Disneyland/Orlando = Awful

[YellowTulips]

Just got back from 2 weeks in Orlando.

I know I am a miserable bugger but I HATED it.

Hot humid weather, stupidly high fees to enter the parks (legoland was especially shit).

Kids loved it, but I surely can't be the only person who disliked it ......

Stunned at comment that it's recommended to use a pushchair for children up to 6 at Disney! Our two year old was in the Maclaren and that was well worth it (he wasn't using it much at home and never used once back) but our four year old was absolutely fine. We went in May.

Mine were 8 and 10 when we went and that was a good age - still young enough to be exited about collecting characters signatures, old enough to get on most of the rides (all in 10y old's case), old enough to stay up for firework displays.

Yellow tulips - in always amazed when people are keen to go to all inclusive hotels and spend all day on a beach or by a pool rarely leaving the resort. My idea of hell - but each to their own.

My husband hates it he can't stand the heat or the crowds I dont mind it he says he will never go back

Cinnabar - dd has been at 2, 4, 7, 9, 10 and 12 (here now for last one).

It's been different every time.

We went at 2 as she was free entry to the parks and couldn't do anything at 3 that she couldn't do at 3 - she was already tall enough for first level coaster etc. and she loved it. The photos of her with the biggest smile ever, on pretty much every photo, says it all really. At 4 she was really into the magical side of it with the characters. And now it's all abut the rides - the bigger the better. This time we are here primarily for the new Wizarding world rides which opened this summer - that's today's plan: first full day here, ready to queue but I'm sure it will be worth it. Advantage of first day jet lag means we will be in the queue for when the park opens.

We have all out fast passes booked for our Disney days and restaurants for each Disney day too.

We stayed on Disney for two weeks at Easter in 2007. Loved it- kids loved it.

Returned back in October 2012 (much better in terms of crowds/weather). We stayed in a Marriot on Int Drive (which wasnt great but ok- didnt spend much time in the hotel)- we then spent 4 nights in a beautiful hotel on the of the Middle Florida Keys.

I have really enjoyed it both times, its exhausting but its fun.

We also have Cornwall cottage holidays,
French Alp holidays (summer and winter)
Italian coastal holiday (twee little italian village)
camping
Spanish all inclusive

(I am including these so you can see we do try and enjoy other 'types' of holidays!)

We have been to Florida five times in the last 10 years, as we have family there, but we don't do a full two weeks in Orlando. I really enjoy it, but a fortnight would be too much for me.

We usually spend 5-7 days in Orlando, with max 3 days out of that at the parks, then have a week by the beach (St Petes, Clearwater, Anna Maria Island) and a night or two in Miami.

I would find one of those proper fortnight-ataDisney holidays boring and exhausting, but each to their own!

We also have other types of holidays and are fortunate that we have more than one holiday each year.
Disney/Universal are a great holiday for us with an only child - everything is there, all the entertainment laid on.

Yes the tickets aren't cheap but we have 14 day tickets for both US and DW and a day ticket for the space centre and that's all out entertainment provided; no other entry costs to pay it for such as on other holidays with museums, tourist attractions, etc.

Deluge-

I may pick your brains at some point.

we plan to return in about 4 years when DD is 5. We want to visit Anna Maria Island- I wanted to go in 2012 but Duck Key trumped it.

it looks beautiful.

We've been three times and loved it but IF I ever got the chance to go again I would choose a cooler time of year. The heat and humidity drained us!!

Tbf disney is crap second time we went we stayed away from disney and went to universal dh didnt moan when we were there though just non stop when we got back ohI love I drive for its ttackiness

Its lovely, Tiredemma. A world away from Disney!

Feel free to PM me :-)

I went when DD was, I think, 7. We went in August as I am a teacher - the heat, humidity and rain didn't bother us, in fact DD still talks about the quantity of rain on one occasion! We really enjoyed the parks and the tackiness of I-Drive, and also went to Kennedy Space Centre and did loads of shopping.
I wouldn't go back as there is far too much world and from the year after the Orlando holiday we started taking adventure travel holidays around the world, including Morocco, South Africa and India - far more exciting than rides and not really any more expensive!

We love Theme Parks so we do love Orlando. Had a great holiday last year in July and we're saving to do one last family holiday when dd is about 17/18 (depends on if ds ever reaches the magical height of 140cm).

I think it's each to their own. But Orlando is not a turn up and wing it holiday. You do need to research when to go and how to do things.

There's other parts of Florida which are beautiful to visit too.

We do indeed 'find our pleasures variously' as my mum would say!

'are you one of these martyrs who spends thousands and justify it because "the kids will love it '
That's not being a martyr .That is being a parent

Currently in the approx 2 hours queue for the new HP ride Escape From Gringotts. Dd is beside herself with excitement!

Hula... I am soooooooo jealous!

I know a family who take their 3 DCs every year. They love love love it. We have been twice, just to remind ourselves the second time how totally shit it is. A complete rip off. A holiday for the brain dead imo.

What is the appeal?

I refuse to ever go. Spent 36 hours in the Paris disney, bloody awful experience.
MIL goes regularly but never offers to take DS, miserable cow.

We enjoyed it but that was primarily because DS enjoyed going to Disney World, the water parks and Universal Studios.

I can totally see why people with DCs go and I can just about see why you'd go more than once. However I don't understand it as an adult holiday.

My cousins are American and every year my DF gets them the Disney fortnight pass over here to send over as it's cheaper - their family is two adults around 50 and two DC who are late teens. I don't understand how they enjoy going to Disneyworld every year - it's not cheap either at around £1000 just for the tickets.

Even worse are our neighbours who are lovely in every respect except holiday choices. They frequently go to Disney (fine) but then once the parents went on a Disney cruise leaving their 3 DCs aged about 8-12ish at the time at home . But then they also enjoy Haven at Haggerston Castle, whereas 2 nights was as much as we could stomach.

The appeal for me is guaranteed fun for the kids (never bored!) and the hot weather (which I love). My DC loved the Disney magic when they were small, they LOVE Universal now and we all love the water parks, which are far superior to anything you get in Europe. Disney Typhoon Lagoon is fantastic.

We have done various sorts of holidays in Orlando, all with great success. We've stayed in apartments (such good value for money - huge 3 bed apartment with balcony and all mod cons for under $100 a night in high season) and rented villas (lovely to have down days by the pool and a barbecue).

I quite like all the tacky, OTT Americana to be honest and love eating out in Orlando. Bahama Breeze on I-Drive and Gloria Estefan's Cuban place in Downtown Disney are two of my favourite restaurants ever, and we loved stocking up on a big pancake breakfast at Golden Corral before hitting the parks. So cheap and such great quality.

I find it all really fun and relaxing, to be honest. But we don't go to a theme park every day.

We are quite open minded about holidays and have been lucky enough to do all sorts through DH's work/travel. We have done 5 star Caribbean holidays, intrepid trips to Beijing with babies in tow, activity holidays in Wales and packages to Portugal and Spain. We also like camping in the UK . I find Disney-snobbery funny.

Florida is hands down my favourite family holiday destination for a proper break. Its so varied, especially if you get out of Orlando for a few days and explore the beautiful beaches or the Everglades.

I love Disney Orlando for all the reasons others have given. It also has a strange appeal to the organisationally minded side of me and my engineer DH - all those buses for a start. The service is very good mainly as they employ an excess of staff. The water parks are wonderful - yes to Typhoon Lagoon! I've even eaten a couple of memorable restaurant meals there and just avoid the fast food. The rain can be an event in itself and has a kind of predictability in the afternoon. Tbh I don't mind warm rain half as much as the cold horizontal stuff I get at home for most of the year.

The country areas are not that far away and we saw bald eagles and alligators in the wild. Oh and that side trip came with a fantastic "home-style" meal at a waterside fish restaurant.

It's not like visiting Venice or a staying in a French gite but that's not the point. The story goes Walt Disney took his child round a tacky amusement fair and thought he could create one better that would appeal to parents too. My teenager has told me it was his favourite holiday and I have very fond memories too so I think Walt got it right!

"The story goes Walt Disney took his child round a tacky amusement fair and thought he could create one better that would appeal to parents too"

Great if that appeals- but what is wrong with real life?