ever get surprised by how many people don't "get it"?

[IBLarsen]

We too are surrounded by people who just do not understand. We go once a year (coming from Texas), with our two grade school age children, and still we are constantly having to explain to people why we are choosing to go again. It's getting to the point that I don't want to even tell family or friends that we are going, because I get a little upset about the 'questioning'. I'm fine with others not getting it, or wanting to go, but why do others feel the need to criticize our choice to go? It seems like people have such a strong opinion about Disneyland vacations if they don't get it.
Yet some of these people choose to take family vacations in Las Vegas over and over. To me...that seems like an odd choice for a vacation with young children!

 

[kelmac284]

I used to get it all the time but from one gal in my office I basically said the same as some of you. She is a big wine freak and constantly goes on these wine tours and tastings also she loves to go to the casino and goes almost weekly. So I basically said the same thing about you have YOUR stuff you like to do and I have mine and in that vein I don't go to Disney NEARLY as much as she does that other stuff.

People kind of "get it" now and don't really say it as much but I just try to explain to them that to me it is a magical place where I can go and get away from all the bs in the rest of the world and it makes me happy. I can now go and not go on one single ride and still have a fab time. Just soak up the atmosphere, see the sights, experience everything.

My kids have been a billion times and they STILL love it and and I hope always will.

 

[starshine514]

Although I couldn't imagine going without my girls, I must say that other vacations pale in comparison - Denver, Vegas, Phoenix - well, they just aren't Disneyland! Other places, I feel like I'm just looking for stuff to fill up my day. At Disneyland, I'm deciding which of all those really awesome things I want to do next.

 

[Disneyanajc]

After 43 years of Disney Vacations First just us...than with our son...then back to just us...and now with our DGS...No one say "Disney again". I think our friends and family would be shocked if we went anywhere else.

 

[luvsmickey1968]

My family also chooses to go to Disneyland for our vacations and my best friend and I chose to go to Disneyland, just the two of us, to celebrate our 40th birthdays. We get the questions and comments all the time.
I have to say that I understand why people don't "get it" since I don't get it why others want to go to hot places and lie on a beach for a week or go fishing etc. Different strokes for different folks!
However, what I don't get is why people seem to care that my family and I are going to Disneyland again? What is it to them? I am not making them go so why do they care where my family and I chose to vacation? Why do they even feel the need to comment on where I am going and why?
That's the part I don't get!!!!

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

We went on our honeymoon as well. Way back in 1998.

haha! Not too much before us!!

I wonder what the marriage stats are for people who went on their honeymoon to Disneyland?

 

[DanT]

Started with my first visit in 1955...then at least once per year for many years...in High School and college my grandmother lived in Stanton, just about 10 minutes down Katella..we would drive down for a weekend and stay at her house, did this 3-4 times per year for many years.
Then my girlfriend, now my wife and I would stay at grandma's and do the same 3-4 times per year...got married and went to DL for our honeymoon..and our first anniversary.
When our first child arrived we started doing one trip per year...did that for almost 30 years...
Went for the first time in 30 years with just the wife and had a wonderful time...and we plan on doing it again and again on our own.
At least until our identical twin grandsons are old enough to go...we are already planning a family outing with them when they turn 2 next year!

So we get it...and so do our kids and their spouses.

 

[HydroGuy]

Those of you who read my posts know I have a passion for Disney parks. So I obviously get Disney park visits. What I don't get are people who take all their vacations at Disney parks. I think Disney parks and themes are an outstanding way to connect with stories and imagination and romance and adventure. But while the parks and movies want to scare you a little, in the end they want you to feel safe. I think that is a perfectly valid pursuit as kids especially crave safety. However, taken to an extreme it can be an unbalanced approach to life.

FWIW, my DW and I have endeavored to give our kids and ourselves a healthy dose of Disney imagination balanced with more real world recreational experiences. This would range from camping to skiing/snowboarding to mountain biking to scuba diving. Our family has the assorted scrapes and broken bones and, in one case, concussion (while wearing a helmet!) to prove it. We want to make sure our kids get there are sometime painful consequences to our life choices.

As others have noted there are some folks who don't get Disney parks. I think one key - which Disney as a company understands very well - is to connect with people while they are kids through their movies and parks primarily but also TV and Internet and video games. Those who feel magic as a kid will typically continue to feel it as adults - who then will want their kids to feel that magic as well.

I have found that people with imagination connect with Disney parks more, and those with little or no imagination do not connect very well. I suspect if you looked at adults reading habits you would find a strong correlation with folks who get or do not get Disney and those who prefer fiction vs. non-fiction. The people I know who do not get Disney like non-fiction. Me? I read fiction 90+% of the time. When I read I want escape, not more real world piled on top of my daily dose of real world.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

Interesting idea. I also love fiction and can't get into nonfiction.

I also believe in spreading out life experiences. We live in the mountain valley so we have it at our fingertips. My kiddos have done long walks in the mountains to some major waterfalls, ridden up trams in the summer (we're not big on snow stuff), played in water fountains, mini golf, local amusement parks, etcetc. My mom is a school teacher and said she can always tell what kids have been given every day opportunities to explore. She said it's difficult to explain certain experiences to kids who haven't done them. One time they had to explain the point of a picnic to a few kids in her class. They couldn't understand WHY you'd eat outside.

 

[Brumbie13]

We get that too. We don't have any kids yet, and some people don't understand why we want to go so often.

I suppose they just don't get that feeling as they walk under the train track and see Main Street USA first thing in the morning that we get. If they got that same magical feeling, they'd know why we always wanted to go back.

 

[Shananana]

I have found that people with imagination connect with Disney parks more, and those with little or no imagination do not connect very well. I suspect if you looked at adults reading habits you would find a strong correlation with folks who get or do not get Disney and those who prefer fiction vs. non-fiction. The people I know who do not get Disney like non-fiction. Me? I read fiction 90+% of the time. When I read I want escape, not more real world piled on top of my daily dose of real world.

Interesting... I guess I'm in the minority. I LOVE me some non-fiction, and I'm a Disney Parks fanatic. But I'd have to agree with you about the imagination thing. Although, my personal satisfaction from the parks? It's the engineering/planning side of it. Think of it... what if ALL cities had mass transit like Disney world?!? Or the parking!

I'm sure this is mostly something that happens to adults who take kid-free trips to DL, either because they don't have kids (like us) or just had an opportunity to go without their little ones.

Does anyone else get a lot of this too? I try to explain how amazing DL is to these people without reciting a speech about it or sounding too crazy, but I just don't think a lot of people "get it" outside of being a place to bring the kiddos!

Yes, yes; we went one day (for just 1 half day) to go see the end of the ElecTRONica. We had a great time. But some people at work mentioned that going to Disneyland without kids is "creepy". However, I think even Disney Parks has things that are not age appropriate for my kids (7 and 3). We tried to take them on Space Mountain, but they just cried. The Mad Tea Party is another one where alcohol is served, and there's a bunch of dancing, and I just don't feel like taking my 3 year old to that kind of party. But, I'd love to go myself. It may be different for childless people, but for me, the response is easy: "Sometimes, I want to go on the "big-kid" rides without the kids!"

 

[kayleigh83]

I suspect if you looked at adults reading habits you would find a strong correlation with folks who get or do not get Disney and those who prefer fiction vs. non-fiction. The people I know who do not get Disney like non-fiction. Me? I read fiction 90+% of the time. When I read I want escape, not more real world piled on top of my daily dose of real world.

I think you're right! I am a huge fiction fan, I just can't get into non-fiction. Even in areas of real life I'm interested in, such as certain periods of history, if I want to read about it I have to read some historical fiction first. Most of what I know about the Tudor period, for instance, comes from the dozens of historical fiction novels I've read on the subject. Once I have some "background" from that I can go on a site like Wikipedia and skim over an article to get a sense of the "true" history without any changes by the author due to artistic license, but I already know something about it, and feel connected with these people from the past in some way, so it doesn't seem as dry.

Yes, yes; we went one day (for just 1 half day) to go see the end of the ElecTRONica. We had a great time. But some people at work mentioned that going to Disneyland without kids is "creepy". However, I think even Disney Parks has things that are not age appropriate for my kids (7 and 3). We tried to take them on Space Mountain, but they just cried. The Mad Tea Party is another one where alcohol is served, and there's a bunch of dancing, and I just don't feel like taking my 3 year old to that kind of party. But, I'd love to go myself. It may be different for childless people, but for me, the response is easy: "Sometimes, I want to go on the "big-kid" rides without the kids!"

I would wonder if people who said that was creepy have ever even BEEN to DL! I mean like you said, there are lots of rides and experiences - street parties serving liquor for example, or exhibits like Blue Sky Cellar that probably wouldn't be very interesting for kids, mostly just Disney-buff adults.

I mean, the thing is I feel the same way about a lot of other popular vacations. For example, I just do NOT see the draw of a place like Vegas. Casinos sound boring (spend money on hoping to make more money? sounds counterintuitive to me!) and other than that, clubs? I live in Vancouver, if I wanna go to clubs I've got them here. I just don't see the draw. But, I've never been, so I wouldn't dream of saying to someone who was going, "Why would you want to go to Vegas?!"

For some reason I feel like people think they can be just rude (no other word for it!) to those who like to take Disney vacations without the "excuse" of taking kids.

 

[PHXscuba]

haha! Not too much before us!!

I wonder what the marriage stats are for people who went on their honeymoon to Disneyland?

OK, DH and I spent one of the days of our honeymoon at DLR, and that was 20 years ago. Another "happily ever after."

My Disney-loving best friend and I decided to do a girls weekend to see all of the Christmas stuff a couple years ago -- shop, watch shows, eat what we want (without buying it for our combined 8 kids). I remember telling another friend about the trip and the funny look she gave me, kind of a "you're running away from your kids to go to someplace filled with kids and made for kids?" Of course she goes on business trips with her DH to just go shopping in other cities. We had a ball!!

I will say it is more magical seeing DLR through my kids' eyes, but there are definitely things you can do on a grown-up trip that you couldn't/wouldn't do with children in tow.

PHXscuba

 

[korg]

My wife and I go to WDW all the time, about one week a year. (We're from the east coast so WDW is our home park) My WIFE is actually starting to give me grief about going to WDW so often. Not because she doesn't "get it" but because it's a big world with a lot of wonderful places to visit while on vacation besudes Disney and for her WDW is a been there and done that location. And she's right in a way because we've probably been to WDW 8 times in the 8 years we've been together, 6 of those times with no kids or grand kids, it's just the two of us. (I never get enough of WDW though)

At the end of September (In around 5 weeks) we're going to Southern California and are going to visit the DLR. It's her 1st trip to California and she's excited to be going someplace new. I'm still going to get my "Disney fix" for a few days of our 7 day trip but for us it's going to be a new experience so we're BOTH getting what we want! I'll get to see the original Disney park and CA and we'll get to visit other places in southern California. A win win situation.

Funny thing, I've been working at the same plant for 33 years and my co-workers know I'm a Disney nut. When ever i go on vacation they don't ask me WHY I go to Disney, they always say "Going back to Florida?' LOL They ASSUME I'm going back to WDW! ... this time i told them no we're not going to WDW, but i'm still going to Disney!

 

[blearbear4]

I grew up going annually to WDW and later also DL, so I also grew up to those snarky "Disney? AGAIN?" comments. But most of these comments came from families that stayed home over spring or summer break- which I never understood!

People were very impressed I got my family to Paris for my graduation and on a Mediterranean cruise for my sister's, but when they hear I only succeeded with my Dad because there is Disneyland Paris and a Disney Cruise Line, the eye rolls start all over! And now that I have discovered Adventures by Disney, let them continue while I see the world and continue to stop at my home sweet homes- WDW and DL!

 

[Teki]

We are doing a week at DLR for our honeymoon my favorite reaction are the ones who smile while nodding and furrowing there brow waiting for me to say JUST KIDDING. I find however that once people get to know me although they may not get why I love it they get why I go.

 

[fiddlefaddle2]

Yes I get this a lot. I think partly it's because I'm an arty, eccentric person and friends are always surprised that I'd like something as 'commercial' as Disneyworld. Also I'm 24 and lots of people my age want to go travelling around the world, whereas I'm very happy to just go to the Happiest Place in the world

Ron Mael from my favourite band Sparks once said in a interview that Disneyland was 'exactly what Heaven should be like' and I completely agree!

 

[Teki]

Yes I get this a lot. I think partly it's because I'm an arty, eccentric person and friends are always surprised that I'd like something as 'commercial' as Disneyworld. Also I'm 24 and lots of people my age want to go travelling around the world, whereas I'm very happy to just go to the Happiest Place in the world

Ron Mael from my favourite band Sparks once said in a interview that Disneyland was 'exactly what Heaven should be like' and I completely agree!

OMG my parents love that band I love them too, but not like they do lol

 

[korg]

My wife just agreed to buying City Passes for our up coming California trip! That means 3 day park hopper Disney tickets, one Universal Studios and one Seaworld. I'm thrilled!!! We won't have to CRAM our DL experience into one or two days. I think 3 days at the two parks is just about right, plus Universal and Seaworld to round things out ... now I'm very excited about this trip.