A better Disney experience ??

[trish1970]

My DH and I have been to WDW a few times together and I used to visit with my family when I was younger. Sept. will be our first trip with 3yr old DS (and first time staying on property).
I always enjoyed my trips to WDW in the past, but I wouldn't have called myself a true WDW fan. This upcoming trip however has turned me into a WDW crazed lunatic I have been planning like crazy and can hardly wait to get there. I am on these boards constantly, I have read every WDW book, I planned and typed our daily itinerary, and I just made a three ring binder WDW vacation binder which contains all of my research. HELP!!! Why is this happening all of a sudden??
I think my addicition is largely due to my excitment of experiencing WDW through the eyes of my DS ??? I tear up thinking of how excited he is going to be when he first sees the magic kingdom in real life! Is the WDW experience with your children better than it was when going solo??
I would love to hear your stories

 

[liznboys]

For me, it IS even better seeing WDW through the eyes of my boys. I was a true WDW lover before, but now I am an absolute FANATIC!!!! LOL I had to fight back the tears everytime we saw Mickey or got onto another ride and I saw the joy in their eyes. It is MAGICAL!!

 

[Disney_1derland]

Welcome to the Looney Bin! I would have to say that it is largely due to experiencing it through the eyes of your own child. I was always a disney fanatic, but that first trip with dd, well, I'm tearing up just thinking about it. I have to warn you, it gets worse. It's now so bad that I can't watch the part of dd's dance class that has them dancing to disney music without crying.

The joy on those little faces is priceless. And, go prepared! Take those little packs of tissues because the tears will flow, might as well not fight it!

This is our 2nd trip with dd#1, but dd#2's first time. I already know I'll have to take my time for tears. Tears of joy, but they are still hard to see through. You'll get strange looks and lots of sympathetic cast members, who will probably laugh at you when they figure out that you are just so happy. Last time one guy was so concerned he went and got me tissues and brought a character over to hug me. That made it worse and he must've thought I was nuts. Dh was standing there laughing because he knew I just needed that time experience the feel of standing there on Main Street and this CM was trying so hard to make it better but his "magic" was so touching that I cried more. He was very confused. He finally went back to work. About 20 minutes later when I had a handle on it, I went to find him and thank him and he cried! He said he had never seen anyone that touched by the magic and when he was considering finding a 'real' job, he now knew why he kept working at Disney and thanked me. We bonded. We had a moment, it was wonderful. He still works there and we'll be seeing him when we go back!

Anyhow, have an amazing trip and take it slow! There is so much beauty and magic to experience it and you just might miss it rushing to the rides. <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/15/15_8_7.gif' border=0></a>

 

[Disney_1derland]

I just posted and saw your post. When I hit that Submit button I thought, oh man, they're gonna *know* I'm a nutter! But, at least I"m not the only cryer <a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_1_2.gif' border=0></a>

 

[WishingOnAStar]

I haven't been since I was in college and I am just so excited to share that Disney magic with dh and our three kids that I know I'll be bawling my eyes out the first time we step foot in MK. The thought of my children being in awe of everything..... I am crying now just thinking of it!

Maybe we're all crazy and just giving in to phenomincal marketing of the money hungry Disney execs, maybe it's just hanging around here with all the other Disney nuts that just fuel the fire.... but, you know what? - I don't really care. We're going to have a fabulous time and my dh will see how truly magical this place is and it will make him feel good to know he provided this for his family - so ........ pass over an application to the Disney nuts club - I'm in!

 

[eeyore kelly]

I just made a three ring binder WDW vacation binder which contains all of my research.

I had mine bound at office depot. It includes chapters, table of contents, and appendix. DH just grinned and said "OCD strikes again."

Glad to know I am not the only one.

 

[elise72]

I have gone totally disney mad planning my January Trip.
I took my DD4 back in 2001 but this will be our first trip as a family of 4 (DS1).

I too am a crier..I happened to watch a video with illuminations on last week and filled up in seconds!!

I think though I am planning so much because we are spending so much money and I want everything to be perfect and secondly I am a tiny bit bored of being a stay at home mum and planning is giving me something different to fill my day with!!(I am a part time registered childminder & a studying for a university degree too!)

Elise

 

[trish1970]

OHH... I love this board! Where else can you get such support
Elsie -- I am new to the "stay at home mom club" and what you said is soooo true!! I have to organize and plan something and since I am not doing that at work, I am pouring all my energy into this trip. I am scared to see what is going to happen once this trip is over I shared all of my notebooks and file folders and itineraries with DH and he laughed and said "you need to get a job!!!" But he is just as excited as I am.

 

[elise72]

I'm afraid to say my DH has lost interest!

He really thinks I've gone mad.

I truly think I know nearly everything there is to know!Some friends of a friend just got back from Florida and I scared them with my knowledge & I was trying not to act too geeky!

You have to come to terms with the fact that things won't go to plan,especially with little ones,although there will be magical moments when you least expect it.

I went to Disneyland Paris for DD 4 th birthday & she was really sick for 2 days,then DS1 was sick,but I wouldn't detour from my schedulealthough I did cancel a special meal at the Disneyland Hotel.
DS was sick all over my MIL in the queue for the Eiffel Tower-a memory that will last forever!!!

 

[llij]

Originally posted by Disney_1derland
This is our 2nd trip with dd#1, but dd#2's first time. I already know I'll have to take my time for tears. Tears of joy, but they are still hard to see through. You'll get strange looks and lots of sympathetic cast members, who will probably laugh at you when they figure out that you are just so happy. Last time one guy was so concerned he went and got me tissues and brought a character over to hug me. That made it worse and he must've thought I was nuts. Dh was standing there laughing because he knew I just needed that time experience the feel of standing there on Main Street and this CM was trying so hard to make it better but his "magic" was so touching that I cried more. He was very confused. He finally went back to work. About 20 minutes later when I had a handle on it, I went to find him and thank him and he cried! He said he had never seen anyone that touched by the magic and when he was considering finding a 'real' job, he now knew why he kept working at Disney and thanked me. We bonded. We had a moment, it was wonderful. He still works there and we'll be seeing him when we go back!

What a wonderful story! That made me cry!!!

I've always loved Disney since I grew up on it, but seeing it through the eyes of your children brings it to a whole new level. Enjoy your trip!

 

[FOV]

I was *NEVER* a Disney fanatic. Before kids I went to a business conference at Disney and I was so disappointed it wasn't someplace else!

Now that I have 3 kids I am a total Disney fan! I was just like you on my first trip with our daughter - who was also 3 years old. Now I do tons of research before each trip - read extensively about character meals, etc.... I am definitely more into these trips than my kids - although they love going.

I keep trying to get my kids on the computer to look at Disney World pictures and they keep saying "We know, we've been there!" Oh well - my son will be 3 on this trip so I am considering it his first time!

 

[poohkinandpiglet]

We just returned from our first trip with the kids last Friday.
First of all let me say that my DD, age 3, is CRAZY for Sleeping Beauty. When we walked thru the gates of Magic Kingdom, the very first character we saw was Sleeping Beauty. My daughter's eyes lit up and she couldn't stop smiling. It was the first of many fabulous little moments we had at Magic Kingdom that day.

Even DH, who teases me about be addicted to WDW, was in awe. We can't wait until our November trip.

 

[disneyfreakjackie]

OH MAN Disney_1derland!!! I was crying just reading all of your post!!! Happy tears!! I CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK!!!

Oh yeah!! I'll take an application to the Disney Nuts Club!! I'm already the President of the DISNEYFREAK CLUB!!! LOL!!

 

[liznboys]

LOL! I think everyone on this thread needs a good Disney CRY!!


Disney_1derland -That story is so sweet! You say you'll see that CM again, did you keep in touch with him after your trip? How?? Did you exchange addresses or something? I'm just curious, or maybe nosey is a better term...

 

[Disney_1derland]

a friend I had told the story to saw the CM at work on her vacation and he was helpful to them and she said 'hey, I think I know about you already' and they got to talking and he gave her his email and told her to have us contact him when we are coming back. So I did and we plan to meet up with him on his day off for lunch. Truly special!

 

[bigbabyblues]

This will be my second trip, and I'm so excited I can't stand it! It's kind of funny, I don't remember a lot about my other trip, even though it was 7 years ago and I was 20; definitely old enough to remember...

I also have a 3-ring binder, and also a notebook I use to jot things down, then I decide later what realy goes into the binder.

I'm sure this trip will be different. Last time it was just me and DH, and this time we have two boys, a 1-yo and a 3-yo. The pace will be slower, we'll have to have lots of potty breaks, naps, etc., but I can't wait! Just to see their little faces will be amazing!

Steph

 

[pyrxtc]

I too have become obsessed with these boards. I am also a SAHM and have a 3 ring binder with all my info in it. I haven't got it completely organized yet but also thought about having it bound a possibly shrunk to half size.
I think all this excitement is not just for my kids though. This will be my first time visiting the World also and I have been dreaming of this since I was little. My DH isn't excited at all so he's letting me do all the planning (which is good by me) occasionally I try to show him something but he's always uninterested so I'm just doing my thing.
It amazes me and friends how much I know about WDW when I've never been there before. I still have a long time left before I go and my book will probably be a hundred pages long. Guess I'll have to condense.......LOL!

 

[roserae]

Originally posted by trish1970
I am scared to see what is going to happen once this trip is over

Maybe you'll be like us, go home and buy into DVC (Disney Vacation Club) and start planning your next trips for the next 10 years. And no, I'm not kidding! My dh has about that many years planned ahead! And now we're going next month. (I think the same time you will be there, though we will be at the Boardwalk) and we've already have plans to squeeze in a trip in January sans child and then we have a trip planned for Nov. 2005. Yikes. We are nuts.

 

[CathyC]

I have been a Disney Nut for as long as I can remember! DH on the other hand had never been until he went with me. After his first trip he said, ok I've been there, don't need to do that again anytime soon. I was so disappointed.

Fast forward 23 months. First trip with DS, (18 mo at time). He loved it. He suggested another trip when Ds was almost 3 and DD was 1! Now he is a convert and suggested we buy into DVC!! I was so happy!.

It is amazing what a child can do to change your perspective! I get all choked up not only at my children's excitment, but at the look of wonder DH gets when he watches them!! Can't wait to see it again!

 

[trish1970]

Roserae: I was reading your other thread about potty training with great interest as my DS is just starting to use the potty too! Yes, we will be there at the same time... maybe we will meet in the bathroom! LOL!!