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 grew up in Miami, and Disney was built just before I was born. We went once or twice a year when I was growing up, and it was magical every time. I've been back several times, with and without children since we moved to the UK (I was 10). We tend to go to Florida most years, although often don't go to Orlando, or if we do only spend a few days there, but it's still exceptionally well done (better than Eurodisney or any UK theme park I've been to). I'm not a Disney nut, am not particularly bothered by watching the films (but usually have done by default), but it's just built to be fun. There is still a lot more to Florida though. At least people are starting to look beyond Orlando to experience the amazing wildlife, beaches and Floridian culture.

I have been to Orlando. I took DD when she was about 8. We had a great time. We've also toured Morocco, South Africa, Rajasthan...It is possible to enjoy many different types of holiday. I wouldn't fancy all inclusive in Spain or a lounging on a beach holiday, though. I like to be doing and seeing stuff.

I loved Orlando. Disney in the morning, shopping when it rained, then back to Disney in the evening for the parades. Private pool in our amazingly huge villa and a car too. I was 15.

I went to Disney Florida twice as a child, my (much younger) sisters have also been twice in the last few years as my mum LOVES Florida, she scrimps and saves for about 2 years to go.

I would absolutely love to go now as an adult and take my 2 boys. Only thing stopping me is the price, its just too much for us as a family of 4, plus my youngest is only 2 so would be too much hassle.

But i am determined to take the kids someday and have been putting a bit of money away whenever i can into my "Florida fund"

Sadly we couldn't afford it but my parents took me when I was 5. Honestly, all you sceptics, it IS magical to a child. And yes, I don't think that I really believed the person in the suit was Minnie Mouse, but she was still amazing.

Dd doesn't think that Pink Brick at legoland is an actual lego brick, but it doesn't stop her getting incredibly excited about a hug.

We fully intend to go the USA once we have saved up the money, but we will camp & visit family & our main "must see" is the NASA space centre. Maybe this is one of the positives to having Aspergers kids, they have no interest in busy places with loads of people, but looking at space stuff is worth it! :)

I went to Florida for the first time a couple of months ago as a belated honeymoon (and 'shock, horror' I don't yet have children yet, although am pregnant). We didn't do theme parks every day though (also did a couple of airboat tours, shopping trips, crazy golf courses etc). If basically you want non-stop attractions, shows, restaurants, etc, then Florida is unrivalled (I've been to UK theme parks and Disneyland Paris, and the Florida theme parks are in a different league). I think this is why Florida appeals so much to families, as there's so much family-orientated to do, so kids are never going to be bored. If however you hate crowds and theme parks, then it definitely won't be your thing. I'd like to point out I'm not culture adverse (I've had some lovely cultural breaks to brugge, instanbul, etc) but that's not what you go to Florida for, you go for fun. I hated the flight and time difference though!

I went twice as a child and it is completely magical there. If you haven't been as a child/don't love Disney you won't appreciate it!

I'm always fascinated that to many Brits, Florida means only Disney - you'd think there was nothing else there, whereas it's actually a wonderful state as we know after seeing a great deal of it. Best of all, you only have to go a short distance from Orlando to find that "the mouse" has disappeared completely

Each to their own of course, but they'd have to pay us to visit a theme park ... and even then we still wouldn't go

In a similar vein to puzzled I'm always puzzled about how many people think spain is no more than a Brits on the piss all inclusive beach holiday hell hole.

There's picturesque mountain top villages, castles, hiking, museums, snorkelling, diving, botanical gardens, lovely squares with cafés and bars, waterparks, caves and loads more. We do spend time relaxing, reading and drinking, but we also get out and about too.

Each to their own ... As a family we love Disney, been more times than I can count

We went with teenagers and did 10 days in Florida and 4 in NY. It was great fun. Not massive Disney fans so only did Epcot but they loved Universal and we loved Kennedy. Cost was more like £5000 though.

I absolutely love Disney and can't wait to take my little boy there. My parents took me there when I was 14 and I have such fantastic memories of that holiday. I've since been back several times with my now ex husband and we always had an amazing time.

We are going at Easter and dc's can't wait the holiday wasn't expensive it's the park tickets plus we booked NASA as ds turns 10 while we are there.

Each to their I detest beach holidays Spain Greece and the likes would sooner spend a fortnight weeding the garden!

We did it last year, didn't cost £10k and we were staying in a Disney hotel. It was amazing - a real sense of being away from it all because there was no cooking, no dishes, no food shopping, no cleaning - just that alone made it utter luxury. We took it easy, did the water parks regularly for relaxation.

It was paid for by money we had put aside for the mortgage but ended up not needing because of inheriting from MIL otherwise we could never have afforded it.

We do love our other holidays too though, just had a weekend on the Suffolk coast last week in a caravan with that stunning weather - just lovely, vegging on the beach, nature walks, fish and chips - we tend to take all the experiences we have and make the absolute most of them.

We love WDW. DH and used to go every year before we had children. Now we go every couple of years with our 2 DC and it does cost us around £10k.

I'm at the point where I don't really need to go to the parks. A couple of years ago, DH and I went for a week on our own and we only spent a couple of hours a day in the parks and the rest if the day we lounged by the pool and then went out to eat at their "signature" restaurants at night. That was a great trip!

My £8000 included, flights, villa, car hire, park tickets, and spending money.

I worked out the park tickets cost us about £9 per day and we went every 2nd day. You wouldn't get that in Alton Towers. 2 days will be setting us back £130 in July.

My parents took us and the DDs a few years ago, my brother and his family were going to come but his then wife asked for the money to go to Florence . She never got it, funnily enough.
It was amazing for the DDs. We did Disney, waterparks, Universal, Sea World, The Kennedy Space Center. Saw the Space Shuttle launch . Saw alligators wandering down the road , all types of wildlife.

Nobody does it like Disney to be honest, it's so much more than characters. Though the look on DDs face when she saw Winnie The Pooh will stay with me forever, she flew into his arms .

I guess it depends how your kids react to that sort of stuff. When we went to Disneyland Paris our DDs were completely unimpressed with the characters. They knew it was just people in suits and there was absolutely no "magic". Just queues, overpriced catering and shops at every turn.....

And you don't know until you have spent the ££££s and got there John

We went last year with dd and didn't spend anything near 10k. Despite spending a lot on clothes as well as the holiday itself.

Stayed I an apartment near Disney, so had our own base, pool, cooking facilities etc.

Went into Orlando to eat some evenings, enjoyed fireworks some nights. Just relaxed with wine in front of TV some nights.

Disney can be mad, but can be nice, even on mad days. Once you pace yourself and look for the less manic stuff.

We went canoeing another day on the rivier about 20 mins outside Orlando, dd loved swinging off A rope swing on a tree to swim in the river, where we'd glided past turtles, all sorts of birdsm and a few crocs!

We explored cape canacveral and the shuttle Atlantis.

We didn't go to universal as she's too short, slew will go back in a few years. But we spent a half day each at both water parks just chilling.

You can have an awful time, or you can have a magical time. It all depends onwhat your mindset is.

This year, we are going to the rockie mountains to hike, canoe, swim, and enjoy the bears, bbqs and some family time. Just a bit different to Disney. But we will enjoy it just as much I hope.

You needs bucketloads of stamina for Florida. Dh and I did it before we were married or had kids and had a ball.

My parents went for the first time in their 50's, without us, and have been a few times since.

I would go again, but not till the dc's are much much older. In fact I think we should probably leave it and let them take themselves as adults.

We brought snacks from supermarkets in our backpack daily, budgeted for some eating out daily, but knew beforehand that Disney meals would not be special. Us food is quite different anyway we find, dull, fatty and not a lot of veg or variety. But we had a great meal at an Irish/Mexican bar one night,. And we remembered to have a bottle to fill with water at the fountains, as that's important to keep hydrated.

Dd is funny about magic, not into princesses at all but really loved it, especially getting autographs from the various characters. But she is happy to do long distance travel. And the days away from the park were both good and important as well.

I never understood it either until I went for the first time age 21, been back 10 times, even got married in Florida! It truly is amazing, I love everything about the place as do my children!

It's not for everyone But I love it!