Do you prefer Disney as an adult?

[Couchy]

For me and for my family we love Disney it is the only place I have ever gone on holidays and can completley forget about the rest of the world. It is like nothing else in the world matters. Complete peace and joy and happiness when we go to WDW.

This is exactly how I feel

 

[disnut8]

It's difficult for me because I only did Disney World once when I was a kid. At the age of 15, in 1977, my family went with tons of others in our family and friends circle of life. We camped at Fort Wilderness and my parents were always a bit concerned about costs but my family usually planned and saved for our yearly vacation for that full year before we left. Back then, my sister and I were told that this would be the way we toured Disney World (at that time, just the Magic Kingdom was open as a theme park but there was River Country). We would get up, eat breakfast at the trailer, come back to the trailer for lunch and dinner, then go back to Magic Kingdom later. We would eat no food at Magic Kingdom at all and we would not stay out late.

Our first day, after checking into the campground, we headed to Magic Kingdom with the understanding that we would just be looking around (back in the ticket book days) and that was it. No riding rides since it was going to be only until dinner time and then we would be going back to the trailer for dinner and a campfire. My sister and I completely understood that.

My parents didn't. We ended up arriving around 2:00 PM and left when the park closed at 1:00 AM. And when we got off that boat at Fort Wilderness, my dad's step was lighter than it had been in years and my mother was singing and we all joined in. That sealed my love for Disney in that single moment.

So, seeing my parents (who are both gone now) totally throw out their usual way of "vacationing" was a big change and I'll never forget it.

BUT - going as an adult with my son and now my grandkids and daughter-in-law, that's fantastic. And just with my husband has had some really good times too.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Probably so, and it's all to do with seinf the smiles my kids get.

We went to Disneyland when I was 10, and frankly it seemed lame compared to Six Flags. Went to MK when I was 17 with friends and couldn't believe we wasted our time there. Took DW to AK in 1998, but skipped the rest of Disney. But, it's different with kids, girls especially.

So, I don't know if I appreciate it better as an adult, but as a PARENT, I do

 

[Son of Gadsden]

It's a struggle, isn't it?

I get the same questions. Coworkers, parents, friends.

My reply is always that if you think Disney is just for kids, you're doing it wrong.

I hated Epcot as a kid. Didn't get it. Didn't get the point of it. Didn't get how anyone could consider that fun. Seemed like an incredibly boring place. And this was back when Body Wars, Cranium Command, Imagination, etc were all open and Captain EO was impressive. HA. Now Epcot is definitely one of my favorite parks. That park is an adult park.

Hollywood Studios is also, for the most part, and adult park. My wife goes there mostly to shop.

DTD is a place to shop and grab margaritas for a calm night out.

None of those three things were considered "a good way to spend a vacation" when I was a kid.

Magic Kingdom is a family park, not a kid park. Main Street is fun for all ages. Fantasyland is for the most part geared towards children, but Be Our Guest is one of my favorite restaurants ever. Plus, find an adult that doesn't find some nostalgia in the world of Disney. There is fun to be had for all ages in every land in Magic Kingdom. Walt really did succeed in his plan to build a theme park where everyone could have fun.

Animal Kingdom is basically a zoo. Zoos are for everyone. Kids don't appreciate the worlds Disney creates as much as adults either.

Disney takes you to a different place. That means something different to adults than kids. For kids, it's going to have fun. For adults, it's getting away. Kids don't worry about the projects they have going at work, the mortgage payment, the bills, the drama (unless they are teenagers). They don't need to get away from anything. They're just going to a more fun place. I have a real issue unwinding from work. It's a family business, so when I'm gone, I'm not necessarily off work or not thinking about it. Disney is one of the few places that force me to forget. Stand on Main Street watching Wishes and think about work. Not possible.

Another thing I say about Disney is that you don't have to drive. Maybe you drive there, maybe you fly and take the magical express, but once you arrive at your resort, put the keys in the safe for a week. It's a great feeling, especially for those of us that drive for a living. When the key goes in the ignition, I feel like I'm working. For a week or so, I get to sit back and let someone else do the work. When we go have some drinks, we don't have to worry about a DD.

 

[SnapesGirl]

Disney takes you to a different place. That means something different to adults than kids. For kids, it's going to have fun. For adults, it's getting away. Kids don't worry about the projects they have going at work, the mortgage payment, the bills, the drama (unless they are teenagers). They don't need to get away from anything. They're just going to a more fun place. I have a real issue unwinding from work. It's a family business, so when I'm gone, I'm not necessarily off work or not thinking about it. Disney is one of the few places that force me to forget. Stand on Main Street watching Wishes and think about work. Not possible.

Well said!!

 

[Disgrammy]

I love this thread. So many different reasons, all of them special. My husband and I are leaving shortly for a week as my retirement celebration. My coworkers never said much any more - and I didn't care what they thought. As has been mentioned in other threads, I never questioned those families that went to the same beach or mountain lake year after year.
I loved Disney since I was a child and never made it to WDW until I was 30 and Disneyland until I was 58! I loved watching my kids when they were young, and now my grandkids! We have a great time.

 

[MadameAdelaide]

Yes, I absolutely enjoy Disney more as an adult (38 yo with my spouse and no kids, even!) but I can say that having Disney memories from childhood is part of what really enhances my experiences in the Magic Kingdom!

 

[PrincessNelly]

I only went to Disney twice as a kid. I remember it being magical.
However, as an adult visitor, I definitely appreciate the trips more.
Going to Disney allows me to leave behind the real world for a little while. Disney is the one place I can truly relax and let go of the stresses of adulthood.

 

[bwang123]

i appreciate drinking more now. couldn't hold my liquor at age 13.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I never was able to go as a child, but we were 1900 Sunday evening watchers every week. Loved Walt introducing the show!

There is nothing that can match the Disney magic, the over all atmosphere of WDW bring you to a different world and no other resort or park comes near matching it!

AKK

 

[ChimneysweepGeorge]

I appreciate it far more. Being a bit more aware of what goes on "behind the curtain" has actually added a layer of wonder to the whole thing.

As for co-workers...
I get that too. No kids mid 40s and my wife and I are firming up our plans for our 7th trip as a couple and I used to get the questions and the smart remarks. I put a stop to it by pointing out that they had been to the beach/deer camp/cruise ship/lake cabin/etc far more times than that...and seemed to get a lot less enjoyment out of it than I do when I go to WDW.

 

[AJ1983]

Personally, I love Disney just as much as when I was a kid. As an adult, I really enjoy planning my own trips. Not that my parents didn't cater to our desires as kids, I just mean I enjoy deciding which parks to attend on which days, or deciding if I want to splurge by staying onsite.

I think I appreciate it more as an adult because I'm not just focused on the rides..though that is still the central part of it For example, I have actually been to alot of the countries in World Showcase, which wasn't the case as a child. I also stop to take pictures in front of smaller monuments/minor characters that I may have ignored as a child. Also, Dumbo and Tea Cups are now nostalgic rather than "thrill rides".

 

[DisneyFive]

Couldn’t afford to go as a kid. ALL of our vacations were to visit family in other states. (except for one fantastic Yellowstone and surrounding states vacation) My wife hadn’t visited WDW as a kid either.

I can tell you, after our first trip in 2010, we truly fell in love with WDW and our vacations there. What a tremendous place to lose yourself… be surrounded by fun, not worry about driving (we stay on site), and just forget about the hustle and bustle of life and focus on having fun together as a family.

I’m not sure what our kids will appreciate more, going as kids, or when they are adults… but I can tell you they sure appreciate it now.

Dan

 

[PeterPanic]

Depends on if you mean the Disney Parks or Disney entertainment.

If it's parks, well the first time I set foot in one I was 36 years old. Taking into consideration I have been 43 times since then I would have to say that I liked it as an adult.

If you are talking about Disney entertainment then I have to go all the way back to the original Mickey Mouse Club then the Wonderful World of Color, Disneyland (the TV show) and everything during that time. I remember as a very young fellow they had to take me out of the movie theater because the Queen in Snow White scared me to death. Still I have to say that even if you count that, I am equally enamored by Disney as a child and as an adult.

 

[rpk1951]

adult. Love the fact I do not have to work at vacation. I just go and relax

 

[Micca]

Fun & interesting topic! When I was a kid there was only Disneyland, and I got to go there once. I was 10 and it was one of the greatest moments of my childhood.

Fast forward 10 years DW and I went on our first "married" vacation, and we went to DLR. We both loved it.

We've since been to WDW over 50 times. We're now DVC members so we'll be going many more times for the rest of our lives.

We still get much of the excitement we did as children. And we can eat ice cream for breakfast, we can drink alcohol, and we can buy as much stuff as we want to take home. We also took our twin DDs to the parks many times and are now looking forward to taking granddaughters.

As for people who question returning to WDW repeatedly? A lot of people go skiing, the beach, hunting, fishing, annually, what's the difference? It's a vacation resort.

Mickey for grown-ups ROCKS

 

[Parker Clan]

I was asked that same question! I find Disney to be much more magical as an adult! don't get me wrong, I am quite excited to bring my future kids there one day! but having gone pretty much every year since I was little, I remember and appreciate much more as an adult. What I tell people when they ask me why I go back year after year is that there is SO much to do..even after four years , we are finding brand new things to do and experience that we haven't done before. Even if Disney wasn't constantly expanding we would still find something new and magical to do. Love disney!!!!

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Man! Is this a tough question! There are so many things. First, I never experienced Disney as a child; my first trip was when I was 20 in the Navy and visited DL and 30 days later WDW. Then various few day visits until we finally stayed on property in 2000 when I was 40.

But, with me, 20 counts as childish.

I like Disney more now for several reasons:

• Memories: When I was young and in the service, with my fiancé and my parents for the first time they met, and then with my wife, with the kids when they were little, when they were older. Now those memories have shaped how I view everything at Disney and give multiple layers of emotion and joy.
• Family time: Related to the memories is family time. Both my kids are now Disney loving adults and it is even better as we all have fun bringing up memories and making new ones.
• Organizational Magic: Being more aware of, and appreciating, the magic of what Disney does as an organization and business. They fool me and make money off me and I love it. They do an excellent job! For example, I love some of the Imagineering for fake muddy roadways on the AK safari. I enjoy theming far more now and consider it far more important.
• Living Vicariously: Being more aware of and enjoying watching children, happy families, happy couples, and pixie dust. I think I could have almost the same amount of fun if I just sat and watched everyone else. One of my dreams would be to randomly be party to and help someone propose. I have witnessed a few.
• Enjoying giving Pixie dust: Being more aware of and enjoying being nice to others, CM's of all types, and other visitors. (It is so much fun to report good CM's!)
• Being a kid again: Being old enough to not worry about what others think and enjoy being a kid again with my wife and kids. (My wife and I met with more princesses and characters during our 30th Anniversary celebration than all the trips with our kids combined!)
• Disney is better: Far more to enjoy than when I first went!

There are probably others I could think of, but these are the main ones.

 

[luisov]

Well... It's a very different experience. As an adult with no kids you miss some of the magic and illusion. On the other hand, being an adult allows you to do whatever you want whenever you want under your own terms.

 

[momof2n2]

Not at all. If I didn't have kids I'd never bother going. But what I do love more than anything else is seeing my kids' faces burst with delight. And if Rapunzel or RnRR is going to do it- point me to the line.