Disney: Special to some, boring to others: Exposed! Enjoy!

[civileng68]

First let me say I'm 30 years old, married with a 2 year old son. I've been an annual passholder to Disney for seven years. I've gone more times than I can count. I love it! Sometimes over the years, I found myself bored in going and still wanted to be there. It was confusing to even myself.

2 years ago, when my wife had our first and currently only child, we stopped going for a while. However, on business trips to Los Angeles I made sure to get to Disneyland twice over the last year and Epcot in March, all on business. I cant get enough, again even though sometimes I found myself bored while being there.............odd.

Tonight was the first night my wife, myself and my 2 year old child have visited WDW together. I'ts the first time my son has ever been. Though he'll never remember the trip and though he's too young to notice much of what's going on I realized something that's been a question for myself for three years now.

Three years ago, I invited a friend of mine to WDW. My wife was pregnant and didnt want to go. My friend had never been before. He grew up in Ohio and we both now lived in SW Florida. We took a long weekend and went up. Unfortunately he found himself bored most of the time and wanted to spend the rest of his time at Universal Studios. I really was shocked. Often I find myself the type of person who finds it odd to understand people's though processes and it takes years to figure it out, like in this situation.

My friend had nothing negative to say about WDW but just found it a bit disappointing and boring in comparison to other typical "theme parks".

Lately I've been reading on the Dis about people who were disappointed,
mostly on their first visit. Obviously many are not, but some are. This is what I've never understood, even up until tonight.

Tonight I feel like I had a bit of a revelation in my thought and understanding of WDW and those who visit, and those who love it and return regularly.

I grew up in a town just outside of Charlotte, NC and spent the first 22 years of my life there. I had a good childhood but sometimes we found ourselves in siuations where we couldnt afford to take vacations that were far away. However, as a kid I dreamed of going to WDW. Amazingly my mom won a radio contest in Charlotte when I was 8 years old and it was for a free week at WDW!!!!!! We stayed on site and all was paid for us! I dont remember much of that trip but I do remember a few things. More importantly it was a memory of spending time with my family that was special, beyond the normal daily process of our lives. There was no school. There were no distractions for my dad with his work. There were no friends of my parents around. It was just them and me. I am an only child but this would be no different if I were not. It was my parents and myself.

I grew up in a very very strict home, frankly more than the norm and definately more than necessary and I never had alot of great moments at home. However, when we were at WDW it was different. It was like it was my world and it was built just for me.

I never revisited WDW until I was 23 years old and living in Fl. However, I asked my friend when we visited and he told he me had never been to WDW as a kid.

Typically I'm not an overly emotional person. I was raised to be tough, and tough minded. Though I dont like that part of the way I was raised, it did give me a toughness to be successful in my career.

However tonight I felt in a very small sense, my life came full circle.

Tonight we were at WDW and it was a good time. However, later in the evening when Wishes began I picked up my son and held in while standing on Main STreet. I didnt even know how he'd respond to the fireworks. He's never seen them before. He loved then! He kept looking at me almost as if to make sure everything was ok with these big booming noises. Then he'd smile.

I gotta tell you, I cried tonight on Main Street during Wishes. Ok, I know many of you sapps cant keep it together on your own while watching it but I now know where you're coming from. I hate to admit I was crying. I was even hiding it from my wife standing with me. I couldnt even talk correctly during the show. I was trying to sing the song to my son and couldnt do it. I was such a baby tonight. Yes I felt like a girly man standing there sobbing under the cloak of my manhood.

(ok had to pause while typing when my wife walked by)

Anyways it hit me. So many people who dont like WDW never had any childhood memories from there. Those who do love it I've found often do have childhood memories there. Often those who didnt have a childhood memory there, simply cannot feel the the magic and thus cannot look behind rides as their form of entertainment.

For me, tonight was full circle as I got to spend an emotional and touching moment with my son. He wont remember it but when he I take him at 5 years old and older he hopefully will. He will then do the same with his children.

I think this makes WDW so special. It seperates it from everything else. It's a place that no place else can match it's emotional impact for those who spent timeless moments there with their families.

I love WDW and tonight discovered another reason why I do.

[Disneenut]

wow... great story!
:goodvibes:goodvibes

[Ted C]

Nice post buddy. I had the same thing happen to me last time we were there a few months ago. I have a 9-year old girl and 5-year old boy. It's a special place. I do feel those who don't get it don't let themselves get it but it does indeed help having roots there although my first time was on my honeymoon 16-years ago. To not appreciate the tremendous effort, money, and time it takes to create such a wonderful place is a tragedy... There is no other place that even comes close as far as my family is concerned.





Ted.

[Tink888]

Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed reading your post.

I love WDW as well and have been going since I was a child. I think maybe you might be onto something. For me anyway, WDW really does hold a special kind of magic too. :)

[Ted C]

Oops! Sorry for the double post.

[wdwpirates]

Awesome reflection....thank you so much for posting.

My mom was a single mom and never had a lot of money to take us on fancy vacations. When I graduated from high school my mom had saved enough to take my sister and I. We had so much fun!

A year after that I met my future husband. A year after we met, the lot of us (mom, sis, hubby and me) went to WDW again. I felt this NEED to show my husband what it was all about...it was his first time on a plane (my 2nd)....he grew up very poor and never had a real vacation either.

To this day, it really is our happy place...

:love:

[wmharley]

I was dragged to Disney every summer... my family lived out of country and I was an Army brat so each summer I'd spend the summer with my dad.. my cousins and aunt each year would go to Disney as their vacation... so I was a tourist tourist, if you will.

I liked it, but for 6-7 yrs at least, it was the same exact thing.. Disney. SeaWorld, Busch... got tireing after a while...

But we enjoy Disney, and more so with our DD... I know our next trip with our DS1.5 will be awesome..

He loves minnie though, but will point out anything disney he sees.

[Mrs. Charming]

I know exactly the feeling. I'm also an only, but I didn't have great WDW memories from childhood, though. But yes, I feel like my life came full circle when I went there as a wife and mother 2 year old little girl. (DH and I actually got married there. It was simple but special.)

It's just a special place. And, contrary to popular belief, the "magic'' isn't the freebies, the upgrades, or the contest prizes. It's just a feeling. A BIG, sappy, overwhelming, take-your-breath-away feeling that seems to defy explanation. Few seem to get this, though. You're not alone!

And hey, don't worry about being a "girly man." I think it shows strength in a man to shed a tear; courage to show his emotions. (DH is a burly dude, beard and all. I love when I see that little glimmer of sensitivity!)

[2Epcot]

I agree completely with your sentiment.

We go at least every year to WDW all the way from Phoenix. We don't have kids. People think we are strange to go without kids, but we both remember going as kids ourselves. It reminds us of a happier, simpler time.

Can't wait to go next week!

(The F&WF wouldn't be the same with kids...)

party:

[Amy162]

To this day, it really is our happy place...

:love:

I couldn't have said it better myself. This is EXACTLY how I described it to someone over the weekend, it's my happy place. Being able to take my girls there, and spend family time with just the 4 of us, and seeing it all through their eyes, not just the wonder of disney, but also the things that they discover about themselves there, overcoming their fear of certain rides or their shyness when interacting with other people, and leaving everything else behind... it's just amazing. My happy place... :cloud9:

[luvthemouse71]

OP, wonderful post and I think you're right..it's not the rides, attractions etc that make WDW so special, it's the memories that most of us have from there. My sister and I have been there together quite a few times now, and we have all these little traditions in place. There were moments when I went with my Dad that I will cherish forever.

I think when you have these kind of wonderful memories, it makes it a lot easier to overlook glitches and difficulties that may happen while you're there.

[Planogirl]

I like what you wrote but I have known people who didn't go until they were adults and they were definitely into the magic. I don't agree that only those who went as children can have those feelings. I do understand your point though.

[Chime]

:goodvibes I'm not sure what makes some of us really feel that Disney magic.

We did have the Disney channel when I was growing up. I remember watching all those specials they had on the parks, and always wishing we could go.

The first time I went to a Disney park I was 21 years old. It was just my dad and me. We went to WDW for a week. We've been 3 more times since then and have another trip planned for this December. Sometimes my mother comes too, and one year I brought my (now ex) fiance.

Growing up my dad and I were not very close, and even now we still struggle to get along, but Disney is one thing we both love and really do feel whatever that magic is. We love the anticipation or our vacation almost as much as going. We go out to lunch or dinner together just to plan our itineraries. Our trips are very special to us.

I think this makes WDW so special. It seperates it from everything else. It's a place that no place else can match it's emotional impact for those who spent timeless moments there with their families.

That was beautifully said. :)

[Ted C]

Yep, over planning and expectations is the quickest way to kill the magic, been there done that. Last time we had about 1/2 our normal ADR's and it was great. What we found, especially with the new dining system (has BIG problems), was that it was a lot more fun just weening it on those unbooked nights. And we had no problems getting into wherever we wanted for dinner doing "stand by". I think too many people, especially first timers, over think it and get overwhelmed. Of course others are completely clueless on their first visit which is the other way to kill the specialness.

I feel the magic is felt at it greatest level when you are simply completely content with the moment...

FYI, not replying to you Chime, referring to an earlier post. I love planning too. It's a major part of the process. It's just these days I try not to get out of skew when things don't go exactly as I planned them. :) Over planning is a recipe for disaster.

[moon]

I like what you wrote but I have known people who didn't go until they were adults and they were definitely into the magic. I don't agree that only those who went as children can have those feelings. I do understand your point though.

Hey Planogirl :wave2:

I'm one of those people who never went to WDW as a child. I lived far, far away, we didn't have the money and a Disney trip was as realistic as a trip to the moon. I dreamed about it, but it was that, just a dream.

I have an early memory of a show where the the dancing ghosts in the ballroom at the HM were featured. It looked sooo cool. I wanted to BE there!

I went to WDW several decades later. When I rode the HM and saw that scene which had been burned in my childhood memory, I couldn't believe I was really there. Finally!

So the magic can also happen to those who experience WDW for the first time as adults. :goodvibes

Still, beautiful post, OP :)

[cjb71870]

I have been a WDW regular for 20 years now... About 10 years ago, after we were AP for a few years, my Mom started coming for 4-5 day weekends with us... my Dad back then wouldn't come. Even though he knew my love of WDW!! Well, after 3 years of taking Mom he agreed to come in May 2003!! On our way home from that trip he was already planning the next trip!! It became every May and December on the same weekends for him! He has now been there @ 14 times!! We went in May again and are going in December as always!!!

[Ted C]

Awesome! It will make you appreciate life and other's efforts if you just let it.

[Planogirl]

Hey Planogirl :wave2:

I'm one of those people who never went to WDW as a child. I lived far, far away, we didn't have the money and a Disney trip was as realistic as a trip to the moon. I dreamed about it, but it was that, just a dream.

I have an early memory of a show where the the dancing ghosts in the ballroom at the HM were featured. It looked sooo cool. I wanted to BE there!

I went to WDW several decades later. When I rode the HM and saw that scene which had been burned in my childhood memory, I couldn't believe I was really there. Finally!

So the magic can also happen to those who experience WDW for the first time as adults. :goodvibes

Still, beautiful post, OP :)
Hi moon! Long time no see. :)

You said it quite well. Magic happens for some people at any age while it can pass people at any age too. It's a mystery.

The Haunted Mansion is my special place. Nice choice. :thumbsup2

[LadyVT]

Lovely post. I agree- I find that people who never went to a Disney park as a child are most often the ones who don't feel magic going there as adults. My husband is Canadian; they never went to Disney World as kids. He has really struggled to be there with me (he originally just saw a company trying to make money), but knowing it was important to me, he's been to DL with me a dozen times since we met, and we went to WDW on our honeymoon. Now, he really likes the Jedi training, the Star Wars stuff, and Space Mountain and rides like that. He loved Epcot (he is a scientist), too. At first, I believe he felt embarrassed--as if other men would judge him for liking a "kids' place." But just last week, we went to an art and wine festival, and bought some photographs from a man who loves the parks. The more we have encounters like that, the more DH's eyes are opened. Being able to be a kid sometimes is a prerequisite for being a man, IMO. He is really making an effort. I love him so much.

(I also believe that people who had painful childhoods and never went to Disney as kids would have a particularly hard time there as adults.)

[Disney Fool]

lovely post--nothing to be ashamed of. Let the emotions roll....:goodvibes
My first trip to WDW was at age 20. It had always been a dream of mine to go to Disneyland. and when WDW opened, I wanted to go so badly. I grew up with Hayley Mills movies, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color on Sunday nights, and all the Disney cartoons. I was a Mickey Mouse Club member since I was three years old. I too am an only child--(I had an imaginary playmate. Guess who she was? Darlene of of the Mouseketeers!!!)
Can we say "fixated"? I can't tell you how many times I've been to WDW --I lost count after 50. I've been to Disneyland twice and fell in love with it. I know exactly what you mean about needing to be there and a little bored but dismissing it. I find the joy through the eyes of children, family members, first timers. It makes it more special to me that they're enjoying the things I've loved for so long. And I'm over the moon when they finally "get it"..the magic happens---and they want to come back.:woohoo::dance3::woohoo::yay: :banana: I think at age 20 on my first visit, standing on Main Street, and witnessed my 50 year old mother proceed to chase Donald Duck down the street exclaiming that she's loved him all her life!!!!! that did it for me!!! That's when the 'magic' began. ... and it's never stopped. thanks for the teary eyes from reading your post. Here's hoping you have many, many enjoyable experiences with your son. I know I did with my mom until she died 14 years ago. Those memories are precious.

[TLinden16]

This type of thread would be a better fit on the theme parks community board, so I'm going to move it over there now.

[jordancej]

Wow! I love your story! :) It brought tears to my eyes reading it! As a Disney lover myself, i didnt experience WDW till my first trip when i was 36, but i had grew up with Disney on the tv, and with the movies.

But on my first trip to the "world", i totally fell in love! I just went on my 7th trip since 2004, and now i'm an annual passholder!

I thinking maybe the people who dont like WDW, maybe are not letting their inner child come out. Guess, i'm just a big kid at heart!! :)

[Hallowishes]

oh i love your post :love: :love:
i agree with you that one of the main reasons wdw holds so much magic and wonderment for me is the memories i have of it when i was younger. i too am an only child. my parents took me to wdw very regularly as my grandparents had a house not far from orlando.
everytime i walk down main street and see that castle i cant help but be filled with the feelings of nostalgia. :wizard: :cloud9:
wishes always makes me cry but i can definitely understand how it must feel to have your son experience all of that for the first time. :goodvibes

[Stitchnut]

I don't think you are a "girly man." I think that it was sweet and special. What came out was a lot of mixed memories and why you enjoy WDW. That you took the time to reflect and and then share your thoughts with others was really nice. You shouldn't feel embarrassed at all and I appreciate that you cared enough to share. May you and your family continue to embrace WDW together. Way to go!

[civileng68]

I'll update my original post here. I think overally whether when young or older, what makes disney different is memories. Very few parks have memories like WDW has and that is definately what separates it and makes magic happen.

[DisneyGrampa]

Well-my take on it is a little different. I watched Disneyland being built, on Walt Disney's TV show. My first time at Disneyland was with my wife, then pregnant with our first child.
We couldn't afford frequent trips to Disney, but we brought our five kids to Disney World twice, and Disneyland once.
Now, for the last several years, we've been going back to Disney world with our kids and grandkids. The magic for me is seeing them all enjoying Disney.
And yes, Wishes gets to me too!

[pixiefairy]

Lovely post. I am married to a big, burly man...but I watch the same emotions parade across his face while watching Wishes for the first time with our kids, watching them interact with the characters....seeing the castle for the very first time. He may have been more upset than I was on our last full day! I don't find it shameful that a man can show emotion, I think it makes them more "manly" if you ask me!

[absolut_mandy]

Wow! I absolutely love your story and I can totally relate to it. There is something that is magical about Disney for me and I would go every day if I could.
In May I took my god daughter to Disney for her first time and the first day we were watching Wishes and I teared up too. It was amazing watching her experience the castle, the fireworks and everything Disney.
I don't know why some people love Disney and others don't, but I'm sure glad that I am in the "love" catergory":goodvibes

[plutosgirl]

:lovestrucBeautiful story...sitting here wiping tears from my eyes at work. Glad everyone else is out of the building.

I still get teary eyed when I first see the castle or the first note of Wishes starts & when I see Pluto. My parents saved and saved to take me and my brother when we were kids and I was so excited to take dh & the girls there and now we've done the Food & Wine, Halloween, Flower show and this year it will be just me and the girls for some Christmas fun...I've never been there at Christmas time. Dh doesn't want to go again so it's just us girls. I can't wait to cry happy tears once again on Main Street!

Thanks for posting.

[mickeyfan1973]

What a beautiful story. Tears are clouding my eyes as I read and type this...how's that for sappy??

I also grew up with a single mom who struggled everyday to give me everything. The only thing she couldn't give me was a trip to Disney as a child. I first visited Disney on my Honeymoon 9 years ago...my first and only trip (so far). I gotta say, this is where we disagree. I may not have gone to Disney as a child...but the minute my plane touched down in Orlando I could feel the magic. And when I seen that castle for the first time...I think there was tear in my eye.

I think it takes a special person to experience the true magic of the world, as you did with your son's first visit, and as I hope to with my kid's first visit coming up in Dec. I cannot wait. I know there will be a few tears shed during those 10 days...happy tears of course!!

Thanks for posting and showing all of us the true magic of what Mr. Disney has created. It really is amazing!!

[MusiqChic99]

Awesome story!!!

I went growing up many times. We always took a family vacation and Disney World won most of the time! Now I can to experience it for the first time with my son in just a short couple of weeks. I can't wait. I am more excited now at 28, then when I was 8! I hope I feel the magic more this time too.

[EAWildman]

I have not read any of the responses to the rest of the thread. I only read the OP and felt a need to respond.

I too have read the bad 1st visit trip reports and wondered what the difference was between those experiences and my own. The OP proposes that having visited as a child may be the key difference. At first I totally disagreed. My first visit to WDW was in 2003 with my wife and two of her brothers. I was hooked (after being intially skeptical). We have been 6 times since 2003 and are now Annual Passholders. I love it...and I never went to WDW as a kid....

But then I thought....wait a minute. It's true I never went to Florida, but when I was 4, my parents drove out to California (from Minnesota) to visit relatives and we got to spend a day at Disneyland. I was only 4 but I remember many, many moments from the little trip to Disneyland. The tea cups, meeting Pluto, the parade, and some rides that made me scared like the Haunted Mansion. So, I did visit as a kid!

Anyway, we took our 18 month old son to WDW last January and had a wonderful trip. He loved it and came back home able to say "Mouse!" when he saw Mickey around the house. Still does it too, now that he's 2.

My wife and I took a two day side trip to WDW this past July without our son and we had a great time. But I did miss having my son there. We watched Wishes both nights and I had the same experience as the OP (but my son wasn't there of course). I was thinking about my son and trying to sing along to myself and found I was all choked up and teary eyed, hearing the music and thinking about my son and my family. And it happened twice! Two nights in row! Geeze....what a softy I am!

Anyway, thanks for the OP, it got me thinking about things and remembering good times at WDW. My wife and son and I will be heading back soon for the Halloween Party. I can't wait to see what he thinks of WDW this time!

Eric

[momtobrynncess]

Nice post buddy. I had the same thing happen to me last time we were there a few months ago. I have a 9-year old girl and 5-year old boy. It's a special place. I do feel those who don't get it don't let themselves get it but it does indeed help having roots there although my first time was on my honeymoon 16-years ago. To not appreciate the tremendous effort, money, and time it takes to create such a wonderful place is a tragedy... There is no other place that even comes close as far as my family is concerned.





Ted.


Thank you for your post!! I was getting so tired of reading posts with people complaining about everything from kleenex to the heat. There is no other place that even comes close as far as my family is concerned.

I have so many special memories of Disney from when I was a child, to now that I am an adult, and am taking my child there. We even got married there, and we have been at least once a year every year since 1997.

*Holding my sleeping 18 month old child (her first trip), sleeping through Wishes.
*Watching her taking some of her first steps toward her daddy at DHS, as the music is playing in the background (video we still have).
*Introducing her to her first character greeting experience at LTT.
*Riding rides I had never riden before, with my daughter.
*Seeing the amazement in her eyes the first time she laid eyes on Cinderella/the Castle.
*Hearing her scream, "We're here!!" as the monorail pulls up to the Magic Kingdom.

and on, and on, and on......

The magic will never stop for me and my family.....Thanks for the post!!!