Do DISer's ever go anywhere else?

[vhoffman]

I discovered this board after our first trip to WDW last year. We just came back from our second trip and have our third trip planned. However, it seems like some of the people on this board have an almost cult-like following of Disney and to them, vacation is Disney. Don't get me wrong, I love Disney and want to make many, many more trips there. However, we are planning trips elsewhere. For example, this summer we're going to Hawaii. We also are planning a trip to the Smokey Mountains next October to see the Fall leaves. I don't want to wear Disney out to the point where it gets old. After all, there's nothing like the first time. Also, each time we go to Disney we'd like to stay at a different resort each time so we feel like we're going to something new. But I've learned a lot of money-saving ideas on the budget board which can be applied to any trip. Well, do you DISers ever go anywhere else?

 

[mommytotwo]

I've been to Tokyo Disneyland when I was a child, but is planning on going there sometime this year-maybe as soon as next month along with Las Vegas. I also go to the other Hawaiian islands and Japan. With this trip, I will most likely like to go there more, but maybe to WDW.
What Hawaiian island are you planning on coming too? Is it your first trip?

 

[vhoffman]

We're making our first trip to Hawaii this June. We plan 4 nights at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki, 5 nights at the Marriott Beach Club in Maui, and six nights on the Big Island, 2 nights at a B&B near the Volcano area and 4 nights at the Outrigger Seacliff Condos on the Kona side. Needless to say that's quite an expensive trip but I still have the Disney bug. We just came back from a six-day trip there about two weeks ago for which we paid $1200 total and could have saved more if we'd bought annual passes. We're also planning a three-day trip to WDW for the Christmas season and MVMCP. I've really enjoyed this board and especially the budget board. Without the budget board I wouldn't be making so many trips. Now, I'm using the money-saving recipies found on this board (tonight is chicken bog) to further stretch our travel dollars.

 

[HappyMommy2]

Yes. Recently we have done Las Vegas, Key West, and Washington D.C.--also nearly every summer we go to a big family gathering which takes place in a different city (depending on which relative is hosting) each year, so we get to experience many different places. We want our kids to see and enjoy many things our country has to offer. WDW has a special magic, though, and it's our #1 favorite place to go! We just have to stick to a fairly tight budget there, and we can't stay for extended periods, or else we wouldn't be able to visit the other places we want to visit too.

 

[mommytotwo]

Originally posted by vhoffman
We're making our first trip to Hawaii this June. We plan 4 nights at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki, 5 nights at the Marriott Beach Club in Maui, and six nights on the Big Island, 2 nights at a B&B near the Volcano area and 4 nights at the Outrigger Seacliff Condos on the Kona side. Needless to say that's quite an expensive trip but I still have the Disney bug. We just came back from a six-day trip there about two weeks ago for which we paid $1200 total and could have saved more if we'd bought annual passes. We're also planning a three-day trip to WDW for the Christmas season and MVMCP. I've really enjoyed this board and especially the budget board. Without the budget board I wouldn't be making so many trips. Now, I'm using the money-saving recipies found on this board (tonight is chicken bog) to further stretch our travel dollars.

Sounds like you travel alot-wish I could do that also. If you have any questions about the Hawaiian Islands, let me know. Tip for when you stay at the volcano-bring a jacket it gets really cold there and it rains often.

 

[Naisy68]

Hello
Just for the record - We take a big trip every summer (I'm a teacher.) We also take a smaller trip to the Black Hills of SD usually in the spring and then a long weekend to Minneapolis in the fall to go to the Mall of America for Christmas shopping. Actually, we found an outlet mall north of Minneapolis that has a great Old Navy outlet. Anyway, we try to vary our summer trips a little bit by going somewhere a little different in the odd number years and going to Disney during the even numbered years. That's been our pattern since 1999 anyway.

Last summer we took a wonderful trip to Colorado and went to Vail, Aspen, Glenwood Springs and Estes Park. The Rocky Mountains were awe inspiring! I'd insert a beautiful picture but I'm not sure how to do that yet.

 

[GEM]

We're spending a week in Williamsburg in June and week in San Antonio in August. Of course, we're also doing Disney for a week in May . . .

We are lucky enough to have very flexible schedules, so we do travel a lot.

New York City is another one our favorite destinations. We love the Broadway shows, the museums, etc. We've been there many times. We've also been to the Bahamas a few times. Other places we love are Cedar Point, New Orleans, the Smokey Mountains, Maine - actually we've never been any place we didn't really enjoy!

We've also traveled over seas quite a bit - England, Scottland, Ireland, France, Malta, Morocco, Tunisia, Germany - but we haven't done that since the baby was born. Maybe summer 2005 . . .

We take quite a few short weekend trips scattered throughout the year, too. Places like Branson, Eureka Springs, Hot Springs, Dallas, Memhis, etc. are all within a pretty short drive.

We always keep going back to Disney World, though. We never get tired of it. Like you, we always look forward to staying someplace new, although the Wilderness Lodge has really captured our hearts! We're looking forward to the Beach Club in May.

 

[keriannhoward]

We usually go to Disney or Universal 4-6 times a year. Having grown up here in Florida, going to Disney is very nostalgic for me and dh. Every single time we get on the monorail and go through the CR, we talk about how we felt as children gliding above the ground and through a beautiful hotel. We always see new things and stay new places and we're also ride freaks. We've been to other theme parks but nothing compares to the Disney or Universal parks. We are almost always disappointed by other parks that don't have themes or decorated areas.

We take one big trip to Orlando a year, we go to New Orleans once a year for St Patrick's day (great parades you can take the kids to) and we weekend trip a lot to Orlando. It was the first trip dh and I took away together when we were dating and it's always bringing back lots of memories for us.

 

[BrerMama]

Taking a family vacation is an important part of our family life. We do it every year, but can only afford to do Disney properly every 3-4 years. In our off years, we go to Branson for a week. It's a 5 hour drive and we can have a ton of fun for a lot less money. Disney has it's own very special place in my heart, but it's Branson that we visit most frequently. In fact, we'll probably go in August for 4 days or so, even though we're going to Disney in June.

 

[disneymama73]

I will admit - we are Disney-obsessed! That's where the kids want to go, and that's where we want to go. We are DVC members, and really love the VWL. We have started driving down, and we all enjoy seeing different parts of the country on our drive.

DH and I did go to Las Vegas last year and had a blast. When the kids are old enough to handle longer flights, we would like to go to Hawaii and Europe. Right now they are 2-yo and 4-yo, and we are expecting our third in July. There are lots of places in the US we'd like to go as well, but while the kids are small and want to go to Disney, that's where we will go. I went there every year growing up and wouldn't trade it for the world. There's so much to do, it's never the same trip twice.

 

[lynn55]

We enjoy Disney but we try to go only evey 3-4 years. In the off Disney years we have been to Universal, Williamsburg Va., Hawaii, Yellowstone, Niagra Falls, Gand Canyon.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Yes besides our yearly trip to disney we go to Arlington Texas to watch the Rangers play the NY Yankees. We use as many frequent flier miles that we have. We are really blessed and get to see our old friends and have some great barbeque etc.

 

[Kate-n-sam]

We rent a house each year on the cape (Cape Cod). We also travel every 3 years to the midwest and west coast to visit relatives.

We go to Disney anywhere between every 1-3 years, depending on ages of kids and pregnancy. We will be at wdw with dd#3, 14 months in April! I'm done having babies so hopefully we can plan WDW every other year now!

When the kids are older we will definately go to places like the Grand Canyon, Black Hills, etc, but for now WDW is so easy and convenient with the little ones. Something for everyone.

 

[GoofItUp]

I love Disney, but also enjoy going other places. We go to Disney every 4-5 years or so. We enjoyed skiing in Colorado in December, and are going to Vancouver/Alaska (cruise) this June. Probably headed to Utah next December for our next ski trip, and are saving our frequent flier miles for a lovely trip to Hawaii (maybe next summer?!).

mommytotwo - stick around here for at least another year....I would love some insider help to planning my Hawaii vacation when it finally comes around!

 

[The Duchess]

While DS is young (he's 5 now), we're sticking to Disney. When he gets old enough to appreciate it more, we're planning Alaska, Italy, Route 66 and the Galapagos. For now, we're happy with our Disney vacation every two years. We also do quite a bit of camping in Maine in the summer.
Of course, we did Honeymoon at Disney...so I guess that makes us true DISers.

 

[spr0m]

I have six weeks of vacation time each year so besides our 2 trips a year to disney and to visit my family in Miami we go to Nantucket for 1-2 weeks each summer and now the yougest is two we can start skiing again so we'll start planning extended ski trip to Mont Tremblant and Lake Placid. My 3 year old had her first ski lessons this past month and loved it. We also like to use my relatives vacation home in the keys when we go down to FLA. My wife is planning on home schooling so we can travel at off peak times and the kids won't miss a thing Once they get a little older and can handle a long flight we plan on going to Hawaii or Austrailia/NZ