Spin Off - Disney

[DawnM]

So, for those who go a lot... when's the best time to go, regarding crowds and weather?

 

(Not trying to highjack)

 

 

There used to be more "down time" dates to go, but the last few years, there have been very few down days/low crowd times.

 

You can go here to look at the crowd calendars:

 

EasyWDW.com

 

As far as weather, we love January, right after Christmas.  

 

The best time/lowest crowds used to be the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas, people were busy with Christmas prep and it was almost empty, but was all decorated for Christmas.  And the weather was mild.  It was great.  Not sure that is completely true anymore (crowd levels.)

[whitestavern]

We have always gone the last week of February into the first week of March. The crowds have been very manageable. We haven't been since 2014, so I'm not sure if that's still true.

[bettyandbob]

We have always gone the last week of February into the first week of March. The crowds have been very manageable. We haven't been since 2014, so I'm not sure if that's still true.

 

manageable is very subjective.

 

The one time we went was supposedly low crowds (late january). It was fine, but it made me think if this is low attendance, I do not want to find out what "normal" is. Dumbo was a 90 minute wait. 

[rainbowmama]

AGREED! I thought my girls were at a good age, but in retrospect we probably could have waited a year or two. I couldn't imagine taking them any younger than we did. It's ridiculously expensive as is...if they are too young to get anything out of it then what's the point?!

 

Older siblings

 

We are going next year. I will have older kids - 11 and 8, but I'll also have an almost 5 year old and 1 year old. 

[Lanny]

We were there 13 months ago. Our family preferred Universal Orlando and wishes we had spent more time there and less time in Walt Disney World.  If and when we can go up to Orlando again, the priority for us will be Universal Orlando. EPCOT was especially disappointing on that trip and my wife and I had good memories of EPCOT.  

[StaceyinLA]

 

 

Something else I'd like to add for those who have mentioned it was crowded and stressful; go in the off season and have a travel planner help you with a schedule. I have had many clients tell me it was the best vacation they've ever had. I encourage people to go during lower crowd times (and preferably cooler weather), and I make great touring plans that don't require a lot of running around like crazy.

 

We love thrill rides so we like other theme parks too, but even my adult children LOVE Disney and don't ever want to be left out of a trip![/

 

That was great but now there isn't much of an off season anymore. So many festivals and stuff have affected it.

 

Not really. There are still a good many different times of the year when you can have a low crowd. When we went the last week of January/first week of February, we didn't wait more than 15 minutes to ride anything (although we did have fast passes for the things that generally have terrible lines).

[StaceyinLA]

We went the first week in March last year. Supposedly off season, and the MK was at 50% capacity and there were 90 minute waits for the Peter Pan ride and to see Ariel. They offered free meal plans for park hotel guests (we didn't partake as we stayed in a condo off-site) during the time we were there which seems geared to increase visitors during "off season". I couldn't imagine being there during peak season. I'm not one for crowds though.

March is notoriously bad because of spring breaks. You can always tell by pricing if it is off season. I dislike crowds tremendously, so we never go during high crowd times. We also prefer low heat times (we live in Louisiana so we do heat all the time). We shoot for the week before or after Thanksgiving and/or the first week of December, late January, February (depending on when President's Day falls), very early May, or, if we are feeling like gluttons for punishment, we WILL do late September (super hot, but very low crowds and free dining).

[itsheresomewhere]

ame="itsheresomewhere" post="7622434" timestamp="1496356811"]

 

 

 

Not really. There are still a good many different times of the year when you can have a low crowd. When we went the last week of January/first week of February, we didn't wait more than 15 minutes to ride anything (although we did have fast passes for the things that generally have terrible lines).

Trust me you got lucky. Off season is not what it was. We have been talking about it for awhile on the Disney forums. I think you got very lucky and I think we had storms up north that helped you. Edited June 2, 2017 by itsheresomewhere

[StaceyinLA]

So, I'm really curious...what does a super budget trip cost for a family of 6?

I can get various prices and options and share them. I likely won't be able to do it until Sunday because I'm about to head out of town til late tomorrow night, but I'll do it.

[tdbates78]

I used to work in the parks, and it always made me so sad to see families doing the forced march through WDW with kids who were obviously too exhausted and cranky to enjoy the experience.

 

I always suggested to guests that, rather than thinking in terms of "making the most of the time" by trying to do everything, they reframe the goal as being about enjoying what they did, even if they saw fewer things.

 

(Also, for what it's worth, my personal observation suggests that the third day in a row on property is pretty much always too much for younger kids. If it's at all possible, a much better plan is to spend an extra night, do two days in the parks, then take a break for a day at the hotel pool or whatever before heading back into the parks for another day or two.)

 

So, yeah, there are some folks who just don't click with the Disney magic, but I would also gently suggest that it sounds like your experience might not have been representative of what a vacation to WDW can be like.

We didn't spend 3 days in a row. We did MK the first day, Epcot the next, took a break from the parks for a day (our favorite day lol) and spent one more day at MK. The last day we only had to worry about fast passes and had no dining reservations and by 3pm my girls were just over it.

 

Its just hectic IMO. People everywhere, lines, the heat (even in early March). My girls weren't overly impressed with the rides (as I said, the darker rides scared my SPD ASD child). They were more interested in the $$ balloons, treats and so forth.

[tdbates78]

March is notoriously bad because of spring breaks. You can always tell by pricing if it is off season. I dislike crowds tremendously, so we never go during high crowd times. We also prefer low heat times (we live in Louisiana so we do heat all the time). We shoot for the week before or after Thanksgiving and/or the first week of December, late January, February (depending on when President's Day falls), very early May, or, if we are feeling like gluttons for punishment, we WILL do late September (super hot, but very low crowds and free dining).

We used a travel agent (a good friend who goes to Disney multiple times a year) and websites of spring break dates last year when picking our dates. We were not there during a typical spring break time. The hotel prices were lower and, again, they also offers the free meal plans. I imagine it was crowded "not crowded" by WDW standards. We were able to walk on a few things with little to no wait. But overall the park, at least to us, felt very busy. Having never been to Disney before, though, I don't really have any comparison.

[HeWillSoar]

We aren't into Disney. I grew up in Orlando and family lives there so we go to Orlando once or twice a year.  The kids never mention it although we've taken them a couple times.  I'd take them if they wanted to go but they'd rather fish (which is so much cheaper).  I'd rather be in the a/c away from crowds.  When I think of Disney, I think of sweltering heat and crowds.  Perhaps going a different time of year would have made it more enjoyable but we were on the public school schedule so we'd always go in the summer.  My mom and sisters have season passes to Epcot and that seems like fun.

[alisoncooks]

We used a travel agent (a good friend who goes to Disney multiple times a year) and websites of spring break dates last year when picking our dates. We were not there during a typical spring break time. The hotel prices were lower and, again, they also offers the free meal plans. I imagine it was crowded "not crowded" by WDW standards. We were able to walk on a few things with little to no wait. But overall the park, at least to us, felt very busy. Having never been to Disney before, though, I don't really have any comparison.

We went the beginning of May. We chose our dates using crowd calendars from several websites. I told my DH that if that was "low crowds" then I have absolutely NO desire to be there during busy season. The most we waited was 25 minutes (for bus or ride), which was doable, but I hate feeling like I forked over all that money to stand in hot, sweaty lines. Not my thing...

 

Plus there was a hot spell while we were there, and we had days up to 97 degrees, so it was miserable.

[HeWillSoar]

Interesting timing but DH just got home and told me that my mom and niece were at Disney today (he talks to my mom's DH all the time so he hears things before me) and my mom passed out from the heat while waiting for two hours in line!  She's ok--I just thought it was interesting timing with this thread.

[Lady Florida.]

 

Do people really go spend 7 whole days on Disney World property and never leave? 

 

There are two types of Disney vacationers. Those who branch out and see other things in the area, and those who strictly do Disney. It really isn't hard to fill up 7 days though and never leave Disney property.

 

1 day at each park = 4 days

 

1 day at Downtown Disney = 5 days

 

For the other two days they might choose to hang out at the hotel pool for a day and/or go back to one of the parks if their tickets allow. Often people will try all four parks then go back to the one or ones they liked best.

 

ETA: There are also two water parks to help fill those days while not leaving Disney property.

Edited June 2, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[Katy]

I grew up in Florida, and most of my friends went as little kids too.  My parents waited until I was 7, and though I loved my first trip, I was surprised how many things I was *barely* tall or old enough for at the time, and the things my parents were interested in bored me to death.  We tend to think 10-12 is a better age for that in our family, but then our trips to Florida generally involve visiting family & the beach, not touristy things.  I think you need to be old/tall enough to get on all the rides, and a strong enough swimmer to not require *constant* water park supervision. And frankly, I think for some of those slides it's a bit safer to weigh at least 100 pounds. And older elementary/young middle school is still young enough to love princesses, at least for home school kids.

[katilac]

 

 

Do people really go spend 7 whole days on Disney World property and never leave? 

 

Yes, yes we do! We like our Disney bubble, lol. And we don't do anything extra like parasailing or jet skis; we just enjoy the atmosphere and detail of the parks, and people watching (in addition to all of the usual attractions). If we have 7 full days, we do often go to Disney Springs (Downtown Disney) to eat at Wolfgang Puck's, shop, look at giant Lego creations, and so on.

 

We don't leave to visit other tourist spots, and we definitely don't leave to eat. One of the things dh loves is that, once we get there, he does not drive for the entire time. He drives a lot for his job, and resort transportation ranks right up there with Space Mountain for him, lol.

 

We did leave one year, and spent the day at Universal to see the then-new Harry Potter park. My kids are super fangirls, and they enjoyed it, and loved some of the big coasters, but they've never wanted to go back. It's great but it's not Disney, basically.  

 

We seem to be in the minority though. Anyone else not care for Disney?

 

 

Of course. There are lots of people who don't care for Disney, just like there are lots of people who don't care for the beach or Branson or New York City. 

 

 

There's no doubt in my mind that they'd vote Hawaii over Disney.

 

But is that a fair comparison for most people? I can do a trip to Disney World for far less than a trip to Hawaii. Like, incredibly much less, lol. 

 

  Supposedly off season, and the MK was at 50% capacity and there were 90 minute waits for the Peter Pan ride and to see Ariel.  

 

 

There is always a 90 minute wait for Peter Pan. You have to do it first thing or get lucky and catch one of those weird lulls. It's a classic that almost everyone wants to ride - we try to ride it each time we go, but we've been enough that it doesn't kill us to skip it. Meet and greets, especially with popular characters, usually have quite a long wait because each 'experience' is one-on-one, as opposed to a ride full of people, and the ones like Ariel also take longer than a ride. 

 

A phone app can be super helpful, as can just keeping your eyes open as you walk past rides. We got onto the 7 Dwarves ride when it was super new with a wait of just a few minutes, two different times. I don't think we've ever waited 90 minutes for anything, and we've been 10+ times with the kids. And we don't usually miss out on things, the only one I can think of is Turtle Talk with Crush, the very first year we went - we never lucked into a lull, and chose not to wait the 90 minutes. Oh, and Be Our Guest restaurant, I think we skipped the first year so we'd have a reasonable wait. 

 

As far as ages go, the thought of Disney with toddlers didn't appeal to us, plus we did want them to remember it. Because we thought we might only go one time  :lol:  :lol: but my cousin takes all of her kids at right around 2 years old (so last year was FOUR kids ages 18 months to 7, bless her). She enjoys it! When people say the kids won't remember it, she says, that's okay, I will remember it. 

[Janeway]

I do not like Disney. And after what happened to Nathan Graves, I like it less. But I do love princesses and all. It is just that when I went to Disney, I had a horrible time. And now, I hear it is even more crowded and chaotic.

[Lady Florida.]

I think you need to be old/tall enough to get on all the rides, and a strong enough swimmer to not require *constant* water park supervision. And frankly, I think for some of those slides it's a bit safer to weigh at least 100 pounds. 

 

Living in Florida and having taken ds to water parks numerous times I have to say it's soooo relaxing once you no longer need to constantly supervise at the water park. I remember the first time. My friends and I were actually able to enjoy ourselves while the kids went off and enjoyed their freedom. :)

[Ellie]

So, for those who go a lot... when's the best time to go, regarding crowds and weather?

 

(Not trying to highjack)

 

We like to go the first weekend after Thanksgiving. Because Christmas. :-) Seriously. All the Christmas decorations are up (and no one does Christmas like Disney), the weather will be cooler, and schools are not on Christmas vacation yet.

[MercyA]

So, for those who go a lot... when's the best time to go, regarding crowds and weather?

 

(Not trying to highjack)

 

This site was very helpful to us. We went at the end of February / beginning of March and loved it. It was so much more relaxing than I anticipated (and Disney works hard to make it that way!).

[Paige]

When we lived closer we went several times with young children. We always loved it. I would only go during the off season, though. I would never ever go in the summer or around a holiday. Mid-October, avoiding Halloween, most fall breaks, and Columbus Day, or November before Thanksgiving seem to be good times. 

 

When we went, we always stayed off property in a house or condo so we had room to spread out and a kitchen. We only made one dining reservation a trip (usually a character breakfast), and we didn't need fast passes because there were practically no lines. We'd go in the morning, come back and take a nap at the house or condo, then go back in the evening before fireworks. Also, when we went DD was unable to walk much and Disney was one of the few vacation type places that would accommodate her without making her feel awkward or different. "Real" places aren't always that fun with a kid with a disability because the roads are rough, the doors are narrow, the facilities inaccessible. At Disney we never had to worry about not being able to find parking, not being able to find a bathroom, etc. 

 

I wouldn't want to do Disney every vacation and we haven't been in at least 6 years since we moved, but it was always a super easy and fun vacation for us when the kids were little. DH would get military tickets so as long as we didn't eat on property much it was actually not that expensive. Also, kids under 3 are free. We went several times with at least 1 kid under 3 and the little ones always had a good time. Who cares if they remember it if you're going anyway and it's free. 

Edited June 3, 2017 by Paige

[creekland]

But is that a fair comparison for most people? I can do a trip to Disney World for far less than a trip to Hawaii. Like, incredibly much less, lol.  

 

Maybe you can.  For us, the prices are pretty equivalent.  Undoubtedly part of that is because we like to stay at the Polynesian for the location and atmosphere.  Disney is one area where we spoil ourselves I suppose.  We did stay at the campground once when we were in FL and trying to do a cheap trip.  Only once.  We've stayed off site for a night or two too.  It's not the same.  We go there so rarely that we allow the extra for what we really like.

[retiredHSmom]

One thing I learned on that trip was that my girls definitely enjoy vacations that are more laid back without a packed itinerary. Getting them up and ready to get to Disney when they opened, having to be at x at a certain time for a lunch reservation or having to be at this section of the part for fast passes didn't work out well. We are much more of a laid back family, especially on vacation, and that part was annoying to all of us. I know you can do WDW without the schedules, but we were only there for 3 days and wanted to make the most of our trip. 

I think that you hit upon the "problem" and "solution" right here.  When we went to WDW in Orlando, we didn't do any of the high-intensity pre-planning that most people do.  We intentionally went during a "slower" time. (October) When we checked in to our hotel we called and made dinner reservations for that night.  We like to eat dinner early so we had several choices.  We went to the park and wandered through and got on the rides that interested us.  If a ride was too long we skipped it.  No fast passes.  We had a great trip.  The kids loved it.  we didn't see the whole park.  We missed famous rides that I might have wanted my kids to see. We figured that we could always go again.  We went back to the hotel when we were tired.  We missed the evening light parade.  Maybe we would have loved it but we were tired.  It was a great trip.  We stayed three days and each day went just like the first.  I think that many problems are created by the "gotta do it all" mentality.  The idea that unless you go to the most popular restaurant, ride every ride that it was a loss.  

Edited June 3, 2017 by Tania

[tdbates78]

I think that you hit upon the "problem" and "solution" right here. When we went to WDW in Orlando, we didn't do any of the high-intensity pre-planning that most people do. We intentionally went during a "slower" time. (October) When we checked in to our hotel we called and made dinner reservations for that night. We like to eat dinner early so we had several choices. We went to the park and wandered through and got on the rides that interested us. If a ride was too long we skipped it. No fast passes. We had a great trip. The kids loved it. we didn't see the whole park. We missed famous rides that I might have wanted my kids to see. We figured that we could always go again. We went back to the hotel when we were tired. We missed the evening light parade. Maybe we would have loved it but we were tired. It was a great trip. We stayed three days and each day went just like the first. I think that many problems are created by the "gotta do it all" mentality. The idea that unless you go to the most popular restaurant, ride every ride that it was a loss.

We had fast passes (very necessary, even during the first week of March when we were there, IMO. Otherwise many of the more interesting rides would be out because none of us would stand in like for an hour for anything) for three rides each day. We were able to walk right on a few rides. We spent one day in the MK, one at Epcot (split the day by going back to condo for the afternoon), a free day (no parks) and a final day at MK in which we left at 3.

 

IMHO, which I know doest match the majority, even without the fast passes and lunch reservation, I just found it hectic. I personally don't like standing in line, don't like the heat, and don't like crowds. Most theme parks are hectic. It's the nature of the beast and not just Disney. Just not my thing which I knew going in. I, however, assumed my girls would find it wonderful and magical. They did not.

 

Many rides involve a moving car through dark tunnels/caves (Winnie the Pooh, Ariel, even the People Mover) and my ASD SPD daughter was completely freaked out. She ended up hanging on me all day because was scared and didn't want to ride any more of the rides, which meant I was taking pain meds for the rest of the trio because my back hurt. My other daughter was just kind of like "meh...can I have an $$$$ Mickey Mouse ___ (insert expensive food item or balloon)". She liked the rides but was never overly excited about any of it. We probably could have done things differently, schedule wise, but that wouldn't have changed my scared daughter or somewhat uninterested other daughter.

 

It's fine. To each their own, as they say. Given the price and the underwhelming response I don't feel the need to give it a second shot. As I mentioned in another post, our 2.5 week trip to Switzerland, Germany and France a few months ago was almost the same price as our 5 day Disney trip (minus airfare, though we used FF miles) and much more our speed. Glad we gave Disney a try but its just not for us.

Edited June 3, 2017 by tdbates78

[retiredHSmom]

We had fast passes (very necessary, even during the first week of March when we were there, IMO. Otherwise many of the more interesting rides would be out because none of us would stand in like for an hour for anything) for three rides each day. We were able to walk right on a few rides. We spent one day in the MK, one at Epcot (split the day by going back to condo for the afternoon), a free day (no parks) and a final day at MK in which we left at 3.

 

IMHO, which I know doest match the majority, even without the fast passes and lunch reservation, I just found it hectic. I personally don't like standing in line, don't like the heat, and don't like crowds. Most theme parks are hectic. It's the nature of the beast and not just Disney. Just not my thing which I knew going in. I, however, assumed my girls would find it wonderful and magical. They did not.

 

Many rides involve a moving car through dark tunnels/caves (Winnie the Pooh, Ariel, even the People Mover) and my ASD SPD daughter was completely freaked out. She ended up hanging on me all day because was scared and didn't want to ride any more of the rides, which meant I was taking pain meds for the rest of the trio because my back hurt. My other daughter was just kind of like "meh...can I have an $$$$ Mickey Mouse ___ (insert expensive food item or balloon)". She liked the rides but was never overly excited about any of it. We probably could have done things differently, schedule wise, but that wouldn't have changed my scared daughter or somewhat uninterested other daughter.

 

It's fine. To each their own, as they say. Given the price and the underwhelming response I don't feel the need to give it a second shot. As I mentioned in another post, our 2.5 week trip to Switzerland, Germany and France a few months ago was almost the same price as our 5 day Disney trip (minus airfare, though we used FF miles) and much more our speed. Glad we gave Disney a try but its just not for us.

Well I cannot imagine a situation where 2.5 weeks in Europe would ever be beat out by 3 days at Disney!  FWIW we never did make it back to Disney and its been 13 years.

[mommyoffive]

I love Disney. I have been over 100 times since it opened. But, it was always a very stressful trip until I learned how to do it "right".

 

Now, I go with the intention of doing only one fun thing a day, everything else just involves meandering to see what happens.

 

In addition, I try to stay off the main drag. I like the tours, classes, and resorts.

 

Ohh 

 

Tell me more about the tours and classes

[73349]

It was not on my radar at all, but my dad wanted to take us when DS was 6 1/2. (He'd taken me when I was 10.) My dad, DS and I all love big rides, so that part was fun. But it was hot and crowded--we went in October--and the first day, DS was awake and ready to go a full 5 hours before it was our turn to get on a ride.

 

So I wouldn't feel bad if you decide it's not your thing, especially if it's really far for you. I definitely would not take a kid under 5, unless we lived right there. We're not into characters, and little kids can't (and/or in many cases wouldn't want to) ride the best rides.

[wintermom]

I'm 36 and I've never been to Disney. I'd like to go someday, but it's not a high priority. I think there are a lot of other real places I'd rather spend our money to experience first. I'd rather save longer and go to Hawaii or Ireland for example. I know some people really love it, but it seems so artificial to me. Maybe if I went I'd change my mind, but I don't think my kids will be scarred for life if we don't go there as a family.

 

:iagree:   I am so much more into going to real places rather than artificial reproductions. Even as an 8-year old on my one visit to Disneyland in CA, I was so disappointed that the castle was fake. It was so obviously fake trying to look "real" that it was a turn-off. 

 

For the prices that people pay to get to, get in and stay at WDW, many could go to Europe for equal or cheaper and visit real castles. Something draws them to the fake movieland, though.  Disney corp sure have a sweet deal going. They make money on their movies, which then draw people to their amusement parks.

[Zinnia]

There is something about Disney that makes me very curious.  I went twice, once for a week at age 5 (barely remember) and once for a day at age 11.  My dh has never been.  We'd like to take our kids, but have serious sticker shock.

 

Our favorite vacation spot is the smoky mountains, though, and we usually tent camp, half camp (in shelters with beds and a roof but no running water), or stay in pretty cheap cabin/condo/VRBO sort of things.  And hike all day.  And eat at wherever we are staying, grocery store food, with a splurge on a box of ice cream bars.  So Disney is serious, serious sticker shock.  There is something about it, though, that still makes me think my kids would like it.

[katilac]

We like to go the first weekend after Thanksgiving. Because Christmas. :-) Seriously. All the Christmas decorations are up (and no one does Christmas like Disney), the weather will be cooler, and schools are not on Christmas vacation yet.

 

My fave time also! October and November (other than Thanksgiving week) were usually great for us weather- and crowd-wise as well, but nothing beats the parks at Christmas. 

 

I am so sad that we are now tied to TWO college schedules. I will say that we did the week before Christmas last year, like December 15-22, and it didn't get truly crowded until the last couple of days.  

[tdbates78]

Well I cannot imagine a situation where 2.5 weeks in Europe would ever be beat out by 3 days at Disney! FWIW we never did make it back to Disney and its been 13 years.

Well, considering it costed us over $1200 just to get into the park, and the price of restaurants, and the extra crap we bought the girls, and our condo...it was expnsive trip. In Europe we use VRBO (our 2 bedroom with wraparound balcony in Hopferau Germany was $70 per night), a rental car (less than $500 for the entire duration of the trip), and even visiting Neuschanstein, the castle Disney used to model their castle, was less than $20 for all of us to tour since kids get in for free...Europe can be done without breaking the bank. We've traveled around Europe over a dozen times and have neve dropped the kind of money we spent on a short Disney trip. Like anywhere else, you can spend a lot in Europe but we travel off season and stay in smaller towns to save money.

Edited June 3, 2017 by tdbates78

[tdbates78]

Ironically Im in the Disney Store right now because my daughter that didnt love WDW still has an obsession with Rapunzel and $20 burning a hole in her pocket :p

Edited June 3, 2017 by tdbates78

[Ellie]

Well, considering it costed us over $1200 just to get into the park, and the price of restaurants, and the extra crap we bought the girls, and our condo...it was expnsive trip. In Europe we use VRBO (our 2 bedroom with wraparound balcony in Hopferau Germany was $70 per night), a rental car (less than $500 for the entire duration of the trip), and even visiting Neuschanstein, the castle Disney used to model their castle, was less than $20 for all of us to tour since kids get in for free...Europe can be done without breaking the bank. We've traveled around Europe over a dozen times and have neve dropped the kind of money we spent on a short Disney trip. Like anywhere else, you can spend a lot in Europe but we travel off season and stay in smaller towns to save money.

 

For us, air fare alone to Europe would cost as much as a few days at either Disney park. :-)

[bettyandbob]

For those who are comparing Disney to a trip to Europe, don't. It's not the same. It's obvious it's not the same. 

 

1. Many people cannot do a 2-2.5 week vacation. Work schedules often prevent this long of a vacation. 

 

2. Some people have family members who cannot fly. There are rail and driving routes for most people who live in the 48 contiguous US. 

 

3. There are families who based on needs whether age spread or neurotypical issues cannot do the same itinerary as a group all day. 

 

4. Many other reasons. 

 

As I said my family did a WDW trip as a once in a lifetime thing for us. We stayed in a value resort. We had 5 day park hopper passes and visited 4 parks at a nice pace. We didn't do waterparks (January). We didn't do extra experiences, like behind the scenes tours. 

 

The five of us could start the morning together and split into 3 groups after lunch based on the needs  and ages of very different kids. I did not worry one bit where my 13 yo went on his own. He was permitted to go anywhere Disney transit took him. He loved that. We had a disability pass for my youngest. WDW does not do this anymore because too many people cheated the system (I'm angry that another family like mine won't have the same opportunity because of some selfish jerks). Youngest was never going to make it past lunch so the disability pass allowed him to enjoy more than one ride a day before he went back to our hotel room. My two older kids had to eat gluten free. 9 years ago WDW was the first place that I encountered that really did gluten free right. It was the first vacation we ever took where I did not spend the majority of the day wondering how I was going to feed the kids next. I didn't realize how much that problem cluttered my mind until a couple days into the trip. I felt like something was missing in my head and finally realized the missing thing was worrying about how to feed kids. That alone made the whole trip totally relaxing for me.

 

So, our one time WDW experience was totally worth it. Does that mean I'd turn down a trip to Europe if the logistics could fit our family dynamic. No. Those are just two different experiences. When I was a child I lived in Japan. When I was in college I studied in Germany. My oldest child had an opportunity to visit Quebec at age 12 and Paris at age 15. I hope my dd gets to travel internationally. She's hoping to get to Japan. I think such travel is very valuable. But I also know that such travel is not something our family could do as a unit. WDW is something that allows for group that has wide ranging needs to be able to do it together. 

[tdbates78]

I wasnt comparing other than to say that the cost was similar, as we had FF miles so airfare wasnt a factor. Of course Disney isnt the same.My comments were on the sheer cost of WDW.

 

And I eat GF (and dairy free) in Europe and in Disney :) I readily admit WDW is great for those of us with food allergies and intolerance. I never felt left out in Disney when it came to eating the pancakes, cupcakes etc and that was super nice. And Babycakes, in Disney Springs, makes vegan cupcakes and goodies that are sooo yummy!

[bettyandbob]

We *love* to vacation, but don't care to go anywhere except the few places near us that we're comfortable with. (I know, we're weird) Disney is only about a four hr drive. I really want to go to and just stay there, with the dining plan, and venture over to universal for those two parks. I want to use park transport, the easier the better (very important!). I want good dining at our resort. I want to go when it's not hot or crowded. Dh is on board and ds15 says he'll humor me. 😂

So, knowing all that... which resort should we stay in? I'd love for ds and dh to be able to do watersports. Are those open all year? Are there heated pools? Disney will be a one-time thing for us. I will never go again unless it's with grandchildren. This would be for next year. Any suggestions?

 

 

As much as I loved WDW for the ages my kids were at the time (13, 10, 6), if you are going to parks with a 15 year old I might put more focus on Universal. They now have three parks (one is a waterpark). They have some nice hotels and dining options (I do think the WDW has a much larger variety of good dining, but Universal does have some decent restaurants).  Pools are heated during the cooler months at WDW and probably at Universal as well. 

[bettyandbob]

I wasnt comparing other than to say that the cost was similar, as we had FF miles so airfare wasnt a factor. Of course Disney isnt the same.My comments were on the sheer cost of WDW.

 

And I eat GF (and dairy free) in Europe and in Disney :) I readily admit WDW is great for those of us with food allergies and intolerance. I never felt left out in Disney when it came to eating the pancakes, cupcakes etc and that was super nice. And Babycakes, in Disney Springs, makes vegan cupcakes and goodies that are sooo yummy!

 

But my point is WDW makes vacations for some family groups possible. The logistics of a trip to Europe is not possible for some family groups no matter how much cheaper. There are "real" experiences that accessible to parts of my family, but not others so those things cannot be done as family vacations. That is why some people do WDW over and over. I cannot afford to do that, but it was still worth going once because there are so few things we can do as a vacation together. 

[tdbates78]

But my point is WDW makes vacations for some family groups possible. The logistics of a trip to Europe is not possible for some family groups no matter how much cheaper. There are "real" experiences that accessible to parts of my family, but not others so those things cannot be done as family vacations. That is why some people do WDW over and over. I cannot afford to do that, but it was still worth going once because there are so few things we can do as a vacation together.

I completely understand. It is easier in Disney to accommodate members of a group without someone having to feel like a burden, which I often do. I also understand why many love Disney. And for most kids I imagine Disney is a magical place.

 

We are fortunate to have FF miles and the ability, on occassion (not most years) to take that long of a trip. Next year will just be a week at the beach. And that sounds great too!

[Pam in CT]

I like Disney well enough.

 

Re relative costs of Disney vs overseas locations: From CT, we have to fly.... and airfare to Orlando during school vacation (my kids go to b&m school) is comparable to airfare to Central America during school vacation.   And accommodations & food is less in CA than even off-campus Orlando condos.  We can definitely do a week in Costa Rica or Panama for less than a Disney week; and substantially less for lower-cost more-intrepid CA locations or vs staying on WDW campus.

 

Airfare to Europe is more, but once there there are quite affordable ways to experience Europe.  

 

Much of what you pay for in Disney is the control -- having the logistics work done for you, not needing a car, knowing they can deal with allergies, knowing exactly what to expect.  There's definitely something to be said for that... and also something different to be said for sallying out into the unexpected.

 

Mostly we like to try new things.  So having been to Disney a couple of times, I don't feel any need to go back for quite some time.  Maybe with grandchildren, lol.

 

 

 

 

 

[wintermom]

Well, considering it costed us over $1200 just to get into the park,

 

Oh man, that is just crazy! Seems a little strange that people spend that kind of money just to walk around a fancy amusement park.  When my dc were very young, finding bugs in the backyard was thrilling to them. And now the rush of whizzing down a steep hill with cross-country skis far surpasses any roller coaster. Simple pleasures in nature just makes more sense to me that concrete jungles. I'll go and crunch on my granola now.  :laugh:

Edited June 4, 2017 by wintermom

[PeterPan]

Diana P., they still have the disability passes but with a new name. Now they're in the system and keyed to your account and magic bands, complete with pictures. They work great! We were just there in January and used it with ds, who has ASD and is horrible in lines. (climbing on you, biting, etc.) We waited in *one line* without using the DAS because my mother had gone ahead with him. HUGE mistake. He was stimming and hard to work with after that, ugh. And that was one ride, one line. So yeah, we had the DAS and it was what made Disney work for us.

 

Fat chance taking my ds to Europe, hehe. Me, I love to travel. But Disney for us was magical. They could make it work with a disabled vet in an ECV and a very active boy with autism, same place, same activities, everyone having fun. I mean, do people get how astonishing that is? 

 

I really think it's where you start your day and what you need. My dad really enjoyed the happy message of Disney. I needed the stress relief. And we got enough support that we could make it work. We were the recipients of some quiet Disney magic, like when I showed up for our lunch at Be Our Guest saying I had tried and failed to make our lunch order ahead so we wouldn't have to stand in line. Remember, standing in line with ds is VERY HARD! We got up there and they literally opened up a special line, just for us, and got us through, no wait. Utter magic. My boy, who is totally freaked out about people in costume, got to be close to Belle. It was stuff like that, just beautiful, peaceful things, being together, being happy. The rest of the year, life kinda sucks sometimes. At Disney, we were just happy. 

 

It cost us a ton, yeah. I know it's not for everyone; my dh didn't really love it the way we did. Oh well. It was just what we needed.

Edited June 4, 2017 by OhElizabeth

[PeterPan]

PS. Minniewannabee had mentioned the fishing trips when I had my planning threads earlier. We ended up doing this! I'm not saying it was some kind of stunning value, but we had a really, really, really nice time! And again, if you just wanna fish, there are loads of places to fish. But try fishing with two disabled people and having the guide be experienced enough that he can smooth it over and come out with EVERYBODY feeling like rock stars. Kwim? 

 

There was just that extra level of care to everything we did. You can fish anywhere, but they really brought an extra touch of peace, smoothing over problems, making it beautiful, helping you forget things for a while. It was really lovely. 

 

Edited June 4, 2017 by OhElizabeth

[kroe1]

Ohh

 

Tell me more about the tours and classes

http://allears.net/btp/tours.htm

 

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/animal-kingdom-lodge/wanyama-resort-safari-and-dinner/

 

https://www.disneyyouth.com/our-programs/education/sp/youth-education-series/#categories-youth-education-series

 

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/enchanting-extras-collection/

 

Then, if there is something your family is interested in, or want to learn how to do, I guarantee Disney will come up with a teacher or guide. Yes, it costs some bucks.

 

Then, for all of those who hate the parks, check out the other adventures. I have only done a couple of these, but, so far I have:

 

1. Met and had lunch with my favorite athlete of all time.

2. Been chased by a black bear.

3. While biking, got trapped in a herd of bison.

4. Had lunch with Thomas Jefferson.

5. Had lunch inside Mount Vernon in areas inaccessible to the public.

6. Learned geology and some survival skills by experts all while having to figure out locations by compass only

7. Went on a scavenger hunt in Philadelphia to find the constitution.

8. Kayaked, white water rafted, and sailed.

9. Had my boat tipped by a whale

10. Danced with Eskimos

11. Learned how to fly fish

12. Touched a glacier

13. Panned for gold.

 

And I have not even left the US, yet. I hope to go on more adventures soon.

[wintermom]

http://allears.net/btp/tours.htm

 

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/animal-kingdom-lodge/wanyama-resort-safari-and-dinner/

 

https://www.disneyyouth.com/our-programs/education/sp/youth-education-series/#categories-youth-education-series

 

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/enchanting-extras-collection/

 

Then, if there is something your family is interested in, or want to learn how to do, I guarantee Disney will come up with a teacher or guide. Yes, it costs some bucks.

 

Then, for all of those who hate the parks, check out the other adventures. I have only done a couple of these, but, so far I have:

 

1. Met and had lunch with my favorite athlete of all time.

2. Been chased by a black bear.

3. While biking, got trapped in a herd of bison.

4. Had lunch with Thomas Jefferson.

5. Had lunch inside Mount Vernon in areas inaccessible to the public.

6. Learned geology and some survival skills by experts all while having to figure out locations by compass only

7. Went on a scavenger hunt in Philadelphia to find the constitution.

8. Kayaked, white water rafted, and sailed.

9. Had my boat tipped by a whale

10. Danced with Eskimos

11. Learned how to fly fish

12. Touched a glacier

13. Panned for gold.

 

And I have not even left the US, yet. I hope to go on more adventures soon.

 

There is definitely no denying your enthusiasm and commitment to Disney. One certainly has to admire that. 

[Jenny in Florida]

Oh man, that is just crazy! Seems a little strange that people spend that kind of money just to walk around a fancy amusement park.  When my dc were very young, finding bugs in the backyard was thrilling to them. And now the rush of whizzing down a steep hill with cross-country skis far surpasses any roller coaster. Simple pleasures in nature just makes more sense to me that concrete jungles. I'll go and crunch on my granola now.  :laugh:

 

Look, if WDW isn't your thing, cool. There are lots of things that other folks seem to love and invest in that bewilder me. (Sports? I mean, really?) However, to be fair, that $1,200 figure wasn't for a single day of "walking around a fancy amusement park." Judging from the OPs comments about the number and ages of her kids, that sounds like three days' worth of admission for four people. 

 

Compare that to the cost of tickets to, say, a Broadway show, which can easily top $100 a head to enjoy a two-hour performance. For not much more, you can have a full day at WDW.

 

And, unlike other amusement parks some folks may be used to, at WDW, once you are through the gates, the only additional costs are for food and souvenirs and other "extras." Every ride and attraction and show inside the parks is included. 

 

WDW parks are also far from being "concrete jungles." Every park is gorgeously landscaped and managed in surprisingly eco-responsible ways. (Not saying they are perfect, not by a long shot, but they do try to be thoughtful and responsible about things.)

 

There are many opportunities for educational experiences (some of which do require extra fees). During my kids' homeschooling years, we took a lot of field trips to WDW in conjunction with topics they were studying -- everything from science to social studies and more. While I would love to be in a financial position to whisk my kids off to Europe or Asia when we finished a unit study about a certain country, that wasn't in the cards. But we could totally go to Epcot.

 

So, like I said, if WDW doesn't appeal to your family, that's fair, but the negative and dismissive tone of your posts didn't sit right with me.

[Jenny in Florida]

ame="itsheresomewhere" post="7622434" timestamp="1496356811"]

 

 

 

Not really. There are still a good many different times of the year when you can have a low crowd. When we went the last week of January/first week of February, we didn't wait more than 15 minutes to ride anything (although we did have fast passes for the things that generally have terrible lines).

 

Yep. We love to go in the first couple of weeks of December; the holiday decorations are up, holiday shows and events are running, the weather is lovely, and crowds are low.

[Jenny in Florida]

Trust me you got lucky. Off season is not what it was. We have been talking about it for awhile on the Disney forums. I think you got very lucky and I think we had storms up north that helped you.

 

For what it's worth, I live locally and and very familiar with crowd levels. There are still a number of times during the year when crowd levels are low enough to allow us to walk onto even popular attractions.

[lynn]

So, for those who go a lot... when's the best time to go, regarding crowds and weather?

 

 

 

(Not trying to highjack)

We like to go in October. January or February are also good but can be cold.

[mommyoffive]

We like to go in October. January or February are also good but can be cold.

 

Depends where you are coming from.   it was balmy to me there this past Jan.