Any one else feel spoiled by Disney?

[ShariM]

We took a family trip to Washington DC last summer and comparisons came up all the time! There was a huge snowfence in front of the Lincoln Memorial and my brother said "That would never be allowed in summer season at WDW." Later we came across some major sidewalk construction in the mall area and there were no barriers or safety type warnings set up. People were walking through rubble and my dad (70 years old) says "They would not leave an area like this so unsafe at Disney World". It was a running theme for our family that week!

 

[damom2daboyz]

I laughed this evening when my DH called to let me know he had arrived to his hotel (he works out of town) and as soon as he rolled through the door he started with, "They call this a hotel...". Poor man...

I can remember just a few short years ago this same man who had never stayed at a hotel where there are bellmen has now become a snob. Even when we went to Myrtle Beach for the Darlington Nascar race and stayed at what was supposed to be one of the "better" hotels, he and I were still very disappointed and made numerous comparisons.

I told my DH before we hung up tonight, "Don't worry, by the end of the week you'll be sleeping in a place where they know how to do it right!"

 

[munchkin bunchkin]

DH and I certainly do! I'ts so hard to get back in the routine of cooking and cleaning and just doing the same old grind again after being spoiled by Disney for a week or more!

 

[Sonno]

This trip maybe I might feel spoiled with the free food and everything... but in years past I've mainly felt "Damn that place is friggin expensive!"

 

[bookgirl2632]

Dh and I find ourselves comparing everything to WDW now. It's not like we try to, but nothing compares. Last 4th of July we laughed at how small the fireworks here were. When we go to hotels, we feel like they are so small, dirty, and boring. We went to the zoo with his family this weekend, and laughed at the comparisons to AK(this is NOT not a zoo...). Do all of you have these moments regularly as well? Like everything is lacking in comparison??

I love Disney. I really do. But Disney is special, and I know this. So I don't judge everything else by their standards and I don't compare them to Disney. I just have a great time no matter what. When I go to a theme park, I just enjoy myself at whatever one I happen to be visiting. I went to Cedar Point in Ohio a couple years ago and loved it! It's the coaster capital of the world, to me anyway. It was heaven! I also frequent Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens in Virginia, both wonderful parks.

So, what I'm saying is that while it would be great if everything could be like Disney, I'm sort of glad it isn't. If everything else was that great, Disney wouldn't be all that special.

By the way, have you ever been to the zoo in Washington, DC? Sorry, but AK doesn't even compare, not even with Mickey.

 

[boandmichele]

hate to start a fire, but when we visited universal studios, it just didnt FEEL right. i mean, i love roller coasters, and theme parks in general, but it was so CLOSE to WDW, and it felt too......how do you say......cold. ?

 

[suzimar57]

absolutely! we just got back from las vegas, and all i could think while there was "it's so much cleaner in disney, there's so much more to do in disney, it doesn't smell this smokey in disney" - 75 days til disney, can't wait!

 

[Harvest02]

Dh and I find ourselves comparing everything to WDW now. It's not like we try to, but nothing compares. Last 4th of July we laughed at how small the fireworks here were. When we go to hotels, we feel like they are so small, dirty, and boring. We went to the zoo with his family this weekend, and laughed at the comparisons to AK(this is NOT not a zoo...). Do all of you have these moments regularly as well? Like everything is lacking in comparison??

Yes, I feel this way too. We just got back from Disney and hopefully can go back next fall but I find myself planning little get-aways and nothing is as exciting as Disney. My husband thinks Disney is expensive but it really is not much worse than a beach vacation or going somewhere else for a week. I would much rather take the kids to Disney!

 

[Chester's Mum]

This trip maybe I might feel spoiled with the free food and everything... but in years past I've mainly felt "Damn that place is friggin expensive!"

Expensive, yes. However, I've never been to another theme park, where the parents can ride the little kid rides with their kids. It used to really make me feel sad at Canada's Wonderland, when my daughter was small. There we were standing by the fence watching, while she rode alone. Once we started going to Disney, we found out what a family oriented theme park was all about. Everyone can get in on the action.

On my vacation, I'm willing to pay a bit more for a better experience. (and most grateful that I can afford it).

 

[katytrott]

Personally I think it's the Disney magic that makes everyone at Disney so "friendly and cheerful". I remember after I got home from our last trip, I went shopping and was do taken aback by how rude everyone here is. No eye contact from strangers you meet, no smiles, no "how are yous"! I can't wait to get back to Disney where all the happy people are!!

"You see the greatest smiling faces, up and down the street. It's remarkable how friendly all the people can be. I'm walking right down the middle of Main Street USA!"

I'm sure you are right. I remember our last trip 2 years ago we stayed off property and went to a supermarket near where we were staying. Everyone there was as friendly and welcoming as in WDW and we decided then that it must just be the American way (mind you, had different experience in Manhatten - more like the UK there).

Slightly off topic, last week we had a day trip to a city down the coast to us (Portsmouth) and there were quite a few Americans also visiting. All of them were so friendly and cheerful, and I noticed how much they helped other people around them eg people with pushchairs, elderly people etc. You just don't get that much here anymore, not to that extent anyway. It just confirmed my feelings on this matter

 

[JRawkSteady]

Spoiled rotten! For some reason, whenever I'm in another theme park, I get bored very easily. At Six Flags the lines are usually 1 - 3 hours or so during the day for the huge rides. The wait times never decrease...even towards closing. Waiting on line for hours is not dragging me back to the parks. Also, the people at these parks are usually very pushy, mean, and jerky. They cut in line, talk very innapropriately, and frankly are just rude. The food quality is pretty crappy...and they only have counter service! Give me WDW over every other theme park any day.

 

[taragl]

So true... you'll rarely find the attention to detail in other theme parks and hotels that you do at Disney.

It would have been just as easy for Disney to have plain 'ol round plates for kids meals and square krispy treats for snacks, but seeing those familiar mouse ears makes us a little bit more aware of our surroundings. Would you pay attention to your plate if it wasn't shaped like Mickey? I'd probably just toss it without a second thought -- but instead, our eyes catch a million little details that make us smile!

 

[georgina]

No, I don't have that problem, and I feel a little sorry for some of the people who can't seem to enjoy other places without constantly comparing them to Disney. We don't do Disney often and enjoy lots of other places (especially Universal ). For theme parks, we enjoy Kennywood, Cedar Point, and am taking my scout troop to Hershey this summer. None of my kids complain about it not being Disney. We camp a lot, so tend not to be hotel snobs, most hotels are nicer in comparison to the camper!

 

[BamaFan121s]

Oh I do completely. B'ham has a GREAT fireworks dispaly for the 4th, but we don't even go anymore. Took the kid last year actually and she was more interesting in climbing in a friends jeep! Just not that exciting anymore.

 

[sunny04]

No, I don't have that problem, and I feel a little sorry for some of the people who can't seem to enjoy other places without constantly comparing them to Disney. We don't do Disney often and enjoy lots of other places (especially Universal ). For theme parks, we enjoy Kennywood, Cedar Point, and am taking my scout troop to Hershey this summer. None of my kids complain about it not being Disney. We camp a lot, so tend not to be hotel snobs, most hotels are nicer in comparison to the camper!

I don't mean to sound rude by answering your post, but I didn't mean to imply in any way or form that we don't enjoy other places. My family doesn't sit around moping that nothing else is WDW, and I'm sure none of the others that posted on this thread do either. I simply mean that we notice the differences because WDW is so magical and detailed. We had a lot of fun at the zoo, but we saw about 20 animals in comparison to AK's massive park. Hopefully no one who reads this thread will think that none of us appreciate the things in our everyday lives. I simply wanted to know if any one else noticed the differences like I did. I am lucky enough to have a DH that loves WDW as much as I do, so we discuss it when one of us thinks about it for any reason. I'm glad that your family enjoys all of your trips and adventures as much as we do, but please don't feel sorry for those of us that think about Disney world all the time. We think about it because we love it.

 

[ddc123]

Last year we stayed 3 days at Universal adn 7 at Disney, we have been to WDW many times but this was the first time we stayed at Universal, the first thing I notices was the staff was not at all as friendly as WDW, the parks at US though very nice but once you went to the 2 differnt paks and city walk thats it not as much to do as WDW, I will stick with DWD from now on

 

[Nienor]

I'll admit, I frequently compare our local Six Flags park (Great Adventures, NJ) to Disney. You can't help it. But I've never been to Disney were 1/2 of the rides were closed. I went on a weekday at Six Flags the end of last month and all the smaller rollercoasters (that kids under 54" can ride) were closed, plus the Skyride, Congo Rapids, Parachutes, Splash Falls, Swings, Kids Water area and probably a few others we don't normally ride. This isn't even that unusual an occurence either. I won't even mention the people, cause this is Jersey. But you have to love the convenience of your local parks. You don't need to plan for a month to go, just pack up and drive for a couple of hours.

Gotta, say I love Hersey Park. Best place outside of WDW. They even give you free chocolate after the tour.


After being serious, I have a much funnier comparison story. On Father's day my DH, DS and I were at Great Adventures. My DH always needs a snack. He found a stand and bought popcorn. It was horribly stale, like last weeks popcorn. I took a bite and told him, "y'know, they don't serve stale popcorn in Disney World."

 

[Tink]

I compare everything to WDW - my DH calls my a "disney snob". Oh well, I guess that's my downfall

 

[tomerin]

i havent been to any amusement parks recently but i have stayed in various hotels. we recently had to travel to RI for a wedding and stayed at a holiday inn. well-known name so i figured how bad could it be. the room's cost was 149 dollars a night and when i opened the door i know it wasnt worth the money. my DS looked at me and said " you know we could be staying at POP for 2 nights for what you paid for this dump" he said it perfectly. the room was just that, a room. nothing amiable about it, nothing enjoyable and the worse thing about it was when you looked out your window, no icons, no SSE, no DD just I-95

yea i am spoiled by WDW accomidations for sure

 

[DisneyPhD]

Yep me too, (and DH.) I could say more, but everyone else has already.