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??

I used to have a colleague who regularly went with her dh - both in their 50s/60s at the time. I did find it a bit weird!
Dh and I went once, as 20s adults, to the LA one, and once again to the Florida one when we had little dds.

We enjoyed it both times, but it certainly wouldn’t be on my ‘revisit’ list as an adult!
The thing that most stood out for me after that first visit, was the number of enormously fat people - at the time (mid 70s) you didn’t see much obesity - let alone of the colossal variety -in the U.K. - and vast amounts of fast food everywhere, and people eating huge buckets of fries everywhere you looked.

Another thing, when we took small DDs - Disney merchandise everywhere!!

So when the Gdcs were taken to the Paris one not long ago, we had a fair idea that all the tat would be a real pester-factor, and gave them €20 each, ‘to buy something’.

It's been 15 years since we took the kids (for the second time) so I recognise WDW in Florida will have changed, but..

@1985goingbackagain , it was superb. It was the staff most of all. Here's an example:

DS1 took himself to the top of the highest waterslide (I was in the splash pools with the younger two) and at the front of the line discovered he was a tad too short. He was gutted.
A staff member took him through the back tunnels to cut to the front of the line at the next highest waterslide and gave him a pass to get immediately to the front of the inflatable raft one.

This meant a very disappointed young boy was suddenly absolutely delighted.

When youngest fell, skinned her knee and cracked her souvenir cup, a staff member at first aid cleaned her up, let her pick her sticker and brought her a new cup, all unasked for.

The parks are enormous (I love Epcot, with Turtle Talk with Crush, and the one that makes you weightless in space) and you can't do one fully in a day. The shows are top notch and the firework and light displays are amazing.

DS2 and DH were a bit late getting to the fireworks because of an emergency wee 🙄 so were the last to get in. The usher at the door said to him, "oh good, we've been waiting for you! Could I please check your name?"
"Danny"
"I thought you were him!! Danny, watch for the green fireworks at the end, they are the ones we chose for you "

Young kid's night absolutely made. He just glowed with delight.

It's that level of making sure every single guest has the time of their life that made it even more special than the great rides.

(Danny is not his real name, obviously)

I think it’s fun for kids but it’s a bit cringe when adults go. A woman at work in her late 20s went just with her partner recently 😂.

I'm kind of in between here - we are not 'Disney' people, but we had an opportunity when the kids were 4 and 7 to have a long weekend in Disneyland Paris off peak and the kids seemed the ideal age, so we made it a surprise trip and they didn't know until we got there (I have the photo of the moment they clocked it, one of my favourite pics ever)

We had an amazing time, lots of fun, very glad we went, but also don't feel any need to do it again (kids are teens now and would probably like to do it again!). So I can see the appeal if you are really keen, and it can be great fun once even if you're not/

The outlets at either end of International Drive are brilliant. I actually prefer Universal because I was more of a fan of films like Jurassic Park, The Mummy, E.T., Men in Black and The Simpsons as a kid. We are desperate to go back (not been since 2015) but DS is only 132cm and he's be gutted to be too short for the largest rides. So, we wait. (I also don't fancy 8 hours on a plane with a 7 year old just yet).

I think it's definitely the fantasy coming to life. I was quite surprised at how excited ALL of us, including me and DH were, when Lightening McQueen car was doing random laps around the park! It was like seeing a famous actor you love in real life!

I think my all time favourite memory of Euro Disney though was 11 year old DS queuing up to see Buzz Lightyear. He 100% knew it wasn't real but he still just couldn't help how excited he was and he LOVED getting that picture. I loved that more I think than watching DD who was younger and genuinely thought she was meeting Minni Mouse and Elsa!

Different strokes for different folks. Surely not hard to understand that other people like different things than you?
Personally absolutely love Disney, it's a hard feeling to describe other than magical. Makes me feel like a child again. Children meeting their favourite characters is the most wholesome thing. When my son was 2 and obsessed with Toy Story, his face meeting Buzz and Woody is something I'll never forget.

So many people seem to think I don’t understand that people like different things because of the title of this post 🙄. Of course I understand that (I’m not sure what wording would be better to have avoided the numerous snipey comments about that element 😂), I was just interested in whether my perception of what it is is correct and in learning about the big appeal to people.

I have never really liked cartoon style films (with the exception of Toy Story) though so perhaps this is a key element.

Precisely this. We went over half term, I had done a lot of research and planning, DH was slightly sceptical. We had an absolute ball, DS9 and DD11 haven't stopped talking about it. They will remember it forever I think. I was a bit weirded out by the numbers of child-free adults in Mickey Mouse ears but each to their own. Epcot on a Saturday afternoon seems to have a lot of people doing "drink your way around the world" which looks like a lot of fun without kids! I feel like we had the best holiday we could have had but I wouldn't rush back, I think we did everything we needed to do. I'd go back when the kids are older teens and do Universal and other bits of Florida too.

I kind of agree with you OP. We went when the kids were younger to Orlando and DLP because we were interested in having the Disney experience and the 'magic'. It was a perfectly fine holiday. Everyone had a good time, it felt safe, food was ok but we havent returned and I doubt we will. I guess it depends on what you want to get out of a holiday? We prefer being away from crowds and experiencing natural wonders and sights, variety and exposure to different cultures and cuisines. But I also understand why people go to Disney - its a very easy holiday with entertainment at every corner.

I’m going to rant:

Disney ruined Star Wars, Dr Who and Pixar.

Disney films’ representation of gender, class and ethnicity is horrible.

They are terrible employers. Walt was a right winger.

Celebration Town is a ghastly concept.

Disney is responsible for at least half the world’s tat and landfill of horrible plastic toys and dressing up clothes.

The universal studio one is going to be visible from where I keep my horses, that’s if it’s not compulsory purchased; it’s Disney’s fault because they invented film studio theme parks .

Disney in Florida ruined an otherwise nice equestrian area.

US food is horrible and no one needs any of it.

Adults going on their own is emblematic of society’s infantilisation and why we’re all so spoiled and mean. There are loads of holes to my argument but it how I feel.

Jc2001 - “I never quite understand these posts where people say they hate something and ask people to convince them why they should like it.”
Stop reading & replying to them then 🙄

I am not a Disney person and my children are not Disney kids, my kids aren't even rides people, one refused a school trip to Thorpe Park as they said they wouldn't go on rides and would just cry. so we have never taken them to Disney and I went to the one in Paris in 1998 or something like that...

On the other hand, we like Nintendo and Anime and went to Universal in Osaka and did the Super Mario rides, got the arm bands for the mini-games, did the Demon Slayer VR ride and the Jaws ride... but skipped Harry Potter as they have no interest and I did the tour in London anyway...

Each to their own...
I don't like musicals and others love them and so on... I like weird stuff others will have no interest in (PokePark Kanto for the next trip to Japan)

We are going to Disneyland Paris on Wednesday. None of us are particularly young - youngest is 14. We just love it. The atmosphere, the food, the sense of joy - even if you don’t have little kids anymore it’s so wonderful to see them enjoying themselves and takes me right back to when mine were little. It’s like being in a weird bubble. No cars, no normal day to day stuff. It’s fun.

I don’t know why people have to be snobby about it. People tend to think that those who go to Disney don’t know how to have any other sort of holiday or travelling experience, that may be true for some but not for all. We are lucky enough to do quite a lot of travelling - not easy at all as I’m quite severely disabled but I love it - and we’ve done all kinds of things and all kinds of holidays. Disney is just one type of thing we’ve done.

It really isn’t unusual. Lots and lots of couples go to Disney on their own.

It is hot, it is sunny and it is joyful.

The weather is just fabulous, the main language is English (though Spanish is widely spoken in Florida too), the food is fairly familiar. There is so much to do, you can make so many different choices, every single day is different and full of fun.

I recently went for the first time (no kids) and surprised myself by loving it. It really is a happy place and for me the manufactured aspect is actually part of what makes it so wonderful - that such a lot of effort and money has gone into making a joyful experience. There's so much attention to detail, like the way the litter bins and signs fit into the decor of each area, it's really immersive. Yes, it's manufactured and yes its purpose is to make money, but it does that by genuinely putting as much effort as possible into ensuring people have a good time and making kids feel like they're in a magical place. I went in Feb and I'm already planning on going back 🤣

It amuses me when people say theme resorts are all about making money. Why would they exist otherwise? They're not a family entertainment charity. So are boutique hotels in London/Paris/Berlin and so on, and your average chain restaurants.

I used to feel like you too OP - and I avoided most "theme parks" etc as my kids Dad covered those and I was spared the days of queueing & vomit inducing rides.

then I decided a few years ago to to take my DC - aged then 12 & 9 - to Disney Paris. I went "all in" and purchased the cheapest Disney accommodation & a meal package. We drove to DLP & stayed at Davey Crockets which are little cabins in a forest setting with restaurant/pool etc on site. We drove to DLP each day - about 8 minutes, and parking was included.

OMG it was so much fun!!! We went at October half term & for Halloween which we love. I just abandoned myself to it - we had the best time together, stayed all day in the parks, going on loads of rides. We used the extra hour at the beginning which you get if you stay in a Disney hotel, and stayed all day. The meal package was great as you got to sit down and rest, relax & reacharge over a meal. The rides were amazing, everywhere is interesting, the gardens throughout are exquisite, it feels safe & welcoming, there is so much to see and do. I found my inner child at Disney I guess - I thought she was well beyond reach.

We went another time a few years later and stayed at the New York Hotel - also fantastic time. The DC are older now and we probably wouldnt go to DLP again but I'd love to go to Florida Disney.

I was so cynical pre my Disney visit - I've always had a great time on holiday with my DC but those few days in Disney were probably the most collective fun together. Thats the magic! (sorry <boak> 😂)

I do not get it. It is not my cup of tea. I would not spend that kind of money on such a holiday.

However, everyone likes different things and if that is what others like then it is their choice and their money to spend as they wish.

You know you do not need to go....I have never been and will never go...it isn't mandatory for all ppl to visit once in their life....you can just go elsewhere!

Some people just love all things Disney, and also love theme parks.

I took DD to DLP in 2019 when she was 11 and we both loved it. She is 18 now and we are still planning on going back at some point. It is crowded with some long queues, but we were "lucky" enough to qualify for a disability card which means you can skip queues.

She loved the rides, but there are so many features apart from that, some lovely statues and fountains, and a maze. Each land is themed with different things in. They keep expanding it, so now there is Frozen and they are building a Lion King ride. There are some great places to eat and great shows and parades to watch. The staff are amazing and helpful.

Ah this is great and exactly what Disney is about!
Last time we went we stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter, so New Orleans themed. At check in we were given a beaded necklace and I commented that the colours were like the famous cake you get in New Orleans but neither me nor the cast member could remember the name of the cake.
We went to our room, started to unpack and just a thirty minutes later there was a knock on the door. There was a delivery of said cake with a note saying 'I remembered - it's a King Cake!'
Small details like this are what makes Disney

This made me laugh too! We get it. You are too cultured for Disneyland shite like the commoners.

Maybe this will convince you OP.

Where else in the world could you take such a magnificent photo?

Is it snobby to not enjoy something though?

My daughter chose it as a treat for her 18th. She enjoyed it, but I found it as sinister af.