Has anyone else 'thrown in the towel?'

[Mickeyhugger]

and admitted that no matter how hard they've tried, they can't stay away from WDW?

Here's a brief history. We began taking DD when she was 3. (1998). In addition to a yearly one-week trip in the off-seasons of Sept. or November, we added DCL at spring break. (2002.) So for the past two and a half years, (and a lower savings acct!) we've had two Disney vacations. November 2003 while at the parks, DH and I admitted to ourselves and each other that we've finally seen EVERYTHING there is to see at WDW, DH is now 9, she's 'outgrowing' the characters, etc. "Time to give WDW a break for a few years.' We'd still planned on cruising DCL at least every other year.

Well, a weird feeling came over me about two weeks ago. I began having 'flashbacks' 'wow, last year at this time, I was preparing for our November WDW trip,' or 'it's really going to be a few years before I have the Brown Derby cobb salad?'..these 'Disney moments' were occuring more often..you get the picture. Last week, I told DH, 'that was the STUPIDEST decision I'd ever made, to retire our WDW annual trip!' (It actually was MY decision alone.) Folks, the breakdown finally surfaced Saturday afternoon. I logged on these boards for the first time in mos, read the trip reports, read the questions, saw vacation pictures and woke DH from a nap and exclaimed..'I wanna go back to WDW! I can't wait another few years! In fact, I don't think I'll ever be able to skip a year at WDW!'

We just booked the last week in January! (Unfortunately, it'll be two days shorter because DD is in 4th-grade, but it'll still be 5 days!)

Thanks for listening. Now that we're booked again, I'll be able to watch the TV commercials w/out crying.

Anyone else have similar experiences?

 

[mmeb144]

I purchased my first annual pass this year. I planned to use it for 2 trips. One for my birthday and one for my DD's birthday, coming up in October. Well, while I was there for the first trip, in February, I realized that I wanted my DH to share the magic. Just he and I. No kids. So, 3 trips in one year. I hope. It's hard to go without a Disney trip, or planning one!

Marie

 

[Ducky4Disney]

Welcome to the club! I just admitted to my Disney addiction and I feel MUCH better now! A friend of mine just went through the same thing as you. She is a DVC member (and got me to sign up too) and she was going to sell her points. Her first trip to BCV was this past August, and it was going to be her last. Just last week she made the decision that she can't give up her DVC points and she's gonna do what it takes to keep them!

I figured out that I need two trips a year to satiate me. For my upcoming trip home, my friend Suz has an open invitation to come stay with us - and with airfare the way it is, she can't resist!

I think that I am at the point where I am beyond the parks in the sense that I want to explore the resorts as well. Maybe parasail, go on a carriage ride, or just have dinner at all the resorts!

D4D

Give in to the WDW passion!

 

[tinkernelllec]

Since I was 3, I have made an annual trip to WDW, perhaps a year missed here and there, but still, I was raised DISNEY. When I married my DH, we had a 5 year deal........every 5 years we would vacation to WDW. Well........I've been married for, it'll be 6 years in October, and we have been back 4 times!!! Now we have 2 boys and it's more for them than it is me (yeah, right). At least that is what I tell my DH. Anyway, we are going this year for 1 day in the parks, and I already have my whole week planned to get every possible thing Disney in. Like reservations for dinner, trick or treating with the kids at DTD. My DH just lets me go, he knows he can't control it..........he wouldn't dare!!!

 

[CuteKatCar]

You know, I think I'm about done with disney. I will let you know after our next trip. But, I don't even feel like going! 40 days to go and I haven't planned much. Didn't even buy the unofficial guide like I have in the past. I'm hoping that because it's NOvember and I know everything there is to know that we can just wing it.

And this is why. We took a cruise to Bermuda this summer. It was amazing. My girls choose cruising now over WDW. Maybe they will change their mind when we go in Nov., but who knows.

And they are getting older (and they're only 9 and 12). It's just not the same though as being 4 and 7. Characters don't thrill them anymore, the gleam is just gone. I booked Cinderella's breakfast for me (I love the french toast) - they said they didn't care if we went there or not!!! My oldest said this is the last time she can miss school (and we won't go during peak seasons or summer).

So, my disney days may be over

Anna

P.S. Don't want to do Disney cruise - since we live in NJ we can cruise out of NY or Bayonne, NJ - no flying necessary.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Anna, our experiences are SO similar. It was the very reason why I didn't book another Disney trip. I found myself reminiscing about the days when DD wanted to wear her Cinderella dress 24/7, and it saddened me to think how those days are gone.

However, the 'weird feeling' came over me (as mentioned in my original post.) I know it's so different now, but I can't pull myself away from it. (I LOVE the french toast at Cindy's too! I'm up before 6AM each year. There've been two years I didn't get it.)

Maybe you'll feel the urge again one day. I think once it's in us, it never fully goes away!

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Anna, I also understand about missing school. It's getting tougher for us, and we can't afford the summer or peak seasons.

 

[SB in KY]

You are justin your mid-kids Disney crisis... we have been going once or twicee (OK...I confess sometimes 3 or 4 times) a year since our girls were 2 and 4 (now 14 and 16)...we hit the same point you did about the time they were 9 and 11 or 10 and 12....I swore off WDW (it never lasted long though)...but just wait...the best is yet to come...

They are more anxious to go now than we are because they have so much freedom. They take friends along and they can go where they please when they please...it is great. We meet up for meals (sometimes) and they actually like to go to the park with us occasionally... we can have a nice dinner out in the peace and quiet while they ride TOT 4 more times and I never have to go to a water park again!!!

We are DVC'ers and usually stay at OKW and for 10 years now we have said we are going to come once and just do a day or 2 at the parks and then do resort stuff the rest of the time....have not been able to do it yet....but maybe someday.

 

[WeLoveThePoly]

ad·dic·tion (-dkshn)
n.

Habitual psychological and physiological dependence on a substance or practice beyond one's voluntary control.

Yep, I'd say DH, DD & I are addicted to going to Disney World.

Last year was the 4th year in a row we've gone to WDW for our family vacation. While we were still at WDW last year DH & I were saying we should probably go somewhere else for our next family vacation.

Riiiiiiiiiight. We're going back to WDW. We just can't stay away!



Debbie

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Wonderful!

Keep these 'Disneyworld addict' threads coming!

 

[Maridw]

Since we went in 97 with my DH and after we bought our first seasonal pass in 2000, my DH has become addicted to WDW.

This year we were not going to go because we were planning a trip home to CA and knew it was going to be some what expensive. But DH decided he wanted to go to the Flower & Garden Festival again this year. So we purchased the Play 4 tickets since we are FL residents. When we get down there, he decides to go ahead and upgrade to seasonal tickets again. So now we have a trip planned for Halloween weekend and he is seriously considering Thanksgiving weekend too.

What was going to be a year with out WDW is turning out to be a year with a possible 3 trips.

Plus while in CA we HAD to do a trip to DL since we were only an hour away. Started off with 1 day and ended up with two days there.

 

[MamaLema]

To those who don't want to go anymore because your kids are older, I say - have another baby you can enjoy another 10+ years.

 

[mic&min]

I am in the same boat as all of you.

I love to go to Disney. We went Aug. 03 but did not plan a trip for this year because we took an Alaskan Cruise. I am so glad we did the cruise but I am really missing Disney.

Was thinking of going for NYE but my daughter (age 12) really wants to go to Las Vegas for her 13th birthday. Can't afford both since we will be in Disney in Aug. of 04.

I will say I am going through some major Disney withdrawals right now!!!

MamaLema-Instead of having a baby, I just volunteer my services and bring my nieces.....

 

[pumpkinboy]

Well, we recognized the addiction last summer and decided to do something about it: We bought DVC. Since then we've added on more and more (three times), and are now up to nearly 500 points, enough for two trips mostly in 2BR units, often with friends or family.

Our DS (turning 7 in October) is completely wheelchair bound, and hates to be off his schedule. But the only times variance from his schedule becomes acceptible is when we go to WDW - The First Vacation he didn't Hate. Thinking about it from my Son's perspective, almost everything is accessible in his wheelchair, there are lots of other ppl like him out and around, the CMs treat him like royalty and there are lots of stimulating things to look at and listen to.

DD is 4 and doesn't mind one little bit that we keep going back to WDW, and can't wait for our upcoming November trip after she turns 5. Since she doesn't enter the school system until next year, we're still more-or-less free to travel off-season. We'll be getting APs in November, and are planning on getting at least 20 park days out of them in the following 12 months, in 4 different visits (already have the airfare bought for 3 of the 4). Maybe we'll get it out of our systems in the upcoming year, but I doubt it - DW, a reluctant follower in this addiction, actually broached the subject of perhaps planning for Disney Vero Beach and WDW over February vacation ... 2006, "and then maybe Veterans Day again" in 2006. Haven't gotten her on to 2007 yet, but we'll see. Hey, we might get it out of our systems in '05, but I doubt it, given the kids' ages and inclinations.

But really, all you hopeless Disney addicts out there, if you're gonna go every year, it's gonna pay to get DVC. If you tend to stay in the Moderates or Deluxes, you will break even at least (but if you prefer the Value resorts, DVC won't make good $$ sense). The drawback is that it will feed the addiction, the way an AP does.

 

[Nickunited]

I also can not imagine a year where I dont go at least once! It is an addiction.

You all understand - thats why I love the DIS!

 

[BABYJOSIE98]

Now that I have cruised on the Wonder I can't seem to stop....We love WDW and now we love DCL!!!



We took our DD (3 )in 2001 and I have been back every year and added the Disney Cruise too....

Now we are booked on the Magic for 10-15-05!!

My family thinks I am crazy!!! I just can not help it.... We are even headed to Sea World in October and since I can't do WDW I atleast planned us a dinner at Ohana. I planned it so we could watch Wishes from the restaurant. I have to get my fix!

I am on the boards everyday at lunch time.... My DD is only 6 and so she is still thrilled with it all.

I have to admit though....The cruise is much more relaxing...WDW is hard work!!

 

[Ted and Holly]

Yup, we gave in. We would plan our return trip on the flight home. The commercials would never stop making us tear. Not even if we knew we were heading back soon.

I have always had the "Disney addict" signature.

WDW wasn't the ONLY reason, but it was a major factor in our move last year.

Ted

 

[perfectmatch300]

Yes, DH & I are Disney Addicts! Connecticut was way too far away from WDW!
We've solved the problem very well - we simply moved to central Florida! Now, no problem!

 

[WDW LOVR]

Count us in the addicted club. We still go on other vacations which we really enjoy, but there is always that feeling of missing out if we don't do the Dis at least once a year.

It's sad, but sometimes when we are on a perfectly nice vacation and having a great time, I think to myself "I'd be having more fun if I was at Disney"

Our DS's are now 21, 16 and 12 and they still enjoy WDW, but as an earlier post says, they enjoy the independence of being on their own. That's ok with DW and me, we can sit by the water and enjoy the day without the worry of watching our kids like a hawk. We've also started doing all the other things WDW has to offer besides the Parks. DTD, renting water mouse boats, etc. Some trips we never even make it to the MK.

 

[BostonDisneyKid]

There is only one solution for WDW addicts - DVC!!!
But with DVC comes add-on-itis which is another disease which often can be worse!!!