Why do YOU go back to WDW?

[jheigl]

I was sitting here thinking about just what it is about the greatest place on earth that keeps me wanting to go back...and what it is about that happy place that gives me the feelings that I get at just the mere mention of "Walt Disney World".

While I can't really explain my love affair...ok, obsession with WDW, I can try. I would like to hear everyone elses' "stories" as well!

I first went to WDW like many of us have; as a young kid. I was about 8 years old, at an age where I feel was a perfect time to make AND remember the magic and the memories. Growing up in a single parent home, we never had A LOT. What we had was enough for us, and my mom did the best she could to get us everything we wanted, but it just wasn't possible. However, we were able to make a trip once a year for four straight years (probably because of tax returns and gifts from family member passings). She knew this is what we wanted the most, even if it wasn't the most logical choice. Anyway, we always had the time of our lives and never wanted to leave. We were always well behaved kids and knew right from wrong, so discipline while in "the World" was not an issue.

Fast forward to my early adulthood. I had the opportunity to go back for my first visit in 10 years back in 2007. I went with my mom and the memories and incredible feelings came back as soon as we landed at the parking lot entrance at Epcot (the first park we visited). Those feelings lasted the entire trip, and solidified my obsession for WDW. I can't explain the type of feelings or emotions that I get...I'm not great with words, but I guess experiencing those feelings and emotions gives me a sort of "WDW high". Nothing else seems to matter, other than what park to go to today...

Sorry for the rant and ramble. I would be interested in hearing your stories of why you love WDW the way you do and WHY you keep going back for more. Can anyone explain what it is that does this to us?

My opinion, I think it is something that they pump through the air along with the sweet smell of delicious sweets on Main Street, U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom!

 

[burberryplaid]

My story is vastly different than yours. My family was very poor, so I never had the opportunity to visit WDW until 3 years ago, although I've always had a love for all things Disney.

What I found when I arrived was one of the only places on Earth where I truly feel relaxed and I feel like a kid again. It sounds cliche, but it's truly magical and I find myself going back time and time again just to chase that feeling!

 

[tinkerfan1]

Our lives are so stressful but when we go to Disney World, all our troubles just melt away. Like you said, it is in the air....magical. We love going to Disney World and truly can not get enough. When we aren't in Disney World, we are talking about our last trip there or planning for an upcoming trip. The sites, the sounds, the smells, the feeling... It is all encompassing and we just love it. Try explaining it to somebody who hasn't been and they just can't quite grasp the feeling. It is something that truly can not be explained until it has been experienced, in my opinion.

 

[mrstomrice]

We just booked our 7th trip since we were married nearly 9 years ago. My sons have both been nearly each year that they have been alive. I have been almost every year of my life as well. It brings back wonderful memories of growing up and going nearly every year with my family, staying at FW in a motorhome to going with my own friends, introducing it to my DH and now the best times...taking my own boys. In my opinion, it is a great value compared to other typical family vacations. We even considered going somewhere else this year and when it was all priced out, it couldn't compare to the trip you will have to Disney: The theming is incredible, every detail in every park is perfect, the CM's are wonderful, dole whip is sold here, my sons still talk about things that have happened on past trips, it is clean family fun! We look forward to taking our boys here for years to come, then branch out to National Parks when they are old enough to appreciate those as well.
I get as excited as the kids do in the planning, riding the monorail, and walking down Main Street, seeing the castle welcoming us at the end. I feel lucky to be able to go and share the magic with my family!

 

[BonnieA]

I didn't go to WDW as a kid because it didn't exist. But when we did start going, we took my parents. When my mother was no longer able to go, I took my father. He became my best disney buddy. So now when I go back I have all the memories of all the good times. I know they are both with me there in spirit.
Besides that, I think they put something in the water to encourage you to return.

 

[topmonkeygirl]

For me Disney is everything that is good and right with the world, it brings back the feelings of childhood when there were no worries. It brings the magic to life. You just know that there is something new and exciting around the next corner, and also an old friend just waiting to welcome you back. Most everyone is Happy, there are no bills, no house cleaning, no cooking, just fun. It's just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it.

 

[megan926]

I think, for me, Disney is a place of warm memories, as well as a place to forget about reality!

I first went to Disney World when I was 5, although I don't remember much, looking at pictures and hearing stories, I have many memories. This was my first "meeting" with the Polynesian and I fell in love!

I went back in high school with friends and had a whole new set of experiences.

Then in college, my love affair really began! I worked in the college program in 1997. I made the best friends of my life, had the best experiences of my life, and have so many wonderful memories. I got to experience Disney in a whole new way. Loved loved loved it.

I went back so many times after (still having friends there).

Then in 2004...I made even MORE memories @ the Poly. My DH and I got married there! And started our honeymoon @ Disney!

In 2008 I took my daughter there for her first trip (she was 2). Again, I saw Disney from a different perspective.

And this year we are going back again. I relive all my amazing fun experiences each time I go. It is like opening a scrapbook or a picture walk. Reliving old memories while making new one.

I Disney World!

 

[disnee4mygirls]

I went for my first time as a Disney Store Employee. (back when the Disney Stores in the malls were still magical) I had worked for the Disney Store in my local mall for about 6 months and the airlines had cheap air sales so I bit! I wasn't expecting much but had to see what all the hoopla was about! I remember watching one of the parades for the first time and looking around at all the children with their big eyes getting all excited and screaming with laughter, it brought a tear to my eye and gave me the chills. I have been addicted ever since. after that first visit I have been back every six months to a year. (I was in my 20's the first time I went as we were always overseas growing up) I even moved to Florida for a year and a half to work at Disney World. I loved feeling 'part of it all' and even now that we have moved away, my heart is always in Disney World! (what was I thinking to move away from there ) We have now taken our kids so many times and they love it as much as I do-just can't seem to get DH into it though but he goes for me. I would never think of taking a trip anywhere that didn't include a stop at DW!

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

I grew up going as often as we could afford it (about every 3-4 years). I always found something new mixed in the our favorites. I grew up on the Disney channel and all of the old live action and animated movies.

My student asked me the other day why I was so passionate about it and I told him it was because WDW held such warm memories as a kid and I just enjoy being down there. Youc an go and completely escape from it all. The outside world can or doesn't exist (we hardly ever turn on the TV at night). Nothing exists for us but our family and our trip.

 

[Cee]

It's my happy place.

 

[scot@dvcstore]

Disney is a magical place. Everything from Disney dining options to the Disney Resorts and theme parks are better than can be imagined. Whenever I visit with family, we always leave with a smile on our faces and anticipation of our next visit which happens to be AKV tommorow for a nights stay and a special family dinner at Boma.

 

[queenmum2]

because there are so many reasons.

I never went to WDW as a kid. My first trip, I was college-age and I went with my sister and her young children. A few years later, I went after my graduation with my boyfriend (now, my DH). Both of these trips were fun, but my real affection for WDW came later when traveling with my husband and young children for the first time, in 2003. That was when I was hooked once and for all.

What I love about Disney is that you can be a total kid! There is so much to see and do. The kid in my loves running from one ride or show to the next. The cerebral adult in me thrills at the immaculate theming. The Mommy in me loves seeing the joy my kids get out of the whole thing. The wife in me enjoys finding romantic vistas and stealing a moment with my DH. The foodie in me adores finding new and delicious world cuisine at EPCOT and the resorts. And the part of me that is sometimes - ok, most-of-the-time - less than confident? Well, that part of me disappears at WDW because I can always find my way around.

I have wondered whether the enjoyment my DH and I get out of WDW again and again has to do with "family placement". Both of us are the youngest of our families. His older siblings can't wrap their minds around what we find enjoyable time after time. So it will be interesting to me to see what others think.

Tracie

 

[TLinden16]

This type of discussion would be a better firt on the theme parks community board, so I'm going to move it there now.

 

[DAZY3BYZ]

It truly is my family's happy place! No other vacation allows us to feel the way that we do at Disney. Neither my DH or myself had been able to go to Disney as kids so our first times were when we shared it with our boys. It transports you back to your childhood and a simpler time without the stress of the real world. Our family comes together at Disney like no other place. We relive old memories and make new ones with each visit. At Disney, you escape the real world and are immersed in the magic of Disneyworld.

 

[ABitDistracted]

DH and I have been together for 11 years, and we had never taken a vacation. We had every excuse in the book - no time...no money....kids too young...no one to watch the pets (really).

Last September, I bit the bullet and booked 9 nights at WDW. It was awesome -- for all of us. Spending the time together as a family without the phone ringing, and distractions from our business and other jobs was just the best. We laughed more than we had in years. That alone was worth it.

We're going back to WDW in October and I haven't told my family yet! We loved visiting before Christmas, but we love Halloween even more. I can't wait to take what we learned on our first trip and and make this trip even better.

 

[PoohsFan1]

My DH and I have had this conversation many times and we both feel that Disney is the most Magical place on Earth (literally). There is no other place that submerges you in the magic 24/7. Disney also has awesome service and is more affordable than other destinations. It is a place that we can just let all of our worries from the "Real World" go and just be ourselves and have fun with our kids because we instantly become kids again as soon as we step on the ME. The funny thing is I have always had the Disney bug, thanks to my parents, and my DH was so-so about it (he liked it, but not loved it), until the last couple of trips because now he can't get enough of it. He has finally been bitten by it and wants to keep going back . We are getting ready to go on our 3rd trip in 12 months (never thought in a million years we would be doing that) and we just talked last night that we would like to try DCL later this year. Now if I can just talk him into DVC, then we will be set for life

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Tough to explain-there is just something about WDW, the way it makes me feel to be there in all the disney magic. I do think it has something to do with the fact that my now husband and I took our first vacation there together when we were 22. We have since gone numerous times and it is always magical.

 

[MouseloverJD]

I fell in love with the Disney animated movies - Beauty and the Beast especially, in high school. My family never went on vacation while growing up. I went to Disneyland, CA in 2000 but didn't fall in love w/ Disneyworld until 2003. One of my nieces was begging to go to disneyworld (she was about 4 at the time). Various relatives promise to take her but never did. Since I was finally done w/ my schooling and was working full-time, I wanted to take a vacation and tell her ok, we'll go. I come across a time share offer, four days, three nights plus park tickets. I say yeah!! I booked a trip for me, my five year old and my seven year old nieces. We had a fabulous time. Since then have been back every year for the past 7 years.

To this day it is the first trip was the best Disney trip I've ever had. The wonder, the sheer joy of seeing all the things that I had read or seen on TV in person. I felt like such a kid again. I love introducing people to Disneyworld, b/c I get to experience that feeling over and over again through them.

Disneyworld is the only vacation that I go on and everything else disappears. When I go, I just forget the world outside Disney exists. I completely forget about work. My days are so filled that I don't think about what's waiting for me on my desk, about checking my voicemail at work or anything else. I just exist for the experience.

Its hard explaining to others why I love going to Disney so much. Many don't get it b/c I don't have any kids of my own. I often get tired of explaining that Disney is not just for kids. Its for anyone who believes in magic and dreams.

 

[lorraine31]

Every year we say that it's our last, as we've done everything and then it comes round to booking up next year's holiday and we can't think of anywhere else to go. We can't stand the thought if going somewhere where you just lie on a beach for 2 weeks and don't do anything. Disney has so much to offer in terms of things to do and see. So much variety.

This year we had said def not Florida, yet the alternative was France, with some time at Disneyland Paris. Just can't stay away. I need my Disney fix.

 

[PrincessYessenia]

I hate to sound cliche but Disney is a part of my life. I couldn't imagine my life without it. To name a few reasons why I come back: the food, the atmosphere, the RIDES, the decor, the memories I make every single visit...It's my Happy Place and I honestly feel "at home" whenever I'm there.