How do you keep it interesting?

[crbalb]

We have been DVC members for a little over a year. We have gone twice this year for a total of 13 nights. We have a 4 year old. My question is this - how does your family keep your visits exciting?

Now I am a Disney lover through and through and do not doubt our investment at all. My child talks about WDW every single day. But, I will admit that on our last trip I felt a little bored at times. Any advice you can give will be greatly appreciated.

 

[spiceycat]

make sure you do something different on each trip - take a family tour, do an Epcot tour, do a firework cruise, go visit FW - go horseback riding, or go to the campfire that night - just do different things.

also kept in mind that US/IOA and SW are just a short drive away...(much cheaper too)

ride a bike at your favorite DVC resorts - and see if you find things that you haven't seem.

go do the mini-golf.

 

[Merilyn]

We spend time doing others thing besides the parks. We think of WDW as a very large resort that has everything to do. We rarely run out of things to do and still haven't done everything. We have been members for 9 years. We love the area and can always find other activities besides the parks. You might want to write or call the Chamber of Commerce and ask for some info about the Orlando area. Have you tried Universal or Sea World?
I don't think it will get boring if you investigate other things in the area.

 

[Doug7856]

We are new DVC members and our first trip isn't until December 04. We have been to WDW 13 times since 1979. Each time we go, we cram so much in because we don't know when we'll get back. Now that we own, we look forward to a slower pace and really enjoying everything. There won't be a rush to see everything! Walt Disney World is so much more than four theme parks, yet we have rarely explored the rest of the resort. Now we have 50 years to do so!

 

[spiceycat]

also go in different season -

since your child is still young - try this week for reservations for next early Dec - it is not like any other season. lots to do all over the place and it is so lovely. Do it monday - if you wait even a month - most of the villa will be gone - December is very, very popular with DVC members.

I like to go in April, May (and now June) for the flower/garden festavial - Oct/Nov for the food/wine festavial - just try different things

you don't have to kept during the same old thing - this will be a regular trip - so start branching out - try new stuff - something different for your family!

 

[floridafam]

We keep it interesting by doing different things each time we go.

Sometimes we don't go to the parks.

Last time, we took a fireworks cruise and everyone loved it.

Eat at different places and try new food.

Stay at a different resort each time you go.

Go to VB and HH instead of going to WDW.

 

[Granny]

Originally posted by crbalb
My question is this - how does your family keep your visits exciting? ....... But, I will admit that on our last trip I felt a little bored at times. Any advice you can give will be greatly appreciated.

Actually, one of the things we really like about DVC is that it allows us to SLOW DOWN when we're at WDW! No more commando touring, etc. So for us, "feeling bored" is sometimes a wonderful thing!

Having said that, to "keep it fresh", we usually don't stay in the same resort twice in a row. Staying in, for instance, VWL on one trip and then BWV on the next makes it seem like two completely different vacation experiences.

And we look forward to staying in the other DVC resorts down the road as well.

Also, as has been noted, look for the things that you never have had time to do because of the heavy park focus of past trips. We had a great time with the VWL Bike & Boat Plan on our last trip. We intend to go to Disney Quest, which we've never felt like we had time for before. We tend to take more time in the parks to see all of the great things they have to offer...including the entertainment.

We think of DVC as a great Orlando based vacation location with the super Disney theming as a background. We go to Busch Gardens and Sea World every trip. There are many other things in Orlando as well, so you don't have to feel like every minute you have to be in the parks.

 

[WDWLVR]

The beauty of DVC as opposed to a traditional timeshare is that you aren't locked in a particular week.

As others have suggested try out different times of the year. We have done December for the last two years and this coming year we are doing May for Member Homecoming and the Flower & Garden show.

Try different resorts as well. We own at Boardwalk but we've stayed a VWL and have OKW booked for May.

As many others have mentioned as DVC owners we take things at a slower pace. We know we'll be back so don't feel like we need to do everything in one trip. We do our favorites of course, but we also try and do at least one new thing each trip.

 

[RumpleMom]

First I agree with everything that has been said. Slow down and enjoy a leisurely pace.

I keep a list of things we haven't had time to do in the past, but they sounded interesting to us, so I have a ready made place to start for planning the next trip.

Also as your child grows you will experience WDW as a completely different vacation. We have been through the hugging every character stage to the taking a quick look and would only hug Mickey stage with teenagers. As a family with older teens, we always include the Adventurer's Club and Comedy Warehouse several times during the week.

Of course, now those restaurant priority seatings are even more important because a big focus is what new restaurant will we be trying. Yes, it sure has changed from chicken fingers at a counter service resataurant.

 

[mb168]

After watching Samantha Brown go through AKL yesterday on Tavale Channel, and not having a ressie 'til March, DW said, "Lets go to Disney in 2 weeks." Mousesaver.com shows some AP rates that are excellent right now so we ended up paying(I hate doing that being DVC) for a Savannah view in two weeks for a weekend. Since we just went Halloween for F&W and then 5 days at Thanksgiving, we are just going in what I hope will be a less crowded time. We did the rides and line standing and rushing around on those two trips so we are just going to stroll through the parks with our DD 6mo old, eat in Mexico, see some of the shows and performers that we usually rush past, go to DD, and probably up to City Walk and HRC if we decide to drive off property. Thats the beauty of DVC though, slow down, see things that have been there that you missed. We have absolutely nothing in mind to do other than eat in Mexico at some point in time between Fri and Sat night. If you have been only 13 days you haven't scratched the surface of what is there and then throw in (sorry WDW) US/IOA and City Walk, Sea World, I Drive, Old Town, etc. We do one big trip a year with all of the family; DD8, DS6, DD5, DD6mo, MIL, DW, and I. Most of our other trips are just two of us and maybe the baby now, so we aren't upset and tired of arguing with kids or toting them around. DW and I spent Valentines weekend last year at Disney and just went to Narcooses for that night and strolled the parks since she was pregnant. Go to your bookstore and get a Disney guide and see what all else is there, there is tons to do.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

I grew up minutes from Disneyland in California and our family went several times a year.

Since moving to the South we have been at least ten times and still don't think we've done all there is to do at the World.

The last trip we had several firsts: Cirque de soleil, Disney Quest, Blizzard Beach. We usually try to visit a resort other than the one we're staying to see if we'd like to stay there some time. We try new restaurants sometimes.

We've also done some of the Hidden Mickey searches - the girls (11 and 13) really liked that last time we were there.

Now we try to spend more time relaxing - at the pool, in the room, reading, etc.

Don't think the joy will end for us as we are starting over with a new baby on the next trip down. Now we get to relive all the great attractions for the youngest fans again - yippee.

 

[crbalb]

Thank you for all of the advice so far. We are guilty of rushing from ride to ride in the parks. We have planned for our May trip to be a lot less structured. I will appreciate any more advice that can be shared.

 

[shelbyjosh]

Our kids (9,5) get burned out. We go once a year and that is enough for us. Last year we did a day trip to Sea World and that really broke up the week. It was a nice break from the Disney stuff. This year we plan on doing a day at Universal. Not sure if we will do studios or IOA. We do not get a car so we do not leave the grounds. We did talk about maybe getting a car for a few days and maybe doing a day at Busch Gardens or going over to the ocean. Our kids have never experienced this. All they know is WDW. This upcoming trip will be the longest we have ever taken. Hopefully they do not get bored by day 5!!

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by AreWeThereYet
Don't think the joy will end for us as we are starting over with a new baby on the next trip down.

.................."Congratulations' on your add-on.

 

[DVC-LEROY]

I keep trying to slow down the pace each time we go - and we use most the the advice already mentioned. In addition, we make a list of the things that we want to revisit as well as the things that my 5 year old hasn't seen yet. Each time he wants to do more and more and his growth spurts has him surpassing some of the height requirements already - so that has kept it interesting. We also make a "mission" out of sharing the magic with others by bringing dollar store glow sticks and bubbles to share with any kid that looks like he/she needs to look happier. Usually our most prized memories are right before Illuminations or parades when my son and any other kids in the vacinity are put to work filling in for tinkerbell.

 

[mikesmom]

I second all the folks who have said go at different times of the year. It's like a different park. In addition, Disney keeps adding new things to do. Since last spring, there is the new Mission:Space we haven't seen, the new ride in AK, the new fireworks in MK. Plus there are still things we have never gotten around to seeing in 10 years of trips.

 

[MinnieGi]

We love sharing the magic and that helps keep it exciting for us. We don't have enough points to provide everyone's accomadations, but we still always have takers to join us! We have a 3yo DD and our trip in Oct. DD was thrilled that both sets of grandparents joined us! Our trip in February we have two sets of family friends joining us. We are all very excited and DD is thrilled to be able to do rides and shows with some of her best friends.

We also do just family trips and we keep these exciting by trying something new each time. I agree going at different times of the year is very cool and one of the unique things about DVC. We went to MNSSHP for the first time this past October. We also usually stay at different resorts each time with our February trip being an exception that we are doing BWV again. However since it was our first time ever at BWV in Oct. we are looking forward to going there again so soon now that we know our way around. Plus we'll have our friends with us to show them around. They will be staying at BWI.

Enoy your vacations!

 

[jimmytammy]

We stopped doing commando park tours, that helps a bunch. In fact we usually dont go into the parks til after lunch since we joined DVC.

There is always something new to see and do. Last trip we did a fireworks cruise which we had never done before. This coming Mar. we are going to a Braves preseason game at WWOS. That will be a first. We are going in Oct. to MNSSHP and F&WF. Both firsts. Slow down will be a big key to keeping it fresh. And it will feel more like a vacation.

But if you feel you are still bored after all is said and done, we will be more than happy to let you adopt me and my family and donate all your points to us in the name of kinship

 

[colleen costello]

I agree with everything here. It also REALLY helps to have an annual pass. We have never had them before this year, and the AP makes such a difference! It allows you to hit the MK "just for a parade" or MGM "just to see Fantasmic." It also lets you relax because you don't have to spend an exhausting day at the parks to justify the $50-per-person daily admission!

One of the things I remind my hubby (who also wonders "if we'll get sick of Disney") is that WDW is in FLORIDA. We live in Indiana, where it is cold and gray for a good 5 months per year. If DVC gets me a few weeks of sunshine and nothing else, I am ahead of the game. I used to consider myself someone who suffered from "SAD" -- the winter blues brought on through lack of sunlight. Now I am so busy in January and February -- planning our yearly March WDW trip -- that I FORGET it's cold and gray outside!

Also remember that WDW is an hour from the Atlantic, an hour from the Gulf, an hour from Busch Gardens. You could do a day trip to the Everglades or Kennedy Space Center. Florida (and even Orlando) has an awful lot to offer beyond WDW!