The "happiest place on earth" has been a destination for us many times over the years, and we are definitely one of those families that doesn't get tired of visiting DisneyWorld. We started going when my girls were very young (they were both there as babies) and then picked up even more momentum over the past 10 years or so. We have gone a total of 15-16 times... I've lost track, but each trip is unique and fun. It's been nice for us to become very familiar with the parks and be able to maximize our time while we are there. What used to be a week long trip is now usually just 3-4 days, but we get in everything we want because we learned how to "Do Disney". This is also something Lisa and I have in common. She has been to Disney frequently with her family too, and we have even been there all together a couple of times during marathon weekend.
I think this is a great location to visit for many reasons. First of all as working moms, we definitely need to take a break at times and enjoy quality time with our kids. The day to day can be hard and leave little time for fun, Vacations should be a time to relax and enjoy each other. For the most part, I think all kids love Disney. It can also be a great spot for adults. It is certainly not for everyone, but I think it appeals to the majority of people. It may not be a place you want to keep going back to like we do, but I think, if possible, everyone with kids should visit at least once. Depending on how you plan the trip, it may not be the most relaxing time, but it certainly can be so much fun!
We have gone at all times of the year. We have been there around different holidays like Christmas, Easter and Halloween. The decorations and special events are wonderful at these times. I highly recommend Christmas time with fake snow, a Christmas party in the park and incredible decorations everywhere. We typically stay at a Disney resort which then makes it very easy to get around to the different parks, and you can have other perks such as extra hours in the parks for only those staying on Disney property. We have made so many wonderful memories here and the kids have even brought friends on a couple of occasions.
We have enjoyed trips here during Marathon weekend four times. This is in early January so you can catch the tail end of the Christmas decorations. It was great to be able to combine one of my former pastimes with one of our favorite places. I have competed in several Disney races which are incredibly well done, and was able to complete the 4 day Dopey challenge ( 5K, 10K, half marathon & full marathon) with Lisa in 2018. I then had a great time doing the 5K and 10K with my daughter Kayla in 2019.
I could go on forever about how special this place has been for my family over the years. I think it can be very nice to have a place, not necessarily Disney, but somewhere you like to get away that allows you to forget about the stressful daily routine. Even a break for a few days can recharge your batteries and remind you of what it's like to have fun with your kids. Of course every moment away may not be fun or perfect, but it will still be cherished quality time. My girls, my mom and I look back on all of our Disney trips and smile. Sadly we had one planned for this past summer which would have been fabulous. Both girls were going to bring friends again, and we had it all planned out. The pandemic changed those plans for us as it changed so many plans for so many people. We are hoping we can one day return to one of our favorite places as it used to be. It's hard to know when that will be, but we look forward to it.
My advice...find a vacation spot that you enjoy or go someplace different every time, but take those vacations, make the memories and live each moment to the fullest. They won't be kids forever!
