What is so amazing about WDW?

[friedela]

So I've spent so long planning for this (our very first) trip to WDW and it's now only 2 days away and I don't think I've ever asked people WHY they love Disney so much and exactly what is coming our way this weekend/week! So please share why you love WDW so much. The excitement of it has died for me this last week, I think we've just been waiting so long to go. lol.

 

[Poipu04]

I have beautiful memories of my trips as a kid and I love the feeling of reliving them and making my own, new memories.

 

[JETSDAD]

For me it is that it's an all encompassing bubble. I can shut down entirely from business and just enjoy the time I have there with many different forms of entertainment. I'm not going on my laptop and working. My phone is only being used for Disney stuff. If I'm just sitting at a beach or cottage my mind is often still on work. There's something for everyone in the family and we just spend time together.

 

[Tattylou]

I have beautiful memories of my trips as a kid and I love the feeling of reliving them and making my own, new memories.

This ^^^
It is so sentimental to me in so many ways from my childhood and that is hard to explain - it was my childhood vacation spot and we had amazing trips there. I grew up going to Disney. I also like making new memories now with my little boys. It's just magical... really, really magical. I feel like I am 7 years old again and the whole world of adult responsibilities that exist outside of WDW are just gone. Where else am I going to be called "Princess" and wished "a magical day" at 40 years old!? Also, the customer service at Disney in my experience is fantastic and the attention to detail in the parks and all over the property is top notch.

Have a great trip!!

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I have so many great memories of family Disney vacations. Add that to the fact that when you’re in the Disney bubble, there’s this feeling of stepping out of reality for a little while almost, it’s hard to describe but it’s a feeling of magic that I don’t get anywhere else.

 

[Mom2Stitch]

I love that it's where my family is together and having fun. I love the smells-the water on Splash and Pirates especially! I love that for that week I'm not cooking or cleaning, lol. We love the food. First meal at Chef Mickey's-it's not vacation without a hug from Goofy. Riding the People Mover and not getting off. I get to wear tshirts with characters on them every.single.day and not one person looks at me like I'm weird. Seeing the excitement of all the kids as the parade comes by and the characters interact with them. The emotions I feel when I hear the music to Fantasmic! that ultimately ends with real tears when that mouse pops up at the top of the mountain. Holding hands with my DH as we watch the fireworks. The fact that no matter how old you are in years, all that matters is how old you are in your heart at Disney-and that the characters and magic is real while you are there. It's perfectly ok to be a kid there.

Much negativity around on the forums and bad reviews are readily available for just about every resort and restaurant at WDW. Please don't let that color your first visit, there is still a lot of magic there. I hope that you have an AMAZING trip

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

It's that 45 square mile "Disney Bubble"!

No other place like it on the face of the earth.

 

[friedela]

I love that it's where my family is together and having fun. I love the smells-the water on Splash and Pirates especially! I love that for that week I'm not cooking or cleaning, lol. We love the food. First meal at Chef Mickey's-it's not vacation without a hug from Goofy. Riding the People Mover and not getting off. I get to wear tshirts with characters on them every.single.day and not one person looks at me like I'm weird. Seeing the excitement of all the kids as the parade comes by and the characters interact with them. The emotions I feel when I hear the music to Fantasmic! that ultimately ends with real tears when that mouse pops up at the top of the mountain. Holding hands with my DH as we watch the fireworks. The fact that no matter how old you are in years, all that matters is how old you are in your heart at Disney-and that the characters and magic is real while you are there. It's perfectly ok to be a kid there.

Much negativity around on the forums and bad reviews are readily available for just about every resort and restaurant at WDW. Please don't let that color your first visit, there is still a lot of magic there. I hope that you have an AMAZING trip

Ahh thank you! I really needed to hear that tonight! Getting worried and stressed about being disappointed in the food, wait times, crowds, rides being down, you name it... your post made me tear up a bit!

 

[IsThatYouTigger]

I agree with it being sentimental. I grew up in Central Florida and every now and then my Dad would say that we were going to run some errands. I didn't want to run errands, but I went anyway. Well, we would pass the shopping center and I knew that was a day that my Dad and I were going to head out to Disney for a Father/Daughter day. He did it with my brothers too. We had seasonal passes and my Dad would take us kids out during the day and then my Mom would meet us out at Epcot for dinner. We'd get off the big ball ride and my Dad would go to the phones to make a same day reservation for Alfredo's. So much fun. I can remember dancing in the Grand Floridian lobby with my brothers (love the home videos), playing in Mickey's Toontown, taking friends to Mickey's Christmas Party for my 10th birthday party, and countless other memories...it's the memories. Now, I go to relive those memories and make some new ones. The Disney Bubble is a wonderful thing!

 

[friedela]

I agree with it being sentimental. I grew up in Central Florida and every now and then my Dad would say that we were going to run some errands. I didn't want to run errands, but I went anyway. Well, we would pass the shopping center and I knew that was a day that my Dad and I were going to head out to Disney for a Father/Daughter day. He did it with my brothers too. We had seasonal passes and my Dad would take us kids out during the day and then my Mom would meet us out at Epcot for dinner. We'd get off the big ball ride and my Dad would go to the phones to make a same day reservation for Alfredo's. So much fun. I can remember dancing in the Grand Floridian lobby with my brothers (love the home videos), playing in Mickey's Toontown, taking friends to Mickey's Christmas Party for my 10th birthday party, and countless other memories...it's the memories. Now, I go to relive those memories and make some new ones. The Disney Bubble is a wonderful thing!

Your childhood and parents sound amazing!! We were so so poor growing up, going to Disney was a dream, not one I thought i would ever see come true. I can't imagine living there and being able to experience it on a regular basis!

 

[Mom2Stitch]

Ahh thank you! I really needed to hear that tonight! Getting worried and stressed about being disappointed in the food, wait times, crowds, rides being down, you name it... your post made me tear up a bit!

I'm a big old Disney baby-I cry at everything there, lol.

BTW I wanted to add that the apprehension, worry, fear that it won't go the way you expect...that's all normal right before the trip. We've been every year since 2001 and I still feel all of those things right before we go. Up to and including bad dreams and not sleeping well. I've never had a trip that went exactly according to plan, but it's still awesome enough that we want to return. While you are there if you start to feel stressed, take a breath, it's not as bad as that moment might seem. And definitely take some time to just be in the moment and enjoy where you are!

 

[3gr8boys]

Our first family trip was back in 2008. As the trip got closer, I started to worry.... so many other things we could be doing and it was going to be a relatively expensive trip. What If DH and the boys weren't impressed? Well, the worry was unnecessary. Disney World truly is magical! It is simply a special place and the experience is immersive. We managed to make a second trip in 2014 and I am counting down to a Spring trip now!

I can understand a bit of burn out from planning as it goes from fun preparation to reality. Just know that you can't see and do everything....and that is ok! Two family trips under our belts and I still have a list of new things I want to do in the parks this coming trip. With the prep you've done, you will be prepared to make choices and change gears when things don't go as you expect.

 

[LiveToTravelNicely]

Disney does a tremendous job at immersing you in their magic. I think it really has to do with their keen ability of music placement. Pretty much everywhere you go there will be music playing that sets the tone. It is amazing!

Try to be as flexible as you can with your plans, and that will help you have an amazing vacation. I'm very much a planner and routine type of person in my everyday life. At Disney I try to view my plans as a general guide, but also not a rigid schedule that can't be switched. Something is probably going to come up be it a ride closure, or a sudden thunderstorm. Just remember you're at Disney. On our 2011 trip we planned to go to MK one day later in the trip. Arrived to "too many people" and we were like CHANGE of PLANS! lol. We went to Disney Springs and made custom mickey ear rice crispy treats, and then went to the Wilderness Lodge for some exploration. We went back to MK later that day. We had a wonderful day, despite changing things up a little. Another story that I actually let stress me out at the time, but now that I've experienced it, I'll try not to next time (if it ever happens again). We are from the Central Time Zone. It was about five days into our trip and we were exhausted. It was raining. Se we decided it was time for an afternoon nap!! (flexibility to the plans!) Well, we did just that. And for the first time in five days I pulled out my Ipad that afternoon. We had an evening ressie at OHana for 6pm. So at 4pm on the Ipad (still unknowingly on central time zone) I woke my DW and we got ready. Only did we realize upon arrival at the bus stop that it wasn't 5:30PM (as it said on my ipad), it was 630PM and we were very late to a very hard to obtain reservation and also that charging no-show fee loomed over my head. After a brief/long freak out, decided we'd just be honest to the CM at the check in booth. If there wasn't a table or if we had been charged, was there really anything else we could do? Well they were incredibly kind (sometimes giving kindness gets it back in return) and sat us anyway. I HATE BEING LATE TO ANYTHING. But it worked out. And I had a backscratcher (pretty stout alcoholic juice at the Polynesian lounge), so I was done worrying within a few minutes of sitting down. I hope there's never a next time, but if there is, we lived, and we had a nice time.

ENJOY YOUR TRIP TO WDW!!!

 

[bluejasmine]

I fell in love with Disney at 4 yrs old and Im 43 now its been a life long love for me for all things Disney. For me its my happy place where I can get away from the real world, its a reminder that dreams can come true and love does conquer all.

The Disney customer service is world renown, we have learned to come to Disney and slow down. I use to be all Disney Commando but for the last few trips we go at rope drop and come back to the resort about 130/230 swim, relax and shower and then come back to parks, we even take at least one day off to rent a cabana or a boat or do something different.

I have great memories as a child and with my own children which are now grown, and one day I will share it with any grandchildren I have. I honeymooned there, celebrated birthdays and anniversaries, I worked at WDW for a time after moving to Florida to do so, I no longer do but it was for family reasons we moved back to SC

Anyway for me Disney is an emotional connection

 

[disneydreamer1980]

My first trip to WDW was in 1986 at age 6. My parents fell in love with Disney on that trip and became DVC members the first year it was offered (1991/92?) and that’s enabled us to go yearly or every other year. They would rent the grand villa and my grandparents, aunt, cousin and my family would always go together, which has led to so many great memories. Now that my grandparents are gone and my aunt has dementia, these memories are like treasures to me, and each time we go to Disney, sights, sounds and smells will trigger these memories, and I love it. Now my parents take my kids and us to stay with them, and my kids are making memories with their grandparents there. I think the memories/nostalgia, combined with the magical feeling you get there, is why I love WDW so much.

 

[davper]

It is the complete immersion into another world like no other place on earth. You have to go and experience it for yourself. Some people don't get it and never go back. Others start planning for their next trip the day after they get home.

1. Go with an open mind that it is not always going to be perfect. Adjust to the situation, and Disney on.
2. Don't try to do it all at once, you can't. If you liked it, then you loved it and will be back again. I have been several times and still have not seen it all or been on every ride (Toy Story Mania) yet. There is always next time. People spend months making touring plans that encompasses every second you are there to see everything. These are the people that do not have a good time.
3. How do you feel about lines? The waits can be long and are disheartening. In this situation, remember item #1.

 

[stace1214]

We can only go to Disney every two to three years and I plan, plan, plan when it's time and I get burnt out by the time it arrives too. For me, I had such great memories as a child there and now that I have my own family, when we go it's a week away from everything else. Disney does a phenomenal job of immersing you in a magical environment. Know that you won't see everything. If you have kids, it's likely their favorite thing will be the pool (something that drives me crazy!). Have fun, go with the flow and relax. I hope you have an amazing trip!

 

[holden]

I went as a kid in the 70s. Now I get to bring my kids. I rediscover it every time we go. It’s like being 8 all over again.

 

[MagicAddict123]

For me, Disney World represents a place of great affection - affection for the resort but also affection for my kids. It is a place where I can spoil my children. Nothing makes me more emotional and happy than seeing my kids have the time of their lives. You cannot beat the family time at Disney World. It is the best!While we love the food, the rides and the variety you find at each park (they are all a little different), for me it is the family time!!

 

[Valstew]

It’s memories of the trip with my mom and dad, or the trip with my grandparents and cousin. But as an adult the first time my then non verbal 2 year old lit up on seeing Mickey and Minnie. My hubby has a difficult job and watching him just truely relax when we step into MK on our first day of vacation. We actually brought my mil for his first trip so she could see him act like a kid. Each trip had meltdowns and hiccups but those cannot take away from the fun and the magic that is Disney, No one trip will be perfect but the fun is in the imperfections for us.