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Original poster

Do most children want to visit Disneyland?

119 replies

Greenbutterlfy566 · 17/01/2020 20:45

Do you think most children want to visit Disneyland?

We’ve never been and wondered whether they would be left out so to speak if they didn’t go?

OP posts:
Ylvamoon · 18/01/2020 15:17

My kids 14 & 9) did ask to go ... but as finances are I gave them a choice 3 days Disney Land (Paris as won't stretch to Florida) or 7 days family holiday in the Alps- they choose the family holiday.
So the answer to your question OP... no, once they are old enough to decide they are not really bothered!

EdersonsSmileyTattoo · 18/01/2020 15:27

We took DS to Disneyland in California as my brother lives in LA. We’ve been back to LA lots of times since and DS has never asked to go again, he’s said for a long time that he doesn’t like it, it’s boring.

CreekIsRising · 18/01/2020 15:40

It was never really on my radar growing up and hasn't been for the kids either. One girl at juniors went there but because I'd never thought about it much I couldn't understand what she was talking about and it just sounded weird. I know maybe two people out of friends with kids now who seem to see it as some kind of rite of passage, a big expensive treat that you have to do. No one else is bothered much and I've also never heard any kids hankering after it. I guess like a pp says if you know something is way financially out of reach it just doesn't figure. Like going to the moon really

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rookiemere · 18/01/2020 15:43

We took DS when he was 7 to Orlando.

When I was young I was massively into Disney and got the Disney weekly magazine, we went to Florida a number of times as my GPs lived there but never to the theme park, even though I asked if we could go. I get that my DPs would have absolutely hated it, but I struggle with the notion that they couldn't let me have one day there when we were actually pretty close to the damn thing. Sorry still bitter about it, particularly as elderly DF makes some money by transferring videotapes onto CDs and mentions how many videos there are at Disney.

DS loved it when we were there and was still young enough to queue for character autographs and enjoy everything about it. We liked it more than expected, DH was enthralled by Kennnedy space centre, although he complained that the Orlando landscape was not as attractive as Tuscany Grin. However DSs all time favourite holiday by miles was an outdoorsy one in Canada, and I find it odd that families would go back to Orlando year after year.

I'm sure your DCs won't be scarred if you don't take them, but equally if it's something they really want to do and you have the budget to afford it, then if it was me, I would and did.

Bluedogyellowcat · 18/01/2020 15:46

We took ours to ORlando a few weeks ago, none of them enjoyed it and neither did we. We did less days in the parks then we had planned as it was boring, Orlando was horrible and the food was dreadful. Florida itself though is a lovely state, well worth visiting but steer clear of Orlando

Bluedogyellowcat · 18/01/2020 15:46

Not a few weeks ago, a few years ago

thaegumathteth · 18/01/2020 16:04

We've done DLP 4 times and the kids have loved it as have we surprisingly . We have booked Florida but we are doing universal, Disney, space centre, gators and dolphin boat too so not just theme parks.

However my kids LOVE rollercoasters etc - they both adore Alton towers for example. If they didn't then we wouldn't bother with theme park holidays.

hopefulhalf · 18/01/2020 19:03

Oh and we ski, can't imagine Disney beats that TBH

HoldMyLobster · 18/01/2020 21:26

Mine are about as disinterested in skiing as they are in Disney tbh.

Thelnebriati · 18/01/2020 21:38

Apparently mine were put off by the Pink Elephants scene in Dumbo Grin

MrsMoggy · 18/01/2020 21:41

My 7 year old has been to DLP twice and Florida once. We are going to DLP again next month. I absolutely love it there, he would be just as happy with a week in Benidorm!

tashakg89 · 18/01/2020 21:47

I really want to go to Disneyland land Paris this year and then Florida in about 4 years when kids are 8 and 10 but asked if they wanted to go Disney land this year instead of a sun holiday and they said no. tbh I don't think they have any idea what it's about. They've seen a few adverts on tv about it which they don't seem very impressed by and there not into watching Disney or any films but I do think they'd enjoy the rides. il defiantly take them to Florida when there older.

timetest · 18/01/2020 21:57

We’ve been to California Disney quite a few times with the children when they were younger. Despite being museum and gallery people, we all had a great time. We have been to eurodisney but Paris has more interesting things to see than Disney and I wouldn’t bother again.
The food in the fast food outlets was pretty basic the restaurants were better but obviously more pricey.

hopefulhalf · 19/01/2020 07:10

Just making the point if the choice was skiing or disney they would choose skiing hands down.

funmummy48 · 19/01/2020 07:15

I've taken my children to DLP & to Florida and they loved it. I always wanted to go as a child but never had the opportunity. To be honest, it was no less exciting going as an adult so I think no child has "missed out" by not going. They can choose to go as an adult and enjoy it just as much.

InionEile · 19/01/2020 07:25

If it's affordable for you and not too far to go then I would take your kids for one trip at least. it's something fun for them to remember. My older DC (now 8) had no real interest in Disney, wasn't into the films or characters so we never took him. My younger DC (5) is more into the films and characters, she loves Minnie Mouse and loves the Frozen films too. So we took both of them for 2 days recently and they had a great time. My daughter loved meeting the characters and my son loved going on the rides. It is very commercial though and everything is geared towards spending as much money as possible. Depends on how much your DC care. My DS doesn't care what his friends do and has his own interests that are not Disney-related. My DD was conscious of friends having been and was more interested in the films.

VenusClapTrap · 19/01/2020 07:46

Mine aren’t interested. They’re not into Disney characters or films. We loved Efteling though - went on an impulse at Christmas as we happened to be close by, and it was brilliant.

Ironfloor269 · 19/01/2020 08:57

Not mine. She'd rather do an African safari or visit Siberia to see snow leopards than visit an overcrowded, fake place..

gingercat02 · 19/01/2020 09:00

IMO little girls are into the Disney princess bit and the rides are for ilder kids if they are into that. Fortunately ds11 has no desire for either

schnubbins · 19/01/2020 09:06

We went with ours to Orlando in 2003 only because my husband had a conference there and we were living in the U.S.We planned two days there .It was awful, hot, crowded and endless queues. My youngest aged four at the time hated it .When we were leaving he said he never ever wanted to go back We left early and spent the next day at the pool .They were much happier.

AlwaysCheddar · 19/01/2020 09:06

Got to stress that Disneyland in Paris is nothing like Disneyworld in Florida, French version versus the USA version.... dlp makes English theme parks look good, but Florida is a different league. No comparison.

Sally872 · 19/01/2020 09:10

My dd was caught up in the hype as many around us went to disneyland. She was desperate to go. I asked her why? I said Disneyland is magical if you like that kind of think but as you dont like characters in costumes, or rides and we all hate queues she agreed it wasnt for us.

If she liked characters I would have been keen to go but she was terrified as a small child and now at 9 she tolerates them but doesnt enjoy it.

TheClitterati · 19/01/2020 09:16

I've never had any inclination or desire to go to any theme park in the world ever. But I took my two kids eight and 12 to Disneyland Paris last year and we honestly had the time of our lives. It was amazing and worth every penny. I speak as a committed cheapskate to.

June705 · 19/01/2020 09:18

How about communicating with your children about this, instead of strangers on mumsnet?

BikeRunSki · 19/01/2020 09:19

My DC are 11 and 8, and have never been that bothered by Disney. We went to Paris for a few days a few years ago and offered them EuroDisney. Not interested. Some of their friends have been to Euro/Land/World. Still not interested.