topic Re: Disney World in Community Chat

Disney World

Coastalcarolina — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 22:30:46 GMT

After reading some comments on another thread about "the happiest place on earth", I wanted to ask a sincere question regarding the place.

I went to DW when I was 12 years old with my parents. The park had only been open for a couple of years. Even as a young child, I don't remember being overly excited, or awe struck with the place.

Now granted, it has grown immensely since then, but all I could remember were long lines, the heat, and it not being that great. So we never visited with our kids when they were growing up. We had some fantastic vacations, but not at DW.

So...........what is it that I am missing that so many thousands and millions have experienced that makes them go again and again! LOL!

I would love to hear your stories so that maybe I will see differently!

Re: Disney World

PA Mom-mom — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 23:35:31 GMT

@Coastalcarolina I had a similar experience to you. I went there as a group leader the first full year after it opened. I enjoyed EPCOT and the hotels. Then, DH and I brought our young children to visit several years later (80's). We were miserable, they were miserable, everything was too expensive, and we all ended up sick. However, they remember it fondly. Today, half of our children love to take their kids, and the other half don't want to go again.

We will never go again, if we can help it. I can't figure out how seemingly sane people want to spend huge amounts of money to stand in line to have "fake" experiences when they could go to national parks, beaches, historical sites, etc. But, to each his own. It's just a matter of taste.

Re: Disney World

I am still oxox — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 22:46:21 GMT

I went there on my honeymoon 30 years ago and we had a great time, I remember our first night there we went for the fireworks and then I rode Cinderellas Carousel. We did the whole thing Disney, MGM, Typhoon Lagoon. We had the greatest time

Re: Disney World

threecees — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 22:47:57 GMT

I have been to Disney World twice, once in 2004 and in 2018. Enjoyed both

visits one without kids and the next visit with our teenage kids. I would never

take very little children there, too exhausting for the kid as well as parents.

Loved all the parks, all the animals and the flying coasters. We did as much

as we could. The rides change thru the years and get better.

Enjoyed all the shows and the museums, so much to take in and never

enough time to see it all. Good food too.

Never anything bad in my opinion, of course the prices have skyrocketed

but prices go up everywhere. I would love to visit again sometime.

Re: Disney World

I am still oxox — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 22:49:13 GMT

@I am still oxox wrote:
I went there on my honeymoon 30 years ago and we had a great time, I remember our first night there we went for the fireworks and then I rode Cinderellas Carousel. We did the whole thing Disney, MGM, Typhoon Lagoon. We had the greatest time

Replying to my own comment I was unable to edit, at this time Pleasure Island was open and every night was New Years Eve and also took some classes at the Disney Institue which gave classes to the public at the time.

Re: Disney World

kaydee50 — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 22:55:06 GMT

DH and I have been to DW several times. No kids. We always enjoyed ourselves especially the 2 times we went for New Year's Eve. DH loves the Magic Kingdom!! and I love EPCOT.

We never went in the summer and in fact one of the times we went over NYE it was in the 20s at night so heat was never a factor for us.

DH wanted to go for a significant birthday a couple of years ago but the cost is out of control. That is the main although not only reason we haven't been in over a decade.

Re: Disney World

ahoymate — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 22:58:40 GMT

1) You are not a kid anymore.

2) It's not your jam.

3) What's not to love about being in the "happiest place on earth?"

Re: Disney World

skatting44 — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 23:07:44 GMT

Many people " grew " up watching the Walt Disney show that was on TV . The concept that the ultimate happiness was to visit Disneyland in Ca or Fl was promoted by commericals and embeded in American culture . Yes, I ultimately took my child abt 36 yrs ago to Disneyland , however alot has changed.

My Happiest Place on Earth is being home with my Family, not a theme park

Re: Disney World

qvcfreak — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 23:13:22 GMT

We went to Disney World for our honeymoon and loved it in June 1991. We loved it and I don't recall long lines.

We went back in 2005, took our son Kevin for his 10th birthday. We waited to take him because we wanted him to remember it and really enjoy it.

Re: Disney World

CelticCrafter — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 23:13:42 GMT

@ahoymate wrote:
1) You are not a kid anymore.
2) It's not your jam.
3) What's not to love about being in the "happiest place on earth?"

@ahoymate I've heard from a number of people it's no longer the "happiest place on earth."

Re: Disney World

Shelbelle — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 23:22:10 GMT

I dont think you are missing anything. I believe if in your budget, it is nice if parents can take their kids once, if they want to go again, they go when they can go on their own. I dont see the need to keep going back . It is very expensive .

Re: Disney World

Barbara-QVC — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 23:25:35 GMT

This post has been removed by QVC because it is going off topic and baiting

Re: Disney World

bikerbabe — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 23:39:25 GMT

I’ve never been to DW but I am about 45 minutes from Disneyland in California. It’s definitely a lot more expensive than it used to be but I still love it and I always will.

I go with friends. I’ve sometimes gone alone. Always off season or on slower days.

If that means I never totally grew up, then so be it.😁

Re: Disney World

Squirrels Are Trash — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 23:45:15 GMT

For a decade, I attended two-yearly tech industry conferences that were held at the Disney Orlando properties. That's 20 times, as an adult. Also, the City of Anaheim used to be my client (Disneyland). I am all Disneyed out. Sill.

My last trip (the year before COVID). I happened to pass by a Princess Party waiting for their Disney Princess and the kids were really cute, all excited in their costumes.

Re: Disney World

ninjawife — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 23:52:14 GMT

I have been to DW multiple times. The trick to having a memorable experience is to research your trip and plan in advance. Staying on site is also a bonus. Having said that I would never go to Florida in the summer.

Re: Disney World

Zhills — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 02:08:56 GMT

I went to DisneyWorld with an employee on "preview day" before it opened and have been several times and I love it and always will.

My kids father and grand-father helped build it and we saw it rise out of the swamp!!!!

Always been magical and always will be!

If you didn't enjoy DW, you must not enjoy much!

Re: Disney World

RoughDraft — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 00:07:56 GMT

@Coastalcarolina Could it be that you were on the brink of teenhood and might have enjoyed spending your time with friends doing "teen things?"

Re: Disney World

Zoe — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 00:24:39 GMT

@Coastalcarolina

Been to Disney probably 30+ times in my lifetime. In my experience, it can be *magical*:

Getting to hug that character I have loved since childhood and thanking them for being my BFF (when very dark things were happening at home)
First time I exhaled after having been in downtown NYC on 9/11 was when we visited WDW six weeks later as a family. Just let that breath we'd been holding for over a month out -- and experienced JOY after a very dark time
The smell of apple pie when you exit PhilHarMagic (multi-sensory)
Watching the kids in your life run up to their favorite character and give them the biggest squeeze (willing suspension of disbelief is a beautiful thing)
Watching the characters communicate with deaf visitors
Getting to tell your favorite character (willing suspension of disbelief) that you're naming your new pet after them -- and those cracker-jack Disney photogs capturing that *exact moment*
Surprising friends who were on their first visit with a decorated hotel room & a call from Mickey himself (their son was 7yo).
The holiday tour! Seeing how each resort and park decorates for the holidays is really interesting.
Disney Institute classes back when they used to offer individual classes
Backstage tours (visiting the holiday warehouse! Seeing the costumes made! Seeing how the rides work -- like the old Body Wars)
The vibrant & beautiful Flower & Garden Festival (miss the Celebration home tours) and all of the special installations that the horticulture staff put in
Candlelight Processional where the cast member choir, a school choir, and an orchestra sing holiday songs from around the world while a celebrity narrates & tells the Christmas story.
The Halloween party is still one of our family's treasured memories. The headless horsemen coming down Main Street USA during the parade! Lighter crowds...trick or treating throughout the park
The Christmas parade in Magic Kingdom and the sound of those toy soldiers' feet
The "free" cookies & cocoa during the Christmas party
The scavenger hunts throughout MK and EPCOT -- fun for all!
The life-size gingerbread houses -- and little kids' reaction to them (all that sugar!)
Splashing in the puddles in EPCOT with the kiddos while wearing matching Mickey ponchos.
A relaxing loop on the MK train. No destination, just to ride the train (that train tour is awesome -- we still have a spike from the MK railroad!)
Fireworks & parades every day
The outdoor movie with Chip & Dale and s'mores by the campfire
The Disney bus driver (first bus of the day from the resort to MK) singing "Wheels on the Bus" -- all of the kids on that bus had the best time b/c they knew all the words and all of the accompanying actions.
The Muppets (when Disney remembers that they own them) -- Sam Eagle, when they pop up in Liberty Square, The Muppet show in Studios.

The trick in our experience is not to cram every minute of every day. Plan a rest. Swim in the pool. Take a nap. Schedule a sit-down meal.

Yes, it can be (very) expensive. But if you allow the magic in, you can have a really wonderful visit.

Re: Disney World

proudlyfromNJ — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 00:25:20 GMT

Been a few times to both. Didn't enjoy it at all. Too hot and don't like rides.

Re: Disney World

Coastalcarolina — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 00:35:40 GMT

Wow! Thank you to all who responded!

@Zoe, you gave the most descriptive trips! Glad you enjoyed it! @Zhills , maybe not DW but we enjoyed more outdoor excursions! We wore the beaches out, hiked what seemed like hundreds of miles and still remember exquisite vistas from the top of mountains.

I had a bad experience on a roller coaster when I was younger also, so rides are not on my list of fun things.

Glad for everyone that found the "magic", I just did not!

BTW, my grown children went years later and actually said that they were glad they experienced it as an adult, not a child.