Hiding Your Disney Obsession...My Guilty Confession

[smraynor]

I've been thinking of this for a while and I am interested in people's responses.

I am a 41 year old college art professor and I happen to really like Walt Disney World. I'm also a professional artist (painter) and I travel to Europe each summer to take students to paint and draw onsite.

In the past when I would bring up Disney in many of my daily situations I would catch a lot of ridicule. People in higher ed were somehow 'suspicious' of Disney along with my artist friends who would look down at their nose at the art and design generated by the Disney company (note I completely disagree with that).

I co-write a website with a good friend of mine who is a business professor. When I wanted to write Disney articles he was not very enthusiastic about it. (our site averages several thousand visitors a month in 73 countries) I made strong arguments that people would want to read my articles. (Our site is www.itats.org just in case you are curious)

Finally I wrote the Architectural History of Cinderella's Castle and posted it and it exploded with a lot of people wanting to read it. My point was proven but Wes is typically skeptical of my Disney fascination.

A lot of friends question why we visit so much and that we should expand our vacation options. I answer that I travel to Europe each summer for around a month...coming back and going to Disney is strangely reassuring.

So at this point I just don't tell people where we are going. It's easier than trying to defend it.

I'm curious if other people deal with the same disdain for Disney vacations by friends and co-workers?

 

[snowwhite84]

Absolutely!

I am a journalist in NYC and can relate to the "artistic crowd" not seeming to appreciate engaging in Disney talk. Most people are polite about it, but I've just learned to keep it largely to myself. My SO is kind and humors me at home

I am planning my 30th birthday trip to the World at the moment and plenty of people think it is strange I would pick Disney to celebrate. However, I have lived in Europe for a full year and since getting back to the states four years ago have gone back each year to explore some more. I am certainly not starved for diverse experiences, so I really feel no defense is needed.

We all need to take the vacations that bring us the most pleasure. For those who don't care to hear about it, that's fine, I just make mental notes of all the things I want to discuss when I get home!

 

[Sheilby]

That pretty much sums up why I have such disdain for most professors. No offense, but I learned early in my college career that too many professors are full of themselves and full of something else too. I think they are very influenced by peer pressure and since Disney is for the "common man" they convince themselves that they are too sophisticated for it.

My husband and I are engineers. If we talk about Disney our fellow engineering friends get into the engineering behind Disney. Heck, we even get excited about the engineering behind the bridges we drive over every day. I think I'll keep my engineering friends, you can keep hanging out with the professors.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Finally I wrote the Architectural History of Cinderella's Castle and posted it and it exploded with a lot of people wanting to read it. My point was proven but Wes is typically skeptical of my Disney fascination.

I haven't read the article...but was the Cinderella castle based on Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria? I was just in Munich, saw a picture of it on a box of chocolate, and literally gasped out loud because in my mind, it was the real life Cinderella castle. LOL. I'm hoping to actually visit Neuschwanstein Castle one day because I'm sure the pictures don't do it justice.

I have read several of your articles (the 1970s retrospective piece is what drew me in first) and I have to say I love the site!

As for your original question...I absolutely hide my Disney obsession in a professional setting.

 

[rosiep]

I wave my Disney freak flag high! But, then, again, I'm a nanny!

 

[RebelSoul]

I am an IT professional and on any given day, there is a 50% chance I am wearing something Disney related. I also wear my Disney obsession proudly. I do, however, get where the OP is coming from. Over the years I've just learned to ignore those who don't get it. I have also found a good portion of those people are also envious of how often we visit WDW. The other portion...usually are the same ones that take the same beach house vacation every single year. We do other vacations, but we definitely do Disney at least twice as often as non-Disney vacations.

 

[CCole1013]

I haven't read the article...but was the Cinderella castle based on Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria? I was just in Munich, saw a picture of it on a box of chocolate, and literally gasped out loud because in my mind, it was the real life Cinderella castle. LOL. I'm hoping to actually visit Neuschwanstein Castle one day because I'm sure the pictures don't do it justice.

I have read several of your articles (the 1970s retrospective piece is what drew me in first) and I have to say I love the site!

As for your original question...I absolutely hide my Disney obsession in a professional setting.

Yes it was. Well it was one of the inspirations at least. Chateau de Chenonceau in France was another one with the river.
And I think i heard Tivoli in Denmark was a big inspiration for Walt when creative Disneyland as far as the actual theme park went. It definitely felt like it while i was there, but the ice cream in DM was better!

 

[KMichelin]

Oh, definitely. I'm a grad student/TA and, normally, I don't even mention Disney vacations there. It also doesn't help that I'm in the Sociology department--they're pretty openly hostile to Disney because of consumerism, perpetuation of gender norms, et cetera. It's my field, so I know where they're coming from, but, in all honestly, you can analyze culture to death--or you can just live. I try and keep the boundary there between academic life and personal life.

Outside of academia, with family and friends, it's a bit easier to be my Disney obsessed self. But I'm in South Florida and trips to Disney are pretty common for many people. I was lucky and I grew up taking trips to Disney at least once a year with it being so close Friends/family don't always understand my love of all things Disney, but they never make me feel as I need to 'justify' it and it's not unusual for people to visit for a weekend away.

 

[KarmaCat]

I am also a professor, so I understand your experience COMPLETELY! I also completely understand why so many of my colleagues are critical of the Disney enterprise, but I believe that it is possible to still be a critical thinker while also not being a stick in the mud!

I have two young children (a boy and a girl), and Disney World is so much fun to them, literally a dream come true. Being there gives us a chance to be together and spend time making wonderful memories as a family. I have no problem telling my colleagues about my love of WDW! If anyone reacts negatively, I tell myself that they're just jealous. Or they're missing out on a potentially fantastic experience. WDW is one of the few places in the world where I feel purely happy. So many great memories of my own childhood are there... I apologize to no one for my connection to this truly magical place!

That being said, we are not big into "princess culture" in my household, though we are really looking forward to eating in the castle for the first time in our upcoming Thanksgiving trip... It's all about balance. My kids have minds of their own, and I'm really not worried about Disney-endorsed values somehow warping my children the way a lot of academics believe they will.

I think it's a lot more productive to teach my kids that it's okay to relax and have fun and not be so anal about everything, and I trust them to think for themselves if they encounter something that conflicts with their own inner values. I feel sorry for people who are somehow too principled or intellectually superior to experience the joy of WDW.

And by the way, my husband's attitude falls more in line with the stuffy academic perspective of Disney, but he has a WONDERFUL time at WDW, in spite of his best efforts to resist. LOL! I figure it's my job to bring a little magic into his life that he would otherwise never experience.

 

[smraynor]

Absolutely!

I am a journalist in NYC and can relate to the "artistic crowd" not seeming to appreciate engaging in Disney talk. Most people are polite about it, but I've just learned to keep it largely to myself. My SO is kind and humors me at home

I am planning my 30th birthday trip to the World at the moment and plenty of people think it is strange I would pick Disney to celebrate. However, I have lived in Europe for a full year and since getting back to the states four years ago have gone back each year to explore some more. I am certainly not starved for diverse experiences, so I really feel no defense is needed.

We all need to take the vacations that bring us the most pleasure. For those who don't care to hear about it, that's fine, I just make mental notes of all the things I want to discuss when I get home!

Looks like I'm in good company!

 

[smraynor]

That pretty much sums up why I have such disdain for most professors. No offense, but I learned early in my college career that too many professors are full of themselves and full of something else too. I think they are very influenced by peer pressure and since Disney is for the "common man" they convince themselves that they are too sophisticated for it.

My husband and I are engineers. If we talk about Disney our fellow engineering friends get into the engineering behind Disney. Heck, we even get excited about the engineering behind the bridges we drive over every day. I think I'll keep my engineering friends, you can keep hanging out with the professors.

I make a great effort to be nice to my colleagues and students. Life's too short to be negative and self-centered!

I don't hang out with too many profs! Most of my friends are artists and that is always an interesting crowd to hang with...

 

[Ashlander]

All of my friends like that they can come to me for help with their Disney planning and we have several friends that share the love of Disney with us. My sisters are the only ones that give me a hard time for going to Disney every year. My sister said to me once - "I thought this was going to be a special thing". I said it is special to us - we go every year because it is still fun and we still love it. My Dad has the love for Disney as well - my sisters don't get it and think I force him to go with us. He has set them straight and told them that he enjoys going and wants to go. I don't really talk about Disney around them because they don't get it and I don't want to defend my love of Disney.

 

[smraynor]

I haven't read the article...but was the Cinderella castle based on Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria? I was just in Munich, saw a picture of it on a box of chocolate, and literally gasped out loud because in my mind, it was the real life Cinderella castle. LOL. I'm hoping to actually visit Neuschwanstein Castle one day because I'm sure the pictures don't do it justice.

I have read several of your articles (the 1970s retrospective piece is what drew me in first) and I have to say I love the site!

As for your original question...I absolutely hide my Disney obsession in a professional setting.

Yes! Neuschwanstein was an influence. It's probably the most 'Romantic' of the European castles and fit nicely into Disney themeing.

 

[smraynor]

I am also a professor, so I understand your experience COMPLETELY! I also completely understand why so many of my colleagues are critical of the Disney enterprise, but I believe that it is possible to still be a critical thinker while also not being a stick in the mud!

I have two young children (a boy and a girl), and Disney World is so much fun to them, literally a dream come true. Being there gives us a chance to be together and spend time making wonderful memories as a family. I have no problem telling my colleagues about my love of WDW! If anyone reacts negatively, I tell myself that they're just jealous. Or they're missing out on a potentially fantastic experience. WDW is one of the few places in the world where I feel purely happy. So many great memories of my own childhood are there... I apologize to no one for my connection to this truly magical place!

That being said, we are not big into "princess culture" in my household, though we are really looking forward to eating in the castle for the first time in our upcoming Thanksgiving trip... It's all about balance. My kids have minds of their own, and I'm really not worried about Disney-endorsed values somehow warping my children the way a lot of academics believe they will.

I think it's a lot more productive to teach my kids that it's okay to relax and have fun and not be so anal about everything, and I trust them to think for themselves if they encounter something that conflicts with their own inner values. I feel sorry for people who are somehow too principled or intellectually superior to experience the joy of WDW.

And by the way, my husband's attitude falls more in line with the stuffy academic perspective of Disney, but he has a WONDERFUL time at WDW, in spite of his best efforts to resist. LOL! I figure it's my job to bring a little magic into his life that he would otherwise never experience.

Great response! We should form a support group for professors who like Disney. We can peer jury articles....nevermind.

 

[smraynor]

Yes it was. Well it was one of the inspirations at least. Chateau de Chenonceau in France was another one with the river.
And I think i heard Tivoli in Denmark was a big inspiration for Walt when creative Disneyland as far as the actual theme park went. It definitely felt like it while i was there, but the ice cream in DM was better!

Walt was very influenced by Tivoli. I was recently there and took a series of photos...
http://www.itats.org/photo-essay-a-day-at-tivoli-gardens-in-copenhagen-denmark/

 

[DisneyDoc5]

I am a medical professional AND I have a hobby/fun job of planning trips and getting paid for it as well (which I cannot discuss on the boards)....so people know I love Disney, that being said....

Most friends, family, and people we run into within our community know we are 'Disney' people, but I know which of them want to engage in Disney discussions and which don't. I really don't care if they don't 'get it', I compare it to people who say they don't like animals, I simply don't 'get them'! But for every 'hater', I find those who always bring up Disney with me because they WANT to talk about it. Every once in awhile I meet someone who loves Disney as much as me, and then it's instant friendship!

Life is really too short to give a hoot about what other people think, embrace your passion for Disney, it's your gain and their loss! I find many highly intelligent people enjoy the fantasy and escape from reality that Disney provides, the chance to be carefree, and embrace our youthful spirits!

 

[DontCallMeJunior]

I am a game production artist. So having an obsessive nerdy side about things is completely normal. I have a BFA in Animation and realized there are two types of animators: Ones who love Disney and ones who hate Disney.

Many learned by watching Disney films and strive for that animated perfection while others think it's junk and do anything to prove it's not their style. My current art team is mostly pro Disney and it shows in our games.

The parks are different though. Myself and one other friend are the only ones who have been to a Disney park out of our team. I think the Disney parks are the closest thing to heaven while my other friend thought it was "cool to go to once or twice." My other artists believe they missed the Disney World boat and are now too old to enjoy it. I say that's simply not the case.

My girlfriend is a huge Disney dork so when I want to talk about it we could just go on for hours, but it's really tough to describe the magic that comes along with the parks to someone who hasn't been. I just gave up in recent years. I usually just say, "Oh it's magical. Go for yourself. You will not regret it."