To wonder why Florida is seen as the ultimate family holiday?

[Worriedkat]

A family we know are spending £10k on a summer holiday to Disney, and that's not even in a Disney hotel. Several other friends cite Florida/Disney as the ultimate family holiday of a lifetime, it seems to be the holiday to aspire to, giving your children wonderful memories.

I can't visualise it myself. All I can see is heat, humidity, long queues, toddler tantrums, exhaustion from the plane and time difference. It doesn't sound magical! What is it that makes the experience worth £10k? Or Aibu to think that maybe it's not all it's cracked up to be?

I've been twice with friends, no children. We aren't into Disney, but stayed onsite at Universal Studios, so no queues at all, lovely hotel with great facilities, plenty of bars and restaurants in walking distance. If we wanted to go on some rides we could take a stroll over or hop on the boat and be there in 10mins.
We didn't drive anywhere, we took cabs anywhere too far to walk. We. Also went to Busch Gardens, St Augustine and Animal Kingdom. Other than that we played some golf, chilled out and drank our body weights in cocktails.
If we have kids we would definitely take them because it is magical for children. The parks are done so much better than our own with the added bonus of sunshine.

I've also travelled a fair bit throughout US, spent time in the far east and backbacked across Europe so just because I liked Florida it doesn't mean I can't like anything different!!

People like different things I suppose.

We went to Florida with my sisters and their DC after my dad died with money he left us. It was unforgettable, amazing fun. We all love rollercoasters and went at a quiet time of year so no queues. I can see why you wouldn't want to go in the height of summer, and I wasn't so keen on the Disney parks although my 5 year old nieces loved the princesses!

I can't wait to take my own children now I have them.

On the other hand, I meet lots of people who spend thousands going to Australia, which doesn't appeal to me at all. Long flight, expensive, too hot, full of poisonous creatures. Dh and I have decided it is somewhere we would never want to go, ever.
That doesn't mean people who do go there are somehow wrong, it is obviously the ultimate family holiday for them, just not for us.

£10K on a holiday?

A holiday to a theme park?

Fools and their money to my mind.

Lilac Lilly...if you buy a package through Disney with flights etc it is pricey.

We had a '4 nights for 2' offer last March, which was £559 in a Disney hotel, 5 days and 4 nights with breakfast. We drove, stayed in a Premier Inn in Dover, got the ferry over and did the same on the way back.

With Ferry and petrol, and 2 x Premier Inns, total 'cost' of going was about £900 and we were away for a full week. You do spend a lot there though, you won't get dinner for much less than 100 Euros. But as we drove we took all our snacks and drinks with us which saved a fortune.

We went to Paris with the children a few years ago and found it really boring, like an overgrown fairground. The children were 5&8 and weren't particularly excited by it, we had lots of tears and tantrums. Everyone says that Florida is a must but the world is a big place and for £10k I can think of a million places I would rather go.

You could have a great holiday for 10k without all the other people.

It's quite a gamble to pay out all that and expect your DC to love it and feel all magical etc. What if they didn't?

Who ARE these people who go to Disney with a partner PRE-children...?!

I have been to Disneyland without children - I'd take my DC there but not Florida. The weather is more pleasant (cooler at some times of year, and drier) and there are a lot of other things to do, too.

I agree I have never fancied it, never did as a child and if I spelt out on the fridge that we were going to DisneyWorld my kids would go "eh?what's that?" While we enjoy a few Disney films, it just isn't a "thing" in their minds. To me Mickey Mouse is a really old, kind of creepy cartoon character with a horrible voice. Furthermore, my DC would probably freak at being approached by a 7-foot tall cartoon mouse.

I haven't discouraged any of this stuff, it just doesn't really register. They are into other cartoons, Cartoon network type stuff, we are not telly-banning lentil-weaving types or anything.

I think it is possible to buy into the marketing though and go to the Disney Store as a treat and have Disney princess stuff and build up excitement about Disneyland/world. If you are into it, it must be great.

Japanese to answer your question, they are people who are in the region anyway, fancy a holiday there, and enjoy theme parks/rides.

I went to LA with a friend Pre DH/DC, and went to Universal/Disney etc because we were there. It was ok, but not fussed about going back.

Went there last yr and must say it was really brilliant, something for everyone.
Went to Paris Disneyland when kids were younger (3 and 5) and that was hard work - and I'd had more than enough after 3 days.

Went to Orland when I was 8 and it was amazing! We had a villa with our own pool, visited all the different parks and just had the best time ever. It's definitely a place to take children, I hope to take mine when they're old enough, but until then we will go to Paris!

My DC can take themselves if they ever want to go.

JapaneseMargaret Me

I'd been to Florida as a child and absolutely loved it. DH and I are massive roller coaster fans and there are a huge concentration in one place in Orlando. You don't have to be a Disney obsessed weirdo to appreciate the rides and how well done everything is.

We had a great time and I can't wait to take the DCs next year. We have been waiting until the kids are old enough to go on everything without the relentless child swapping.

Really not my thing, dh would rather gauge his own eyes out than go.
For £10k would rather go on an adventure type holiday.

It was the only big holiday we've ever had and we thoroughly enjoyed every minute. The queues may have been down as we went a few months after 9/11 and we didn't feel we were queuing all the time.I have to say that the Disney parks were the least favourite bits. Staying in a villa, shopping at an American supermarket and eating at all-you-can eat restaurants were fun too because it was a novel experience. Universal were the best theme parks but the Space Centre, Gatorland and the water parks were what made the holiday special. Everything was big, bold and brash and we drank it all in!

I have since been to other US places and had a holiday more to my liking that didn't involve Mickey Mouse/theme parks and hoards of people.

For children it is amazing. I remember when I was a child and went to Disney and I was absolutely overwhelmed. It was like having the best dream ever - it really did seem magical. It probably isn't an adults first choice of holiday but for children it's immense. DS is only 9 weeks old and we're already putting some money aside each month to go in the Florida Fund

Different things for different people. We've done all of these different holidays....

All inclusive in Spain - crappy food, kids running wild, drunken idiots and no sleep with people running about at all hours.. my idea of hell.

Camping with kids - even worse. Was cold all night and communal toilets isn't my idea of fun.

Caravan site - stank of greasy chips everywhere. Kids disco and xfactor rejects was awful.

Off the beaten track in Portugal. Hot and boring.

Florida - amazing. So so much to see and do, everywhere was clean, happy people, great service and loads of air con.

We alternated theme park with water park every day and the kids loved it, I went prior DC as was working in the states and the night life was great and had fun. I would like to take DC to Arizona but tbh the probably would not all appreciate it as I was 21 when I went the same as New York and Washington.

I suppose any holiday with Dc is a gamble. My idea of a fun holiday not the same as theirs.

In our family all 4 of us would like something different I think.

But then I detest...... all places with hordes of people in polyester.

Proper laughing at that :o

We had a terrific holiday with the DC in California, which included a visit to the Disney Park there, Universal studios etc. I would deffo rate it as a great experience.
But our best family holiday was travelling around Southern India on a budget a couple of years ago.
I think both types of holiday have lots to recommend them, and I would not look down my nose at people who enjoy the Florida/Disney experience - each to his own.