Had to share this...

[twinmomplus2]

Getting all our ducks in a row, today, I went in the check again about my middle son's schoolwork, Had a very pleasant conversation, with his teacher, And she said well It should be fun to see the babies reactions to the rides.And I said oh, they can't wait, they have very specific things they want to do. She said oh, they have been and remember it? And I laughed and said well they have been a few times? A few times she asked? They are 2......... And proceeded to look at me as if I was insane.... I said well actually they have been 4 times. Why would anyone go 4 times in 2 years? I said well. I enjoy it. Its so expensive, well Yeh, At this point the 8 year old pipes up with well I am 8 and I have been 12 times, I left after that but she absolutely was looking at me as If I was mentally unstable. The teacher And Me

 

[isyne4u]

Apparently this isn't a person who gets the "IT" of Disney. Have fun and go as many times as you can and think about all of us that have to wait a few more months until we can go.
tara

ps. I won't fit in a suitcase, but I would in a large duffle bag if you want to take an extra person!!! hehehehe

 

[laceemouse]

Everyone chooses to spend their money differently. We live in an area where most people make a pretty decent living. We are not rich, but most have some discretionary income. Many people have been to Disney, but I have one friend who feels it is too expensive. However, she and her husband get a baby sitter and go out almost every weekend. I'm not saying this is bad, but you could pay for a Disney trip at least once a year by cutting that out!!! They have a right to spend as they wish, but don't give me "It's too expensive!" I guess us mouse lovers just see things differently! Lacee

 

[mkutch]

I agree with laceemouse--It's all about how people choose to spend their money. We have friends who are "waiting" to take their children to Disney at the "right" time (whatever that means). But yet they go on trips to other places every year. Well we always choose to take our trip to WDW (sometimes twice a year). My fear is that we will take our DS so many times that he'll start saying, "Oh Mom, do we have to go to WDW again!?". Someone out there please tell me that doesn't happen!!!

 

[mmiller711]

We have been regular Disney goers since I was little. My children went at least every two years (once 3 times in one year). They are now in their 20's and we are going this summer to take our first Grandchild. We want to get his first hair cut at the barbershop on main street. Yes, he is young (18 months at trip time). No, he won't remember. I will remember, his mother will remember and his grandfather will remember. That's enough for all of us. My girls have never gotten tired of Disney. Friends ask why we go all the time. They think it is boring to take the same vacation. Yet, they go to the same campgrounds every year with the same people. They also wanted to wait till their kids were the right age. They are now in their 20's and have never been. My friend is going with us this summer. Her husband can't go - new job. I hope she likes it and sees why it is so important for us to spend time in the happiest place on earth!
Boy, did I ramble...Answer - No my children never tired of Disneyºoº

 

[cart-mom]

I get the same kind of looks when I talk about how often we've been to WDW. And I know people who haven't been on a vacation since their honeymoon (1991). Can you imagine?? I just tell people that we have a great time EVERY time we go back and the people are so much nicer (wonder why??) at WDW than anywhere else we have vacationed.

Everyone budgets differently. We don't have any credit card debt, no car payment, no daycare - so why not go? Also, I find most people don't even know how much the hotel rates actually are for on-site.

People forget when paying all their monthly bills to pay themselves. Go ahead - you've worked hard - you deserve it!

 

[laceemouse]

mkutch, I just have to tell you this. Our kids are 12, 10, 8 and 5. They have been to Disney many times, about once a year. We used to live in Florida but even now we make it down pretty often. Our oldest daughter is in Jr. High this year. Sometimes when I talk about our next Disney trip (which is often!) she says "do we have to go there again?" I guess she is just getting too cool for her britches LOL!!! As soon as she pulls this I say "Well, I'm sure Uncle Rusty and Aunt Sharon would let you stay with them next time we go! It would really save us some bucks anyway seeing as you need an adult ticket and all!" She clams up real fast believe me!!! We do go other place ya know! Anyway, I really feel that only my 5 yr. old daughter is going to love it as much as I do all her life. She is always saying "When are we going to Disney again?" Gotta love 'em all though, they keep life interesting! DH and I swear we are going to go alone sometime but we could never do that to them. Just 13 more years until the caboose moves out!!! Lacee

 

[mmiller711]

DH and I finally took our first solo trip when our youngest was 19! It's a "Whole New World". Enjoy going with them, there will be times without them and I really did miss not having them there. But, we also enjoyed the time to ourselves. I would do it again if given the chance...

 

[Baloo]

I agree with everyone of you!

I have been so many times I've lost count and my first trip was in 1990!! When people say "you're going there again" I've just learned to keep my mouse ears turned off and
my goofy mouth closed!

Erich's 9 and has been 20 times a least! When Joe and Jonathan came into our lives over 2 years ago it was only 6 weeks after Joe and I met that we went to WDW! Joe hadn't been there since the early 80s and I was honored to introduce Jonathan to the Disney magic! Well lucky for me Joe got bitten by the mouse and I think he's almost CRAZIER for WDW than me now!!! We've done several trips since with last May Joe and I going without the boys.That was such a wonderful trip!Sometimes I missed the kids like the devil especially on their favorites Splash Mt. and the Safari! WDW is a very romantic get away for adults but the ultimate family place too!

I thank my lucky star that I have the opportunity to visit the happiest place on earth so often and that the 3 people I love most in this world love it as much as I do!!!

 

[marcyinPA]

Isn't that funny? I get the same reaction from some people too "You want to go AGAIN this year?? You were JUST there!" My opinion is if you are going to spend the money on a vacation, why does it matter where you go?? Honestly, we've gone to Ocean City Maryland a few years in a row on vacation and have spent just about as much money as we do when we go to Disney.

Unfortunately, Dh doesn't get vacation time this year since he just started a new job after being laid off for 10 LONG months. We are taking weekend trips locally instead, just to keep ourselves sane and the kids happy. Hopefully next year we can do Disney again.

What I don't get is how moms can get away with taking their kids to Disney "solo". I would LOVE to take my older son for a mom and me trip, but my Dh and my younger son would have cows!! I'd never make it out the door! LOL

 

[Mad4Mickey]

MKutch .... I do not know how to break this to you but it does happen LOL. My kids are almost 15 and 17 and they went many times when they were little . Now they never go but it does not stop me . I still make my trips at least 1 time a year and they stay at home with my (NonDisney ) husband. The man runs into fire when people are running out but does not think he can take "Its a small world"

 

[MrsPete]

Well, I'm kind of on the other side of that fence.

I do love Disney, but there are SO MANY OTHER PLACES TOO! Now that my girls are elementary school aged, there are so many other great places I want to take them: caving in Virginia, cruise the Carribean, Washington DC, camping in the dessert, white water rafting, Hawaii, New York City . . . I really want to do a month-long drive across America seeing Mt. Rushmore, Laura Ingalls Wilder's house, the St. Louis arch (of course, I think that's more of a teen-aged trip). I also really want to take them to Europe when they're teens. I have a notebook in which I save magazine articles and so forth about places we want to visit.

I want my girls to look back and say that they've traveled widely -- not just often. Amusement parks are great, but there are many, many other experiences out there.

 

[colleen costello]

My family went to WDW almost every summer and we really never went anywhere else. I grew up in NJ and yet never went to Maine, or Cape Cod, or really even the Jersey Shore! My Mom was this Disney NUT and was always planning the next trip to Mickey. I feel like I was cheated out of seeing some things, yet now that I am the Mom, all I can think of is MY next trip to Disney. I feel like I can see the other places on the Discovery Channel, LOL!

The only trip I will "give up" Mickey for is an "out west" extravaganza when the kids are older. Doing the National Parks seems like a sort of pilgrimage. And of course some day I would like to visit California, but mostly to see Disneyland!

 

[elemusing]

LOL at the original post! People always look at me like I am crazy too when I tell them that we go AT LEAST once per year and try to go twice.

Angie

 

[hopetoseedisney]

You know, our kids will be be 5 and 7, and we are planning our first trip this September. We've always said we would go when the time was right, but the honest truth was we didn't think it was affordable. However, we found this year that with dh's airline discount, we will be able to stay 8 nights at ASMo for $350!! That's less than the Florida hotel we stayed in last year just to see the beach/ocean - we spent over $800 for five nights. So, I have finally convinced my husband to buy us APs this year, and we are already planning another trip in February. My sister-in-law keeps saying that our kids won't remember it, that they are too young, etc. She would rather spend almost $2000 and go to Myrtle Beach (where they will spend 3/4 of the time at either the pool or beach with their two children who will also be 5 and 7), than a little bit more and spend a magical time with their kids. My nephew heard us talking with dd about our trip this fall, and he said, "The beach is going to be boring. I wish I was going with you." I felt so bad for him because I know his parents will spend most of their time working on their tans and going to grown-up type restaurants. The bottom line is this - with our family, we take a vacation to spend time making memories, to relax, and to dedicate a large amount of time to our children doing something special. I like variety, so we won't be die hard WDW'ers.....but we will go a couple of times in the next year with AP's, and then we'll wait a few years and do it again. And, when the kids are grown, I will make sure that dh and I go by ourselves (because my parents always said they would, and now they are not physically able, and have never been) to experience the magic as adults.

 

[laceemouse]

hopetoseedisney-Welcome to the DIS! What an exciting time for you, planning your first trip to Disney! We are big Disney fans, but we go other places and do other things also. My kids get bored real easy, which can be agrevating, but at Disney there is never a dull moment! We have been several times and have yet to see and do all there is to do there!! Have fun planning!!

 

[dijid]

After our upcoming trip (less than 2 weeks!) we will have "only" been to WDW 3x in 8 years. Add in a Disney cruise and that's Disney every other year. A lot of our friends/family think we're nuts. But we think it's a good balance. Now this year we are seriously considering getting APs and doing back to back trips (and maybe a fall trip). Several families around us go about every other year.

I also have to do a small defense of beach vacations. I grew up with a Dad that has an A+ personality type. Going to amusement parks with my family was nervewracking as he would dictate schedules, etc. But the beach was always wonderfully relaxing. We could sleep in, watch cable TV and enjoy without feeling like we had to be somewhere. Sometimes you just need the pure nothing the beach offers.