Just can't find that spark of excitement..

[katyringo]

One thing Covid helped me do… but f any positive came from it… was to figure out how to be okay here in the now at home.

not just Disney but I didn’t realize how much I was using escapism like Disney and trips and those things to manage my mental health. When it was gone and I worked- with a therapist too- to learn to find joy in the here and now at home.. I found that I wasn’t constantly wanting to be at Disney any more.

don’t get me wrong- love Disney and we are planning a return- I just mean that I no longer feel a strong huge NEED for it. That also includes being lost in the planning and prep..

I think Covid has changed a lot of things. I think Disney thinks folks will just flock back and it will be 2019 again. I think we will see an intitial surge.: but people aren’t the same people as we were 2 years ago.

 

[Summer2018]

One thing Covid helped me do… but f any positive came from it… was to figure out how to be okay here in the now at home.

not just Disney but I didn’t realize how much I was using escapism like Disney and trips and those things to manage my mental health. When it was gone and I worked- with a therapist too- to learn to find joy in the here and now at home.. I found that I wasn’t constantly wanting to be at Disney any more.

don’t get me wrong- love Disney and we are planning a return- I just mean that I no longer feel a strong huge NEED for it. That also includes being lost in the planning and prep..

I think Covid has changed a lot of things. I think Disney thinks folks will just flock back and it will be 2019 again. I think we will see an intitial surge.: but people aren’t the same people as we were 2 years ago.

I love your perspective, and I 100% agree with you.

 

[Davey Jones II]

I'm Canadian, too. We're planning to go to WDW in Fall 2022, on the assumption that everything will have settled down by then, and we won't face any travel restrictions. 500 days out is a long way to plan ahead, but our next trip will be three years after the last one, so maybe the forced time away will make the parks more magical again!

 

[oceanmarina]

It's clearly not time yet. Listen to your body and your mind.

Planning a Disney vacation when you're not 100% all in and excited sounds miserable. It takes a lot of patience, you gotta want it cuz they don't make it easy! Wait until you're in a space you know you'll love it.

I’m with you. Not excited about the reality of the current situation… no FP, no AP…
But, i stay on these board to dream of a return to MY normal Disney. Keep your dream alive. The magic is out there waiting for us.

Yes to that! OP I hear you. I am a person who always takes so much joy in planning our Disney trips. My kids are begging to go this August (we usually go every summer to our happy place) but I just don’t have it in me this summer. I’m Still too afraid with delta out there (even though I’m vaccinated) to inadvertently bring something home to my elerdy mom.

Also, all the hours I spent planning our summer 2020 trip (which we canceled due to covid) really frustrated me. Getting up at 6AM on my day off to get our dining Ressies... I know its just not the right time for us right now - no fastpasses combined with summer crowds was a deal breaker for us. But I still watch the WDW ride, dining reviews and hotel reviews on YouTube and I realize just how much I miss Disney world. Like wdw&sonny said im Keeping my Disney dream alive now.

And yes this pandemic has changed us all. I used to love to step foot on our plane, saying “silver bird take me to my happy place!” Now I have to worry about the coughing I hear around me and mask rage on planes. As things slowly return to normal I feel I am healing from the fear we have all felt from this pandemic. Find joy in the little everyday things - a pretty sunset, a happy moment. I smiled today at Costco seeing the samples were back. With so much lost with this pandemic, I’m determined to find joy whenever I can. I hope you do too!

I’m hoping for a magical summer 2022 at our happy place.

 

[Lilylogan]

We went Dec 2020- I was hesitant but we were going to lose our 5 airline tickets if we didn’t travel so we took the leap. I was nervous on the flight but when we got to WDW it felt sooo nice and was great to see people happy and having fun again. I felt like ok we’ll be fine. I’m glad we went.

 

[rpfennig]

I was surprised how quickly I adjusted to a very pre pandemic normal at Universal. I've been an anxious, obsessive compulsive hand washing, homebound mess since the pandemic started, and suddenly I was more or less ok maskless in massive crowds, even indoors.

I think that's the interesting thing to see, despite the trials and tribulations of the last year there's an underlying resoluteness and adaptability that is shining through. The vast majority of people were responsible and found the space they were safely comfortable (or comfortably safe) with and now there's an opportunity to open up, there's a bit of trepidation but also a relatively quick sense of normalcy to being out and about amongst people again. Like the original poster, I'm Canadian as well (though of the west coast variety) and still feeling a bit cautious (first dose done, second dose booked for soon...ish) but as recommended by others, trying to get out a bit more with local trips. I was downtown Vancouver over the weekend and it was nice to see elements of normalcy (like buskers and groups of people walking along the sea wall) but with enough social space to keep a polite distance (though, that might be a product of my Canadianness - I bumped into the couch in the middle of the night recently and the first thing out of my mouth was "I'm sorry"... though in retrospect, a good "I'm walking here!" might have been a bit more cathartic).

I used to love to step foot on our plane, saying “silver bird take me to my happy place!”

I like that... I tend to hit a point halfway through each flight where my brain goes... "I know how this works, the science is legit... but... this is a big hunk of metal in the sky" and have a Tinkerbell moment where I wonder if the only reason it stays in the air is because we believe it can fly. It's not something I'll say out loud on a crowded plane because that's not a thought that I want spreading, on the off chance that enough people would stop believing. Then I realize, there's no way we'd ever be able to produce enough fairy dust for all the flights occurring everyday around the world and calm down. Logistics is my happy place.

 

[Flagondry]

Give yourself time. Opening has been slower in Canada and it takes time to adjust to the changes. Once you feel comfortable in your daily life and your activities return to normal, the urge to travel with resume.

I’m in the US and my state is highly vaccinated. It’s so nice just to do regular things again that we feel like big trips are just a waste of money for us right now. Spent yesterday in a water park, no masks in sight and and it was great. Exploring old favorites locally has been awesome. So looking forward to fall festivals too. This year, I’m totally ok being at home. But I’m sure the travel bug will hit again once readjustment has passed.

it’s ok to not feel ready and there is no reason to rush or push yourself. Planning and trips should be enjoyable. Don’t force yourself into something that isn’t bringing joy. Be gentle with yourself and find your own personal path back to normal at your own pace.

 

[ShadowBoxer]

If you don't feel comfortable don't go. Like others have said mental health is important, go back to Disney when you are ready and excited again. Back in April when I booked my trip for this month I was like you. Still super nervous about traveling even though I got my shots. But honestly, with everything going on in my life I need to get away and my trip isn't a super long one. It's mostly a weekend trip. So I said what the heck. Plus I feel like Disney is pretty safe and has handled the pandemic well since re opening last July.

 

[Accidental Disney Fan]

I've been absent from the boards for a few months, earlier in the year I was eagerly planning a Disney vacation for our family of 4, then Ontario (where I live) hit another covid wave, things were getting worse by the day, and I started to give up hope that we would ever be able to go. I fell into a deep depression (mental health is a chronic issue for me) and stopped planning.

Things are opening up again now, most of the things on my "waiting til it comes back" list have returned to WDW, I'm fully vaccinated and my husband is partially. yet I can't find that excitement to start planning again, I just don't even care anymore and the thought of being surrounded by thousands of strangers sets my nerves on edge. I love Disney and I so badly want that spark of excitement to return so we can have that trip of a life time...I just don't know how to get it back again.

I hear ya, fellow Ontarian. I became slowly and steadily very depressed between October 2020 to April 2021 when finally I started thinking I might be a danger to myself. When I was really at my lowest, I thought I should just force myself to do things like plan a Disney trip and that would help me feel better but it just made me feel worse. Nothing brought me any joy and even regular life things like grocery shopping make me break out into sweats. I finally reached out to my health practitioner and I am now on the mend. I can experience happiness again. Like others have said, take care of you and your mental health first and once you start feeling good again, I'm sure you'll catch the Disney bug. And keep reaching out on places like this!

 

[CGB]

Just wanted to say you're not alone. Our last Disney trip was in 2018 and we are definitely missing it. Our main reason for not booking a trip now revolves around my husband who has cardiac issues. We've tried our best to keep him safe through this pandemic and so far we've been successful. We're vaccinated, but we still avoid crowds and keep close to home. We've all been back at our workplaces since last fall and we do see our friends and family. We have a weekend trip planned this month to see some friends and test the waters, but we're just not ready for a Disney trip yet. The risk doesn't have to be zero, but I do need it to be lower than it is now. Like a lot of folks, I'm also not ready to spend the money with fastpass, housekeeping, and other perks missing. I just read the thread about current resort rates.... wow! Re-directing those funds has paid off our debt and mortgage over the past three years. So, I'll bake some Mickey-shaped cookies and watch live youtube feeds of those great people walking around the parks with their cameras. Every time I get sad about a trip, I just think about my credit card reward points and how much I'll save when we do get back to WDW. Hang in there... our happy place will be there when we're ready, thanks to those folks who are down there right now.

 

[Gussie Granger 1969]

I've been absent from the boards for a few months, earlier in the year I was eagerly planning a Disney vacation for our family of 4, then Ontario (where I live) hit another covid wave, things were getting worse by the day, and I started to give up hope that we would ever be able to go. I fell into a deep depression (mental health is a chronic issue for me) and stopped planning.

Things are opening up again now, most of the things on my "waiting til it comes back" list have returned to WDW, I'm fully vaccinated and my husband is partially. yet I can't find that excitement to start planning again, I just don't even care anymore and the thought of being surrounded by thousands of strangers sets my nerves on edge. I love Disney and I so badly want that spark of excitement to return so we can have that trip of a life time...I just don't know how to get it back again.

I know exactly how you feel. We are going to Universal Orlando for our first trip after being locked down. Since we were in the area, my husband wants to go to HS for one day. My heart sank because I don’t want to go but he does so I said sure. It’s not fun to plan because there isn’t anything to plan. I’m imagining long lines at every ride.
I figure it’s one day, we’ll see how it goes, it’s just one day. We didn’t plan to go to Disney until fastpasses are back but here we are.

 

[TXRunner]

Well we ended up canceling our outing to Seattle - guess I wasn't ready. It will definitely be a faster re-entry for those who are healthy. I am feeling better now that I'm in a research study, though. At least I know my antibody levels and can adjust accordingly. I still have our reservation for a week next March. Several months away, and after no vacation in 2020 & 2021 I'm really hoping that one will be ok. My teen is going back to in person school in August so I'm more focused on that now, but the thought of being able to go to Disney again in the coming year is cheering me up. We'll just take it day by day.

*One note to people who are happy when they see crowds with no masks - please remember when you see a few of us still sporting them that we are just taking care of ourselves as directed by our doctors. Not a political statement or anything like that. Cancer patients have done it for years. I don't expect any special treatment, just following the order from my rheumatologist to continue masking indoors for now. And hopefully we won't have to wear them much longer either!

 

[Summer2018]

Well we ended up canceling our outing to Seattle - guess I wasn't ready. It will definitely be a faster re-entry for those who are healthy. I am feeling better now that I'm in a research study, though. At least I know my antibody levels and can adjust accordingly. I still have our reservation for a week at Saratoga Springs resort next March. Several months away, and after no vacation in 2020 & 2021 I'm really hoping that one will be ok. My teen is going back to in person school in August so I'm more focused on that now, but the thought of being able to go to Disney again in the coming year is cheering me up. We'll just take it day by day.

*One note to people who are happy when they see crowds with no masks - please remember when you see a few of us still sporting them that we are just taking care of ourselves as directed by our doctors. Not a political statement or anything like that. Cancer patients have done it for years. I don't expect any special treatment, just following the order from my rheumatologist to continue masking indoors for now. And hopefully we won't have to wear them much longer either!

You are not alone. In Connecticut where vaccination rates are one of the highest, most of us still wear masks indoors in public places, schools, stores, etc., mainly to protect the unvaccinated...children and those with health issues. Every so often I see someone inside without a mask, and it always catches me by surprise. I know that when I go on vacation, the reverse will be true, and I will be the minority. Honestly, thanks to masks, I have enjoyed not getting sick this year. My students usually give me every cold and stomach virus they catch since their parents send them to school sick. If masks ever go away at school, I may still wear one during cold and flu season.

 

[DisneyFive]

I am an uber planner. I really miss the ability to know what we are getting ourselves into. Having our fast passes and ADR’s booked each day really far in advance really helped remove the stress of the unknown. We even had relatively good indications of crowd levels each day with Touring plans. Weather and our health(colds or not) were the biggest unknowns.

We arrive in 5 days and are going to have to “wing it” for the first time ever. …also rope dropping each day. We do have a lot of ADR’s booked so that helps, but the recent posts about the long lines has me most missing the magic so far. Still very excited though and I pray it all works out well. We’re going to WDW after all. We went into this with a very large unknown. There are many things I’m unexpectedly happy about. Much looser mask requirements (we’re all vax’d), no plexiglass, higher ride capacity, more food locations open, nighttime shows, Epcot monorail loop, …

Dan

 

[wilbret]

I've been absent from the boards for a few months, earlier in the year I was eagerly planning a Disney vacation for our family of 4, then Ontario (where I live) hit another covid wave, things were getting worse by the day, and I started to give up hope that we would ever be able to go. I fell into a deep depression (mental health is a chronic issue for me) and stopped planning.

Things are opening up again now, most of the things on my "waiting til it comes back" list have returned to WDW, I'm fully vaccinated and my husband is partially. yet I can't find that excitement to start planning again, I just don't even care anymore and the thought of being surrounded by thousands of strangers sets my nerves on edge. I love Disney and I so badly want that spark of excitement to return so we can have that trip of a life time...I just don't know how to get it back again.

I’m no expert, but a trip without pressure might light the fires? Stay at a resort and don’t go to a single park! Eat, drink, swim, rest, relax…. Go shopping. Ride the monorail if up for it. Do stuff, but on your terms. But that’s just me, you need to do what is right for you.

 

[lovethattink]

A reminder that Covid conversations are no longer allowed. Please stick to what the parks are doing and not opinions.

 

[ckb_nc]

I am in the same boat to a degree. We were there when it shut down, and dad-daughter trip in Dec 2020. December trip was nice, felt safe etc. We have no plans to go right now, and I am kind of not too excited. I think the Dec 2020 trip while enjoyable was just not as fun.

 

[luvthemouse71]

I've been absent from the boards for a few months, earlier in the year I was eagerly planning a Disney vacation for our family of 4, then Ontario (where I live) hit another covid wave, things were getting worse by the day, and I started to give up hope that we would ever be able to go. I fell into a deep depression (mental health is a chronic issue for me) and stopped planning.

Things are opening up again now, most of the things on my "waiting til it comes back" list have returned to WDW, I'm fully vaccinated and my husband is partially. yet I can't find that excitement to start planning again, I just don't even care anymore and the thought of being surrounded by thousands of strangers sets my nerves on edge. I love Disney and I so badly want that spark of excitement to return so we can have that trip of a life time...I just don't know how to get it back again.

You’ll be okay. In years past, you were around thousands of strangers. I don’t think the parks are at capacity either. I have a trip coming up in a week and a half and I’m excited to be going back. There is no such thing as the perfect trip.

 

[luvthemouse71]

A reminder that Covid conversations are no longer allowed. Please stick to what the parks are doing and not opinions.

I do respect that. But, the original post brought up COVID.

 

[SuzErwin]

Same boat as the OP re: losing my anticipatory joy.

I've started planning our first trip since 2018. We have reservations for end of December - first week of January. I knew we would be neck-deep in crowds at that time of year so that’s not troubling me, but…my planning joy is being leeched because it feels like Disney corporate is nickeling and diming guests to a ridiculous degree just because they can right now, and I don’t feel like proving to the execs they can squeeze guests' time and money and we’ll still happily go. We don't get to Florida often enough that it will be worth our while to have a diminished experience. (This is just us; everyone has their own reasons for going to WDW and no judgement here!)

Still have several months to decide.