Nobody I Know Likes Disney!?

[LovesHauntedMansion]

Nobody I Know Likes Disney!?
Well not everybody, but I have found this to be true for the people who have gone to Disney for the first time. Whenever I find out that somebody I know is going to Disney, I always get very excited & tell them how much I like it. I even give them a lot of info & advice. But when they come back, I get the same story - they hated it. On the other hand, people I know who have been going to Disney for years say how much they loved it. I have never felt overwhelmed at Disney because on my first visit to WDW, there was only Magic Kingdom. I was able to "master" each park as it was added. Do you have the same experience with first-timers to Disney? Is Disney becoming too overwhelming for people going for the first time without anybody else in their group who have already gone to Disney or are my friends just wimps ("It was too hot, too expensive, too many people, etc.") even though I warn them about these things before they go?

 

[MamaLema]

we're going for the first time in October. I think the problem is that people who go for the first time try to see and do it all. You can't do that and so they get frustrated.

We're not going to even attempt to see and do everything the first time (especially not with 3 little ones)


MamaLema

 

[debkorb1]

I love Disney as do my parents and a lot of people I know. But I understand people who don't like it - put simply, Disney can be one of the most frustrating places on the planet. Heat + crowds = very angry people.

If you have high expectations, have spent a lot of money and you don't get your planning right the holiday could be a disaster.

Still it surprises me you've seen so many dissatisfied customers - over 70% of guests at the MK are return guests so Dis must be doing something right!

 

[LovesHauntedMansion]

debkorb1-
You have a good point about the money issue. I think that there is a good number of people who really can't afford a Disney vacation. Sure they have the money saved in a jar or something, but in the back of their minds they know that they really need a new car, a new roof, braces for the kids, etc. It's hard to enjoy yourself when you are worried about every dime you spent. Now I am not trying to say that only rich people should be going to Disney, but some people are too busy trying to get their money's worth and once they get back home they start to regret the money that they spent. The people who tell me that they didn't like Disney always mention the money as one downside. I don't think that Disney is as expensive as some places that you could go on vacation. I actually heard a man at WDW say that he spent his hard earned money to sweat & stand in line.

You mentioned about the repeat customers. I would like to see the stats on when these people's first visit was. I'm wondering if the people who continually go to Disney experienced their first visit in the 70's, 80's, 90's or are they relatively newcomers.

 

[MrsJ Henry]

I also have experienced people going to WDW and coming back saying they didn't like it.
A man I work with went with his wife and kids. He said he felt trapped. There were a few things he liked but that was about it. He then said he would have liked going camping and fishing more.
I think it depends on what your expectations are, what you ususally do on vacations, and how much you plan ahead ( they knew NOTHING before going)
I find that people who plan ahead and WANT to have a good time there usually do.

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

I think a lot of things go into rather or not you enjoy your vacation and like Disney World. First of all, many people hate crowds. If you hate crowds you should definately NOT go to Disney during the high seasons. Second, many people are very unprepared. They just book and go. They do no research into what they are going to see and how to go about getting the most out of your trip. I think that is one of the most important factors to having a great time. There is so much information out there to make your trip a success. I think money does enter into it, but if you go and have a great trip you don't regret the money at all. If you are on a budget there are great ways to save and still have a great time. Third but probably more important thatn anything else is ATTITUDE. So many people go into it with the attitude that if any little thing is wrong it will ruin their trip. You have to go with the flow and be happy even when there are little glitches. Nothing goes perfectly all of the time. Disney World is about as close to perfect for a vacation as I have found. Some people just don't know what they are missing!

 

[LovesHauntedMansion]

I attended a meeting for work the week before Thanksgiving. I ran into a friend that I have been knowing since high school. She told me that they were planning a trip to WDW & were leaving in 2 days. I told her that if she needed anything answered to give me a call or email. I was able to talk with her for a short time after the meeting was over. She didn't even know that there were 4 parks. She never did call me before they left, but I know she leads a hectic life. My brother happened to see one of her daughters when they got back from the trip and she told him that they hated it so much that they left early to come home. The moral of this story is....DO SOME RESEARCH FIRST.

 

[septbride2002]

I am so thankful that I found Message Boards like this one when I was planning our first trip - they really helped me to get a good perspective on what we would be up against on our first trip. DH and I would sit down and prioritize everything we KNEW we HAD to see. We also went during the value season - which helped out quite a bit. I know people who have gone and were miserable because they didn't know what they could and could not do. Yuck.

I think it also helped that we stayed on property and were in the magic all the time. My SIL went about 2 or 3 years before we did and made the comment that she never thought she could afford to stay on property. We booked a moderate resort for $20 more a night then they got off property and we didn't have to worry about a car.

~Amanda

 

[DISUNC]

Anyone I ever knew who went to WDW and "hated" it...didnt plan a thing or didn't do their "homework"! They arrived in a park @ 11:00 am and expected to wait 5-10 minutes for a attraction, didn't dress for comfort...etc.

WDW offers so much, that it can be overwhelming to people who think its their common local amusement park.

AND WHY DONT PEOPLE USE FASTPASS? Fastpass is certainly very well advertised.

 

[Bete]

When you think about any other amusement parks most of them are single parks except Universal in Orlando with 2 and Disneyland with 2. Disney World has 4 main parks, 2 water parks, etc. The amount of walking is huge by comparison to any other amusement parks. It's a lot to handle for the first timer. It can be exhausting. Statistics say you walk an average of 8 miles through each park if you spend at least 6 hours there. Noone is prepared for that aspect of it, either. Add to this long waits for certain attractions and you have the potential for disaster.

Many vacations are more relaxing and require little planning; so, you are not as prepared as you should be for Disney World. This can lead to disaapointment. Planning is probably the biggest problem or shall we say the lack of planning. The more I learned through the years, the more I enjoyed Disney World. If you ask the people who did not enjoy it how many books they have read about it, how many videos they have viewed about it, how many Travel Channel Disney shows they have watched about it, how many websites they have visited about it, how many friends who have been there, etc. did they talk to about it, etc.; I think you will find that disappointed first timers just don't do their homework about it. I think they take it for granted that it will be easy and it's not that easy.

Then, let's add insult to injury with the expense of a Disney World trip and it can be so dissappointing for a first timer considering all these aspects. There is no doubt about it; a Disney World trip is an above average cost vacation. I think people have a tendency to think the more I have to pay for something the less I should have to do to enjoy myself and that's just not so here.

You also need the right reasons and a good attitude to have a good time on a trip. It just doesn't happen by magic. Even Tink's pixie dust can't fix a bad attitude. If you have multiple people on a trip (parents, children, relatives, friends) which is very likely for a Disney World trip everyone has to learn to compromise on what to do or go their separate ways, if necessary and if possible. This can make it complicated if you are trying to please everyone in the group. This can lead to frustration, too.

I have found the more you work at a Disney World trip the more you like it. The problem with that idea is noone expects to work before or during a vacation and Disney World is an exception to that rule.

I have helped first timers plan a Disney World trip and I've gone along with newbies and they are all grateful for the help. It makes a big difference to have a veteran in your corner.

 

[Kendra17]

I agree with most of the posts here. Many people just don't realize what's available, so they don't do the research. And, I don't think it's JUST a matter of being ill-prepared, i think that they have no idea what's there, so they don't know what they're missing specifically. . .it's just the day goes by, and they haven't really had the magical time they thought they might have. Lines too long, don't understand fastpass use, the importance of an itinerary, etc., etc.

For Disney, I think, research is completely important. ..for all destinations, research is important, but for Disney especially. I mean, if I go to London, I read a guidebook, talk to people, decide what destinations I want to see, where I want to go, etc. But, it's different than figuring out that you have to hit Splash Mountain or Dinosaur FIRST thing, then go get a fastpass for attraction number 2, go to attraction number 3, etc.

I haven't met that many people willing to do that kind of research--except on these boards. My husband, for instance, is kind of anti-Disney as you might know from my previous posts. I think he's getting excited about this trip, mind you, but he's not interested AT ALL in even reading Birnbaum's book (which I hate, really, and only bought because I thought he might look at the pictures and skim. I didn't think he'd be interested in the Unofficial Guide--my fave, or The Passporter (he'd laugh at the folders, etc). He's completely relying on me to plan the trip perfectly. I guess that's good that I can do that, but I think having the background knowledge--so you appreciate what you're experiencing, what it supposed to represent, etc., INCREASES one's enjoyment.

Also, about cost. Yes, it's more expensive, but it's only more expensive if you waste your days because you're winging it, and haven't been too successful. I've been on several vacations where I've spent about the same amount of money and just had an absolutely horrible time--trying to find something to do in the evening, running out of places to go. ..setting aside a full day for something that only took an hour or two to do. So, for many, it winds up being too expensive, because their trip is unsuccessful. If you do the research though, it just doesn't feel that way at all.

I'm so afraid that my husband will be one of those who just don't like it! Ugh! What'll I do, then? LOL

 

[stemikger]

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a Disney World Resort Lover. But I know several people who don't see it the way that I do. My uncle went and hated the whole idea of everything being fake. He is an intellectual and a history major so I could kind of understand it.

A girl at work who was never there asked me for some tips on resort, etc. When she came back I asked her how her trip went. She hated it. I think she had a different idea of what the resort was going to be like and she was very disappointed.

My sister who although she likes Disney hated the resort I recommended. 12 years ago I went to Port Orleans for my honeymoon and loved it so much I told my sister she should go. She did not like it at all. Her comment was that she felt like she was staying in a parking lot??

So as you can see not everyone is a Disney Vacation Person. For me I went on several different types of vacations and while I am on these vacations I'm always saying to my wife, I wish I were at Disney instead.

 

[jiminyml]

My first trip to WDW was in July....HOT, and PACKED!! We only saw MK and EPCOT very briefly on the first trip, and didn't get to do very much at all.

But you know what?

I LOVED IT!!!!


So, yes, I think that those things can contribute to your enjoyment (or lack thereof!), but also, I think some people are just more susceptible to the Disney Bug! Like me!!

 

[Cinderella37]

Originally posted by Kendra17

I'm so afraid that my husband will be one of those who just don't like it! Ugh! What'll I do, then? LOL

Divorce is always an option...

Seriously though, we have friends who decided to go and stay at Downtown Disney. I recommended that they stay more "on-site," but they said they didn't want to take buss to the parks, they wanted to drive. Whatever. They went during Spring Break for some odd reason, even though I told them it would be extremely crowded and they didn't make any priority seatings. Can you say recipe for disaster?

They called us on day 2 of their trip saying how much they hated it and couldn't believe that we actually vacation there once or twice a year. They were miserable and still make awful comments about it (which makes me really mad). They didn't think ahead at all and ignored my advice. They were bored because they couldn't gamble Some people just don't get it and have different ideas of what constitutes a great vacation. They like to lay by the pool/beach and gamble. I lay by the pool all summer at home (and so does she). Why would you do the same thing just in a different location?

 

[Kendra17]

Originally posted by stemikger
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a Disney World Resort Lover. But I know several people who don't see it the way that I do. My uncle went and hated the whole idea of everything being fake. He is an intellectual and a history major so I could kind of understand it.

Hmmm, I can't understand this! My husband, actually is a history major, too. . .but, I'm interested in history, I read a lot, and most is nonfiction, completely into current events, world events, and politics, so I don't understand.

Really, I think Disney is the only place you actually GET your money's worth. I think that's one reason why I love it so much. Does this make sense? Sure, I love seeing a new city, seeing historical places, monuments, etc. . .but, I'd rather be at Disneyworld.

At Disneyworld, it feels as if the whole resort was created just for you. Also, I've definitely had other vacations that are also fun, but it's just not the same, by any means. There is no other place like Disney!

Cinderella, I completely agree with you, too. . .why do people just want to do the same thing in a different location? This makes no sense to me, either! Although if I were in CA, Tokyo, or Paris, you know where I'd be. . .

 

[Cinderella37]

Originally posted by Kendra17
Although if I were in CA, Tokyo, or Paris, you know where I'd be. . .

We both know that doesn't count!!

 

[bigtinkfun]

I think many of the people who go to Disney and hate it may be so busy trying to get their money's worth and running from attraction to attraction that they don't take the time to stop and just absorb the experience and the atmosphere. They don't take the time to chat with cast members, to sit on a park bench and watch the little children playing in the fountains, to look at the tremendous amount of thought and effort that goes into the design of each park and appreciate it for the tremendous gift that it is.

They're there to do, do, do and they don't take the time to stop and enjoy.

I go solo so I see this all the time: families dragging themselves from one attraction to another, so heck bent on wringing every last ounce of value from the theme parks that they fail to realize that the totality of each theme park's experience is also an attraction.

And then there are some folks who just won't let go of reality. Their whole attitude just reeks of "Bah, humbug!" and they will not allow themselves to play along. Many of them just take themselves too seriously and seem to feel that getting into the Disney spirit will result in some kind of loss of dignity. I feel sorry for these people and then I get as far away from them as I can, because that kind of attitude is contagious. And I see that way too much, too.

I love disney and I'm long past the point where I feel that I have to apologize or explain it to those who don't. I just say, "Well, maybe the next place you go will be more to your liking." Everyone has their own thing when it comes to vacations. I've been on vacation to places I didn't like (*cough* France *cough*), but I find that for me, Disney has consistently delivered the kind of vacation experience that I want.

So don't fret if your friends don't love, or even like, Disney. You love it and that's all that matters. And maybe someday, they'll be lucky enough to go with you and actually see it through your eyes and experience it as you do. And if they do, they'll fall in love too.

Hope this hasn't been a boring rant...

 

[Kendra17]

Originally posted by stemikger
He is an intellectual and a history major so I could kind of understand it.

I guess this quote kind of bothered me, but I wanted to add something. In all my time on the internet (and I work with computers, so I'm on a lot!), I have been very impressed by the consistent grammatically correct usage of English on these boards.

It seems as if 90%+ of DISboard members are MORE literate and MORE intelligent than people I have seen on other boards, comment sites, etc.

Has anyone else noticed this?

When I browse other boards, comments on news stories, etc., I often see extensive errors in grammar, syntax, and spelling--which I rarely see on this board. It's a real pleasure to see such intelligent people on the DisBoard!

Just an observation!

 

[stemikger]

I guess this quote kind of bothered me, but I wanted to add something. In all my time on the internet (and I work with computers, so I'm on a lot!), I have been very impressed by the consistent grammatically correct usage of English on these boards.

Kendra17.
It looks like you took this the wrong way. I did not mean to imply people who love Disney World are non-intellectuals or not intelligent. It seems you took this as a personal insult. First of all, I could see how it could have been misconstrued, but I think you read into a little bit too much. I also didn't appreciate the cheap shot at me from your second e-mail. My Uncle is a very deep guy and he didn't like the way Disney sugarcoated some of the historical themes. But anyway, for the record Disney people are the salt of the earth. Kendra17 take a chill pill.

Also, sorry if my grammer or spelling is not up to snuff for ya.

Hmm. I guess her quote kind of bothered me.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Interesting isn't it?? I've never met anyone (who had been) that didn't like Disney. Maybe not "loved" it enough to want to go back, but at least had a good time. And certainly not packed up and left early!!
However-have met some who had never been and had no intention of going.