WWYD? quick trip in January with college age daughter? Or DL July

[scottmel]

We are WDW veterans - been many many times. This July 2018 we have a 2 week Aulani trip planned with 3 of those days spent at Disneyland which we have visited the last 2 years in a row while in Cali doing other things.

Southwest offering CRAZY cheap flights 65 for week of January 1st etc. Would you take advantage of a quick trip to WDW with DD18 (thinking like 5 days/4 nights) - to see Avatar, which we have not seen and do our usual stuff. Or would you stop at Disneyland on the way to Aulani in July? I know me..i will say I won't stop at DL on way to Aulani if I do WDW in January..but I always find a way to make things work. But I am going to REALLY assume that it is either WDW in January or DL in July...

My thought process is winter on east coast, warm in Florida. Cheap flights! She is home for a month from college, something fun to break up the winter before she heads back to school. A lot of our favorite restaturants show no availability in January.

I am of the mindset I will never regret traveling with her while she is available. DH is of the mindset that been there done that so much, avatar, let's wait for July DL. But he is easily swayed on travel and will go with the flow...

Thoughts? thanks!

 

[hiroMYhero]

A lot of our favorite restaturants show no availability in January.

Would this be a problem for you? It’ll be a great time to find new favorites. We always go to WDW in September for Magical Dining month and enjoy finding new Orlando favorites.

If restaurants aren’t a problem, go ahead and book WDW for January. I’m pretty sure you’ll stop off at DLR before you head to Oahu.

We were in Maui in June and talked to a lot of people who had spent over 12 hours to arrive in Maui. For us, it’s only 5 hours and we’ve never had problems acclimating to the time difference. All those mid-westerners and New Yorkers were really wiped out on their first day on the island.

If you can rationalize your travel, go for it.

 

[clambert1273]

As a Disneyland passholder, I would vote WDW lol While I love going to Disneyland, I find WDW to be a much better experience and even when it is busy it doesn’t feel like mass herding that it does at DLR. DLR is not very good at crowd control lol

The last few years it has been insanely crowded with no days of relief so we usually are stuck going when it opens to about 2pm when it becomes unmanageable. Chasing down paper fastpasses is not my favorite thing either (2 hour wait in between each pull except Buzz).

Would love to go to Hawaii some day

 

[scottmel]

As a Disneyland passholder, I would vote WDW lol While I love going to Disneyland, I find WDW to be a much better experience and even when it is busy it doesn’t feel like mass herding that it does at DLR. DLR is not very good at crowd control lol

The last few years it has been insanely crowded with no days of relief so we usually are stuck going when it opens to about 2pm when it becomes unmanageable. Chasing down paper fastpasses is not my favorite thing either (2 hour wait in between each pull except Buzz).

Would love to go to Hawaii some day

THanks! I just booked WDW. Got a crazy good airfare deal etc. hard to pass up. We were there just this past March but Pandora wasn't open yet so that is something completely new for us to see. Quick trip 5 days but a fun one! thanks!

 

[clambert1273]

Have a blast!!! We are finally going back to WDW during my kids spring break in April.. crappy time but I didn’t care

 

[HarperLeigh]

8

THanks! I just booked WDW. Got a crazy good airfare deal etc. hard to pass up. We were there just this past March but Pandora wasn't open yet so that is something completely new for us to see. Quick trip 5 days but a fun one! thanks!

I did something similar with my college aged son a couple years ago. He was home on break and airfare was too good to pass up, so just him and I went with about three weeks notice and we had a blast. Have a great time!

 

[Micca]

You chose wisely! Winter in FL better than Summer in Anaheim, sooner better than later.

 

[mamamelody2]

Great choice! Sounds like you'll have a blast!

 

[MrsDuck]

Why not both?!

In all seriousness, you made the right choice. But if you can swing those DL days over the summer, I would.

 

[etail]

Actually I booked this very type of trip a few weeks ago with DS 22. Just two nights, full on ride frenzy focused on Pandora. So with a quick trip in January we'll still have the money for a family trip in the summer. That and I am turning 50...

 

[constanze]

I love Disneyland...but when given the choice between DL and WDW, we always choose WDW Have a blast!

 

[epcotty]

I'd say Disneyland because of the convenience and it being more unusual to go to

 

[scottmel]

Why not both?!

In all seriousness, you made the right choice. But if you can swing those DL days over the summer, I would.

It will so depend on the airfare from East Coast to Hawaii. if that isn't a big swing I am going to try to do a 3 day stop at DL prior to Aulani. But this way if the deal is better to head straight to Aulani I won't feel too bad having just been to WDW.

Actually I booked this very type of trip a few weeks ago with DS 22. Just two nights, full on ride frenzy focused on Pandora. So with a quick trip in January we'll still have the money for a family trip in the summer. That and I am turning 50...

Me too! I turn 50 in December and DD birthday in February so this January trip sort of seemed like a perfect compromise! Happy Birthday to you and thanks for sharing the birthday perspective I had not thrown that into my rationalization...I am now!

You chose wisely! Winter in FL better than Summer in Anaheim, sooner better than later.

AGREED! We were in Anaheim this past July and OMG it was hot. WAYYYYY hotter than our trip the prior July when DD was in light flannels and we never broke a sweat.

 

[scottmel]

Actually I booked this very type of trip a few weeks ago with DS 22. Just two nights, full on ride frenzy focused on Pandora. So with a quick trip in January we'll still have the money for a family trip in the summer. That and I am turning 50...

I am glad you posted your length of stay. I arrive Monday at 10 AM and leave Friday at 8 pm. I was fretting it was a little short, debating going home Saturday but only cheap flight was 7 am so I figured why pay an additional hotel night etc. to be leaving at 5 am the next morning!

 

[etail]

Me too! I turn 50 in December and DD birthday in February so this January trip sort of seemed like a perfect compromise! Happy Birthday to you and thanks for sharing the birthday perspective I had not thrown that into my rationalization...I am now!

Wherever you go, Happy Birthday!!!

 

[ols386]

Personally, I'd do WDW in January, if I could only do ONE location.