How Often?

[kaymak]

Realistically, how often should you plan a trip to Disney. I live about 12 hours away and have two small children. I would love to go every year, but that is not feasible. How often do you go?

 

[MagicKingdom05]

The last time I went was 4 years ago. However I am making up for that and will be going twice this year.

 

[Mimi Q]

I am trying to go every other year now with my children. My May 2004 trip was just a couple of days with my best friend.

 

[scoutsmom99]

Growing up the family tried to go to either DL or WDW every year, but once I was in high school that stopped and I started to go on my own about every other year, but now I see myself going at least twice a year (at least at the moment...its very feasible when you are just paying for one person!).

 

[kilee]

We have been going on the average of twice a year for the last few years.

 

[lillygator]

Since we live so close we went 4 times staying on property last year as well as many day trips....

 

[PCFriar80]

Four times a year / 5 nights each; Jan, May, Oct, Dec. Except one extra night during F&W fest.

 

[PamNC]

We go at least once every year. Been doing so since our honeymoon in 1994. We were HOOKED! At first, we didn't have enough money for more than 1 trip a year, and it was a budget-type of trip. Value resort, brought food for breakfast, watched every penny. Then, a few years into our obsession, we went twice one year. I think in 1997...once for a week and once for a long weekend. Now, I would say we average twice a year. We went 3x last year (two week long trips and one long weekend). Of course, we have AP's to make this all possible. We will probably only go once this year, because I have a Gulf Coast (FL of course!) trip planned. I love the Gulf. Sometimes we go to Disney for 4 days and then go to Siesta Key for 4 days. It's just south of Sarasota and absolutely breathtaking. We want to take a "gulf coast tour" this year and hit St. Pete, Siesta Key and Naples. If budget allows that is...then we'll take a Disney trip later in the summer or in September. We don't have kids, so that makes it easier to afford multiple vacations.

Go as often as you can - life is short!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Leota]

We started off going every 2-3 years, then yearly with a few 3-4 times a year streaks. So I guess we average 2x a year. We are in NY & I have one 16 yo. I do some solo trips & DH only comes once every couple years. He's not as big a WDW freak as I am. He likes it, but only every 2 years or so.
Trips in between full family trips tend to be more budgeted. When all 3 of us go, we really bust the bank & live it up.

 

[Disney On A Dime!]

Here's how we got hooked and are now planning two trips a year!

1. Value resorts - very cost efficient and my children love them!
2. Start planning the minute we get home from the previous trip - including budgeting money.
3. Getting great tips about Disney and the resorts from websites like this one and others.
4. Purchasing one AP or using AAA to grab those awesome resort rates.
5. We love Disney - it just makes us feel good! Some people vacation to the beach every year - others to the mountains - WE GO TO DISNEY WORLD!
6. Memories! Vacationing to Disney is a priority in our lives and the family memories we make there will last forever!

 

[Bellefan66]

As you can see, it's different for everyone. We have to base our trips on money,and other events going on. With 3 children,from 19-9,there are SO many things going on,that trips aren't always in the picture. We last went in 2001. We would have been back already,but took a trip to CA too visit our "new" niece.Now planning a HUGE family trip,for Spring Break of 2006. After that, I see us going every other at least. As DD will be in college, DS is in the Army, so that leaves youngest DD and more time on our hands.Middle DD is in our Marching Band's Color Guard, and that takes up MOST of our time during the school year. Looking forward to vacations JUST with DH and myself....ahhh what a nice dream....

 

[Brina]

We like variety in our vacations - we ski, love the carribean, visit family - so we don't travel to WDW as often as many on this board. We last went exactly 2 years ago. Our next trip is 10 months from now, so it will be nearly 3 years between trips. Plenty for us, although my 5 year olds may disagree.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I went in November, which was my first trip in 8 years. I'm planning on going again next January. When I was a kid, we went every other year.

 

[gypsydoodlebug]

Whenever we can!!

DH and I went for our first vacation together in 1999. In 2000, planned a trip, but DH's aunt took us to Paris, France instead, so we gladly gave up our vacation time for that.

We got married in 2001 and planned our first anniversary trip for 2002. Brought back "a little souvenier" that we had in 2003. Scheduled a leave-the-baby-with-grandma trip for Feb. last year and had a BALL! Then, DH got sent to a conference in Orlando two months later, so we got a surprise trip. In May, I took a new job, and got sent to Orlando to do a story in October. So we ended up going three times last year! Woo hoo!

Planning on going again this October for our anniversary. Everyone asks us wy we don't go elsewhere for our vacations –– truth is, I travel so much (Denver, Vegas, Austin, Chicago, NYC, Spokane and LA this year alone) that I usually just want to veg at home!

 

[skiwee1]

We have been going twice a year for the last 5 years. Each trip has been 2 weeks long. Now that DD is in school I have decided to cut out our May trip and it's killing me! LOL! We will still go for 2 weeks in October and I did add another 4 days in December to see the Christmas party and decorations. I live about 14 hours away.

 

[DizBelle]

I want to go every year. We went in Feb 2004 with the prior trip in Dec 2001. All I said to DH while we were there was "don't make me wait another 2 years." So we went again Nov 2004 and am planning this Nov and every Nov until someone ties me up to keep me from going.

 

[lclark0621]

When I was young my family took me every year.

Since DH & I got married, we have pretty much continued that, except for the year I was pregnant & the year my DS was born.

We want to take DS every year. We just love it there & love being there with him.

 

[ktglads]

For the past 2 years, I have been going 3X a year - May, summer, December. This year its only going to be May/December since I will be going to Disneyland for the celebration.

Basically it is budget trips in May and December and all out in the summer. Annual passes really do burn holes in your pocket. Besides, I really do love the food courts at the value resorts.

 

[skiwee1]

We like variety in our vacations - we ski, love the carribean, visit family - so we don't travel to WDW as often as many on this board. We last went exactly 2 years ago. Our next trip is 10 months from now, so it will be nearly 3 years between trips. Plenty for us, although my 5 year olds may disagree.

We do the same as far as taking other trips too in addition to our 30 days at WDW a year. We are big skiers and just went to Utah over Christmas. We are going again in two weeks for a week to ski. We've been to Hawaii, Europe and many states but nothing beats WDW, for me anyway. We are planning a trip to France next year but I will be sure to spend one day in DLP too! LOL! So there are many that take yearly trips to WDW but still go other places too. Just because we are Disney fanatics doesn't mean we don't go outside the world too.

 

[Mady/Sophiemom]

We go every other year. Our next trip will only be 18 months from our last, but we are taking kids out of school, and thought it better to take our oldest, out of 3rd, grade, rather than the beginning of 4th.

I'm not so sure we will continue that often. I like to go during cooler weather, but not the weeks of Spring, and Christmas breaks. I'm not so sure about taking the kids out of school as they get older. We will have to see.

I wish we could go every year, but really, my kids usually ask for a beach vacation, our off Disney year. We have access to a free condo, at HH, so by using that, I can justify WDW every other year.


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