WDW as a once-in-a-lifetime trip?

[charminghearts]

I'm pretty sure my parents could have been 100% okay with a once in a lifetime trip. We went for the first time in 2001 when I was in 7th grade(because we waited until my sisters were older...) My dad was not impressed at all, said he didn't really like it that much. (I don't know, I loved it). We planned another trip 2 years later but this time went to Universal and Sea World as well. Again, Disney didn't impress my dad and he preferred the other parks.

Then my last trip to Orlando with my family was just to Universal and Sea World because my parents didn't want to do Disney again because they'd already seen it twice. I was only able to pursuade them to go to Downtown Disney one day on that trip for shopping. =\

Luckily I've been able to find other ways to Disney.

 

[barrettismyhero]

I gurantee anyone who belongs to these forums is not a once in a lifetime trip person:lol:

that is a very good assumption.

 

[amandagibbins]

We try to treat every trip as a once in a lifetime dream holiday knowing very well that we will be back just so we dont take it too much for granted we got to spend three weeks with the mouse last holiday which was a huge luxury it was great but we still had little time to relax,we are now planning to take our unborn child who will be almost a year old by the time we go again so whether he or she remembers it is irrelevent because we will be back on many occasions. Our son was under two when we first went and four the second time he remembers bits of both especially for his fourth birthday he loved being spoilt for the day (well ok three weeks) so enjoy odds on you will go back thers nothing like spending all of your cash on a mouse:wave:

 

[amandagibbins]

I know some people that did that and the magic did NOT work on them. They do not want to go again.

they didnt happen to go to Disneyland Paris did they Oh Boy worlds apart from the world in every way

 

[DisneyGigi]

We also went to WDW in '98 as a "once in a lifetime trip" now here we are several trips later and one coming up in September:sohappy: . We don't take it for granted either though and always soak everything up. This is the first time we have been able to go twice in one year and we are all as excited as we were that first time. :dazzle: :sohappy:

 

[awitelin]

My parents did that, waited until my sister and I were old enough to go so they could do the "once in a lifetime" trip. Neither my mother or father had ever been to Disney before, nor have either one any intention of ever going back. Truth be told, I'm not sure my sister or I really remember the Disney part of the trip that well, as we stayed off-site, were only in Florida for about five days, and had other activities like Sea World in the mix.

Of course, that's why I have to go back in September with my husband, so we can do things the right way and make some memories! He's never been and isn't sure if we'll go back again. We'll see if he doesn't end up hooked!

 

[bterrier22]

Once in a lifetime really means once a year! 2005 POR 2006 POR 2007 POR. August 18-27 counting the minutes!!!

 

[sarabi]

My mother and I went to WDW for the first time when I was about 14 and was "old enough to appreciate it" in her eyes. She had always wanted to go all her life and had never gone. She grew up on the World of Disney and had seen the castle before on television. When she saw it for the first time in person, she cried and to be shamefully honest, I did not because to me, it was just a castle. When we went, we thought it was the only time we would ever go.

Needless to say, it was not. Now when we go and see the castle, we both cry. Unless this guy has a really bad trip (and his kids too), he will be back. It's hard not to come back.

 

[bassman]

i did.
my 1st trip in 98' was suposed to my families only trip to WDW.
we did it on a buget and only visited the MK and universal studios.

when we got home,we all said just how much we loved it and we said we'd definatly have to go back and see everything else.

its now a family tradition to go too florida every year at least once.

 

[Eyorefan]

I feel sorry for people like this. They just don't understand the magic.

 

[Nebrfan]

For some people it does come down to money, and for them it really is a once-in-a-lifetime trip because of that. For the people that can afford it, most of them who arent' going back made up their minds they weren't going back before they even got there. Our once in a lifetime trips started in 1996. We've gone 14 times in the 12 years since. My wife also likes to remind me that I've had 4 once in a lifetime Paul McCartney concerts, and 3 once in a lifetime trips to see Nebraska play for the national championship in football. I must be a cat because I've gone through a lot of lives already.

 

[Douglas Bray]

I took my first vaction ever when I was Twenty-one and went to Disneyland CA. Before that I always thought that it was better to save the money any buy things like electronics, cars etc. Since that trip I have gone to Disneyland another 11 times, Mexico twice, 6 different Cruises, and 4 trips to Walt Disney World. Our next trip is to Walt Disney World in September.
I cant understand anyone who would want to work all year and not get away on a trip at least once a year.
Yes Disney can be a little pricey, but with some good planning it isn't much more than any other type of a vacation and after all it's Disney.
You can save AIRMILES and use them for you admission passes, as well as airfare if you can collect enough. And of course anyone booking a trip to Disney should always check out www.mousesavers.com for any discounts.

 

[Since1976]

For some people it does come down to money, and for them it really is a once-in-a-lifetime trip because of that. For the people that can afford it, most of them who arent' going back made up their minds they weren't going back before they even got there. Our once in a lifetime trips started in 1996. We've gone 14 times in the 12 years since. My wife also likes to remind me that I've had 4 once in a lifetime Paul McCartney concerts, and 3 once in a lifetime trips to see Nebraska play for the national championship in football. I must be a cat because I've gone through a lot of lives already.

Ah, money and its limitations. When we were kids, my parents emptied every piggy bank and shook down every sofa just to save enough money to pay for WDW park admission. We had no hotel -- imagine sleeping in the car in the sweltering Florida heat --- and ate canned Vienna sausages all week. Once-in-a-lifetime? Nope. My sister and I went through this sweaty, uncomfortable "hell" twice! As tough as this experience was, I remember and cherish the time at the parks more. I continue to be thankful for my parents pretty much bleeding themselves dry just to give us a little sunshine for a few days.

Because of this experience, I can no longer accept the "we can't afford it" excuse, especially from parents who are better off financially than my own were.

 

[mary219]

honestly,it really is a very expensive trip.yes,you can do it cheaper but I did do that once and it really stunk.For the amount of money i did spend,it really was almost a waste because you really couldn't enjoy yourself as much.This year, I have the free dining and that made it possible to stay on property for a 10 day vacation with 7 day park hoppers.I could never have done it this way the first time.I would never say i am not going back again,but i could easily see feeling that way.Of course,i am already thinking about my next trip and i havent even left for this one yet!!

 

[ltp74]

There are alot of people who just see Disney as another place on the list of vacation spots they want to visit in their life. They save up for the Disney vacation then when they get back start saving up for a Hawaii vacation in two years and when they get back from that start saving up for a vacation at Yellowstone and so on.

 

[GrimGhost]

While I agree to the "to each his/her own" and "Lots of places to see" theories, I can personally say that I have "hooked" many friends into trying it only to be "hooked". Around 50 million people go to WDW alone each year, its undeniable that its a very special and "Magical" place, it always has been for me.

 

[hematite153]

A co-worker of mine told me that he was finally going to WDW, as his kids were all now "old enough" -- 7+ years. I asked him why he didn't just take then when they were younger. ("Why postpone your own joy?")

Yes, I agree with you. I have many friends who talk about wdw this way. They seem to miss the fact that Walt's goal was to create a place where people of ALL ages could have fun.

His reply was that he wanted the kids to actually remember their only trip to WDW.
...
Anyone else know anybody who planned their family WDW trip as a once-in-a-lifetime experience? Did they change their mind when it was over? Or did they feel that they got their fill of it on that one trip?

I used to think this way..."someday I'll go to wdw". But, 3 years, a DVC membership and many trips later...well, you know.

We're hoping to take my cousin on his "once in a lifetime" trip in the next couple of years. In his case, he's wanted to go his whole life, is already 56 and will need 2-3 years to save for a scrimping wdw vacation.

But, people who have money...I'm always a little impressed by the people who manage to avoid giving lots of it to disney.

 

[lovestheears]

My family planned a once in a lifetime trip to WDW in 2003. We felt that we could save up enough money to go once (it was pretty expensive coming from Idaho), Christmas was small, birthdays were simple. So we went at the end of May and took my dd who was then 2 years old (she is now 7 years old). We had the greatest time. My dd can still to this day remember things that happened. We decided that this wouldn't be our only once ina lifetime trip. We returned Christmas 2005 and again in May 2007, each time our once in a lifetime trip We are again planning our next once in a lifetime trip, probably the disney cruise this time. We plan to have many more once in a lifetime trips. The years we go we have smaller Christmases and birthdays etc. We consider our trips our gifts. :wave:

 

[klofan]

If I could only go to Disney one time in my life, I would go crazy, haha.

I want to go at least twice a year. Well, lets see if I can afford it first.

I knew someone who hates Disney World. She said it was too crowded and it was for kids. It killed me, but its her opinion, so I can't change that. And theres a lot of people I know who think its a once every ten years kind of thing. I just recently went to Disney for my senior trip and a lot of the people that were there just sat around and didn't ride anything. They said it was for kids. Obviously clueless.

 

[michaelcostella]

Strange, everyone i know has gotten completely hooked on going and can never wait to book another trip!