The appeal of Disney parks

some lights or something, whatever

Must be nice to be able to drop four thousand bucks going to a place you're know going in you're not going to enjoy.

I am trying to wrap my mind around someone who decided to go to Walt Disney World, the "house of the Mouse", and believes that the "characters" are "lame, who cares." If they're lame, why go?

Do you choose restaurants based on how much you dislike the food they serve?

Raven-Phile said:

Shades said:
Why can't he have that opinion?

He's 100% entitled to that opinion, and I don't care that he has it. It's the fact that he's trying to argue that the rest of us who don't agree are wrong that's the issue.

I couldn't care less if someone doesn't like Disney, but basically spending $4000 to prove his own opinion is ludicrous.

You doth protest too much. I mean 80+ posts since yesterday from people who really don't care about bill's opinion? Actually, it sounds like quite a few people are taking it personally that a person doesn't like a park that they're crazy in love with. Reminds me of the usual threads that come out with the results of Mitch's polls.

I don't see where he's saying everyone else is wrong. He's saying he didn't enjoy his experience, I didn't see him say you shouldn't enjoy yours (although I stopped short about 2 pages).

I see him trolling for attention, and we are giving it to him because we are enjoying the conversation about how much we enjoy Disney.

I suppose it is open to interpretation. :D

RatherGoodBear said:
I don't see where he's saying everyone else is wrong. He's saying he didn't enjoy his experience, I didn't see him say you shouldn't enjoy yours (although I stopped short about 2 pages).

I think what everybody find so fascinating is that it appears that neither his children nor him had any interest in going to Disney. The only family member that did was his wife. But if 3 out of 4 people have already decided they aren't going to like it, its a lost cause.

So why didn't they go somewhere else for vacation? Although based on the list of things his kids aren't interested in, I can't imagine where that would be.

I don't see where he's saying everyone else is wrong.

ORLY?

On spending two days in Epcot, and actually enjoying it:

Bill:

with 2 young kids you can't

Me:

Having done it, I'm sure you can understand that this is surprising news.

Bill:

Unless they were infants, I am not buying you tooled on over to Morocco and sat there with 2 young kids.

If claiming that I'm lying doesn't qualify, I'm not sure what does.

CPJ said:

Bike rides I can ride a bike at home

One that you all four peddle together?

Yes, the Peoria Putt Putt compares to Winterland/Summerland and Fantasia Gardens.

1. Water parks with heated pools and slides closed in Nov

No they weren't

I've ridden a surrey bike hundreds of times, they are pretty obiquitious on the Jersey boardwalks, as are cool mini golf courses. I was mistaken on the water parks being closed, but there was a 30 degree temperature swing while we were there. We froze our asses off walking from the resort hot tub back to the room. Besides water parks are all over here also, I have 2 indoor ones within 10 miles of my house and just about every shore town has one.

Cirque de Soliel I've seen what it's all about not interested.

Bill,

Not sure what you are looking for, to be honest. Ok...Disney didn't trip your trigger. I think that has become more than painfully obvious. Are the kids just thrill ride junkies? If that is the case then your $4000 could have gone a long way to a nice tour of thrill parks.

That doesn't sound like a "vacation" to me...but then again I'm no fan of cruising and a lot of people are fanatical about that as a form of vacationing. To each their own.

If you really just enjoy bashing Disney then I'd recommend you go over to the Laughing Place and knock yourself out. That site if full of irrationally passionate Disney fans who have a love/hate relationship with all things Disney. Just put up a thread about all that is wrong with WDW and you are in for weeks of enjoyment.

RPM said:
I think what everybody find so fascinating is that it appears that neither his children nor him had any interest in going to Disney. The only family member that did was his wife. But if 3 out of 4 people have already decided they aren't going to like it, its a lost cause.

So why didn't they go somewhere else for vacation? Although based on the list of things his kids aren't interested in, I can't imagine where that would be.

My kids wanted to go. They thought it was going to be better than Hershey Park, they were met with anticipointment when they got there.

All I said was I thought it was overrated as a tourist destination for anyone over the age of 7.

kpjb said:
I gotta agree with him here... I thought that it was unbelievably awful. Corny, and not in a good way.

I wouldn't say it was a great ride, but I watched Gonch's video from it and it made me smile about my trip.

Raven-Phile said:
Yeah. Seriously. I need to re-evaluate my grumpy old man status. Maybe go yell at some kids to get off my lawn or something.

I turned in my membership last night.

RatherGoodBear said:

I don't see where he's saying everyone else is wrong. He's saying he didn't enjoy his experience, I didn't see him say you shouldn't enjoy yours (although I stopped short about 2 pages).

In the beginning of this, we all told him that we was looking at this the wrong way, and he was going to have a bad time. Now, he's calling us names like "Disney nutswingers" and "Mouse ear wearing simpletons". I'm not taking anything personally, because I think internet trolls are hilarious, but this guy's just nuts.

As far as him saying we shouldn't enjoy our experiences, he asks why we enjoy them, then brings out his reasons why "that's so lame". It's kind of like high school, and it's hilarious to see a (grown?) man act like that.

RPM said:

its a lost Krause.

Fixed that for ya.

Quick video for the Disney Nutswingers...

I never tried to invalidate anyone elses opinion the reverse is true.

I only insulted those who offered up the insults first.

. Are the kids just thrill ride junkies?

I dont think so. They like going to Knoebels and Morey's, neither of which have world class thrill rides.

I think they bought into the echo chamber that exists at that age that Disney is the best park evah, they were some of the only kids around here who have never been and they felt like they were missing something great.

Gosh, I wonder where that echo chamber came from, and who adjusted their expectations.

It wasn't from me. It was their classmates. If they told their clasmates they went to Knoebels or Hershey the attitude they got was "Pffft whatever we're goin to Disney".

2 instances of anticipointment off the top of my head were

1. When exiting the haunted mansion my daughter remarked how incredible the scenery was, but it felt like a waste because nothing even startled you.

2. When we rolled up on Everest the mountain looks incredible, the lift hill is steep but you cant see the drop (or lack thereof) when we went over the top and it gently curved to the right, my son said "That's it?"

I can even see how an adult would be mildly amused with the dopey turtle and the little kid's interactions, but a pre tween/tween is just sitting there looking at a dopey turtle.

billb7581 said:
1. When exiting the haunted mansion my daughter remarked how incredible the scenery was, but it felt like a waste because nothing even startled you.

2. When we rolled up on Everest the mountain looks incredible, the lift hill is steep but you cant see the drop (or lack thereof) when we went over the top and it gently curved to the right, my son said "That's it?"

1. That's exactly how it's supposed to be. A playful "haunted" tour where grim-grinning ghosts come out to socialize. If you would have gotten stopped in the eyes corridor or one of the other early spots, she might have had a different reaction (I know I do). ;)

2. And what about the rest of the ride? Honestly, it is right up there with some of my favorite "normal park" rides. The backwards portion gives some very unique sensations. That's also how the ride works, building more excitement because you don't know what it's going to do next.

billb7581 said:
I can even see how an adult would be mildly amused with the dopey turtle and the little kid's interactions, but a pre tween/tween is just sitting there looking at a dopey turtle.

Well, everyone's different. My kids were 12 and 8 when we last visted in 2009 and they still talk about it and ask when we're going back.

And yes, my kids are 'too cool' for a lot of stuff like most that age, but even they knew what to expect going in. Disney is a total cornball, "magical" place - that's the point. You turn off and go with it.

I have to echo what the others have said, your expectations/desires are almost the exact opposite of what Disney serves. It's really no more complicated than that. It's not for you or your family. Hindsight is 20/20. It's a shame you spent so much time and money to learn the hard way.

If your likes/dislikes are influenced to any significant extent by the likes/dislikes of folks who are not family members/close friends, then I suggest to you that you are not as far removed from middle school as I suspect you would like to believe. And if that wasn't what was happening in this discussion, this thread would have ended within a page of bill's return from Disney.