"Once In A Lifetime Trip"

[WEDWDW]

I went to WDW in July of 2003.It was the third time I had been to WDW,but I had not been since 1977,so it felt like my first trip.It was also the first time I had stayed on-property.I really thought this would be my "once in a lifetime" trip to WDW,or if I ever did go back,it would be many years in the future.I had no concept of multiple trips to WDW.Well,I was right,it was my "once in a lifetime trip" to WDW,EXCEPT for December of 2003,April of 2004,December of 2004 and possibly two trips in 2005!LOL Has this happened to anyone else?I think I may not be alone.LOL

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

HA HA HA HA....your post made me smile and laugh. 10 years ago we took our family (4 kids) to Disney World for the first time. It was also the first time for myself and my dh. It was supposed to be a special once in a lifetime trip. The joke was on us...we were HOOKED. We loved it so much we keep returning. It is getting more and more frequent. Our kids are now grown and my dh and I are starting to take the grandbabies too. Next month dh and I are going with his sister for a few days....she has never been before either. (we just went in September and took our grandson). We are planning to go back next December. We have had many trips with our kids too. Every time is special in some way. When we are in WDW we are truly on

 

[J.C.&ALI'SMOM]

I wonder why people think that WDW is not a yearly vacation spot like, the beach for instance. Many people go to the beach yearly or make a trip to some spot every summer. What is different about WDW? I guess most people think it is too expensive. If they did some research they would find out they get more for their money here than anywhere else!

 

[gingermommy94]

The exact same thing happened to us!!!

Neither me nor DH had ever been to Disney as kids, so when we took our kids 3 years ago..it was going to be the big once in a lifetime thing.

So last year we started planning our family vacation (first one after Disney) and we decided to go to Virginia Beach..and the planning went something like this:

Me: Well if we're going to drive to Virginia, why don't we just keep going and go to South Carolina?

DH: Well if we're going to go all the way to South Carolina, why don't we just go to Florida?

Me: Ok, but you said we couldn't do Disney again, so we'll so some of the other things Florida has to offer.

DH: Yeah, but the kids would probably have more fun at Disney huh?

Me: Ok, I'll start making plans.

LOL!! Same thing happened this year!!

Maybe next year we won't even pretend to try to plan something else LOL

 

[DebbieB]

Our "just this once" Christmastime trip in 1998 (early December) has turned into seven consecutive years! We also started out with every other year (1994, 1996 and 1998), it has now turned into twice a year (if not more!).

 

[DemonLlama]

We planned our 2000 trip for years, saving up and expecting to never make it back there. We still only go every two years, but I'm planning constantly, and hoping to get to the once a year treat some day!

 

[danny1649]

Would be enough for us,well 38 trips later I would say I was not thinking clearly.

 

[diswedwish]

LOL! Our "once in a lifetime trip" was supposed to be our wedding/honeymoon. You can see by our signature how it's been since then But now we *really* have to wait until at least 2006 *sigh*

 

[Alannah]

We are about to embark on our "once in a lifetime trip" with our 3 kids (14, 9, 9). We've been "planning" since kids were babies but only actively planning/saving for the past year (and it's still not enough time). Not to mention the many financial committments I've put on the back burner that I'll have to face when we get back. You have me worried because I keep saying "It'll actually be good when this trip is over, because every spare moment I have is spent "researching" on the internet or reading one of the disney books...so when we get back I'll be able to get my life back to normal!!! and be somewhat productive in other areas!) Please please please don't tell me that I'm simply going to start the whole process all over again!!! Is this considered an illness??? LOL By the way...we leave 28th January...I can't believe we're actually *in*the month that I've been planning for for so long...feels weird (and exciting) to be saying *January* in the present tense. In my mind, it's still months away...I'm beside myself trying to figure out what to do next, but I suspect that would be packing

 

[Crazy Kanga]

I remember planning my first trip, and thinking once we got home life would be back to "normal". But after you're bitten by the Disney bug, life will never be normal again. I guess you could be one of those weirdos who come back unaffected, but if you have been here on the DIS and planning as much as you say you have, I doubt that will happen.You can just resign yourself to being a life long addict and start planning your next trip as soon as you get home. If you're as sick as I am, you might even start planning a few at a time.

 

[golfgal]

Well, as of now, our upcoming trip is our "once in a lifetime" trip. DH and I were in Orlando in 1996 for a trip for his office and spent one day at Epcot. We had a good time, but at the time our kids were 3 and 10 mo old twins. We were not interested in going until the kids were older. Well they are older and we are going. I say it is a once in a life time trip because DH hates crowds and he hates spending money. With those two strikes against us already, I think this will be a once in a lifetime thing. But, you never know....

 

[llij]

That happened to us too! LOL! We had done about a million short trips to Disney, but not any big trips. Well, 2002 was our "once in a lifetime" big trip. After that trip, we went back once in 2003, twice in 2004 and we will going FOUR times in 2005!!

 

[momm2four]

Alannah, you sound like me. I had never been to WDW and finally talked my DH into taking a trip in October '02. I planned, plotted, researched, took notes, etc for 8 months. It was like a disease..a disease that I enjoyed having...but a disease nonetheless.

When we returned, I didn't frequent these boards that much for about 8 months. Then I started checking by every once in a while. About that time, I was able to talk to my DH into a Disney Cruise. He didn't want to do Disney again, but did want to try a cruise. What better compromise than DCL! Well, I booked our October '05 cruise in Feb. "04 and have been planning like crazy all over again. This time I'm planning WDW (I talked him into a few days at WDW afterwards) AND a cruise. YEAH!!!

Lori P.

 

[cmonroe]

We are about to embark on our "once in a lifetime trip" with our 3 kids (14, 9, 9). We've been "planning" since kids were babies but only actively planning/saving for the past year (and it's still not enough time). Not to mention the many financial committments I've put on the back burner that I'll have to face when we get back. You have me worried because I keep saying "It'll actually be good when this trip is over, because every spare moment I have is spent "researching" on the internet or reading one of the disney books...so when we get back I'll be able to get my life back to normal!!! and be somewhat productive in other areas!) Please please please don't tell me that I'm simply going to start the whole process all over again!!! Is this considered an illness??? LOL By the way...we leave 28th January...I can't believe we're actually *in*the month that I've been planning for for so long...feels weird (and exciting) to be saying *January* in the present tense. In my mind, it's still months away...I'm beside myself trying to figure out what to do next, but I suspect that would be packing

Alannah,

I'm sorry to say the odds are in our favor. You might be the 5% that don't get hooked. But if you were in Vegas, would you bet on those odds?

 

[shatzjsl]

We're guilty, too! Went for the first time last year and looking forward to our trip in June.

 

[01Sweetpea]

I think we are headed in that direction. We were in WDW for 9 days in Feb 2004. DH said it would be "a few years" until we'd go back. Now I'm thinking of going in May 2005 for a quick trip.

 

[Shelby5514]

When DH were dating (1997) he decided that he would like to take me to WDW since I had never been. He had been there with his high school marching band in 1989. We stayed at CBR, and I fell head over heels in love ...with WDW...my love for DH came sometime later. We went again in 99 on our honeymoon, then went again in 00. That trip he was "sick of the rat" and said we won't go back until we have kids. In 01 he decided that it would be great if we took my mom to WDW. So at 71 we put her on a plane for the very first time and whisked her away to WDW. At the end of that trip I heard "now the does have all of our money, we won't be back for at least 10 more years, & when we have kids." Well 02 comes and we get the tax check...it's off to WDW again! Then 03...you know the drill... off to WDW. Then comes 04, "We're NOT going to WDW! Let's go someplace new." Well it just so happens that Daytona Bike Week is the same week as our planned vacation to ?someplace?...so I wheel and deal and we end up at WDW for another 5 days! While we're in Daytona DH gets "sucked" into a timeshare demo with a $100 Olive Garden GC. (He can't resist free food.) Flash forward to June 04, out of the blue DH says..."What about the DISNEY VACATION CLUB? We go there every year on vacation anyway!" And that was the day I fell head over heals in love ... with DVC! my love for DH came sometime earlier.

I'm sure MANY "Once in a Lifetime Trips" to WDW end up being repeated year after year!

 

[minmate]

Shelby... good to know your love for dh came BEFORE the DVC... still wishing we could invest in the DVC!

I believe I was born a Disney fanatic, right down to MY nursery as a child being Winnie-the-Pooh... having lived in Southern California for awhile meant lots of trips to Disneyland when that was the "happening" place.

I took my dh (my then bf) to Disneyland for his first Disney experience. We eventually married there... and last year, after a six year break from any Disney theme parks, we took our kids to WDW for their first time (dh's first time there too).

Unfortunately, I wish our "Once in a Lifetime Trips" were more often, but looks like we may be sitting it out again until '07!

 

[WEDWDW]

Thanks for all of the replies!I kind of thought that I might not be the only one. J.C.&ALI'SMOM,I agree with you.I love the beach,the lake, the river,the mountains,etc.,but I experience a feeling at WDW that I can't experience at any other vacation destination.The feeling can't be put into words-it is just the "Disney feeling".It is created by a combination of all the things that are found at WDW-the unbelieveable attractions that cannot be found anywhere else,the tremendous attention to themes and detail,character "sightings",the cleanliness of the parks,wonderful Cast Members,being able to "visit" eleven "countries" in one day and talk with the amazing International Cast Members,Wishes,Spectromagic,Fantasmic!,IllumiNations,the monorail,the enjoyable boat transportation,the bus system allowing me to never have to drive during my stay,the fantastic resorts,Mickey Mouse wake-up calls,pressed-penny machines,Cast Member's costumes themed for their area or attraction,themed attraction merchandise shops,MK opening ceremony,etc.,etc.,etc.The "Disney feeling" can be found in everything that is WDW(except for Kryssa and the soap/shampoo dispensers at the All-Star Resort LOL).Because of all that WDW has to offer,my "trip of a lifetime" is becoming "a lifetime of trips".

 

[lclark0621]

I never understood the "once in a lifetime" thing. Even today we hear people tell us they will take kids our DS's age (18 months) when they are "much older" because Disney is something that is "once in a lifetime & the kids are much to young."

I dont get it. This year is DS's second trip to Disney World. We are pretty much yearly visitors. Always have been.

Oh sure there will be times we will want to go somewhere else for vacation, but we will just plan accordingly. We may miss a year here or there. But we will always return to The Mouse.