Any common factors among Disneyland lovers?

[mariezp]

My oldest DD and I were recently contemplating just what is is that makes Disneyland so special. Don't think we were ever able to pin-point any one thing or even narrow it down to a few things but it was still a fun conversation. In the middle of our discussion we wondered if Disneyland lovers had any particulars in common. In our case we are both stay at home moms. Maybe we have too much time on our hands? Maybe we just love daydreaming of a place to escape from the everyday? Who knows and really who cares? But still I thought it might be fun to get a general idea of the type of people and what they do to see if there really were any common factors for the majority of Disney loving nuts. Would love to hear your comments and any details you care to share. So.... what do you do?

 

[DTDkettleCORNfan]

In our case we are both stay at home moms. Maybe we have too much time on our hands? Maybe we just love daydreaming of a place to escape from the everyday?

Another stay at home mom here. Too much time on our hands? Naw. But I think that if we were working outside our homes, it might not be as easy to ignore the laundry and log on to disboards for our daily Disney fix

I definitely hear you about "daydreaming of a place to escape". I love where we are living up in Nor Cal, but I wish we were closer to DL!!!

 

[mariezp]

Another stay at home mom here. Too much time on our hands? Naw. But I think that if we were working outside our homes, it might not be as easy to ignore the laundry and log on to disboards for our daily Disney fix

I definitely hear you about "daydreaming of a place to escape". I love where we are living up in Nor Cal, but I wish we were closer to DL!!!

I hope no one would even think for a minute that I was even remotely serious about SAHMs having too much time on their hands. But I really do daydream of Disneyland every chance I get. Glad to hear I am not alone. Laundry? What laundry?

And, no kidding! What I wouldn't give to have Disneyland right down the road.... or at least closer than 1374 miles away. All we have is a crummy old Six Flags!

 

[pixiewings71]

ya we have the crummy 6 flags too..LOL while I do love it here I would love to be down in So Cal too.

I work outside the home full time, I still daydream about DLR vacations. I think it gave us something to look forward to, having an AP, knowing that monthly trip was right around the corner......personally I don't think it matters at all, if someone has a passion for Disney they will do whatever they can for their "fix".

 

[jernysgirl]

For me, I voted for "other", because.... well... I'm just different that way! No, in a seriousness, I am a full-time online student, work part-time (really early mornings, and I am home by 8am most of the time), and a mom to two very active boys (one who has autism and is non-verbal).

So, for me, it is all about having too much time! NOT! I think my Disney obsession started early growing up and really feeling unhappy with life. As I grew older and started a family of my own, and things got more hectic and stressful all things Disney became my escape, my happy place! It really helps me realize how great life is and how much I love my family and how I would do anything to make life more magical for them.

Having a love of Disney, has spread to my kids and is starting to infect my husband slowly. More and more I see him get excited for vacation or talk about going back.

 

[spacemermaid]

I think you may well find that lifestyle wise many Disney fans don't have a whole lot in common besides loving Disney...which is pretty cool, IMO, that all sorts of people from different walks of life can get together & share their love for all things Disney

To answer the original question, I work from home. I grew up about 20 minutes away from Disneyland, and there began my lifelong love of Disney

 

[Kayla's Mom]

I work from home, I grew up in Southern CA, but didn't really start to be obsessed with Disneyland until I moved away to Phoenix!

 

[mariezp]

ya we have the crummy 6 flags too..LOL while I do love it here I would love to be down in So Cal too.

I work outside the home full time, I still daydream about DLR vacations. I think it gave us something to look forward to, having an AP, knowing that monthly trip was right around the corner......personally I don't think it matters at all, if someone has a passion for Disney they will do whatever they can for their "fix".

I used to go to Six Flags all the time when I was growing up and thought it was a lot of fun. Funny how now after having been to a Disney park SF just pales in comparison. In our case I think it is because they tend to cater to thrill seekers which we are not. But even more, SF just does not give me any sort of magical feeling. My kids have gotten to where they would just rather wait to go once a year to DL than bother going at all to any other park.

Totally agree that having something to look forward to plays a big part in our love of the park. We start planning just as soon as we get back from one trip. For the entire year we watch videos and reminisce about all the fun we had and are going to have in the coming year. Even though we are so far away we get the APs too since we spend 2 weeks each year. The following year we just make sure to go a few weeks earlier so we end up getting about 20 days in on our AP. Not a bad deal. Also, not a bad way to help guarantee that we will be making a return trip. What fun it would be to be able to make a monthly trip!

For me, I voted for "other", because.... well... I'm just different that way! No, in a seriousness, I am a full-time online student, work part-time (really early mornings, and I am home by 8am most of the time), and a mom to two very active boys (one who has autism and is non-verbal).

So, for me, it is all about having too much time! NOT! I think my Disney obsession started early growing up and really feeling unhappy with life. As I grew older and started a family of my own, and things got more hectic and stressful all things Disney became my escape, my happy place! It really helps me realize how great life is and how much I love my family and how I would do anything to make life more magical for them.

Having a love of Disney, has spread to my kids and is starting to infect my husband slowly. More and more I see him get excited for vacation or talk about going back.

Nothing wrong with being different! My son tends to think that is the only way to be! And, honestly, you didn't exactly fall into just any one category. I knew it would be impossible to cover all walks of life so I threw in a few and added to other for that exact reason. Anyway.... sounds like you stay pretty busy! I am in awe. I am sure it's good to have something to fill the rare occasion that you have a free moment for daydreaming. Your outlook on the park is wonderful! I think for some of us it works even better than therapy! I know what you mean about it being infectious. Anyone who knows my DH would never imagine that he enjoys the park as much as he does. He's just turned into and old softy over the years where the park is concerned. He's mentioned several times since we got back from WDW about how he feels like he got ripped off because he did not get his DL fix!

I think you may well find that lifestyle wise many Disney fans don't have a whole lot in common besides loving Disney...which is pretty cool, IMO, that all sorts of people from different walks of life can get together & share their love for all things Disney

To answer the original question, I work from home. I grew up about 20 minutes away from Disneyland, and there began my lifelong love of Disney

I totally agree that none of us need have anything at all in common aside from our Disney affection. This thread just came to be basically out of curiosity. It does give us all another good excuse to get together and discuss our favorite subject!
It used to be hard for me to imagine anyone growing up near DL and not being a fan. However, after having taken our latest trip to WDW I do suppose that anything is possible. We went with a family that actually lives an hour away from WDW who had never been to the park. I do suppose that there are some folks who live in southern Cali as well who have never been to DL. I'm glad for you that you were lucky enough to grow up loving the park.

I work from home, I grew up in Southern CA, but didn't really start to be obsessed with Disneyland until I moved away to Phoenix!

Guess it was a case of absence makes the heart grow fonder. I have heard of quite a few people who grew up with the park who never really appreciated it until they had children of their own. Almost makes sense to me..... except in my case I probably love DL even more than my kids do!

 

[PinkBudgie]

I've loved Disney while a student, a stay at home mom, and preschool teacher. I also went to Great America a lot as a teenager. After a while I started realizing that GA might have some fun rides, I just liked the themes and detail that Disneyland had. It just wasn't as fun to stand in line at GA because they were just lines. At DL it was an atmosphere. When I realized that, I realized I had no interest in other parks so I stopped going.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I won't critique your research methodology , and launch into a long winded thesis about confounding variables.........but i will suggest you change the word "mom" to "parent", so the great men on our board will not feel marginalized.

 

[darph nader]

I won't critique your research methodology , and launch into a long winded thesis about confounding variables.........but i will suggest you change the word "mom" to "parent", so the great men on our board will not feel marginalized.

I'm sure there's not a guy here who would feel 'marginalized' by that.
Sadly I choose 'unemployed' Don't let 'anybody' tell you multi-tasking is the way to go.

 

[mariezp]

I've loved Disney while a student, a stay at home mom, and preschool teacher. I also went to Great America a lot as a teenager. After a while I started realizing that GA might have some fun rides, I just liked the themes and detail that Disneyland had. It just wasn't as fun to stand in line at GA because they were just lines. At DL it was an atmosphere. When I realized that, I realized I had no interest in other parks so I stopped going.

Sounds like you have had a long romance with DL. I do believe you are correct. Atmosphere has a whole lot to do with what makes DL the best!

I won't critique your research methodology , and launch into a long winded thesis about confounding variables.........but i will suggest you change the word "mom" to "parent", so the great men on our board will not feel marginalized.

Ah, come on Judy! If you don't throw in the critique I am sure someone else will sooner or later! I had a feeling that I might end up messing up one way or another. Just impossible to think up a few groups to cover it all BUT I assure you and anyone else out there that I never meant in any way to insult, aggravate, annoy, or make anyone feel left out! Immediately after I posted I thought I probably should have rephrased "Professional outside of the home" so as not to offend anyone who is a professional working from home..... then there was the stay at home mom boo-boo..... and then, of course, that then led me to think that I should have thrown in Military as an option but ALAS I probably screwed up again! All I can do is beg for mercy because unless I am missing something it looks like I can't go back and edit the poll. Please folks, keep in mind that this was just meant for fun and there is absolutely no intent to marganalize anyone.

I'm sure there's not a guy here who would feel 'marginalized' by that.
Sadly I choose 'unemployed' Don't let 'anybody' tell you multi-tasking is the way to go.

Thanks for letting me know what one of the guys thinks!
Hope your employment prospects start looking up so you can get rid of those sad smilies.

 

[rentayenta]

I was a SAHM for 8 years and loved Disney as much then as I do now- Masters degree, career, and all. I don't think employment status has anything to do with loving Disney.

 

[Disney Dreams]

I would say the poll will give you "common factors among Disneyland lovers who participate on Disneyland message boards" moreso than anything else. Interesting nonetheless.

- Dreams

 

[Ecboyd]

Been an addict sense I was a kid.. But I recently discovered (sad as it is to say) the more I could afford the more I could / would indulge my obsession the more obsessed I became.

So chicken or egg, Hummm..

Not that I have the time in any way, full time employee, Full time student, Full time mom, wife, full time sports support for the school and ROTC and now I'm working on getting a part time job...

as an AP holder, we find any excuse we can to go. I took a test, We go 98 miles up the road to DLR.... I pass the test.... Up the road we go.... I um.... did not burn the chicken ... LOL

We try to go to WDW about ever 3 years... but thats Always dependent on $$$./ aaaa...

 

[Funball]

I am a professional I work away from home. I do finance. Anyhow Disneyland is a place I can escape to. It’s a place I can go and de-stress from my everyday job and life! And when I am there on the weekends it’s like a mini-vacation for me! And plus I love all things Disney!

 

[kelmac284]

I work part time but as many of the other said I don't think that factors in much.

For me I have been a Disney lover my entire life. I worked full time for MANY years till I had children and then took a few years off when my kids were babies and went back to work part time when they were toddlers. But I have ALWAYS loved Disney. I think I am a bit MORE obsessed with it now as I grow older and more reminiscent. I love to go with my mom, just my dh and of course with the entire family.

To me there is ALWAYS something new and different to see and my FAV thing about Disney is no matter HOW bad things seem to get in the "real" world it always makes me happy to be there. I tend to forget about the bad things when I walk through those gates and just everything Disney, even at home, gives me a warm fuzzy feeling. To me Disney means wholesome good values and fun! It also is nostalgia and GREAT memories and I just love everything about it!!!

 

[caimakale]

I am working professional and Dad to three spoiled girls (and a spoiled wife). There are many reasons why I love going to Disneyland but I think the biggest reason is because I've never seen my girls smile and have as much fun as when they're at DL. To me, those times are priceless.

 

[superme80]

Its Disneyland!!!! I admit I am more out of the Disney obsession closet since finding this board! How nice it is to be surrounded by other like minded folks! I am a stay at home mom and I Disney!!!! Can't explain it. It just IS!

 

[Docter419]

We like it better then WDW's magic kingdom