When did you realize that Disney ruined you for anyplace else?

[sydprincess]

What a great post! I am constantly saying to DH, "Disney wouldn't do things this way" or, "It's nice, but it's not Disney." I'll say this about practically anything- a movie, a restaurant, the zoo, you name it. At times, doing this depresses me because it's a reminder of how I can't wait to return to the World, but at the same time, doesn't let me forget just how special it is.

 

[Partridge4ever]

I think most of us who answered that we are ruined for any place else are comparing WDW to other theme parks/manmade attractions. I would never compare a trip to WDW w/a trip to Ireland. We enjoyed Myrtle Beach, but it takes the same amount of time to get to WDW and if we want a beach, we can always drive over to Vero or somewhere for the day.

We took a trip out West last summer. The Grand Canyon was gorgeous. The Petrified Forest was amazing. We've seen them and chances are we won't go back. I do plan to take the kids to Washington D.C., NYC, and other East Coast cities in a couple of years. Someday I want to go to Rome. And my ultimate dream destination if I ever win the lottery is Antarctica to see penguins. But the place I want to return to as often as possible is WDW.

 

[ton80]

When I Was "forced To Go To Wdw" On Our Honeymoon
Walked Down Main Street For The 1st Time The Resty Is History.
Usually Go To Sesame Street Park In Pa. In The Summer But It Does
Not Even Compare To The World.


Dixie Landings 9/98 Honeymoon
All Star Sports 9/99
Off Site 9/99
Bwv 11/04
Akl 03/05
Purchased Dvc 04/05
Ssr 11/05 1st Time "home"
Bcv 11/06

 

[8 Ears]

Long story- short. We have had a blank check before! We were given a cruise ANYWHERE! It was worth $2,500.00! But it had to be used for a cruise. We chose the Land/Sea and spent our time and check on Disney!! Do we regret not going somewhere else? Nope! Not in the least!

 

[Terk-1]

My first trip in 1980. After that, was completely hooked. Last year was the first time in many years that I did not do my annual trip to WDW. Went to CA to visit with family, but did go to DL. DL was ok, but I think I'm just spoiled with WDW. A family member asked me where something was at DL's version of DTD and as it's completely different from WDW's, I told them I had no idea. BUT, plunk me down anywhere at WDW and I can tell you where to find most anything.

People ask me all the time, "Why do you keep going back?" I tell them that every year there is something new and different. You can visit Italy, France, Canada, etc. and never need a passport. It's the one place that you can be a kid at any age. It's the one place that as soon as you see that sign for Walt Disney World, all your problems seem to just melt away.

 

[DeirdreTours]

We love Disney.....And have been many times.....BUT we also love Universal and Hawaii and Paris and southern Spain and all the other beautiful places in the world...

I can't even imagine how someone could go to Hawaii and find themselves wishing to be at Disney instead! Jeez. What a small world.

 

[bytheblood]

Never. I love Disney, but have not made an idol of it. I will admit, I would not mind visiting maybe every other year, but I want to visit other places, too. Cruises, Hawaii, Europe, Universal, DisneyLand...any place that is outside of TX.

 

[EEYOREMAMA]

We go to Lowry Park, Busch Gardens and other places that make us realize how much DW offers families. We are a true DW family. We could go anywhere else, but DW is home-away-from-home. We know it's not perfect, but we are willing to overlook any imperfections when we see what else is out there. The only other nonDisney attraction we enjoy is SeaWorld. We do that when we have Disney blackout dates because they don't have any days that we can't go.

 

[HarryLeg]

I wan't to visit other places and Disney every year. Other places have their appeal, but no where else but WDW can I be a child again and not have to worry. For this reason WDW is a relaxing place for me. I've found that my vactions don't need to be physically relaxing to to help deal with the rest of the year though we relax at WDW. We do other vacations and love the caribbean (Bequia, Grenada), All inclusive (Iberostar - Playa del Carmen), Yosemite (Breathtaking and want to go back). My family prefers warm weather/water destinations. I grew up with access to Myrtle Beach every weekend and am spoiled (I Now live 30 mins. from Ocean City MD, and the water is too cold for me to enjoy). WDW is still #1 and the first place I think of when I think vacation.

 

[ugadog99]

Well, everytime we try to make vacation plans for somewhere else, we always end up right back at WDW. Seriously, we have toyed with several different ideas for summer vacation. Everytime we would say "but what about Disney?" So, now we are back to planning a June trip to our favorite vacation destination.

 

[dpuck1998]

I'm with "Harryleg", we do Disney at least once a year, but always go somewhere else every year too. Just in case we find somewhere else we like as much.

 

[Amy&Dan]

About 2 minutes after my husband and I walked through the turnstiles at Disneyland we knew something really magical was happening for our family of four. Since then (2003) we have been to DL and WDW many times. We no longer attempt to explain our love of Disney to anyone, including ourselves. We also love going on beach vacations for the relaxing nature of it but don't go for those as often or long as we used to. WDW is now our hands down favorite vacation with DL running an extremely close second. I agree there are other things to do travelwise. Yet to me, vacationing and travelling is about what makes you happy and allows you to live the other 50 weeks of your year without going crazy. So if WDW is what does it for some of us, we aren't living in a Small World, we're living in our world and we love it! I also think the superior customer service we have experienced at the parks, resorts, restaurants and even on the transportation has just spoiled us. Where else can you see a castle, get a hug from a princess, visit another "country", enjoy a first rate meal and a Mickey shaped ice cream bar all in one day?

 

[nhdisnut]

I'm with "Harryleg", we do Disney at least once a year, but always go somewhere else every year too. Just in case we find somewhere else we like as much.

Us too! We generally head to WDW every April but plan another trip to somewhere else during the summer months (SF and Yosemite last summer - what a wonderful trip!!).

This is an interesting discussion because the one question/comment I get from non-WDW lovers is: "Haven't you 'done' Disney?" or "Aren't there other places to go?" We try to strike a balance, but will always go back to the magic!!

 

[DisneyJen0504]

My first trip with Dh years ago. That same year we went to Six Flags in NJ and well, it was just sad. We compared it to WDW all afternoon and finally just left.

 

[luvfigment]

I've known since I was at least 8 yrs old. My parents used to ask my sister and I where we wanted to go on vacation and we would say DISNEY WORLD!! They would say we could go anywhere and yet we still chose Disney World. One year we even made out own veruses to the Mickey Mouse March Song about our favorite rides and things to do. We recorded it and left it for our parents to listen too. We were then hooked.

I am still hooked and am always wanting to go. Last year my DFi and I went for the first time and he was not too sure about going. Well as soon as we got home he was saying how he wanted to go back and in June we are! Now I know he is now hooked also.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

When did you realize that Disney ruined you for anyplace else?

never

I no longer travel to disney. It was fun when I did, but it's not for me anymore. Stone Mountain and Atlanta GA is the place for DH and I now.

 

[jamzots]

We have a family saying in my house whenever we take a non-Disney trip and things are less than perfect, for example if they don't serve ice cream sundaes at one of the restaurants, one of us, or the kids will say "were not in Disney anymore, Toto"

 

[PixiDust04]

I'd have to say that Disney ruined me for anywhere else after about 5 minutes, my very first time there (in 1995)! I was in 4th grade, and we've gone every year since then, because my whole family got hooked!

We go to other places every year, but they are just weekend trips "up north," and we don't expect it to be anything like Disney. I've also gone on a trip to Germany/Switzerland/Austria, but I wasn't comparing it to Disney because I knew it would be nothing like it (it isn't a theme park or anything, and it was a totally different way of life...) We've done WDW and Disneyland, and really enjoyed both. We usually do a day at Universal, but I find it to be lacking in the "magic" department (but I'm all about that aspect...if the 'spark' isn't there, I don't enjoy it as much). When we go to WDW, we usually have to stay one night off-site, and we are always comparing other hotels to Disney hotels. Nothing compares! I just got back from a week at the Vistana, and it was very nice, but I kept telling my dad that I would have rather been at OKW! There is just nothing like being totally surrounded with the magic of Disney!

I agree as well, nowhere else pays as much attention to detail, and nowhere else has such friendly employees, clean facilities, and such a good price! So much is included in the price of a Disney park ticket and hotel room...it really makes me mad even when I go to the state fair and have to have tickets to go on every ride! I am just always wanting to be at WDW, or am always begging my dad to plan another trip, "quick!" I like to have something so great to look forward to. Disney is all I talk about, and my boyfriend already told me that he would like to go back when we save the money (we went once together already and loved it)! We're trying to plan a trip with two of our good friends, because they hear me talk about it all the time and they want to see what its all about!

 

[binkyboots]

never!

I love disneyworld, it's a very easy holiday, most places are wheelchair accesible, the weather is nice, the customer service (usually) is excellent...

my dh had a blast and we are booked to go again in '07

but for myself, I prefer a nice old town, interesting graveyards, little shops... just wandering round, looking at where the locals live, to satisfy my wanderlust we're heading for sweden this summer for a driving holiday with my mum, sister and her little girl.

 

[EEYOREMAMA]

We have a family saying in my house whenever we take a non-Disney trip and things are less than perfect, for example if they don't serve ice cream sundaes at one of the restaurants, one of us, or the kids will say "were not in Disney anymore, Toto"

OKAY! We must live in the same house.

We share the same saying here too. We are more than willing to take the occasional "imperfection" from WDW, than hit everyone else's ongoing imperfections. At least once a day, DW, DH or one of our 2 DSs will say that same exact, statement. Always followed by a look from the rest of that says "we know."