How do you REALLY feel about a Disney World vacation?

[Donna M]

We took our daughter, 2 1/2 year old and almost 4 year old grandkids to Disney this past Oct. We had a great time. Our way of doing Disney seems different than many, we stay on property, DVC, for a week and go into a park once, maybe twice, and enjoy the resorts the rest of the time. The day we were in the MK we spent most of the time in Fantasyland and used Genie+ with stacking. We took the boat back to WL for dinner and returned to MK till closing; we also did rope drop. The lines were nonexistent in the evening; they road Barnstormer without getting off a few time!

We went in knowing there would be lines and food would be expensive. We knew the kids would sleep in the stroller, which they did. I had everything I needed for a downpour, which it did. We had such a good time we went back after a day off. There´s no way I would want to do Disney parks every day. That would be way too exhausting and expensive, but going once or twice and breaking it up with pool days makes for a fun and relaxing vacation.

The kids had a blast, not too young in our experience. I now have a great memory of seeing my granddaughter´s face when she entered It´s a Small World for the first time.

 

[jimmymc]

It's normal to not enjoy Disney World because of all the things you listed. I don't like Vegas for a lot of the same reasons. Disney is not cheap and not relaxing, two of the things that people frequently want from a vacation.

For me, the magic and fun still outweigh the downsides. At the end of every hot and crowded line is an attraction, and over time you learn which $12 meals are worth it and which ones aren't. The other seemingly illogical tip is that you have to force yourself to take a day off in the middle of a trip, even though you're trying to make the most of the time in Orlando.

 

[Elephantay]

Sorry- we love it! We waited until age 5 though. And didnt go with grandparents/in laws, just us for the first time ( later had wonderful grandparent trips!) And didn't rush around doing everything, but instead spent hours at the pool and exploring resorts and choosing carefully at the parks. And we got to bed early. All trips are not vacations! And WDW is sensory overload if youre not careful or fortunate enough to go when there are lower crowds.

 

[popy]

100 % know the feelings,
for me I will never go again, has became too much money for the very same as before,
after they taken away that was once before and added more for a lot less than anytime before.
and for the high dollar hamburgers and out of site price on every thing else its is really hard too enjoy Anything at all
with that said if Disney drop the price of the entire trip to $5 bucks I would not go, because I dont like getting cheated to death Any more.
the mouse has cheapened to a rat.

 

[Misha72683]

I loved Disney and have been dying to go back. But I am a do-er, for me an ideal vacation is jam packed. I want to see all the things, do all the things, eat all the things. i feel like there is so much to see and do at Disney and even with a 2 year old, I found it enjoyable.

 

[Vulnox]

I like Disney a lot, but I was fortunate to have friends that go often to be our guide when we went in 2019, which was my and my wife's first time at Disney since we were kids. We went only with our friends, no kids, and took things casually. Only were there for four days overall with two park days. We went to one park in the morning, went back to the resort and found lunch and relaxed, then went to another park later for dinner reservations and check out those rides. We didn't stand in standby lines with the exception of smugglers run, either did fast pass or looked for chances where we could basically get right on.

It was a blast! We bought into DVC because of that trip. I think going with just your spouse or at least without kids is the key, it lets you get the feel of the place and the flow without trying to get your head around everything AND deal with kids that want to do everything.

We are going again with those same friends in February, to re-acquaint ourselves with how things have changed and to prepare to take our kids (will be 6 and 8 by then) for our BIG November trip. We had decided we wouldn't go until the youngest was at least 5, then Covid kicked that back another year. I wouldn't do Disney with two kids and needing naps and strollers, as others have said. I know many do it, it just wouldn't be what we want.

I truly think OP would have a better time if they went again now that they know what they liked and didn't like, maybe didn't take the kid until they are at least 5 (if that's an option, I know not everyone has reliable babysitters like we are fortunate to still have), and try to relax on trying to see everything in one trip. You don't need to plan much except your park reservations and dinner reservations, if you even want to do them. Disney allows you to bring in food and drinks so you don't have to pay those huge prices for breakfast and lunch at least, just bring some PBJs and water or whatever.

Anyway, I hope you find your way back and have a better time. It can definitely be a stressful place to go, but it doesn't have to be. If you evaluate why it was for you, taking away crowds, a lot of it can be avoided. You just need to resist being bought in to the idea that you need to do everything in one trip.

 

[Lilsia]

What we hear the most is people complain about the price. So you are already going into it with the mentality that it "better be worth it". Well, what exactly do you need to do to make it worth it? Where is the tipping point? Either you can afford the money or you can't and it is not like it is a surprise how much it costs. If you are someone who will focus on the money aspect of it the whole time, then don't go. It is expensive, hot, busy, and overstimulating. But it can also be magical, carefree, relaxing, and fun. It is all in how you choose to look at it. Take the money aspect out of it and judge it from that standpoint.

We went several years before we had kids and then started taking them annually when they were 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 years old. And now we are at the stage that they are grown and going without them again. What we learned early on with young kids is that that trip will be nothing like it was when we did not have kids and it will change as they grow. With little kids, you will not be going on all of the rides, you will not go from opening to close, you will not be putting off lunch to go on just one more ride. You are there for the children, not for yourself. This is how we went about our trips...

Plan to be there at least a week if possible.

Don't travel with extended family, the more people, the less you get done and the more aggravated everyone gets.

Do not wake the kids at the crack of dawn to be there at rope drop. A kid that starts the day tired is not going to have a good day.

Try to go during the slow times of the year.

Take many frequent breaks. Go on a ride, use the restroom, sit and have a drink and a snack, rinse and repeat. Too many rides and shows in a row and overstimulate your child.

WDW is very overstimulating for kids and they need to "run it off". So plan to have the kids spend time away from rides and shows either in a quiet area or watching the ducks, whatever takes their fancy, stop and let them look.

Make sure that the kids get decent food in them. It is easy to say "we are on vacation" and eat junk the whole time, but their systems really can't handle the change in diet. Not saying to not give them treats, just make sure that main meals are good ones.

It is OK for one parent to take the children for a couple of hours to give the other one a break and then switch off.

Spend some time at the pool. You don't need to be in the parks the whole time.

And lastly, try to remember to see it through your children's eyes. It is easy to get frustrated and think "I didn't pay $600 to sit and watch the ducks", but just LOOK at your child and their joy. Because that is the best $600 that you have ever spent and there are only a few of those moments in their short childhoods.

 

[sheilafri]

My kids both have some memories of their first trips, way before age 7, but even if they didn't, I have very fond memories of the things we did when they were little and I think parents having great memories is sometimes all that matters. Think of all the experiences and enrichment kids would miss out on if we waited to do everything until we were sure they would remember it.

We took our daughter to DL when she was 7 months old as it was a day trip at the time and we were meeting friends. I still remember her wide-eyed in her stroller, drinking in all the magic. It’s my memory, not hers. That said, we didn’t take #3 until he was 9 yo as he liked his routine and wasn’t a good traveler.

 

[HooperSnag]

We've taken our son at ages 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and are planning on 7. He's a pretty well behaved kid and we went during off seasons (cooler temperatures make a huge difference in enjoyment). Of course, he won't remember anything from the younger years but we parents had a GREAT time and that was the purpose earlier on.
This may be the last of our regular Disney trips as the loss of value compared to increasing expenses is hitting a tipping point with us. We may still go for occasional quick Disney trips but will prioritize better value vacations such as Dollywood, Busch Gardens, national parks, cruises, etc.

 

[Anna131517]

If it was just me I would never go to WDW. I don’t like crowds or loud noise or rides. However, I love WDW because we’ve been taking our kids every other year since our oldest was 6 months old and I love seeing how excited and happy they get there. We have wonderful WDW memories. We don’t kill ourselves at the parks. We take breaks and always eat in restaurants. We rope drop but rarely spend a full day in the parks - in fact we often leave for the day around 2. Yes, kids are work, but a little planning and an ability to enjoy the moment can go a long way.

 

[kanerf]

I have no kids. That said I think parent's of small children should be putting the kids welfare first and not their own fun. Very small children will wear out quickly particularly in hot and humid Florida and you should think about going back to the room around lunch time and giving them time for a nap before returning to the parks later in the day. Everyone, including the other guests in the park will be better off. No one likes seeing a meltdown, be it child or parent.

 

[Chief Powhatan]

In spite of its increasing number of flaws, I love Walt Disney World more than I can adequately express. My 17 year old daughter has been to Disney every year of her life. Having said all of that, when she was younger, our trips were not always perfect. It took us a few years to understand that we needed to go at a pace that was suitable for everyone. Also, our first few trips involved in-laws as well, and we eventually had to learn we did not always need to do every single thing together. As wonderful as they are, it is hard to travel with a 2 year old. I hope your future trips - wherever they may be - are great experiences for everyone.

 

[Lilsia]

In spite of its increasing number of flaws, I love Walt Disney World more than I can adequately express. My 17 year old daughter has been to Disney every year of her life. Having said all of that, when she was younger, our trips were not always perfect. It took us a few years to understand that we needed to go at a pace that was suitable for everyone. Also, our first few trips involved in-laws as well, and we eventually had to learn we did not always need to do every single thing together. As wonderful as they are, it is hard to travel with a 2 year old. I hope your future trips - wherever they may be - are great experiences for everyone.

Yes! This is the advice that I try to give people, to go at your child's pace. You really can't just stick them in the stroller and go from ride to ride and expect them to be happy. Kids are not adults, especially the really little ones. I know that it is a lot of money and I know that you want to do something for yourself also, but if you have little ones, that might not be realistic. Having one parent take the kids for a few hours so the other can go do what they want seems to work best in this situation.

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

I love Disney - or at least I did pre-covid (I haven't yet been since). I loved it as a child, I loved it with my husband pre-kids, and I loved it when we took our daughter for her first trip when she was 2 and a half. I don't think it has anything to do with the age of your kids.

My honest opinion is that the number one factor in enjoying a Disney vacation is..... MONEY. I hate that is that way - and I hate that the pay-your-way vibe is becoming even more pronounced - but the hard truth is that the more money you spend, the more you'll enjoy it. The shorter your trip, the more rushed you're going to feel (especially with little kids). Want to feel more relaxed? Pay more, stay longer, take it easy. Don't want to waste time on buses? Pay more, stay at a deluxe where you can walk or monorail to the parks. And now, want to skip lines? Pay more for ILL and Genie+. Don't want to share space with in-laws (bc WHO DOES), pay more, pay for a separate room.

This is why we aren't a Disney-every-year family. We'd rather go less frequently but spend what we need to in order to make it the vacation we really want when we DO go. I've told people that our Disney vacation with our toddler was super relaxing (because it was) and they're always shocked. I think that's because we were fortunate enough to have 11 days to work with and the opportunity to stay at deluxe resorts that had easy access to the parks (trust me, I feel really fortunate we are able to do this, we are not rich - we just plan accordingly). For many different reasons (finances surely being a HUGE one bc Disney is stupid expensive), a lot of people are working with maybe a 5 day window and the idea that they have to see and do everything in that short time, which makes things rushed and stressful. So I guess what I'm saying the key is EITHER throwing more money at it, OR just going in knowing that however much time you have, you probably need to SLOW DOWN and not try to do it all in one trip.

 

[disneydadazut2]

There has been great advice given by others, no need to repeat. I have been taking 4 kids to Disneyland (not WDW), since each were babies, and will continue to do it until they are all grown and out of the house. We have a great time.

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

I think a lot of frustration comes from the age of the kids and the expectations of the adults. I hope the OP has lots of pictures to look back on and feels a sense of gratitude for the family time, even if it was exhausting!

My GS's first trip he was 2 weeks shy of 6 and he was still a total crabster our first day. Thankfully, it got much, much better for day 2, 3 and 4. He has some great memories he still mentions ( it was only 13 months ago).

 

[MiraclesTakeTime]

I feel like a crappy, ungrateful parent. Partially because of my in-laws, we had the privilege to take our ‎‎2 year old on a family trip to Disney World. I should be HAPPY. I should be GRATEFUL. After all, isn't ‎Disney supposed to the “happiest place on Earth”? I’m back at work today after a grueling 5 day trip, ‎and I’m just grateful to be able to sit down in peace and not pay $12 for a cheeseburger. ‎ Everything is on a schedule. Nap time does not exist. Privacy does not exist. Personal space does not ‎exist. Crowds. Lines. Overpriced everything. I get it. You’re paying for an “experience” not just a $9 ‎mediocre hot dog. I saw beautiful, smiling children dressed up like princesses and heroes just happy to ‎be there, followed by parents with the same exhausted, annoyed expression I wearing. So parents, ‎how do you REALLY feel about Disney? Does everyone secretly hate it as much as I do? Are people just ‎scared to talk about the reality of a Disney World trip for fear that they will be seen as a bad parent ‎with no heart? Please tell me I’m not alone!‎

I love it. Are there times when it gets rough. Of course, I think that is bound to happen with any vacation with children. I think there are a lot of different factors that play into this. Time of year will determine crowds, which automatically up the stress level, which in turn, makes any other inconvenience seem so much worse. I think the scheduling is actually key to helping it remain magical. Schedules help cut down on wait time, let everyone know where to be, allow for planned breaks so kids can have that nap or downtime. The prices are high, but we plan for that ahead of time, so it isn't taking the joy out of the trip. This is one of the reasons I miss the dining plan. I know there is always argument over whether or not it's worth it, but it helps give peace of mind and think of it as included. Which might be a bad thing too, depending on how you look at it. But, paying upfront for the food, I know I have it included, and the cost of my trip is taken care of outside of gifts and such. In the end, I think it's about mindset and what appeals to each individual. Maybe you aren't a theme park vacationer, and that's okay.

 

[starlite_]

I feel like Disneyland is so much better for families with little kids than WDW. It's smaller, less things to pack into a few short days instead of running thru WDW with the fear of missing out on something, hotels are closer, etc. That said, theme park trips are not for everyone, and that's ok.

 

[wconn1979]

I feel like a crappy, ungrateful parent. Partially because of my in-laws, we had the privilege to take our ‎‎2 year old on a family trip to Disney World. I should be HAPPY. I should be GRATEFUL. After all, isn't ‎Disney supposed to the “happiest place on Earth”? I’m back at work today after a grueling 5 day trip, ‎and I’m just grateful to be able to sit down in peace and not pay $12 for a cheeseburger. ‎ Everything is on a schedule. Nap time does not exist. Privacy does not exist. Personal space does not ‎exist. Crowds. Lines. Overpriced everything. I get it. You’re paying for an “experience” not just a $9 ‎mediocre hot dog. I saw beautiful, smiling children dressed up like princesses and heroes just happy to ‎be there, followed by parents with the same exhausted, annoyed expression I wearing. So parents, ‎how do you REALLY feel about Disney? Does everyone secretly hate it as much as I do? Are people just ‎scared to talk about the reality of a Disney World trip for fear that they will be seen as a bad parent ‎with no heart? Please tell me I’m not alone!‎

I am 42 and introverted but we have taken our kids to Disney World 5 times and I enjoyed every minute of it. 2 August trips 1 July and 2 June Trips

 

[kathy884]

I feel like a crappy, ungrateful parent. Partially because of my in-laws, we had the privilege to take our ‎‎2 year old on a family trip to Disney World. I should be HAPPY. I should be GRATEFUL. After all, isn't ‎Disney supposed to the “happiest place on Earth”? I’m back at work today after a grueling 5 day trip, ‎and I’m just grateful to be able to sit down in peace and not pay $12 for a cheeseburger. ‎ Everything is on a schedule. Nap time does not exist. Privacy does not exist. Personal space does not ‎exist. Crowds. Lines. Overpriced everything. I get it. You’re paying for an “experience” not just a $9 ‎mediocre hot dog. I saw beautiful, smiling children dressed up like princesses and heroes just happy to ‎be there, followed by parents with the same exhausted, annoyed expression I wearing. So parents, ‎how do you REALLY feel about Disney? Does everyone secretly hate it as much as I do? Are people just ‎scared to talk about the reality of a Disney World trip for fear that they will be seen as a bad parent ‎with no heart? Please tell me I’m not alone!‎

Two is a tough age for the parks I think. I know we went one Christmas with our two year old for a few days to meet up with extended family. We just tried one Disney park, the Magic Kingdom. DS was scared of the characters, didn't want to go on any rides, was intrigued by Dumbo (watching everyone go up and down), but didn't want to try it, liked Mickey and Minnie's little houses - those are no longer in the park (but that was about it). Then thinking of how much I loved the ride when I was little, we went over to It's a Small World". DS said Mommy I'd scared, please don't make me go. I said this isn't scary at all. You know both versus of the song, get on the boat. // Parenting mistake -- DH screamed the entire time on that 12 - 15 minute ride that seemed like an hour ruining the ride for our boat and the boat in front and back of us. A nice man talked to me and my son afterwards and said he always felt like screaming on that ride too, but that just wasn't acceptable at his age. Anyway, we left the park and played at our offsite condo swimming pool after that, which DS loved. We were at the park for only about three hours. Definitely it's important with an extended family group to split up for some things and cater to your own family.

Anyway, I didn't try any Disney parks again with DS till age 7, a much more reasonable age.

DH would be with you. He doesn't care for the Disney theme parks at all. DS and I enjoy them and whenever we do a trip to meet extended family down there, we leave DH at home. The parks are not for everyone for sure. And based on my experience taking my two year old, I would not recommend a trip with a little one that age (based on my kid). All kids are different though. Parents are different too. DH feels very much the same way you do about Disney and stays away to be a much happier camper. Having personal space is very helpful with extended family too and I really like spacious offsite condos in the area (one thing in Orlando that is reasonably priced).