First trip to WDW - how many days?

[breezy8407]

Sort of an intro here... I have been on the boards for years and recognize many names here. Diving into Disney planning for fall 2018! I have twins that will be 6 when we travel.  I am super overwhelmed to say the least.  

We are using a travel agent - we have booked many vacations with her starting with our honeymoon 10 years ago, so I trust her. 

So far we are starting high level planning, but the initial prices she gave me was 7 days/7 nights, staying on Disney. Is this too long? Have you enjoyed going to some parks twice? Will we be exhausted and over it?

H brought up Legoland and possibly a beach day, but I think we would get the best value by not staying on Disney if we did that for 1-2 days. Plus I worry it won't be warm enough in November to actually swim anywhere within a drivable distance from Orlando.

Bonus question: I would really like to stay at Beach Club, but H doesn't think the price is worth it. If you have any raving reviews of why you would recommend it over something lower priced (Pop Century, Port Orleans, Coronado Springs) please let me know. I think the location and amenities (from what I can tell online!) would make it worth it. 

[minionkevin]

Our last trip with my 3.5 year old and 1.5 year old was 6 days 5 nights and I told DH we need 1 more day next time. Of course, I also said that last time, when we stayed 5 days 4 nights. We didn’t stay in a park past 6pm due to bedtimes/mealtimes. We only had a single dinner reservation IIRC. Both times we took late afternoon flights home so we could have half of a park day. Next time if we did one more day I’d do a full day at AK - our kids will be older and able to ride more there, we did that last half day both times - and more time at Disney Springs.

[minionkevin]

And yes, I think more than 1 day is necessary in MK. I mean, we had one day in Fantasyland alone + rode Tomorrowland Speedway, that’s it. EPCOT in one day is doable but I liked having one Future World day and one World Showcase day.

[taratru]

The value resort rooms are tiny and only have double beds. Also the lines at park closing for the bus back to the resort are super long, which results in a packed bus (but move very quickly). The restaurants are better at Beach Club, and the biggest draws for Beach Club are walkability to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Pop is a bus ride everywhere, and Port Orleans and Coronado both have within-resort bus loops, which makes travel time even longer.

When traveling with school groups, we stay at Pop because it's cheap and the bus line is direct and dedicated. I can't *stand* riding back longer than I have to at night. If you have the money, I'd go with Beach Club. The pool there is the best on property, so if it is warm, the kids will love it.

In regards to park time, every park needs 2 days except Hollywood right now, imo. There is SO much going on. We are staying 5 nights this summer and I feel like it won't be enough.

[bowies]

We are going for 8 days/7 nights in April. With our flights we’ll have 7 full days there. Two of those days are planned pool days. There are so many amazing resort pools that we don’t feel compelled to travel anywhere else. Major caveat: my H and I grew up in Florida and live on the coast now so the beach is NBD to us. It can stay warm there for quite a while (it was in the 80s on the Space Coast at Christmas the last time we were there), but I don’t know if the water would be ok for swimming. Gulf side will have warmer water than Atlantic side. It’s also the best side, yes I’m biased.

As far as Beach Club being “worth it” I’m not sure I can answer that! It depends what is important to you. It is known for its prime location and pool.

[curbsideprophet]

No, I don’t think that is too long.

We have been for a week before. Our upcoming trip 8 nights. We have 7 day park hopper tickets. The more days you add the less each day costs. We have resort/pool time planned for parts of most days. Other than HS, we are going to each park more than once.

We are staying at Beach Club Villas, so I will be able to comment more on that in a couple month. We rented DVC points for this stay.

[Wines Not Whines]

I don't think 7 days is too long if it's your first trip there. It's nice to be able to revisit a park on a second day.

I love the Beach Club! It's one of my favorite Disney hotels. It's newly renovated and has a fantastic pool. It's a short walk to Epcot and a longer walk or short boat ride to Hollywood Studios. It's a very convenient location. When we stay there, we like to get park hopper tickets so we walk over to Epcot for dinner in the World Showcase on multiple nights. The Beach Club is attached to the Yacht Club and across a lake from the Boardwalk, so there's a lot of dining and entertainment options nearby.

[kkfeb04]

It was 90+ when we went in November 2015. We didn't do Disney but went to Disney Springs and Legoland. We stayed at Daytona Beach Shores for a wedding and it was 93 at the wedding. HOTTTTTTT, the coldest day was 88. There was no one om the beach, it was great.

We are going next month and plan to swim, the pools are heated. Also 7 days.

[alleinesein]

You need at least 4 days to do the parks if you do one park per day, 1 day for rest and pool time and at least 1 day to go back to the parks to check out what you missed. Travel days can be a wash depending on your flight times.

[pisces]

H and I took our 2 year old in September last year for 5 days 4 nights. We wish we stayed longer.

We also had the park hopper + option on our tickets and went to both water parks. Which was nice when the sun was blazing in the middle of the day. We only went to Disney Springs once and wish we would have made it back another time if not 2 more times.

[revolution]

We usually go Sun - Sat. Get park tickets for 5 days (we don't use them on arrival or departure day). We do 1 day at each park and 2 days at MK. We don't do waterparks as we go in the winter and it has never been waterpark weather. And we have yet to venture outside of the disney bubble.

Next trip I might push for Sat - Sat.

ETA:  We don't do a rest day or a resort day.  We are at the parks M-F.  Disney Springs is usually arrival day.  We venture around the resort on arrival day and throughout the week as time allows.

[MDmomof2]

We went in September with DD (9) and DS (6) and did 8 days/7 nights. We had 6 day park hopper passes and spent 2.5 days at MK, 1 at HS, 1 at Epcot, 1 at Animal Kingdom. We then did 1 day at Universal Studios. So we were at a park the day we arrived (1/2 day at MK) then every day except departure day. Honestly, I could have used a rest day in there but I don't regret it!

[elcjet]

Our last trip was 7 park days, and we were pretty much done by the end of day 7. We did every park twice except for Hollywood Studios, and had Park Hoppers so some of them had partial nights as well. It made it less rushed, and we liked that. But I literally made us do everything, and I had every second of the day planned. We were exhausted.

This next trip is going to have 8 park days, 10 nights. We'll take 1 day in the middle to do nothing, then hit every park twice except Hollywood Studios. More Park Hoppers, too....just in case. We're definitely slowing down on this trip and I scheduled everything so that the mid to late afternoons are unplanned -- lots of opportunity to go back and let the kids have some pool time and rest before heading back out to have later dinner and watch fireworks. I figured out last trip that my family is incapable of making it to rope drop, so we will sleep, do late morning fast passes, and just hope it all works out.

[covergirl82]

Our first Disney trip was 8 days/7 nights and it was perfect in terms of length (because you almost have to subtract two days for travel). We did 5 park days. We crammed so much into the park days and it was exhausting. (Our next trip is the same amount of days, but only 3 park days.) Your travel agent should plan Fast Passes and meals in a manner that doesn't result in backtracking/walking back and forth across the parks all day, but check with them just to make sure.

Definitely get the park hopper tickets - that will give you flexibility to go to a different park for the fireworks/light show if the one you want to see isn't scheduled for the day you plan to be at that park all day.

If it were me, I would try and rent DVC points at Beach Club, as that is a much more affordable way to stay there. (We are renting DVC points at the Polynesian for our upcoming trip in December. It's only around $400 more, for the same number of nights, as when we stayed at Caribbean Beach in October 2016.) I have heard great things about Port Orleans too.

You may want to consider renting a stroller.

[krystee]

I think eight days is perfect. Two each at Epcot and MK, one each at HS and AK, a resort day to relax at the pool, and a Disney Springs, water park, or resort touring day.

[cleo29]

I say go for as long as you can. This will allow you not to rush everything, have plenty of time to enjoy the pool, etc. I love the Beach Club, it is a favorite. Being able to walk into two parks is HUGE. I love being connected to a theme park.

This year we are staying at Animal Kingdom Jambo House. It is a great resort and the kids are all about the animals, but I will miss just being able to walk into Epcot.

[breezy8407]

Thanks for your help everyone. I just got done booking our flights and paid our deposit for Port Orleans Riverside for 11/20-11/27.

I am sure I will be around more now that this thing is really happening!

[revolution]

Yay! We stayed at POR our first trip! LOVED IT.