How Often Do You Go?

[smkiya]

I'm curious about just how often you take your family to WDW. Our first family trip is in October, but I'm ready to plan the next one now! Is this your one and only trip? Do you go every other year, every year, twice a year? If you go every year or more, do friends or family wonder why you go there all the time... Dh's family equates Disney with Six Flags and they just don't understand.

 

[star sweeper]

I've been many times as a child and adult, and to me it is always magical, and I can't wait to return. My DH lived a hour away from WDW as a child, and is luke warm on Disney.

We made our first trip in February and hit a cold snap, that my two children (2-year-olds) didn't enjoy. They couldn't stand the cold, having lived in Guatemala and Atlanta, GA. We ended the trip early. As soon as we came home, I began planning for an early Dec 2010 trip with us plus my parents, when the kids will be 4. I think we took them a little young, and now we live in a colder state, so weather shouldn't be as big an issue. BTW, even my cynical DH said the first 2.5 days were pure magic and he wants to return soon! I'm thinking we'll go every other year.

 

[frtchr]

Once a year for sure and twice if we can swing it.

 

[annagirl]

We can't afford many trips. We've only been 4 times now. About every 5 years is what we average, but I really want to go again in about 2-3 years.

 

[littlbugmom]

We are going every other year....for 2 reasons.


1) Going every other year makes it possible for us to plan our vacation without worrying too much about splurging for the things that are important to us.


2) Non-Disney years are free for other types of family vacations. Trip to the beach, amusement parks, weekends at indoor waterparks during the winter months, day trips around the state, etc...



That said, I've started planning our 2010 vacation and wish it wasn't a year away!! I could easily go every year!

 

[momofrrr]

We go every other year and we start planning the next trip on our way to the airport to come home. We go in the odd year (01-03-05-07-09) so in the even years we usually vacation with a family member. Can't wait until December.

 

[Revulkcor]

I got atleast once a year, occasionally two... except this year, I've been four times already and have two more times that I'm going. I live 45 minutes away so it's not that expensive for me, except for the price to get in and the food/drinks there.

 

[dizneechic]

My 1st trip was in 89, next 92, became a retail cast member from 93-98 and went 4x a year at least then (I miss my silver pass ), got married there in 99, went for Christmas of 2000, had my ds in 01 and brought him at 14 mos in 02 and swore we wouldn't go back till our youngest child was 5. This Feb my dd will turn 5 and we are going for her birthday.

I would love to go as often as I used to, but as a family of 5, flight and accommodations (let alone tix and food) can really add up. I'm hoping the trip in Feb will inspire my dh to return to our old habits and maybe start planning to go down yearly or alternating years.

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

Ideally, I'd do every other year, but sometimes things come up. One year, we went as a family in September. When we got back, we shared tales of our adventures -- and my mom and sister got all excited and planned a "family reunion" type trip for that December! Of course I *had* to attend...so that was twice within three months. Wasn't crazy about driving down back-to-back like that...but it was completely worth it!

 

[Ariel8676]

We were going 2-3 times a year, but now that the girls are older (and its getting harder to take them out of school) we go once a year..the last week of August, so we can have agreat family trip before school starts!

 

[kalc12345]

Lately it has been every year. I LOVE Disney!!! My husband says he is ready for a break from Disney so next year we will do something else besides Disney.

 

[SDFgirl]

Lately it's worked out that I've gone every year. For instance, DH and I took our DD last September. But then my mom won a huge settlement and she's taking the whole family back this September (THANKS MOM!).

I think that after this September, we'll probably go once every 2 or 3 years. Now that we have kids it'll be a lot more expensive.

Nobody questions how much I go - except maybe my husband. He didn't grow up in a "Disney" family and, while he enjoys it, he sees WDW as something you do every 5 years or so. For me, it's like going home.

 

[JustineMarie]

We usually go 3 to 4 times a year. We try to go the last week of August until a day or 2 before school starts. We also go for 2 weeks over Jersey week, bc this way my kids only miss a week of school in November and then we try to go in Feb for a long weekend and in May for a long weekend. Sometimes we will cut out the May trip, sometimes we cut out the Feb trip. This year I think we are cutting out the Feb trip bc it was freezing this past year on our trip and my girls had to wear winter jackets and hats and gloves all day!

 

[worm761]

It really depends on what we can afford on how often we go. I was averaging every other year for a while when my son was young. Then I started buying annual passes and it worked out cheaper to go every year. We went twice last year and once this year. But that was three times on one annual pass. We let them lapse because I am pregnant. I really really want to go back next year but we are going to visit family instead. Mine is in Ohio while his is in New York. It costs almost as much to visit family as it does to go to Disney, and we don't pay hotels! We will go back in 2011. It is killing me because I can't make actual plans. He is going back to college, DS will be in high school, and the baby and I will be at home. So I have to find a week that works for all of us. I started saving already though and am doing rewards programs to help pay for all the extras.

 

[cogero]

We were going every year since 2003 but skipped 2007 because of my sons birth (he was due the week we were supposed to go) My daughter was ticked LOL.

We went once in 2008 and bought in to the vacation club so we are going twice this year. Next year we are going once but are going to Universal too.

We don't really scrimp and don't go out to eat much here anymore since I started loosing weight.

We do also do other vacations but Disney is our absolute favorite.

 

[chickflick]

We've been going to the parks every year now for 4 years, but due to school testing schedule this year will be going twice(in Dec), because will miss our annual January trip. Oh well, twice in one year with free dining this time YEAH!!

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

We go as much as we can, because we can.

I can't say we go x times a year because I really never know. Some trips are planned 10 months out others are planned 4 days out.

We went to FL 4 times this year. In Jan we stayed in Orlando and visited the beaches and Disney. In April only Daytona Beach. In June 8 nights at the Contemporary and 3 at the Doubletree in DTD. We are going back for the Free Dining end of August.

Next year so far we have plans for Disneyland in March and WDW in August.
If WDW rolls out deals we will go more.

One thing is for sure though, I always have the next trip planned before the upcoming trip!!!

 

[SassyCat]

As a child, I went at ages 5 and 9.

I didn't go again until I had graduated from college at 22 (Dec/Jan 2008). It was a graduation gift from my parents. I went with DH (he was df then). It was actually DH's idea to go - I seriously had never really thought about going back. Then, after that trip, I was addicted and have become very obsessed...

Since then, we have been back twice (jan 09 - 8 day trip and july 09 - 4 day trip for my birthday). We actually have a 4 day trip planned in September for MNSSHP and the Expedition Everest Challenge). So, that would be three times this year...

I only get a week of vacation from my job (took some days without pay to go this year...I'm shameful!!! ), I am trying to figure out how to do my vacation time for 2010. While I love going to Disney for 8 or 9 days at a time, I don't want to use all of my vacation for the entire year at once. So, I think we are going to do two short trips instead. We are planning to go at the beginning of jan for 4 days (like we have the last 2 jans) and do the family fun run 5k during the marathon while we're there. Then, my hubby really wants to do a disney cruise, so I think we will go back in may during his birthday week and do a 3 night cruise and get a day and a half or so at the parks.

No one really understands why we love to go so much...but what can you do. If they don't get it, they don't get it! Plus, I have 13 years of not going to disney to make up! hehe Well, to tell you the truth, my family hardly ever went on trips going up. From the ages of 11 to 22, I only went on two trips (at 14 for a couple of nights in Nashville and at 15 for 5 days to L.A.). I would have loved to go to more places. At least get out of the state some! I think now that I'm married and have the ability to go on trips and we don't have kids yet, I'm taking full advantage of it, you know?

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

We go as much as we can, because we can.

I can't say we go x times a year because I really never know. Some trips are planned 10 months out others are planned 4 days out.

We went to FL 4 times this year. In Jan we stayed in Orlando and visited the beaches and Disney. In April only Daytona Beach. In June 8 nights at the Contemporary and 3 at the Doubletree in DTD. We are going back for the Free Dining end of August.

Next year so far we have plans for Disneyland in March and WDW in August.
If WDW rolls out deals we will go more.

One thing is for sure though, I always have the next trip planned before the upcoming trip!!!

 

[Disneychix]

We usually go 1x per year. Last year we did a short trip to Universal in June for just DH and me and WDW with the whole family in Sept.
This year we are going 2x as well. My DS is still under age 3 so we're trying to get the most bang for our buck!
We don't take really long trips though. Usually 4-5 nights at a time.

Airfare is just so cheap from where we live to Orlando (and DME is free too!) that whenever I start looking for vacation destinations it just makes sense to go to FL!!