Driving down to Disney World for Spring Break

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And this is why I haven't pulled the trigger on a Disney trip yet. We are not Disney super fans, kids know a few movies...and it just seems like such an ordeal that requires so much insider expertise rather than a pleasant few days. Good luck OP...I'm interested to hear what you figure out! We will also drive if we ever go.

People make Disney a lot harder than it needs to be. You can absolutely make it a pleasant few days - I know because I have done it without all of the super advanced planning and drama.

What I did in advance was - see which parks would have the Extra Magic hours and book a character breakfast. That's it.

I agree. If you have your heart set on a certain Disney experience (specific restaurants, etc.) or have grand expectations, then you need to plan ahead. If you go in with no set expectations and are willing to just "roll with it" you will enjoy.

Also agree--and I'm a big Disney fan. I've been planning our family's upcoming trip for two years, because I find that kind of stuff enjoyable and fun, not because I'm worried the trip isn't worth doing otherwise. Even I am completely overwhelmed by a lot of the "Disney people" who insist you HAVE to do it this way, and you absolutely must do XYZ or your trip will be completely ruined. You probably can't just roll up the day of with absolutely no plan and no ideas, but I would say a fun trip is definitely doable without a whole lot of prep, especially if you're easy-going and flexible about what you do get to see/do.

That said, I have no recommendations for stopping points. Just checking Kayak for flights with some flexible dates around spring break, it looks like there are a few options for around $200 and just under (and many for much more), but with 3 kids, I could see how even a low cost flight would blow the budget.

As I said, I am excited about Disney World, AND I enjoy planning these types of things. It's fun. For me, it's a relief for day-to-day stress, not something that adds to it. Some people unwind with wine and TV, I plan our now-not-so-faraway family vacation. Don't make me bust out my spreadsheets...

[Anonymous]

OP reports back. It took us two days to drive down, stop at Savannah. Stayed at San's Boutiques and Hotel, which is pet free and smoke free. Great for allergy sufferers. While in Orlando, we stayed at a AirBnB condo in Davenport, which is half an hour driving to Magic Kingdom. We spent the 1st full day in Magic Kingdom. 2nd full day was reserved for a movie and downtime swimming at the condo. 3rd full day at Seaworld and 4th full day at Legoland. We wanted to not stopping overnight on the way back, but ended up checking into a Sleep Inn in Wilson, NC, which is pet free, smoke free too, but twice as expensive as San's. We even went to Easter Mass in Wilson before heading back. Overall kids enjoyed the trip and had a good time. They counted more than 5,000 trucks on the road both ways!!

[Anonymous]

OP here again. I should add that while in Disney, we spent the time watching the parade, live shows, firework and visiting Mickey and friends for pictures. We didn't do many rides, only 3, I think. While in Seaworld, we focused on live shows and the aquarium. No rides at all. Kids lined up for the driving school and they had fun building car models in Legoland. I prepared lunches and dinners for everyone for the day trips. That saved us some times hunting for food.

[Anonymous]

Glad you had fun OP! Orlando has much to offer and it doesn't need to be as stressful as others make it out to be.