Disney or educational holiday

[sailyboat]

WWYD
Let me explain before the Disney naysayers arrive...
I went to Disney world as a dc and love it and have always wanted to return. But it's so expensive now it's unreal.
BUT I still want to go and experience it with my dc. Dh on the other hand thinks I'm being silly and would rather go somewhere 'educational' that dc will learn things and also be less 'tacky'

Dc is 9 and I feel like they'd probably enjoy DW more than an educational holiday but I do understand dh as if we put that money elsewhere we're looking at Galapagos or further afield elsewhere in the world and dh thinks this is so much better. I clearly fall under his version of tacky and still want to go to WDW...

@minipie very wanky 😆
We've done DLP and didn't really think much of it. Was cold though. I think that park is incomparable to the Florida one.
It's not a once in a lifetime trip it's more that it's a bigger budget than normal for us so dh wants to put this budget towards something that's not Disney.

@LessonsInPhysics sloths in Costa Rica did actually get a mention here too!
I think we could probably afford to do things like Costa Rica another year. Places like Galapagos seems to be quite a lot more than other places and more comparable to our DW budget which includes a budget for merchandise hence the hesitancy to book DW.

I like some of the ideas about exploring Florida more and finding things to do that are less DWish. Time to hard sell NASA...

Most holidays have an element of education about them and DW is no exception, especially if you don't return year after year.

Apricot (sorry, EPCOT) my son loved and he was only 6. Around the world - he remembers Canada and France have loads of castles even now!

Disney. It's one of my parental goals for my kids (yes one of the superficial ones!) we go this summer, and we can't wait, not sure it would be much fun with a reluctant participant though!

Disney. Depending on where you live fly from a non-Uk airport for a much better deal on flights. We fly from Dublin.

We have been several times after saying it was a once in a lifetime visit when the children were 8 and 11. I can honestly say that Flight Of Passage where you experience what it would be like to fly on a banshee (Avatar) and feel like the machine you are on breathe between your legs like you are actually riding a living creature is mind blowing.

Why can't things just be fun rather than educational? Anyway Epcot and Animal Kingdom are surely educational places.

Can I throw in our next holiday destination? Xcaret in Cancun. I can't even describe it, activities to do whilst learning about the landscape, wildlife and Mexican culture in several parks including water parks. There is a family hotel as well as an adults only hotel and the all inclusive extends to some of the parks too. Worth a look

www.xcaret.com/en/

Disney. Yes it's expensive but you never come away thinking it wasn't worth every single penny.

The NASS stuff nearby is awesome by the account of nephews who have both chosen stem degrees after childhood holidays at DW/Universal & NASA. Plan the holiday with a little less Mickey & a little more Moon landings?

I went to Disney when I was about 8 and I remember generally it being fun, but my only specific memories are of waiting in line and my legs hurting from all the walking. I have far more vivid memories of the time we rented a cabin in the woods and made s’mores over the fire. Is your kid really into Disney, or is this more led by your positive childhood memories? Is there something your child is really excited about that you could craft a trip around?

as an adult, Disney would be my own personal hellscape - no offence intended, clearly loads of people love it- but there is no way I would pay that kind of money for a holiday I wouldn’t enjoy. Does your husband feel the same? I think holidays (especially really expensive ones) should offer something for everyone; everyone should be excited for the trip. If you aren’t into Galapagos and he isn’t excited by Disney, you need to come up with a third option.

Never done Disney and DC didn't want to. Love the idea of taking advantage of wildlife tours etc as QueenCoconut recommends. Perhaps a mix. Looks hugely expensive.

Half the holiday at Disney and half doing the Everglades, Kennedy Space Centre etc sounds like a perfect compromise.

I totally get what your husband means. I thought the exact same about Disney & Orlando in general… Until I actually went there! It blew me away & I absolutely loved it!! Been back lots of times. Honestly it is the ultimate destination & I’m sure the whole family would have a great time.

You just have to go with an open mind & succumb to it 😂😂

Excellent suggestion about the Kennedy Space Center. I went in January & just missed out on a rocket launch (although did see one a few years back). That is very educational & interactive. You need a full day here to see it all. And also agree a trip to the Everglades could also tick that educational box.

Disney does quite amazing cruises and some destinations like Alaska may be something your DH would enjoy. Just an idea of a compromise.

You don't have to go go to Disney and stay at Disney for your whole two weeks. Why don't you pick two parks, spend 3-4 days in Orlando, by which time everyone will have had their fill of Mickey and rollercoasters - and then go off in a hire car and see what else Florida (or the wider South) has to offer. There is plenty else to see, well away from the main hubs. History, nature, science, culture.....

Two weeks and all those hours in the air to spend the entire trip at theme parks is nuts. We've only ever taken ours to Paris Disney - but we stayed in the city, took trains to Disney. Two days was more than enough. Then we had the sights of Paris to entertain us. Everyone enjoyed something and came back happy.

I would love to go to the Galapagos and think it would be an amazing trip, but 1) half of it will be wasted on a 9 year old who would simply be bored with that sort of journey 2) if you haven’t already, you all need to learn to scuba dive before you go or you’ll all be missing out.

A worthwhile educational trip for a 9 year old would be Rome or a safari or something like that, and of that was what your DH was pushing for he might have a point. But a Galapagos holiday would be all about him!

Go to Disney. You’re right that Paris is nothing compared to Florida. Florida has so much more to offer to a whole family. Both my now adult DC remember it as their favourite holidays, and they did trips that would count as educational too!

DH and I went to the Galapagos just before we got married. It’s an interesting trip but the tours etc are really geared towards adults and even though we were on one of the nicer (and more expensive) boats it isn’t exactly a restful or luxurious outing. I have 3 DC now aged between 7 and 14 and I honestly think they wouldn’t appreciate it the way they might when they are older. So I would be in the Disney plus other Florida attractions camp.

I'd do the educational trip and a long weekend in Paris at a later date. Disney since covid has made changes that means you have to book everything, Paris being smaller is easier to book

The idea that a 9yo wouldn't get anything out of a holiday to a country they've never been to, with a different culture, exotic wildlife etc is frankly a bit depressing. As is describing such a holiday as 'educational' as though it's some dry, boring lesson.

But I'm a Disney naysayer tbh . Tbh I was never particularly fussed about the idea of going when I was a kid. I'd certainly loathe it now!

Any new experience is educational-even Disney!

Disney since covid has made changes that means you have to book everything

Reserving a park is hardly a reason to not go...it's actually easier now in terms of not having to manage fast passes which made trip planning a military operation.

I'm with your DH. I hate the whole idea of Disney and can't think of anything worse! Definitely need to compromise here.

Why not go to California and just do a couple of days at Disney. You can do lots of other things for the rest of the time.

Florida is a really fascinating place from a nature pov. You can see crocodiles (or maybe it's alligators, clearly that bit didn't stick!), dolphins (obvs go somewhere reputable), wetlands, amazing birds, fantastic boat trips, the purest white sand for shell gathering - honestly, there's so much to do. We went as adults and drove from Orlando to the keys and back, we've also holidayed at Siesta Keys/Sarasota coast and when we did the Disney thing with DS I think we only spent three days total in the parks (he was younger than yours though).

Honestly, with a wee bit of thought and ££ you can tick both boxes easily in Florida.

Disney is fab but could combine it with other things in florida? We did universal last year but also did other days out including an airboat ride spoting wildlife and the car parade in Kissimmee old town (so American!) Other things to do would be the Kennedy Space centre and a kayak ride through the national parks (would be amazing if you went when the manatees are there) lots more to florida than just theme parks

Disney is very educational. These are impressive feats of engineering and artistry, theatrical productions, exploring themes around science, nature, adventure, geography, storytelling...you name it. Even seeing the rides constructed at different times was so interesting...like Carousel of Progress. Read some Baudrillard before you go.

How much is Disney now? Let’s say in October?

Animal kingdom is pretty educational and Epcot has a few educational things - living with the land and an aquarium