How Often Should We Go?

[ranman1973]

I love Disneyland and WDW. My wife has been a number of times, mostly to support me. Our kids (7 and 10) have been 3 or 4 times.

I'd like to start planning another trip. My wife made comments during our last trip that she's had enough Disney for a while.

Our last trip was March 2013. What do you think is reasonable for another trip? 2015 is probably too soon, but I'm going to plant the see for a 2016 trip... 2 years from now.

Any tips on how to get her buy in? Hopefully some of you on here have experience convincing your partner to see the light

 

[lovewdwdvc]

We enjoy WDW more when we take a slower pace. Talk about how to do WDW differently and you may find more success. Good luck.

 

[gonnago]

Sorry can't help you with that you are actually in a better situation than me because she has gone several times.I have been on 3 trips but never have been able to get DH to come with me I'm still working on it though so hopefully one day he will give in and go

 

[davale4]

We would go every year and my DH would complain every year . He said he was doing it for the kids, but it was really no vacation for him because he rather relax instead. Everything changed when we stayed at the GF RPC. We got the best of both worlds. We were right on the monorail which was very convenient with the kids. We don't do Disney commando style and the GF RPC is just so beautiful and relaxing. We usually stay 12 days and spend a lot of time at the resort. I haven't heard any complaints again and we continue to go every year.

 

[amg35]

Well, I think anything loses it's appeal if you see/do/eat/go there all the time.

I went to WDW as a child late 70's/early 80's. Then my boyfriend and I went in 2000. I did not get back there until 2011 and that was a short trip with my parents.
My boyfriend and I are now going back this year for a long trip, 9 nights.

After this upcoming trip, we don't plan to go back until 2017, supposedly when Avatarland will be open.


Soooo, my theory is because we don't go very often, that's why I'm not bothered by all the changes lately as much as other people are. I don't feel WDW is losing it's magic, everything feels new again when we make it back there.

All that said, if you go on some trips somewhere your wife would prefer the next few years (if you can afford these trips), then I think 2016/17 would be a good compromise!

 

[prudence64]

I think every 4 years or so gives you plenty of new things to experience but enough familiarity so that you don't have to do everything.

Maybe there's something outside the parks that will appeal to your wife.

 

[coley444]

I was just gonna start a thread like this. I went to WDW when I was 5, 10, 15, 21, and 24 (this year).

Following along the 24-hour coverage I'd really like to go next year. But I worry the crowds would ruin it. But It just seems so fun!

Typically we go every 5 years or so but we broke the mold this year with only a three year gap since 2011.

Now I'm really pushing it with wanting to go next year lol.

We should prob hold out for Avatar Land I suppose.

We've also only gone in March/Spring. I think if we don't do 24-hour next year going for Halloween would change it up and bring a brand new feeling. Not that I need it- I'd go next week if I could lol.

Being on The DIS also makes me want to go. I don't wanna avoid it cuz I really got into the forum while planning my trip. I'm the trip planner now and it's hard to stop planning once you start. But I think my desperation to go back would ease up a bit if I stopped coming on here as much but I can't stop lol.

 

[ArwenMarie]

We enjoy WDW more when we take a slower pace. Talk about how to do WDW differently and you may find more success. Good luck.

Yes to this.
There is so much to do....build stuff in that she likes, ask her how you can make the trip better. What exactly was it that she didn't like? Can you combine it with a trip to the beach, etc...also consider a shorter trip. We've had great trips where we go for 4 or 5 nights instead of 7. Good luck!

 

[owensamo]

We went almost every year from 2000-2009. Then we started cruising, and my DD got old enough that we wanted to do other things. Since Since 2008 we've done a bunch of DCL cruises and Disneyland/DCA. We're going to Aulani this summer, and finally back to WDW after a 5 year absence this fall. Our next trip probably won't be until 2018 when DD is old enough to go on all of the tours.

We've been trying to branch out and do other things - Hawaii, Washington DC, Europe, Asia - but somehow many of our trips still include something at least a little Disney. So while we've started going beyond the parks, we haven't gotten beyond Disney at all!

 

[Cinderella1122]

I go to WDW 2-3 times a year and I don't think that is enough

 

[davale4]

I go to WDW 2-3 times a year and I don't think that is enough

 

[GillianP1301]

The trips I did with DH when we first met and were married were very spaced apart. Now with our son, we did 2 years in a row and my DH said after last year that he has no interest in going back. He's never been a Disney fan so he was always going for me and more recently for our DS as well. My DS and I love WDW, so my DH is happy to just have us go on our own, which is our plan for this year. I could happily go a few times a year, but time/money really only allows for once a year. I plan to keep going back once a year with my DS and DH can join along at any point if he wants.

For this to work, both sides of the couple have to be okay and happy with the arrangement. I have no issues travelling alone with DS and my DH has no issues with staying home on his own, in fact prefers being more of a homebody. If he weren't that way, then I'd be in the similar situation that the OP is and trying to convince him to go and if that were the case, I don't think I would be looking at trips any more frequent then every 3 years or so.

 

[Mikie]

We no longer call Disney a "vacation" - we call it an "adventure" because to DH, vacation evokes relaxation and that's not how disney works out for us! I think if we could do 10-12 days, we'd fit in relaxing, but any shorter and we just can't sacrifice any of the "stuff" we like. We need a truly relaxing vacation the next year, then a trip to see some other part of the country besides home state and WDW, then we're ready for our next Disney adventure! If we could do more than 1 vacation per year, maybe it could be different, but once every 3-4 years works out for my somewhat reluctant DH and I.

 

[puffkin]

We go 2x a year for a week each time. Back in the days of cheap airfare we sometimes even snuck in a long weekend. Because we go so often we take a very relaxed approach to the parks. Even before all the FP+ changes, we felt a good day was getting 3-4 rides in, a show and fireworks. We enjoyed a lot of the little things Disney does so well....not just rushing from ride to ride. So actually, I think FP+ is a huge upgrade for our style of touring. We also always plan other things to do in the area (not just theme parks). Florida has so many interesting things to see and do within a short drive of Disney. Really keeps the trips fresh. Our trip in two weeks we are spending 2 days in Clearwater Beach, 1 Day at the Ringling Museum (sarasota) and then 6 days in Disney.

My kids are 8 and almost 2. Disney is just sooooo easy for us right now. Everyone enjoys it. We would like to try some other things once the youngest gets to school age, but we will probably continue making at least annual trips to Disney. But right now, it gives us the most bang and least stress for our buck.