How to Mix Up the Magic When You've Been to Disney Many Times

[karenerrichetti]

My husband and I have been to Disney World countless times, and we are always looking for new ways to mix it up a bit. We've tried different strategies to make the experience as magical as possible, and we certainly haven't exhausted everything that there is to do at Disney. Each time we go, we try something different like a new tour (e.g., Behind the Seeds) or take a round-trip on the Friendship Boats.

How do you keep your trips new and interesting when you've a Disney veteran with many trips under your belt? I need some suggestions for an upcoming trip!

Thanks!

Dr. Karen

 

[com_op_2000]

It depends on what you are into:
sports: golf, mini-golf, fishing, marathon, bowling, ESPN Club, WWS/ESPN Zone, etc
shopping: DTD, area outlet malls, large scale malls
drinking: Jellyrolls, Raglan Road, monorail tour of resorts, walking tour of resorts in the Boardwalk area
movies: DTD 24 screen theater some with meals served by waiters
night clubbing: Jellyrolls, Atlantic Dance, Raglan Road, Citywalk
resort tours: monorail tour of resorts, Boardwalk around the lake tour of resorts, horse drawn tour of FWC, AKL/AKV
offsite: Gaylord Palms Resort, Citywalk, swamp tour, US/IoA, SW, BG, LL
eating: Formal GF 5* Chef's Table @ V&As

 

[automaticsoap]

I have a running bucket list of things I haven't done, and I always try to do at least two of them. Or something I haven't done in a while that I thought I didn't like, just to see if I've changed my mind.

One of my new goals is to try out different resort lounges and possibly do a mini-Crescent Lake bar crawl.

 

[loves to dive]

I always try to tour a new resort each time I go, still haven't done all the values and all the mods. Like you, I try to do a new tour each time. Lately I spend less time in the parks and more time in the resorts, I like walking around the resort I'm staying at early in the morning and discovering all the little nooks and crannies. When I'm in the parks, I spend less time on rides and more time stopping and actually looking at all the little details, just taking it slow and soaking it all in. I plan on doing a monorail bar crawl one of these days, after more than 25 trips still haven't had time for that one. We also like discovering new to us restaurants, we do do ADRs before we go, just go to guest services the morning of and let them find us something for that night.

 

[electrocutie]

I have a running bucket list of things I haven't done, and I always try to do at least two of them. Or something I haven't done in a while that I thought I didn't like, just to see if I've changed my mind.

One of my new goals is to try out different resort lounges and possibly do a mini-Crescent Lake bar crawl.

The same for me! I have a Bucket List and I add something new to every trip I make. Besides the regular excitement of the trip, the little new things help keep the magic alive for me.

 

[Accident]

Lately there has been enough different and we're not there enough to not have something new to see.

Overall we tend to:
- Try a new restaurant or three.
- Skip some been there a lot restaurants or three.
- Look for a tour that interests us.
- Stay in a new resort (usually not resort hoping) and enjoy what it has to offer.
- check out a possible resort we might want to try.
- staying different times of the year that normal (spring is coming up next year for us)
- invite a good friend that normally wouldn't go.
- night out at downtown disney (and skipping it other nights). movies, bowling, cirque but not every trip.

Park wise:
- our must dos tend to change each trip so it helps mix things up
- we'll favor going around the parks a little different, maybe a day just for the parades and shows with some haven't been on it in awhile rides
- try a new location to see the fireworks, sometimes not inside the parks
- try entering and leaving different times as the crowd differences will help mix it up.

 

[gzmtlock]

I've started picking "themes" for each trip. Next month on my solo trip, it's trying new restaurants - 9 in 7 days. For the family trip over NYE15, it was seeing Christmas decos and doing fireworks. Trip before that, it was just DH and I, first time at BWI, so we headed into Epcot frequently for short visits to see one of the "performances" in WS and have a drink or two. We're hoping our next trip (after my solo) is with our grandkids over Spring Break 2016. If that happens, we'll focus on characters.

Picking a theme is not only fun, it also helps me focus and not over plan everything (and reschedule and over plan and reschedule).