How do you deal with the "you're going to Disney again?" friends?

[mawatcha]

I don't think I go to Disneyland or WDW that often, having been 3 times over the last 2.5 years. I've been to Disneyland twice for the D23 Expo weekend and most recently to Walt Disney World for the marathon weekend.

Most of my friends and family know that Disney is my passion and happy place but I did have a good friend recently say, "haven't you had enough of Disney trips/don't you want to go anywhere else?" and it hurt my magic spark for a bit. I'm not in a place where I can afford many vacations right now, so Disney has been the choice of location in the last few years because I know that a good time is guaranteed and I love learning more history and knowledge of the parks both during and between visits.

Sure, I'd love to see some other parts of the world (I have traveled quite a bit already) but it's hard to sacrifice visiting the place I love the most in the world (so far) over something that might not be that awesome.

So I guess what I'm asking is a combination of:

• How do you decide when to take a Disney break? (if that's possible!)
• What do you say (if anything) to the Disney naysayers?

Have a great week!

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Our family has gone other places but our favorite trips are WDW. That's why we are now DVC.

I tell them we don't do everything every time. Of course we have must do's on every trip but because we know we are always coming back, we don't stress. We often take it slow and enjoy being there.

And oh boy did I have people telling me that bringing a 12mo old was a terrible idea and she wouldn't remember it and blah blah blah. Funny thing is, my parents brought me as a baby and I love looking back at photos, even though I don't remember it. My parents maintain that bringing my sister and I as babies was so much fun. My parents were right and the naysayers were wrong. Our 12mo loved it and it was my all time favorite trip.

If we were going once in a lifetime, I would have waited to bring my 12mo, but we have many more trips to come.

People who don't understand Disney just don't understand Disney

 

[BrianL]

They don't bother me. I'm happy to tell them where I am going, again, and if they scoff I just let it roll off my back. I'm dealing with a variant of this right now..."You're going all the way to Japan and going to Disneyland?" Yes, I am, and it actually is one of the biggest reasons I want to go. I'll see other stuff too, but, come on, I had to put a few days at Disney on the itinerary. I am not concerned with whether anyone has a problem with that.

 

[merrick]

taking a "disney break" was decided for me by the state of the canadian dollar. i had our second trip booked for dec and had to cancel it. so our streak didn't get very far....

i have had some comments when i booked the second trip.... "but you just went there", "wouldn't you rather go somewhere else?" or "there are so many other places to go!".

i point out that to me, it was a real holiday... we stayed on property with a meal plan so for us meals, accommodation (including cleaning!), transportation, (plenty of) entertainment... all were worked out ahead of time. there were things of interest for everyone - always a challenge with 7, 9 and 14 year old kids!

 

[GBBTomorrow]

What I WANT to say: "You go to the same condo on the same beach for the same week in the same month every single year, and YOU are criticizing ME for going somewhere too often?"

What I DO say: "Yep, I'm going to Disney World. Can't wait!"

 

[GeneralTso]

Well, to a person who rarely or never goes to any Disney park, your last several trips make you look crazy.
For any Disney enthusiast, it makes you look lucky.

Here's the beautiful thing---YOU get to choose where you vacation and where you spend YOUR money. End of story.
What other people think really does not matter. Not even a little bit.

 

[ReluctantDisaholic]

We ignore them - when someone says "don't you want to go to a beach or something" I just smile and say "nope"

Generally the people who ask are the ones who haven't been, and don't get the "magic". Before we had been, we knew someone who had gone something like 17 times, and I would think "why would they want to go there every year?" (I would never have said it out loud to them, though!)...then we went once and I was hooked. Now I can't imagine someone not wanting to go 17 times

For us, WDW is one place where we're always happy and don't give any thought to any outside stress - I wouldn't want to go anywhere else.

 

[sheila <3 WDW]

I just say we love it, my kids have such a blast. We can go other places when the Disney charm wears off, but it's still going strong after 5 trips.

 

[Mainemama]

We actually have avoided talking about our trips with anyone outside of family. It feels a real privilege to be able to go, and particularly for our kids, we don't want them to feel awkward when others experience jealousy, or just aren't interested. If someone else mentions a Disney trip, I will talk, otherwise, we just say we are going away (sometimes to Florida, or somewhere warm), and no one really asks more. It is kind of fun having a secret trip!

 

[Spork24]

I just explain to them that we are big Disney fans and leave it at that. It actually doesn't happen that often because all of our friends and coworkers already know.

Most of our close friends and family are also Disney enthusiasts so that helps as well.

 

[bookgirl]

Well I remind my best friend, who thinks paying for Disney is overpriced and is for kids and is something that nobody would really want to do more than once, that she can not even go on an overnight shopping trip 3 hours away because her husband can't spend the night by himself. Heck if she's spending the DAY with me he calls half a dozen times because he can't figure out where the sandwich makings are.

I remind my brother when he says "what is a 50 year old woman doing going to a kids park" that he's 4 years older than me and pays to go out and sit in the woods for a chance to shoot at an animal that he isn't going to eat.

Don't throw stones at my vacation......

I've never really had anyone else say much and really my best friend is sad when I post F&W pictures because she says that it looks like so much fun. My brother well he's a big brother, he's never happier than when he's giving me crap.

 

[scrapquitler]

I just laugh and say "Don't you go to the same beach every single year?" or "How many times did you hit the casino this year?"

 

[sugarbobbin]

I've actually heard a rumor at my former job that people were getting tired of me talking about Disney with my WDW soulmate. She's the only friend I have in irl that is a bigger Disney fan than me! So, of course we'll just chit chat about it at lunch time!!!

Personally, I know some of these people who might be sick of my dis-talk probably haven't been to WDW since they were children. Maybe it's not their taste, that's okay. When people ask me why I love Disney so much as a childless adult, I often tell them it's a completely different experience as an childless adult! (Believe me, the judgement is real from some people.) If they still think it's weird, I tell them I know every time I go I know I'm going to have an amazing trip, which is why I keep going back. Or sentimental value. Or Florida weather!!! If I know what type of person I talking to, I'll gush about Food & Wine or Drink Around the World.

I don't mind being the odd one out for my slight obsession. There are certainly worse things to be obsessed about! Sometimes I just find it laughable because they really can't believe it's as good as I say it is, but IT IS! At least I know that, and that's all that matters.

Great post, OP! Sorry you got some fairy dust to fall off of you! <3

 

[pmaurer74]

I bought an AP and a DVC, no one asks me anymore

 

[Disneylover99]

I just don't talk about it with extended family/friends, so nobody questions me.

 

[Jfsag123]

Them: "You're going again???"
Me: "Yep"
Them: "Won't you be bored??"
Me: "Nope"
Them:...

Seriously, I've found short and to the point tends to shut people up. As for family, we just basically told them yes, we are that crazy Disney family and will be going every year. Now we get Disney gift cards as gifts on special occasions.

 

[Belledisney]

I just laugh it off and say clearly you've never done Disney right! We go a good amount and we have no kids and we love every second. We even get why would we go without kids all the time but, I am a grown kid Anyone that knows me knows I am obsessed and stopped asking! I'm also lucky to have fellow Disney junkie fam and friends. Lol

 

[JennyMP03]

I've gone three times since 2008, which is nothing around these forums, but seems a little extreme to my friends and family. They tease me (affectionately) about having been "a million times."

While I objectively agree that others' opinions on where I vacation aren't of importance, I can't deny that I feel sheepish about it, all the same. My husband isn't really on board with taking a trip every two years, which would be my ideal. I've started having dreams about taking a solo trip and telling no one.

The next time I go, I think I'm going to keep it to myself. My way of dealing with disapproving friends and family will be to avoid sharing my enthusiasm for Disney in the first place. It's a bit unfortunate, but the only socially acceptable obsession in my area is football. I think I'd feel better just keeping my trips a secret. Maybe I'd make an anonymous twitter account to satisfy the urge to share highlights, heh.

 

[Stigsmom]

Agreeing with many others above- many people who comment probably have timeshares or return to one beach every year. Honestly I find there's way more to do at WDW than any beach for any number of days, without repeating any experience. Some people just think Disney = uber expensive and there is probably underlying envy about the money spent. But I plan travel to a lot of resorts and I find it comes out even with most other vacations we really like. Some people don't realize this.

 

[pearljamin03]

I tell people to worry about themselves... Be proud of being able to go!!! Disney people don't get it and honestly, I don't get them