Midwest Role Call

[goddess_rx]

I apologize if a similar forum was posted. I'm not in the habit of excluding others, but just out of curiosity...who is from the Midwest? If you care to share, where are you from?

I am from the Chicagoland area but currently reside in Wisconsin.

Do you have any unique Midwestern points of view you care to share?

I both love that I live pretty much between both of the major Disney US parks (I don't do well on plane rides longer than 4 hours or so) but also hate it because it would be so much neater to live closer to one park and justify frequent trips year-round (especially if you wouldn't have to worry about plane rides at all).

I haven't gone to WDW in the summer, so my perception of Florida weather is that it's awesome. I love having different seasons up here, but the winters kick my butt every year. Also, you can tell it's spring & summer up here - not by the temps - but by the sudden surge in road construction!

 

[ars0525]

grew up in Elburn/St. Charles, IL area so about 40-45 miles west of Chicago.

Moved to Venice, FL in Sept '13 so I'm about an 1.5 hour drive to WDW depending on traffic & time of day/year.

I go to WDW Sept thru end of May since I have an AP. I haven't gone in the summers mostly due to the larger crowds & central FL weather (yes it's different than living on a coast!).

 

[Emily Gilmore]

I'm originally from right outside the Southside of Chicago, lived in the city for awhile, but now I'm out in the western suburbs.

I first went to Disney in 2005 with my family, but our trip was cut in half by Hurricane Charlie. I have been back 5 or 6 times since then. I am lucky that I am marrying into a family who are DVC members, so I've stayed at Boardwalk a handful of times. My company also has an office in Orlando so I've been able to visit when I have to go down for trainings. My fiance (who has visited probably 10-12 times) and I going on our first trip by ourselves this November and it is also the first time I have gone during a non-summer month, so I'm excited for all the holiday fun and the warmer weather in November!

I really want to start planning more winter/spring trips, because as stated above, our weather up here is not fun during that time. I'm hoping to plan a December trip once we get through the wedding craziness. It's nice that the flight down there is only two and a half hours, but I have driven several times as well and it isn't awful because we always stop in Hilton Head or Charleston for a few days which are two of my favorite places to visit as well.

 

[woodynjessiesmomma]

Hello! I'm new to this board as I have had a sudden opportunity to go to WDW either with DH or by myself this fall. I've been with friends in college in 2002, then a family trip in 2012, and we are planning a family trip this September. We also went to DL 2013. We are about half way between DL and WDW so it's nice to have choices. We are sort of Midwest but much further south than you guys have posted so far.

 

[goddess_rx]

grew up in Elburn/St. Charles, IL area so about 40-45 miles west of Chicago.

Moved to Venice, FL in Sept '13 so I'm about an 1.5 hour drive to WDW depending on traffic & time of day/year.

I go to WDW Sept thru end of May since I have an AP. I haven't gone in the summers mostly due to the larger crowds & central FL weather (yes it's different than living on a coast!).

So jealous that you live in Florida! I've heard that if you can squeeze two week-long trips or so, this might justify the cost of an AP. However, since I'm not sure if that's feasible at this point, I'm still debating...

 

[goddess_rx]

I'm originally from right outside the Southside of Chicago, lived in the city for awhile, but now I'm out in the western suburbs.

I first went to Disney in 2005 with my family, but our trip was cut in half by Hurricane Charlie. I have been back 5 or 6 times since then. I am lucky that I am marrying into a family who are DVC members, so I've stayed at Boardwalk a handful of times. My company also has an office in Orlando so I've been able to visit when I have to go down for trainings. My fiance (who has visited probably 10-12 times) and I going on our first trip by ourselves this November and it is also the first time I have gone during a non-summer month, so I'm excited for all the holiday fun and the warmer weather in November!

I really want to start planning more winter/spring trips, because as stated above, our weather up here is not fun during that time. I'm hoping to plan a December trip once we get through the wedding craziness. It's nice that the flight down there is only two and a half hours, but I have driven several times as well and it isn't awful because we always stop in Hilton Head or Charleston for a few days which are two of my favorite places to visit as well.

Congratulations on your engagement!

It's too bad that your first trip was cut short. That is one of my anxieties about traveling down to Florida during Hurricane Season (but it's so much cheaper to go then!). Yes, I would use any excuse get out of here in winter for even a week. I'm always worried that my flight will get delayed or cancelled if the weather is too awful up here, but I am planning a trip in late January next year, so I can say I've been to Florida for three different seasons (spring, fall & winter - not in any rush to go in the summer though!).

 

[luvmy2boyzz]

Born and raised in Wisconsin. Grew up in Milwaukee now live in the suburbs. First time to Disney was in the fall of 2005. My boys and I have been 5 times since. We love Disney and all the wonderful memories made there. It's such a treat getting away from the unpredictable Midwestern weather. We've visited spring, summer and fall. I think my fav season to visit is spring, with fall a close second. I really want to do the food and wine festival sometime in the future but am hesitant to do a solo trip! So I'm cruising the boards looking at all the solo trip reports!

My 16 yr old and I are doing UO for the first time in 2 wks! I'm worried it won't hold up to our experience with Disney but am looking forward to getting away with him and so glad he still wants to vacation with his Mama!

 

[goddess_rx]

Born and raised in Wisconsin. Grew up in Milwaukee now live in the suburbs. First time to Disney was in the fall of 2005. My boys and I have been 5 times since. We love Disney and all the wonderful memories made there. It's such a treat getting away from the unpredictable Midwestern weather. We've visited spring, summer and fall. I think my fav season to visit is spring, with fall a close second. I really want to do the food and wine festival sometime in the future but am hesitant to do a solo trip! So I'm cruising the boards looking at all the solo trip reports!

My 16 yr old and I are doing UO for the first time in 2 wks! I'm worried it won't hold up to our experience with Disney but am looking forward to getting away with him and so glad he still wants to vacation with his Mama!

I think you will find a lot of support and encouragement from this community to take a solo trip. And good for you son for still wanting to vacay with his mom! I find that surprising because even though I loved vacations with my parents when I was little and now, I remember not being too crazy about the experience throughout my teens. I regret it because I could have gotten so much out of those experiences had I not been so grumpy during those trips. Hope you two have a great time!

 

[galaxygirl76]

We live near Iowa City, IA or as we like to call it Hawkeye Nation

 

[JenneleB]

Born and raised in the South Suburbs of Chicago and still here now. I have my 9th trip to WDW booked for just 68 days from now and we are taking first timer friends of ours!

 

[autoracepr989]

Born & raised by Milwaukee, WI. Still call it home even with being on the road many weeks of the year. I have a November trip planned & am running for Give Kids the World in a 5k they organize while I'm there

 

[hurley41]

We live in southern Wisconsin and have been hooked since our first trip three years ago. Since then we've made the long drive down three times now and enjoy the whole experience!

 

[ars0525]

So jealous that you live in Florida! I've heard that if you can squeeze two week-long trips or so, this might justify the cost of an AP. However, since I'm not sure if that's feasible at this point, I'm still debating...

Between buying the ticket from UT & using price bridging to upgrade to a FL resident AP, I paid like $500 for my initial AP. But I also went 18 days that year so I definitely used it! This year I haven't been visiting as much so I'll have to make up for it in the Fall before it expires. With the price increase I am considering dropping down to a seasonal AP if I renew even if it means paying for parking. It does become a numbers game so I totally understand where you are coming from.

Also, I do solo trip all the time unless I'm meeting friends traveling from up North. At first I felt a little funny, but to be honest I got used to doing what I want when I want where I want real fast! lol I take pictures & play on my phone sometimes, but usually you can find chatty people who are happy to yak in line about their trip or Disney so you can be as social as you want.

It is fun going for weekends whenever I want, but I do miss the planning & anticipation & excitement with my mom of getting ready for the BIG Disney trip like we used to do every fall.

 

[RS Applecore]

Hi! Detroit here, though I'm originally from Connecticut. Been here 16 years now, long enough that check-out people don't ask where I'm from when I speak to them anymore.

When I was 18, I went to WDW for the first time after saving up since I was 14 with a part-time job bussing tables in a restaurant. Went a few years later with friends, both trips off-site. Met my partner, and it took a few years to convince him that WDW was truly awesome and worth the expense. We've been four times together, three times at CBR and once at CSR, and last trip, we bought Poly Looking forward to going for our first time in a couple of years. We're sort of Poly and Tiki obsessed, hence our awesome new sign:

A lot of Chicagoans, I see! Cool! LOVE your city, went for a Harry Potter convention a handful of years back. Also your humane society was totally thumbs up. And every place we ate


So anyway, MAHALO from Detroit, LOL!

 

[TXMNie]

Upper midwest checking in! My fiance and I live in Minnesota, but we are originally from Texas. Don't have any Midwest perspectives to share, but we are excited to head down to Disney for our honeymoon!

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Another Wisconsinite checking in. I live in northern Wisconsin, about an hour away from Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota. Love traveling in general especially to Disney parks. I've been to WDW countless times, Disneyland in California 3 going on 4 times, and I just got back from a trip to Paris and London which included a couple days at Disneyland Paris!

 

[iamsarahpotts]

I'm representing Indianapolis, IN! I've been visiting WDW since I was too young to remember with my family - so I blame my parents for being a "Disney Freak" (as my husband would say). My in-laws retired very close to Disney and our yearly Spring trips to visit them now include a stop for a day (or two, or three) at my favorite place! It's nice they are so close because otherwise we probably wouldn't be able to afford to go as often as we do. (Also, yearly trips to Florida when there's still snow on the ground here? Yes please!) This year we are going back in September and I get to spend my golden birthday (29 on the 29th) at Magic Kingdom! I've never been on my birthday before and I haven't been during the fall in many, many years. I am BEYOND excited! Dragging my husband with me the last few years has really started to make him a convert. He's looking forward to our trip as well and we're spending the day after my birthday at DHS. I know there are lots of people would say "why there?!" But it's his favorite park and if he wants to ride TOT 6 times in a row, then who am I to stop him?

 

[iamsarahpotts]

Born and raised in Wisconsin. Grew up in Milwaukee now live in the suburbs. First time to Disney was in the fall of 2005. My boys and I have been 5 times since. We love Disney and all the wonderful memories made there. It's such a treat getting away from the unpredictable Midwestern weather. We've visited spring, summer and fall. I think my fav season to visit is spring, with fall a close second. I really want to do the food and wine festival sometime in the future but am hesitant to do a solo trip! So I'm cruising the boards looking at all the solo trip reports!

My 16 yr old and I are doing UO for the first time in 2 wks! I'm worried it won't hold up to our experience with Disney but am looking forward to getting away with him and so glad he still wants to vacation with his Mama!

My husband and I went to UO this spring for the first time since we were both like 8 years old and we really had a lot of fun. It was different than Disney but mostly that was a good thing! Tons of fun rides (more "thrill rides" I think than Disney), Harry Potter and Simpsons Donuts! I'm sure you guys will have a blast.

 

[connie1042]

SE Minnesota Down by the world famous Mayo Clinic

 

[BobC]

Northwest Indiana here!

45 minutes east of Chitown