Does the magic last?

[vbalacek]

We joined DVC 3 years ago, and are so happy with our decision. We have 180 points and so far have had one annual family vacation there since we bought in. We're very excited about our third trip home this October, and are considering our first add-on-- there is no place on earth we'd rather have a family vacation and would like enough points to take a full week each year.

However, will this feeling last? My question to long time DVC owners is, do you still enjoy going to Disney every year? Our children (1, 2 and 4) love it and can't wait to go back, but do older kids/teenages like going each year? Or after a certain number of visits, does it get a little old? (I'd hate to hear "not Disney again!")

Thanks for your experiences.

 

[DisneyRefugee]

Given the ages of your kids, I think you'll be fine. We've gone between 2 and 5 times a year (coming down from DC) for the last 8 years. One year we figured out we had spent 36 days there!

After about five years of this, it changed from A+ magical to B+ magical. We just did the Disney Cruise, and are heading back in August for 11 days. Now that we've done it so much and can do the parks "like experts", we just relax more and just enjoy the experience of just being there more.

My daughter it now almost 11, and she is no where near sick of it. And neither am I!

 

[Candace]

I joined in 1994 and enjoy my trips now as much as ever. It seems Disney is always adding something new or changing something, so it does not get boring for me. I should add that I am not a "park freak" and enjoy doing other things at Disney as well as just chilling out by the pool. My boys were 8 and 13 when I joined. The older one is now almost 26, and he does not love it like I do. He pretty much stopped going at around 18 or 20. The younger one is almost 21, and he still goes every year, either with me or he takes some friends. He is going next month with his GF and he's planning like crazy! It's funny listening to him! I guess you either "get" the magic or you don't. It has never waned for me, and it seems like it hasn't for my younger son. As young as your children are, I would bet that you will have many, many more Disney magical years to come!

 

[Mrs Potato Head]

Honestly...my 19 year old doesn't want to "DO" Disney more than once a year...he doesn't really like theme parks. I'd like to get him to come down with us to the SSR, but he's in his "zone" about it these days.

On the other hand, my DS16 is totally IN LOVE with Disney and will go with me anytime! He and I are taking a mom and son trip this August...he was with me and DH in January, and it will be him, DH and I in November. Next year will be harder to travel for him because of school, so I expect we'll be taking a trip next summer with him and maybe a friend.

Since buying DVC the thing I'm looking forward to is the ability to have trips to the world that aren't rush, rush, rush. I KNOW I'll be back, and can just relax and enjoy what comes along.

I think my oldest DS will turn around a bit, but he'll never be my "I LOVE DISNEY" son.

Oh well...Dh and I will have to go without them! Many, many, many times....

 

[sweetinmaine]

We bought into DVC for the whole Disney experience. While we enjoy the theme parks as a whole family (adult children and spouses + 2 grandsons) DH enjoy time spent at the resorts on our alone time trips. We know that by going Disney we get beautiful resorts with wonderful amenities. Clean, well maintained areas....Disney does it best!

 

[jim1051]

We bought 280 pts in 1999. We hqave been to hilton head 3 times, WDW 6 times, Vero once since then. Plus my son honeymooed on Maui using concierge resort. We have never regretted it. Best thing we've done vacation wise

 

[4mcbjCtr]

My kids are 3, 7 and 11 and haven't grown tired of our several trips a year to Disney and we have been doing it for 8 years now. With the Disneyworld resorts, there is always something new to do. There are so many things to do even without ever entering the parks. They are excited about every new trip and we try to do something different everytime. And like another poster said, our trips have just become more relaxing because of the convenience of DVC resorts.

My only real concern is that they may be burned out by the time they give me grandchildren, and I won't have anyone to share my Disney addiction with. My kids go so much, they are going to either be junkies like me or they are going to never want to see Mickey again in life.

 

[disworldnum1]

our youngest is 14 now and oldest son is 26 and they are both excited about going down in may.We have gone down twice a year sinec 1998 and always have a different experience.We have watched the young one grow up at WDW.For the most part the older one didnt come down but now he has caught the bug again because he likes to be with his younger brother.All I hear at work is "your going there again" and the family says it too,but to be honest theres no place else we all would rather go as a family then to WDW.

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

I went to Disney every year from 14 to 24 and I have to say I did get burnt out on Disney. So I took a little break -only went 3 times in the next 10 years but now I'm a DVC member and will be going hopefully every year.

If that happens, take advantage of all the other parks, like universal, sea world, Busch Gardens, VB, HH or the conceirge collection thru the DVC. Believe me, once you take a break you'll get the magic feeling back. Since I bought 6 months ago I've been addicted to Disney and will be going back 3 times just this year (due to my annual pass).

I like you just love my Disney vacations, and now that I own at the BWV the resort is a destination in itself. My DH and I have been on numerous cruises and I have no desire to go back on one at this time. Its Disney for me!!

 

[rinkwide]

...after a certain number of visits, does it get a little old?

Barring an unforeseeable collapse in the resale market, who cares?

 

[gppnj]

I've found that one thing that really helps to keep it fresh it to vary who you go with. I have more flexibility to do this than most people do because I travel with friends (not the same friends every time) rather than family. However, anyone can do it to some degree. One time go with the kids, the next time leave the kids with grandparents, another time bring along some family friends, etc. Different people make it a different experience each time.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We joined 9 years ago when our "kids" were already adults. Our youngest was then 21, and our oldest was 28. We have had 9 years of wonderful vacations, and I don't foresee us changing that attitude anytime soon. We usually are at WDW a total of 20-30 days a year....LOVE it!

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Not at THIS household has the magic worn off! And we've been plenty of times. My kids sort of grew up at Disney.

However, in full disclosure mode ... DS, 23, is not nearly as partial to the parks as he once was. But he's discovered the joy of "other stuff," like the recreational activities at WL and FW. He'll fish, rent a boat, and enjoy himself.

DD, 19, is a park junkie, as am I. DW goes along with whatever, but she's getting more and more partial to hanging out in the villa. Both my kids are college freshmen, DS finished up 4 years in the Marines, so we're all at different places, I guess. And, like ggpns above, we almost always take at least one guest - DD always brought a friend, and, these days, she tends to drag along her Delta Gamma sisters. Lord.

If anything, my Disney addiction gets worse as the years go on. Kinda scary.

 

[m4travel]

<snip>
Since buying DVC the thing I'm looking forward to is the ability to have trips to the world that aren't rush, rush, rush. I KNOW I'll be back, and can just relax and enjoy what comes along.
<snip>

Isn't that the best thing about belong to DVC? We have the same experience at DLR. Since we live only a couple of hours away, we think nothing of driving down on Friday for dinner at the Vineyard Room. We may not do more than walk around the parks - because we will always be back.

Although we've only been to WDW once, we have visits planned around DCL cruises later this year and in 2007 which include short visits to the World. We won't be able to see all that much - but it's alright because we'll be back! What we don't see this time, we'll see another.

We're pretty much 'go with the flow' folks. Every visit doesn't have to be perfect. And because of that attitude, most visits are 'perfect.'

 

[Slakk]

However, will this feeling last? My question to long time DVC owners is, do you still enjoy going to Disney every year? Our children (1, 2 and 4) love it and can't wait to go back, but do older kids/teenages like going each year? Or after a certain number of visits, does it get a little old? (I'd hate to hear "not Disney again!")

Thanks for your experiences.

We have been coming to Disney yearly since 1999. Our ONLY regret is that we did not buy DVC way back when.

The beauty of DVC is if you want to do the parks you can do the parks. If you want to do the resort thing you do the resort thing. And with HH and VB you have the beach.

To me it is a win-win.

If for some reason my son gets sick of WDW there is also Universal or Sea World too. Hopefully this will not happen!

 

[Doug Wolfe]

We joined in 2002. My kids are now 15, 11 & 9. They love it.

Their big question is which DVC resort are we staying at this time? As you can see below we change it up every year. Right now we are working on getting into Vero Beach. Kids love the ocean. Last time I checked we don't have an ocean here in Illinois.

For my family, the magic will probably never go away. My wife already talks about taking future grandchilden to stay at our DVC resorts.

 

[jennymouse]

My DD was already grown when I bought in but I have two granddaughters who love to go. So those of you who are worrying about your kids growing out of it, if you're lucky you'll have a few years to enjoy some nice adult only trips before your grandkids come along and then you start all over again.

 

[Melrosgirl]

Well if you ask dh, he'll say he gets "sick" of Disney, YET he is the one who decided last month to do a last minute May trip to WDW. Go figure! So with the flexibility of DVC, I was able to book a quickie trip in May for us. (My mother's day gift!) WOOHOO. DH can say he gets a little tired of the parks year after year (with multiple trips in each year), but WDW is home and we always have a good time.

We joined in 2002.

 

[luvdvc95]

We have been going to disney since 1983 and join dvc in 1995. Our kids are now 25 & 30 and have never tired of it. Son & family moved to Orlando 2 years ago and son works at Swan/Dolphin. They are in parks 3-5 times per week. Daughter lives in Boca Raton and drives up every chance she gets to get her disney fix. Of course since our kids are there, we are in disney more now than ever. We could never have enough points now so we stay with them when points run out. The magic is bigger than ever sharing it with granddaughter.

 

[wendydarling826]

We are going on four years now as members and the magic is as fresh as ever. We vacation a little differently than at first ~ we spend more relaxing time at the resort and don't feel we have to be in a park from opening to closing like we did in the beginning. We've been 2-3 times a year since joining (1 long vacation and a long weekend or 2) and each time we are delighted by something new or different. I often look through the guidebook at the other places where we could use our points, but we're not yet at the point where we're willing to give up our trip to WDW for someplace else. I can't imagine that the magic will ever wane.