greenban Poll for DVC Owners RE: The Magic

[greenban]

This was inspired by another thread, about the possibility of spoiling our Kids by being members.

Wait! Read on!

Here is the question. For us DVCers (grammar I know), who are also Disney Fanatics....

Did you have a lot of Disney Trips as a child, or were your trips few and far between, thus starting your craving of all things Disney?

How many of us who were 'spoiled' with yearly trips to Disney as a child, have the magic still intact, burning bright and forcing us to flutter like moths around the candle that is the DVC?

In my case, one trip to DL in the 60's, where we DROVE from NJ to CA and back .

One trip to FL (also by car) BEFORE WDW was built.

Honeymoon (part one DW-Jamaca, part two Me-WDW) 1990, before DVC, or I would have bought in back then.

I've had 5 trips home this last year, and for me the Magic burns bright, and now DW is starting to 'see' the light!

Too early to tell about the kids......

So please share your 'background'

-Tony

 

[magicmouse2]

I never went to WDW until 2002 with my own kids. I didnt even know much about it until then. We stil lonly go once a year even with DVC and I guess we are spoiled at having the extra room and facilities on site, but we have stayed other places since and the kids havent complained or compared it to WDW and dvc.

 

[carol1231]

I never went to WDW or DL when I was a kid. My first trip was when I was 21 with DH.

I don't know if my kids are spoiled, but I know that I am, and that is ok. We started going once a year before we had kids. Now we are within a days drive and go about 3 - 4 times a year and look forward with great anticipation to each and every time.

 

[M4travels]

We never "vacationed" as a family when I was growing up. We were a family of 8 and the funds weren't there. I moved to So. California in '83 and made my first trip to DL that year. Only living 45 mins away from the park has made it an easy trip for us, in fact we sometimes just head down for dinner. The annual pass has made this quite easy.

We are neophyte DVC members but are already planning, planning, planning for our trips to WDW.

 

[littlestar]

We never had a whole of money growing up (five kids and my mom stayed home and my dad worked two jobs). But, my mother always took us to the drive-in when the Disney classics were showing. We LOVED it. It was a big deal (before videos, DVDs, you know). You just couldn't watch Cinderella any old time you wanted to. Herbie the Love Bug, all the Dexter Rogers movies -The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, Apple Dumpling Gang, etc., were so much fun to go see at the drive-in.

Also, we watched the Wonderful World of Disney. Seeing Tinkerbell spray that Pixie Dust over the castle was really something for a little kid.

So yeah, I guess mom did spoil us the only way she could. And it was great! She would have probably liked to take us all out to Disneyland if she could have. Dad,too, but he was tired from working day and night.

Mom and dad's 50th anniversary is coming up in a year and half. Guess where they want to celebrate it with all 30 some odd of us? Disneyworld. So with a combination of our Disney Vacation Club points and mom and dad's Interval Membership (they own other timeshares, which they bought to spoil the family, by the way - they figured they earned the right to spoil), we will organize the best 50th wedding anniversary ever.

 

[DisneyNutMary]

I visited WDW only once as a child. My grandparents took my cousin and me.
I didn't go back until I met my husband- our first trip together was to WDW.

To this day I still have not experienced WDW with my mother. I hope one day she will come with us

 

[MinnieFan]

My first visit to WDW was in 2000 with my DH and 2 children. DH had never been there, either (we are both from large, non-vacationing families!) We both thought that we were doing the Disney thing for the kids, never expecting that we would fall in love with it ourselves. Needless to say, we are hooked, and bought into DVC on our second trip to the World.

Maybe my kids are "spoiled" by our trips to Disney - I don't know. But they are overall good kids and we all look forward to our wonderful family trips to Disney. The time we spend together there, without any distractions of everyday life, is priceless, and I hope they will someday "spoil" my grandchildren the same way.

 

[cobbler]

For quite a few years I went as a child the same week in February and we always stayed in the "cabins". (I laugh at that now as back then they were mobile homes - still are really).

OK so anywho, yes I went for quite a few years, up until my mid teens, to WDW every year and I loved it. I knew that my family worked hard to get us there.

This is something I wanted to give my kids. The luxury and expirence of a great family vacation and to do it at Disney because that is something I had as a child.

We would go every year regardless of us buying DVC but obviously DVC makes sense if we are going to do that.

I think my kids appreciate the fact that we go because they see me WORK to be able to go on these vacations.

The magic still burns with me and I am always anxious for the next trip. So far my kids love it and I hope they always will.

 

[jade1]

spoiling our Kids by being members.
-Tony

Kids schmids, were going-they come along if they want.

 

[Muushka]

I am so surprised at the poll results so far. I thought for sure that I would be the only one to have never have gone as a kid! Interesting.....

 

[greenban]

I am so surprised at the poll results so far. I thought for sure that I would be the only one to have never have gone as a kid! Interesting.....

I expected the poll to LEAN this way, but not this far!

Very interesting stories so far, thanks to all for sharing!

-Tony

 

[JandD Mom]

We went 1 time, when I was 10 and we stayed at Poly. I know my parents really scrimped and saved to take us on that vacation. But when we were there we did everything and they did not cut corners at all. I went later on a senior class trip but I don't count that since we did not stay on site, were not with our parents, and were "herded" everywhere.

I was so traumatized when we had to go home from the Poly that I don't think it ever left me.

I am sure many of us feel the same way, we go back and we are that child again. Except this time WE are in control!

 

[SueC1216]

The first time I went to WDW was in 1979. My husband actually made the reservations and had to pretty much drag me down there. I absolutely loved it and we have visited WDW probably 40 times since then. We bought at BWV in 1997 and continue to enjoy WDW. Our kids are now grown (DS recently started working at WDW) and we still love visiting. I especially enjoy the Flower Power concerts in the Spring.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I'm old, so the only chance I had for a Disney trip as a child was Disneyland, and that was when I was already 14 years old. My next Disney trip was when I was in my early 30's and had two kids of my own. We have been going to WDW on a regular basis ever since.

 

[Cruelladeville]

We never had the money to go to WDW as a kid--it was only DL in those days. Our trips were to upper Michigan to Mac. Is., and that was a cheap trip back then.

My first trip was after we were married, and we thought that we might spend the nights in the back of our old van! We began going down every year. All my brothers and sisters own timeshares in Florida, too, we are a definitely a Disney family!!

This is a serious issue for us. My kids check on pro-WDW attitudes before they date someone. It's a huge red flag. This very issue was at least partly to blame for DD's and DN's divorces(DHs were both abusive, too). Ex said DD forced him into destrictive behavior because she "lived in Disneyland all the time." He felt that real people didn't live the way we live, looking forward to our next vacation, and wanting to be with the rest of our family. Obviously, this board proves that we aren't the only people who feel this way.

 

[TammyAlphabet]

My family never took even one family vacation. NOT one. We unfortunately did not have the means to travel as a family. My first adventure to WDW was in 1989 on my Disneymoon (stayed offsite). Then after 10 years and two children, I finally went back in 1999. I have been hooked ever since. Bought DVC last year and I am not looking back.

I have a 12 night trip planned for May and a week over Thanksgiving (squeeze every drop out of those AP's) and then the Wonder on 12/17. So, I guess I am pretty hooked. I am looking hard at August also.

P.S. A lady at my daughter's school said that her parents took her to WDW every Thanksgiving while she was growing up. She has three children and they have never been. This is becoming an interesting little study that Tony has cooked up.

 

[wanna-b-Tink]

My first trip was in January 1973 when I was 2 1/2 years old. We would go every 4 or 5 years growing up. We vacationed a lot because my dad grew up VERY poor and wanted to give his kids everything he possibly could, and I imagine to make up for lost time himself!
We always went to Florida for a couple of weeks a year, but we just didn't always end up at WDW. I wish I could do that now - I want my kids to see Weeki Watchi (or however you spell it), Edison's winter home, and all of the other great tourist stops in Florida. We just can't seem to pull ourselves away from the fun of WDW though!

 

[amandaC]

My family went at least once per year since I was 2 (when WDW opened.)

There was a span from the age of 17 or so til I got marries at 23 that Disney was "not cool". Then when my first DS was born, I re-found the Magic. I am now more of a fanatic than anyone in my family! Now we go 2 to 4 times a year!

Amanda

 

[pjshaff]

We were lucky because we lived in South Florida until I turned 25. I would have to say that if we lived farther away or out of state, it would have been less frequent visits.

Did I feel spoiled because of it? No, I know that our mom sacrificed alot for us and WDW was one of those things.

It's wonderful now because DH and I own DVC, have 2 kids and all of us love our Disney vacations. Spoiled? No. Fortunate? Yes.

 

[TDC Nala]

Two or three times in the 70s, then not until the 80s when my brother was in the college program. I became a Disney fanatic through the movies, not the parks.

I don't have kids, the DVC points are all for me.