Would you spend your 50th at Disneyland?

[Headdoesntfeelclear]

Would this be weird?

I'm definitely not a Disney adult 🤣
My Dd has wanted to go for a few years, by my 50th (just over a year away) she will be 9, and it feels like time is running out to take her and for it to be magical.
As cheesy as it sounds, i'm happy to go as it makes me happy to see her happy. Of course I would rather be on a beach in Hawaii, but can't afford that and love Paris and we can see the sights and show her Paris too

It just seems a bit 😂 to spend your 50th there. The last time I was in Paris was for my 30th when we got engaged

No they are at the eye hospital.

Not for all the tea in China. Went once and hope never to go again! Felt like they were trying to extract (even more) money at every turn 😕☹️.

But I’m glad to read others have had magical times there.

I would absolutely do this, yes. I hate attention. So if I was doing something my DD wanted to do, and I didn’t have anything else I was eager to do, that to me would be perfect for my birthday. Do it!

Exactly, some people can't seem to accept different people like different things. There is such a diverse range of things to do. Loads of people who slate it haven't even been!

But you don’t actually have to spend any money once you are there. You could actually bring in your own food and drinks if you wanted to.

This is a load of bullshit. Loads of adults enjoy disney, I dont know any 'disney adults' personally, I just have nice, non judgy, mature friends who love to travel all round the world and occasionally visit a disney park.

Yes I would take my DD if that would make her happy. But I have never been someone who has had to make a big deal over ‘big’ birthdays.

Without the 9 year old DD you wouldn’t get me near the place.

ETA - as a warning, 9 can be an awkward age for Disney parks. We took DS when he was 8 or 9, and we found that he was too old for some of the rides, in terms of the fact they were more for age 5/6 and under, but not tall enough for the more adult rides.

The ones that irritate me the most are the ones who complaint about Florida…it is incredible and there is something for everyone. I could create a trip for anyone and have them enjoy it, if they weren’t intentionally going in with the mindset of having a bad time.

They just presume it is all long waits, and too many children…it is so much more than that.

I would love for someone who is adamant that they wouldn’t enjoy it to give me a list of the things they do on a beach holiday, a city break, and a uk holiday, I bet I could find tonnes of things they would enjoy in Disney based on those things. 🤷‍♀️

I was 17 when I went to Florida, went to the actual disney park for just one day, so much else to do even then, now even 3 weeks doesnt seem enough to fit everything in.

No. I have been to the Paris one and didn't rate it at all. I didn't rate Paris either. I found people so rude.

Now if it was Disney World then yes absolutely. I love Florida as it's not just Disney, you have Universal as well, and the theme parks are just amazing.

It's your birthday, you should go somewhere you actually want to go. Take your daughter where she wants to go for her birthday.

Back to Disney, but I took my child to Disney when they were 4, almost a teen and as an adult. Each were enjoyed equally and for different reasons. There are benefits to taking them when older as they can get on all the rides. It's still magical whatever your age, but I would recommend Florida over Paris

Just Disney - I wouldn't. But if you frame it as going to Paris for your 50th birthday, and including a day at Disney which your daughter will enjoy, it seems like a lovely idea.

Honestly? I hated it. (Son was 9 and we went because I was performing there). I wouldn’t go back!

I agree.

This.

But you seem to quite like the idea, or at least not mind it, so why not?

It’s my 50th next year too. I will definitely not be going to Disney.

I’m sure you’re right but honestly I just like walking about on holiday. Both wandering around markets and towns but also hiking. I daresay I could do those things In Florida, but I can do them much more cheaply in the UK and Europe with the added bonus of no extreme heat, no flying and no crocodiles 😂

Yeah you absolutely could…but if the alternative was poking your eyes out or banding your head against a wall you’d choose Disney right?

And you wouldn’t judge someone for choosing Disney either surely, because why?

For hiking, well you’d not have to worry about getting your steps in as you’d walk 20-30k steps a day easily. Granted you don’t have mountains to climb but there is lots of great places to walk both in and outside the Disney bubble. You avoid the extreme heat by staying away from the summer months, and you won’t bump into crocodiles (though if you stay in a villa you might see them around the lakes behind you)

I'd go for it, 100%. My daughter is 14 now, and since she was old enough to have an opinion, I have taken holidays primarily based on what she would enjoy..... Happily, we are pretty similar people and like similar things, but even if she had liked stuff like Disney, I would still have prioritised her preferences. Not because I am a saint, but because I know I have limited years of holidaying with her, and plenty of time afterwards to go on the holidays of my own choice.

I am not big into birthdays, but my birthday falls in the summer holidays so I have spent the majority of my recent birthdays on holiday with DD - and there is nobody I would rather spend then with.

I would say, do Disney for your 50th - it sounds like your daughter will love it - and save up for your own dream trip on your 60th. It may well be that your daughter will want to join you on that one too - but at 19 she will be old enough to understand that your preferences come first on your birthday.

But right now, your daughter's happiness will, I imagine, be the most perfect 50th birthday gift you could ever get ..... You sound like a lovely mom, by the way!

YANBU. Go for it and have a fab time.

I thought exactly the same! It’s my idea of hell.

I wouldn’t bother. We took ours it was ok but they never mention it it’s not even in their top 10 of childhood holidays. Can’t imagine spending my 50th there no way.

I visited wdw in my 50th year plus the 3 Disney Asian parks in a separate 3 week trip.
(decided to not also go back to la and Paris, it was enough to get the final one of the 6 done)

Op I really like Disney and I think it could be fun but it's just so cut throat there. It will be hard to get on any rides ,shows maybe your best bet.
It's hard work.
If you kept expectations really low it could work to just get the atmosphere. Personally if you can i would always suggest getting the annual passes and staying off site and going a few times in the year.
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Otherwise can I suggest phantasia land in Germany or Europa park which is amazing .

Or for her age a far easier ,cheaper more beautiful alternative to Disney is efterling in the Netherlands.

Why?

I think it would be really expensive compared to my UK/Europe holidays. There would be no need for me to spend that sort of money when I can easily get to the French alps or the lovely coastline of Brittany or Southern Germany… I like hills and mountains and rivers and lakes and foreign languages and the quirks of small European towns.

And I really hate flying. Really, really hate it. Three/four hours is about my limit now that Drs won’t let you have diazepam to fly 😂

But no, I don’t judge people for enjoying Disney. It’s just not something I would ever want to do. The thought of it makes me feel unhappy. I don’t like crowds or shops or excess. Banging one’s head against a wall/poking one’s eyes out are obviously hyperbolic devices to express how much someone doesn’t want to go to Disney, so no, I obviously wouldn’t prefer to literally poke my eyes out but would very much prefer to just stay at home, go to work and clean the house rather than going to Disney.

I agree with that.