All of a sudden we have absolutely no interest in WDW (gasp)!!

[WolfpackFan]

For some reason DW and myself seem to have no interest at all in going to WDW in the forseeable future. You have to understand we are in our mid-upper 60's and the thought of getting in all the crowds and doing all the walking just has no appeal to us at all. Plus the high cost of tickets is another big factor. So for the next few years, we'll just be using our points (we have 290) at HHI, Vero Beach and Aulani. We love all three resorts and figure that will be a great use of our points. In fact, we're booked at HHI twice this year and heading to Aulani next year. I find it interesting we can go all the way to Aulani and spend a week there for about the same as going to WDW and spending a week once you take into account the cost of tickets.

This isn't to say we won't be going back to WDW but perhaps just every three years or so. We have grandchildren we want to take eventually.

Anyone else in a similar situation and with similar feelings.

 

[CarolMN]

We're of similar ages and have no grandchildren, but still love going for Food & Wine, Flower & Garden and early December. We're going 3 times over two years to make best use of our annual passes. We still go into the parks, but for shorter periods of time which we spend doing only our favorite attractions. Most of our time is spent enjoying all the "details" (and resort restaurants) that we missed in our "Commando Years".

HH & Aulani are on my list, but haven't yet risen to the top. We've been to VB and enjoyed it, but aren't that fond of beach vacations.

 

[MinniesFav]

Sounds like you're just burned out of Disney. It happens. I went to the Jersey shore every year 2-3 times a summer for 20 years. Who doesn't love the beach, right? One day decided I'm done with Jersey. Annoyed by the crowds, bored with the same routine, not enough changes, etc.... Again, it happens.

 

[bwvBound]

We hit that point Jan 2015 after 19 consecutive years of Dolphin/Swan/Yacht Club/Boardwalk visits for conference travel. With the conference having concluded, we don't find WDW having sufficient appeal to cause us to visit for vacation purposes. We tried F&W (hated it), F&G (loved it -- but not at the price of park admission), Run Disney events (fun, but again, not entirely worth the cost). We used some points for a Disney cruise earlier this year -- but that isn't something we'll do often given point/dollar conversion rates and booking issues. We do enjoy bringing family and friends when they are available to join us -- but schedules are difficult to align.

We don't care for FP+ or the 'hassle of planning a WDW trip.' It was a killjoy for us. I suggested we start selling off one or two contracts (3 contracts; 335 total) but DH is convinced we'll use the points at Grand Cal (we still love DLR), Aulani and Vero. We've never been to HHI -- but it is rising higher in the 'maybe' list. We might also rent out for a few years and see how that goes. We have other timeshare and love our drive-to trips across CA, OR, WA, AZ, etc.

Curiously, we saw a Six Flags ad on TV this weekend and both said, "Now that looks like fun. Haven't been there in years -- let's look for a time to visit once the summer crowd is back in school. " We both love thrill rides -- and Six Flags over Magic Mountain (Southern CA) has plenty. Time for some new rides!

 

[WolfpackFan]

One other way we might use our points is to just do a "Florida" vacation, staying at a DVC resort but not going to any parks. Just relax around the resort a lot and see some of the other things Florida has to offer besides Disney Parks. If we did this, we'd probably stay at AKV, since we love the resort and animals. We still love our DVC membership but like someone else said we're just "burned out" on the parks. I guess it's just our age and the fact we've been members so long and have been so many times. Interesting enough, we have some close friends who are the same age and who have been as often, if not more, than us and they still rave about going to the parks.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

We are about 15 years behind you. And we haven't felt that way yet.

We do travel when the crowds are lower. And I've needed a scooter for a few years, due to a disability.

Sad as it is, I have no desire to go to Aulani. Plane tickets there, for us, is about what an annual pass is for us. Problem is, we can use an annual pass for a year.

I'm sure we will get to the point when we don't want to do the parks. But I hope we still enjoy the resorts.

 

[bwvBound]

One other way we might use our points is to just do a "Florida" vacation, staying at a DVC resort but not going to any parks. Just relax around the resort a lot and see some of the other things Florida has to offer besides Disney Parks. If we did this, we'd probably stay at AKV, since we love the resort and animals. We still love our DVC membership but like someone else said we're just "burned out" on the parks. I guess it's just our age and the fact we've been members so long and have been so many times. Interesting enough, we have some close friends who are the same age and who have been as often, if not more, than us and they still rave about going to the parks.

We are trying a "Florida" vacation next year having traded into Club Intrawest in San Destin using other timeshare. It is my first time returning to that region since a young child. We've invited family to join us and share the week. We've also talked about adding a few nights at WDW to a cruise ending at any of the major FL ports as a non-park visit. With this intention in mind our top two DVC resort choices are AKV for the animals or SSR for Downtown Disney. We'll see ...

 

[n2mm]

We get like that too! We find our trips are changing. We have fallen in love with the Disney Cruises and are averaging 2 a year now. Our last stay at WDW in May, we were so ready to come home. We are spending more time at the pool and less time in the parks. It was a 2 week trip and on week 2 we were at the BWV quiet pool at 9:00AM at least 6 days that week. It was great. Sadly the parks and WDW in general have changed. Since we can't change that, we have changed the way we use DVC and how we visit. Both in our 60s and still look forward to going, but don't spend the day touring the parks anymore. We do go some mornings or some evenings, catching up with friends and family, but we have no problem getting up and saying, lets chill.

 

[loves to dive]

This has been a fear of mine and one of the reasons I've never bought DVC. I've been going at least every other year since 1983, every year for the past 4 years and twice a year for the past 3 so I'm thinking I must not be getting burned out on it. I do have an AP and I go for F&G and F&W. I travel solo most of the time now because my honey has no interest in travelling unless it's a dive trip and my son is grown and can't get away as much as when he was little and Mom paid for it. For me, going to any of the other places I enjoy going solo, cost just as much as going to WDW (if you don't factor in the AP) so it works. I'm turning 60 next year and like others, I don't spend as much time in the parks and what time I do spend tends to be just enjoying the park and not rushing from ride to ride. I do ride rides, they just aren't priority so I don't deal with the "I MUST have a certain FP or my vacation will be ruined and I have to book it 60 days out" thing. I book mine the night before, if I book them at all. I'm the same way about ADRs, I don't book them in advance, we have never had any problem finding a TS to eat at either first thing in the morning while at the parks or even during the day walking around. Again, I don't have to eat at BOG or my vacation is ruined and I don't eat a buffets any way nor am I interested in character meals. I don't have any interest to going to Hawaii, I've been twice, once to Oahu on an overnight stay coming home from a Palau dive trip and once to the big island for a week diving. If we are going to a South Pacific island and spending all the money for air fare and taking as much time off work as is needed for that long trip, it's going to be diving and frankly the diving on Hawaii sucks.

 

[queendarvet]

We are similar ages and feel the same way. We now use our points for cruises and split stays with Vero and WDW. We don't always go into the parks, instead we enjoy the resorts. We are planning a trip with our adult children and will be taking a grandchild to Disney in a few years as well. Aulani is in our future at some point as well!

 

[gracelrm]

I can see my DH and I reaching that point. We've always traveled with our family of 5, but youngest son will be in college when we start our retirement trips. There are no grandkids in the foreseeable future so I think family trips will be dwindling soon. We've taken extended family with us several times, but as those families get older, I think those trips are over too!

We will be both be retired by fall 2018 and think we will do some trips for just the two of us in low crowd times. But, somehow I feel that after a few of those trips, we'll lose interest in that too. We do love Hilton Head & Vero Beach, so I think those trips will be an option. I guess if we run out of things to do with just the two of us, we can rent/transfer our points until our kids marry and have children and want to take their families. Then we'll either go along as baby sitters or fund their accommodations for family trips. The trips without parks sounds pretty nice too! I think AKL would be great for that since it's distanced from most Disney activities.

It's hard to imagine being Disneyed out -- but I'm sure it will happen to us too!

 

[Maistre Gracey]

We felt that way to a certain extent when we sold, but for us it was more "we didn't leave Disney; Disney left us". The closing of Pleasure Island is just one example where Disney drastically cut down the entertainment options.

MG

 

[DisBuckMan]

Who doesn't love the beach, right?

That would be me. Hate the beach. I live less than an hour from Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, AL, Pensacola, and less than two hours from Ft. Walton/Destin. Haven't been to the beach for anything other than to eat outstanding seafood in years, and we do that regularly.

Give me mountains any day.

 

[bwvBound]

I went to the Jersey shore every year 2-3 times a summer for 20 years. Who doesn't love the beach, right? One day decided I'm done with Jersey. Annoyed by the crowds, bored with the same routine, not enough changes, etc.... Again, it happens.

Interesting. I do NOT enjoy San Diego beaches and, as such, had long placed myself in the "Hate Beaches!" category. But your post reminds me that I loved the Jersey Shore as a kid ... and I still enjoy Vero. So, I s'pose I only hate beaches where the water is cold ... like those here in San Diego. Hmm. Yeah, a warm water beach isn't too bad ... but I'm still a mountain gal at heart (and, presently, location).

 

[WolfpackFan]

I hope this thread which I started doesn't give the impression that we hate WDW. It's just we're slowing down in our visits. We've been every year for the last 15 years at least once if not twice and ready to slow down. I am hoping we can start taking our grandchildren in the future, just not sure when. I know it won't be this year or next year as we have all our points taken with HHI and Aulani (which we're really looking forward to).

 

[ToddyLu]

DH and I do not have children. I am 47 and he just turned 52. He hopes to retire in the next two years. I will most likely continue to work full time. We do WDW once or twice a year and take my parents and his Mom in alternating years giving them a studio for the trip at AKV. We currently have annual passes and are getting three trips in...May 2016, then Oct and May 2017. After that I am not sure....may give the parks time to change and finish construction.

We are older, too. Don't have a commando mentality anymore and frankly have decided we don't mind staying at the resort, watching TV, sleeping late and enjoying the different views we can have of the pools or animals. We were upgraded on our past trip from a value studio to a standard savanna view. I believe they were changing the carpet up at the front of Jambo...or just refurbing the rooms. That is where we have always stayed in a value studio. Our studio was toward the back of the resort with awesome animals. I loved the newly painted lighter walls and feel of the room.

Basically we have learned to chill and just like doing a mountain or beach vacation we just go and rest. Sometimes we enjoy the parks and get our FP rides done then leave. We enjoy the bubble and transportation WDW provides. We have decided this year to pass on MNSSHP. I think they have priced us out and there haven't been enough changes to the line up to warrant the cost. Our parents are older and they can't go all day either. So we just enjoy being away from home in a great room with lovely theming, decent dining options, and friendly people. It finally does feel like home...

 

[Maistre Gracey]

We went 3-4 times a year for about 20 years. We certainly don't hate WDW either. However, we're not huge fans of what corporate has done to the entire empire....

MG

 

[michelleiada]

I hope this never happens to me. WDW is my happy place!

 

[deedisneydream97]

I hope this never happens to me. WDW is my happy place!

Mine too! Our initial purchase was so long ago, that all trips are "gravy". Our add on contracts, too. I certainly could not afford direct purchase now....nor would I, as we are 60 plus years old. Still not tired of our DVC or DisneyWorld in general.

We went 3-4 times a year for about 20 years. We certainly don't hate WDW either. However, we're not huge fans of what corporate has done to the entire empire....

MG

Wondering what you mean by that. It is a business after all, and it needs to make money. I am much more annoyed at the airlines and their added fees (they started charging for bags when the price of fuel went up....but it went down, but baggage fees remain and have even gone up; what about the car rental agencies and the added costs for "resort fees", "battery fees", "tire fees" and all that?). Magical Express is a godsend for those that cannot afford car rental. Those that lament "Walt and his Vision" need to take a reality check. That was a different world and a very long time ago. Do I miss all the nostalgia of Sunday nights with Walt? Sure do. But a corporation hanging on to nostalgia will not survive for long in this world. It is what it is, and if it doesn't work for you it is time to move on. When I find "it is time", I'll sell my contracts and not look back....but then again, my goal is to outlive my contracts!

 

[Dancind]

We are also early 60s and haven't been in a few years. Trying to convince myself to go while DH goes on a long dive trip in the fall. Even have cobbled rooms together (with 4 moves in 9 days!) and have a park ticket. But just haven't been able to convince myself to book a flight. Seems like not enough new things to see since 2012. If adult DD could get away, would do it for sure.

We have been traveling to wine country regularly for several years, and to Portland to visit DD. This spring we took our first trip to Europe. We loved it and plan to see more of the world, budget allowing. Wish we had been more adventurous when we were younger!