Sometimes I feel guilty for not traveling elsewhere

[ronandannette]

@FutureDisneyEventPlanner - who do you think this matters to? Is somebody giving you a hard time? I totally don't understand the "guilt". If you feel like you're depriving yourself of other important experiences, just go ahead and do them. It seems you have the means and freedom to chart your own course, which is how it should be. If we all said we think you absolutely should move on from Disney and start taking cruises, going to Caribbean AI's or back-packing through Asia, would you do it?

 

[Planogirl]

I was completely into WDW for several years and except for more local trips, I couldn't imagine going anywhere else. (I did live in the Netherlands when younger however it wasn't traveling when I revisited but my other home.) However we traveled to Colorado to visit someone one year and I discovered how much I loved mountains. That helped rip my blinders off and I discovered how many other places i enjoyed. The best part for me became exploring.

I see nothing wrong with going to the same place if that makes you happy. However if you never check out other places (like you are) then you might never discover something like my mountains.

 

[fla4fun]

Vacation where it makes you happy. When your time and budget are limited, it makes even more sense to make the most of both. You don't have to defend your choice to anyone else.

When I had a job where I only got one week of vacation per year, I went to WDW only. Now that I have six weeks vacation, I do four at WDW and two elsewhere. I didn't feel like I was missing out when I did Disney only, because I knew I would feel bad if I didn't get my Disney fix. I don't feel like I am missing out now, because I do go other places in addition to Disney. If I changed jobs and went back to less vacation time, Disney would probably still be the higher priority. Everyone is different.

 

[mmouse37]

I love Disney. As we all do. I hope to get a job there one day, as my name states. I try to visit Disney once a year. I have gone every year for the last 6 years. I would love to go more but I just can't as I am a young professional and just starting off.

I recently had to cancel my trip in February, as I moved and got a new job. But I really want to go to Disney this year. They have a really good offer out right now and I jumped on it. But I feel guilty.

I am so much closer to the West coast now. I could go to the National Parks or San Francisco or anywhere else. And I really want to go to those places. But I can only really do one trip to Disney this year OR a few small trips, since that's all my salary allows.

This trip I just booked for September has me so excited, but I feel guilty I'm not exploring elsewhere.

Didn't read the whole thread so it may have been mentioned already but try a Disney Cruise....you get the Disney "Magic" and get to visit some really cool places. We were die hard WDW fans and then started cruising DCL their first year back in 1998. My family now prefers the cruise over WDW. The feeling I used to get at WDW I now get when I board the cruise without a lot of the hassle.

MJ

 

[PamNC]

I am in the camp of not listening to other people who say "can't you go someplace else?" It's your life and you do what makes you happy. I do go to other places but I also visit Disney as much as I can which for the last few years hasn't been as much as I'd like. Last year all I got in was one long weekend. I also went to Holden Beach here in NC with my family and Siesta Key Florida. Both were trips with family and affordable. Think about this, some people go to the beach, and I mean the same beach and possibly even rent the same house at the same beach, year after year and I'll bet nobody berates them over that? What's the difference? none if you ask me. I say do YOU. Be YOU and do what you want. Yes, there are other places to go and you'll get there.... when YOU are ready.

Hugs,
Pam

 

[aprilgail]

There is such a big, wonderful, fantastic world out there, that I feel sorry for those that ONLY immerse themselves in a theme park, year, after year, after year...

You are closer to the west coast so visit Seattle, Portland, LA, San Francisco, Texas, etc. Try someplace new and you might be surprised you enjoy vacationing in the real world.

We only go to WDW every 4-6 years. It's enough. There are too many other great places to see in the USA or the rest of the world.

I agree- there is SO much more to see and do than Disney- we used to go every 2-3 years when my daughter was little and then do something else on the "other" years- when she became a teen she was more into doing other things than Disney every 2 years so we did different trips like a 2 month road trip around the US, a 2 week road trip just around Utah, NV and AZ, Myrtle Beach, Cruises- Last time I went to Disney was just about 3 years ago when I took her and a friend to Disney and I am good now for at least 5 more years-there is just to many other things to see than Disney.

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

I agree- there is SO much more to see and do than Disney- we used to go every 2-3 years when my daughter was little and then do something else on the "other" years- when she became a teen she was more into doing other things than Disney every 2 years so we did different trips like a 2 month road trip around the US, a 2 week road trip just around Utah, NV and AZ, Myrtle Beach, Cruises- Last time I went to Disney was just about 3 years ago when I took her and a friend to Disney and I am good now for at least 5 more years-there is just to many other things to see than Disney.

I'm no stranger to vacationing elsewhere, and I have. I've been to lots of big cities and to the Bahamas and all of that. National Parks is next. But Disney is just something I like to do. Mainly because the planning. My job is literally to plan things and before my current job I was a travel agent. No other vacation I've found requires me to plan as much, which is why I guess I like Disney so much? Hmm I don't know.

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

@FutureDisneyEventPlanner - who do you think this matters to? Is somebody giving you a hard time? I totally don't understand the "guilt". If you feel like you're depriving yourself of other important experiences, just go ahead and do them. It seems you have the means and freedom to chart your own course, which is how it should be. If we all said we think you absolutely should move on from Disney and start taking cruises, going to Caribbean AI's or back-packing through Asia, would you do it?

I get it a lot from people around me. Probably because Disney is seen as a "kid's place" and I'm in my 20s. Honestly though, Disney has just been more affordable for me. Traveling to Europe next year is going to be so much more expensive than I pay for a long weekend at Disney.

 

[wvjules]

I get it a lot from people around me. Probably because Disney is seen as a "kid's place" and I'm in my 20s. Honestly though, Disney has just been more affordable for me. Traveling to Europe next year is going to be so much more expensive than I pay for a long weekend at Disney.

I don't think it's a fair cost comparison from a "long weekend" in Disney versus, what I would presume to be, at least a week's vacation in Europe.

It's your time and money but there will be plenty of Disney time when kids come along. I would choose other places while I could.

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

I don't think it's a fair cost comparison from a "long weekend" in Disney versus, what I would presume to be, at least a week's vacation in Europe.

It's your time and money but there will be plenty of Disney time when kids come along. I would choose other places while I could.

I can’t and won’t be having children, so no worries for me!

But even a week long trip with my family at Disney is still cheaper for me.

 

[Praying Colonel]

It feels like we took the kids to WDW a lot, but looking back at the vacations we took as a family, it was "only" 4 out of 10. The others were to the beach or regional areas.

I guess if I had it to do over again I would've taken 1 or 2 of those WDW or beach trips and gone somewhere else we didn't get a chance to go, but you only get 1 chance to make those calls and they were still great vacations. We had great times and made a lot of great memories.

The real rub is I wish we could've taken them on more vacations, but I don't want to be ungrateful for the times we did have. Growing up my parents couldn't afford a lot of vacations, due to lack of vacation time and/or money. So being able to take our kids on more is a luxury we were blessed to do.

 

[amberpi]

I can’t and won’t be having children, so no worries for me!

I promise, that can change for any number of reasons. But still, do what you like! I loved WDW as a single, couple, and a family. WDW is not just for the kid years, nor do I think having a family makes any kind of travel (except Hedonism, lol) impossible.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I totally understand the "guilt" feeling, OP! As much as I don't care what people think I do get tired of hearing people judge my decisions to go to WDW several times in a row. Couldn't care less about their opinion, but it does get on my nerves.

I love going to WDW. I feel comfortable there and that's where I want to be at this point. Part of me is excited to go elsewhere next year, but I am also very sad about "taking a break." At least I know it will be waiting there for me to come back and spend my money!!!