Trying to figure out my post trip state of mind

[Jedi Osborn]

Hey everyone. I don't post much, but I enjoy reading a lot from like-minded individuals.

Maybe someone can help me understand this, or maybe I need to see a professional, but we’re just back from an 8 day trip to WDW. It was our 13th trip in 23 years, so we’re not new to the experience.

I’m in a major state of post vacation depression. But I can’t figure out WHY.

I’m a software developer, so I tend to be a logical thinker and I’m trying to figure out what it is that makes me feel this way.

The trip was great, we had a wonderful time with dessert parties, attractions and quality family time. It wasn’t perfect by any means. It poured twice, there were long lines, 95-degree weather (a shock from the 40 we came from) and minor family disagreements. The crowds were frustrating considering we’re used to January levels from years ago. We’d get our 3 fast passes in and then struggle to find a sub 60-minute attraction to enjoy

But now that I’m home, I want to go back, and I can’t figure out why!! We did what we wanted to, rode the rides, ate the food, saw the fireworks. Not that you can do it all in 8 days, but you know what I mean.

If we went back tomorrow, it’d be the same thing….a few fast passes, dodging the heat, and then a lot of wandering and frustrations with crowds.

I keep talking about Disney with family, and I think they might be a bit over it. The only thing that seems to help is thinking about the next trip, and of course reading about all the Star Wars Galaxy's Edge news coming out.

I can’t seem to figure it out!!

 

[ExRoadie]

I experienced the same kind of feelings when I worked for a multi-national company.

After spending weeks in the South Pacific and East Asia I would get home and within 24 hours start feeling I wanted to go back to where I just came from.

I wouldn't use your term "post vacation depression" but simply call it a "reality sink" where conscious thoughts are overridden by the stimuli from your trip. Sometimes the "reality sink" lasted from a few days to longer than a week but it always subsided.

If you keep feeling "depressed" afer a week or so please see a professional.

God Bless you and take care!

 

[Jedi Osborn]

I experienced the same kind of feelings when I worked for a multi-national company.

After spending weeks in the South Pacific and East Asia I would get home and within 24 hours start feeling I wanted to go back to where I just came from.

I wouldn't use your term "post vacation depression" but simply call it a "reality sink" where conscious thoughts are overridden by the stimuli from your trip. Sometimes the "reality sink" lasted from a few days to longer than a week but it always subsided.

If you keep feeling "depressed" afer a week or so please see a professional.

God Bless you and take care!

Thanks for the response! That's an interesting term, and rather accurate.

If it's anything like previous trips, the feeling will eventually fade, so "depression" probably isn't an accurate term, but is sure feels that way for a few days. The drive to return and the lack of energy for normal things around home support it.

It's very strange and I sure wish there was a way to overcome it, without the strange drive to return.

 

[UKDisney Dave]

I think much of my post WDW blues come from not only actually visiting the world, but the weeks of anticipation beforehand.

WDW is a great place to visit if you like to tinker and plan. What with meals you can book, fast passes to snag, park hours and crowd levels to muse, and much more, there is no shortage of things to distract you from the reality of life in the weeks leading up to a vacation.

Of course when you get home not only do you not have the trip to look forward to, but you also don’t have those little tasks to plan where you can day dream for 5 mins. It’s a double shock to the system!

For me, the planning and anticipation make the whole experience stretch much longer than the actual time in the park, and in those weeks leading up to a trip I’m more resilient to life’s annoyances knowing I will be flying out soon. When I get back, without those tasks to complete and the chance of a day dream life seems much less exciting.

 

[SteveAZee]

I've had your experience many times. I think some of is is the 'reality sink' and also as mentioned the excitement of planning now no longer part of daily life. I think I'd add one more dimension to it. Unmet expectations, especially if you spend a lot of time planning. I typically pictured building the perfect plan before going, and then (as reality would have it) things change... weather, arguments, unmet expectations, that jerk with the flash camera... etc. I was a software engineer as well, and sometimes the problem is the belief that if you just work the system and plan things really well, it'll be without problems, errors, omissions, and dare I say it... bugs.

My plan for the upcoming trip in October is to plan like crazy but assume lots of failures and incomplete expectations. I'm also now traveling with my adult children, so I don't have the parental duty to try to make things perfect for my little kids; they've faced enough reality now that it's no longer my job to try to make things perfect for them. We're all old enough now to roll with the punches... at least that's the plan.

I'll let you know how it works out in mid-November when I'm back to 'normal'.

 

[Jedi Osborn]

Terrific thoughts. I agree, I think a big part of the trip is the weeks and months leading up. We live in upstate NY, so each trip is an event for us. We consider ourselves lucky to be able to go and the next trip is never assured. So when the vacation is over, and there's no plan for another, it seems a bit empty. Obviously there are other things in life besides Disney, but it is the one thing we all enjoy and look forward to. When the days at work are rough, it's easy to look to the countdown, or look ahead to the upcoming trip to help cope with the stress.
I just think it's especially strange how the 'bugs' (well put) seem to fade and the good memories stay. The crowds, the jerk with the flash, the frustration waiting for a bus when you're hot and tired. The lines for food when you're hungry, all those things seem to get glossed over some how. You'd think they would temper your desire to go back, but not really.

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Dude, right there with you. Logical thinker in a finance role at a huge company.

I have annual passes and go to WDW around 30 days/yr, so not new to it. EVERY time I come back, I feel somewhat depressed and miss it. I just got back from a little 4 day Memorial Trip at Grand Floridian. It was 96 every day, but we had a great time and I want to go back...like now.

What I think we struggle with is the escape from reality and then the harsh realization you’re “back” in the real world. Regular life doesn’t compare to the magical world of Disney where you have positive memories, familiar smells, music, and non stop entertainment. Of course you have disagreements and inconveniences, but instead of dealing with those at work or home, you can always say, “It’s hot....let’s head over to Carousel of Progress.”

The only thing I’ve found to work is to plan my next trip.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

I can definitely relate. The past two times, I've had a bad case of Post Disney Depression.

 

[Nottamus]

We just finished our 10th trip in April...and I felt the depression quicker this time. Usually takes a good 3 weeks.
We drive home too...to NJ...so there’s that one whole day decompression to get used To RDW. (Regular Daily World)

We are also DVC...we go twice a year, every 6 months...so as soon as we get home, we are planning the next trip.

It’s different every time. Maybe the better the trip is, the harder it is to leave ?

 

[Smiley/OCD]

We just finished our 10th trip in April...and I felt the depression quicker this time. Usually takes a good 3 weeks.
We drive home too...to NJ...so there’s that one whole day decompression to get used To RDW. (Regular Daily World)

We are also DVC...we go twice a year, every 6 months...so as soon as we get home, we are planning the next trip.

It’s different every time. Maybe the better the trip is, the harder it is to leave ?

That depression usually sets in for us the day BEFORE we leave...we will be driving back to NJ too...the way we look at it is 18 hours of planning for the next trip!

 

[Smiley/OCD]

My oldest DD was in the DCP...imagine THAT depression that she had!!! I flew down and drove home with her...ROUGH!

 

[Jedi Osborn]

Dude, right there with you. Logical thinker in a finance role at a huge company.

I have annual passes and go to WDW around 30 days/yr, so not new to it. EVERY time I come back, I feel somewhat depressed and miss it. I just got back from a little 4 day Memorial Trip at Grand Floridian. It was 96 every day, but we had a great time and I want to go back...like now.

What I think we struggle with is the escape from reality and then the harsh realization you’re “back” in the real world. Regular life doesn’t compare to the magical world of Disney where you have positive memories, familiar smells, music, and non stop entertainment. Of course you have disagreements and inconveniences, but instead of dealing with those at work or home, you can always say, “It’s hot....let’s head over to Courosel of Progress.”

The only thing I’ve found to work is to plan my next trip.

It's rough when you're trying to figure out these weird emotional things when you're normally a straightforward logical thinker. I just keep trying to make logical sense, but I guess there isn't much more than "It was a wonderful escape from the stress and troubles of the real world, and now it's over" So the natural response would be to be bummed and get excited about the next possible trip.

Working on the next trip now.....

 

[JIMINYCR]

Theres ALWAYS the Disney let down period. You spend the year, 2 years or longer thinking, dreaming, planning, discussing every little detail of your trip. It becomes a constant part of your day. Theres nothing in your life that has as much excitement and possibilities of joy as the Disney trip to come. You talk endlessly with family, friends, co workers, even strangers. Then finally the day youve looked forward to comes when you get there... the time flies by and in no time youre home again. Left with.... What???? No more Disney detail to look forward to or think about except the memories of what you once had. Its an unknown when you will get back. How you can afford it. and you are back in your dreary work filled, hum drum life.

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

I've said a million times that I get post trip blues even DURING my trip about midway or so and when I was a kid I'd actually cry when it was time to leave so joining the DVC was what fixed it for me. We get to go multiple times a year and I always know when I'll be back and where I'll be staying and I'll always have something to look forward to and by the time I'm on the plane on the way back home I'm already thinking about the next trip and counting down my days to my 180 day reservation window and my 60 day FP window and that really helps me. Another thing that really helps me is the fact that I'm always there during the offseason and how I cope with not being there is I just think how much larger the crowds would be if I were. Thanks to UPS it will have to be when I retire that I finally get to see the parks at Christmas but even when I know there's something I haven't gotten to experience at Disneyworld I just tell myself the crowds are so big they might prevent me from enjoying it and that's another way I cope with the space between trips. People that don't go a lot can just never understand why we love it so much but they don't get the fact that there's ALWAYS something new to experience and that's what makes it so special.

 

[Jedi Osborn]

Theres ALWAYS the Disney let down period. You spend the year, 2 years or longer thinking, dreaming, planning, discussing every little detail of your trip. It becomes a constant part of your day. Theres nothing in your life that has as much excitement and possibilities of joy as the Disney trip to come. You talk endlessly with family, friends, co workers, even strangers. Then finally the day youve looked forward to comes when you get there... the time flies by and in no time youre home again. Left with.... What???? No more Disney detail to look forward to or think about except the memories of what you once had. Its an unknown when you will get back. How you can afford it. and you are back in your dreary work filled, hum drum life.

You've described the situation very well. We've been counting down to our trip for a couple hundred days. After a crummy day at work, or a stressful game (I coach and my girls play soccer & volleyball) we could always talk about Disney.

I feel the blues creeping in on the last couple days of the trip too. (side note, It's strange how Orlando Airport is such a great place on the way there and a depressing place on the way home) A day or 2 before leaving, I start thinking about the airport and going home and I push those thoughts out!

I thought about DVC, I did a ton of research, but it just won't work for us right now. It's a bit pricey for our current situation. And that we normally stay at moderates (Dixie Landings forever!!! ). So I'm looking into renting points for a trip next year. idk if the rest of the family is on board with it though.

It's great to share thoughts with you guys and know that it's not some weird defect I have. Sometimes I feel like I'm"weird" with my ....let's call it affection, for Disney World. Maybe it's not just about Disney, but the escape of having something to look forward to AND the fact that it's a magical place.

Thanks for sharing everyone!

 

[JIMINYCR]

I've said a million times that I get post trip blues even DURING my trip about midway or so

When we arrive the first day, I'm looking at ALL THE TIME WE HAVE !!! Then mid point I cant help noticing we are on the last half and its going fast. The worst is the last 2 days when you are trying to get the last bit of fun in, thinking about packing, knowing check out is just hours away.

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

You've described the situation very well. We've been counting down to our trip for a couple hundred days. After a crummy day at work, or a stressful game (I coach and my girls play soccer & volleyball) we could always talk about Disney.

I feel the blues creeping in on the last couple days of the trip too. (side note, It's strange how Orlando Airport is such a great place on the way there and a depressing place on the way home) A day or 2 before leaving, I start thinking about the airport and going home and I push those thoughts out!

I thought about DVC, I did a ton of research, but it just won't work for us right now. It's a bit pricey for our current situation. And that we normally stay at moderates (Dixie Landings forever!!! ). So I'm looking into renting points for a trip next year. idk if the rest of the family is on board with it though.

It's great to share thoughts with you guys and know that it's not some weird defect I have. Sometimes I feel like I'm"weird" with my ....let's call it affection, for Disney World. Maybe it's not just about Disney, but the escape of having something to look forward to AND the fact that it's a magical place.

Thanks for sharing everyone!

Renting points is a great option for people that would like to try some of the resorts. I've told multiple people on here if they ever wanna try Bay Lake Tower to get with me and I'll call DVC and use my friends and family discount for them directly and it's 25% off per day and that's a great deal. Just make sure when you rent points you're not getting hosed. There is also the resale market for points if you think Disney's rates are too expensive and the rates for SURE keep going up. We got lucky to get in early but man nowadays you're right about how expensive it can be. The only drawback to people not buying direct from them is Disney has removed a lot of the perks and discounts about it and just make sure they tell you that if you ever do decide to join. Good luck on getting your next trip cooking and maybe instead of thinking about what you're missing just think about what you've experienced and that can't be replaced!

 

[Jedi Osborn]

When we arrive the first day, I'm looking at ALL THE TIME WE HAVE !!! Then mid point I cant help noticing we are on the last half and its going fast. The worst is the last 2 days when you are trying to get the last bit of fun in, thinking about packing, knowing check out is just hours away.

That's EXACTLY how my thought process goes. I vividly recall going to bed on this last trip on the 2nd night thinking we had SO MUCH TIME left. Before I knew it, I was thinking "OMG, it's almost over"
I think it gets rough at that point because I tend to push, I want to do MORE and squeeze in everything I can. Exhaustion usually follows so when I do get home, I'm shot. And that just makes the post Disney funk even worse.

Renting points is a great option for people that would like to try some of the resorts. I've told multiple people on here if they ever wanna try Bay Lake Tower to get with me and I'll call DVC and use my friends and family discount for them directly and it's 25% off per day and that's a great deal. Just make sure when you rent points you're not getting hosed. There is also the resale market for points if you think Disney's rates are too expensive and the rates for SURE keep going up. We got lucky to get in early but man nowadays you're right about how expensive it can be. The only drawback to people not buying direct from them is Disney has removed a lot of the perks and discounts about it and just make sure they tell you that if you ever do decide to join. Good luck on getting your next trip cooking and maybe instead of thinking about what you're missing just think about what you've experienced and that can't be replaced!

Thanks for the points advice! We've always done moderate (except for one very special trip to the Wilderness Lodge) and we enjoy them. The walks to the food court, early morning walks etc. I would like to try the Poly for it's theme or the Boardwalk for it's proximity to Epcot. I have to say, I'm quite terrified to rent points. We've always booked our own vacations, or for the last few years we've used an agent (Deb Gordon, who is absolutely terrific). I don't think we'd be able to afford (or justify) a deluxe resort normally. But if this point thing works out, it could transform our vacations.

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

That's EXACTLY how my thought process goes. I vividly recall going to bed on this last trip on the 2nd night thinking we had SO MUCH TIME left. Before I knew it, I was thinking "OMG, it's almost over"
I think it gets rough at that point because I tend to push, I want to do MORE and squeeze in everything I can. Exhaustion usually follows so when I do get home, I'm shot. And that just makes the post Disney funk even worse.



Thanks for the points advice! We've always done moderate (except for one very special trip to the Wilderness Lodge) and we enjoy them. The walks to the food court, early morning walks etc. I would like to try the Poly for it's theme or the Boardwalk for it's proximity to Epcot. I have to say, I'm quite terrified to rent points. We've always booked our own vacations, or for the last few years we've used an agent (Deb Gordon, who is absolutely terrific). I don't think we'd be able to afford (or justify) a deluxe resort normally. But if this point thing works out, it could transform our vacations.

Yeah I can honestly say being a DVC member totally took my Disney experiences to another level because of the stress it alleviated from wondering when I would be back and where I'd be staying and so forth. We are members at Bay Lake but my wife's personal favorite is actually the Boardwalk. I'm just such a devout MK fan that Bay Lake Tower is heaven for me because I can walk right down the sidewalk in less than 10 minutes and be in the park and feel like I'm dictating the pace because on my job I have to always be dictating the pace and I just have that mindset. That's the good thing about the Boardwalk too though because you have two parks in very close walking distance. I personally enjoy the looks of the Grand Floridian Villas the most of any DVC resort but I just hate being the last stop on the monorail or having to take a boat. If there was a sidewalk from there to the MK it would be my favorite resort hands down. I can see why the Boardwalk would appeal to you and as far as the Poly DVC rooms just know that you can only either get a studio, which is quite spacious, or a 2 bedroom bungalow which is a KING'S RANSOM of DVC points and I'd estimate that even with a Family and Friends discount you'd still be looking at close to a thousand bucks per day! That would have to be one of those "dream trip" scenarios or a "nightmare" scenario for your bank account. LOL!

 

[CP_alum08]

Can also absolutely relate! My wife and I (no kids) are lucky enough to be able to travel a few times a year; sometimes within the US, sometimes internationally, sometimes Disney and I think the “escaping reality” idea is spot on. No matter what the vacation is it still beats 99% of daily life, at least for me. The best solution I’ve found is to already have the next thing planned before you get back. That way when the post vacation blues set in you know there is something already planned for you to look forward to!
I will say though, that the blues I get after a Disney vacation are usually far worse than anything else. It’s been almost 3 years since our last WDW trip and I’m so badly itching to get back. We have a trip planned to DL next year but so far nothing for WDW.