So few kids

[starlite_]

I've often said one of my favorite things is seeing my husband's smile and enjoyment and laughter (which is quite distinctive). I think people find enjoyment from going with whomever is in their traveling party, what a grump I would be if I couldn't find enjoyment out of my spouse being there just because we're not teens or kids? I wished my mom could have gone with us in 2017, to see her eyes light up in a place she hasn't gone in a long while or in 2019 to DLR. But to some it's only okay for her to see enjoyment from me not from me to find enjoyment out of her because I'm her kid. Although....hmmm..we're both adults so IDK we're strange I guess

For sure, I recently took my mom to DLR, she joked that it seems the roles are reversed now since she was the one taking me before and in recent times I normally go with my friends. I took her specially because I wanted to be there while she experienced Galaxy's Edge for the first time and wanted my first RoTR ride to be with her, all four of us adults had a blast, we even rode Dumbo cause it's my sister's favorite since she was a teeny tiny toddler.

Part of the magic for me is having all this experiences with ppl I love, regardless of their age. But I would be lying if I said I only go to the parks to see how they have fun and implying I don't find the rides thrilling, or the parades heartwarming or that I don't enjoy the ambiance myself. I have fun going and sharing it with others is a big part of it, but not the only part.

 

[DisWeaver]

[/QUOTE]
Isn't DVC a 50 year contract? Why would one buy that if Disney is just for young children? I supposed one can turn around and sell it but hardly seems a good investment for just 10 years.
[/QUOTE]

I anticipate at least 12 years of trips and my break even, at current rack rates, is 8 - 10 trips (I’ll go 1-2 times per year). Then I recoup some of that on the resale.

obviously, I lose some incentives in reduced room rates and potential free dining add-ons, but I envision 3-4 rate hikes in that time span as well.

 

[maverik85]

Well that's not quite true, have you not heard CM's ask about filling in on all the available space. Then there's the rides that have conveyor belt style loading of which Little Mermaid is one of them, HM is another (and that one requires a group of people to be led into the elevator the faster the line moves the more seamless that process is), Spaceship Earth another, Buzz another, etc. There are indeed rides where either the CM will prompt you to keep moving or where you have the ability to get on the ride faster when the line moves consistently. PP loads slow because they only have a few ships that can stop in that small area, I think they only load 2 ships at a time?? so looking around in that queue isn't as big of an issue when the line is long enough, it's one reason that queue was redesigned because often people would be in the line long due to how it loads so here's a distraction for ya.

Filling in the space is more about making sure the line is staying condensed so it doesn't spill out of the queue area. And yes if people aren't paying attention near the load it can cause minor delays but I'm talking about throughout the line. Like someone is talking and they don't notice the line move forward when they are about 1/3 or so into the line. Someone gets huffy and tells them to go and so they finally move forward just to stop again 10 feet ahead

 

[ChipnDale79]

Filling in the space is more about making sure the line is staying condensed so it doesn't spill out of the queue area. And yes if people aren't paying attention near the load it can cause minor delays but I'm talking about throughout the line. Like someone is talking and they don't notice the line move forward when they are about 1/3 or so into the line. Someone gets huffy and tells them to go and so they finally move forward just to stop again 10 feet ahead

mentality type of thing is my guess.

our June trip the waits were very long, but the lines moved because of no fast passes. Prior to that trip, ive waited in the standby line for just as long as our june trip, but it felt twice as long because it didnt move nearly as much.

thats just me though.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Filling in the space is more about making sure the line is staying condensed so it doesn't spill out of the queue area. And yes if people aren't paying attention near the load it can cause minor delays but I'm talking about throughout the line. Like someone is talking and they don't notice the line move forward when they are about 1/3 or so into the line. Someone gets huffy and tells them to go and so they finally move forward just to stop again 10 feet ahead

Yes but you responded by saying it's not like you'll get on the ride faster which isn't quite true as some rides depend on people moving to get grouped or sorted or to get ready to load. Sometimes people need to exert patience and other times people need to keep in mind spatial awareness.

Perhaps with Genie+ it works differently as people are reporting the lines moving but back when it was FP in order to keep lines down for those in the FP line they would halt the standby a lot, if you didn't keep moving you could miss your opportunity to be waved through before being stopped. Some rides it might be number of people like we saw over with TSMM but then a ride like BTMRR they were less about counting the number of people and more about getting large enough groups to keep going so gaps in between people was more like "whelp back to the FP line". That worked the same with HM and I know at DLR the CMs just about every time we rode it specifically said "if you keep moving you'll get on quicker, let's keep moving, come on, keep going" whether they were lying or not IDK but I can see because of how people are grouped into the elevator then the elevator opens closes and the next group goes. Then you have rides like Smugglers run where it's grouped into ride vehicles, then also on Mission Space, depending on your party same with Test Track/Radiator Springs, etc. Things where you may not have your load vehicle to yourself. Then there's FOP, and all the boat rides. Pirates I found at DLR to be luck of the draw more in which side you chose since they have a split line.

Is it really a huge problem if one person/group does it? Not really but it sorta trickles down. Best advice would be to keep going but of course people need to be forgiving too. No reason to get huffy at people. It's a both ways thing between keeping in mind your surroundings and practicing understanding and patience.

 

[AprilLizbeth]

Me popping into this thread

Agreed. My original post was never meant to incite this kind of thing. We went to Disney before we had kids and always had fun. We just observed that there was a very noticeable lack of families return school aged children and younger on our last trip. People pull their kids out of school so the time and always have so I don't think that's it. Maybe the weather, maybe the cost. I don't know but it was the first time I have seen that in all my years at the parks.

 

[Illinois76]

You can tell Disney is only for children by the 138 locations currently serving alcohol at Epcot, the wine festival, the themed lands based on PG-13 rated movies, and the $15000 per year private membership club.

Very normal kid things.

Where are you at on adults with no children doing character meets?

People can certainly spend their time and money on whatever they want… but Disney parks are absolutely 100% designed for families with children.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Where are you at on adults with no children doing character meets?

I actually feel like character meet and greets are geared equally towards adults and kids. I think some you'll see more kids (like mickey and minnie, maybe the princesses) but Disney doesn't judge, they know adults like to go for photos and have no problems paying for it. That also goes for character interactions. Gaston for example he seems to approach/interact more with older probably because they "get" it more with the type of humor Gaston is about. When we were in DLR a Storm Trooper approached a young kid who went screaming away, generally they stuck to older people though. Have you seen some of the photos with Kylo Ren with the kids in terror!

That also makes me wonder why people judge so much on that front. My aunt is autistic, she doesn't look it, you'd have to hear her talk to know it or hear us talk to her she would love a photo with Mickie and Minnie. But even if she wasn't autistic why look at her in disdain like she's not supposed to be there, she never had any kids..then again health-wise she couldn't. Now that's another can of worms I'm not sure people want to get involved with..telling other people who deal with fertility issues (or genetic issues) you shouldn't be here you don't have kids. Oh gosh and what if someone was pregnant but suffered a miscarriage recently but had a trip booked- can you just imagine an adult saying something like "why are you here without kids" to someone who just lost a child (which goes for even without it being a miscarriage), yipes! But I'm sure people don't really think like that, do they? **Rhetorical**

 

[Epcot Forever Forever]

Where are you at on adults with no children doing character meets?

Where am I on it? My wife and I got a picture with Mickey and did the Cinderella breakfast when we went together many years ago. Does that bother you?

And if so, why?

 

[Epcot Forever Forever]

Disney parks are absolutely 100% designed for families with children.

I will tell the adults at Ogas Cantina to clear out and make room at the bar for the children.

 

[starlite_]

Where are you at on adults with no children doing character meets?

People can certainly spend their time and money on whatever they want… but Disney parks are absolutely 100% designed for families with children.

Personally don't really care about doing character meets but my best friend absolutely loves them so I will make the line and smile and pose for the picture because it's something fun to do with her. Stop gatekeeping fun. If Disney Parks were only for kids they would not make roller coasters, simple as that.

 

[figmentpopcorn]

Where are you at on adults with no children doing character meets?

Who on earth would care about this?

People really judge the ages of others having fun at WDW? So bizarre.

I hope I am never this miserable, grumpy and jaded.

I’ve gone to WDW as a kid, as a childless adult and now with my own small children. I’ll go until I can’t go any more. There are offerings at WDW for everyone in all seasons of life.

This thread should just be locked at this point.

 

[DisWeaver]

Personally don't really care about doing character meets but my best friend absolutely loves them so I will make the line and smile and pose for the picture because it's something fun to do with her. Stop gatekeeping fun. If Disney Parks were only for kids they would not make roller coasters, simple as that.

lol, “simple as that”. Grade school children ride every “roller coaster” in that place. They are children’s rides.

 

[starlite_]

lol, “simple as that”. Grade school children ride every “roller coaster” in that place. They are children’s rides.

Dear gods, I can't deal with your terrible opinions and judgy attitude anymore. You are either the biggest hypocrite in the world or the most dedicated troll.
Either way gonna block you know, feel free to stay bitter and angry at the world. Bye now.

 

[DisWeaver]

Dear gods, I can't deal with your terrible opinions and judgy attitude anymore. You are either the biggest hypocrite in the world or the most dedicated troll.
Either way gonna block you know, feel free to stay bitter and angry at the world. Bye now.

Bye bye

 

[Epcot Forever Forever]

Who on earth would care about this?

People really judge the ages of others having fun at WDW? So bizarre.

I hope I am never this miserable, grumpy and jaded.

I’ve gone to WDW as a kid, as a childless adult and now with my own small children. I’ll go until I can’t go any more. There are offerings at WDW for everyone in all seasons of life.

This thread should just be locked at this point.

Lock the thread!
Lock the thread!
Lock the thread!

 

[MinMou]

Weird observation but we were at Disney this past weekend and there was a distinct lack of children there. My husband and I looked around and felt like the only family there. Now we went to Disney before and after we had kids so I'm not judging but it was very noticeable this trip. We went to mk, Hollywood and Epcot.

I suspect that one of the reasons is the masking policy. Some children just can't handle a mask. That's why so many of them are being homeschooled

 

[DodgerGirl]

The reason why you see so few children at Disney Parks these days is the parks tend to be less crowded due to children being in school but if you go during any weekend you'll see lots of kids visiting Disney Parks because there is no school on weekends but I think once Easter hits expect Disney Parks to be full of kids and it's the same during summer when kids are out of school and the parks get crowded. But I think the least busy time you can see kids at Disney Parks is when local schools have field trips to Walt Disney World to see a band performance or to Animal Kingdom when schools study nature and animals. But I think the lack of some kid activities such as character meet and greets and craft making at World Showcase has really caused the kid appeal of Disney Parks to go downhill and what I think could work for Disney Parks to appeal to kids is to have a kids expo and what it would have is activities for kids of all ages such as Disney Storytime for younger children and various arts and crafts booths where kids can create different things such as clothing for their plushies and Disney baseball caps and every hour they would have a special character meet and greet with various characters for photos and a Disney sing along and this kids expo would be dynamite money for Disney to attract kids. Because I think ever since the pandemic started it really affected children who had to stay home and get bored with nothing to do and if Disney Parks were to bring more kids into the parks this expo would be just the ticket

 

[LSUmiss]

The reason why you see so few children at Disney Parks these days is the parks tend to be less crowded due to children being in school but if you go during any weekend you'll see lots of kids visiting Disney Parks because there is no school on weekends but I think once Easter hits expect Disney Parks to be full of kids and it's the same during summer when kids are out of school and the parks get crowded. But I think the least busy time you can see kids at Disney Parks is when local schools have field trips to Walt Disney World to see a band performance or to Animal Kingdom when schools study nature and animals. But I think the lack of some kid activities such as character meet and greets and craft making at World Showcase has really caused the kid appeal of Disney Parks to go downhill and what I think could work for Disney Parks to appeal to kids is to have a kids expo and what it would have is activities for kids of all ages such as Disney Storytime for younger children and various arts and crafts booths where kids can create different things such as clothing for their plushies and Disney baseball caps and every hour they would have a special character meet and greet with various characters for photos and a Disney sing along and this kids expo would be dynamite money for Disney to attract kids. Because I think ever since the pandemic started it really affected children who had to stay home and get bored with nothing to do and if Disney Parks were to bring more kids into the parks this expo would be just the ticket

I think that’s the point many of us were making before the thread went off the rails & that’s that Disney doesn’t care to attract more families with children again. They have a new target demographic. And, I’m not one who is saying that adults can’t go to wdw. But I am saying it’s ashamed that Disney as a company doesn’t care as long as their parks are full.
An example yesterday is I saw that it took 1.5 hours to get into mk yesterday morning! Of course, no one likes this. But, with young kids, that’s a nightmare. You will wear them out before they even get to the park! And, with park reservations, you can’t just skip it & change parks if you encounter this. That’s an example of how Disney has made it harder for ppl with young kids.

 

[BrianL]

I think that’s the point many of us were making before the thread went off the rails & that’s that Disney doesn’t care to attract more families with children again. They have a new target demographic.

This is part of the argument that I can definitely understand, but it doesn't just apply to Disney and the parks. Almost everything now in entertainment is skewing older, trying to cash in on the 18 to 45 target demo and the nostalgia that they have for the properties of their childhoods. I hate that they make a movie based on what was a wholesome cartoon show and "age it up" so that it is more violent or add other adult themes. To me, that's inappropriate. Look at how they barely make any G rated movies now, or even PG if it's not animated. Granted, some things that get PG-13 ratings now would probably have gotten PG 20 years ago, but the fact is PG is seen as box-office poison as they think that target demo will dismiss it. I think they should keep this stuff at the level it always was - if they don't then it's not really even the same concept anymore!

That's also not to say that adults, like mayself, can't like it. The thing is, I DO like it. I like it the way it is. It's like I always say about Star Wars - Star Wars is for 8 year-olds, or the 8 year-old inside all of us. They don't have to make it more mature (which they largely haven't which is why so many fans hate the newer stuff becuase they want it to be for them at age 38 instead of for kids). If an adult can appreciate this stuff, then great! I still unapologetically watch cartoons, and I don't need them to be more than what they are - in fact I think they are already "more" than the stuff that panders to the older crows.

Now, as this applies to the parks, I still think they have a good mix going on there, and that's good. People complain whenever they install a "kiddie ride" because it's not that exciting to them, but Disney has still done this. I do think it is an oversight to not have a ride without a height requirement in SWGE, which I will say is somewhat symptomatic of them targeting the older demo. They have been more balanced in other areas though. Mostly I think it's fine, but I do hope that they don't fall further into that trap.