One Long Trip? Or Two Smaller Trips?

[MrPeetrie]

Hi, guys. We just finished a great trip in September. But here's our dilemma: we all agreed we probably wouldn't return in 2013 because we have other priorities. My wife wants a Honda Pilot in the Spring. We either need to move, or build an addition this house because it's too small. (We like it here, but we're outgrowing it.) And with the economy being unsteady, we thought we probably couldn't do all that AND take another Disney World trip the way we like. (We usually stay 10-12 days.) So our next trip back probably wouldn't be until 2014. But I don't know if I can hold out that long. I thought I'd surprise them with a small trip next December, maybe five days. Make it a Christmas-gift slash I-can't-wait-anymore combo trip.

So, what do you guys think? Do you prefer to take two smaller trips? Or wait and take a longer one?

[disneymom15]

For me it would be 2 smaller trips. I just couldn't wait that long between trips.

[Mitzie]

For us it is the shorter trips taken more often. We just wouldn't know what to do with ourselves if we weren't actively planning a trip. It is a true hobby.

[taleasoldastime]

I say do a smaller trip. 5 days is still a decent amount of time. It might not be what you are used to but it will still be fun!
Dont torture yourself with a long wait!

[SBETigg]

I would wait and build the anticipation. It will be so much sweeter once you're back.

Plus, if you're trying to save money, taking two trips will cost more than one long one with transportation, tickets, etc. You might be different but we usually end up spending about as much on our short trips in food and extras as we spend in our longer ones. I think the "this is a short trip" mentality sets in and we're more likely to indulge ourselves to make it all count, which means buying the extra stuff. And further, it's really hard to leave with short trips. You want to stay longer. You feel there's more you could do. They're satisfying and wonderful, but you still want more. Really, I feel like you're defeating the purpose by taking the two trips. If your plan is to hold off and save money, then hold off and save money.

[villavic]

I live in Peru so 2 trips are inevitably more expensive than 1, no matter the size of any.

But I agree the wait is very hard. I see you live in PA, so it's easier, but you must evalaute it, cause I see the issue is money and priorities, isn't it? Even though you live in the States, I think 2 trips will always be more expensive than 1, no matter how shorter are.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

I would wait and build the anticipation. It will be so much sweeter once you're back.

Plus, if you're trying to save money, taking two trips will cost more than one long one with transportation, tickets, etc. You might be different but we usually end up spending about as much on our short trips in food and extras as we spend in our longer ones. I think the "this is a short trip" mentality sets in and we're more likely to indulge ourselves to make it all count, which means buying the extra stuff. And further, it's really hard to leave with short trips. You want to stay longer. You feel there's more you could do. They're satisfying and wonderful, but you still want more. Really, I feel like you're defeating the purpose by taking the two trips. If your plan is to hold off and save money, then hold off and save money.

I agree. If you wait everything will seem new all over again and you can save and get a nicer resort perhaps. Plus you can take your vacation at a leisurely pace. If you go at Christmas time lines are long and 5 days may not be enough. Yep definitely wait.:mickey:

[PETE FROM NYC]

We do a longer trip every other year.
We are DVC members, so it works out good with 2 yrs of points to use. We eat bfast in, pack lunch and can splurge for a TS meal.
We also drive down because we are both disabled and can't do all of the walking that an airport requires. I have my new Expedition with both of our ECVs in the back. I would not want to do the drive too often.

[DisneyDadfromPittsburgh]

We go for the smaller trips allowing us to come back more often. Everyother years seems so long of a wait.

[Cinderelley]

We do longer trips. The cost/hassle of travelling/etc just doesn't seem worth it to me if we only go for a short time.

[AllDisney]

I'd rather wait and do the longer trip:cloud9:

[Granny Jill A]

Two smaller trips are twice the fun. Spaced 6 months apart so you don't have to wait TOO long :)

[ChipNDale79]

Personally I would do one longer trip. We've done both, we had trips that are 8 days long and trips that are only 3 days long. When we do the short trips to me it feels like everything is rushed and its not special.

When we are there for a full week then the trip feels special to me. I know that we can take our time and do what we want when we want to. I also have a full week off of work and dont' have that stress to worry about.

[buzznwoodysmom]

If your shorter trips will be 5 days then I'd go for the two shorter trips.

We've been pretty much doing 9 night trips (sometimes longer) to WDW every 7-9 months for the past few years. DH decided that he won't take any more multiple weeklong Disney vacays within the same year anymore. We'll be there for a week in Feb. and he's agreed to a shorter 4-5 night trip for Food and Wine next Oct. I am actually looking forward to a shorter trip for a change. Not as much packing, not away from home as long, not as expensive.

If it gets you there sooner, and more often......go for it.

[lawgirl]

We have been doing small trips lately, like 3-4 days each time. It's fun to plan and know that we'll be able to go back in a few months if we don't get to something. And its nice to have a bigger budget for each trip. I personally love scheduling it around the parties at MK. We went for MNSSHP and we are going back for MVMCP, for just a few days. I think its more fun for us to do it that way.