Long time DVC owners

[tom1944]

How often do you try to get to all 4 parks on your trips?

One of the thoughts I have about ownership and taking at least an annual trip is that we will not have to try to squeeze all 4 parks into each trip and can plan very different stays and resort selection based on that.

Have you found that happening?

 

[TCRAIG]

We usually go 4x a year - one week each visit…I’d say we skip AK about 1/2 the time - and we only ride the Safari and Na’vi River when we do go - we’re not into thrill rides.

 

[Meriweather]

We go three times every other year (and then DLR the other years).
We stay longer....10-12 nights.
We go to all 4 parks and have a couple "free days"

 

[CarolynFH]

Our normal visits are 7 nights, so yes, we do visit every park at least once and some twice (MK, DHS). Since we have APs we can hop, but now that we spend more time at the resort and don’t get to the park until later in the afternoon we don’t hop as much as we used to. That said, for various reasons we won’t be able to visit as often and will reduce our length of stay as well next year. So we might only have 4 park days. But I expect we’ll use ILL$ and VQ and Genie+LL to ride as many favorites as we can in each park.

 

[DeeBee3]

If it's a regular 5-7ish day trip, then all 4 parks (usually). When we've done a long weekend, only pick 1 or 2.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Our visiting patterns have definitely changed over the years of our membership. We go a couple times a year and work out park visits around convenience, not necessity to be there. In recent years, we actually find we do MK much less and enjoy EP/AK much more - parks we can stroll through and not necessarily worry about doing every attraction. 25 years ago, we had smaller kids and focused more on MK. We're going next month and have all 4 parks on the list, but also have a pool day and a DS day. Many, many different options for enjoying a trip.

 

[Jayunit09]

I’m sure it’ll change when the kids are older but right now they are 6 and 2. We go every other year for 7 nights so typically we do all 4 parks one day and then the Halloween or Xmas party one night depending which week we choose.

I’ll add that even pre-dvc when we were offsite and no kids, we still believed in a resort day. I think they are important and dvc shines as a place to spend the day (especially AKL)

 

[ak517]

Growing up we would always visit for four days and go to one park per day (my family wasn’t DVC and rarely got park hoppers). Today as an AP and DVC I realize I don’t need to visit all four parks on each trip, and often won’t depending on the trip purpose, but on a three day-two night solo trip I will still try to pop into all the parks for my favorites.

 

[john7994]

Our trips range from 4 - 7 days, multiple times throughout the year. Mostly, we travel with adult couples or adult family and sometimes just the two of us. Our patterns for touring adjust based on who is going, location, and season. But, I would say we have found a sweet spot of a few parks and free days on shorter trips - focusing on Epcot and AK because we can luxuriate more easily and not feel rushed to get on rides. On longer trips, we may go to all four parks, but still include free days for spa, golfing, and a day trip over to UO.

For example, we are going at the end of March with another adult couple for 4 nights with only two park days planned (Epcot and AK). In June, we are attending a wedding in Portland, with a side trip to DL (our first) with three days in the parks. In October, we are traveling to Aulani for a week. In November, we are going for the Holiday Festivals - so we may focus on MK, AK, and UO. In January, our longest trip, we are golfing several days, hitting the spa, and all parks.

 

[Micca]

We go 2-3 times per year, hit all four parks but sometimes for only a few hours.

 

[beccasmom]

It depends whom we are traveling with. We usually go twice a year, but with retirement looming, we will hopefully work in another trip every year. Just DH and I - we tend to spend more time in Epcot and AK. With our older and married kids and particularly with the grandkids, the MK comes into play much more often, but that will change with time. I don’t feel a real urgency to get to every park anymore and we also enjoy spending time at Disney Springs during the weekdays which are a little less busy. We also like to relax by the pool.

 

[Doug7856]

When our kids hit high school, we became less willing to take them out of school. We find our trips now tend to be shorter in length but a couple times a year, so we don't try to get all four parks in. For our upcoming trip, we're doing a cruise followed by a few beach days and ending with a three night stay at Kidani Village. For the Disney portion we'll likely do Animal Kingdom (hopefully Moonlight Magic) and Epcot and a pool/resort day.

In the classic days, we would get a ten day non expiring park hopper pass and use for a couple of trips and then we would do all of the parks, even if for a partial day.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We've been members for 21 years, and find that we go to the parks less than we did-maybe 3 days out of a 7-8 day trip. Other days we might do resort activities, sit on the balcony and watch the view, ride surrey bikes. eat ice cream, etc., etc. Itr's ironic-right now we're here with DS, DDIL, and 3 DGDs, and although I love visiting with them, they want to spend all the time in the parks, while I'm thinking "But there's so much else to do!"

 

[MartyParty]

We’ve done the week long trip and hit every park. And more recently shorter trips hitting two or three parks. I think we’ve started to enjoy the shorter trips more. Four nights: arrival, park, park, pool last day & Disney Springs, then departure day five.

We will either do a MK and Hollywood Studious or Epcot and Animal Kingdom combo. For the first option we tend to stay around Magic Kingdom. For the second option we enjoy staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge with a savanna view. Accommodations close to Epcot work as well.

But hey it’s Disney. It’s all good!

 

[Prince John Robin Hood]

We skipped AK on one trip the last few years but typically visit all the parks. The big thing that has changed for us is skipping certain rides. We used to try and ride as many as we could and ride our favourites multiple times but now we just don't feel that pressure. It's made for more relaxing days in the parks even when it's busy.

 

[miksicnarf]

26 year owner and I’m still all about the parks. It’s what makes Disney Disney, for me.

 

[Sammie]

We have owned over 20 years and go every year and always go to all parks.

 

[The Jackal]

We go twice a year for 6-8 days. We hit all 4 parks every time.

 

[Genie+]

We’re nearing about 20 WDW trips. 6 nights is our average stay, always visit all 4 parks and have yet to do a rest day Sometimes we’ll sleep in and do a short park day.

Just booked a short 3 day trip with 2 and 1/2 park days, skipping one park. Feels weird but it’s a spur of the moment trip and we couldn’t take more time off work. I love the balance of doing all 4 parks, especially when we hop. How else can you go on a safari in the morning, take an art class, visit one of 2 other planets, see Blue Oyster Cult then ride Guardians? To me that is the beauty of WDW. I’ll always try to hit all 4 parks unless we’re pressed on time, which is not the norm.

 

[AnnaS]

Owner 23 years

We have taken two trips a year for a while now (we use our points to stay at Vero Beach and Hilton Head too). This year for the first time we are skipping our Fall trip for a trip to our hometowns in Italy.

We have always had non-expiry park passes, length of stay passes, and AP for many years now. There have been two trips for me (one for DH and I) of non-park trips. We enjoyed it just as much as the park trips.

We are not all about the parks anymore - but more about the resorts. We spend about 50/50 with both. We might go in the park for one or two rides and or a meal and we fine with it. When the kids/grandchildren are there with us - then it's a little more park time.

Except for a new ride here and there, we have experienced the ride many times and know we will be back. We like to take it at a slower pace and observe and stop a little more. We meet up with friends many times at the pool, for a meal or walk around the kiosks for F&W/catch a concert - we don't feel like we are missing out on the parks during that time.

We make park reservations for each day but we have skipped parks for the day. Plans not set in stone. No need to see it all, all the time.