Now, let me first say that I will definitely be back, I will keep coming back. It also has nothing to do with any kind of negative experience from my trip last week. But after our second trip in 15 months where both were 9 nights long, I feel like we have hit a wall of sorts. Of course, there are always new things that will come along. We can’t wait to see Toy Story Land and Star Wars Land, but honestly I think I am getting to the point where I don’t have the same need to come back as often, or certainly for that length of time. My boys are getting older, 11 & 9, and we like to go experience new things.
Is this just the post vacation depression talking or am I really coming to the end of the line? Has anyone else been thorugh this?
Maybe some of each. Don’t get me wrong, I love WDW, but with as many times as I have been there over the years, after I’ve been there for 5-7 days, my appetite has been sated and I’m certainly not counting the days until my next trip. I think if I was able to go for a week every other year I’d be perfectly happy. It’s going on 4 years for me right now, and I’m ready to go back; I’m at least mentally toying with a Fall 2018 trip.
Now if I lived in Orlando and had an annual pass, I could see myself making numerous day trips over the course of a year, but that’s a lot different than a full-on week-long saturation trip…
No offense to some of the other responders, but I actually think it’s normal and healthy to “mature” into some other new activities. I also like to try new things, and on my “big” vacations tend to travel someplace new each time. As kids get older, interests change…help them see the world. I would suggest a trip to any one of the great national parks or fascinating cities within the US. If you have the interest and resources, international travel is very educational. Although Epcot is nice, it obviously isn’t as nice as the “real thing.” Of course, there are so many fabulous places not represented there. Start by trying to figure out are you an “outdoorsy adventure” type, or “culture” type or sit on a beach and relax type. While you can combine, certainly a trip to New Zealand or Iceland will be more outdoorsy compared to Paris or Rome. One of my absolute favorites was Machu Piccu/Galapagos. Family is planning trip to Costa Rica this summer…zip lining, rainforest canopy walks (possible river rafting), waterfall rappelling, and a couple days on the beach. Plus giving WDW a break makes you enjoy it more when you return.
We go once a year and I swear almost every time that after a 14 day stay we will probably not come back the following year. Were burned out. On the way to the Airport on the Magical Express you watch the Goodbye film and you start to soften up. By the time we get off the bus to catch our flight we are already thinking about next year. The thing is we just do not do WDW but go other places as well. You need all types of adventures in your and your children’s life so do travel. WDW is the Magic which you know is not real but it is real while your there. It’s hard to explain, but no matter where else you go it just is not the same. I have this grown niece that is a Disney fanatic. She and her family go every year and they even bought a DVC timeshare. She is always stating that they are going to take a break from WDW but after about a month she is already planning another stay. She just can’t help it. I am sure this is not everyone but as you may notice on this blog, it sure is for a lot of us.
To each their own. I’m going on my second trip in 5.5 years and I feel it is a little too soon, but there are other factors at play. My wife and I have talked about doing a big holiday every 2-3 years and every 2nd or 3rd big holiday would be WDW until the kids are older. So I guess that puts us at a WDW trip every 2 to 6 years.
I don’t understand this post Personally but I do understand wanting to see other things. Last year we took all the kids to Jekyll Island and it was amazing! I like seeing new things however Disney is easy and we always have a magical time!
We went to Disney for 10 years in a row and then one year we went to Discovery Cove. Our kids loved it so much that we decided it was time to take a break from Disney. They were around the same age as your kids(14, 11, and 6). We took them to actually swim with the stingrays in Grand Cayman and that was the start of moving on from Disney. That being said, our middle child is now visiting colleges and is looking at one 90 minutes from Disney. This prompted our youngest to beg for one more trip to Disney and we agreed. Will the obsession begin again after 6 years away from the park? I don’t know but my kids really do prefer international travel!
Perhaps, it’s time to try someplace else and see if Disney calls your heart back! Happy travels!
Thanks everyone for all of the responses. There certainly is a wide range of opinions out there. We do enjoy taking our boys other places as well. So much can be learned through unique experiences. I think for me what I am feeling is that I have lost a little bit of the sense of challenge. It got something going inside of me to find the ways to get the most out of the parks, and to try to do everything. Though I realize that I haven’t actually done “everything” int he parks. I feel like we have been able to do all of things that we want to do, and I have reached a level of planning mastery that has made it so the challenge of planning out the days isn’t quite the same either.
I will definitely be back, I think it is more the post trip syndrome than anything. In fact, we are already talking about our next trip, a couple nights at WDW before taking our first Disney Cruise, so we will see how that goes.
I get it. We only go every two years and I spend a year planning each trip. Even with that long span I have to make an effort to keep it fresh. We stay at a new resort every time, try new dining experiences, see new rides or rides we skipped last trip, try different premium experiences. For me it’s a balance between my love of Disney planning and my desire for shiny new things.
Our boys are also 10 and 12. After 3 previous trips as a family, last year we planned our first day away from WDW during our 10 day stay. It was a fun (but stressful) day at Legoland, and made me appreciate all the magic that is found at WDW. We also try to plan trips every 2-3 years, but I imagine Universal and other parks may filter into our next trip. I do believe the majority of all of our trips will be spent at WDW. Those rides just never get old!
We are like you. While I could keep going back to WDW, my family is kind of done… for now. My boys are 13 and 15. They want other things. And they’re not into Universal, either.
So, we tried DCL. Yep, a Disney cruise expensive, especially at Spring Break and in the summer, but I get my Mouse/Princess fix and they get a relaxing vacation where they can meet kids their own age in the clubs and do teen things. It’s a nice compromise.
We also get to see other parts of the world. DCL has Alaskan cruises in the summer, if you’re wanting to explore the country. They also have European cruises, if you’re wanting to expand your kids’ knowledge of other cultures and history. But we just relax on a Star Wars Day at Sea Caribbean cruise. We spend a little time on the beach at the ports of call and enjoy the ship and Captain Mickey’s hospitality the rest of the time.
I have an annual pass for DL here in Cal, and sometimes I get that feeling too. so I decided to do a trip to WDW so it would be something new and exciting for us. but I still love disney and get the urge to go about every 6 weeks!
My husband felt like this a few years ago. I went on three solo trips until he felt the need to go again. Then our daughter came along, and now we’re back to going three times a year LOL!
I’ve never understood how people can go multiple times a year or even once a year. I need a little time to detox. I will say during my recent trip I hit a point where I decided I was coming back for five or more years. The day I arrived home I was already planning a new trip in two years.
I have been 5 times in the last 6 years but with different traveling companions and different times of year which kept it interesting. This last time I felt I needed to take a break for a few years. Then I had an opportunity to go with a granddaughter to Universal. I found the “extras” at WDW such as magical express. free dining or other packages, rides and entertainment to be more to my planning style. My budget also seems to go farther with planning. For a reasonable vacation my conclusion is you can’t beat WDW keeping in mind I don’t feel the need to do everything and can enjoy down time at the pool visiting other resorts for meals and just doing some of the park activities. I think it all depends on what you expect from a vacation.
I have priced other vacations for I and my wife such as Sandels as an example. Cruises are also very expensive with Disney Cruise being one of the most expensive. Guess that would depend on your room and extras aboard and on shore. WDW for the money is not all that bad compared to these other options. Don’t get me wrong, Disney is NOT cheap but it is well within the ballpark and has many dinning and activity options the others just don’t have for the money. If your a non drinker like my self, many all-inclusive vacations just are not worth the cost when you don’t drink though you end up paying for it.
Personally but I do understand wanting to see other things. Last year we took all the kids to Jekyll Island and it was amazing! I like seeing new things however Disney is easy and we always have a magical time!