If you’re diving into this article, you’re probably one of the regulars here because this is obviously an article that may only draw a certain type of reader. There’s nothing at all wrong with that! In the grand scheme of things, that’s what really matters. I’ve never tried to play the “numbers” game because to me it’s more and more about the people than any statistic. However, this article may come off as a little odd to some, but I do believe it’s something very important to share with any prospective Walt Disney World guest.
So, to further explain what I mean, in recent years I started to piece together something that I hadn’t really focused on in our first 20 or so years of traveling to the Disney parks. Part of the reasoning behind that is the fact that for many of our years traveling down to the parks, I was quite young (as I’m just 22 right now). Another part of that was/is the enormous blessing of being able to tour WDW multiple times over the last few years.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not there every week and I’m not local, but at this point I’m in Orlando about once a month. It’s a huge blessing in my life but I do have to say it makes you think about the “Disney” experience in a whole new way. Stick with me here for a moment and I’ll explain.
For years on end, our family treated our Disney vacations in that “commando” style of planning and trying to do everything we could to maximize our vacation experience. However, it wasn’t until we started traveling more frequently that we discovered a shockingly realization and it’s what I’m calling the “less is more” approach today.
You see, when you start traveling more frequently you start to realize that very few attractions, restaurants, and shows become what you remember at the end of your stay. Instead, you start to realize that what really matters and what you really remember are the moments you get to share with the people you care the most about. 99 times out of 100, that moment isn’t created by any attraction, any particular meal, or even any particular resort. Instead, it’s simply the joy of being there in the moment, escaping the real world for a few moments, and metaphorically hitting the “reset” button in your mind if only for a few brief days.
To me, that’s the key to the true Walt Disney World Experience and at the end of the day, nothing can top that. I can wholeheartedly tell you that nothing rivals a casual stroll on the Boardwalk, a late night walk back to your resort room, or even something as simple as sitting down and talking with a friend or family member in the lobby of Wilderness Lodge. It’s not the location that makes the difference, but rather those little moments with the people you care the most about that you’ll remember for years on end. That’s the key to the Disney Experience.
In the big picture, we all take vacations to escape from life back home, to relax, and to explore something new and exciting. Disney shouldn’t be any different. So often guests go at it from the perspective that they “can’t miss anything.” They think they have so little time to see and do everything they possibly can. Well, I’ve got news for those people, you’re never going to see and do it all in a lifetime, much less a week long vacation. If you try, you’ll be needing a vacation from your vacation when you return home.
I don’t say that to be discouraging but rather to help shift the oh so prevalent mindset to one where guests can realize that you can have an incredible and memory filled vacation and miss 90% of what there is to see and do at WDW. It’s not about what you do, but rather the incredible memories you get to share doing what you DO get to do while you’re there. That’s the secret to Disney.
I encourage you to ask yourself this question next time you’re in the parks — “Why did I come here to begin with?” More often than not that answer is going to tell you everything you need to know and everything you need to think about to take a step back and enjoy what you’re doing in the moment. I tell prospective guests time and time again to make the most of every minute. It’s the simplest piece of advice I can give for a Disney vacation but also the greatest piece of advice I can give for life in general as well.
So often we spend so much of our lives worrying about what’s next that we tend to forget to enjoy living in the moment and appreciating the day we’ve been given. We’re never guaranteed tomorrow so why not try and enjoy every moment as it happens? It’s certainly something to keep in the forefront of our minds. Life may not be perfect but today makes a difference and that same approach can be adopted when touring WDW. Enjoy every second you have but don’t try to over do it. Enjoy what you can do rather than stressing about what you don’t get accomplished. It makes all the difference in the world!
Your Thoughts
As always, if you have thoughts, concerns, questions, or even some tips of your own to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on Facebook or your favorite social media platform. Give us a follow while you’re there, and we’ll keep the conversation going in the future. We’re not the largest Disney community, but we’re one that’s here and one that listens. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day wherever you are!
Need a Travel Planner For Your Disney Vacation?
If you want or simply need a little bit of planning help to make your Disney vacation dream a reality, check out the quote request form below this article for our friends over at Destinations to Travel. They’ll let you do as much or as little of the planning as you’d like and may even save you some money along the way! As always, thatks for supporting those who support us.
Ready to Plan?
Last but certainly not least, if you’re starting the planning process, a great place to start are with some of our top planning articles! Looking for dining? Check out Disney World Dining Tips For 2018. Want to start with some more tips? 44 Excellent Disney World Tips for 2018 or Disney World Planning Guide and Tips For 2018 are a great place to begin!
Looking to save money on tickets? Check out our friends over at The Official Ticket Center for great deals that even made it into our 2018 Discount Disney World Ticket selections and another great way to help us create more content through your contributions at no additional cost to you! You’ll probably even save money along the way!
