Regrets taking too many Disney trips

piccolopat

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 25, 2014
Like many of you, we spent years going to Disney every year, usually for a week or so. We stayed offsite in our early years, moved to moderate later on and mostly deluxe or Swan in recent years. Most of these years we also spent a low cost week in Maine that was very relaxing. DD, now all grown and married, loved these trips and many of these included grandparents, all of whom she adored.

Now that we are empty nesters, we are traveling abroad and the fact hasn't escaped us that some of our past Disney trips cost as much as our trips to London and Paris. Our DD would have loved to have seen these places but we always assumed Europe was out of reach. We also got into a Disney rut and didn't take her other places in the U.S. until she was in high school. In retrospect, we should have gone to Disney less and explored other places while DD was growing up.

Here's my question. Does anyone else regret taking too many Disney trips and wish they had gone other places with their kids?
 
Thank you for posting this! My sons are 4 and 10 months and I want to make sure we travel to lots of different places during their childhood. So far we did a WDW trip when ODS was 15 months and are going this September. Both trips were planned while my sister is a cast member, so I couldn't pass on the perks. My goal is to go every 4 or 5 years and do a variety of other traveling in between. Would love to do Europe, but I wonder if that would be more fun with just the hubs and I, leaving boys with their grandparents! :rolleyes1
 
Thank you for posting this! My sons are 4 and 10 months and I want to make sure we travel to lots of different places during their childhood. So far we did a WDW trip when ODS was 15 months and are going this September. Both trips were planned while my sister is a cast member, so I couldn't pass on the perks. My goal is to go every 4 or 5 years and do a variety of other traveling in between. Would love to do Europe, but I wonder if that would be more fun with just the hubs and I, leaving boys with their grandparents! :rolleyes1

I've seen a few TV shows about traveling with kids and there seems to be a lot that you can do with school age kids. Traveling as a couple is different of course and a lot depends on the interest of your kids and the destination. Our DD loves history, museums and culture almost as much as we do and she majored in geology so she's very much into outdoor activities. There is almost nothing on our trips to Europe that we would have changed if we had brought her with us. If we had thought about traveling abroad with her, I think we would have waited until she was perhaps 8 or 10 just so she would have had the stamina to do things with us but a little younger is possible with different trip planning. I would stay away from organized tours where you spend much of your time on buses. We've done all of our trips on our own (taking a couple of day trip bus tours to get out of the cities) and love the freedom it's given us. I'd recommend starting your kids young on enjoying museums and exposing them to all kinds of foods. They grow up too fast and so enjoy every experience that you can with them.
 
I haven't taken too many Disney trips IMO at least but part of that is because I want to explore around. We like to go to different places only rarely going to the same place twice.

I don't think it's wrong either way but I do think for some people they are so apprehensive about trying something else that they just don't. I have seen comments from some people at times where they were worried that their kids would like other destinations more than or just as much as Disney which added to the worry of branching out on different vacations.

I also think for some they may not even consider a day trip or quick weekend trips to places around their area and that can be quite nice too for change of pace but still getting some family time in.

Looking back though I think most kids are probably just happy they got to go on vacation. Even grown now you could still probably do a trip here and there if they still interest her with your daughter to those more 'exotic' if you will places.
 
I haven't taken too many Disney trips IMO at least but part of that is because I want to explore around. We like to go to different places only rarely going to the same place twice.

I don't think it's wrong either way but I do think for some people they are so apprehensive about trying something else that they just don't. I have seen comments from some people at times where they were worried that their kids would like other destinations more than or just as much as Disney which added to the worry of branching out on different vacations.

I also think for some they may not even consider a day trip or quick weekend trips to places around their area and that can be quite nice too for change of pace but still getting some family time in.

Looking back though I think most kids are probably just happy they got to go on vacation. Even grown now you could still probably do a trip here and there if they still interest her with your daughter to those more 'exotic' if you will places.

For us, going to Disney every year became habit and it was too easy to forget that our travel dollars might be better spent going other places too. It didn't help that DH's mom lived with us since DD was 4 after is dad passed away. She almost always wanted to travel with us and it was hard to say no most of the time so Disney was an easy place to accommodate her. Her last trip was to Disney just months before she had a major stroke and then passed away 9 years ago. DD and DSIL do travel domestically with us when they have the money. I'm afraid more exotic destinations will have to wait for them until finances are a bit better but certainly something we'll do when the time comes.
 
Thanks for posting this. I think it is an interesting take, especially on forums dedicated to Disney.

Growing up we didn't have much money, so any vacation was a treat. But my parents were always good about mixing it up, so I even have found memories of the years were my entire vacation was a long weekend in Oklahoma City (I grew up in Tulsa, so just down the road). Some of the best travel memories I have from childhood are actually the ones that probably cost my parents the least.

I worry that I am going to get stuck in a rout with my DD, though. She is 2 now and by the time she is 3.5 she'll have spent at least 6 weeks at Disney. We still do other trips, but like you said Disney is just easy to go back to. I think our Disney habit will drop off quite a bit once its easier to take her other places as she gets a bit older. We've also taken her to Hawaii, National Parks and on a couple of cruises, so it hasn't all been WDW but I could see easily falling into a pattern of doing just Disney and Cruising.
 


Right now they are 2 and 5, and believe the princesses are real, so yes, there will be about 3 Disney Trips (cruise and wdw) in a 5 year span while the magic is really real. But there will be other trips too, and probably even out with Disney every 3-4 years eventually. This year, it’s a quick road trip to Dutch Wonderland. We have family in Europe and on the west coast and want them to see the us and the world (beyond Epcot). Whatever we can afford down the road. Airfare is not cheap....!
 
While DD is young, I don't mind mostly Disney trips. It is easy in terms of planning somethibg that will keep her entertained, beaches are nearby, and we all just really enjoy it. As she ages and is more able to appreciate abd understand different things, we will expand our vacation options.

I lived in Europe as a young kid and didn't realize until I was an adult how interesting it could have been if I'd paid attention. I feel like those kinds of vacations would be lost on a very young child. So no, I have no regrets. I feel proud and lucky to be able to take her on vacations, as my family never had enough money to travel unless we were going to a funeral.
 
I think there are pros and cons to either style, and both are totally fine, it's a matter of preference. My parents hate change - even positive change. They still stay in the same (now rather run-down) beach condo that we started renting thirty years ago, and they have never missed a year, they have never so much as changed the week in the summer that they go! We've begged them to just find a nicer, newer, place but even that small tradition they just can't break. So our holiday traditions, vacations, and general schedule ran like absolute clockwork when I was a kid (Disney was every three years.)


I don't regret that at all - I've never looked back on my childhood and thought "If only we'd gone abroad!". It made it that much more special for me when I was able to earn my own money and experience that kind of thing on my own. I sometimes miss the feeling I had in my 20s and early 30s, because in a way, my exposure to the larger world had been rather limited, so it made every new thing seem absolutely just magical, like discovering a whole new world. It may well have been just as magical if I'd experienced it when I was younger, but I also think the deep sense of predictability and routine in our traditions were special in their own way. My siblings and I really, really got to know the places that we went, we created our own traditions, and we anticipated every step of the routine every year because, well, it never changed!


I think it's sort of like deciding how many toys you want kids to have. There is value in them having a few cherished things and learning to find creative new ways to play with them; there is value in them having a wider variety of toys that they can explore and learn from. I think whatever you choose, there will be those moments when the grass looks greener on the road not taken, but they both have their own special magic.
 
This will be the 1st year I will be doing Disney back to back. I think there are plenty of people who like having a familiar place to travel. Some people do beach homes some people do Disney. I like to travel alot some years we go local, other years we go on cruises or Disney. Next year I'm taking my kids 16,11 & 7 to Europe and the Mediterranean. My daughter graduates high school soon and I want to make sure she experiences the world before she goes into the adult world.
 
To me, it's about what interests you and your family. Before our twins were born, we had a timeshare at Atlantis in the Bahamas and we loved it. We'd love to go back, but it's just too expensive. It would cost us more money to spend 6 days there than 17 days at WDW, so we haven't gone back. Beyond that, there aren't a lot of other places we really want to take them. DW and I don't have a ton of interest in going to Europe, I don't think the kids would either. No interest in "educational" or "cultural" vacations like Williamsburg VA, or Boston MA. We'd be bored to tears with a pure beach vacation...we'd need a place with tons of things to do. DW and I would love to go to Vegas, but the kids would be bored, so that's out for now. I will never step foot on a cruise ship, not going to happen.

DW and I had this exact conversation a few weeks ago. She likes WDW, but does have a desire to do other things. I do too, and we debated the options. As I said, Bahamas are just too expensive. Vegas would be costly and the kids may get bored. Even beaches with lots to do are expensive, like Myrtle Beach SC. So for us, WDW area is just the best bang for our buck. We're heading back next summer, but aren't doing the theme parks. We'll spend 2 weeks there doing the water parks, day trips to Daytona Beach and Tampa, Disney Springs, etc...
 
We took our first Disney trip when my son was 2 and stayed at a Deluxe. He is now 8 and we have scaled way back at Disney, staying value resorts and for less days. Although we did take our first Disneyland trip this March. I am consciously scaling back at Disney because I want to take him different places. We have our first trip to Iceland coming up soon!
 
Well, my kids kind of outgrew WDW a few years back. Don't misunderstand, they'd go again if a trip was on offer, but their horizons have expanded. We're doing a Universal trip next year--that's the only Florida trip for the foreseeable future. They've been bitten by the international bug--we just got back from a trip to Europe (London, Paris, Rome). Now I've got one lobbying for Australia (not going to happen) and another pulling for Scandanavia (possible).

I will say--Europe is easier with older children. On our tour, the youngest child was 8 (it was geared towards families). The 8yo was a trooper, but she still had some issues due to her age. It was just a LOT of walking and a LOT of culture. The rest of the children were 12+, and had an easier time of things. I wasn't so worried about my girls--both had been to Europe before--but it was interesting to see DS12 mature, right before our eyes. It really expanded his horizons and his palate, and I was impressed with how much he appreciated the cultural aspects of the trip.

My point is, there's much to love about WDW, to be sure. But there's also a big, wide world out there, with a ton to offer. It's great if you can balance the familiar with the unknown.
 
We took our first Disney trip when my son was 2 and stayed at a Deluxe. He is now 8 and we have scaled way back at Disney, staying value resorts and for less days. Although we did take our first Disneyland trip this March. I am consciously scaling back at Disney because I want to take him different places. We have our first trip to Iceland coming up soon!

Iceland is definitely on my bucket list. I have a friend that just did a tour of the whole island and the pictures were breathtaking. Enjoy your trip!
 
We took our first Disney trip when my son was 2 and stayed at a Deluxe. He is now 8 and we have scaled way back at Disney, staying value resorts and for less days. Although we did take our first Disneyland trip this March. I am consciously scaling back at Disney because I want to take him different places. We have our first trip to Iceland coming up soon!
Ever since our airport got non-stop service to Iceland (which it just had its first flight very recently from our airport) I've been really considering it. I mean who knows but gosh darn it if Facebook doesn't show me sponsored ads regarding it all the time. Very clever marketing lol.
 
We love Disney, go every year, and don’t feel we’ve ever wasted time by going there since we love it so much. We also go to Myrtle Beach frequently, Europe every other year or so (we have family there so we stay for free) and we are blessed to live close to several great destinations (DC, New York, etc.) So we don’t only do Disney, but it is our favorite place to be. I do think that if we could only go one place yearly, we’d still pick WDW. And every minute we spend there is time we’re together and focused on having fun together, and that’s what’s important no matter where you spend your vacation.
 
Thank you for posting this! My sons are 4 and 10 months and I want to make sure we travel to lots of different places during their childhood. So far we did a WDW trip when ODS was 15 months and are going this September. Both trips were planned while my sister is a cast member, so I couldn't pass on the perks. My goal is to go every 4 or 5 years and do a variety of other traveling in between. Would love to do Europe, but I wonder if that would be more fun with just the hubs and I, leaving boys with their grandparents! :rolleyes1

My dh and our two kids DS7 and DS11 are currently touring England and Scotland and are having a blast. I’ve been to England 3 times before but the others haven’t been. The key has been to plan a trip with enough variety to appeal to everyone. My attitude has been that you won’t like every place but you will like most places.

We’ve also been flexible and have listened to our kids. For example, in Dundee our stopover hotel had an inflatable obstacle course on the water across the street. Even though we wanted to get back on the road first thing in the morning we made time for our kids to do it. Instead of driving straight through for 4 hours we stopped at a beach so the kids could play and see the ocean. Yes I’d love to visit more castles and shop more and my dh would like to tour some whiskey distilleries but we’ve made some amazing memories that are worth it.

I will say though that I’m not sure that DS7 could have handled the trip any younger. I’ve seen multiple toddlers and preschoolers in full meltdown mode at castles and other tourist stops. A lot of England and Scotland are the opposite of handicapped accessible which means that a lot of places you’d want to visit aren’t stroller friendly. Imagine being faced with a big flight of old stone steps when your child is having a tantrum and refusing to walk or be carried in a safe manner. My kids have been much more accommodating but we’ve slowed down the pace and stopped often for ice cream at the ice cream stands that seem to be everywhere.
 
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