ever get surprised by how many people don't "get it"?

[kayleigh83]

I'm sure this is mostly something that happens to adults who take kid-free trips to DL, either because they don't have kids (like us) or just had an opportunity to go without their little ones.

Ever since we came back from our trip last month, I've been a bit shocked by how many people seem surprised and perplexed that my boyfriend and I went to DL! There always seems to be some joke put out about us going on a "kids" vacation. I actually had someone ask me, "Why did you guys go to Disneyland?!" as though he thought any sane person would have only picked Mexico or something for a vacation...

Does anyone else get a lot of this too? I try to explain how amazing DL is to these people without reciting a speech about it or sounding too crazy, but I just don't think a lot of people "get it" outside of being a place to bring the kiddos!

 

[SarafinaPink]

I get this even from people in Disneyland when I go on a solo trip. For some reason, it's okay to go for a family vacation with your kids, but I get odd looks when they see a 27 yr old woman by herself.

At this point I just shrug and tell people that everyone has things in their life that make them happy and DL happens to be mine. There are worse hobbies to have.

 

[momsquad]

I have had many of those occasions. . ."You're going to Disney - AGAIN?"

When it came from my Dad - again - I looked at him and asked him to explain to me exactly why he goes fishing every week. After staring at me for a few moments, stopping and starting a couple sentences, he finally looked at me and said "Okay, I get it." They have never questioned me again.

 

[JLS]

Yes MANY, if not most, people don't get it. Some have never been to the parks and imagine them to be hot, crowded, expensive and full of screaming kids. Some have been there and had a miserable time because they didn't do any research, went at a very crowded time of year and showed up at the parks at 11:30 and just stood in line, and missed some of the best stuff. And some people just don't like Disney! (GASP). We have gotten many "you are going AGAIN??" or "Don't you ever get sick of going to Disney" - and we go with young kids as our "cover". But who cares, really. I just say - yea, its an escape for us and we always have a lot of fun." No different from people who go to the same camping trip every year or whatever it is they do. I think the key is to just not worry about it. Obviously enough people do get it since the parks are usually packed.

 

[ludari]

It is some of my friends who don't get it but my family seems to understand. Some of my best friends are Disney fans like most of so I can share my excitement with them. I am also single so the majority of my visits to DLR, WDW and Disney Cruises are solo but I've never concerned myself what others might think.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

We're this couple LOL.

We went there on our honeymoon...we took our kids twice..and now we're going for our 10 year anniversary.

Honestly, it's one of our happy places. It MEANS something to us. We went there on our HONEYMOON. You can't get much closer to a place than that, IMO. It's so much fun to take our kids, to experience it through their eyes. But it's so much more relaxing not having to worry about who needs to potty when..and who needs to eat, and who is tired and who doesn't feel good. We are excited to have a more selfish vacation

 

[disfan1990]

I've gotten sooo many of these from co workers (considering I've been there 17 times since march and live in the Monterey bay area) but to me it takes me back to a time in my childhood when I wasn't stuck in a hospital and my parents would do all they could to take me and my sister (both of us diabetics) to a place that would help us feel like "normal" kids so to this day my sister who is now 30 and I 22 love goin because of all the memories it brings back... Sorry if I went on for a bit just got caught up for a moment

 

[disneyhoppers]

We get this response ALL the time. we went for our honeymoon (while DCA was being built), again for our 10th anniversary and we are going next month with our best friends sans kids. We get the head shake and awkward laugh when we tell them where we are going...again.

 

[dznycastle]

I use to do solo trips to DLR and sometimes with my grand-daughters. It was so much fun! They moved away and I miss them and go to the parks to bring back fond memories of when they were with me. More recently my hubby use to ask me why I go solo so often...my reply was cuz it is so fun to do everything and nothing and try the new places to eat and watch the different shows cuz they change every so often and I love the decor with the changing of the seasons and holidays. He now understands what and how I see DLR! He goes with me after work just to have dinner and maybe ride a few rides. We then relax the evening away until closing with the Mad T Party. Ahh, to be young again with so much energy!

 

[mrswh]

Yeah, I don't really get it.

Don't get me wrong, I love DL! I may get even more excited about it than my kids do. But I think part of it is the excitement of seeing my kids have so much fun - and even more so, just having the time spent as a family, with no laundry, no chores, no bedtime (more or less) and lots of fun.

I do not understand the people who have kids and go to DL without them. Nope, I don't.

 

[rokstedy]

I don't get a lot of grief from friends or co-workers. In fact many of the people I know are pass holders as well. But I am known as the resident Disneyland geek.

 

[Disney Dreams]

We get it all the time.

When we go to DLR.
When we go to WDW.
When we go on a(nother) Disney cruise.
When we bought into DVC.

We get it ALLLLL the time.

We just smile, tell them we have incredible vacations and wonderful moments, and explain that if they don't get it - they just won't get it. And that we are sad for them.

Oh, yeah, and I have tried to explain it to many here, on DIS, as well. There is a sub-section right on this very DLR board who don't understand why adults without children would want to spend any length of time at Disney, when we would want a picture with a character, why we would believe in the magic.

I feel sad for them too.

Cheers to Disney-loving-adults who "get it."

- Dreams

 

[kayleigh83]

We get it all the time.

When we go to DLR.
When we go to WDW.
When we go on a(nother) Disney cruise.
When we bought into DVC.

We get it ALLLLL the time.

We just smile, tell them we have incredible vacations and wonderful moments, and explain that if they don't get it - they just won't get it. And that we are sad for them.

Oh, yeah, and I have tried to explain it to many here, on DIS, as well. There is a sub-section right on this very DLR board who don't understand why adults without children would want to spend any length of time at Disney, when we would want a picture with a character, why we would believe in the magic.

I feel sad for them too.

Cheers to Disney-loving-adults who "get it."

- Dreams

Totally agree with this!! I strongly feel Disneyland isn't just for kids! And if someone feels that way, I feel like they don't really understand Disneyland! It's excuseable from someone who has never been, but to me DL is far more than a kids' park. It IS magical!

 

[MagicMomma1]

OMG, I WISH DH and I could go without our kids! LOL.

And kids or no kids, some people really don't get Disney... It's not their cup of tea so they can't fathom how it could appeal to anyone else. These individuals are otherwise known as "downers". To be perfectly frank, I love my mom but she's a Disney Downer.

The Disney brand of entertainment isn't her thing. We didn't go to the parks when I was a kid, so I don't have childhood Disney memories. I'm not bitter about it... but it is important to me to make those kinds of memories with my own children. We don't even tell my mom when we're going because we don't want to hear the whole "You Should Save Your Money" spiel. I wish she could share in our excitement. I even fantasize about convincing her to come with us and then undergoing a conversion once she experiences the magic and sees how incredibly FUN it is.... but who am I kidding?

I actually get a bit nervous once we get back from our trips and I get the pics up on FB b/c I know she disapproves!

 

[Bungle]

We have a big anniversary coming up in a few years and DL is on my list

Although I love going with my kids it will be great to have a trip just to us. I think DL would be amazing without kids!

 

[lurpee]

I get this even from people in Disneyland when I go on a solo trip. For some reason, it's okay to go for a family vacation with your kids, but I get odd looks when they see a 27 yr old woman by herself.

At this point I just shrug and tell people that everyone has things in their life that make them happy and DL happens to be mine. There are worse hobbies to have.

My last trip was in '06 with my SIL and her sis. On this trip I learned that they like to drink. I got so frustrated waiting for them in the mornings that four three of the four days I just went by myself until they met up with me until after noon. It was so much fun! I was able to do all the rides I had never done and I'm such a go-with-the-flow person in groups it was awesome to only have to worry about myself. I can totally see the draw!
Kerri

 

[Staceycs]

What a great thread to start!

We get this all of the time from people at home. We will be on our 5th trip to DL in 4 weeks time (from Australia), and everyone here doesn't understand why we don't want to go to Thailand or Bali, instead of Disneyland.

I love the history and the stories of DL, and the memories we already have of DL are our favourite memories. Like so many people have already said, it is our 'happy place'- a place where we are peaceful, stress-free and it honestly feels like 'home' to us, each time we arrive in the US.

As an adult, I have so much respect for the thought that goes into all of the innovations that Disney roll out- it's unprecedented, and we are so excited to be able to do 'Dine with an Imagineer' when we are in WDW this September, to find out a whole lot more about this.

No need to worry- there are always people here who 'get it' as much as you do

 

[tchrrx]

When it came from my Dad - again - I looked at him and asked him to explain to me exactly why he goes fishing every week.

That is an absolutely brilliant answer. I'm going to have to remember that one! We have a daughter, but we still get the "again?!?" questions when it comes to Disney trips. We try to vary our vacations a little by doing WDW, cruises, and ABD. Now we have a DL trip scheduled. Every trip we do involves Disney though b/c we know it is great quality and that we'll be well taken care of.

 

[MaloCS]

We're this couple LOL.

We went there on our honeymoon...we took our kids twice..and now we're going for our 10 year anniversary.

Honestly, it's one of our happy places. It MEANS something to us. We went there on our HONEYMOON. You can't get much closer to a place than that, IMO. It's so much fun to take our kids, to experience it through their eyes. But it's so much more relaxing not having to worry about who needs to potty when..and who needs to eat, and who is tired and who doesn't feel good. We are excited to have a more selfish vacation

We went on our honeymoon as well. Way back in 1998.

 

[disneydreamer74]

It's funny..Dbf and I were just discussing this a few weeks ago. I get the whole "DLR..again? why don't you go somewhere else?" thing from co-workers and family. Dbf gets the same. We just tell them this is where we choose to vacation. They like other places, we are Disney people. We do have a DD5 who is with us on our trips and she would live in DLR if she could.

Now when I was living on the east coast ( 18 years ago) I went to WDW a few times with other adult friends (we were all kid-less) and we had a blast! Nobody ever asked us why we were going but this is because we were all in our early 20's. I still would have explained it the same way!

This is why I love DIS!!!! I can enter an online community with others who "get it!"