Understanding the Disney passion!

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

The only thing better than a Disney parks vacation is a Disney cruise! lol

We have this come up often, OP, try not to let it get you down. My typical response : "Some families have ski trips or go to their same beach condo year after year, Disney is our family thing. We like rides, we like to be out late and its entertainment that (most of the time) won't offend our personal conscience. Every family has something, and it's just our something."

Don't be offended if they don't understand. It's still a free country (at the moment.)

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

I always ask if they know there is a "20 mile long" shopping center in orlando.

I'm soooo overwhelmed, I haven't been to one outlet store since we moved. I think we stick to Kohls or Ross lol but it's SHEER overwhelming amount of shopping here! ::

 

[momimouse27]

I this thread!

I can't tell you how many times I've heard this. I used to hear it from my husband, who I believe has finally thrown up the white flag and just accepts it. He pretends to dislike it(although he really does dislike how much it costs!) but really he loves going. I hear it from neighbors and extended family, and honestly I don't care anymore. If they're on my facebook page, they pretty much know it, and since I've started a Disney blog they might actually understand it a bit better but I doubt it... We do other things, though. Hubby wanted to take the kids to D.C. one year, did that. Been to London for a week. We have some friends that are beach nuts, I mean they love the beach. And we go there and spend all day for a week at the beach. We have fun with them, which makes the trip fun and I've learned to love the beach alot more than I used to!

But it doesn't matter where we go, its NOT Disney!! My kids haven't outgrown their love for it, either, with the possible exception of my oldest who is more into other stuff right now but she still likes it. The reason, I think, is because you are transported to a fantasy world in a way. For us, my autistic son is happier when he's at Disney and my daughter will put her phone down and ride stuff with us instead of texting all the time. We have fun as a family, and we have memories there. You can't put a price on that.

 

[LoverDisney]

Once upon a time I didn't understand why people would want to go to Disney every year until we went on our first trip in 2012. When we got there I knew we would be back and the deal was sealed when I became a DVC member. I tried to explain to family members but gave up. I choose to spend my money on Disney trips. I know people who go to the Jersey shore every year for vacation, but it's their choice. Thank goodness for the Disboards where I can "talk" to other Disney fanatics.

 

[MataHari22]

I have learned to just not tell people that I'm going, or if they find out and say things like, "you're going again?" I just say, yup, it's my happy place, and I just ignore them. With every trip I have been on, there have always been new and different things I've not done before. Meanwhile, some of those people have rented the same beach or shore house for 20+ years, but that's ok. They think nothing of that.

 

[Nilsifjel]

I'd love to go to Disney more often than I do. The 9 hour flight and all things included just makes it such an expensive trip. Disney every few years now with other bits and pieces sprinkled in between! Can't complain though. Iceland in April, Czech Republic in June, Paris in October and WDW next August. I do miss Disney immensely when there's a big gap... It's like being homesick.

 

[DOOM1001]

It seems like everyone has family members that just can't comprehend the constantly going to Disney thing,you hear it at family reunions and I truly think that they feel that since they don't get it you're the crazy one.I always tell them all the different events that are held at the parks from the F&W festival to Christmas events to the Halloween events to my Run Disney races where I barely even go on rides on those trips,so on and so on,so every trip is different.I know one thing for sure,the amount of annual passholder magnets on the back of cars that I see seem to be doubling every year so I know I have plenty of like minded individuals and probably a lot of people also changing their mind on the subject who were probably the ones criticizing others at family events who now start to get it,I know several of them!!!

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

I was talking to my brother about this the other day. For me, I LOVE Disney movies. Always have, always will. To be able to immerse myself in the movies I grew up with, is beyond magical. To be able to do that in a clean, safe environment with workers that (in my experience) go out of their way to make guests feel that magic is why I want to go back again and again! Can't wait for my next trip!

 

[jennimed89]

I TOTALLY understand this. I am so so alone in my weird Disney love affair.

live in the UK and most family and friends have never really been. I get married in 17 days and my future DH was dead against the idea of going. He's such a sceptic about it all & has never even been to the States! He seems to think it will be like a little theme park you can visit on a quiet day off work.

Luckily DH is amazing and booked us up a 2 week trip....as a surprise!!!!! (queue tears of joy)

When we tell people we are honeymooning there we get such looks and all the usual questions (which encourages DH scepticism even further). Trying to explain it all is becoming so tedious...the best way i can put it is "its just a feeling you cant explain". I cant wait to go and see if he feels the same once he has been....at least then i will finally have some back up. Im not getting my hopes up but i cant see how he can NOT enjoy it

 

[PSUGuy]

I was recently at a family reunion and we were all talking about how our summer was going. I replied "ours is going good but going to be alot better when we drive back to Walt Disney World in a couple weeks". Almost everyone said things like "you are going again?..don't you get sick of it?..why not go somewhere else?

We get this from friends and relatives who themselves go to the same beaches, usually the same condos, every Summer. I just point this out to them and they shut up.

Bill From PA

 

[disneydaydreamer33]

I TOTALLY understand this. I am so so alone in my weird Disney love affair.

live in the UK and most family and friends have never really been. I get married in 17 days and my future DH was dead against the idea of going. He's such a sceptic about it all & has never even been to the States! He seems to think it will be like a little theme park you can visit on a quiet day off work.

Luckily DH is amazing and booked us up a 2 week trip....as a surprise!!!!! (queue tears of joy)

When we tell people we are honeymooning there we get such looks and all the usual questions (which encourages DH scepticism even further). Trying to explain it all is becoming so tedious...the best way i can put it is "its just a feeling you cant explain". I cant wait to go and see if he feels the same once he has been....at least then i will finally have some back up. Im not getting my hopes up but i cant see how he can NOT enjoy it

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and good luck on your trip! I hope your DH loves it!! My DH has never converted to the level of Disney freak that I am, and he thinks it is ridiculously expensive, but he does have a great time. He knows how happy the trips make me, so I can usually get him on board for one every two years.

 

[henry lutz]

I am 54 years old and my fondest memories are our vacations to WDW. We were there in 1971 I think it was the opening year.20,000 leagues under the sea for me at 10 years old was the coolest thing.You want the carribean ..its there ..africa its there. Etc....
Disney..Sunday night at seven,the best.

 

[amyjmcc90]

I get this a lot from my parents and sister. When my oldest daughter was about 16 months old, we all went to WDW together. DH and I had been a couple of times (before kids) but we didn't really know our way around the parks well and didn't even realize there were so many great things to see and do. We just knew we loved being in the parks! So when we took the trip with our baby and parents, I didn't realize that my parents would be BORED TO TEARS. They loved spending time with their (at that time) only grandchild, but man, they did not enjoy WDW at all. We didn't ride anything other than what baby could ride - not sure why not - but I just wanted to spend every second with her and watch her sweet little face as she experienced the magic. 11 years later (and 2 more girls later) and many more trips under our belt, we are still trying to get my parents (and sister, who's NEVER been and doesn't WANT to???) to come with us for a "re-do" trip. I don't think it's ever going to happen, though.

 

[Lisann]

The question "you're going again"? tends to infuriate me. I don't EVER ask anyone "you are going to the beach AGAIN? to the lake AGAIN? to the fill-in-the-blank" again?"

Yes, I get it. I'm in France in EPCOT, not in the real France. I'm in Italy in EPCOT, not in the real Italy. Yes, I know the difference (for some reason others tend to think that we don't know the difference between make-believe at WDW and the real deal over in Europe). I also want to visit Europe one day, and I will at some point.

People in my neck of the woods tend to ONLY spend their time at the river or the beach, and that's fine, it's a lot of fun. But so what? I don't care that they go every. single. weekend. Why do they feel the need to make fun of my love of WDW? I don't make fun of their vacation choices (or lack thereof) so I don't understand why they have to roll their eyes at mine.

 

[dixiegirl]

DH and I have heard the questions for years now - don't care! I figure if they are asking then they just don't get it and never will and that's ok. DH and I love WDW and Florida so much we are heading down permanently in 2016. OP - DISers make life so much easier - I'll never forget the day I found the DIS - it was bliss! I thought "omg - I have found my fellow Disney freaks!" It's wonderful. We will be heading back to the World in Oct for our annual trip - I've already started listening to all of my park music. It keeps me sane until the trip arrives.

 

[disneyseniors]

yea, it makes me mad too, lisann! Sometimes it is said in a condescending way, as if we really don't understand that there are other places and we have to be told. I think That's what makes me upset. I usually try to explain, but end up giving up. They'll never understand the magic of Disney for us. When I get really upset, I say,"When you want to pay for our vacations, then we will go where you think we should go". I know that's not PC, but I don't really care. That's how I feel. We work hard for our money and we go where we want to, no need to explain it. I have a friend who always makes that comment, like, "okay, you've been there so go someplace else now!" I can't believe how some people think it's okay to say that to someone about their vacation? This same friend is going to Paris for the 3rd or 4th time in September. I am going to ask her the same thing she tells me and see what she says. Maybe then she will realize it's Nobody's Business!

 

[andiraye]

For me, it's a question of being the right fit for our family at this stage of life. DH doesn't ski, we spend all our summer weekends at the beach so we aren't really looking for a beach vacation, and my kids are a little on the young side to really for us all to get the most out of international travel or big adventure/outdoorsy trips. Plus, I've actually found ways to have really nice Disney vacations that are a lot less expensive than other places. Airfare to Florida is a lot cheaper than to places like the Bahamas, and there is so much competition in the Orlando area that you can find car rentals and nice hotels for a lot less than in other places.

As a kid, I was lucky enough to take lots and lots of vacations -- skiing, islands and, every few years, Disney. So I have all these happy memories of Disney. And my kids are the perfect age for WDW and they LOVE it. So I'm happy to give them -- and us -- that same wonderful experience I had right now. I'm sure as they get older we will try different things, too. For everything there is a season!

I think for those that don't "get it", they probably didn't have experience I had as a kid. And they CERTAINLY haven't done their homework. As we all know, if you just walk into a park and wing it, without any idea whatsoever of a good way to approach the rides and attractions, you could spend all day on line. To those people, WDW is just one big, hot, noisy, crowded place.

 

[SadieDawn90]

Disney is a feeling. When you're there, you're treated like royalty and every little detail is designed to make you feel joy. Every sight and smell and sound is intricately planned to make you feel nostalgia, happiness, comfort. There's nothing else like it. We can't afford to take multi-annual trips, but if I could, I would. You have favorite restaurants you go to because you love the food, the atmosphere. They're not the only places you'll ever go, but they're your favorites and you'll keep going back.

 

[helenm29]

My husbands family thinks we're NUTS! lol WE ARE ALL ABOUT DISNEY! since we live in California we've had season passes for 20 years and it never gets old! we have all of our Disney C/D's and start playing them at least an hour or two before we get there! we don't often get to go to Disney world so it's even MORE exciting! everyone says "can't you find something else to spend the money on?" "don't you have more important things to do?" nope, this is what we want to do! we booked this trip almost a year ago and have been getting more excited by the minute! don't care what anyone else says, not going to let it rain on my Disney parade! besides, if the know us AT ALL....the would under stand.

 

[brazzledazzler]

The Disney bubble is a magical domain, and I get excited every time I enter it!