Does going to WDW often lessen the "magic" for your kids?

[Klayfish]

It depends on how often. I would guess that if you lived in the Orlando area and went every single weekend, then yeah it would probably loose some magic. But if it's a long car ride/flight distance and required a "vacation" of some sort to go, then no it shouldn't lose magic.

We lived in PA until 2014. We could only afford to go once every 2 or 3 years because we had to fly, rent a car, etc.. So it was incredibly magical. We now live in GA and are only 7-8 hours by car. When we had our AP from summer 2015 to summer 2016, we made 6 trips for a total of 50 days in the parks. I can assure you that not only did it not lessen the magic, it made it even bigger. Our last trip ended July 4th 2016, when our AP expired. We're heading back at the end of June to buy a new AP and start the cycle all over again, and the kids are incredibly excited.

 

[Disneylover99]

The more we go, the more magical it is.

 

[Apopper74]

Depends on the child, but if he has a love of Disney every trip will be magical. There are always something new to do and the favorites which no matter what is even more magical the 100th time you do. For the OP, the grandparents trip would be a magical trip first trip with them and with the baby sister a magical first trip with her.

 

[laughinplace199]

We have 3 kids (17, 15, & 10) and they never get sick of Disney. We've been going 1-2 times per year since our oldest was a toddler. I think part of it is just that they love Disney, but also, there are always new rides and experiences, so no two trips are ever the same. We were just there as a family for Thanksgiving and now our 17 yr old is there with friends for spring break!

 

[TravelingTotMom]

Nope. The magic changes, but it's still magic.

My very opinionated almost 3 year old has been 20+ times (AP holders, 2 hrs. away), and he still yells "Yay!" every single time we drive under the Disney sign. He also wakes up at least once a week and says "let's go to Disney today," and he likes to discuss all of the different rides.

He now helps plan trips, and it's really cute and magical getting to plan with him. He picks out what rides he wants to get FastPasses for, and for his upcoming birthday trip, he picked out all the restaurants (he wants to "go eat in the cars!" at Sci Fi).

And while we have our favorite attractions, there is always something new to experience. In 30+ years of going to Disney, I had never been on the Astro Orbiter. Earlier this month we both got to ride it for the first time together.

Plus, as he gets older, his favorite rides will continue to change, and he can do things like the Pirates League and Jedi Training.

 

[Dinohood]

op I think your friend is wrong and i think i read this some where before when the mom did not want the older kid going because the little one was not going, besides that he can make magic with his grandparents and think back to when they took him to WDW. When I was a kid my grandparents did not take me anywhere or come visit that munch because it was a six hour drive for them. The mom should let her son go so he can spend time with them forget where it is but what is going on, and besides she can spend time with hubby or hubby could take care of the baby she goes to a spa win win for every one.

 

[ddluvsdisney]

My DS15 & 19 have been going every year since they were 5 and 9. We started going 2-3 times/year about 4 years ago. My DS15 still loves going, but my DS19, not so much. He's in college now and doesn't have the same vacations. We are going w/ out him in April. We want him to come for a few days with us in July but he doesn't want to.
So I think it all depends on your kids. I would definitely not think a 7 yo who's only been a few times would not lose the magic. It's too bad he can't go w/ his grandparents. It would probably be special for him and a good memory.

 

[hkkatie]

I think when they are younger they enjoy going more often. As they get older, it gets a little harder to keep the magic alive the more often you go. But I don't have experience with WDW (yet), I only have experience with a much smaller park (HKDL).

 

[katyjeka]

Our girls( 2 oldest) have been over twenty times. I wouldn't say the magic is gone but it does change. We try to find something new each time we go but its getting harder with the years. We will always love WDW and will continue to visit but have decided to cut way back. We've discovered new places and will be spending more time exploring them. Our youngest is six and is begging to go back to Costa Rica, I was pushing for Disney but she wants nothing to do with it. Our last trip was split between WDW and Universal. I felt so guilty but I will admit it was a fun change. Families interest do change, at least ours did, and WDW does not hold half the appeal that it once did. On the flip side hopefully I'll have grandkids one day and my adventures can start all over...

 

[2Pirates2Princesses]

Our girls( 2 oldest) have been over twenty times. I wouldn't say the magic is gone but it does change. We try to find something new each time we go but its getting harder with the years. We will always love WDW and will continue to visit but have decided to cut way back. We've discovered new places and will be spending more time exploring them. Our youngest is six and is begging to go back to Costa Rica, I was pushing for Disney but she wants nothing to do with it. Our last trip was split between WDW and Universal. I felt so guilty but I will admit it was a fun change. Families interest do change, at least ours did, and WDW does not hold half the appeal that it once did. On the flip side hopefully I'll have grandkids one day and my adventures can start all over...

I agree that the magic changes with age. We don't go as often as many other Dis'ers do, but I've always wanted my kids to have a variety of travel experiences, especially as they get older. After our trip last week, I looked back on photos/videos from our past trips and it gets me teary eyed to see how much my kids have grown and changed between trips. The magic has grown with them because the absence between trips allows Disney to remain that one of a kind, special, magical place that we can return to and marvel over as our family grows and evolves without my kids feeling it is something we do all the time and not fully appreciating it or growing up resenting Disney because the emotional connection we have to the Disney experience caused other experiences to be sacrificed. Again, just speaking for myself and my family.

 

[jtopp]

My children have been going annually all of their lives. This year our newly married daughter was upset that we planned or trip and didn't include them (DW has since rectified this oversight). It seems the magic still lives, and matures, in our children as they do. Being a parent, having the ability to spend this quality time with my kids is priceless. It seems that they also enjoy the magic as well, even though they visit WDW on a regular basis.

 

[geminierin]

My DS-6 has definitely changed since we bought DVC. We went from going once a year to going 3 times this year. He's always happy BUT his reactions have lessened significantly over time. We use to get screaming, happy tears, cheering and jumping up and down. Now when we announce trips, his face lights up and he says yeaaa! And that's it. 5 mins later he's on to something else, lol. My DH and I have resigned ourselves to take what we can get. Small price to pay for giving him a pretty privileged childhood!