Am I cheap or a kamikazee vacationer?

[Texan]

At least there a few of us commandos out there - we have one family vacation a year, usually for a week at the most, and we cram as much into the experience as possible; we dont grump or complain, we just love to cram and do as much as possible; remember, sleep is for sissies; yes, we are tired at the end of the vacation; tired, but happy with our memory box full; different strokes for different folks as they say

 

[pigletto]

I'd be miserable by day 3 if I did Disney that way. In fact I can only think of one day in 8or 9 trips that we did a park from open to close! It was our Epcot day and we had planned a break but it was just the perfect day and we kept going.
We always hit rope drop, and we take an afternoon break 90% of the time. If we don't, we end up leaving before close.
For our upcoming trip it is going to be busier than any of our other trips, and during the holiday season. This trip has cost me more than all the others, and I want to do and experience all the things that Disney has to offer during the Christmas season. So I imagine we will be going a little more commando than usual. I have planned one non-park day and that is our last day. It also happens to be the day that the Christmas crowds roll in and crowd calendars are predicting a 10, so I don't think we'll even want to be near a park that day.

 

[carrie1626]

A friend whose family travels with us to Disney and I were having this discussion ...
When we go to Disney (or any other vacation for that matter), we get up EARLY, run ourselves ragged, and don't get back to the resort until LATE at night ... open the park/close the park kind of people... and this continues the whole trip.

We've been talking to some other people .. friends who recently went to WDW, friends who are going soon, and friends who are going with us ... and none of them seem to have this same vacation "ethic".

So my friend and I were wondering "Is it just us? What is wrong with us? are we normal?" ... then realized maybe we are just cheap ... want to get the most for our money ?

If you both have the same MODE and still get along then MORE POWER TO YOU.
For me, I have more stamina than my vacation partners( always family). But I don't wish to go commando either. Been there, done that

 

[goodfood4ursoul]

I think people vacation differently at different times in their lives.
When our kids were 14 and 11 and we home schooled, we did WDW commando style too.
We had time after vacation to recover- our daily lives were pretty stress free compared to now.

Fast forward 9 years, the kids are 23 and married and 20 and soon to graduate from college and DH and I both work high stress jobs serving the public.

We still love exploring new places on the cheap, and we do so at a slower pace so that our vacation is a respite from our normal stressful work days.

Our last WDW trip we just did the water parks- very relaxing and tons of fun too, and lots of exploring on the back roads of Florida between lake Apopka and St. Augustine- lots of fun and interesting things to do at our own pace.

My parents are 76 and 73 will mobility and health issues and their idea of vacation is napping in exotic locales.
We no longer vacation together, as watching them nap in exotic locales is not my idea of a good vacation,
And they get cranky if anyone wants to go off and do anything on their own.

To each his or her own.
Who wants to be "normal" anyway?
Be yourself~

 

[AJ1983]

A friend whose family travels with us to Disney and I were having this discussion ...
When we go to Disney (or any other vacation for that matter), we get up EARLY, run ourselves ragged, and don't get back to the resort until LATE at night ... open the park/close the park kind of people... and this continues the whole trip.

We've been talking to some other people .. friends who recently went to WDW, friends who are going soon, and friends who are going with us ... and none of them seem to have this same vacation "ethic".

So my friend and I were wondering "Is it just us? What is wrong with us? are we normal?" ... then realized maybe we are just cheap ... want to get the most for our money ?

You're not cheap, you are trying to get the most of your vacation! I pay $1200 in flights alone to get to Disney...if I wanted to sit around and relax, watch movies on my vacation I could do that at home Also, we always build in a few days of rest at home AFTER we get back. Ie, we get back from Disney on Wednesday night, we don't go back to work until Monday. Vacation to me doesn't necessarily mean relaxing and sleeping in..thats what Sundays are for

However, I also think that Disney is very much "to each their own". DF and I both love roller coasters and thrill rides, so doing them 5 or 6 times each does not get old to us. However, if we were the type who only enjoy Haunted Mansion, IASW, Spaceship Earth, then that could cut down on park time because well I just don't think those are rides you would do over and over (I could be wrong? JMO). I don't think any way is wrong, as long as it works for you and your travel companions

 

[Zim]

We've done Disney every other year for years - and more recently just about every year. My DD and I have always been up and out early and back late. Our breaks are dining and sitting in line to meet characters. In fact, even at age 15 she's a character nut - perhaps it's just an excuse to give her feet a break!

Its funny I always think when I add more days we'll be able to slow down, not map everything out to the last Fastpass and character meet. But when I add more days I add more parks. Suddenly we're doing SeaWorld and Universal!

I figure one day I'll retire, move down to Orlando and work there serving food or working custodial. Then I can meander the parks all I want in my off time.