Outgrowing Disney

[disneyspinedoc]

When did your kids outgrow Disney? I have two boys. One is 4 years old and really into thrill rides and the other is 20 months. I have a feeling they will be more into Universal in the future (which makes me super sad because I love Disney!)

Trying to gauge how much time I have left

 

[notatallmagic]

My 20 year old daughter still loves Disney; my almost 17 year old son is totally over it and has been for a while, although the Hollywood Studies Star Wars themed area delayed it for a while.

We are taking a break from being Disney AP's; and now are Universal AP's with 4 trips scheduled for 2023. Enjoy every minute and make memories!

 

[Micca]

Outgrow Disney? That's a thing? Two DDs late 30s, two DGDs 10 & 11, me & DW AARP age--no outgrowing here. Or going to Universal for that matter.

 

[CarolynFH]

Depends on the kid! On our first visit DS was 9, DD 5. We visited many times as they grew up.They’re now both adults with families of their own.

Our son could take it or leave it himself but enjoys it with his family.

DD loves it but not enough to visit every year. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if that changes when she has kids.

 

[igrsod]

My kids, daughter 25 and son 23, still haven't outgrown Disney. They go less often as they have lives that now have to coincide with our lives in terms of planning dates to go, but they are always excited to go. I think it depends on what you focus on. The rides are just one aspect of Disney. The shows, the food, the castmembers, the shopping... and more than anything the memories and nostalgia that you create as a family over the years. We laugh as we relive funny moments from the past. Going to Disney feels like 'home' to them.

 

[Brett Wyman]

My kids are still 6 and 8 but I except a shift to thrill rides during the preteen years and maybe no interest at all in high school. We'll see.

 

[Sweettears]

Kids reaching their 40s still love it. But probably not as much as DD. Indoctrinating the grandkids. It will be a challenge at the current cost structure. DD is Disney dad by the way

 

[Skywalker3]

We have always enjoyed both Disney and Universal, but while kids were little, we did many more Disney than Universal trips. Now kids are in teens, and DD, at 18, is still loving everything Disney, and hoping to do the college program. DS is 15, and the last 2 years or so, is finding less he wants to do at Disney, and more at Universal (or Sea World, or another theme park w more coasters.) He loves the thrill rides. Last 2 years, we've also gone to Halloween Horrow Nights, and both are enjoying more mature stuff like that.
So, likely when teen years hit, when they get into Harry Potter, etc, they'll want some Universal time. We started incorporating Universal trips/visits more regularly when they were tweens. Lots of fun and fabulous things to do at Universal now, and with Epic U coming, even more!

 

[RoseGold]

There's lots of stories here about how events start to get in the way. Sports meets, dance competitions, whatever. I'm not picking Disney over that stuff. I think I have a few years left.

 

[LadybugsMum]

I'm 47 and I've been going to Disney since I was 6 months old. I've never outgrown it.

 

[Sandisw]

So far, we have not! My kids range from 34 to 25 and still love coming yearly if they can!!

I bought DVC to visit as part of my retirement plan for 3 nights each month in the winter!!

Loving it as we speak. Just got here!!

 

[Frederic Civish]

If we make a 'short trip' to Orlando (a few days). we typically just do DIsney. However, if we do a trip of 5 days or more, we often will include at least a day or two at Universal. Many of my family have Annual Passes to both places. We typically make 2 to 4 trips per year to Orlando, of varying lengths. 6 to 7 days is common.

Several of my adult kids and older grandkids prefer Universal. But most of them like Disney first and then Universal. I think it is just the 'interest' in doing different things that attracts them. Yes, Universal lacks much of the ambience, EXCEPT for Harry Potter things, but it has some nice rides, which are more 'repeatable' than Disney's rides, AND, it s typically much less crowded.

I would say, overall, that kids tend to prefer Disney up until their Tweens/Early Teens, and then it just depends on the individual.

 

[Brian Noble]

Depends on the kid.

My older one is 24, and still considers it her happy place. She's also a theme park aficionado. Disney sits in an important place, but she's equally at home at Universal or even Cedar Point (which is our "home park"). She gets almost excited at a new thrill ride as I do. My younger one is 22, and it was starting to get old hat maybe around high school sometime. He's happy to come along to an amusement park if we are going, but reaches his fill faster than the rest of us do.

For example, I took them both to the Smoky Mountains a few years ago. We spent most days hiking, rafting, and exploring in the National Park, and then ducked into Dollywood in the evenings. He was about done with Dollywood by the middle of the week, while my daughter and I never needed to leave.

I have a feeling they will be more into Universal in the future (which makes me super sad because I love Disney!)

My daughter has never met a ride that was too tall, too fast, or threw her around too much. And she's a bit of a ride snob. For example, she rated Slinky Dog Dash as one-and-done, because it is boring. (I think she might be right about this. It is surprisingly forceless. How do you design bunny hops that don't do anything without doing that on purpose?) But, even though she doesn't love Disney's rides as rides, she still likes WDW an awful lot. My son was very slow to warm up to the idea that rides are fun. He liked being there with us, but he was just as happy to be rather than to do.

But, if my experience is any guide: I don't know that I'd mourn the "loss" of WDW so much as I'd be excited that there were a wide variety of places to travel with them! I'd say about 1/3 of our total vacations have been connected to Disney in some way, and that includes a two or three years going to Disneyland instead of Orlando, several DCL cruises, and even a visit to France split between a week in an apartment in the city plus four nights at DLRP.

The other vacations have also been great fun. Many of them have been to other amusement parks and water parks. Several different trips to Universal. A few visits to Knott's Berry Farm while we are in S. California. Many (many!) years of season passes at Cedar Point. Weeks in Williamsburg and the Wisconsin Dells. A couple different trips to the Smoky Mountains. Plus lots of other vacations that had nothing to do witih amusement parks: hiking the red rocks in Sedona, many multi-week trips to Hawaii, cherry blossom season in Washington DC, summer in the Vermont mountains, hiking or lake trips closer to home "up north". Many extended family vacations in the Outer Banks. A week at Hilton Head.

 

[zavandor]

I am 48 and I have yet to outgrow Disney.

 

[disneyspinedoc]

When did your kids outgrow Disney? I have two boys. One is 4 years old and really into thrill rides and the other is 20 months. I have a feeling they will be more into Universal in the future (which makes me super sad because I love Disney!)

Trying to gauge how much time I have left

My 20 year old daughter still loves Disney; my almost 17 year old son is totally over it and has been for a while, although the Hollywood Studies Star Wars themed area delayed it for a while.

We are taking a break from being Disney AP's; and now are Universal AP's with 4 trips scheduled for 2023. Enjoy every minute and make memories!

Are you a DVC member? Do you still stay on property at Disney?

 

[notatallmagic]

Are you a DVC member? Do you still stay on property at Disney?

We are not DVC members; but we have always stayed on property.

When the kiddos were littler, and our budget was tight, we did all of the All Stars. We like Movies the best; the theming was super fun for the kids!

We then moved into our phase of trying whatever resort we hadn't tried, and where we could get a good deal. The kids' favorite of all of them is still Pop Century - we love the Skyliner and the very Disney theming - even at our ages . We can enjoy the theming and Food Court at Art of Animation; and often eat at the Quick Service at Riviera or at the restaurants at Caribbean Beach, Boardwalk, or Yacht/Beach. For little kids, Pop's pool area is fun too, and a Preferred Room makes everything very walkable and convenient.

Other Resorts thoughts - Moderates- Caribbean Beach is lovely but very spread out; you do get the Skyliner and access to the resorts on that loop. The pool area is also fun for the kiddos.

Port Orleans - both resorts are lovely and have fun boat transportation to Disney Springs and cute pool areas (Riverside's pool is awesome). French Quarter is more compact with easier buses, IMO. The theming isn't as fun/Disney though for little ones.

Coronado is lovely and newer, but didn't feel Disney, and the buses were awful when we were there. The pool area is also beautiful, but not as fun for littles, IMO.

Deluxe - we've stayed at Contemporary - which I loved simply for the proximity to Magic Kingdom and the monorail. We loved our time there.

Animal Kingdom - loved the theming, the animals, the pool areas, and the dining; but it was SO FAR from the parks.

Yacht Club/Beach Club - Yacht was our favorite, both are awesome due to the convenience to the parks and the pool area - but for littles, they don't scream "Disney" if that's what your kids love.

In short - it really depends on your wants/needs. When my kids were super young, close/convenient to parks was my priority, along with budget. I/They also wanted the Disney vibe to be very strong, so that made our decision easy. This last couple of years, we pretty much split stay with Pop Century (they insist we stay there every time ) and then a new resort. Have fun planning!

 

[MICKIMINI]

Never! Our son's first trip was at 3 yo. His most recent was with us this month at 34. We bought OKW in 1996 when he was 8 and they are now on our direct deed to continue the legacy. We bought AP's during the 2021 window, thankfully. Four generations have visited WDW to this point.

We had a ten year period of prep school, undergrad and doctorate when he was too busy to do WDW. Once he met his lovely now wife, we sent them to WDW as a couples trip and well, that was the beginning and now we enjoy at least two trips a year all together. We enjoy dining with them at new (to us) WDW restaurants. A few weeks ago we did Space220 and Storybook Dining at Artist Point together and they did Monsieur Paul. We have stayed at or at least toured all DVC's at WDW, Vero and HHI. We've had every kind of vacation in every kind of villa (except cabins/bungalows) with family and friends.

This year we gave them an extra week at Aulani and in February they have a week at Poly. It's important that mom and dad aren't always hanging around!

Enjoy!

 

[DVCsloth]

My 11-year-old is almost to the point of she can take it or leave it. Us parents on the other hand still love to go, we are going to see if she can bring a friend and it may be nicer for her. If not, we may sell off some points and go less often.

 

[gmi3804]

56 here. Started when I was 8. Still going strong. Except now I don’t have to ask permission for anything.

 

[nw6675]

I'm 47 and I've been going to Disney since I was 6 months old. I've never outgrown it.

Same exact here!

We started taking DSS at 12ish. He always loved it, had his honeymoon there, and planning to take our 1 yr old granddaughter soon.

DD11 is a Disney fanatic. Unfortunately, she only wants to stay deluxe and only certain ones at that. Thank goodness for military discounts and renting DVC! Riveria and VGF here we come again. Lol