A Disney-sponsored survey reveals New Trends for Family Travelers.
Quality family time not only increases while on vacation, but parents and children say they learn something new about one another during this time, as opposed to when at home, according to the new Disney Time Survey, a blind study commissioned by Disney Park and conducted by Kelton, a research firm.
The survey queried more than 1,000 parents of children age 5 to 17 participated in the Disney Time Survey, which asked families to think about and share thoughts on quality time when at home versus when on vacation.
Ninety-one percent of parents reported that quality time is achieved when they learn something new about their child, while 84 percent of parents say quality time means their child learned something new about them. From favorite to least favorite activities and food, to details about their children’s friends, the survey found that parents saddled by hectic lifestyles are craving more time together with their kids.
Out of 52 weeks a year parents surveyed said that they have only 15 “free” weekends.
In addition, 13 percent say they have no free weekends. Seventy-one percent of parents would love more time with their kids, specifically up to nine hours more a week. Ninety-six percent of parents would give up at least one thing for a year to spend just one extra hour with their children every week, including favorite television show/sports/game (78 percent); the Internet (74 percent); shopping (74 percent); sleeping late (69 percent); a favorite hobby (64 percent; and coffee (59 percent).
Perhaps not surprisingly, the survey found that vacations are a key way to cultivate family bonding and strengthen quality time. Ninety-seven percent of parents revealed that their children have discovered new things about them while taking family trips, including more about their parents’ childhoods (86 percent) or facts about other family members (74 percent). Almost one in two parents believed that out of all the time they spend with their children, only half of it, at most, could be classified as “quality time.” While on vacation, however, parents reported that 82 percent of time would fall in the “quality time” category.
When they did vacation together, the family was inclined to be more excited (77 percent), relaxed (75 percent), silly (68 percent), calm (54 percent) and even more affectionate (54 percent). Parents reported eating an average of 10 meals with their children in a typical week at home. When on a seven-day vacation, families said they almost double the number of meals they eat together (19 meals versus 10 meals) and 68 percent claim they would eat all 21 meals (three meals per day) as a family.
As part of the study commissioned for Disney Parks, parents were asked to share vacation habits and places of interest. Family travel is set for growth over the next five years, according to the findings. More than eight in 10 (82 percent) respondents who have taken family vacations reveal that they will take the same amount, if not more vacations in the next five years. Further, 94 percent of parents think it’s important for families to take vacations together on a regular schedule.
When asked to pick one specific location where they felt their family would have the best time on vacation, top responses in terms of type were theme park, beach, cruises and camping, respectively. Parents also highlighted Florida, specifically Orlando, Hawaii and California as top destinations for family vacations.
“We know vacations are important, but to have parents validate how important vacation time is to their families was insightful,” said Leslie Ferraro, executive vice president of global marketing for Disney Parks. “As we’ve learned from families who participated in the survey, those moments of quality family time can feel fleeting in our everyday home lives.” Kelton conducted the Disney Time Survey between Jan. 8 and 21 among 1,004 American parents of children ages 5 to17 using random digit dialing of listed and unlisted numbers.
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