By the co-author of The easy Guide to Your Walt Disney World Visit 2020, the best-reviewed Disney World guidebook series ever.

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The Comfortable Guide to How Long to Stay at Walt Disney World



By Dave Shute

This is part of The Comfortable Guide to Walt Disney World

OVERVIEW: THE COMFORTABLE GUIDE TO HOW LONG TO STAY AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

I have noted elsewhere in the instructions for typical families visiting Walt Disney World for the first, and perhaps only, time, that they should plan to be there for 8 nights and 9 days to see all of its best, while also building in sufficient time to relax and rest.

These instructions are designed for typical first time family visitors who are not sure whether or not they will ever return.

This page addresses how long to stay at Walt Disney World for a subset of first time visitors: those seeking the most comfortable visit.

It is part of a series about the most comfortable way to visit Walt Disney World.  Its companion series is about the most inexpensive way to visit Walt Disney World,

I am publishing both series at the same time to help those who are looking for bargains and deals on some things, so that they can spend more on others!!  Links to everything in these two series are at the bottom of the page.

MORE ON THE COMFORTABLE GUIDE TO HOW LONG TO STAY AT WALT DISNEY WORLD

Doing the parks right takes about 6 days—about two days each at Epcot and the Magic Kingdom, and about one each at the Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Adding in a half day of rest and travel time for each day in the parks, and you get to the 9 days this site recommends.

You can do this and have a comfortable, although busy, visit.

However, seeing the rest of the key offerings in Orlando–Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Studios,  Sea World, plus a waterpark–adds another four days or so of touring, plus a couple more days of rest and relaxation, bringing the total to 15 days or so on site.

Below are provided example itineraries for two different ways to have 15 days on site (click them to enlarge them).

Example Three Year 4 Night Walt Disney World and Orlando ItineraryThe first example itinerary, on the right, sends you to Orlando over long weekends for three years.

It’s perfect for those who have difficulty fitting longer trips into their other travel plans, or not willing to bite off on two weeks for their first visit to Walt Disney World.

The second example, below, has you spending 16 days–two weeks and the weekends around them–traveling to and from, and enjoying, Orlando.

It’s best for those willing to bet on two weeks in Orlando. 

It’s especially good for overseas visitors–e.g. first time visitors to Walt Disney World from Britain–who are facing such time zone challenges and/or travel expenses that a longer trip makes much more sense for them.

Example Two Week Walt Disney World and Orlando Itinerary

The examples themselves likely won’t work in any specific weeks, as you should tie your evenings at the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios to the Magic Kingdom’s fireworks show Wishes, Epcot’s Evening Extra Magic Hours, and Fantasmic at the Studios, and Walt Disney World’s schedules for these vary.

See Designing Your Own Walt Disney World Itinerary for suggestions on how to fit these various events and days together.  See Minimizing Planning Time for thoughts on how to get help with this work.

PUBLISHED SO FAR IN THE COMFORTABLE GUIDE TO WALT DISNEY WORLD

PUBLISHED SO FAR IN THE TIGHTWAD’S GUIDE TO WALT DISNEY WORLD

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5 comments

1 Damo { 12.03.12 at 5:57 am }

Hi, I’m heading to Orlando for the first time on early afternoon of 12 Jan, but given this is part of a larger trip around the world from Australia I only have 3 nights and 2.5 days available. My wife and I are travelling with our 7yo twins (boy and girl).
Your knowledge is amazing, but all of your suggestions seem to be targeted at longer stays than ours. For a short, sharp visit like ours that is never likely to be repeated, can you please suggest an itinerary (parks/rides/restaurants) that gives us the best this place has to offer? Thanks in advance!

2 Dave { 12.03.12 at 8:58 am }

Hi Damo, you are correct. I don’t have short itineraries. Couple of thoughts: for kids that age, focusing solely on the Magic Kingdom would be fine given how short your visit is. And you can then adapt the MK days form my itineraries to suit… Alternatively, see the itineraries here: http://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/touring-plans

3 Mary { 10.18.15 at 10:37 pm }

I’m looking for answers on bounce back offers. I the last trip they offered less choices. Is that true this year?

4 Dave { 10.19.15 at 8:21 am }

Dunno, Mary–sorry.

5 Kelly B - Agent with Destinations in Florida { 10.19.15 at 1:49 pm }

Hi Mary- Right now the current bounce back offer is
Free Dining Plan
Travel dates 5/31/2016 – 6/7/2016 and 7/15/2016 – 10/31/2016
Book now through 10/31/2015

No news on what is coming next

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