When you got home after your first time at WDW, how did you feel?

[meloneyb21]

I really don't know how I felt. Disney just seemed so huge and overwhelming to me. It was so much to take in at one time. I told everyone on the phone "OMG, There's so much to do down here.", but when I got back home and everyone asked me how it was, my mind drew a blank. I can only remember what I did if I look at the pictures. When I got home, everything was just so scribbled and out of order in my head that I didn't know how to start telling people about it. It really is indescribable. It's one of those things where you say "You gotta GO there."

 

[runwad]

I kinda felt like that too, like it was too much to process. The second time we went I felt like we were vets and knew right where to go and what to do and had an even better time than the first and came home talking about it for months with all our friends and family.

 

[noahynav]

I may get flamed for this....but here goes. I was so happy to be home!!! I had a terrible time my first trip to Disney. We went the week of Christmas. First mistake. Huge crowds, long lines, etc. I was with my in laws....nuff said That was the second mistake. Also, my inlaws decided to bring all their grandkids (4 at the time, 1 was ours so he wasn't a problem) It was just me and Dh and his parents taking care of 4 kids under the age of 3. Those kids were SO NAUGHTY!!! UGH!! I can still remember it like it was yesterday. My son was 4 months old at the time and he was an angel the entire trip.

I have learned my lesson though. Since then Dh and I have started taking the annual trip just us and our kids. Now I love Disney!!! Going with your immediate family is the only way to go!!!!!

Edited to add...another huge mistake was not researching the trip at all. We had absolutely no clue. I think the whole trip I only rode 3 rides. How sad is that?

 

[Mom to Jordan]

While we loves WDW from the first trip, after a few trips and our learing how WDW was best for us to enjoy things got so much better. AFter our first trip DH was not that in to going back,Now he is excited about the next trip as we are.
Something that helps keep things kind of organized in your mind is to buy a handful of post cards when you arrive. EAch night makes so notes about your day on it. Nothing big, just "mikes 1st ride on SP" or we did Epcot today and it was so hot. Ate at Chef Mickey.
Just slow down and enjoy the day.

 

[matty624]

I may get flamed for this....but here goes. I was so happy to be home!!! I had a terrible time my first trip to Disney. We went the week of Christmas. First mistake. Huge crowds, long lines, etc. I was with my in laws....nuff said That was the second mistake. Also, my inlaws decided to bring all their grandkids (4 at the time, 1 was ours so he wasn't a problem) It was just me and Dh and his parents taking care of 4 kids under the age of 3. Those kids were SO NAUGHTY!!! UGH!! I can still remember it like it was yesterday. My son was 4 months old at the time and he was an angel the entire trip.

I have learned my lesson though. Since then Dh and I have started taking the annual trip just us and our kids. Now I love Disney!!! Going with your immediate family is the only way to go!!!!!

Edited to add...another huge mistake was not researching the trip at all. We had absolutely no clue. I think the whole trip I only rode 3 rides. How sad is that?

Well, I for one was extremely depressed!!!!!!
The first thing that struck me was how grey everything in the Uk is!!!! Weird I know, but for at least a week everything, buildings, roads just about everything looked very boring and grey.
It is difficult to describe it to others. But everyone that knows me, knows not to ask about it now. I bore them to death!!!!!!
Ian

 

[meloneyb21]

Well, since we're going again next year, that'll be my time to take things slow. I think that the first trip is so exciting that you want to do EVERYTHING and you end up being burnt-out and overwhelmed. Now that I know how it is, I'll know what to do and what not to do.

Something that helps keep things kind of organized in your mind is to buy a handful of post cards when you arrive. EAch night makes so notes about your day on it. Nothing big, just "mikes 1st ride on SP" or we did Epcot today and it was so hot. Ate at Chef Mickey.
Just slow down and enjoy the day.

That's a REALLY goog idea!

 

[WAHMto5]

I think the first trip is magical but every trip after the first is just soooo much better. With each trip you learn SOO much and it becomes soo much more enjoyable and less stressfull. Coming home is the worst part, I just start planning for the next one

 

[magicaldisney]

I think the first trip is magical but every trip after the first is just soooo much better. With each trip you learn SOO much and it becomes soo much more enjoyable and less stressfull. Coming home is the worst part, I just start planning for the next one

Absolutely agree!!

 

[zdesiree]

I loved the first time, but definitely the second time will be better, because we already know what to expect, and we will be able to move with more confidence.

In my case the worst part was the airport with three kids, each one with a backpack, two strollers, 4 adults, each one with 1 or 2 carry-ons, we left the medicines bag in the airplane, driving at night in a place you don't know, we got lost, we couldn't find the hotel, etc.

So basically, we really, really, really are looking forward for the second time to run smoother.

 

[DawnaJean]

I was so tired after the first family Disney vacation. We did try to see "everything" but it didn't feel at the end like I'd been on a normal "vacation". I was so worn out that I'm glad we came back on a Saturday and had Sunday to re-energize before going back to work. It was all worth it though!!! The following times we took it a bit slower (not much ) and had a great time too!

After four of us for a week at the All Stars, I felt like our house was so much bigger when we got home!

Dawna

 

[Grendalynn]

DH and I took our 2 boys, then 4 1/2 and 1, to Disney for the first time with My in laws and Bro and sis in law and their DD, 2 1/2. Then the great in-laws joined us for a few days... My sister also joined us for 2 days on the same trip. DH and I felt like we were on everyone else schedule and tried to... how do I say it, bear with me, but this is the best way I can describe the felling - "cram 30lbs of Sh*t into a 10lb bag", meaning we were go go go all the time. Not to mention having to please everyone involved. I think The kids kind of craved the "back to reality" feeling on that trip. BIL &DIL and DH and I had the drive back in the Motorhome to kind of unwind and recoup. The kids could sleep sleep sleep and get back on schedule. That was a good adjustment to blend back into the real world. We all had a great time and wouldn't trade the memories for the world. It was our first trip to WDW with our own kids and brought back a lot of memories from our childhoods.... It was better than I ever imagined it would be as parents! We will never forget it ...

However, when DH and I took our 2 boys on our last trip - and it was just us; We were on our own schedules, we did what we wanted to do when we wanted to do it. We answered to no one! We did the Land and Sea pkg, so we were always doing something and DH and I were ALWAYS together! We had a couples massage at Serenity Cove and spent some great QT togther, We had 10 days together 24-7, all 4 of us... we flew down to FLA this time, so there was no 24+ hour drive back to NH to unwind and recouperate. We both jumped right back into work where we left off and the the boys right back into school and activities... The kids eagerly awaited and craved the schedule and routine. But DH and I were lost w/o each other and felt anxious.; Seperation Anxiety for sure... Needless to say it wore off eventually, but it was an EVEN better trip than the first. And we cant wait to plan our trip with all 3 kids!

 

[Grendalynn]

... Did I mention that we felt like we needed a vaction for our vacation? We were so wiped out, we were ready for a lil R&R when we got home!! Thought the 4 days on the DCL would help with that, but we were still out and about every day and night. But it was all well worth it!

Next time we will take 2 weeks for our vacation ... one week for Disney and one week relaxing from Disney!

 

[mlwear]

First--I am so glad to read that second trips were as good or even better than first. Last year was our family's first and it was so wonderful that we just couldn't imagine a vacation anywhere else, but I have secretly been worried that it would be a little disappointing as the first time was magical because it was the first time. Make any sense?

How did I feel? EXHAUSTED. I was tired for a week, I kid you not. DH is a go-go-go kind of guy and we didn't get to rest at all. He wanted to squeeze in as much as he possibly could into that week. It was definitely fun, but every morning we were up at the crack of dawn and up late every night. No breaks in between. We NEVER went to the room to take a rest other than night. He was a crazy man and our two boys were right there with him It was a great time and I didn't get that "ok, it's time to go" feeling like I always do on vacation. But, I was really, really tired when we got home.

I'd like to think he'll slow down the pace this year, but there's no way.