I'm also going 12/23-1/5 with the kids. Staying in suites across three Disney properties (deluxe properties at that). Spending a pretty penny. We're going to be moving and want to do something fun with the kids before everything kicks off.
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
How old are your kids? I think my fiancee (no pics) and I are lifers. We're already talking about taking a week just the two of us later in the school year.We just got back. Didn't want to go in late July/August but due to schedules we had no choice. Man was it hot but the kids had a blast. Wife (no pics) was not happy with the changes from fast pass to genie but she got used to the app quickly and we actually got on more rides than the last time we went. Did a day at Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Universal and Seaworld.
It was a good time but kids are getting older and it will be the last time we go.
8, 11 and 16How old are your kids? I think my fiancee (no pics) and I are lifers. We're already talking about taking a week just the two of us later in the school year.
Both of our kids (from other relationships) are 11 currently. Still planning on going every year at least once as a family, but we've been going to Disney since we were kids. She had annual passes to Disneyland growing up, my grandparents took me to WDW every summer when I was a kid, too. Definitely understand that it can be expensive, and depending on when you go, stressful. I hope you got what you expected out of it.8, 11 and 16
This was our second time to the parks. Everyone enjoyed the vacation. Many other places we want to visit.Both of our kids (from other relationships) are 11 currently. Still planning on going every year at least once as a family, but we've been going to Disney since we were kids. She had annual passes to Disneyland growing up, my grandparents took me to WDW every summer when I was a kid, too. Definitely understand that it can be expensive, and depending on when you go, stressful. I hope you got what you expected out of it.
If you aren’t staying onsite, the trip won’t be nearly as fun. I say that from experience.Taking the kids to Disney towards the end of the year, will be arriving about a week before Christmas on Friday Dec 16 and can start visiting parks on Sat the 17th, will spend that week visiting the parks with some rest days built in and then will drive from there to in-laws (2 hours away) on Christmas Eve to spend a few days with them.
We are staying off property because it's cheaper and you get better lodgings.
Looking at getting the tickets soon, but seems like there is a lot to it. We know we are going to want to get the DAS pass for our kids. Don't think I will need the park hopper add on.
Any other advice on the trip? There is a ton of information out there and the whole thing is a bit overwhelming. (I've never been to Disney FYI not even as a kid.)
Right on! We want to do a European vacation, but that will also have a trip to Disneyland Paris in it.This was our second time to the parks. Everyone enjoyed the vacation. Many other places we want to visit.
Disney would be a great place to take kids if it wasn't packed full of adults without kids. A few years ago, we were in California for a vacation, so we spent a day at Disneyland. To each their own, but I just couldn't wrap my brain around the number of adults without kids that were there.
I get the few that are there out of nostalgia, like maybe a trip every 10 years or so or a day or two holiday But the hardcore Disney people blows my mind. I’m speaking of the ones with full matching disney clothes and what not. Crazy to me.
Enjoyed watching my kids and joy on their faces. That is by far the best part and really the only reason we go to the parks. Next was the two days spent on the beach in Sarasota.Right on! We want to do a European vacation, but that will also have a trip to Disneyland Paris in it.
Happy you had fun. What did you enjoy the most, aside from bonding as a family?
Shocking for the chap who is tortured into paralysis by analysis as to whether to get, or not get, a slow and sear, vortex, or griddle for his grill... 😃
Luckily, one of my wife's good friends is an anal retentive accountant, as is her husband, and they went the previous year. They did all of the research and analysis, and then my wife just hermit crabbed what they did.Yep, that me. 😄
There were about three times that we sat down to try to figure out a Disney trip and started putting it together.
Twice we said "eff it, instead of spending $9k and a week of vacation days, let's spend $1800 and do Universal on a long weekend."
The other time we decided to go to Yellowstone.
The thing that gets me is not so much the price itself, but it is the sheer magnitude of the experience. So many parks, such large parks, so much planning required...you get into this thing where it just snowballs, because if you're going to do it, you want to do it. If you're going to do "Disney with the kids" because everyone else their age goes, you don't want to have them come back and be like "No, we didn't stay for the fireworks. No we didn't ride on Mickey's Outhouse Adventure because the line was too long. No we didn't go to Animal Kingdom", etc.
But with each thing you accomodate that is "make sure you don't miss ____!", the price goes up, the number of vacation days goes up, the meals in the park go up. It goes from being something you might do again in a couple years, to something maybe you'll go back to again, to a once in the lifetime expense, and that just begets more incentive to make sure you see and do everything. It's a vicious cycle until you're in for 8 days and $15k, or somebody's going to be disappointed.
I think if I lived within a couple hours in Florida, it would have been different. Take a trip in, go to Magic Kingdom. Maybe a couple years later do Animal World and/or the movie one. No pressure to get it all. Or if I would have been just satisfied to take the kids down for one day at Magic Kingdom, see what they see, and check it off the list.
But yeah, that analysis kicks in, and it's just a cycle of "well, if we're already doing/spending X, it almost doesn't make sense not to do/spend Y." Universal is just right sized to do in two days, stay one night on site with included fast pass, and get the eff out without using half your vacations days and five years vacation budget.
Buy the Unofficial Guide to Disney 2022. These books are awesome at teaching you how to maneuver through the parks. I will say, we stayed on the grounds and it was totally worth it for the extra magic hours. Meaning the park is open for guests only longer. It was awesome, because we didn’t feel rushed the next day since we got half of Magic Kingdom done the first night.Taking the kids to Disney towards the end of the year, will be arriving about a week before Christmas on Friday Dec 16 and can start visiting parks on Sat the 17th, will spend that week visiting the parks with some rest days built in and then will drive from there to in-laws (2 hours away) on Christmas Eve to spend a few days with them.
We are staying off property because it's cheaper and you get better lodgings.
Looking at getting the tickets soon, but seems like there is a lot to it. We know we are going to want to get the DAS pass for our kids. Don't think I will need the park hopper add on.
Any other advice on the trip? There is a ton of information out there and the whole thing is a bit overwhelming. (I've never been to Disney FYI not even as a kid.)
My parents took us back in the day when Disney World was the only park in the area and it was a blast.We already got off property hotel and we are driving down there because that's a lot cheaper than airfare for 5.
I think we can do it for about $5,000 total.
Luckily, one of my wife's good friends is an anal retentive accountant, as is her husband, and they went the previous year. They did all of the research and analysis, and then my wife just hermit crabbed what they did.
Shocking for the chap who is tortured into paralysis by analysis as to whether to get, or not get, a slow and sear, vortex, or griddle for his grill... 😃
Be prepared that tickets alone will run you $3000. That’s just 5 days of 1 day passes.
That book looks like it's about Universal Studios which I've actually been to when my wife and I where dating.
Yeah I don't personally understand that at all. I'm watching videos about it on YouTube and thinking "This is going to suck!" Only thing I'm really all that excited about is the food. I don't understand why adults want to go there so much, it seems like it's a place for kids.
I could name a lot of places I would rather go personally but I'm looking at my kids and thinking they arn't going to be at an age where Disney is still fun for long. My oldest is 9 now.
If your oldest is nine, here is my biggest advice for an Orlando vacation.
First, only do theme parks every other day. On Theme Park day get there an hour before opening, because they usually open earlier than the published time and the those first couple of hours are the best. Leave by mid afternoon, just as things are peak crazy, have a quiet dinner at home/room.
The other days hang out at the pool and relax, then go out for dinner - theme restaurant if you want - but get to bed early.
If you are not rushed, and don’t wear yourselves out, you will enjoy your trip far more.
Also, assuming you are eating lunch at a theme park do it at 11am before it gets crowded. Pick a sit down restaurant and take a nice break. Some of the best ones require a reservation. Pick out your restaurants in advance and reserve as needed.
Do not stand in line to get pics and autographs. If your kids REALLY want that, do a character dinner somewhere.
Finally, Seaworld is better than any Disney property.
I’m going to start planning our “one and only” big Disney trip next year for when our daughter is 9. Money is going to be the biggest factor. We went skiing in spring this year and the keys and the Caribbean in summer for still probably short of what Disney will cost for a week.Disney is very good at extracting money from people's wallets.
Not full core Disney like you’re describing but it was actually fun to go a few years back with just my folks because we got to do the stuff we wanted and not get bogged down in the kiddie rides.
Also, can’t recommend the new Star Wars ride in Hollywood Studios enough. Fantastic.
Buy the Unofficial Guide to Disney 2022. These books are awesome at teaching you how to maneuver through the parks. I will say, we stayed on the grounds and it was totally worth it for the extra magic hours. Meaning the park is open for guests only longer. It was awesome, because we didn’t feel rushed the next day since we got half of Magic Kingdom done the first night.
Well, yes…Disney is ALL kiddy rides.
Rise of the Resistance .... it is fantastic.Not full core Disney like you’re describing but it was actually fun to go a few years back with just my folks because we got to do the stuff we wanted and not get bogged down in the kiddie rides.
Also, can’t recommend the new Star Wars ride in Hollywood Studios enough. Fantastic.
Rise of the Resistance .... it is fantastic.
I get the impression it costs extra money to ride that. Is that true and how much does it cost?
We did have to pay extra. Not sure how much.I get the impression it costs extra money to ride that. Is that true and how much does it cost?