The magical special feeling of Disney World wear off???

[bradpga]

We just bought into DVC/SSR. I love that magical/ special feel of being at Disney World. However, I am curious to see if that eventually fades now that going to Disney World will be a once a year trip. Seems to me it just want be as "special". I hope I am wrong!!! I just don't want my kids (age 2 and 6) to become ho-hum with the idea of going.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I think once per year it wont fade. But I would suggest making an effort to see/do something new each trip.

I know this is heresy but I do find if I make multiple trips in one year the magic fades just a bit.

 

[sajetto]

I have to agree with doubletrouble. I went twice in one year and then didn't return for another 2 years b/c I felt like already seen all there was to see. Now I've found that once a year gives me exactly the fix I need to come back for more.

 

[Disney Doll]

Each time we go, we try to do different things so we're not seeing & doing the exact same things every time.

You'll find that now that your accomodations are sort of "pre-paid", you may spend a little money doing some different things, such as renting bikes or boats, because you don't have to worry about having the big chunk of change that's usually needed to pay for your room. Before we had paid off our DVC contracts, I had always found it easier to pay them a smaller monthly payment than to have to save up $1000-$2000 every trip to pay for the room (depending on where we were staying).

You'll also get out of the "commando tour" mode, because you "know" you'll be back, so you may not see everything every trip. Some trips we may do IllumiNations but not Fantasmic, or we may get to see The Little Mermaid show but not Beauty & the Beast, or we may not go on Kali River Rapid sbecause it's too cold (if we go in Janaury).

So even though you're in the same place(WDW)every trip can be different. You'll may also find yourself spending more time at your resort, enjoying the pool. At least one day during the vacation, we find that we will spend at least a good portion of one of the days relaxing at the pool. Usually in the middle of the vacation...it's a nice break from all the walking and then there's still the evening to go to Epcot ofr IllumiNations, or to DTD or wherever.

I will say without hesitation that after my engagement ring, our house, and the dog, DVC is the best purchase we have ever made.

 

[shantay1008]

I totally agree with the other posters. We'll actually only be going once every two years. (Yikes...did I actually say only every two years? I'm sure the people who save and save to go to WDW once in their whole life will really feel sorry for my family.)

I think there is so much to do at WDW that we will never, ever get bored. Each resort and each park has a totally different feel. I've read posts from people who don't even go to the parks sometimes...they just enjoy the amenities the resorts have to offer, hang out in DTD, or even venture to other parts of Orlando. And don't forget the cruises!

We simply couldn't meet our financial goals if we took our large family to WDW more than once a year. And, judging from our last visit to Camp Snoopy at the Mall of America shortly after we returned from WDW, rides do seem to lose a little of their magic if kids go on them all the time. So we will be content with traveling to WDW less often and will try not to be too envious of the people who go every other week. We're already deep into plans for our next WDW trip for Feb. 2008...we have lots of time for the anticipation and excitement to build.

 

[jimmar6419]

I have to say I don't think I'll ever get bored with a Disney vacation. We have a list of new activities we would like to try. The problem is that I love the ones we always do and never want to give that up. We usually only go to the park one day. I just love the disney resorts so much. I try to combat "vacation's over depression" by planning my next one on the way home. What can I say? I'm hooked!

 

[debbiepump]

Magic wear off? Naaa. My husband is not a disney lover by any means, in fact, I'm the one who bought into DVC! Since he's gone and gotten a taste of the villas, etc. he really enjoys it. He says he enjoys not feeling like he has to get up early, rush to get ready, rush to get into the park and spend the entire day there. With the villas, we'll laze around and somedays just go into the park at night for the fireworks and perhaps dinner. During football season, he'll stay in the room and watch football and I'll go into the park and shop my heart out w/o him!

 

[1000th happy haunt]

I have three trips scheduled for this year. In May we're renting a two-bedroom and going with friends. In October my husband's adult daughter and her best friend are going with us (another two-bedroom). It will be their first time at the Food and Wine Festival. In December we're staying at VWL. And we also took a weekend trip in January for the Expedition Everest preview.

Part of the magic is sharing it, and part of the magic is visiting different resorts at different times of the year. And part of the magic is just doing different things.

I don't think the magic will ever wear off for me.

 

[DISNEYMOMx5]

One of the great things you have going for you is the age of your children. We've been going since ours were 6, 4, 2, & 4 mos! They are now 16, 14, 12, 10, & 6 (added one since that first trip!! ) It has been different as well as magical every time we have gone & the kids have always been excited to go...even as teenagers! During this time, we also got my parents hooked on Disney & we actually have a whole family trip (16 of us!) coming up in June...We can't wait!

I think, as stated by some of the others, it's finding other things to experience as well as not feeling pressure to see & do everything in a day b/c you don't know when you'll get back. I think over the years you will find that you have many magical family memories that you will cherish for a lifetime! Happy vacationing!

 

[MyGoofy26]

If it wears off. . . it's only temporary

I still get harrassed by my family for being in kindergarten and asking mom, "do we have to go back to Disney AGAIN?!" They still contend that I was the only 5 year old to ever utter those words.

I don't own DVC (yet ) but just from our travel habits, there have been times when I've had to take a break. A few years ago we went in December and had a trip planned for March - and between those two I was accepted into the college program. So we went December, March, and then I spent August through January at WDW. I didn't go back for 2 years, LOL. But towards the end of that 2 years I was REALLY itching to go back an ended up going in July and then again in December. LOL!

 

[browniemtb]

We just bought into DVC/SSR. I love that magical/ special feel of being at Disney World. However, I am curious to see if that eventually fades now that going to Disney World will be a once a year trip. Seems to me it just want be as "special". I hope I am wrong!!! I just don't want my kids (age 2 and 6) to become ho-hum with the idea of going.

I feel the same way. I'm concerned that the magic is going to fade fast. We have two trips planned for this year and more then likely 1 per year after. The plus side is each trip we are going with friends....so the kids will enjoy that. Our kids are 5 and 3 and, like you hope that the magic in Disney stays with them for a long time.
Brownie

 

[DrTomorrow]

I will pipe up and suggest that, while the magic doesn't fade, it does change quite a bit. As others have mentioned, the commando attitude and the need to "see everything" and "not waste a second" go away after you realize that you'll be back again, and again, and again..... IMHO, DVC helps us balance out the "vacation" vs "Disney" in the phrase 'Disney vacation": we actually get to relax a bit, have a cuppa on the balcony in the morning, read by the pool, have a quite walk around, and so on.

Regarding the parks, we have noticed that we can't do EVERY attraction EVERY trip - even if we tried, we wouldn't want to; we have dubbed some rides / shows / parades as 'every other trip' activities. Still, there's so much to do at WDW we never get bored.

But a trip to WDW & DVC is like Christmas or New Years - no matter how many you've done, you always look forward to the next one!

 

[lovinthemouse]

In my opinion, I think if you make the effort to do new things, it will never lose the magic. Let's face it, there is so much to do even without the parks. Happy vacationing

 

[ksoehrlein]

I still feel the magic after a year and a half as a Cast Member and one or two trips a year (3 trips in 2005). My kids are only 5 and 2, but I don't think the magic will wear off for them, either. DH doesn't get as wrapped up in the planning as I do, but even he always has a great time when we're there.

Like many previous posters, we try to do something new-to-us each time, which helps keep the magic fresh.

Dr Tomorrow, I like your comparison to each trip being like Christmas; something you still look forward to no matter how many are under your belt -- and the source of many great family memories to boot.

 

[wisbucky]

Dh and I find that even though we go three times a year we find it more relaxing each time. We let ourselves enjoy many other amenities that DWD has to offer. We also find that we spend more time getting from place to place. Most likely because we know that we will be back. Prior to each trip that comes up we are just as excited as the last one at the thought of going. This is our home away from home. Like some folks that have cottages we have DVC.

 

[minniemoms]

Will the magic ever end? I sure hope not. While I only go to WDW every 2 years, from CA it is too expensive to fly my family over there, so I go with usually 1 of my children or DH. But now that we bought this we figure every 1 to 2 years for the 2 of us. However, DL, while it is a 7 hour drive, I am there every year, sometimes 2 and 3 times. I still get misty eyed when I leave. I was a DisneySTore CM for 11 years, and would still be there if they hadn't sold off the stores. If it was closer I would work at DL, but commute it a little far. My children all still love it, and DD has done the college program, and plans to go back, so I know that our family, will never tire of it, but that is us.. WE LOVE LOVE DISNEY

 

[jekjones1558]

I never was lucky enough to go to WDW or DL as a child, so I can't speak to how multiple visits change a child's perspective. As an adult I find that it becomes more special with each trip. It is like returning to the family homestead for a holiday celebration. Traditions become important and mix with surprises. The knowledge that a "next time" is just around the corner makes spontaneity comfortable. We go to WDW about 4 times/year now and I countdown and get just as excited every time. I am distressed when we leave WDW in spring, knowing we won't return until fall (we don't like FL in summer). For many people the magic may wear thin. Not for me, not at all. It is my lifeline of hope on many bad days.

 

[mickeysbestfriend]

I lived in Florida for four years and spent an average of 75 nights a year at Disney. My friends and family all kept asking me, "Aren't you tired of it yet?" and my answer quite simply was, "No". After more than 400 nights and days at Disney I still look forward to each new trip. Sometimes it's to share the magic with someone new. Sometimes it's with family. Sometimes It's just a fantastic place to spend a week relaxing and playing golf only enter the parks or other hotels to have dinner...well....maybe one or two rides....

 

[beachblanket]

DVC membership purchase is like getting married. You (almost always) go in with fully positive feelings/intentions, unaware that the reality of the marital vows will kick in sooner or later.

And just like marriages, some DVC memberships stay engaging forever, particularly amongst those who find comfort and gratification in the familiarity of frequent repeat visits to WDW.

Others (and this is certainly the category I and my spouse fit into) evolve, as the owners begin to realize that as nice as the WDW properties are, a desire for variety beyond a single theme park-oriented destination is weighing in. In that scenario, you enter a phase where you try to assess whether you can manage the program to provide variety (either by Passport exhanges or renting points). That's where we are now. Some succeed at that, and continue to enjoy their investment. Others get frustrated, which is I where think a lot of the resales come from.

The scenario I hope we'll end up in is one where we stay in the program, returning to the world every 3 years or so. The "off" years will not become completely non-Disney; Vero Beach And Hilton Head are both return favorites for us (as my spouse likes to refer to them "they're Disney, but not in-your-face Disney.")

 

[gppnj]

I think once per year it wont fade. But I would suggest making an effort to see/do something new each trip.

I know this is heresy but I do find if I make multiple trips in one year the magic fades just a bit.

That doesn't surprise me.

Just because of the way my travel plans have worked out, I'll be at WDW for one week late this year and then for three full weeks in 2007. Ouch. That's a lot even for me.

I have to borrow some of my 2008 points to get those three weeks in 2007. In theory I could still do a week in a studio in 2008, but I think I'll bank my remaining 2008 points and give myself a year sabattical from WDW. Or I'll use my remaining 2008 points and a few borrowed 2009 points for a trade to somewhere else. In any event, I don't plan to go to WDW in 2008.