How Many Days Should You Spend at Disney?
You want to remember your Disney vacation forever.
Sometimes, you may put too much pressure on yourself in trying to make that dream come true.
Well, there’s no need for that! You’ve got the experts at MickeyBlog to help you plan the perfect trip.
So, let’s start by evaluating the first question. How many days should you spend at Walt Disney World?
Pros of a Short Trip
Photo: Disney
The primary pro is the obvious one. Quick: Would you rather be where you are right now or at Disney? Yes, me too.
We’ll all answer the same way on this one, which underscores the point. You should visit Disney whenever you can.
Photo: Disney
Even better, during a short trip, you can push as hard as you want. You’ll recover while you’re at home.
So, you can go all-out the entire time you’re on vacation rather than pacing yourself.
Disney
You should arrive in time, head straight to the parks and then stay there until they close.
Each day should be a full day, running from Rope Drop until you get kicked out of the place.
Disney
You can sleep later when you’re not at Disney
Cons of a Short Trip
Photo: Disney
There’s an obvious answer here, too.
A short trip is not enough. To be fair, no trip is ever enough.
Photo: Disney
Disney vacations provide so much joy that fans never want to leave.
Still, when you visit Disney for something like a three-day weekend, you must make some tough choices.
Photo:visitorlando.com
For instance, Walt Disney World hosts four theme parks, not even counting some of the other stuff like water parks and Disney Springs.
So, during a three-day (or shorter) trip, you must decide which parks you’ll visit and for how long.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
The opportunity cost will be staggering, as you won’t have the time to experience some of Disney’s best E-ticket attractions.
In addition, you’ll pay more per day during your visit. Disney structures ticket prices such that the daily rate decreases over time.
In other words, the price of a two- or three-day ticket charges more per day than a four- or five-day ticket would.
Still, a long weekend at Disney certainly beats a weekend doing anything you’d do at home.
Pros of a Medium Length Trip
Photo: Disney
The biggest pros solve the cons I just discussed.
First, you can accomplish plenty more across Walt Disney World.
Photo: Disney
When you stay for four or five days, you’ll have time to focus on each individual park.
One day can be your EPCOT day, another can be your Magic Kingdom day, and so forth.
Photo: Disney
So, you’re neither rushing through a park nor feeling like you must miss something to do something else.
Thus, the lesser opportunity cost proves less impactful.
Photo: Vecteezy
Also, you’ll pay less per day for your ticket. Mathematically, a three-day admission ticket could cost as much as $149 per day.
A five-day ticket could incur a daily charge of $97-$129 per day, thereby giving you a better daily value.
Photo: Getty
Obviously, these are just examples, as Disney’s price structure has grown complex due to the date-based model.
You’ll pay more on holidays and popular times of the year while saving money during the offseason, but you get the gist.
Cons of a Medium Length Trip
Photo: Disney
Alas, four or five days still isn’t enough to see and do everything you’d like at Walt Disney World.
Trust me, as I speak from experience here. I typically feel rushed during four- and five-day vacations.
Photo: Disney
For health reasons, I’ve leaned toward those over the past few years.
The end result is that I’m always on the go in my rush to check off everything on my list.
Photo: orlandoattractions.com
So, I don’t stop and take notice of my surroundings as much as I do during longer trips.
Again, I’m at Disney, which makes every aspect of my vacation joyous.
Photo: Disney
For this reason, I consider the so-called “cons” to be nitpicky to an extent. But this one definitely has become an issue.
In a way, I’d be better served by staying longer. I wouldn’t necessarily accomplish more, but I’d likely stop and smell the roses more.
Pros of an Extended Vacation
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Friends, the Disney Bubble is real.
When you’re visiting a Disney theme park, you tend to forget the outside world exists.
Magic Kingdom
You leave all your problems behind the instant you set foot on Main Street, U.S.A.
From that point until you end your visit, you’re living out a fantasy.
Photo: Disney
So, the pro of an extended vacation is that you sustain that lingering sense of joy for even more days.
What I’ve discovered during lengthy stays is that I’m happy all the time.
Disney even prices me (and you) into staying longer. The ticket prices become shockingly cheap on days six and beyond.
As mentioned, Disney wants you to stay as long as possible because it’s making its money on food, lodging, and merchandise.
Management will happily cut you a deal on weeklong tickets because it’ll still make money.
Meanwhile, Disney knows you’ll be a happy customer the whole time, thereby providing positive reinforcement.
Photo: Disney Vacation Club
So, you’ll be more inclined to come back quickly. And why wouldn’t you? The last trip was the vacation of your dreams!
Cons of an Extended Vacation
Photo: Disney
Honestly, in my experience as someone who has taken multiple 10+ day Disney vacations, all the cons are external.
I mean, we’d all live at Disney if we could. That’s why Golden Oak communities sold out so quickly, with more on the way.
Photo: Disney
Instead, the “problems” with a long vacation involve real life, not the magic of Disney.
Specifically, parents with children under 18 may not feel comfortable leaving them for that long.
Photo: Disney
Conversely, if the children come on the trip, school demands and other commitments may prevent them from staying that long.
Other adults may have family, friends, or pets that they miss. We installed a camera just to watch our cats while we’re on vacation.
Photo: Disneyplanning.com
Also, job constraints are real, especially if you work in an office.
So, you’ll love every second that you’re inside the Disney Bubble, but the real world has a tendency to claw you back from fantasy.
Photo: Disney
Then again, that’s only true if you let it. One of my favorite stories about my late father occurred at Disney.
I knew he didn’t have long left and called him to wish him a happy birthday while I was at Disney.
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He sounded extremely annoyed in letting me know that I should be enjoying my vacation and not worrying about him.
He had birthday cake. He was fine. All he wanted was for me to relish every second I was at Disney.
Photo: Disney
Now, I’m sharing the same wisdom with you. It doesn’t matter how long you go. JUST GO!
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Feature Photo: Disney
