I've never seen so many parents forcing their children to have fun!

[DreamIsaWish]

Shows you shouldn't judge people with having any facts.
We travel from NZ, there is a 5hour time difference to LA (depending on the time of the year) we can easily have them up
Past 11 and it still not even be there bed time then we "sleep in" the next day.
Our girls love being up after dark, not something they get to see a lot of normally as they are in bed already, plus for everyone the fireworks is an essential park of visiting Disney.

I'm not even from a big time zone difference but my kids love the evenings at the parks (most of our trips are Disney World). We sleep in and make it way into the evening. Actually, the kids have the energy at 11 pm and the parents are wanting to go home!

The lights are so magical and my five-year-old adores the Electrical Parade and fireworks. It wouldn't be the same without staying late into the evening. Can't wait to see the new night parade!

 

[disneydadazut2]

I've learned one thing with parenting over the years....... it's to not make snap decisions about other parents based on one observation at one point in time.

So true.

I must say, I do have rules with my two oldest boys. They have to ride XYZ or we aren't going to Disneyland. The truth is, they are afraid, but it's that experience they talk most about with their friends and brag about later. As a Dad, I know this, and I have to force them to ride it. But, when my kids are scared, they stay real quiet in line. I just reassure them the whole time and talk about how cool some things are... I think other parents around me get it.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I travel to both WDW and DL each year. For the most part, I prefer the AP guests at DL resort. They are less frantic, and intent on getting their $$ worth out of each day. I see more parents going overboard at WDW, where the parents are thinking about all the $$ they are spending, and where is often unbearably hot (8 months out of the year!) At DL, the locals generally don't care about always getting characters autographs, for example, which means character meet and greet lines move faster, and are often shorter. The characters are even free to walk around, greet people, interact, often without handlers. I have seen them take one child by the hand, and walk over to a bench or wall and have a private conversation. And great adult interaction, too. I love that.

Yes, the frequent DL guests DO tend to chant the spiels along with the rides, but that is not THAT bad. I would rather guests sing along on Pirates, then talk about their last Drs visit to the person next to them, loudly. And guests there also DO tend to mug on the ride photos, but I think that is funny, too. The DL locals tend to bring in their food, carried in large backpacks, which can be annoying when they turn suddenly and whack me in the face with it, in a crowd. But it means lines in many of the food venues are shorter, and you can even walk in and get a table at some full service places. I'll take that trade off.

As for the other stuff, we sort of forced our kids on some rides, and generally it worked out for the best. But, not to the point of huge tantrums. And we always took breaks in the afternoon. Lastly, I push my adult son in a WC that is like a stroller. The problems go both ways, because people dart and cut in front of us, with little chance for me to stop in time. And I am being attentive. They also stop suddenly, and if I was just a pedestrian, that would be a gentle bump from me, maybe. But my son's WC may bump you and hurt. Sorry! But its a crowd, all moving at the same pace, and you just stopped; you need to pull over to the side of the path, or glance behind you first.

It is nice to wake up at DL and say, which park will I visit today? I love not making all my plans 60 days out.

 

[Canadian Harmony]

I was about nine when I first went to DL. All I talked about on the plane ride down was HM. That's ALL I wanted to do! We did. I asked my Mum if the ghost was still on my shoulder outside and she said yes, teasing me of course. Well I freaked out. Wouldn't ride PoTC - her ONLY ride she wanted to do - wouldn't do any other dark ride. Poor woman is afraid of heights and did the gondola with me (I'm old, I remember the sky ride), but I wouldn't suck it up and do PoTC. As an adult, I've done PoTC and apologized repeatedly to my Mum about not going on it for her.

My kids are different from each other - one's a daredevil, the other not so much - but I'm prepping them with videos of the rides, especially PoTC, HM, IASM, IJ, Splash, Space, etc - and they're now really looking foward to riding these rides because they know what's coming up. I told them they don't have to ride anything they don't want to, but it's not going to stop me oor their sister or their Dad from riding it and we'll do a RS if we have to.

I don't take crap from my kids though, and if I use some corrective action on them (verbal, not physical), and I get a look from a parent, well... I hope they raise their own kids perfectly then. Being a parent isn't something we practice at in school and get really good at. It's an evolving, morphing practice in which we try to raise socially acceptable and competent adults. We each have our own ways of doing it and though I may silently judge (I'm an ENTJ in the Meyers-Briggs), I try really hard not to judge openly and try to learn from others to see if what they're doing may help me raise my kids a bit better.

I'm also old enough to not take rudeness from strangers who bash into me, whether by accident or not. I WILL call people out, but I'll try to be nice about it.

 

[tiffjoy]

I've learned one thing with parenting over the years....... it's to not make snap decisions about other parents based on one observation at one point in time.

That's what I was going to say. Everyone has bad moments or bad days, and we can't possibly know the dynamics of a family based on one little snapshot.

 

[corinne76]

That's what I was going to say. Everyone has bad moments or bad days, and we can't possibly know the dynamics of a family based on one little snapshot.

This is exactly why i do my best to ignore other kids tantrums. I don't stare. I may give the parent a sympathetic nod or smile but that's it. Because I've been there and I'll likely be there again

 

[minnie mum]

I've never seen so many parents forcing their children to have fun!

Meh. None of this is anything new. I've been going to DLR and WDW since the mid 70s. I saw examples of most of the OPs complaints every trip. Since the OP has visited the parks, I'm a little surprised this is the first time they've noticed these things. Rude guests, poor parenting, and misbehaving children are not a recent phenomenon, even though we all know that Disers are practically perfect in every way and so are their progeny. Its those darned nonDisers that cause all the problems.

 

[lovebug33]

Don't judge before you know what a family is going through. My daughter has SPD. She generally throws a fit when she has to do something new. So we will be that family next week who looks like they are forcing their screaming child to do things. Fact is, she will be okay after the first time. But if we never forced her, she just wouldn't do anything. We know the difference between I am truly scared or truly don't want to do this and I am nervous in a new situation and I am going to express it through crying and having a tantrum.

 

[sunshine1]

I remember a family putting a screaming young girl on big thunder. I think she had some aort of austism or something, she was really distressed.

They just waved on the cm's and the train went off.

I remember myself and another guest just looking at each other, thinking how cruel that was.

If i was a cm, i would have at least questioned it.

That poor girl.

 

[tinklvsu]

On the ride the father was like "LOOK AT THE MICKEY GOLF BALL", "LOOK AT THE HIDDEN MICKEY THERE", "CAN YOU SEE THE MAN FALLING IN THAT SCENE???". Wow, why didnt he just shut up and let everyone, especially the children, enjoy the ride!? Visiting Disneyland over and over must be so tiring...

I can see how this would be very annoying! Was his son still crying? I often do this with my son in order to take his mind off of being upset and crying (whatever he may be crying for) ... often asking questions and pointing things out so he will calm down. Not saying this is why he did it of course, but a possibility? I'm glad that despite the issues you faced, you still came out with a positive attitude and would go back!