How Long Between Trips?

[Squirlz]

We can fly non-stop from several airports within an hour away. I took my Wife there last January for her very first time. She didn't know what to expect and she was blown away! We stayed at BWI on a discount code and got bumped up to Club.

So, I looked into going back the same time next year. The week between Marathon and MLK Day. Full price was just too much. But, they did have a late fall discount. So we'll be there again in two weeks! Again at BWI, Deluxe Club.

 

[WICKEDW3NCH]

I like to go every couple years to see everything new. Since I practically spend every day at Disneyland, going to Disney World is a splurge and not a necessity. We go to Disney World because it is an immersive vacation and not just another day at a theme park.

 

[seelyt2]

We fly four people from the northeast and the costs adds up F-A-S-T! For our first two trips we stayed in a deluxe and a moderate and knew we couldn't keep coming back the way we wanted to so we purchased DVC, which has been a godsend for us. There were three years between those two visits, but now with DVC, we travel somewhere between every 12 to 18 months. There has has been times when we went twice in a year (summer and holiday-time) which was really tight financially, but going twice a year is a rarity for us.

 

[amg35]

Every 3-4 years

I agree.

Even though we had a great trip this past October and I'm itching to go back, I know if we went next year, I'd feel like we were just there and I would wish we went somewhere else.

We will go back 2017.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We go at least twice a year not including separate trips to aulani and vero beach. But we rarely go to parks, just love the resorts and restaurants.

 

[Frozen2014]

I'm always so jealous of those who can go so often. Like someone else said, I think it all depends on your financial situation. My DH has been 2 times, where I've only been 1 time. His first trip was with his Uncle, who has got to be one of the luckiest people I know, since he won the trip through a radio contest in 2002, right after my DH and I started dating (not fair). My DH lived with his parents until we married in 2006 and we both agreed to have a Disneymoon. We spent less on our wedding, just so we could afford the trip. We drove (14 hrs) and stayed 4 days. I have been wanting to go back ever since, but with a house note, car note, "normal" bills & wanting our kids to be old enough to do almost anything they want, it hasn't worked in our favor, until this summer. We've been discussing times to go again and we finally decided on Christmas 2016. We have 2 boys (7 & 5) & a daughter (2). We want to see Disney at Christmas and our kids only have a few days that can be unexcused from school (all 3 will be in school by then), so looking at the calendar and figuring on our normal routine for family visits, that was the perfect year. What made it even better was realizing it would be the same year as our 10 yr anniversary. We've already started saving and collecting up little gifts for the kids to "break the news". The know we'll go someday, but don't know that we've got that figured out already.

That is sooo sweet....to spend have your 'Disneymoon' there and now to return with your kids who will be great ages...and your 10 yr anniversary. That's awesome.

I too am jealous (but in a nice way) of those of you that can come so often. But I guess on the flip side, it'll keep it exciting and 'newer' if we have a few years inbetween (gotta think of the positive)

This probably varies, but how often does Disney add a new ride? I'm not talking about an entire expansion like what they did with Fantasyland, but just say a single ride like 7DMT.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

This probably varies, but how often does Disney add a new ride? I'm not talking about an entire expansion like what they did with Fantasyland, but just say a single ride like 7DMT.

Almost never. Before the Fantasyland expansion, the last new ride at Disney World was Toy Story Midway Mania in 2008. Before Fantasyland, the last time a ride was added at MK was the Magic Carpets ride in 2001. Disney tends to add attractions, but not necessarily rides.

To answer your OP our trip dates have been:
October 2011
October 2012
June 2013 (3 days only)
October 2013
August 2014 (3 days only)
December 2014

With this December trip, we decided to suck it up and purchase APs. We plan to do December 2014, a short SWW trip in June 2015, and a weeklong trip in October 2015 before giving Disney a rest for awhile. At least that's the plan.

ETA: Actually, I looked at the list again, and the Sum of all Thrills opened in 2009. Does that really count as a "ride" though?

 

[SCDisneyfanatic]

Since we spent the first half of our Honeymoon in WDW in May of 1981, we have gone back on average about every three years. We like to space it out for multiple reasons: 1) We feel like it's more highly anticipated when we wait a few years to return, 2) there are more upgrades and additions after a few years (a few times even an entirely new park), so we get to have more "new" experiences, and 3) because there are so many other places we like to visit and vacation. We try to rotate them around every few years (Eastern Caribbean cruise, Beaches in the Carolinas, mountains in Tennessee, New Orleans, NYC, etc..). But, this year (in 19 more days) it's WDW. Haven't been back since our 30th Anniversary in May 2011.

 

[Satchmo128]

We go about 12-14 months between trips to FL.

 

[Crl1817]

We went on our first family trip in 2010. I had never been before and dh had been once as a child. We had a great time and decided we would probably go back at some point. We are returning this Dec.

I don't know if we will ever go again. I'd like to do a universal trip to see the Harry Potter stuff when our youngest is old enough to appreciate it. She's four so maybe another four years? And I'd guess that we would do a split with WDW on that trip, if we do it.

But we would also love to take our kids all kinds of other places (Italy, Yellowstone, Cooperstown, etc). And those places will be much easier as our youngest gets older. And we don't live near any family so seeing them takes time and money. So I don't know that we will ever go back to Orlando after this trip. Our vacation time and money may go to different experiences.

 

[Frozen2014]

Almost never. Before the Fantasyland expansion, the last new ride at Disney World was Toy Story Midway Mania in 2008. Before Fantasyland, the last time a ride was added at MK was the Magic Carpets ride in 2001. Disney tends to add attractions, but not necessarily rides.

To answer your OP our trip dates have been:
October 2011
October 2012
June 2013 (3 days only)
October 2013
August 2014 (3 days only)
December 2014

With this December trip, we decided to suck it up and purchase APs. We plan to do December 2014, a short SWW trip in June 2015, and a weeklong trip in October 2015 before giving Disney a rest for awhile. At least that's the plan.

ETA: Actually, I looked at the list again, and the Sum of all Thrills opened in 2009. Does that really count as a "ride" though?

Ok...then guess we'd better not plan to just wait for the next ride announcement.

Switching from my original question, I see that you've gone a few times in October, as well as June, August and December. Which is your favorite time to go? We loved the MNSSHP and had perfect weather, but MK has limited in hours during Sept - Dec on party nights

 

[Jfsag123]

We've decided on an every other year schedule, going other places the years in between. However, were thinking that our upcoming off-year trip (2016) will be to Disneyland, so not really getting a lot of distance from our Disney fix.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Ok...then guess we'd better not plan to just wait for the next ride announcement.

Switching from my original question, I see that you've gone a few times in October, as well as June, August and December. Which is your favorite time to go? We loved the MNSSHP and had perfect weather, but MK has limited in hours during Sept - Dec on party nights

The crowds were very light in August, but it was too hot. We got almost no pictures in front of the park icons because we were too hot to stand there in the blazing sun! My daughter (who is 8) said never again...it was too hot.

June is also hot, but to do SWW you have to tolerate it, and it's not nearly as bad as August. I wouldn't go in the summer, though, unless it was for a special event, because you have the double whopper of crowds + heat.

We've always enjoyed our October trips. I don't mind the short hours at MK during party season because you can get so much done at the MK during party days. Plus, we LOVE MNSSHP, so we actually did two parties last year. MNSSHP is the reason why we're going back in October next year...it just didn't feel like Halloween this year without it!

Looking forward to our trip next month. I'll be curious to see whether we prefer December to October. The kids are really looking forward to seeing Disney Christmas-ed up. We let them pick October vs. December, and they picked December, so we'll see how this goes!

 

[chefmb]

I think it all depends on your financial situation and schedules. When our kids were growing up, we really could only afford to go every 3-4 years. We even took them when they were 21 and 23--they loved having another family Disney trip.
DH and I went in 2011 for the Christmas festivities (1st kid-less trip to the World) and have been back every year since in Nov. or December. Now that we can afford to go more frequently, I hope to go at least once a year. I actually want to snowbird in Florida as soon as we are able to swing retirement for DH!
To add on a response to your question about when to go, DH and I love going to see the Christmas decorations and especially Osborne Lights. It would be tough to go this time of year with kids though. When we took the kids, we had to go when school was out, and I found early June or later August to be manageable with a plan. It was very hot, but you deal with it. If my choice was going to Disney in the heat or not going to Disney at all, I'd take the heat!!

 

[twoplustwins]

18-24 months usually works for us. With six people in our family, the cost is just so high - that and the fact that we do want to see other parts of the country.

 

[TravelandLeisure]

We went for the first time this past summer and originally had no plans to return for another 3 years or so. However, we had such a great time we recently decided we had to do it again this summer. I think there was still A LOT we didn't get to do, so I won't necessarily have that "been there, done that" feel.

 

[kathy884]

I go for a long weekend every year, usually just two or three full days. I use frequent flyer miles and usually just DS and I go as DH doesn't care for Orlando or theme parks. Our main vacation is something we all like and never Orlando, though.

Trip #39 is coming up next month. My first trip was 1971, the year that the park opened when I was 10.

 

[Disney Commando]

We use to go once or twice every year, this year we got AP's in April since then we have gone on 4 trips with another in a couple weeks

April - Flower & Garden Festival
June - Star Wars weekend
August - All the Frozen stuff at HS
Sept- Food & Wine + MNSSHP
Dec- MVMCP

We live over 1200 miles away and travel by air or auto train, this is our most costly expense , but once you get a AP it seems you can always come up with a excuse to go, plus you can usually get a nice AP discount on your room

 

[Networth]

We usually go multiple times a year even day trips (FL Residents). Yet I think after this trip we won’t be back for a long trip till after 2018. A lot going on in life, many other places to see. Money isn’t the issue, time is and their is no way to earn more time unfortunately. So if its Italy or WDW, Italy wins. Since it was your first visit you still have so much to see and do, I would go back as often as you can as their is no place in the world like it. On the bright side if your trips are years apart it gives time for them to finish Disney Springs, AK expansion, and the rumored DHS revamp etc. This is part of the reason we won’t be back for a long vacation for 3-4 years after this December. They also need to learn how to work their own IT but I digress...

 

[GWhitten98]

We went for the first time last Dec and just returned from our second trip yesterday. It was amazing, but definitely going to take a little breather b/t trips this time around. There is A LOT going on right not with new attractions so we are going to wait it out till some of them are completed. I don't know that I can wait more then 2 years b/t trips!