To not “get” Disneyland

[1985goingbackagain]

Can anyone explain the appeal of Disneyland to me please? I just don’t understand. In my mind it’s endless queues, full of people, but everything is fake so there are no real sights, yet people seem to love it and go back year after year. Am I missing something and should give it a go, or is it expensive overhyped window dressing??

It’s primarily for kids
Not according to Walt "Laughter is timeless. Imagination has no age".
I think we have different experiences in visiting Disney, depending on personality. I have never queued for more than 15 minutes for a ride. My first visit was not from choice (work related) but I was hooked. I think the business model, lack of litter, development of hydroponics etc. is wasted on children and that's what I'm fascinated by. Having sad that, my DC love it.
In reply to those saying the food is crap, there are two Michelin starred restaurants in Disneyworld plus a few more great food options.
I wouldn't want to go annually but every 8 years or so I find it extremely pleasing.
Glad we are all different. My friend has just returned from a fishing trip in the Artic Circle, give me The Carousel of Progress any day!

Yea once was enough. I don’t get people who go year after year.

I think that this is just you trying to feel superior over people who like something that you don’t. Plenty of Disney fans are perfectly happy with their lives. I agree with the first point though, not enjoying Disney from childhood will obviously reduce the ‘magic’ because there was never and will never be a time when you thought it was actually real.

That has made my day. What an absolute queen she is.

Also in Paris you can combine culture with Disney. We took DS to the Eiffel Tower, the Tuilieries and the orangery with the Monet paintings, plus a boat on the Seine and the prison where they held Marie Antoinette - as well as Disneyland! It doesn’t need to be either/or.

I haven’t been, the children would love to go. Maybe next year, it wouldn’t be for most adults unless they were bringing children.

Yes, agree with this. We went for the first time ever to DisneyWorld a couple of years ago in our 40s with our kids. We all loved it, and my exceptionally sceptical DH was blown away by it, to the extent that he’s suggested we go back again before the kids go off to university. We do also go on cultural holidays, visit museums, read books and have professional jobs… it’s almost like all of the above can be possible at the same time!

You don't need to have or needing to escape troubles to enjoy Disney.

That just feeds into Disney fans being troubled in some way, which is bull.

I think its obvious why kids like it, and for adults i imagine its a bit of wimsey and escapism away from the crappy adult world. What's scary is when you see the amount of debt some adults get into over it.

I agree with that too as the vast majority of neurodivergent people I know (myself included) tend to find spiritual fulfilment in pop culture fandoms rather than religion. Disney is definitely not my cup of tea but I love other franchises and fictional worlds, to the point I can definitely say it's a form of replacement religion. In that context, I'm not ashamed of anyone knowing how much I love X thing, or any sort of behaviour associated with it.

I feel Disney is the watered down or mainstream version of extreme fandom. For neurodivergent kids who grew up in very wholesome or religious families, Disney was obviously the only "lore" that you were allowed and encouraged to watch. Developing a special interest in that is perfectly normal and many adults feel it's a socially acceptable safe space. In contrast, lots of ND kids develop far more extreme interests and consume content that most parents may not approve of.

Apologies if it came across that way its really not intended. I mean it more as a personality type? Some people love an "escape", love to believe in magic, immerse themselves in something different from the day to day/mundane. Not everyone.

As someone said above its almost like religion (another thing which just has never really appealed to me!).

what do you mean "real sights?"
something manmade is still real!
Or do you regularly see "real" 6 foot chipmunks and talking dogs wandering around?

Surely the whole point of disney is it's supposed to be magical therefore disliking it for not being real seems a bit contradictory!

We took ours when they were 7 & 9 and they still say it was the best holiday they ever had.

One thing I don’t think anyone’s mentioned is how safe and family friendly it feels: no groups of drunk lads, no traffic, no hustlers, no pushing and shoving.

You don’t have to pay extra for character breakfasts etc - the characters are all over the park - and there are lots of things to do for younger children that don’t have massive queues.

We went at Easter and there was something about the quality of the sunlight and the clean colours that really does feel like you’re in a Disney film.

Just to respond to your third point (as I have posted up thread about loving being in the Disney Bubble). DH and I have a very happy life together. We are happy in ourselves and in our marriage. 2 happy, healthy teenage DC. Like most people, we do love getting away from our daily routine but isn’t that why most people go on holiday? It is after all, just a fun holiday.

It is quite the leap to think that because one likes to be in the Disney Bubble it means that they are not happy in their adult life. Quite the opposite.

It's all about manufactured scarcity

Knowing the "hacks" and tricks to get things you've already paid for two fold, but by doing so you think you've beaten the system and won a prize, because to get on the ride you PAID for without queuing for a week and paying extra in the currency of your own toenails that you pulled out yourself.... you "hacked the system" by going BACK outside, turning around 4 and 3/4 times, turning back, putting your clothing on inside out, then joining the queue from the secret other entrance with "entrance" written on the door. And THEN you only had to stand in line for TWO hours not 17, and the ride-car you got on broke down only twice. RESULT! NAILED IT! WINNER @ DISNEYING.

And then they don't walk out feeling short changed. That appears to be the current model that keeps people going back time and time again!

The Reddit comments on that video are saying Disney sacked her.

Never appealed to me. I'd rather take kids to somewhere more authentic, without the queues. A friend shared photos from their Disney holiday, and described it as "magical core memories made". I'll pass thanks.

Also I think a fair amount of Disney fans and cruisers (same people) do not live in walkable communities.

They live in car reliant suburbs.

So walking around a fake "main street" feels novel

Oh wow, I just saw, although the reason why seems a bit mixed too.

These threads always just scream virtue signalling.
No one ever starts a thread saying they don't get the appeal of the Trevi Fountain.

TBF that's a see once and done too 🤣

Hi. Disneyland is the smaller park in California. Whilst it’s pretty good, the park that most posters will refer to on this thread is Disney World Florida.
It can be busy and full of people, but a well planned Disneyworld holiday can be absolutely fantastic.
you can arrange ( buy!) fast passes/light lanes etc to skip the queues. There are other strategies as well. When we last went we actually didn’t queue at all, apart from passport control/emigration at the airport.
Florida has a very temperate climate. The good weather helps. I would also say there are sights. It’s a fascinating place. Sleeping Beauty’s castle is iconic and world famous. As are a lot of other landmarks in the parks.
additionally one of the theme parks- Epcot recreates many famous landmarks around the world in their World Showcase. It really is a sight to behold, as well as the opportunity to meet cast members from those countries , try their local
cuisines and taste their local beverages.

it’s fun. It’s escapism. It’s nostalgic. It’s magic. My husband was a total cynic, but by the end of the fortnight he was wearing mickey Ears.

you really do get sucked in. The customer service is excellent, there is a bit of magic about it. They go the extra mile to spoil you.

It's a make believe, fantasy world that maybe all of us would like to be real but know it isn't.

It's not just for kids IME, I know loads of adults who love Disney.

If it's not fir you, fine. You don't need to know why others love it, it's their choice so I think YABU.

Its to make themselves feel superior in a faux kinda way.

I thought like you, and agreed through very gritted teeth to take the DC when they were small. Within 24hrs I had developed a severe case of Stockholm Syndrome, and was singing "It's a Small World" while wearing a pair of Minnie Mouse ears.