Enjoying a 'normal' holiday during the years after visiting Disney

[SpencerOrg]

We had a brilliant holiday last year at Disney World, we had saved for years and spent 17 days in Orlando (from the UK). Apart from driving in some very scary weather it was a perfect holiday.

We are planning on coming back in hopefully 5-6 years time and here lies the problem.

This year we are going back to a week caravan holiday in Cornwall (England).

I guess my question is how do enjoy holidays in the years between going to Disney when this has become the yard stick to measure all over holidays against? We are doing a fairly good job of preserving the magic (watching the DIS unplugged really helps). We are very grateful for all the holidays we get.

What do you think?

 

[Allison]

Going to Disney World has never taken away the enjoyment of other trips to the mountains, beach, lake resort or any other vacation we have done. We have enjoyed each for what they have to offer and don't use Disney as a measuring stick.

 

[Alesia]

My question is how do you not enjoy your other trips?

Seriously, WDW is great, but there's a great big world out there and there's plenty of fun to be had no matter where you are - you just have to make a conscious decision to stop comparing.

 

[Minniesgal]

For me I love WDW but I actually couldn't do it every year. I'd get bored of it easily. For me it certainly isn't the yardstick to measure all holidays it is just one experience .

We Have had holidays at home we have enjoyed just as much.

 

[scrhsa]

Sit there in your camper--uh, caravan and think about all of us( I'm in Texas) who would LOVE to be caravaning in Cornwall. Cornwall is on my bucket list. It is a fairly new passion of mine. I am beginning to learn all about it Have fun!!!

 

[ArwenMarie]

Just don't compare it Your trip this year is not going to be the same and it might not even be as much fun for you. And that's ok. Try to see it as different, not better or worse. On a more positive note, this sounds cheesy, but try to find the little "magical" things there.

 

[SpencerOrg]

Sit there in your camper--uh, caravan and think about all of us( I'm in Texas) who would LOVE to be caravaning in Cornwall. Cornwall is on my bucket list. It is a fairly new passion of mine. I am beginning to learn all about it Have fun!!!

Hi

I have never thought of it like that. I guess we can easily take for granted what we have.

Cheers.

 

[SpencerOrg]

Going to Disney World has never taken away the enjoyment of other trips to the mountains, beach, lake resort or any other vacation we have done. We have enjoyed each for what they have to offer and don't use Disney as a measuring stick.

I guess we spent two years planning the Disney vacation and had it planned down to the last detail. Our holiday this year will be much more spontaneous with walks along the beach etc.

Cheers.

 

[gorkt]

I love WDW, but the world is a big place. I do much more low key stuff in off years like camping, which is a nice change. I love the WDW ramp up and planning, don't get me wrong, but it is nice to just chill out with no plan whatsoever. I also love a good staycation. Last year we took a 20th anniversary cruise to Alaska, which was amazing! Plus going to WDW more sporadically means we get to see changes every time we go.

 

[Mikie]

I guess we spent two years planning the Disney vacation and had it planned down to the last detail. Our holiday this year will be much more spontaneous with walks along the beach etc.

Cheers.

We love Disney, and like you, we have a few years between trips. We don't even take a "big" trip every year. The first trip after Disney last time, I kind of downplayed. It didn't require nearly as much planning from the whole family. I did have to research hotels, operating hours of things we wanted to see, admission prices, but I didn't much involve the family. So when we went, though I had researched and we also did things that required no plans, my kids thought the whole thing was 100% spontaneous. They made many comments about how much fun it was to "just do whatever we felt like". We slept late, ate brunch, walked at a leisurely pace, and explored a big city (we are from moderate-size suburbs, so skyscrapers and subways are not part of our daily life). Even though it was "just" a small vacation, my family did a better job than I did of enjoying it for the totally different and relaxing experience it was that did not pale in comparison for them.

 

[Moms]

I always try to make the distinction between a "vacation" (you might call it a "holiday") and a trip. A vacation is restful; a chance to "regroup" and reconnect with friends and family with time to reflect on and enjoy the simple pleasures that only slowing down will allow. A "trip" is an adventure that while wonderful can be tiring ... especially when you have to navigate airports and change time zones along the way. We love our trips but always feel like we need a vacation after we return home.

Enjoy your "holiday" in Cornwall ... I dream of taking a "trip" there one day ... when I have worked up the stamina to navigate Heathrow once again!

 

[Anesthesia Fine]

I guess we spent two years planning the Disney vacation and had it planned down to the last detail.

The planning part helps me! During our not-Disney years, we do several weekend trips instead and I actually do some planning for those as well, right down to a rough itinerary. I really enjoy the planning for just about anything, and even on our vacations where we're a lot more "what you you want to do/enh, I dunno, what do YOU want to do" it's nice to say "hey, there's supposed to be a nice restaurant up the road" or "after breakfast let's check out that museum" or whatever. Once on a trip to Baltimore Inner Harbor we got caught in a rainstorm and jumped into the visitor's center to stay dry; we found a brochure for a fabulous museum we didn't know existed, as well as a Christmas light show in PA (!).

On a caravan holiday? Man, I'd be packing so many things to read. Sitting outside with my feet up with a nice drink and a book? Heaven.

 

[Blackthorne519]

I like to think that I bring all my other experiences to Disney with me, and that helps me enjoy both more. We've done a lot of vacationing in the Adirondack Mountains, because we live in Upstate New York, and parts of Disney remind me almost of an idealized version of Lake George. Traveling anywhere for us is a blessing now - and like someone else said, you never know where other people want to visit! I'd like to visit Cornwall someday, too! Bringing yourself and your experiences to Disney and from Disney is part of the magic - you don't compare like a competition; you add it to the tapestry of experiences you're lucky to have.