Serious post Disney depression blues!

[rotlex]

Yeah I know, real first world problem, but this is the best place I know of with people that have similar issues, LOL.

We are just back from a fabulous 15 day trip to Walt Disney World. Our 11th in the past 10 years. It was wonderful, as it always is. Stayed at CBR due to length of stay, and even though our favorite is the Wilderness Lodge, the accommodations, views and service at CBR were GREAT! Did water parks, Disney Quest, and LOTS of good dining as we were on a free dining bounce back from last year. That’s where the issue of depression is coming in, LOL.

For the past 10 trips, we have ALWAYS booked a bounce back offer for the following year before leaving property. This is the first year in all that time we have not done that. Why? The dates just don’t work. They have pushed the start date for the deals back to August 26th which now fully conflicts with our school year start dates. Our daughter starts high school next year so there is no way she can miss at all; especially in the beginning of the year.

I know, like said above, real first world problem, but man, it’s depressing. WDW has been our home away from home for at least a decade. Not having a trip booked for next year already is rough. Having to wait around and wait\look for a deal that fits our timeframe next year is annoying! I never realized just how nice it was booking bounce backs all these years until now!

Thanks for letting me get that out there. I guess it means spending even more time on the boards now, listening to the podcasts, and searching the forums for the next free dining offer, or decent room discount! Who knows, maybe it’s even time to seriously consider looking at DVC again. Then again, maybe it’s a sign to skip a year; visit another vacation destination, and return when something “new” is put into place. Wow, that’s really a scary\sad thought…….

Here’s hoping for some good news over the next 6 months! Thanks for listening!

 

[2Gma]

Yeah, the post Disney blues are tough! especially when you're not sure when you'll be going again. Like you said the best cure is hanging on the boards and gathering info for the next trip. Sounds like you had a great trip though!

We've been 3 times in the past 4 years and right now my DH keeps saying how much he misses Disney and is wondering when we'll go again (mind you this is coming from someone who before out 1st trip was one and done type of guy). It just takes a magical hold on you!

 

[ttintagel]

Word. The FIRST thing that came to my mind when I had to take a serious pay cut this year was, "Shoot, now I won't be able to save for the next Disney trip."

 

[summer621]

I totally get this! So glad you all had a great vacation! Honestly, we have never done the BB offer, but I still think about my next Disney vacation, whenever that might be, once we get home! LOL! Maybe put together a scrapbook or something?! That helped me too.

Good luck!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I'm having serious post Disney blues myself.

We don't have a trip booked and are planning to go in November 2017 to take advantage of F&W for the first time and hoping to see some Christmas decorations.

In between we are doing an adults only trip and then have a destination wedding for a family member also so we will be busy. But it's still not Disney.

I hope I can make it two years!

 

[mandaa]

I completely understand! My husband says that the only downside of our AWESOME annual Disney vacation is my post Disney blues. But I agree that one thing that really helps is to start planning the next trip...even if you aren't 100% sure you can go. I still have a hard time with that because it just feels soooo far away!

 

[Accident]

It helps to get actively engaged in anything. Holiday's are coming, move your disney planning energy into making an amazing holiday season at home. Maybe plan a nearby day trip to a museum or something. it's really about replacing everything you did to make disney happen with something else.

With that said, we're getting smacked really hard after the trip we only got back from a week ago. we decided we're moving to orlando so everything we do is reminding us we're moving and disney will soon be a car ride away, anytime we want. Also upgrading to annual pass and seeing some of these last minute room deals is really burning a hole about getting back down there. The osbourne lights not being around after we move isn't helping either. The excitement that we'll be able to periodically see progress and be down the street for all these new things to check out opening day.. It's killing us, but the plus side is we've suddenly found this new found ability to not spend a single penny we don't have to in order to make it happen faster.

 

[Pmlocke]

I love to hear from people like you. I too have a problem every time we leave the Park and are on our way home. I actually hate seeing the "BAD" bus as I call it, the Magical Express as it pulls up to take us away. My wife and I travel every year and we have found the only way to stop the post partum blues is to get planning for the next trip. As we travel every year in February you can see that it will be awhile till I am there again (163 days) but we pull out the CD's of pictures, look over our scrap books that we put together for each trip and spend a lot of time on this site reading about others adventures. We still travel to other spots in this wonderful country but I would never even think of not having a February without my Disney fix. Isn't it great to be part of the chosen who truly appreciate and love WDW?

 

[LoKiHB]

I don't know if it will work for you, but I always plan at least a theoretical trip after the most recent visit. Then I put that date in my "Days Until" app and watch the countdown. The last countdown started at 626 days back in March 2014. We're now down to 73. When I put that date in, there were no set plans, no reservations, just "maybe we'l try to go for Christmas next year". I'll tell you this much, watching that number tick down every day, and getting to a point where it's "hey, let's book it", watching it hit 180 days, then go form 100 to 99, are all real spirit lifters.

It never hurts to plan for your next trip... even if you're not sure when it will be!

 

[DisneyMandC]

Ugh. I'm with you. I started a new job recently which I'm not enjoying as much as my previous job, and I'm fairly sure I wouldn't make it through the days sometimes without being able to theoretically plan a Disney vacation! DH loves Disney now too after our honeymoon there, but even still we are young and won't have the money to go every year, especially now that we're buying a house. DH said he thinks 2017 might be a reasonable time for us to try to go, so I'm just hoping we can save a lot between now and then!

 

[rotlex]

Thanks all!

It's always good to know you are not the only one that feels this way after a Disney trip. Funny, "Pmlocke" up above mentions seeing the "bad" bus as it pulls up to take you away. My family and I have a similar thing when we arrive, and leave. We see all the folks doing what we call the death march from the hotel with their luggage either to DME loading area, or, in our case, our car. When we arrive, we always say just think, that will be us in just x amount of days, lets start living for every second NOW!

Really though, overall, I think these boards help me tolerate the time in between trips more than anything. It's difficult to find folks who feel the same way about Disney out here in the "real world". Most just don't understand how a 47 year old husband and Father of 2 can be this attached to Disney, let alone, want to visit WDW as often as we do when many I know dread it!

 

[lustergirl]

I can relate, not with the free dining BB but a really great room discount. On my last trip in the end of April I had the flyer in my room that I should have booked. They were offering 30% off moderates. Never going to find that now for the end of January on my next trip after the one coming up.

 

[DisneyMandC]

Really though, overall, I think these boards help me tolerate the time in between trips more than anything. It's difficult to find folks who feel the same way about Disney out here in the "real world". Most just don't understand how a 47 year old husband and Father of 2 can be this attached to Disney, let alone, want to visit WDW as often as we do when many I know dread it!

Agreed on these boards! I didn't find these forums until shortly before our April trip and now I'm on everyday! I'd be way more Disney depressed if I didn't have them!

And people definitely don't understand the joy of Disney. When someone asked where we went for our honeymoon and I told them Disney World they responded "ugh, that's like the last place I ever want to go." Ummm ok, well the Caribbean sounds boring to me but thanks for your input.

 

[Tonyz]

Yeah, I've got the post-trip blues myself. But looking at the pictures, enjoying the souvenirs, talking about the trip to family and friends, listening to Disney podcasts, and planning next year's trip helps get me through!

 

[MarieKat]

Definitely feeling the post-Disney blues. My husband and I just got back from our first trip there together, my first ever and his first as an adult. It was awesome of course. We love to travel and will probably go on a trip next year but it won't be Disney (Disney again in maybe 3-5 years). It just exceeded my expectations in every way, you know? Of course you do! I always feel this way coming home from a great trip and I know it will pass.

 

[MarkinMA]

That used to happen to me - then, I was fortunate enough to be able to purchase a DVC contract via resale. I was always trying to find a bounce back, or checking the deals, etc. Now, It's not a matter of 'if', but of 'when.' Part of my fun is planning, and with DVC, it's could be up to almost a year (booking in at your home resort - 11 months). But it sounds like you are a planner, booking bounce backs one year out. There are plenty of contracts up for resale, so some research (great section on dis just for DVC - I spent a TON of time there before I bought) and see if it may fit for you. That way, when the Magic Express comes to pick you up..."Until next time..."