Over 500 restaurants in WDW. Why???

[tarheelmjfan]

I had read this thread a few nights ago & just wanted to jump in with a few of my thoughts.
We are a married couple & chose not to have children, having said that, we generally vacation at adults only locations.
I just returned from a trip to WDW with my sister & her two children. During the time I was researching our trip I did come across some activities that had age restrictions, i.e. a Tea Party, a scavenger hunt.
So I guess if Disney can have age restrictions with some activities I do not think it would be unrealistic to think they could provide venues for the other side of the coin.
IMHO, if Disney could offer a few adults only restaurants & or fine dining options, (not to discriminate, just to accommodate) it might be easier to talk my hubby into a trip to the world.

If adult only restaurants are the major reason your DH doesn't want to join you at the World, there's a few restaurants that you will see very few, if any, kids. Some that come to mind are V&A, Bistro de Paris in Epcot, & bluezoo & Shula's @ Dolphin (esp. Shula's). We didn't see many kids at Yachtsman Steakhouse, but that may have just been the night we were there. We haven't eaten upstairs at Puck's, but I wouldn't think there would be many kids there either. Of course, I could be wrong. Fyi, Wolfgang Puck Cafe will have kids, plus it's way too noisy in there, IMHO. Maybe, someone else has some suggestions. Good luck getting him there.

 

[fey_spirit]

Um actually yes I would - given that I am all too aware of the bias Disney shows to couples with children. Do you have any idea how many of the things I want to do I can't because I'm "too old". Such as the Pirates Cruise out of GF, or the Princess Tea Party, or Mad Hatter Tea Party... but they don't offer anything that's an adult equivelent...

Heck as it is I'm trying to hire Gifts of a Life Time to put something together for me just so I wont feel left out.

Before you think I've lost my mind, I'm going to make a long story short. I grew up in a very abusive household... (hitting, molestation, verbal etc - I tel you this only so you wont think the next line is the abuse) - I always wanted to go to Disney as a Child, but never got to go.

So I've been spending a lot of time trying to heal the child inside of me, and one of the first steps I took was to plan a trip to Disney because everyone tells me that it's supposed to be for adults too... not just that we can show up, but that we can share in the magic too. Now there are all those things I can't do that my inner child would have killed for - and that I still want to experience - just once.

So I'f I'm lucky an extra 300 dollars will buy me the kind of experience that a lot of parents have access to for far less - without even having to think about it.

My point? If I can be denied all of that because I'm too old, then I don't see how it's anything less then fair that Adults should have access to perks that parents and kids don't - just seems to be leveling the playing feild to me.

Once you hear about this great restaurant, you get there and the CM's say "We're sorry you don't have any children with you this evening, you can't come in." How would you feel? Would you think that you are still at WDW?

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Um actually yes I would - given that I am all too aware of the bias Disney shows to couples with children. Do you have any idea how many of the things I want to do I can't because I'm "too old". Such as the Pirates Cruise out of GF, or the Princess Tea Party, or Mad Hatter Tea Party... but they don't offer anything that's an adult equivelent...

Heck as it is I'm trying to hire Gifts of a Life Time to put something together for me just so I wont feel left out.

Before you think I've lost my mind, I'm going to make a long story short. I grew up in a very abusive household... (hitting, molestation, verbal etc - I tel you this only so you wont think the next line is the abuse) - I always wanted to go to Disney as a Child, but never got to go.

So I've been spending a lot of time trying to heal the child inside of me, and one of the first steps I took was to plan a trip to Disney because everyone tells me that it's supposed to be for adults too... not just that we can show up, but that we can share in the magic too. Now there are all those things I can't do that my inner child would have killed for - and that I still want to experience - just once.

So I'f I'm lucky an extra 300 dollars will buy me the kind of experience that a lot of parents have access to for far less - without even having to think about it.

My point? If I can be denied all of that because I'm too old, then I don't see how it's anything less then fair that Adults should have access to perks that parents and kids don't - just seems to be leveling the playing feild to me.

It's not only childless adults who can't participate in many of the extras. Those of us with older kids can't either. WDW definitely caters more to families with young kids. The good news is that there's an afternoon tea at the Grand Floridian that you will be more than welcome at. Here's the link: http://allearsnet.com/menu/menu_gft.htm Be sure you make advance reservations. Enjoy!!!

 

[fey_spirit]

That's sweet - thank you for the link, more then likely I will book an ADR.
You know, it's just not the same thing though, it's not at all Disney Magic... a least not to me. Disney magic is about characters come to life, and dazzeling sights that you can't see anywhere else. A nice adult tea, will be a wonderful way to end my trip to Orlando - but it isn't anything I can't do in a dozen other cities... most of them cheaper.

It doesn't seem fair that Disney caters to those who end up spending the least money per head. Esp when if you read a lot of Walt's quotes he talked about being more interested in grabbing the attention of the adult, kid at heart... there is very little of that kind of attention left.

Of course this all just plays into my overall theory on kids and adults. I don't think kids should get most of the good stuff (Trick or Treating, Christmas is for Kids, blah blah blah). The way I look at the world, rewards and fun stuff should come in direct proportion to the responsabilities and duties one is forced to take on. Kids have nothing to do with their time but play, that should be their reward. Trick or Treating, and other fun kiddie type stuff (In my admitiadly odd opinion) should be kept for older teens, and then adults. You move out on your own and have to support yourself? Congradulations - now you get to go Trick or Treating! Have a couple of kids? Great - now you get to have Christmas revolve around you!

It just seems that the way our society does it is so... empty.
We get all this joy, and wonder, and magic when we're kids (At least we do if we grow up the way things are "supposed" to go. Pity those of us who never got this when we were supposed to either... we completely lost out) and then we grow up, and right when we should be getting more rewards for more work, and stress... it's all taken away from us. We're left with nothing but "adult" play time... all the magic gets sucked out and we're supposed to be content because "well we can go to Jelly Rolls and other bars and kids aren't allowed". Heck maybe that's why there's so much drug and alchohol useage amongst teens - they've figured out it's the only fun they're still aloud to have and they haven't become accustomed to the feeling of emptiness that creates yet.

Seriously, Adult fun from what I've heard from those around me consists of the kind of thing you need a hotel froom for, drugs, alchohol, clubbing (more alcohol - or at least being in the presence of tons of it). Everyone talks about the "freedom" of adulthood - that's just a lie society sells us to get us to play our part... what does that freedom consist of? Oh goodie I get to try to make a living, probably in a job that doesn't pay enough to live on - that I hate... guess I'll have to take a second job. Oh boy now I get to try to figure out whether I want to pay for the water bill or my medicine, becuase you know it's flu season out there - and nobody there to help me pick up the peices... that's adult freedom.

I'm sorry, this rant isn't aimed at you specfically...
It's just I get so tired of having it pointed out to me that "sure you can do this adult thing over here" when that adult thing always looks dull, and boreing to me - where as all those nifty little things I'm not allowed to do because time kept moving on - I can't do. Hell the only reason I'm comtemplating a 1,000 dollar trip - litterly just to see The Halloween part at Disney is so I can go Trick or Treating - even then knowing I wont make out as well as the kids...

If the balance of reward to responsability didn't seem so skewed to me I don't think I would mind so much... but I spend a lot of time feeling like the Universe has informed me that I missed out on all the wonder and magic of childhood because I had an abusive father, and a neglectful mother... and now it's too late because you're trapped in "adulthood" where childish things must be put away - and all magic and wonder must die. Now that I have to deal with the responsabilities of adulthood, and I am "free" to do what I want - I'm not allowed to do anything I want.

It's not only childless adults who can't participate in many of the extras. Those of us with older kids can't either. WDW definitely caters more to families with young kids. The good news is that there's an afternoon tea at the Grand Floridian that you will be more than welcome at. Here's the link: Be sure you make advance reservations. Enjoy!!!