Kennedy Space Center, etc...but I would leave a week for Disney if at all possible!

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-23-2005
Tue, 11-27-2007 - 12:53pm

I think your girls are the perfect age for Sea World.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 11-27-2007 - 1:58pm
Yes Sea World was one of the main things I wanted to do besides Disney. Other than that I was just going to do some reasearch to see what else to do. Thanks for the info my dh is retired military so I'll look in to that Anh-Busch Heroes thing.

VickiSiggy.jpg picture by mamalahk

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 11-27-2007 - 1:59pm
Thanks yes it sounds like at least 4 days is needed!

VickiSiggy.jpg picture by mamalahk

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 11-27-2007 - 2:04pm

Thanks I'm sure we could spend our whole trip at Disney and enjoy ourselves . . . but I'd like to get my kids to Sea World. Also my dh has an aunt & cousin there in Orlando so we will need to spend some time with them. I'm hoping it's spending time with them while we go see/do stuff! ; ) I did want to take them to a good zoo as our zoo is mostly arctic animals. Is the Animal Kingdom like a zoo/safari place or is it rides & attractions?

The flight is at least 12 hours both ways with layover time etc. I'm not happy about that. I really was preferring to go to DL just because the travel time would be easier. But dh would like to visit with his family too.

VickiSiggy.jpg picture by mamalahk

Avatar for cl_ktbugsmom
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 11-27-2007 - 4:06pm

Being retired Military, check out Shades of Green for your resort. It typically books up extremely quickly, but you could luck out and have some openings during your 11 day stay - or get really lucky and get it for your entire stay! The website is www.shadesofgreen.org After that I woulc check first what value resorts are available and then compare those prices to the Downtown Disney Resorts. Since March is peak season you will be paying a premium for onsite rooms (but it's not the most expensive season!) and Downtown Disney may be a more finacially feasible bet for you. Also when you're on the phone with Shades of GReen, ask them if they still have overflow rates at the other resorts and what they're offering. Hmm so actually, go about that backwards - get figures for Downtown Disney and Disney values and THEN call Shades of Green so you know if their overflow rates are good.


Animal Kingdom is 'nah ta zu'.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-21-2007
Tue, 11-27-2007 - 7:34pm

FWIW, I agree with Sonya about the "blend" of animals and attractions at AK and think you'll love it! The more zoo-like parts are the "trails" in "Africa", "Asia" (so, not Arctic! :) and the area around the Tree of Life. Make sure to talk to cast members there, they are very knowledgeable and will answer tons of questions. You also will probably want to do the Safari more than once (at different times of the day! In fact, my advice would be to get there super early to do it first thing in the morning, then get a Fast Pass to do it again in the middle of the day, and again at the latest time possible- find out ahead of time what time they close the day we're there, since it may be earlier than the closing for the rest of the park!) Just ignore the "spiel" after the first time, and concentrate on the animals!

Last time I went to Sea World I was a kid, and this last time we were in Florida we didn't do it because DH and DS weren't interested enough for us to go through the trouble of renting a car, etc...but I do wish we had, I missed it! So I think that's a good call on your part. What else are you wanting to do while there? And where will you go with your relatives??

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 11-27-2007 - 9:39pm

I wouldn't want to go for any less than 6 full days--one day for each park with a second day for MK and Epcot. There is just so much to see and do, and even then, you won't be able to do everything, or even close to it. Are your dates Spring Break? Close to Easter? I can't remember off the top of my head, but that time of the year is generally busier.

I hope you have a great trip! Where else are you going?

Steph

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2003
Tue, 11-27-2007 - 9:58pm

If I were going to be in Orlando for 11 days (by the way does that include travel so really you only have 9 days?)

I would spend 7 nights on site at Disney with water park option and then I would spend 4 nights on site at Universal Studios. I would spend one of the nights I was at a Universal hotel and go to Sea World that day. I think your kids are at the perfect age to do all of these places.

That would be a great vacation!

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