Used to love geography as a kid which piqued a desire to travel overseas. Heck, 12 years ago, I didn't consider it a vacation unless I had to have a passpost to get where I was going. Being a spinster lady, I didn't need to go with anyone, so on just about every trip I went alone. (You know how friends can disappoint you by pulling out at the last minute?)
Don't have any children of my own, but my DB has two. The first trip we took was to Tennessee was just me, a 4 year old nephew, and a 5 month pregnant SIL. We went to a place called Liberty Land, Memphis' version of an amusement park. It wasn't a major trip, but I saw how much more pleasant traveling was with someone you love.
We kind of got the "travel somewhere together bug", so the next year we went to Ohio for Kings Island. DB went along that time. (Don't know how we came up with having theme parks as the theme of our trips.)
The next year, since the older nephew was 5 and the baby was about 18 months old, we decided to TRY to do Disney. We really didn't think we could afford it, but the 5 year old was such a good boy, and because Mickey walked on water for him, we took the plunge. That was 1992. We've been hooked ever since.
The boys are older now and have other interests. They travel around the states in our region with baseball and bowling tournaments in the spring and summer.
About 4 years ago, we said it was complete madness to take that major trip to the same place every year. We've discussed other places. DC and its surrounds for the history. The west coast, if for nothing else, for them to see the Pacific Ocean. The Bahamas, which DB and I visited even before he was a pre-teen. We seriously considered a Las Vegas thing.... but we always come to the conclusion that comfort and familiarity with our destination on a vacation is not necessarily a bad thing. We know Orlando almost like the back of our hands. It's not perfect, no place is, but we feel comfortable and safe. We've asked the boys if they wanted to go somewhere else, but we've created another generation of DISNEY FANATICS. They ask, "Why can't we go to Orlando?"
I've had an advantage that they haven't had yet, I've seen most parts of the world I've wanted to see. (Can't believe I wandered through the mountains of Colombia not speaking a word of Spanish. ALONE.)
If you and yours want to go to other places, GO. But if Disney is the only place in the world that gives you pleasure, don't let anyone tell you you're crazy. (My SO says that all the time, but I can't complain because I AM crazy.)
HAVE FUN WHEREVER YOU GO!
(sorry this got so long)
