Adult Disney / Universal Vacation Adict

[ZapBrannigan]

My name is Mike and I have to come clean about an addiction.

I am addicted to Disney vacations (with the occasional Universal trip thrown in to 'mix it up')

I don't know when it started. I remember going a few times as a child, and maybe once when I was in college in Florida. Sometime in the early 2000s I became a full blown addict.

My wife and I were engaged at the Portofino Bay resort at Universal Orlando. It was originally supposed to happen on the roof of the Contemporary Resort at WDW during the fireworks, but I couldn't make it happen. So instead, that same trip we visited the Magic Kingdom and MGM Studios.

As adults Universal was a better fit, so we returned several more times for Halloween Horror Nights, always staying at the Portofino.

When she got pregnant in 2003 we went to Epcot and Hollywood Studios to celebrate our "babymoon", this time staying at the Yacht Club resort.

When our son was 3 it was Wilderness Lodge for his first visit to the Magic Kingdom, followed the following year with Halloween at Disneyland in California.

The next year we needed a break, so we went back to Universal to see the Wizarding World of Harry Potter followed by a 4 day cruise on the Disney Dream to celebrate our tenth anniversary.

We went back to Disneyland to stay at Grand Californian and check out Cars Land next. But before we knew it we were back sailing the Disney Dream again. This time with a few days at Animal Kingdom to follow.

Last year we sailed Disney Wonder and spent a few days at Pop Century visiting the Magic Kingdom afterwards.

Whenever I am feeling 'meh' I find myself on Disney or Universal's website planning our next trip. I have David's Vacation rentals bookmarked on my phone for bathroom planning sessions. (It's the only way to afford the deluxe Disney hotels) I ask the family what we want to do for our vacation each year - each year expecting them to have grown out of Disney, but each year wanting to go back.

So here I sit again planning a vacation a year away. Another Disney Dream sailing (they put the Millenium Falcon in the Oceaneers Club for crying out loud!!) followed by another Universal visit to check out Diagon Alley.

God only knows how much I've spent over the last 15 years on these trips but I love experiencing this stuff from my son's point of view. And when the ship's horn blares "when you wish upon a star" I can't help but get misty.

I have a problem. I admit it. I'm hoping some of you do too. Disney Vacation addicts come on in. This is s safe place. I won't judge you if you don't judge me.

 

[drunkenbeagle]

Living in Florida, I avoid the place like the plague. Actually, I don't even like crossing the bridge into Tampa, and do so quite reluctantly.

 

[Stone Cold]

Well, we know who has less in their retirement account now.

We are planning a few days in the land of the rat for family time with some coming up from S FL. It is $700 for a family of 4 to spend 3 days in Disney, with a Florida resident discount.

We opted for 1 day with the rat and another at Legoland since we have season's passes.

 

[derg]

DIsneyworld is a lot of fun when you don't live in Florida.

Like @drunkenbeagle, when I lived in Orlando, you couldn't drag me there.

The best though is a bunch of friends, no kids, and heading to Disneyland. Hit California adventure, get a snout-full of microbrew, head back over to the park and rage. Then back for a re-fill.

Rinse.

Repeat.

 

[Groundpounder]

I've never understood why normal adults would want to go to Disney. But then I see a 40 year old 300 lb single woman driving a Hyundai with Mickey Mouse stickers all over it, and I understand perfectly......

 

[Luigi]

Ah dude, Disney world is great. Was there about two years ago on a family vacation with my nephews. Best time of my life. How much the little kids enjoy it is the best part! And how much I enjoyed drinking around the world at Epcot.

 

[Stone Cold]

You can definitely tell who lives, or has lived in Florida, from this thread.

 

[erndollas]

@ZapBrannigan, you are not alone. My wife and I are addicts as well and we have some close friends that share the same medical condition. I went a few times as a kid and a couple of times in my early twenties thanks to discounted military tickets. While dating my wife my Disney addiction came out and my wife had never been. The easy option, living in Tucson, AZ, would have been to shoot over to Disneyland and take care of that. Instead we opted for a first for both and booked a vacation to Disney World. I then bought a ring and proposed to her in the Animal Kingdom park. Forever tying our lives to Disney.

Then we went to Disneyland for a pre-honeymoon since our flight for the real honeymoon was leaving a few days after the wedding from LAX.

Since then we have had one or two trips a year to Disneyland and about every 4-5 years we throw in a trip to Disney World. Our timeshare allows us to use our points on Disney World resorts so the stay is already paid for when we go there. We vacation other spots too but those are usually just fillers between the Disney addiction

Military tickets are such a good price it would be a shame to let them go to waste, my 4 and 5 year old definitely have no issues with Mom and Dad's addiction to Disney parks.

We just got back from Disney World, Saratoga Springs, at the end of September. We are actually booking a trip to Disneyland this coming May and going to stay in the Grand Californian.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

I lived in Orlando for about seven years. Went to that godforsaken place every time friends or family came into town. Lost count of how many times. I wouldn't shed a tear if it all burned to the ground.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

I lived in Orlando for about seven years. Went to that godforsaken place every time friends or family came into town. Lost count of how many times. I wouldn't shed a tear if it all burned to the ground.

Why must you hate everything that I love? You're an angry little man and I'm sad for you.

 

[killbilly]

paging @Rocketman99 ...

 

[smack300]

DIsneyworld is a lot of fun when you don't live in Florida.

Like @drunkenbeagle, when I lived in Orlando, you couldn't drag me there.

The best though is a bunch of friends, no kids, and heading to Disneyland. Hit California adventure, get a snout-full of microbrew, head back over to the park and rage. Then back for a re-fill.

Rinse.

Repeat.

Agreed. Just did that a few months ago, just past cars land you can grab Karl Strauss. So good.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

You can definitely tell who lives, or has lived in Florida, from this thread.

I spent four years in college in Florida. That counts I think.

 

[Rocketman99]

Disney is like my second home. I have my whole little sequence ritual for hitting all my stuff in the parks up in a day. Been going for 37 years. If not for my inconvenient sim schedule and flights from SEA, I'd be there right now getting drunk around the world in EPCOT with my mom this week for the Food and Wine Festival. Instead, she's been doing it without me and sending me pictures to torment. I love Disney. Always have, always will. Even though it's gotten beyond ridiculously expensive, it's still awesome.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

Why must you hate everything that I love? You're an angry little man and I'm sad for you.

Get off my lawn!

 

[drunkenbeagle]

Like @drunkenbeagle, when I lived in Orlando, you couldn't drag me there.

Theme parks to me are like a mall that you have to pay $100 to get into, then wait in line for hours. Meh, no thanks. I already stand in enough lines and push through enough crowds at airports. Yet I am amazed every time I take the boat out that I am on the only one on the water. And we have some of the best boating and beaches in the world here.

But hey, if an actual WallyWorld ever opened, I think I would go. If one of the attractions were shooting John Candy in the ass with a BB gun? Yeah, I might go once.

 

[kellwolf]

I live 10 minutes away and have annual passes. I'll have them next year and the year after that. I enjoy going and having fun. Epcot is my favorite right now, but we'll see what they do with the Studios and Star Wars. My kid is in a school group, and we go AT LEAST once a week with them. All the adults are "normal adults" and no one is 300 lbs. I can't say if they drive a Hyundai or not or if they have Mickey stickers.

It's not for everyone,and I get that. But it amazes me when I see the hate and judgement coming from some people because someone admits they like Disney. It's twice as bad if you say you like it and you live here from some people.

Hell, I may go right now, get lit in Germany and then go ride Rock N Rollercoaster a few times just to spite people. And to make @ZapBrannigan jealous.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

It's not "hate." I just find it...odd.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

I'm already jealous.

 

[derg]

I live 10 minutes away and have annual passes. I'll have them next year and the year after that. I enjoy going and having fun. Epcot is my favorite right now, but we'll see what they do with the Studios and Star Wars. My kid is in a school group, and we go AT LEAST once a week with them. All the adults are "normal adults" and no one is 300 lbs. I can't say if they drive a Hyundai or not or if they have Mickey stickers.

It's not for everyone,and I get that. But it amazes me when I see the hate and judgement coming from some people because someone admits they like Disney. It's twice as bad if you say you like it and you live here from some people.

Hell, I may go right now, get lit in Germany and then go ride Rock N Rollercoaster a few times just to spite people. And to make @ZapBrannigan jealous.

I was "festive" last time, even got stung by a bee in line for more booze in Germany but I think you had cruised by then.

"Bro. I just got stung by a bee. Trippy"