5 biggest misconceptions about DISNEY?

[DisneyBlonde]

That it's just for kids, and that it's too expensive.

 

[KatheeME]

That you can EVER get too much Disney!

 

[disneychickforever]

for me, it was that "you just can't have fun there"

My youth group was going to go to Nights of Joy....we didn't because we won free tickets for Rock the Universe, but still....

 

[WaltD4Me]

Since I'm known as the "Disney Expert" to my friends, family and co-workers, people are always asking me to help someone plan a trip, friends and family even refer their other friends and family to me when they find out someone they know is going to Disney...Here are the biggest misconceptions I get....

1. AK is a zoo...I love when someone says "Should we waste our time going to that zoo place?"

2. Disney World is one park....it amazes me how few people know there are 4 parks at Disney.

3. Universal is part of WDW

4. "So if I stay on Disney property, I can just walk over to all the parks right?"

5. How BIG Disney World is. SO many people think EVERYTHING is in walking distance of everything else.

Almost everyone comes back SHOCKED at the sheer size of Disney and how it took 10-30 mins on the bus just to get to a park from their resort.

 

[LisaRay]

Yes, I really agree with the one about disney world only being one park and the rest is someting else?

My sister in law went last year and when she got back and was telling me about her trip she would say "well on monday we went to disney world and then on tues we went to epcot" they think disney world is magic kingdom.
She also called AK animal zoo!! that cracked me up!!

 

[BlindTyldak]

1.) That you'll be able to do everything there is offered in a couple of days

2.) That the handicapped entrance is the ultimate Fastpass and disabled people never, ever have to wait in line for anything

3.) That Disney is not allowed to have the occasional bad day, instead of being PRACTICALLY perfect in every way

4.) That you'll be able to do what you want with no wait, including getting the perfect parade spot on Main Street, walking into Cindy's for breakfast, and strolling onto Soarin', on 5 minutes notice on Christmas Day

5.) That folks who can't go every day due to location, cost, or other factors aren't as big WDW fans as the people who live 10 minutes away with AP's.

 

[schmitty]

That you need to make reservations 180 days in advanced for a restaurant.
That it isn't expensive.

 

[TLC371]

That the characters are just for kids and that you have to stay on Disney property to have a great vacation.

 

[madelinesmum]

I guess opinions differ on what's expensive.
We go value and I think it's very affordable!

 

[MauraAndIainsDad]

To me the biggest misconception is that if you're an adult male who loves all things Disney, people either think you're a 1. dork, 2. immature or 3. a sexual predator or child molester...

Sometimes when I tell people I'm a big Disney fan, they give me that look like "Are you serious? Disney? For kids?"

They are so wrong... I mean after all, I'm the coolest person I know.

2. All grown ups (esp men) who go to Disney without kids are homosexual.

Amen! I'm by far the biggest Disney fan in my family - so much so that my DW ribs me a little about it. If I were there alone - say, on a business trip / conference - I wouldn't think twice about going to the parks and having a blast.

 

[BlindTyldak]

I guess opinions differ on what's expensive.
We go value and I think it's very affordable!

How long do you stay and how do you get there, though? even staying at a value, when people have to also factor in the costs of a flight (for some of us that's half the trip expense or more right there) those park tickets add up quick. Sure it's cheaper the longer you stay, but when you can't stay that long and you average it out, it CAN be expensive.

 

[Redbudlover]

One of the biggest misconceptions I run into is that the food is bad - wayyyy off track.
The second one is that it is just for kids and a big amusement park! When I talk about the tours and parades and gardens and amazing attractions people stare at me like I am looney....

 

[bytheblood]

Also, how much ground you cover. If you're a Disney Freak and you don't miss a thing 'cause you walk real fast - you're definetly going to burn more calories than if you just kind of take it easy and walk slowly all around...

Also, I've noticed that different peoples' perceptions on what they *want* to eat is very different from person to person. In other words - I myself cannot ever imagine eating desert more than one time a day... I just don't *want* to. For whatever reason I have this conscious that tells me to eat something wholesome. Other people it seems that junk is all they want to eat at Disney World.

So when you say you eat what you want - it might be either a whole lot healthier or a whole lot less calories than what someone else wants to eat.

Hopefully that makes sense, just my theory... of course you're also right in saying genetics and metabolism play a part... so many factors.

Personally, I don't gain or lose weight while at Disney World.

So true.....

But, when I say I eat what I want, that means pizza, Mickey bars, funnel cake, etc.

 

[°O°Joe]

I guess opinions differ on what's expensive.
We go value and I think it's very affordable!

I agree. Where else can you stay for $80/night? Super 8? Motel 6? I think the Value resorts are very well priced - and they still have a very Disney feel to them IMO. I think it's the park tickets that catches people by suprise. They are very expensive at like $70 a ticket. But when you figure an entire 12 hour day, sometimes more, of entertainment - I dunno, personally I can justify the cost. And if you know what you're doing - you'll likely (depending on length of stay) spend more like $30 - $40 /day for a ticket... That's on par with most theme parks - and who goes to Disney World for one day that's not an AP holder? Probably not a whole lot of people...

Dining? Maybe a little on the pricey side if you chose the nicer sit down restaurants. But no one says you can't just eat counter service your entire trip.

If you *want* it to be and you do the research - WDW can be just as affordable as most vacations...

 

[MauraAndIainsDad]

I agree Joe. Compared to other event tickets, $70/day is just not that expensive. I've recently spend $75 for Cirque du Soleil tickets, $90 for Indy 500 tix and $120 for a NASCAR race. And these events only last 3-4 hours at the most.

 

[bytheblood]

Amen! I'm by far the biggest Disney fan in my family - so much so that my DW ribs me a little about it. If I were there alone - say, on a business trip / conference - I wouldn't think twice about going to the parks and having a blast.

I hear ya!!

I went with my best friend in May and I could not believe how many ignorant people would be sitting in ear-shot of us on the busses trying to decide if we considered ourselves a married couple because we both have on wedding rings. One time, I looked at a woman and just shook my head at her. Gee, I am sure my husband would be just shocked to learn that I am married.

We were standing in line for FotLK and some woman with her 18 children in front of us was talking her husband and said something about "those queers behind us" -

 

[WaltD4Me]

If you *want* it to be and you do the research - WDW can be just as affordable as most vacations...

ITA! With a little work and time, you can definitely make Disney affordable.

Another thing, I think alot of people think Disney is expensive because you pay for "entertainment" (park tickets) up front, so you see that big total right in the beginning, whereas if you go say to, I don't know, Cancun, you do your airfare and hotel and then you pay for the entertaiment part as you go on the trip. Say, snorkeling, scuba diving, boat trips, swim with the dolphins, that sort of thing, you pay one thing at a time, so you don't tend to add those things in to your "trip cost" the same as Disney.
Like my brother likes to rent a Jet Ski at the beach, it costs $80 for AN HOUR! $11 LESS than you pay for a whole DAY at Disney, but because it wasn't in the total he paid upfront for his trip, it doesn't "count."

Did that make ANY sense to anyone?! LOL! I know what I mean, but it doesn't seem to read right.

 

[BlindTyldak]

Since it seems like a lot of folks are replying on the cost, let me do a little breakdown as to how the costs add up for some folks . . .

3 nights, 4 days, 2 adults, 1 child, value (this would be my average trip, I usually cannot get more time off from work) Nov 6-9, 2006

Airfare: $450 per person average (that IS value price out here), so $1,350

Package at Pop, w/ PH and Dining: $1,320.36

Total: $2,670

$667 a day to go to Disney. Tell me that's not steep now. And I know that most of that is not Disney's fault, but when people say "a trip to disney is expensive" they DO have to figure out not just the cost of the parks and lodging, but also getting there.

 

[°O°Joe]

Since it seems like a lot of folks are replying on the cost, let me do a little breakdown as to how the costs add up for some folks . . .

3 nights, 4 days, 2 adults, 1 child, value (this would be my average trip, I usually cannot get more time off from work) Nov 6-9, 2006

Airfare: $450 per person average (that IS value price out here), so $1,350

Package at Pop, w/ PH and Dining: $1,320.36

Total: $2,670

$667 a day to go to Disney. Tell me that's not steep now. And I know that most of that is not Disney's fault, but when people say "a trip to disney is expensive" they DO have to figure out not just the cost of the parks and lodging, but also getting there.

Yes airfare for you is a lot more than for me (in Iowa). I only pay around $200 round trip per person...

However, considering your geographical location, you're probably going to pay that much or more to go to a lot of places... Mexico, either coast, Hawaii, Europe... So I guess my point is, unless you go somewhere fairly local, you're going to pay a lot for airfare... (I think)

 

[°O°Joe]

ITA! With a little work and time, you can definitely make Disney affordable.

Another thing, I think alot of people think Disney is expensive because you pay for "entertainment" (park tickets) up front, so you see that big total right in the beginning, whereas if you go say to, I don't know, Cancun, you do your airfare and hotel and then you pay for the entertaiment part as you go on the trip. Say, snorkeling, scuba diving, boat trips, swim with the dolphins, that sort of thing, you pay one thing at a time, so you don't tend to add those things in to your "trip cost" the same as Disney.
Like my brother likes to rent a Jet Ski at the beach, it costs $80 for AN HOUR! $11 LESS than you pay for a whole DAY at Disney, but because it wasn't in the total he paid upfront for his trip, it doesn't "count."

Did that make ANY sense to anyone?! LOL! I know what I mean, but it doesn't seem to read right.

Made sense to me... good point, and good example.

Sorry, we've kind of hijacked this thread... I'll quit now.