Vent re: Dumbo and adult only riders

[SeaSpray]

Sorry to disagree.

I am an adult (over 40) and have never ridden Dumbo - and I really want to. We will be down in WDW in May (for our planning session for our Disney wedding) and in November (for our Disney wedding). I am hoping to get on Dumbo at least once in these two trips.

Linda

I could've written this, word-for-word! (Well except for the wedding part - best wishes to you, by the way!!). I've never ridden Dumbo in all of my many trips, and I plan to, some day!

Sorry, OP, but until and unless they deem Dumbo to be a childrens-only ride, I will plan on riding it on one of my upcoming trips.

 

[Echie]

I haven't read all pages of this post (too many, sorry), but I just wanted to say that I agree that disney is for everyone and everyone had a right to be a kid at wdw, therefore adults without children are entitled to ride any little kids ride they'd like.

Also I mean if you think about it... really you'd expect younger children to be out of the parks and in bed by 8pm, but the number of children you still see at the parks at 11pm or 12am is incredible!

The point is special things happen at disney world... adults ride dumbo, and children stay up way past their bed time, it's all part of the magic

 

[megveg]

I can see it now...WDW changes the rules to children or adults with kids only for the FantasyLand rides. Next thing you know, a million craigslist listings "Want to ride Dumbo? I'll rent you my kid for $5/ride plus admission. Weekends extra. Will dye hair to match yours for an additional fee."

 

[sanapunk]

I've been riding Dumbo since I was 2, sorry my 21 year old self waiting in line makes you mad.

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

Okay, I know I am going to get a lot of flak about this, but I am posting anyway.

Dumbo is a ride that small children LOVE. AND it has one of the longest lines of all rides in the MK (usually). Small children (toddlers, preschoolers) have very few rides just for them that we KNOW will not scare them like dark rides, etc. I really hate seeing adults taking up a Dumbo seat without a kid. I mean, come on. Give this one to the little kids, okay? They have a hard time waiting in line as it is.

Thank you

I have ridden Dumbo once in my life and I was 4 at the time. I was considering riding it this year in September, since I have waited 36 years inbetween rides. Can you cut me a little slack please?!?!

 

[danceintherain]

I understand your concern for kids. I love kids, and I love seeing them happy. But during my last trip it actually pleased me a lot more to see my Dad happy then it did to see my 10 year old brother happy. As much as I love seeing a child's face light up... Yes, it's very difficult for little kids to be outside in the Florida heat, but believe me if they want to ride the ride, then it's not going to bother them that much. Also, if they're that hot and miserable, then maybe their parents need to take them out of the park and let them rest. Being able to ride Dumbo faster is not going to cure the child's impatience, they'll just run on to the next ride and be impatient there. (these kids aren't going to have lit up faces anyways...)
Also IMO, taking the adults out of Dumbo would not solve this. Maybe the kids would be able to get through the line faster, but who's going to stop the same kid from riding it over and over and over again? When I was younger, if a line for a ride was short, then I would run back around to the queue as quickly as possible to get back on the ride.
I understand where you're coming from, but I really don't see how it would increase the enjoyment of kids if the adults weren't able to participate as well. Dumbo is just a really slow loading and unloading ride, and I think that anybody who is willing to wait in that line to ride that ride should be given the privilege. The last time I went to WDW the line for Dumbo was really long... I opted not to ride it... if extra kids or adults got the privilege to ride it, because I skipped it, then good for them.
However, on my next trip I intend to make some little kids wait while my new husband and I ride. Dumbo is his favorite Disney Character, and I'm going to enjoy every minute of the look on his face as we ride it, just as much as I'll enjoy the look on our kids' faces when the time comes. I'm also attending a few Character meals, including a meal in the Castle. (I've been to REAL castles, and honestly the Disney version appeals to me soo much more) If I get a little bit of attention from said characters I'm not going to send them away.
If you want to skip rides and meals, because you want to leave space for the kids, then go right on ahead, but I intend to enjoy the looks on the kids' faces in the seat right next to me, and I'm sure they'll enjoy mine too.

 

[concept5123]

dumbo is for everyone everyone is a kid and everyone is entitled to that feeling like your one again. because i sure as hell hate being an adult sometimes.

 

[quietgirll]

I have a great time taking my child, and now that I have another one on the way, I'll be taking her as well. In one sense you are right - I only go to take my children and I have a great time doing it. If my husband and I got a weekend away, we would not be going to WDW without them. We'd be more likely to go to Universal if we wanted to hit a theme park for the weekend alone. My joy comes with seeing my daughter react to the characters and rides.

i dont have children, and i dont want them...me and my dgf go to disney every year because WE love it, and we want to be there. sure, we enjoy universal, but its definitely not a disney trip...and a disney trip is magical, with a castle, and characters, and dumbo....and we are not RUDE or SELFISH because we choose to wait our turn in line to enjoy dumbo, characters, or the castle...rather the people who would insinuate we are less deserving of all these experiences are the rude and selfish people....
after reading throughout the thread, i see why you have your opinion...you see disney as a kiddie park...you are the same type of person that asks "youre going where AGAIN?? without kids??" when i tell someone we are going to disney world...you see it as a giant play place for children...and it most definitely is not....disney world has much to offer, and it makes me sad for you that you obviously dont have enough "magic" to experience it for yourself, not for your children, or through your children, but truly for yourself. if the day ever comes that i call the castle a "fake" castle, well...lemme just say i know that day will never come.... thank goodness...

 

[phisigprincess]

This is the same argument of "adults shouldn't meet the characters, because they're only for the kids." I had a dad make incredibly rude comments about me while I was waiting in line to meet a character, because I was one person ahead of his kid. Like many, many of you have already said, until they deem certain things for kids only, I'm still enjoying every minute.

 

[12kizuna]

Honestly, I find it SO MUCH MORE rude when parents feel the need to make such comments or throw glares at people they don't know simply because they're standing in a spot that in less than two minutes, they will be standing in themselves.
What is that teaching the children of these parents? It is teaching entitlement, and *gasp* rudeness, because apparently it is OK to talk and treat people like that, and the children can only sit and watch and soak it all in.
Honestly, when I was little and in Disney World, sure I was hot and tired, but you know what? I would still have been hot and tired no matter what, and I certainly didn't care who else was riding.
I was raised to be CONSIDERATE of others, and let them do what they like to do without passing judgment or prejudices. You DON'T KNOW those people, what their lives or like, or what ordeals they've had to face, or anything about them.
I give up my seat on the bus if an elderly, pregnant, or sick person gets on. I hold open doors for people, and will go out of my way to help someone I see struggling (dropping a bunch of boxes on the floor, etc.) but I will stand in line for Dumbo patiently, and do what I can to think of others in line, but I will do as my parents raised me to do and "mind my own beeswax".

 

[aurora23]

Dumbo was my favorite ride at 4, and I can't imagine going to Disney and not riding it. It is these experiences that keep me coming back to Disney. It is where I am happy and can be a kid again. Sorry, but my 25 year old self will be back in line for Dumbo in May.

 

[Amirah95]

What a Scrooge-like original post this is ! Lighten up!

 

[disneyheaven]

MAGICALLY SAID!!! I think this post sums it all up! I love the words you use, and the reason in which you say it. Disney is for everyone of all ages, and just because an adult wants to share in the magic of Dumbo does not by ANYMEANS signify that they are rude in anyway. In fact, someone who has enough heart and magic in their soul, enough so to ride Dumbo with a giant smile on their face would probably be the same kind soul who gets up and offers his or her seat to an elderly person/child/etc. If the "magic" is in someone's heart, it can do wonderous things!

This is the second time I've seen you try and compare someone not going on a ride at WDW to "holding a door open for someone or giving up your seat on a bus for elderly, small child etc." So in the reverse does that mean that someone who chooses to ride Dumbo without a kid is as rude as someone who isn't willing to do any of those things?

I always hold a door open for someone or give up my seat on a bus for elderly people or parents with kids or kids who need to sleep on the way back to the hotel. I even have my children learning to think of others when it comes to these situations. But you can bet I'm going to enjoy riding each and ever single ride I want too at Disney every single time. One thing has nothing to do with the other.

I think thats where a lot of the reactions are coming from to your posts. Just because someone wants to ride Dumbo without a child doesn't mean they are rude people. I believe the defensiveness that is being felt in the replies also comes from this idea. People who are going to WDW shouldn't need to explain or have a valid reason for anyone to ride rides. It doesn't matter if it's Dumbo or TOT. If someone has paid admission to enjoy a vacation in a place as magical as WDW they shouldn't need to worry about such things. Kids or no kids, Disney is for EVERYONE.

Halloween parties could be considered geared for children. They sell out in some cases. Does that mean we shouldn't buy tickets if we don't have kids just so there are more tickets for those families that have kids just in case they will sell out?

Examples like this can go on and on all day long. Bottom line is that if Walt wanted Dumbo to be for children only, then I would expect to see a sign on the ride explaining that only children and those with children were allowed to ride.

Fantasyland is just that, another wonderful land in the MAGIC KINGDOM.....I don't recall it ever being called KIDS land.

But thank you for the suggestion.

Just in case it was missed and such

 

[resol37]

Back in 2006 I took a friend to Disney World for her first time. She was 30 years old. She didn't have any interest in it, but if she had there was no way I was going to tell her not to ride it. Some of us weren't lucky enough to go to WDW as children.

 

[AaronB75]

Everyone should be allowed to go on, regardless of age.

That being said, the ride is a little dull.... many adults don't ever want to wait in the longest line at WDW for a little kiddie midway ride. Adults riding without kids probably isn't much of an issue - they are likely in the minority, and aren't going to be increasing the wait times significantly, so why worry?

I won't be going on it this year. There are much better ways to spend my time at Disney rather than 2hrs in line for that.

 

[HappyGramma]

The first time I rode dumbo I had my dd with me. We had a wonderful time on that ride and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Oh, did I mention that she was only 26 at the time and I was a mere 46. Then on my next trip to DW I stood in line to get my picture taken with as many characters as I could. I did have a boy about three cut in front of me in line. I didn't give him any slack about it cuz he looked like he had a mean right hook. I am doing my first solo trip in Sept and when making my ADRs the cm suggested the CP when I couldn't get an early slot at Tony's; guess someone should have told her that character meals should be just for kids.

I won't grow up!!!!!!! Peter Pan is my favorite ride.

55 yo kid

 

[AaronB75]

I guess you'll find me on the rocking chairs in front of Crockett's Tavern, and nowhere else.

Make sure you yell at those durn kids to STAY OFF MAH LAWN!!!
Gosh-durn kids.

 

[Sammie]

Sorry but this is one of the best in the Most Ridiculous Category.

Walt Disney himself said that his parks were places where everyone could be kids regardless of age.

Actually the adults who ride Dumbo are doing your child a service, learning to wait patiently is a much needed and sadly lacking skill in many today.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[denily]

I personally don't have a problem with adults riding Dumbo...I mean, it's their choice...but I do have a problem with the adults at rope drop that are knocking kids over and running to get to Dumbo ahead of everyone.
We were there a few weeks ago and two women ran into my daughter and knocked her over as they ran to get on the first ride of Dumbo!!
Now...I don't really care if we're on the first, second, third, whatever Dumbo ride of the day. But these two women never apologized, looked back at my daughter on the ground and continued running to make it over there. They high fived each other...I was so angry!

 

[Bethy Lou]

Make sure you yell at those durn kids to STAY OFF MAH LAWN!!!
Gosh-durn kids.