Adults without kids - why do you visit characters?

[lilsk8nmac]

Because it's fun.
Because I like it.
Because I want to.

^^This!!

 

[Claire-Bear]

I'm 28 and know I will always want my photo taken with characters. I love Disney and Universal characters and I'm glad that I will always enjoy them for myself as well as our future children, rather than only doing it for the children.

Yes it can be a little embarrassing queuing up behind a load of kids, but I never regret it (even if my DH gets a little embarrassed as he wouldn't queue up if I werent there) on our last trip, shaggy said "you're never too old for scooby doo" and the man in the yellow hat (with curious George) kept referring to us as children hehe

 

[CurlyJo224]

My husband (who is a REAL man) took my to Disney for our honeymoon and is taking me there for our anniversary this year. And I know my real man plans to take me on many more trips to Disney.....with or without kids.

Same here. Honeymooned there six years ago, and went there every anniversary but one since.

 

[luvmesometigger]

I get a picture taken with Tigger every time I go. He is my FAVE and it makes me so happy to see him. It has now become a family joke that Mommy has to find Tigger before we leave.

I don't see how me standing in line and spending my minute with him affects anyone else's family time with him. I paid money just like everyone else to get into the park and I stood in line to greet him.

 

[leeshiebean]

I'm genuinely curious why adults without kids visit characters. Obviously by that point in your life, you know that it's not *really* Mickey or a princess standing in front of you and you don't actually have Cinderella's signature in your book, so what's the draw to the characters?

I'm not reading the entire thread (way too many pages!) but I will admit I love getting character pictures. My husband and I did on our Disneymoon and have some cute pictures from it. I don't do multiple poses or autographs (I'm with you there), and I won't wait in a ridiculously long line, either. But if I see a character I like (Stitch!) with a short line 5-10 people or less), I'll get my picture taken. There's no reason except that it's Disney World, so why not?

On the other hand, I don't understand why people would approach a celebrity in public to get their picture taken with them, but people do it all the time.

 

[leeshiebean]

Plus, even though I'm 28 on the outside, I'm still 5 on the inside.

hahaha that that's why we are friends!

 

[My 2 princesses]

Without reading all the posts in this thread, I just want to say that though I have not visited WDW without kids, I agree with the poster who said some of us have never been when we were kids. To put things in perspective, the first time we went to WDW was when my eldest was 5 and my 2nd was less than a year old. Eldest never failed to tell me that the youngest was 'lucky' as she got to go the very first time that eldest went. I had to duly respond to eldest that as an immigrant, their first time was also my first time and I was by then a mom and in my 30's. I think she got the message and now realises how lucky she is that she has gone many many times when there are kids that don't get a chance to go even once.

Let everyone go and enjoy their time with characters or wherever. God knows we all pay a lot for a Disney trip.

 

[guitarob]

I like to see the characters and take pictures with them because going to WDW lets me be 5 years old again. (Well, if you ask my wife, that doesn't really change anything... )

That's what's so great about Disney World, it allows you to cut loose and just be a big kid!

 

[bytheblood]

OP, if you have to ask this question, I venture to say that no, you don't quite "get" it. Again, it's inconsiderate for the people you mentioned to take picture after picture and hold up the line - but that action is distinct from wanting to meet a character.

 

[bytheblood]

Unless you won a trip, everybody pays to go to Disney and everybody is entitled to the same attractions, characters, shows, autographs, etc that everybody else is. I don't see what the big deal is, honestly.

 

[Bertnie20]

I never had a chance to meet them when i was younger, so i wanted to meet them and get autographs becauses its fun.. its not a big deal.. yes there rude ways to go about it, but just because someone is an adult doesnt make it any different, its exciting to meet them. You most likely have met the charchters and gotten pictures and autographs at some point, so why cant others?

 

[bytheblood]

Originally Posted by phanomouse View Post
Shortly after, the man seated across from us stood up, came over and proceeds to tell us how upset he is that I would come in, without children, throw money around (what?) for special treatment, and take time away from his family. He then went on to tell me that I am no man because a real man wouldn't bring his wife to WDW on our anniversary. He sat back down but continued his rant for close to 20 mins, it only stopped when we were done with our meal and were leaving.

WOW - some people are a real piece of work. It sounds like a first-timer who was jealous that he didn't get the same attention. Even if you did pay for that, it would not be anybody's business what kind of transaction you do with your money and Disney.

I think the way you handled it was beautiful. I would have ignored it as well and let him wallow in his own misery.

 

[Butterbunkins]

This kind of reminds me of something that happened a few years ago. When DH and I were still dating we went to Disney and it was his first time ever. We met some friends who had recently moved to FL and they hadn’t been going to Disney for very long themselves. I was the most seasoned Disney traveler by far.

Well, we were leaving the MK midday and there weren’t a lot of people leaving at that time so when we were walking up the ramp to the monorail and we just missed one, I asked the CM if we could ride up front with the driver. They said sure and told us where to go.

I didn’t notice, but my friends did, there was a woman behind me with 2 kids who gave me a dirty look and called me that B word that rhymes with witch under her breath. My friends didn’t even tell me until after we were away from her, but I was like really? Don’t my friends and I have just as much right to enjoy this as anyone? If you want to do it then just do what my parents used to do: politely wait the few short minutes for the next one.

 

[OneLittleSpark7]

DF and I actually "collect" Donald. Every time we see Donald in a new costume (Mexico, Animal Kingdom, Davy Crockett, etc.) we get a picture. Living down here and visiting all the time, it's fun to do something new (and free!) to create new memories. Someday we'll get Donald in all his costumes and make a great collage.

Going to Star Wars Weekends this Saturday to get Stormtrooper Donald. So excited!

 

[princess124]

My husband and I both work 50+ hours per week and he is simultaneously attending school. We go to WDW because it is a completely immersive experience when we can ignore everything else and just go back to our most basic and carefree selves without worrying about our image.

So yes, I will get my picture taken with the characters, dance randomly, skip down Main St. and wear Minnie ears. WDW isn't actually designed for any one age group, it's for everyone with an imagination and desire to believe in something fantastic.[/QUOTE]

I LOVE this! Very well said!!

Disney is the only place that DH and I can let go of the real world, enjoy each other's company, enjoy the kids' experience, pin trade, wear different ears on different days, and just have fun. I feel that no one should be told that they can't do these things. Disney is a magical place for everyone, no matter what their age.

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

We rarely stop to see the characters. Why? Because my kiddos don't want to wait in line to get photographed at the end of that long line. If they're waiting in a line, there darn well better be a thrill ride at the end of it. They are (just turned) 11 and almost 7. They'be both been going to DW since they were 3 and have ALWAYS been this way.

Every trip, I BEG them to stand in line and get pics with the characters - because to me, those pictures are the best memories! And every trip, they tell me that if I want pics with the characters, then I can go ahead and wait in line, but they'll meet me after their next ride! This trip, I'm getting my pic with Rapunzel! My DD can go ride the Mountains!

 

[mejo]

I go with my daughters everyyear, they are 23 and 26, we always stand in line for a few characters, we do it because we can imagine that they are real. I love the magic of just being there, we skip through the parks and just have fun, that is what Disney is there for.

 

[kendall1968]

For my Facebook page of course!! How else is everyone going to know what a great time I am having!!! I love taking pics with the characters - always have! (and I am 43)

 

[princessCKL]

I went to Disney many times as a child in the 1970's. There was no photopass,and there were character handlers or lines. A character randomly came out and it was a mob scene. I have few pics of me and many other children somewhat near Mickey.

I always preorder the photopass cd and fill it up with character pics. Because I enjoy it.

Once a woman behind me said loudly and in an unpleasant tone, "She doesn't even have a child" I turned and politely said, "I am a kindergarten, I have 22 new five year olds every year and I put these pictures up in my classroom.

I've been posting the pic of characters and me in my class for several years and I haven't had a child cry on the first day of school since I started posting those pictures.

"It's never too late to have a happy childhood" That's why the little girl inside me loves meeting the characters and they make my students feel more at home immediately in my classroom. I'm in my 50's and have been teaching 32 years.

 

[MarieLightning]

Well, my first point would be that I'm paying to be there just as much as anybody else, so why wouldn't I?

There's also the fact that, as some people have mentioned, some of us didn't have the chance to go when we were kids. I would have been a lot more excited about meeting Cinderella and Belle and Mickey and so on when I was eight or ten - but with the price of plane tickets, hotel stay, food, park entries and so on, my parents couldn't afford it for us.

Now I'm (somewhat) grown up at 23. I have a steady job that gives me good travel perks, and I've been dreaming of Disney my whole life. I grew up on Disney movies - I had the Disney Cinderella book, and I knew it by heart before I even knew how to read. When I feel like watching movies, 1 time out of 3, I'll pull out a Disney or Pixar DVD.

Disney represents my childhood - and personally, I don't think I'll ever be fully grown up. Walt believed in there being a child in all of us, and though some people are content with being adults, I wouldn't want to have to act like one all the time. So if Disney is the perfect place for me to feel like a kid again by going and taking pictures with the characters I used to love (and still do), then I will stand in line among 5 years old to take a picture with whoever I encounter

And then, just another point - I also grew up loving the Anne of Green Gables books. When I was 15, we went to Prince Edward Island, where they made a replica of the village of Avonlea (where the characters live in the book). People act up scenes of the books, are dressed as characters and walk around all day. I know they're just normal people dressed up - didn't stop me from getting a picture with every single one of them, even the lower key characters