What your parents did wrong that you now do right?

[abinormal]

I get what you're going for. I went to WDW when I was an infant, a toddler, age 7, and age 17. They were enjoyable trips (what I remember anyway), but I did do some things differently when I took my own family.

We never stayed anywhere. It was always a single day trip, to MK only. While fun, I always wanted to see the other parks. We stayed in Clearwater with a relative, and I chose to do a multi-day trip and stay in a hotel.

The multi-day part also helped with the pacing. Since my family only did single day visits, the day would always be crammed and go-go-go. No rides you could do at any place, like the carousel. I enjoyed being a bit more leisurely on our latest trip.

I was also very excited to eat onsite. We would get snacks but rarely ate at even a QS. Usually we packed food. Obviously I was very lucky to have ever gone, but that doesn't mean I want to do everything the same way.

 

[kathy884]

My parents first took me to WDW in 1971 when I was 10. They loved the place, we had a motorhome and would go down almost every Christmas and Spring Break, sometimes changing it up and going somewhere else in Florida. They still love the place and at 80 and 81, just invited us to come down -- They have an offsite condo they are renting for two weeks and offered to fly us down and join them for a few days. They are still doing it right. // They like Orlando more than other places in Florida as they think it is less weather dependent and like the combination a theme park days and resort days.

I don't really think there is a right or wrong way. Different people have different preferences. We, for example, like Orlando, but tend to just go down for one annual trip a year -- maybe four nights/three days and usually do our main vacation out west in the summer -- We love the mountains and DH in particular isn't into theme parks, meaning a mini trip often with DH not going is more our style. Also, we aren't as much into resort days as they are -- hanging at the pool, mini golf, tennis, resort organized activities alternating with some theme park time was perfect for them. They always had more vacation time and took longer vacations to Orlando than we ever have -- two weeks at Christmas, one or two weeks at spring break etc. We have shorter vacations, so really wouldn't schedule more than one resort day per trip.

 

[lisski76]

My parents never took us to Disney. In fact, the only trips we did were to visit family BUT the one thing my parents did right was to never take us away from the beach. Lived near it my whole life and now as an adult I've been to Disney 10+ times. Win/win in my book.

 

[paradesintherain]

My goodness, I feel like people are willfully ignoring what was intended by this thread.

I think it's a fun idea! But my dad planned our trips so well, I can't think of anything we should have done differently. It's weird to think that we actually only went to Disney World twice in my childhood - once when I was in the third grade and once when I was 14.

 

[THEDISNEYTHREE]

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[EdmondD]

My goodness, I feel like people are willfully ignoring what was intended by this thread.

Ha. I'll take the blame...as the OP, the original post was supposed to have a lighthearted tone to it but I guess I failed in that. People seem to be interpreting it as overly negative, whether purposefully or not. A good message board maxim is: people sometimes respond to a thread with their own interpretation if it better fits what they want to say.

Maybe I'll start one on "what did your parents do right that you learned from and now you also do" and it will be all rainbows and butterflies.

 

[Chax]

For those of you who think my parents were amazing, maybe I should add that despite my clear preference for a RED BMW for my 16th birthday, I got a TAN one. Further, they'd pay my allowance in $100 bills, which are hard to break!

You are cracking me up!
I can only hope to read such funny posts about me as a parent in a decade or 2.

What my mom did wrong was take me to DLP when I was 10 or so. Never had a thing with Disney, but ever since... I'm hooked!
Because of that trip (which was amazing; 4 days MK and staying at Camp Davey Crocket, thus taking all the time we needed and then some) my husband (and parents, and inlaws) now have to listen to my daily Disneyworldfact and get daily countdownsituationinfoupdate (which is 390 days by the way....)

 

[EdmondD]

LOL

 

[paradesintherain]

Ha. I'll take the blame...as the OP, the original post was supposed to have a lighthearted tone to it but I guess I failed in that. People seem to be interpreting it as overly negative, whether purposefully or not. A good message board maxim is: people sometimes respond to a thread with their own interpretation if it better fits what they want to say.

Maybe I'll start one on "what did your parents do right that you learned from and now you also do" and it will be all rainbows and butterflies.

There's no right or wrong! They just did stuff a certain way, that you happened to enjoy!

 

[KenHutch]

My parents never took us they said it was to expensive. Fast forward to me being a parent. When my daughter was 5 we went for the 1st time. Two weeks staying at Riverside with the basic meal plan and 2 rooms ( one for me and the girl the other for her mother and great aunt ) Well I spent about 6k on the trip and when the girl called her mamaw she was talking and talking about breakfast in the castle and eating at OHana's. Well my mother asked my how much I spent and I told her with everything gas.food the traveling and her loot about 6k Total silence on the phone for about 10 seconds and she erupts with YOU SPENT 6K ON ONE LITTLE GIRL? My answer yes she's my little girl. My parents made good money but worried about spending it for things like entertainment. Next June will be our 5th trip and Gwen is already planning on going when she has kids (turns out I might get invited LOL)

 

[mom2rtk]

My parents never took us they said it was to expensive. Fast forward to me being a parent. When my daughter was 5 we went for the 1st time. Two weeks staying at Riverside with the basic meal plan and 2 rooms ( one for me and the girl the other for her mother and great aunt ) Well I spent about 6k on the trip and when the girl called her mamaw she was talking and talking about breakfast in the castle and eating at OHana's. Well my mother asked my how much I spent and I told her with everything gas.food the traveling and her loot about 6k Total silence on the phone for about 10 seconds and she erupts with YOU SPENT 6K ON ONE LITTLE GIRL? My answer yes she's my little girl. My parents made good money but worried about spending it for things like entertainment. Next June will be our 5th trip and Gwen is already planning on going when she has kids (turns out I might get invited LOL)

I would have answered that question with something like "It was worth every penny". Assuming of course that it was. But I never would have given a dollar amount.

Glad you are enjoying Disney with your daughter!