What's the make up of this group????

[DisneyFirstTimer10]

Newbies vs Park Veterans?

Curious as to the population of the disboards- Would you classify yourself as a Disney newbie or a Disney veteran? I feel like my responses to some of your questions may vary based off this status.

We were pretty much Disney newbies in 2010- had a 5 day vacation with two kids under 4- and we spent the majority of those days inside a park getting what we thought was the most value out of the pretty price we paid. Fast forward 7 years and 6 trips later and our touring style has COMPLETELY changed.

 

[JacknSally]

This October will be my 25th anniversary with visiting WDW. I consider myself a vet, definitely.

 

[DisneyFirstTimer10]

This October will be my 25th anniversary with visiting WDW. I consider myself a vet, definitely.

Have you found that your touring style has changed over the years? When we first went I feel like i forced my family to spend every minute in the parks. Now that we have gone several times- the kids like to hit the parks early until lunch- then spend the rest of the day at the resort swimming. As they get older I am curious how that will change!

 

[gap2368]

I stopped counting on my 8th trip, this year. tomorrow marks another trip for me. been going since I was born most years a few times. took off about 10-15 years and the past 3 years I have made up missed time and I have gone at least 8+ trips from anywhere from a day trip to a 7-day trip.

 

[eileenjez]

We're relatively new to WDW. We've only been there about 5 times. The thing is I can't say how many times we have been to Disneyland CA. We got AP's when they were fist available there. We were there at least once a week. Husband was at DL opening day. I didn't get there until 1960. Have been going ever since.

 

[JacknSally]

Have you found that your touring style has changed over the years? When we first went I feel like i forced my family to spend every minute in the parks. Now that we have gone several times- the kids like to hit the parks early until lunch- then spend the rest of the day at the resort swimming. As they get older I am curious how that will change!

I started going when I was 3, so it's definitely changed, haha. DH and I started going together in 2015, for our honeymoon, and all my trips prior to that were with my parents and siblings. DH and I are much more go-with-the-flow than I remember my prior trips being. We like to do early mornings in one park, go back to the room to change and rest for a bit, and finish the evening in another park. We also really enjoy spending time in Disney Springs.

 

[FortForever]

My first trip was a a child in December 1971. Been going every year since then, until we moved to Florida 10 years ago. Now we go half dozen or so times per year.

 

[FelisLachesis]

I'm going on my 3rd trip ever, and my 2nd in the last 4 years this January. However, all the online research and discussions on various forums makes it feel like I have the Disney theory down pat. Now to see if the application comes close to the theory

 

[Felicis]

I went to Paris DL in 1998. And we are going to DW at the end of this month. *squee*

I do hope to get to the others one day, but this is wiping out our travel budget for quite some time!

 

[Alicenwonderment]

Not sure where I would put myself. I did college program and advanced internship but I last worked there in 2000. I know there is a ton of new stuff now that I haven't seen. I guess I'd place myself in other but that wasn't a choice.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I have an AP and have been to WDW 20+ times since my first trip in 2000. Been with the whole family, just me and DW, me and one of the kiddos, and solo. I've stayed at about 60% of the resorts and eaten at about 50% of the restaurants. I know my way around WDW pretty well.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I've lost track of the specific number, but I've been to and stayed on WDW property over 30 times, the majority of those over the past 7 years. On our last trip, DS9 started referring to me as "the map" because apparently I can plan touring on the fly down to where the closest bathroom is, LOL! Our touring has definitely changed. We used to cram everything in and it became miserable. Transportation has become a huge factor in our touring and I try to keep it convenient and to a minimum (uber, left, Minnie Vans are our friends!). We also enjoy our resorts more and tend to focus trips on very specific "must-do's" (a new restaurant, special event, ride, etc.). If we miss a ride, we shrug it off. On our last trip, one of our favorite activities was jogging from WL to Ft. W and visiting the stable to see the horses. We are definitely stopping to smell the roses at this point!

 

[karly05]

I kind of cheated and voted "getting there" although I've been 6 times in the past 10 years (and twice before that). I guess I'm kind of a vet, but definitely minor league compared to our super-vets here! I have some experience, but I still feel like 70% of what I do know is from reading the DIS!

 

[luvallprincesses]

Have you found that your touring style has changed over the years? When we first went I feel like i forced my family to spend every minute in the parks. Now that we have gone several times- the kids like to hit the parks early until lunch- then spend the rest of the day at the resort swimming. As they get older I am curious how that will change!

We've always been rope droppers and back to the resort for an afternoon nap, which started because we always seemed to have one little who needed a good, quiet resort nap. DH loved to be the one to bus back for that, and often I would stay at a park with any older child who wanted to stay, and DH and little would meet back up with us. Now, 10 is our youngest, and usually after lunch we all are ready to go chill, not necessarily nap but put our feet up or go to the pool. We usually go back to each park one evening to catch the night show. Other evenings we enjoy a meal at another resort, do the monorail loop, watch the resort movie, or play cards somewhere on our resort property. Definitely much more laid back than our first few trips had been. That's a combination of the kids getting older, taking longer trips less often, and enough experience to not feel like we have to hit everything.

 

[PSUGuy]

We've averaged a trip per year since 1999, learned and saved tons by coming to this site.

Bill From PA

 

[FastPasser.]

I think I may qualify as a vet by now. It's difficult to estimate how many weeks or days I've been to WDW, but it's been waaay too many. It's probably between 2 and 3 thousand days. But I'm still learning.

 

[lovethattink]

I think I may qualify as a vet by now. It's difficult to estimate how many weeks or days I've been to WDW, but it's been waaay too many. It's probably between 2 and 3 thousand days. But I'm still learning.

Same here! No matter how many times I go, seems something's new or changing.

 

[firefly_ris]

This October will be my 7th trip to WDW since my first trip as a 6 year old in 1989. I've been more "into" Disney trip planning since 2009. We do a lot of other vacations in between. Every couple of years would be nice to me but not always plausible.

 

[nooneshome]

My first & only DL visit was in the summer of 1966. My first of many trips to WDW was October 2004. I'm not sure if we still would be going to WDW if it weren't for the DIS and all the great people who post here!!! Thanks Pete and all your great cast members!!!

 

[persimmondeb]

We started ten years ago, and I've been seven times since, my son six times, and my DH five. Our next trip is in December. We took a DCL cruise last year. This is a stretch for us, but so worth it!