Is Too Much Disney a Bad Thing??

[Bill From PA]

As we approach our March trip it occurs to me that not only do I enjoy the actual trip planning itself but that being away for a length of time adds to the experience. We usually go yearly and though very familiar with the parks and resorts, after a year away, we lose the 'feel' of the place so that when we stroll from the Swan to Epcot on March 2 about 11:30 am it will seem like a fresh experience, not just 'same old same old'. I'm wondering if that would be lost if we could go 4 or more times a year or even if we lived in the area and could drop in as we pleased. What happens when a WDW trip goes from a much anticipated break from reality to an everyday thing? Can it ever get old? Pardon my rambling, school doesn't start until next week and apparently I've got too much time on my hands.

Bill From PA

 

[cara76]

Nope it can't get old LOL Well if you ask my DH is can, if you ask my Ds and me it can't LOL.

We go weekly or there abouts. It's magic each and every time. It's also nice to be able to just take your time and see things you would of never thought to see. yesterday we saw the opening show for the first time (awesome, I don't know who had the biggest smile me or DS). It's nice to be able to pop in for an hour or two and then go home. I love it!

The only thing that has gotten old is Small World so we skip it for a few trips and then go back to it and it's new again.

 

[disneyphanatic1911]

Personally, I feel like I can appreciate it more if I only go every two or three years. Gives me a chance to really miss it.

 

[Disney Fool]

Nah, Bill....been to MK about 45 times, and that "feeling" when you first walk into the park on an early sunny morning never goes away...(Please, please, please, bring back the band!)

 

[disneyphanatic1911]

I think that only if you do stuff like this guy Jupelo will Disney get old.

 

[Magickndm]

Nope, never gets old.

 

[gingermommy94]

I think it's a personal thing. Some people may never lose the "feeling" no matter how many times they go in a month/year.

For me personally, the planning and anticipation is almost as much fun as actually going! I love all of the planning and talking with my family about what we want to do, where we want to stay, etc. For us, that's all part of the magic. I think we would lose some of that magic if we went several times each year.

 

[JESW]

We currently go 2x a year - April & August - and in the past we have gone 3x. (In 2006 we hope to add a few days in December to enjoy Holidays around the world in EPCOT)

Our kids are now 6 (almost 7) and 11 and been over a dozen times each. They started when they were very young and to them Disney is like a second home! I have found it to be SO much easier since we go so often. We no longer feel the need to see and do everything. We let the kids have a big part in the decision on what will we do and where we will eat - I tend to decide where we will stay - we also split our stays so over 2 trips a year it is almost like 4 separate vacations. There have been trips when we didn't visit Animal Kingdom, and others when we went a couple times. Some trips we go to both water parks, others we don't go at all. If we could only go once every year or every other year or whatever, we would feel the pressure to do EVERYTHING that trip.

We like the comfort of knowing the parks and the resorts and things inbetween. My ds is an aspergers kid and does NOT like constant change so our trips are very comfortable for him. My dh is also not very adventerous. Some trips (especially the august trips when it is hot) he prefers to stay in the room at times to hang out, relax, or get some work done. During those times I feel completely comfortable taking the kids out alone. If we were to vacation other places - say another city or country - I would not feel comfortable doing that. I tend to be very nervous when I am on my own at other places but not at Disney.

EPCOT is our favorite park and I could spend all day and night there just walking around checking things out and people watching. The kids and I like being able to help other visitors out by telling them where things are - with kids you end up knowing where all the bathrooms are - and taking pictures for them. As the kids get older we can add things like tours and maybe even parasailing! One of these trips we want to get back to using those little boats which at the moment their names have escaped me! Ds and I did them once and had a blast! And maybe one trip when we are in better physical shape we will try the pedal bikes on the boardwalk (another name that has slipped my mind..)

We have see Hoop Dee Doo 2x now and would like to see it again sometime. Every trip we try to eat at different places, along with our favorites. The kids go in to child care one night while DH & I get to eat dinner ALONE. I believe there is SOOOO much to do on a Disney vacation and we will most likely never get to do it all. We still haven't brought the hidden Micky book with us to try to find them. One trip we documented all the monorails (diferent colors) and when and where we saw them. During our april trips I go off to EPCOT alone for a time so I can really look at all the things out for the flower & garden festival. It's never the same trip twice.

Well Bill, I have been rambling on too! I have had sick kids home almost all week and I am going STIR CRAZY! It is a beautiful sunny mild day here and I am inside...ugh.

Hope you have a great time during your next trip!

Jill

 

[mickeyfan2]

I'm wondering if that would be lost if we could go 4 or more times a year or even if we lived in the area and could drop in as we pleased. What happens when a WDW trip goes from a much anticipated break from reality to an everyday thing? Can it ever get old?

Bill,
I have to agree with you. If I lived by WDW and went on a moments notice it would be like just another place and it would lose the magic. We do spend 2 - 3 10 night trips every year and have a Disney filled home. I find the time leading up to the trip is as exciting as the actual trip and would hate to lose that feeling.

 

[NJFireman22]

For me , I have never lost the magic. To me personally Disney represents the "good" in life. Matter of fact, I hope to be able to move to Fla. when I retire and work part time for Disney!

 

[melomouse]

Hey Bill -

You bring up a good thought - I had to laugh as I think about this question, too. One year I made 3 trips and it was different each time.

JESW - boy do I relate! I, too, have an Asperger's kid and was widowed in '01 and I feel safe at WDW with my kids to be with other family/friends or not. Even when DH was alive he sometimes was a "hang out at the hotel" guy, so I was often on my own. The WDW experience provides so many choices and enjoying just ONE park, or DTD, or the resort are each destinations unto themselves.

Enjoy your trip, Bill - have one at the R&C for me!

melomouse

 

[thelionqueen]

The only way I think it would be too much is if you lived very close and went 10+ more times per year. We go 2-3 times per year and we look forward to it like crazy!! Too much is never enough for us!

 

[Miss Jasmine]

We go to the parks a couple of times a month and we stay at a resort a few times per year. We still get excited every time, planning on what we are going to do and what we are going to eat. We have had our Annual Passes for three years now and will be renewing them once again.

 

[ead79]

I totally understand what you’re asking about. I’ve just been thinking about this very same issue recently.

Last year I ended up going to WDW three times (January, May, December). To be honest, that was a bit too much for me. It never gave me the chance to really “miss” Disney World. The anticipation and planning is a big part of what I love about going, so having more frequent trips reduces that part of the fun a bit for me. The parks/resorts/restaurants are still fun on every trip, but I do feel like I loose out on part of the anticipation/planning fun if that makes sense.

Plus, we came to a realization this past May. We truly don’t enjoy our May trips nearly as much as our December trips. It’s just too hot for us in May, and it tends to be a bit of a strain on our budget to try to swing both a May and December trip. We decided that this year we’re only going in December. Since that’s the trip we truly look forward to the most and have time to save for, that’s when we feel like we should go. I’m sure I’ll feel a little sad when May rolls around that I’m not going, but I’m just going to focus on planning my December trip instead.

For me personally, living near the Mouse would not be ideal. I want WDW to maintain it’s “specialness,” and I don’t think I would love it as much if I could just pop in anytime I want to. Obviously that’s not true for everyone, but it is for me.

I do think it’s important for us to not push ourselves to try to see and do everything on our December trip. Since it’ll be our only trip in 2006, I’m sure we might be tempted to try that. However, as I look back on my previous trips I often remember the little breaks and “off the beaten path” things we did even more than our rides on the Haunted Mansion. If we schedule every single minute of our time, we won’t have time for those little things that end up meaning so much. Plus, there’s always the next trip! I think I might actually be disappointed if I got to do every single little thing I wanted on one trip. LOL!

 

[CapeCodTenor]

I've only been a few times so I may not be the right person to ask this, but I feel that if I were to to several times a year it would get old. My ideal would be to take a yearly trip...ok, maybe two a year, but nothing more. IMHO

 

[Charade]

I was there in Oct/Nov and planning on going again in May. This will be the closest back to back trips so far since I started going in 97. The longest was a year and a half. At this point, I still get excited when I'm anticpating a trip and equally excited when I walk down Main Street. I get sad when I leave. So I guess that amount of Disney is right for me. YMMV (your mileage may vary)

 

[MsDisney23]

I don't think it would ever get old to me!

 

[L107ANGEL]

I just wanted to say Hi Nieghbor!

 

[Blondie]

I think it depends on the length of the trips and the frequency.

After 5-6 days, I'm ready to come back home. I miss my own bed, my own house, my dog, etc.

If I were to go every other month for a week at a time, that would be too much for me, but not enough for others. Our last trip was in September and we're going back (sans children! ) in February and I'm hoping it's not too soon. I'll find out!

 

[ktglads]

Honestly, I have to go with yes as well. I went last year in May, October, and November. I was at Disneyland in August. I was fine with the first 3 trips, but the November one was too close to the October one (less than 30 days apart). I think I got a little tired of doing the same things and missed not being able to paln everything out. This year, I am cutting it to 2 trips - May and October and will be happy with that.