Random I know - is Disney worth it ?

[Pisssssedofff]

We went when the kids were 8,6,4 and I remember it being horribly expensive, a bit stressful but yes fun with the Ariel photos etc and we loved discovery bay with the Dolphins.
I have an additional child now that never been aged 6, he loved Lego land and they all really enjoyed Disney Paris at Halloween last year.
I'm trying to talk myself into booking but god it's a lot of money isn't it? I'm looking at £6000 for a fortnight I think being conservative and not eating in Disney ever

The food is another reason we don't stay in resort.

Ah, the words faces and face auto corrected to goes and fave!! It was their FACES that made it worth it.

I'm vegetarian and we've stayed on site for our last 5 trips. The fast food type places aren't fantastic but the proper restaurants will all do stuff off menu for vegetarians. We always rent a car though and have some meals at places like Sweet Tomatoes.

You will have eaten a lot of falafel like I did then presumably?! Don't think I've eaten one in the year since we've been back. 😆

All Disney restaurants, quick service included, will go off menu if you want / need them to. Epcot has amazing food, veggie and non-veggie.

Agree re Epcot food! Garden grill is pretty lush. The restaurants and stalls around the world showcase are brilliant too, the quick service place in Morocco is beautiful.

If you ever get to go during the food and wine festival you'd be amazed, it's the best thing ever.

I found the food at DLP shit but we love Florida. Just managed to snag a last minute reservation next month for Victoria and Alberts too so I'm super excited now!

Yes, I think Epcot food is probably the exception rather than the rule.

We discovered Sweet Tomatoes and loved it. Agree about the food in Epcot. We had the best ever hummus there.

I think it is knowing where to look and what to ask for. We always have loads of beautiful salads and fresh vegetables with our meals, and we only ever use Quick Service restaurants. It is a myth that it is all burgers and chips.

We normally take a week's holiday in Southern Europe in both the May & Oct half term (to avoid the Aug premium) and our family of 4 for budget flights and luxury accommodation (self catering or 2 hotel rooms) costs between £2k - £2.5k. Excludes food.

We went skiing at Easter in the French Alps for the first time with the kids - budget flights & 2 bed S/C on piste flat plus lessons and ski hire cost us £4K. Excludes food.

Disneyworld and Universal for the first time with the kids (12 & 9) for the last 2 weeks of Aug, coming back the day before school starts.

Direct Thomas Cook flights booked this May for £700 pp so £2800.
2 weeks Floridays resort 2 bed suite booked this month for £1500.
14 day Disney/Universal tickets x 4 cost a whopping £1800.
1 night Lowes RPR for FOLP £200.
So that's £6.3k so far.....excluding food, car hire, shopping & KSC.

We're only planning to do this once. I would have never contemplated spending so much on what is basically a theme park focused holiday if we hadn't paid off our mortgage earlier on this year. I am looking forward to it though

I don't think so

Ds wasn't overly impressed with the magic of Disney and had no desire to go again

That money could be spent on a whole holiday that is memorable rather than a few days of being surrounded by stressed out parents and tantruming children

I'm going to be there during the food festival this year and I'm looking forward to it.

Epcot is my favourite park.

amprev I've never had falafel in Disney. I ate a lot of pizza last time, but that was through choice because I'm a pizza and pasta fiend. Coral Reef in Epcot does chick'n breast, Yak & Yeti in Animal Kingdom does a lovely noodle dish. Apparently Sanaa is fantastic for vegetarians but I'm not a fan of Indian food so haven't tried it.

It's cheaper if you book it yourself, flights hotel and car hire will be cheaper doing it yourself than through travel agent. There's a plethora of dining options outside the Disney and Universal resorts with lots of choice on international drive. You can find coupons for most places which also helps to bring the cost down.

Letting your child swim with dolphins is bad parenting.

We got flights and accommodation for two weeks for under £4K in a nice hotel (Ritz Carlton) at Easter. Only went to four parks - did DW in about an hour, as found it very underwhelming (including DDs 9 and 11). Adored Universal.

We did day trips to the Gulf Coast, and spent time swimming etc, so loved the holiday as a whole.

Would never go again though - the world's too big a place.

Oh are dolphins dangerous then ? I've swum with them, throughly enjoyed it, my older kids have two. We didn't get harmed in anyway and the Dolphins seemed to quite enjoy it too.

Perhaps the PP's comment isn't referring to the welfare of the humans involved.

Do you think ?

Oh I am sure the dolphins are very happy on their enclosure of what a few hundred meters at best

Dolphins can swim up to 100 miles a day

And as for keeping orcas in captivity at sea world doing tricks well we know the tragic outcome that can lead too

Laughing that someone thinks you could "do" Disneyworld in "about an hour". It is 4 huge theme parks, 2 water parks, several sports complexes, 20+ hotels and a shopping and entertainment complex in an area about the size of San Francisco.

Agree totally that going to Sea World / Discovery Cove is wrong.

Ashamed to say I went to Sea World San Diego. Then I watched Blackfish and read a few books like 'Killer in the Pool' and 'Death at Sea World' Never again would I give them a penny.

We stroked and fed the dolphins (oh the naivety) and one actually snapped at DH (I was filming as well). We were most amused at the time that this beautiful, gentle creature took a dislike to DH. Of course now I realise it was living a life of misery and probably pissed off beyond belief.

Yes I have been too

It was horrible and never again or swim with dolphins

Blackfish is an excellent documentary

How do you know the dolphins enjoyed it? Sadly for dolphins their faces are fixed in that smile whether they like it or not.

They are meant to be swimming up to 100 miles a day in open ocean.

I'm having the same dilemma - I've never been and it just doesn't appeal to me. I took my DDs (3.5) to Euro Disney last year; we had a wonderful time and we are hopefully going again for a few days during the summer (we go to France for a month tomorrow). It seems like enough to me? Is DisneyWorld really that much better? A lot of the parents I talk to say that's its entirely worth it and my brother is planning a trip next October (DDs will be almost 5.... )with his family so I'm contemplating tagging along if I can afford it.