Is 4 days enough to enjoy at the theme parks in Orlando?
Dec 18th, 2011, 06:39 PM
#1
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Is 4 days enough to enjoy at the theme parks in Orlando?
We plan to spend 5 days in Orlando next week. We have 3 children especially interested in Harry Potter's Park. We plan to spend 1 day at Harry Potter's park and another 3 days for other theme parks and another 1 day to go to the beach. Is it good arrangement? Can anyone give some suggestions about beautiful beach to go? Thank you very much!!
Dec 19th, 2011, 03:01 AM
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I would plan one full day at Magic Kingdom. Then divide a day between Animal Kingdom and Studios. Deciding on whether to do a second day at the Universal parks or EPCOT should consider the age of your children and their interests. Universal tends to be directed to teens with more adventurous rides than EPCOT. EPCOT is a beautiful and interesting place with several exceptional rides, Soaring my favorite. EPCOT might not hold the interest of young children.
The crowds will be moderate during your visit, but building as you approach Christmas weekend. Do the parks early in the week.
Financially, each extra day at Disney or Universal reduces your per day cost. A second day at Universal will be a bargain, but so will a third day at Disney.
General advise is always not to over do it. You can exhaust the family and not enjoy your third or fourth day.
Clearwater and Cocoa Beach are almost equidistant from Disney. Daytona is a little bit further, but a great beach. I might recommend Clearwater as the sand is whiter, the beach flatter and Gulf water tends to be warmer. The water will probably be too cold for swimming in the ocean in December. I am not up to date on water temps in the gulf right now.
The crowds will be moderate during your visit, but building as you approach Christmas weekend. Do the parks early in the week.
Financially, each extra day at Disney or Universal reduces your per day cost. A second day at Universal will be a bargain, but so will a third day at Disney.
General advise is always not to over do it. You can exhaust the family and not enjoy your third or fourth day.
Clearwater and Cocoa Beach are almost equidistant from Disney. Daytona is a little bit further, but a great beach. I might recommend Clearwater as the sand is whiter, the beach flatter and Gulf water tends to be warmer. The water will probably be too cold for swimming in the ocean in December. I am not up to date on water temps in the gulf right now.
Dec 19th, 2011, 09:43 AM
#4
Much depends on the age of the children. In my experience of visiting this time of year at least a half dozen times, all of the parks will be exceptionally crowded next week and some may shut their gates to new attendees early and as stumpworks says, the crowds will grow as the weekend approaches. Expect long lines for everything and/or make use of the programs that let you make an "appointment" for a particlular ride or the paid programs that can put you to the head of the lines. Harry Potter is extremely popular so go there first thing when the park opens do not delay.
Also as stumpworks says, Clearwater and Cocoa Beach are about the same distance. However, neither is closeby. This time of year plan on several hours each way for either of them, but traffic may be a bit better to Clearwater, which IMO is easily the nicer of the two.
Also as stumpworks says, Clearwater and Cocoa Beach are about the same distance. However, neither is closeby. This time of year plan on several hours each way for either of them, but traffic may be a bit better to Clearwater, which IMO is easily the nicer of the two.
Dec 19th, 2011, 09:56 AM
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Not sure I would bother with the beach since it may well be too cold for swimming - and it will take a couple of hours to get to any decent ones.
You haven not mentioned Sea World - which I think is great for kids.
And given the crowds at any of these places leading up to Christmas - you should pick carefully which things you want to see - since it will be way too crowded to get to everything at any of the parks.
You haven not mentioned Sea World - which I think is great for kids.
And given the crowds at any of these places leading up to Christmas - you should pick carefully which things you want to see - since it will be way too crowded to get to everything at any of the parks.
