How Disney ruined my vacations for life: A cautionary tale

[lisakramer]

I grew up coming to Fl to visit my gram the week between Christmas and new year, every year. We would take a day, just the two of us and go to the Magic Kingdom. Those are some of my favorite memories from my childhood.
Then my future in-laws took a family vacation, including me, to Disney when we were in college and my passion for the parks was sparked again. A few years later my husband and I honeymooned at Animal Kingdom Lodge. We bought into DVC as our first major purchase as newlyweds (we already had a house). We've been vacationing at Disneyland or WDW at least once a year since 2003.
I've been to Disney parks at least 30 times in my life. My 7 year old son has already been 10 times. My husband looks forward to our trips as much as I do.
So, why has Disney ruined my family's vacations for life?
It's very simple. We constantly compare every other vacation to a Disney vacation. And because we are DVC and I spend time making every penny count, we can afford to do more when we are at Disney than we can anywhere else we go.
Using RCI is great, but the resorts aren't as fun, the staff aren't as interactive as they are at Disney. We go to great cities and destinations. I spend hours researching things to do, transportation, dining, etc but it never has the Disney Magic and "pixie dust" that we have come to know and expect.
It comes down to the fact that we have been spoiled by Disney for so long that we expect that level of service and attention to detail wherever we go and that is not a realistic expectation. I hope it's obvious that the title of this post is tongue in cheek. I just wanted to remind everyone that despite the occasional problems or CM that's having a bad day, Disney really does an amazing job of transporting us to a place that we can't go anywhere else on earth, mentally, physically and emotionally. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[DisneyFive]

Has it become mundane? If not, what have you done to keep that from happening?

Dan

 

[Mom2Stitch]

I agree with you OP. We made our "once in a lifetime" trip in 2001 and got hooked in a bad way. Yes it's costly-but really isn't every vacation? And other places still do not match what we get there. I love that I get on a plane and for the next week or so someone else is taking care of the transportation-no driving! We get the dining plan-the value for us is that we can eat as much or as little as we like, pick what we want off the menu, and know that it's already paid for. It's clean and well kept. I can't name a time I've seen a bathroom dirty there. Every resort is beautifully landscaped from All Stars to GF. We compare every single place we go to Disney and the usual quote is "it's not Disney".

 

[kaybird]

We are the same way. My dad took me to DL in1957 when the park and I were only two. My DH took me to WDW on our honey moon in 1975, and for the last 40 years, it is our destination of choice. We have been all over the US, and many parts of the world, and still find the Disney magic provides much more bang for each buck. As far as the magic, there is always such a great combination of old favorites, and something new or never done, we can't wait to go back. We have been alone, with couples, with kids, any where from tips with 2 of us to 18 of us. Kids have been with us, grown up, and now with grandkids. Every trip is different, and every trip is wonderful!

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

I asked DS13 whether he would like to go on a beach vacation or a WDW vacation. His answer was "What is there to do at the beach that I can't do at Disney?" His tone implied that I had taken leave of my senses. We went to WDW in May and in July DS4 said "I miss Mickey Mouse...can we go back?" It's never going to get mundane for us and while we do take other vacations (DW and the boys have been to the beach 3 times this year) WDW will always be our go to place for family vacation.

 

[Tash87]

My family has the same problem although it's more financial reasons for us. We try to go to WDW once every two years but would love to travel to other countries HOWEVER when we actually look at other holiday destinations we always think 'but this money we are potentially paying to visit a new destination could be going towards a Disney holiday'.

We absolutely love WDW and my dream has been to stay at GF and now we are booked for 2016 but again I'm worried it's going to start something off and we won't ever want to stay anywhere else. I'm sure it's going to be worth it .

 

[JimmyV]

While I agree with the overall premise that Disney presents "magic" and pixie dust in a way that no other vacation can, I choose to look at it as Disney being different, not better. Frankly, if I went to Rome or Paris and was confronted by the magical pixie dust of Disney cast members and prepackaged "perfection" in that environment, I would get sick to my stomach. The Disney way of vacationing is great in context. But I don't want it everywhere and on every vacation. I love it while I am at Disney World. But I try not to measure other destinations against that standard, because I don't want the other destinations to have that standard.

 

[freediverdude]

My family has the same problem although it's more financial reasons for us. We try to go to WDW once every two years but would love to travel to other countries HOWEVER when we actually look at other holiday destinations we always think 'but this money we are potentially paying to visit a new destination could be going towards a Disney holiday'.

We absolutely love WDW and my dream has been to stay at GF and now we are booked for 2016 but again I'm worried it's going to start something off and we won't ever want to stay anywhere else. I'm sure it's going to be worth it .

Yes, beware staying at the deluxes. Once you stay at one of those, it's easy to get hooked on that monorail access or walking to a park or animals right outside your balcony, and it's hard to go back to the moderates or values after that. And then you suddenly find yourself justifying $600 per night or purchasing a huge DVC contract or something, lol.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

When people ask why my family and I keep returning to Disney for our vacations, my standard line is that "I like my vacations the way I like my public toilets - sanitized for my protection".

 

[RustManFan]

As much as we love WDW we have so much more of the world to see. Been with my kids (now adults) to Scotland, England, Wales, Canada, Hawaii, California and DL and in many states. Still hoping to get in all 50 one day! It is easy to not spend a fortune even staying internationally. In GB we use B&Bs, have a membership in Historic Scotland which gets us in free to most important sites. Breakfast included at the B&B so we find a place to eat for dinner (pub usually) and head to a local grocery store for snacks and picnic supplies for lunch. Road trips are awesome when you picnic somewhere by the side of a road you are just discovering! Research works financial savings wonders!!

When I was 14 my grandmother and I went to Italy, Spain and Great Britain and sailed home on the original RMS Queen Elizabeth. Now THAT was the trip of a lifetime!

We also like to space out our WDW trips so there is new to see....

 

[jtowntoflorida]

We have loved our Disney vacations while our children were very young. Now that they're a little older, we look forward to taking them to other places that have their own type of magic. We just got back from our first non-Disney family vacation with our kids, and they declared it the BEST VACATION EVER. They're definitely not done with Disney, but we're scaling back to give them more exposure to the "real world."

Disney and Universal definitely offer vastly superior theme park experiences to any place we've been, but the quality and cleanliness of the resort experience (service, facilities, etc.) isn't up to par to some non-Disney hotels we've stayed at.

 

[DisneyFive]

How many of you who have spent similar dollars on other vacation options (like a cruise, Hawaii, Europe, etc..) and still decide to pretty much stay with Disney exclusively? Just curious. No right or wrong answer.

We took our kids on a Caribbean cruise (non Disney ) last December instead of Disney for the first time in 5 years. They loved it as much as Disney. Different, not really better or worse. Our Disney trip this Sept will most likely be our last for a very long time. The kids are old enough now to like other options just as much and probably even better as they continue to get older. I think after this year, Disney may not come for them again until they decide to go as adults. While there is a lot of sadness thinking about not going back for a long time, we've done enough of the other vacation options to know that there is more (and better even) than Disney... and that's coming from someone who absolutely fell in love with WDW on our first visit in 2010.

Dan

 

[Masonmj84]

I went to WDW a few times growing up and, while I enjoyed those trips (we stayed off site and brown bagged our food), I wasn't wowed over (back then, there was only MK and EP, only a handful of headliners, and no FP - the lines for Space Mountain were insane).

Didn't make it back to WDW until my oldest was 8 and figured it was probably a one and done trip. We stayed on-site (at CSR) with free DDP (which we upgraded to DxDP). The trip exceeded my wildest expectations (the most fun part for me was the meals in the deluxe resorts).

That trip helped us discover several unique selling points to WDW that keep us coming back.

1. The immersiveness of WDW accompanied by the variety of resorts and restaurants (we now typically do split stays at two or more deluxe resorts). I don't know of another resort area in the world that has this combination of immersiveness and variety.

2. A near perfect balance of entertainment and relaxation. We typically go to the parks in the morning and to the resort/pool in the afternoon. We also typically have a couple of table service meals per day. This keeps everyone entertained all day without being overly exhausting for adults or children. There's always something for everyone.

3. Magical Express and being immersed in the Disney bubble even before leaving the airport and without having to go to baggage claim or the rental car counter. Any time we go anywhere else on vacation, I find myself missing this. It's just so nice to start your vacation virtually the minute you step off the plane.

The biggest downside for us is cost. I'm sure it has a lot to do with our vacation style, but we always end up spending more per day at Disney than about anywhere else (in the words of Frank Costanza, "you can drop a grand at Disney World like that!"). In the past, we've been able to rely heavily on discounts but it seems like Disney is cutting back on these.

 

[AinW]

I'm lucky enough to travel for work and have a lot of miles I can use to fly to Europe (which cuts that cost - I usually use miles for one ticket and buy the other). This year I found a one-week cruise during peak summer on NCL R/T Venice (also visited Athens, Split, Dubrovnik, Kusadasi) for $599 pp (included all meals and transportation; we did our own shore excursions). I used Hotwire to get a great price on a hotel for 3 more nights in Venice at the end of the trip (but also highly recommend AirBNB or VRBO as other ways to find inexpensive lodging). We use public transportation so long as I think it's safe. My DD and I LOVE WDW but also love Europe and the real thing does beat the mini-lands in Epcot.

 

[bjscheel]

My youngest daughter especially feels that way sometimes. We shoot for every other year Disney and somewhere else the other years. This year it was Park City, UT. Before we went, the kids and DH kept asking "But what is there to DO there?" They were going to miss their new kitten, and DD16 was going to miss the track girls banquet (not announced until the morning-of). I was questioning the wisdom of this vacation choice.

But I put a lot of care in my vacation planning, Disney or otherwise. There were some bumps and last minute changes, and it wasn't the same as Disney at all, but we have fun wherever we go. At the end of the UT trip, on the way back to the airport, DD16 said, "You did a good job, Mom."

 

[amg35]

I love WDW. Love it. Can't wait to go back late 2017. But.....getting very excited about our upcoming cruise!! Can't wait to just eat, drink, nap, and visit beaches! Then next year we are doing a tour of inns around the Great Lakes in the fall, which should be fun!

Eventually we will get to Italy- I hope!!

 

[gwynne]

My youngest daughter especially feels that way sometimes. We shoot for every other year Disney and somewhere else the other years. This year it was Park City, UT. Before we went, the kids and DH kept asking "But what is there to DO there?" They were going to miss their new kitten, and DD16 was going to miss the track girls banquet (not announced until the morning-of). I was questioning the wisdom of this vacation choice.

But I put a lot of care in my vacation planning, Disney or otherwise. There were some bumps and last minute changes, and it wasn't the same as Disney at all, but we have fun wherever we go. At the end of the UT trip, on the way back to the airport, DD16 said, "You did a good job, Mom."

Park City is a great choice for a family vacation. It's nice when they realize you put effort into making the vacation happen. That was a sweet comment from your DD.

 

[AquaDame]

I am glad it works so well for you and your family..!

For us, while we enjoy our Disney time, I love new places and experiences too much to give them up. Some places are a bust but I have found many others that I love just as dearly as Disney by going out and finding them, places I return to again and again. I want to go to the Galapagos and safari in Africa, walk the great wall and snorkel in the great barrier reef! Next week we are heading out to drive through the Highlands of Scotland, drink Guinness in Ireland, hike around the Matterhorn while in Zermatt and enjoy Oktoberfest in Munich! I've been to Japan, Hawaii, Alaska, all over the continental US, Canada, Barbados, Puerto Rico, St Lucia, Antigua, Bahamas, Grenada, St Kitts, the UK, Wales, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and want more! Adventure is out there!

 

[BobC]

Every time I plan a vacation, it's to Disney. Call me narrow minded, obsessed, whatever....I love me some Disney.

I'll be there Saturday and am already planning a trip again next year or 2.

Yes, Disney did ruin me for many things. Example: Went to 6 Flags by Chicago 7 years ago after Disney and was like 'eh this will be like a Disney Jr...similar.' They had a raft ride which I thought could compete with Kali River Rapids. Nope. It was a boring 30 second ride that just went around a loop and that was it.

After that I was ready to go. Give me my Disney.

Disney also ruined my work life this week. I got NOTHING done this week in excitement for Saturday morning!

 

[Tash87]

Even down to firework displays, I now find myself comparing them to Disney and of course they are never as good as WDW! Everything is now ruined