How has your trips changed as your kids got older?

[Summertinkerbell]

We started going when DD was six. We've gone in the summer mostly, but had a February break trip taking the train down, and a very special trip during Christmas one year.

On our last trip, I was very concerned about addressing the fact that she was 13, and I wanted to make it more age appropriate by spending a day at Universal so she could experience Harry Potter. We didn't like the overall vibe at Universal, and even though HP was awesome, it was way to crowded to enjoy.

When planning this trip, I put a lot of thought about this being her last trip as a child. She turns 18 in November. You know what's funny? She wanted to do all of her original favorites from when she was little. She asked if we could eat breakfast at Cinderella's Castle. She was upset that she is too old for Bibbiti Boppiti Boo Boutique. Even though we are looking at colleges and planning her future, she wants to get the most out of this final childhood vacation in our most favorite place on earth.

Your kids will surprise you. Ask them what they want to do...what special memories they want to relive. They'll let you know.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

Great replies and appreciated too. It is hard to know what my 14 year old son and 11 year old daughter will be into or want to do, but we will have fun regardless. My daughter has already mentioned going to Cirqu again. Would love to hear from more of you on this topic.

Started the first one at 18 months and the second one at 26 months when we joined DVc way back in the early 90s.

The food tab has skyrocketed!

Disney Quest, Downtown Disney, the pool, and shopping at EPCOT (China & Japan) were things they wanted to do at 10 - 15 years. The pre-planning excitement, sadly, was decreased.

 

[Deanie1]

We first took our kids when DS's were 12 and 10 and DD6. We went 4 yrs later and then 2 yrs after that. Now my sons prefer to backpack around the work but DD still comes with me. I do expect that my next trip will be a solo trip as DH prefers to stay home.

 

[ColoradoDis]

We first took our kids when DS's were 12 and 10 and DD6. We went 4 yrs later and then 2 yrs after that. Now my sons prefer to backpack around the work but DD still comes with me. I do expect that my next trip will be a solo trip as DH prefers to stay home.

Love your profile pic - I have two

 

[chaoskids]

We have four boys and have been visiting Disney since our oldest son was 4. He's now 22. When they were young, we spent many hours at character meals, getting autographs and running! We usually visit for two weeks and now spend as many days out of the parks as we do in the parks. we are DVC and they enjoy fishing excursions, golfing, basketball, ping pong, water parks and really enjoy being together with family. Another leaves for college this year and it is just a great time to be together.

 

[robinb]

My DD's first trip to WDW was when she was 4 months old and she's now 15. Our trips changed in the following ways:

* We no longer eat at buffets because they cost too much for a teen girl. We also transitioned from mostly TS restarants to CS restaurants.
* We are now stuck going when school is not in session. It's too much for my DD to catch up.
* We don't do character meals any longer. First of all, they are all buffets and expensive but secondly my DD is just not intereted.
* We swim less, but go to the water parks more.
* It's harder to get up for AM EMH.
* It's easier to stay up for PM EMH.
* Her opinions are now weighed along with ours so we just don't do what we want.

 

[TinaLala]

So after 16 years of Disney trips we now don't bring princess dresses with us or visit every character meal. We've changed up our autograph books each year cuz those we have to get each time.

This next trip we are attending the YES program which is more of an education program. Sadly we stopped going to the Alice and Wonderland tea party cuz we aged out.

But we are huge disney fans and both kids have said they plan on taking their kids when they get older.

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

I still enjoy meeting the characters-so that aspect I can't really comment on. However, I'm more willing to do things I haven't done before. Being almost 17 now, I'm less "jump up and down excited" but I am certainly more appreciative of everything. When I was little it was all about what we're doing next, what will keep me stimulated, now, I'm more content to wing it, less focused on being constantly on the go.

 

[Disneymommy2006]

We have been going since my oldest was in Kindergarten and my youngest was 2! This year when we go in December, the oldest will be starting high school and the youngest will be starting middle school. The things we did on those first trips have changed. We no longer do character greets or meals, autographs or ride swaps. I asked my younger son to see Mickey with me at Epcot this past November and he did- but I know it was for me. I miss those magical moments when they were younger to be completely honest! We still have a wonderful time every time we go, though. Now the focus is more on riding and we go at a faster pace with out all the needed breaks for resting, etc. They enjoy the water parks and Disney Quest as they have gotten older,too! On our December trip we will be doing the dining plan and the boys now enjoy some of the better adult food on the menu. The kids options are sometime very limited. They enjoy the history of Disney and the background stories and that kind of stuff now. They also still enjoy finding hidden mickeys where ever we are! Hope you have a great trip!

 

[Thing 1]

We did trips with just DS23 until little guy joins our family when DS was 15. Our last trip without him DS23 was 14. It was very nice. We have been going since he was little and each trip is a bit different. By the teen years we could stay out later, do more signature dinning and less character meals, send more time in the WS and yes, we skipped a lot of the rides like dumbo for a few years. With little guy in the mix, we do a combination of little and adult things. Trips can be a bit different, but just as good.

 

[Simba's Girl]

My oldest, now 15 has been going since 1. The other 2 are 12 and 8 and have gone quite a few times as well. How I have experienced/see our trips changing

• More interest in closing the park as opposed to opening the park
• WAY LESS gear to tote around and NO strollers!
• Independence at the pools and now even at the parks, especially now that DD1 is older than 14
• No more real interest in M&Gs
• Less TS meals as DD2 is super picky
• Having to go during summer vacation because of DD2's dance competition schedule and the big kids in middle and high school

We go every 2-3 years now, used to go at least once a year and sometimes twice but got burnt out. This may be DD1's last trip with us for a quite a while. She is entering her sophomore year and when our youngest is 10 we want to do a cross-country trip to the National Parks so our next trip will be in 2018, the year DD1 graduates HS. This means that the rest of us will be able to stay at places like WL and AKL. It is also possible that it is DD2's last trip for a while too as she may be interested in doing dance intensives during the summer when she gets in the mid-teen years.

Honestly those young years were exhausting for me...I am looking forward to much more laid back trips in the future.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

We've taken our kids a number of times in the last 8 years. They are now 9 and 13. We used to do the dining plan when they were both children and did lots of character meals. Since the oldest became a "Disney adult" we stopped getting the DDP and pick and choose our TS meals more carefully with regard to price. Their favorite restaurants have changed from Crystal Palace and Chef Mickey's to Via Napoli and 50's Prime Time Cafe. We did Hoop Dee Doo Revue on our last big trip in Jan 2014 for my 40th birthday - something I wouldn't have spent the money on when they were younger. We were never big on meet-n-greets to begin with, but now just do one or two if the line is short and the mood strikes us. We've always enjoyed the rides more than the shows, but now we're teaching them to appreciate the details in everything they see. How the CMs stay in character, how everything is themed just perfectly. We're still pretty much park rats - we are there open to close most days of our trip. We prefer taking breaks in quiet spots in the parks rather than go all the way back to our resort. We've been stroller-free since our youngest was 6 and that's been a great change - we travel a lot lighter with just a small string bag.

What hasn't changed is them still clamoring to go back to Disney World. We went last fall for a long weekend while our APs were still active, but don't have any trips planned for 2015 as we did a big vacation to Washington, DC instead. We've only been back 2 weeks and they're asking when we can go to Disney.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

My kids no longer want to go and when they do, they want to sleep until noon. They are no longer interested in meeting the characters and haven't been since they were 10.
They are only interested in riding the coasters and playing in the arcades. My son still loves the shooting gallery in MK. Oh and they can come and go as they please in the parks.

Nowadays we tend to go to Universal when we go to theme parks because they have what the teenagers are interested in.

 

[Simba's Mom]

My kids no longer want to go and when they do, they want to sleep until noon.

We found that to be a temporary thing-that lack of desire to go to WDW. Although both our DSs stopped wanting to go to WDW as teenagers, DS#1, for his college graduation gift, asked for a family trip to WDW. And DS#2 applied 3 times for a college internship working in DL. Gotta brag and show his picture (he's the one in the middle, facing down)-

 

[CerysG]

We've done two trips and are planning a third in two years. First trip they were 7, 10 and 14. Second trip they were 9, 12 and 16. The next trip they will be 13, 16 and 20... all girls be the way. Strangely they seem more likely to do characters the older they get. I expect the older two will want to stand in line for them if they aren't to long. We only do character dining if they happen to be at the place we want to eat. Also find they are willing to try different places to eat and so it's way less difficult to find some place they will all like. They also seem to like the shows better as they get older. We will take them to the Blueman Group next time. Also think we might do some sleep in days and then later evening hours. They also seem less interested in the water parks so may not bother with the Disney ones at all. We like going the middle to end of August and even though it quites down some the water parks are really busy so not so much fun. All of them loved the thrill rides last time....yongest one loved front seats on the Hulk....so that was good as we all went on most of the rides together. Of course as they get older and work they can help pay for stuff as well.

 

[isaboo]

This will be our 3rd year in a row to go and my kids are almost 9 (twin girls) and an almost 15 girl. All the kids have been several times. The twins have lost interest in princesses for the most part, with the exception of Anna & Elsa. My teenager LOVES all things Disney and says she is going every year for the rest of her life and hopes to do the Disney College program thing. This year we are planning more late nights and fewer rope drops. We are sleeping in and spending afternoons at the pool. Our only character meal will be CP lunch (a tradition). On our arrival night we will do the pirates and pals cruise (first time for that). We have five nights at Disney followed by two nights at Universal (another first for us). Next year we are planning to come back for a Star Wars weekend followed by a Royal Caribbean cruise.

Oh...this year we are doing our first 'Signature" dinner at Yachtsman!

 

[B-Ride]

I am happy to say that since we first went when the boys were 7 and 9, through 9 trips until they were 18 and 20 things haven't changed that much. They still love the rides, love the Disney songs, love pin trading and most importantly enjoying WDW with Mom and Dad. And even though they don't try and get any autographs my older son still decided he wanted pictures with Donald Duck on our last trip.

 

[pmaurer74]

This is a great thread and something that has been on mind mind as we are considering a DVC and I am worried about them not wanting to go anymore eventually. We have been 8 times in 5 years. The girl were 4 and 1 the first trip and now 8 and 5 this last trip with two more planned in the next year. Things are still the ams except no double stroller, no naps and DD8 has started the adult rides like Splash Mt. I am thinking of having her try one each trip and see how she likes it.

 

[edk35]

Our kids are dd24, ds21 and ds16. We started going when our oldest was 19 months. She even ended up doing the college program in 2012. We have been 27+ times She and our youngest STILL LOVE DISNEY. Our 21 year old son got tired of it in high school/first year of college. NOW he has come around again and has gone on 2 out of our last 3 trips with us. He has also skipped a couple. Our 16 year old son loves going. We used to DO FAR MORE TS dining and character meals. We do far less TS meals and sometimes only do a character meal every few trips. Our oldest son likes to GOLF so he usually golfs 1 or 2 times with hubby. MY kids ALL LOVE EPCOT and most trips we spend most evenings here. Our oldest son is also the one that does not like getting up early anymore for ROPE DROP. He is NOT A FAN. He is also the one that STARTED bringing friends during high school and a GF in college (once) on trips. He seemed to enjoy the trips better that way. We sometimes split up and the guys do to ESPN, water parks, or Disney Quest and my dd and myself will go shopping, have a meal together or do a park by ourselves. Sometimes my youngest and I will CLOSE a park. This last spring break trip he and I did ROPE DROP AT MK when it was still dark outside. Then we went back that night and CLOSED IT DOWN. As kids grow...they change the way they tour, what meals they like, they tend to slow down more and really TAKE IT ALL IN so to speak. At least mine do. It was fun doing Flower and Garden with our 21 year old this trip. He really enjoyed being at EC with us and seems to really be enjoying Disney again. I love hanging out with youngest because he knows I will ride anything and pretty much hang with him until the bitter end and close an EMH park. My dd and I love our special time together too. We LUV the Disney atmosphere and stop to smell the DISNEY roses. Just tonight our youngest said "Lets go back when the Christmas decoration are out" So I think we will be going at Thanksgiving again.

 

[jsrj21]

My wife and I have one son and he is 19. We've been going since he was 5 and as he's grown, what's changed is his involvement in all of the planning and suggestions for shows, dinners, and special events. He LOVES to eat and he's not a cheap date per se....he wanted Yachtsman Steakhouse for his graduation trip!

The trips have gone from very child friendly to more adult like - although him and I are very much young boys at heart! When people watch us wrestling at the pool or We always had to go to Disney Quest multiple times per trip; now we've gone once in the last 3 trips. We always try to do something different every trip; whether a show, tour, or restaurant. The last 3 trips, we've gone resort-hopping at his behest. It's actually tons of fun to get on Disney transportation and go to the different resorts. When he was smaller, if we did this he'd probably freak out....now he looks forward to it.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I've enjoyed every moment we've shared during our time spent together during these trips. We spend such vast amount of quality time that to me, is priceless. I will go with him as long as he wants to go because eventually, this might change. He's in college now but as he finishes up and embarks on his career, our trips together may become scarce. One of his 'wishes" is that we go for a full 2-weeks and I'm going to do that for him before he graduates from college.

Great question - one that brings great memories and smiles to me. Thanks!