The main draw for DH to buy was that we could slow down the pace of our touring. We were really commando, rope drop to close for a week. We are planning afternoon breaks this year, slower evenings. The back of my mind still says "We didn't get to X last year, have to do it. This was a favorite, must-do."
How can I strike the balance of enjoying our BLT home, and seeing the World? Does it come gradually with each year?
The first trip I went to WDW with my wife was pre-
DVC and she also had the "commando" mentality. A "well-oiled machine" is what i think i called her for the way we got into the park first thing in the AM and banged out each ride, one by one, systematically and strategically till the park closed.
Then we started going every other year to every year and finally bought DVC. Now, it has gotten to the point where we are at a nice, relaxed pace. We don't get there first thing and certainly don't stay till closing, with a few exceptions here and there.
We basically do all the "new" attractions, which we haven't seen yet and are excited to experience and then move on to our "favorites". Then, we go from place to place at a relaxed pace, eating lunch or dinner whenever we planned on going. If that means leaving the park and going back to the hotel or to another park, we go and are unrushed.
No matter what, there will always be somewhat of an "anxious" feeling from time to time. Hey... you ARE in Disney World after all! Of course and the crowds will sometimes get the better of you.
One thing DVC allowed us to do was go for a longer period of time and allowed us multiple days in all the parks, whereas a normal OOP trip might limit you to a week or less and you cant always hit everywhere you like in the time given.
We also take time to explore other areas on grounds such as other hotel grounds, restaurants and attrations. We even did the "Welcome Home Wednesday" gig, which is fun to go and see. We also started doing some of the tours - such as Keys to the Kingdom and the Sunset and Sunrise Safaris at AKL, which is a nice change of pace and allows for new and exciting aspects of the parks you may not have experienced before.
So, the best advice I can give is... do not go in with too much of a plan. The most planning we do now is Dining Rezzies and basically what parks on what days either based on those rezzies or around extended park Magic hours if you still can't get rid of all that commando-ness out of your system!
Enjoy your trip and take every day one day at a time and really see what there really is to the magic of WDW!
