Articles | Disneyland | Walt Disney World
Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: More Mouse: The Vacation Kingdom of the World: A Tale of Two Vacations

  1. #1
    MousePlanet Staff
    MousePlanet Staff
    MousePlanet AutoPoster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    MousePlanet Global HQ

    More Mouse: The Vacation Kingdom of the World: A Tale of Two Vacations

    The Vacation Kingdom of the World: A Tale of Two Vacations by Tom Richards

    Tom Richards compares two ways of experiencing the Walt Disney World Resort.

    Read it here!


  2. # ADS

    Join Date
    Location
    Posts
     

  3. #2
    Registered User srusso100's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Albany, NY
    Blog Entries
    7

    More Mouse: The Vacation Kingdom of the World: A Tale of Two Vacations

    Great article, Tom. I agree completely.

    Steve

  4. #3

    I like the piece, since I actually have done it both ways. There was a period of time where (by pure dumb luck) I went to the world 4 times in 3 years, each for at least 4 days. The third and fourth trip were perhaps the most satisfying because I had time by myself in the parks and got to enjoy all of the fabulous details in the park- the rocking chairs and barrel top checkerboards in Frontierland, the rose garden next to the castle, people watching. I then had a good 5 year stretch without going to the park at all and went with my then GF (now wife) who hadn't been there since she was a kid, so we did everything (including get engaged) in 5 fantastic days. I think there is something to be said for both.

    But you brought up an interesting point towards the end- that frequent guests become the most vocal critic of Disney Parks, but that it happens for both the changing of long-standing favorites as well as the not changing of the parks (sometimes both!). It makes me wonder what the "right" amount of spacing between trips would be. For me I think it would be about 3 years or so between visits- there would be enough changes that it isn't the excact same experience, but that it has been long enough for me to see the shows and rides I've already seen. While I enjoyed the details and strolls during my frequent visits, I could feel that the entire experience wasn't quite so special for me. From the airport, which had always been a bit of a gateway to adventure but started to feel like any other airport all the way to the parks themselves, where I found myself less patient with any sort of line or delay than I would be otherwise, it was almost too much of a good thing. I'm sure that the "sweet spot" for time between trips is different for everyone- some people would say once a year, some people would say once a decade, some once a lifetime, but when you figure it out, that's when you can have the best trips.


  5. #4
    Out of this world for Disney DwarfPlanet's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Colorado Springs, CO
    Blog Entries
    2

    "For the first 20 years of Walt Disney World's existence, it was seen by most families as a once (or twice)-in-a-lifetime vacation destination. The original resorts—the Contemporary, the Polynesian, and the Golf Resort—were booked years in advance, so a trip to Disney World required early reservations and, in most cases, financial planning as well. Even guests who returned for frequent visits typically planned their trips two to three years apart."

    This is the only part I have to disagree on. I and my wife had made it to the Magic Kingdom 4 times during the first 10 years of it's existence and that was on a lowly Senior Airmans pay living in the middle of Georgia (Warner Robins). When we left Spaceship Earth was still being constructed. The idea that the Contemporary etc were booked years in advance is a non-player IMHO. There really was no reason to stay on the resort then with just the Magic Kingdom and the resorts that were available at the prices they charged for lodging. While even then there was numerous lodgings available off resort at a fraction of the price. I remember staying in a Ramada on our last trip in the early 80's for under $30 a night on a special they had been running. Also Sea World, Gatorland and numerous other places were there to visit which was actually the only time we visited them. Since the 2000's we have been back a half dozen times and have not visited anything but WDW.

    "Although we think it's DOPEY that Pluto has been downgraded to a dwarf planet, which has made some people GRUMPY and others just SLEEPY, we are not BASHFUL in saying we would be HAPPY if Disney's Pluto would join us as an 8th dwarf. We think this is just what the DOC ordered and is nothing to SNEEZE at."

  6. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by DwarfPlanet View Post
    "For the first 20 years of Walt Disney World's existence, it was seen by most families as a once (or twice)-in-a-lifetime vacation destination. The original resorts—the Contemporary, the Polynesian, and the Golf Resort—were booked years in advance, so a trip to Disney World required early reservations and, in most cases, financial planning as well. Even guests who returned for frequent visits typically planned their trips two to three years apart."

    This is the only part I have to disagree on. I and my wife had made it to the Magic Kingdom 4 times during the first 10 years of it's existence and that was on a lowly Senior Airmans pay living in the middle of Georgia (Warner Robins). When we left Spaceship Earth was still being constructed. The idea that the Contemporary etc were booked years in advance is a non-player IMHO. There really was no reason to stay on the resort then with just the Magic Kingdom and the resorts that were available at the prices they charged for lodging. While even then there was numerous lodgings available off resort at a fraction of the price. I remember staying in a Ramada on our last trip in the early 80's for under $30 a night on a special they had been running. Also Sea World, Gatorland and numerous other places were there to visit which was actually the only time we visited them. Since the 2000's we have been back a half dozen times and have not visited anything but WDW.
    I agree with Dwarfplanet on this. My first trip in 1977, followed by yearly trips up to 1984 were mostly last minute extended weekends. It was not until EPCOT opened that the trips became longer - although I don't think I stayed longer than 5 days on any of them. We usually stayed in the Downtown Disney hotels - although they were called something else at that time. Back in that age of lacking information, I often relied on travel agents. It was the travel agents (who did not receive commissions from Disney at that time, if I heard correctly) who would say that the Disney resorts were always booked and would steer you somewhere else. We finally stayed at the Contemporary starting in 1982 and did so for the next two years, always on very short notice. Our trips were planned two or three weeks out, which was easy to do back then. Financially, it was not a major expenditure, something I could afford even though I was fresh out of college in 77 and only had a low paying job (also, not married/no kids). Because it was a short getaway with friends, it was a nice break in the middle of winter, and after the first few trips, became less about doing everything and more just enjoying the time together.
    Disneyland- 7/72, 7/75, 1/86
    WDW - 1/77, 1/78, 1/79, 2/80, 2/81 (off site)
    WDW - 1/82, 1/83, 1/84 Cont, 1/87 Poly, 4/97 o/s
    WDW - 11/00, 1/05, 12/05, 1/07, 6/07, 1/09, 10/10, 10/11, 10/13 Polynesian

  7. #6

    Great article; enjoyed the balance of opinion.

    We started off as the Commando type, but when we realized that we were always going to come back we loosened up and started really soaking in the atmosphere.

    This last trip brought my favorite new 'must-do'... I sat in a rocking chair on Tom Sawyers Island for about an hour. That's it. It was the greatest hour of the trip; I watched people walk by, run by and skip by across the river. I had nothing to do and no where I had to be and it was the greatest combination; I was in my favorite place and got all the benefits but had none of the stress.


Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •