Walt Disney World get away just for Mom and Dad

by Todd
(Indiana)

Carl -

You've always been a wealth of knowledge and I hoping you have some pearls of wisdom for us now. I hope I didn't lay it on too thick - LOL.

We have decided to take a quick trip to Walt Disney World without our son. We tossed the idea around last year and it never came about. We are making it happen this year - no matter what.

We are planning a 3-4 day Walt Disney World get away just for Mom and Dad from April 22 - 24 or 25:

Questions and help -

Do you think it is worth airfare from Indiana and on site resort costs for 3 days; arriving in Orlando around 9AM and leaving Orlando around 9PM or do you think we need at least 4 days at WDW to make it worth the cost?

Where is the best place to get the best deal for a 3-4 day package to WDW?

With only being there 3-4 days is it worth getting the hopper pass or just sticking with one park each day?

How are the crowds at the end of April? We looked at your crowd calendar and it shows RED for this weekend - is there a reason the crowds would be up this time of year?

Thanks for any help that can be provided!!! GO COLTS!!!!

Dad's Clear Thinking Answer

Todd,

Too thick? How about not enough. Of course Dad's helpful. He's the greatest ever. Shout it from the mountain tops. Tell your friends, your neighbors, your enemies ... (Sorry, sometimes I just can't help myself.)

Just one question before we begin. How could you possibly plan a Walt Disney World get away for just Mom and Dad without that great looking kid? Just look at that face. How can you do it? Someone call child protective services. These parents are nuts. (OK, back on the meds.)

Answering your questions ...

Do you think is it worth the airfare ... for 3 days?

I can't answer that one definitively. That's up to you and your situation. We always take long trips when we go to Disney World because we've never known when we would get back. Would we go for just a couple of days? Absolutely. Especially if we knew the next trip was just a year or two away.

do you think we need at least 4 days at WDW to make it worth the cost?

Yes, I do think you need to stay the extra day. Here's why ...

Your itinerary is not really 3 or 4 days. It's 1 or 2 full days and 2 partial days. This is a big difference. Yes, your flight is scheduled to arrive in Orlando at 9:00 on the "first" day. That means at the absolute best you'll be in a park at 11:00. But, if you have any delays in your travel (like making a little mistake ) or a one-in-a-million flight delay, you'll be doing good to be in the park by 2:00.

The day you leave you will have to leave Walt Disney World by 2:00, or so, depending on how you are getting to the airport.

That means a 3 day trip is now 2 half days and one full day. It's Dad's opinion that you need that other full day.

With only being there 3-4 days is it worth getting the hopper pass or just sticking with one park each day?

I'm going to assume your going to take Dad's sage advice (yes, Dad is now a sage), and go for "4" days. Should you get a park hopper or just go to one park per day? Yes, you already asked that, I'm just thinking about my answer ... ... ...

I'm not big on Park Hoppers for short trips. At $50.00 per person per day, it will add $100.00 to your ticket price. Here's what I'd probably suggest for your trip.

• Thursday - Magic Kingdom (Yes, Magic Kingdom, Grad Night is Friday and Saturday night and the Magic Kingdom closes at 7:00 each night)
  
• Friday - Epcot
  
• Saturday - Disney's Hollywood Studios (Fantasmic is being shown this night)
  
• Sunday - Animal Kingdom (you can see almost everything is a short period of time)

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

How are the crowds at the end of April? We looked at your crowd calendar and it shows RED for this weekend - is there a reason the crowds would be up this time of year?

Sorry, but this is the last "weekend" of Spring Break and with the Grad Night at the Magic Kingdom, crowds will be heavy, very heavy.

I hope this helps. Dad's worn out.

Oops. Sorry, Dad forgot the most important part.

Where is the best place to get the best deal for a 3-4 day package to WDW?

I'm sorry to say, Dad has not been able to set up his Travel Agency yet, so I don't have any great recommendations for packages to Disney World if you want to stay on site. If you are planning to stay off site check out Dad's off site hotel pages.