Do you live for your next trip?

[DannyDisneyFreak]

Most of you probably have family and friends that just don't "get it". Those people who say "It's just an amusement park" and "isn't boring after a while?". My fiancé, who does enjoy aspects of Disney, says I'm obsessed. When I want to talk about trip plans or of reservations I always get an eye roll and laugh, "Disney again?" I'm wondering what you do for those people in your life to keep Disney exciting for them? I'm also wondering how most of you feel about that "next trip" you're always planning, do you ever feel that it's abnormal? Disney is the thing that excites me, some people it's sports or music or other hobby, but for me it's the thought of walking up Main Street, USA and the sounds, sights and smells associated with that most magical place on Earth. I guess my third question would be, what makes it that special, that important and that exciting? I'm really interested in your responses!

 

[Nancyg56]

Fortunately, the people I care about either "get it" or they pretend that they do, so it's good as far as that is concerned. I don't live for Disney, but I really do feel that it is a special place for me. DH says that he is Disney'ed out after the last trip, but he only goes once for ever three or so trips that I take, so I was expecting that.

FWIW- I know who does not enjoy trip planning updates, so I make sure I don't talk about them unless they ask bout them. I think this is true no matter where your destination is, some people get bored by the frequent updates.

 

[Magpie]

No, while we love Disney and it's our "happy place", we actually make a conscious decision NOT to live for our next trip.

One of the reasons we went in May this year was because my husband found himself looking forward to our annual December trip too much. He said to me, "I don't want to spend my life wishing away today, just to get to tomorrow!"

So we went to Disney and scratched that itch. And then went back to enjoying our todays.

There's SO much to be thankful for, right in the here and now! (Looking at my grey kitty, who probably only has a few weeks left, if that...)

 

[PoohsFan1]

For me the only people that I care that either gets it or not is my immediate family and luckily they all get it and love going to Disney just as much as I do . As for the others, I really don't let them know about our Disney obsessions, even though my family and ILs all no but it really doesn't bother them. They all have their vacations that they go to all the time (ILs love their cruises while my parents go to Williamsburg VA and Gatlinburg TN all the time, they have a time share condos at both places).

As for the question "Do I live for my next trip"? Absolutely 100%, yes, and I am proud of it too . I love the whole waiting and anticipation process, plus planning out our WDW trips is just as fun for me as actually going. I am so lucky that I have a DH that feeds my obsession and kids that are just as obsessed as I am, if not more (DD12 is turning into a mini me ). We go to WDW once a year, but most times twice a year and it never gets old for us. I am always finding something new for us to do or see. We always stay at a new resort when we go and I always make an ADR for at least 1 new restaurant. Also, this upcoming trip we will be going to F&W festival which is something we have never done before.

 

[seelyt2]

Absolutely. In fact, on our last trip we bought a Christmas themed ceramic Mickey and Minnie XX Days Until Christmas thingy in Hollywood Studios and instead use it as XX Days Until our Next Disney Vacation. It gives the kids something to do. We already have an app on our phone to do this, too, but this is something that the kids can physically do in anticipation of the next trip. Right now, we're at 39!

 

[minnie mum]

Do I live for my next trip? No. The kids and I are huge fans, but it doesn't drive our lives. DH tolerates our fandom. But we only go every couple of years now. It is definitely a fixture in our vacation history and future plans, but it is not our sole destination or our only outside interest.

Outside of our immediate family, I don't blabber on about Disney or our plans unless someone specifically asks. Our friends know about our trip preferences but by and large aren't Disney aficionados. So I don't bore them with details that they have no interest in, out of respect. I mean if they were huge fans of stamp collecting or rock polishing, would you want them bringing that to every conversation?

I certainly maintain an interest in all things Disney between trips (have you seen my post count??), but out of consideration for DHs feelings I don't barrage him daily with trivia. Once we start planning for our next trip, however, the daily quota is definitely ramped up.

 

[Brian_WDW74]

This topic doesn't really fit under the category of theme parks attractions and strategies, so I've moved it to the Theme Parks Community board.

 

[Miskamouska]

For us it's also our happy place! We don't live for the next trip, but Disney takes up a small place in our everyday life. We try to incorporate some "pixie dust" in the things we do.

Our family or friends don't get it... We live in Belgium. So if we say we're going to Disney for 2 weeks they immediately think we mean Paris and don't understand how you can stay there for 14 days. When we explain it's DisneyWORLD, they give us a big eye-roll ;-)

 

[glaserjm]

DH and I love to travel and just stay active in general. We are huge baseball fans and love the summer because our beloved Cardinals are playing, we play tennis, hike, go to concerts and festivals, take day trips, etc.

BUT on those day trips, hikes, after the tennis match, on the way to the concert, in between innings at games....we are usually talking about Disney , however we always try to make sure we take in the joys that every day life offers and live in whatever moment we are having.

Disney is the place where we feel the most relaxed and at peace with the World. I'm ok with anyone around us who doesn't "get it" but luckily both our families are Disney fans. This past March we took my parents to experience OKW for the first time and now they are planning to buy DVC next year!

We both have countdowns on our phones, we'll put up a paper one on the fridge at 30 days and we talk about Disney in some capacity every day. Maybe it's weird but I know people who go to the same condo on the same beach every year and nobody really gives them trouble, so I try not to worry about it!

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

This topic doesn't really fit under the category of theme parks attractions and strategies, so I've moved it to the Theme Parks Community board.

Well I do want to know about strategies to keep family members interested in the parks&

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I live with a bunch of anti-Disney freaks, so no, I don't go on about Disney at home. It's likely to get me at best some eye-rolling, and at the worst a lecture on how I'm wasting my money and how stupid I am to not go to other places.

I actually *do* go to other places, a lot. I only do Disney every other year or so. In between I do other things. But after a year or so after a trip to WDW, I'll start thinking about going again, to the point where it's always at the back of my mind. After I've booked a trip to WDW it's all I think about. Well, maybe not *all* I think about, but it's always THERE. My partner in crime going to WDW is usually my sister, and whenever we get together we talk over plans and ideas and things to do.

For me, WDW is the magic place I never had as a child growing up in a poor family, the safe haven from the real world. I can't put into words how I feel about that place.

 

[PHXscuba]

I am always using my next vacation as an incentive to keep me going -- saving money, getting through a mind-numbing day etc. It's not always a Disney trip that's next, but any trip is something for me to look forward to. I think that's why I'm unsettled right now -- no big trips on the horizon because DH won't commit to what we're doing next spring and/or summer. I have about a dozen ideas and I need to narrow this down -- it's our last big family vacation before DS17 starts college and I want it to be awesome!

PHXscuba

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

I love my Disney vacations and I do look forward to them, but I don't live for Disney, vacations or anything material.

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

There's SO much to be thankful for, right in the here and now! (Looking at my grey kitty, who probably only has a few weeks left, if that...)

I am sorry. My furry kids mean the world to me and I understand that hurt.

You are right, there is much more to living this life in the here and now. We aren't promised tomorrow (or 5 minutes from now), so we should enjoy what we have at the moment.

 

[DannyDisneyFreak]

I understand the responses about not "living for Disney" in the literal sense but everyone has those things that really spark their interest and really brings them joy. Some people it's as simple as a good book, others getting seasons tickets for their favorite sports team, or maybe cooking a fancy meal in the kitchen. What I'm saying is that it's the Disney magic that makes me smile, planing that next trip gives me excitement not only about what I enjoy but wanting to share that experience with my loves ones. I'd love to travel other places, like all the other Disney parks! Lol but also Italy, Australia, and South Africa are on my bucket list. I also want to do a road trip across the US and up the west coast from Mexico to Canada then hop on an Alaska cruise. I love doing small weekend road trips too.