Disneyland still magical if you go multiple times a year?

[Renae De Liz]

Hello! I currently live in Maine, but looking to move to Lake Arrowhead, CA, in big part to be close to Disneyland. We currently get to go every 3 years or so, and one of the things we enjoy the most is the anticipation, and the feeling of rediscovering the magic over and over again. But it's horrible waiting 3 years in between!

So I want to ask: If we went two or so times a year, or even once a year, do you think the magic and at least some anticipation would still exist for us? I really have no idea because all my life I've only gone every 3-7 years. I just don't want to get to the point where everything is TOO familiar or going to the park TOO casual (if that makes sense).

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We go every week, and the magic never disappears. Of course, we're careful about not burning out on our visits -- our passes allow us to take our time, soak in the atmosphere, skip long lines (we can always come back another time, right?), etc. Sometimes we just walk around and people watch, enjoying the live performances and the music. The magic never disappears as long as we take the time and make the effort to see and enjoy it!

 

[Nosepass]

Too much is too much, I'm sure, but once a year is not enough!

 

[eileenkeeney]

It can be, dependent on how long you stay, and who you are with, and what your mood is.

I can go multiple times in one year (DL or WDW) and still have the magic.
But if I do this many years in a row, the magic starts to fade, but it is still fun.

I can compare it to a bag of Werthers Chewy caramels.
If I eat 4 caramels, each one provides a maximum level of enjoyment.
This does not mean that the 5th, 6th, 7th etc ... do not provide a lot of enjoyment, just that after 4 the level of enjoyment each is gradually going down.
However, if I wait long enough between the 4th and 5th, then the 5th again gives me the same level of enjoyment as the 1st did.

Long enough will vary with the individual and the circumstances.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

...I just don't want to get to the point where everything is TOO familiar or going to the park TOO casual (if that makes sense)...

Since most of DL's passholders are locals, part of the magic is our familiarity with the parks. Many of us live close enough to visit often, so we are VERY familiar with both parks -- to the point that we really know the parks better than some CMs. There is something really special about being able to share this magical place with other people who love it as much and know it as well as we do!

By the way, if you do make the move, Lake Arrowhead is beautiful!

 

[Renae De Liz]

Since most of DL's passholders are locals, part of the magic is our familiarity with the parks. Many of us live close enough to visit often, so we are VERY familiar with both parks -- to the point that we really know the parks better than some CMs. There is something really special about being able to share this magical place with other people who love it as much and know it as well as we do!

By the way, if you do make the move, Lake Arrowhead is beautiful!

Oh so happy to hear Lake Arrowhead is beautiful in person! I've never been there. We're making a blind move, and it seemed just perfect to us. We don't like city life, but like being close to it. Also we LOVE the Grand Californian, and the rustic housing styles and pine trees in Lake Arrowhead so reminded me of it.

Thank you for your thoughts. I bet it is wonderful knowing so much about the park, and being so familiar with it! Like a close friend.

 

[Renae De Liz]

Thanks so much for your thoughts, everyone It helps me get a feel for what this will be like! I just can't imagine! When we go we stay for 7-8 days. If I go twice a year, how many days would be optimal? We like to take our time as well.

Eileen- I want caramels so bad now!!!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

An optimal stay is however long works best for you. If you decide to buy a pass, that would open up your choices about how long to visit. Even if you don't get a pass, you would be close enough to play things by ear -- try your usual length of stay to see how that fits. Then, if you want to stay longer, you'll know that you could visit again somtime soon. You might like shorter, more frequent visits or longer, less frequent ones. We do both -- sometimes staying for several days (up to a week, if the schedule allows) or sometimes only for a few hours. Part of the fun about living closer to DLR is that you have the freedom to relax while figuring these things out!

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

I say no. Then again, we're moving to SoCal in part to be closer to Disneyland, just like you. If we're wrong, what's the harm? There's always Knott's and other cool SoCal things to do in between DLR visits!

 

[dragonflycurls]

When I lived in Costa Mesa we had APs and went almost every week! I actually think that made it more magical now we live on seattle and try to go once a year!

 

[Kristina4109]

When my daughter was in preschool we had the lowest level AP's and we went to DL once every single month for two years. (On blocked out days in July we bit the bullet and paid.)

My parents thought the same thing. They asked, "Don't you think it's not going to be special to her anymore?" WRONG! It became our special place, just like WDW was my special place with MY family when I was a girl.

In fact, on one of our last Momma-Daughter days at DL, I asked her, "Will you remember this when you're grown-up? Will you remember all the times I took you to Disneyland!"

Her answer, "Yes. But I'd like to keep coming to DL with you when I'm a grown-up. Only I want to sit in the front seat."

 

[gigi0902]

Well, as someone who currently resides in Lake Arrowhead (welcome!) and has season passes for me and my 4 kids, no, the magic is not lost on us The are a TON of families up here that have season passes as well, so we usually bring a few extra kids with us or make it a group trip with all of us moms. We have spring break 2.0 coming up in a few weeks (we didn't get enough snow to use our snow days so now we get 11 days off ) and we have booked a room for a few nights to be in the park.

Again, welcome to the mountains, hope it love it as much as we do.

 

[cuteinnocent]

My first job was there, during high school and could go into the park all I wanted and it is still magical to me now! I love bringing my kids there.

 

[Renae De Liz]

Well, as someone who currently resides in Lake Arrowhead (welcome!) and has season passes for me and my 4 kids, no, the magic is not lost on us The are a TON of families up here that have season passes as well, so we usually bring a few extra kids with us or make it a group trip with all of us moms. We have spring break 2.0 coming up in a few weeks (we didn't get enough snow to use our snow days so now we get 11 days off ) and we have booked a room for a few nights to be in the park.

Again, welcome to the mountains, hope it love it as much as we do.

Oh thank you so much for the welcome!! We're so excited. I was raised in California, and haven't lived there since I was 12 and I'm so happy to be returning Lake Arrowhead just looks so wonderful and perfect for us. We work from home so we wanted somewhere beautiful, quiet, but close to adventure if we need it.

I hope you have a great trip on your Spring 2.0 in Disneyland!!

 

[Renae De Liz]

Thank you all for the wonderful input! It really puts my mind to rest a lot. I am so glad that the magic is still there for you all. it's just so hard for my mind to wrap around going more than once every few years!

I think I'm most excited to see the park at different times of year. For instance I've NEVER seen Disneyland at Halloween time, because we always choose to either go at Christmas or Summertime. Never seen it around Easter either! I can't wait to experience it all!

 

[calilou]

YES!!! I'm 40 and have been at least once a year since I was a baby. Now my daughters and I have passes so go several times a year. We find it magical each and every time. We try to do something we haven't done before each time, and still haven't run out of new things! My favorite is enjoying the different seasons and celebrations for sure.

 

[GeneralTso]

We have APs and we live in Seattle! Our entire family really loves Disney. We go multiple times a year (3-4) and to WDW every few years.
We also vacation other places. I would go nuts if we only went to Disney anything.
Travel is important to us, we like to do it, so we do it as much as we can. While in Paris, we went to Disneyland there. It was interesting and I'm so glad we did it. We won't do it again.

Far too many other things to see and do in Paris.
We're fans, but not NUTS!

 

[PHXscuba]

I think I'm most excited to see the park at different times of year. For instance I've NEVER seen Disneyland at Halloween time, because we always choose to either go at Christmas or Summertime. Never seen it around Easter either! I can't wait to experience it all!

THIS. You can get so much out of different seasons. Disneyland does a lot during different seasons -- summer fireworks, Mickey's Halloween Party, Easter egg hunt, seasonal foods, etc. And when it's a 2-hour drive instead of a 6-hour plane flight, you can go on a non-busy weekend instead of a vacation week that everyone else has.

PHXscuba

 

[iKristin]

I go once or twice a week and the magic is still there very much! I make sure to avoid lines (if I want to ride something with a line, I fastpass or single rider it) and do things I wouldn't normally had found the time to do during a week vacation. The other day I took two trips around on the Mark Twain and just enjoyed the quiet. It was wonderful It really is nice to go to the parks and not feel rushed to have to ride certain rides or do certain things. I can just hop back and forth doing what I want and ride what I want (I rode Haunted Mansion 13 times in a row on Friday the 13th lol). It's all what you make it

 

[Ember]

I think going often (we usually go weekly) is a differnt kind of magic. You aren't rushed or pressured. We will go for dinner and walk around, just chatting. There's also something truly special about ending a really bad day at Disney. Because then it isn't a bad day any more.