First family trip Feb 2017. Have added 8 more trips since and I’m doing my first solo from 9/16-9/21.
The memories of the first one with a smiling two year old daughter were amazing. The trips got better and better as we worked our way from a 4 day at AOA to 8/9 day split stays doing half BLT or WL and half at YC/BC/BWV.
My best trip to date was in January for 8 days with just my now five year old daughter. Although mom was the one that pushed the Disney envelope in 2017 I ended up doing all the work (and paying for it). Last year mom decided to ‘fall in love’ with a married coworker so I’m carrying on the tradition as my daughter without a doubt thinks it’s the most magical place on earth.
Staying at Poly for the first time to avoid the triggers of what I thought was a happy family and am excited simply to get out of town and relax at the parks and pools.
I feel that each trip is made or broken by expectations and we’ve yet to have a bad time at Disney.
I hope you have an amazing time on your solo trip! Please keep us updated!
As someone who’s also gone through the big D, I know how tough it can be. Sending you a virtual hug. Hang in there and good for not letting her ruin Disney for you!!
I was 10. I don’t remember my first trip, other than talking my brother into just buying a little Mickey, so I could have rest of the money our grandparents gave us to buy Lady Every trip has something new & magical.
I’ve had a bit of an evolution in how much I enjoy Disney. Loved it, loved it, loved it, became a little routine, then we realized we keep going back—bought DVC and AP’s – it was at this point that we began skipping attractions for a variety of reasons knowing we’d be back. That was probably the worst trip. We ended up walking around not actually doing anything. That was also the trip where my then 18 year old DS commented that we needed to follow “mom’s plans”. mom-win of the decade! Now I plan nearly as much as I did for those first trips and I’m back to loved it, loved it, loved it.
My first trip was Dec '82. Just MK and EP, which had opened a couple months before. It was DH, DB (brother), and myself, all 20-something. Weather was GREAT. We drove, stayed a couple nights offsite, then one night at the Poly, when DFIL & DMIL drove over from St. Pete to join us. We videotaped everything, and did everything. We ate in the castle. It was fantastic, and nothing like life back home. No trip since has captured that sense of awe and wonder, it was that good.
Our trips have usually been only a few days while visiting family or doing a cruise, and a few years apart. Those trips have all been good, but not quite great.
But we did have another trip I’d call great (but in second place). July 2016, five nights at CSR while DH attended a conference there. That’s our longest stay!! I had lots of time to myself, rode all the wild rides, did many meet & greets, did KttK tour. And I had the internet and TP, to study and plan for months. I was very engaged in that trip, maybe because I thought it might be my last chance to have such a long, do-everything trip. (It wasn’t, we’ve done five since, but they’re not quite as good.)
My first and second trip was with the grandparents. The second trip I was an average preteen so the pictures was me being all snarky. They were both 2 week road trips! I loved those trips in the station wagon (the one where the back trunk area had fold out seats facing each other). Best trips ever. The Disney part was great but my most memorable parts (from the second trip) were 1) on the way there gramps let me control the map. I was in heaven until my sister whined that she wanted to also. So I handed it to her upside down and we got lost no regrets! 2) on the way back we stopped at a human maze, very very tough. They recommend the gparents go with us (haha, gramps had faith in his 10 and 11 year old grandaughters). They had 4 towers that u could look over the course to find your way. But again 10 and 11 . They have these doors if u give up and want out ALL over the course. My lil sis wanted to give up but I refused to let her.I piggie backed her the the second half through to the end (It felt like we were in there for hours, I think we were really, I was exhausted but never give up, never back down baby!) When we finally made it out, bells and whistles, people cheering, she told me she forgave me for the map “mishap” and I was the best sister ever. Sometimes, Disney is a vehicle and each trip is what you make it.
This brings to my kids second trip (same one that was a ploy to get grandma to come back home after Katrina if u read my post on that). We stopped at Manatee springs, COLD, COLD COLD! It was beautiful but my kids wouldn’t swim in it because of the temp. So mom went to Walmart and bought them bot blow up boats that had a clear plastic bottom. Mom was the engine around the spring swim area so the kids could SEE into the water and not have to be IN the water. MOM HATES COLD WATER! But they remember this vividly. I even bought floating bath fish so I could put a little water in each boat and they could feel like they were in there The things we do for kids! (Better NOT end up in a nursing home, all Im saying)
My first couple times were a little awkward. It took time to get the lay of the land and figure out what we liked and didn’t like. Now we’ve got the basics down to a science, and we occasionally try something new to spice things up.
Every trip has something new & magical.
That was also the trip where my then 18 year old DS commented that we needed to follow “mom’s plans”. mom-win of the decade! Now I plan nearly as much as I did for those first trips and I’m back to loved it, loved it, loved it.
