Visiting From Major City

[AnonymousAnon18]

I am thinking about booking a trip for me and my husband (no kids). It seems like it would be fun to wander around, ride some rides, eat snacks, etc., but I can't help thinking that most of the things recommended for adults wouldn't be that exciting since we live in a large city. Why spend $70 for an African buffet, for instance, when we could have authentic Ethiopian at home for $20? We have dueling piano bars here that we never go to, so Jellyrolls isn't a draw, etc.

So my question is, are there any adult travelers from a major city? What do you find that makes the trip/expense worthwhile? (Side note: We aren't huge fans of Disney in and of itself, so characters wouldn't be a huge draw.) I guess the issue I'm having is that so many of the tips for adults revolve around food and drink, and it seems a little silly to pay thousands of dollars on a vacation when I could have a better/cheaper version of all those foods and drinks within a five mile radius. Any thoughts?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Honest answer?

Sounds like Disney isn't for you at all and I'm not sure why you want to go based on your comments.

If I were you I wouldn't go at all. You'd only be comparing EVERYTHING with what you have back home and likely resent the money spent.

 

[AnonymousAnon18]

Thanks for the honesty! Like I said, it seemed like it would be a good time to wander about, especially at Christmastime, but I didn't know if there was was anything I was missing that might help justify the cost/vacation days spent. I think we would have fun, but we'd also have fun in a lot of other places; so I didn't know if there was anything that would help tip the scale for adults besides eating and drinking.

Honest answer?

Sounds like Disney isn't for you at all and I'm not sure why you want to go based on your comments.

If I were you I wouldn't go at all. You'd only be comparing EVERYTHING with what you have back home and likely resent the money spent.

 

[AnonymousAnon18]

I guess my question for those outside of major cities, then, is: Why Disney? Is it the rides? The characters? What makes you go there instead of, say, New York, which also has great food and lots of shows?

 

[Hannahinwonderland]

I live in New York and yeah, could get Ethopian food all the time, or much better and authentic snacks than what I can find in World Showcase. Granted, I'm only kind of an adult (twenties), but Disney has a special magic for me that makes it a worthwhile destination. Part of it is childhood nostalgia, another part is the fact that I once worked there, another part is that it's a happy escape from everyday life. Honestly, if you don't feel that way about the place, I'd go somewhere else.

 

[Accident]

So my question is, are there any adult travelers from a major city? What do you find that makes the trip/expense worthwhile? (Side note: We aren't huge fans of Disney in and of itself, so characters wouldn't be a huge draw.) I guess the issue I'm having is that so many of the tips for adults revolve around food and drink, and it seems a little silly to pay thousands of dollars on a vacation when I could have a better/cheaper version of all those foods and drinks within a five mile radius. Any thoughts?

I'm from nyc (or was, recently moved here). Most tips given for adults is "what else is there that is more adult oriented". but the whole place is for adults and much of it isn't just kids. I do agree the food is lack luster vs a large city where you have more of it that tastes better for much less money. I never went to disney for the food and rarely ate at the table services. but there is a wide variety of unique atmosphere places to eat that you won't find in a big city (or very rare to find and more like a pop up place). Food and wine i'd like to say is unique but I enjoyed the similar events in the larger cities that were a day or two and they had better food.

now with that said, traveling anywhere you'd have the same issues but of course disney cranks up the price and lowers the quality so you need to pick and choose a little more carefully for where you do want to spend that money on dining. I see many adult only recommendations thinking they should go to nyc instead if that's all they want to do. Just like seeing hte sights of another major town, you would have a lot of overlap. Disney is larger than the city of san francisco for example, but it's not sf, nor is it nyc, chicago, balitimore or any other place.

So where disney does it for me is it's very all encompassing. I don't know anyone that doesnt' suddenly feel a little younger and starts to trigger childhood memories long forgotten. It is really a place where reality is left at the airport and you get a little break from life. A place where it's ok to let go a little and just bask in the moment. It's a hard thing to really describe until you've been there. Everything is also done a little different than you would find everywhere else and it's all right with minimal traveling to get around. As mentioned before, I used to travel to other towns and just didn't really feel like I was traveling because I had it all in nyc. It was the uniqueness about each place I did travel too that I had to start enjoying and disney is a very unique place that you only find in other disney parks and even those are different from each other.

I once read an article about someone that was never going to visit disney. they didn't see a reason to pay a lot of money to ride a safari in florida when for the same or less they could just travel to africa. I forget what the trigger was when they finally decided to try it but it was that disney had something that everywhere else didn't. So it's the same but different.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Thanks for the honesty! Like I said, it seemed like it would be a good time to wander about, especially at Christmastime, but I didn't know if there was was anything I was missing that might help justify the cost/vacation days spent. I think we would have fun, but we'd also have fun in a lot of other places; so I didn't know if there was anything that would help tip the scale for adults besides eating and drinking.

No problem. I would just go have fun elsewhere in all honesty just based on your comments. A lot of people go to Disney because they have a connection there..maybe they went as children themselves, maybe they are going for the first time, but usually there is a love of Disney (at least by one person in the traveling party).

And I do agree with Hannahinwonderland...nostalgia is part of the pull for many. I grew up on Disney (you should see my VHS collection lol). It's in my blood. And WDW will always be a special place in my heart. I've been fortunate to have gone 4 times in my 28 years and another trip planned for next year but still even if I had not been able to go growing up I would have wanted to go as an adult. I have 3 places near me, as in within a few hrs or so and one within 45 mins, (Worlds of Fun, Six Flags St. Louis and Silverdollar City) where I can get my rollercoaster and other types of ride fixes but none hold a candle to the feeling I get when I step onto WDW property.

 

[Accident]

reading other replies.. maybe a florida or central florida vacation where you day trip once or twice to disney might fit your style better. maybe a cruise and just stop in before or after it?

 

[AnonymousAnon18]

I'm from nyc (or was, recently moved here). Most tips given for adults is "what else is there that is more adult oriented". but the whole place is for adults and much of it isn't just kids. I do agree the food is lack luster vs a large city where you have more of it that tastes better for much less money. I never went to disney for the food and rarely ate at the table services. but there is a wide variety of unique atmosphere places to eat that you won't find in a big city (or very rare to find and more like a pop up place). Food and wine i'd like to say is unique but I enjoyed the similar events in the larger cities that were a day or two and they had better food.

now with that said, traveling anywhere you'd have the same issues but of course disney cranks up the price and lowers the quality so you need to pick and choose a little more carefully for where you do want to spend that money on dining. I see many adult only recommendations thinking they should go to nyc instead if that's all they want to do. Just like seeing hte sights of another major town, you would have a lot of overlap. Disney is larger than the city of san francisco for example, but it's not sf, nor is it nyc, chicago, balitimore or any other place.

So where disney does it for me is it's very all encompassing. I don't know anyone that doesnt' suddenly feel a little younger and starts to trigger childhood memories long forgotten. It is really a place where reality is left at the airport and you get a little break from life. A place where it's ok to let go a little and just bask in the moment. It's a hard thing to really describe until you've been there. Everything is also done a little different than you would find everywhere else and it's all right with minimal traveling to get around. As mentioned before, I used to travel to other towns and just didn't really feel like I was traveling because I had it all in nyc. It was the uniqueness about each place I did travel too that I had to start enjoying and disney is a very unique place that you only find in other disney parks and even those are different from each other.

I once read an article about someone that was never going to visit disney. they didn't see a reason to pay a lot of money to ride a safari in florida when for the same or less they could just travel to africa. I forget what the trigger was when they finally decided to try it but it was that disney had something that everywhere else didn't. So it's the same but different.

Thanks! This helps a lot. I like the idea that it's unique in its own right, not just a "pretend" version of other places. I think we will go and have a nice time, on a smaller scale--we just maybe won't try to make it the end-all-be-all vacation that some others might look forward to it as.

 

[Cirlonde]

OP, I think your question is a really great one and I wish I could better put into words why my husband and I enjoy WDW so much. I think you're 100% correct that the food and drinks are not worth the expense of the trip. We rarely do any table service meals, and we split 99% of the food we eat from counter service. Don't get me wrong, there are some items that we make a point to get every trip. But it's not "why we go".

Accident is right...there's just something about the atmosphere there! Every element of WDW (from hotels, to Disney Springs, to each of the parks) feels like the ideal version of whatever it's representing without the downsides that might normally come along with it. Think of the absolute best dessert you can imagine only it doesn't make you gain weight or give you cavities. For example, Frontierland in Magic Kingdom. It's designed in great detail to look and feel like a small Old West town, but there's no dust or horse poop.

While I am a moderate Disney movie fan, I'm not really much of a "meet the characters" fan. The things that keep us going back again and again are:

• The rides!! We don't really enjoy super extreme thrill rides, but Expedition Everest and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train are just the right amount of thrill. And nothing beats the detail Disney puts into its dark rides. Haunted Mansion and Winnie the Pooh are two of my favorites.
• The escape from reality. When your on property, it just feels like you are literally in a bubble that is keeping the outside world at bay.
• The "happy" factor. For me, even just seeing a picture looking down Main Street at the Castle can make me giddy because of the memories associated with that view. This is the part that's hardest to explain and probably isn't the same for everyone. My husband and I have just never had a bad trip, so we've only got good memories of WDW.
• The overwhelming detail in the theming. If you've ever been to Las Vegas and felt a little bit transported into another time and place while walking through some of those buildings along the Strip, that's what Disney reminds me of...except without the homeless people and advertisements for escort services.
• The energy. I think there must be some kind of Disney-pheromone that people exude while they are at Disney. And that positive, excited, child-like energy tends to be contagious. I know there are exceptions and you will see kids crying, parents frazzled, people upset...but it's just not the majority. Most faces are full of wonder and joy.

I don't think there is any one "right" vacation or destination. Lots of people love to sit on a beach for a week and can't imagine anything more relaxing. But I would get bored quickly. You should go on the vacation that is right for you and that makes you happy!! But I hope the info you're getting on this thread will help you to have some idea what to expect if you do decide to try Disney. Just don't be surprised if you catch the bug and start planning your next trip before you're back home from your first one.

 

[kwdw]

My adult trips as a couple to WDW revolve around the rides, the shows, and being in a Disney bubble without the sights and sounds of the real world. We go to the pool, act silly around the characters and take pictures. We like the parades and the fireworks, too. We love to people watch. We live just outside a big city - and while we might dine in an authentic "insert some foreign cuisine" restaurant - you still FEEL like you are at home in local city. Disney restaurants also try to transport you to that location. You probably will find the food overpriced and not that good. But - that's not why we go - though we have found some nice restaurants that we find quite good and unlike home. We drink alcoholic drinks - but very, very little. Maybe a couple of drinks during a whole week of vacation - it's just not part of who we are. So - food and wine are not the major components of our trip.

Disney isn't for everyone - and maybe it's not for you - but we have a ton of fun as an adult couple!

 

[Simba's Mom]

I guess my question for those outside of major cities, then, is: Why Disney? Is it the rides? The characters? What makes you go there instead of, say, New York, which also has great food and lots of shows?

For us, who are definitely NOT big city people, it's partly about the people-we find the CMs so friendly, and, especially on this last trip I noticed that WDW seems to bring out the best (the politeness for instance) in everyone. Also, it's spotless clean by comparison. DS lives in New York City, and from what he's told us, no way would we want to go on the subway there or lots of other things. But he loves his city. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[georgina]

Yeah, I HATE New York City. My DS lived there for 2 years and we visited him rarely. I would never choose New York for a vacation. We are not that much into the food at Disney (I have never eaten at the African themed restaurants), I enjoy the rides, atmosphere, sunshine in the winter, special events. I did not grow up going to Disney, so it is not a nostalgia thing for me, but I do like the familiarity. I live in the suburbs of a large-ish city with a lot of dining choices and we do not venture into town much. Disney feels safe to me to go as a solo traveler.

It's not just New York City, I feel the same way about LA. I have family in Chicago and don't really appreciate that city either. There are some cities I do like - Washington, DC, Seattle, San Francisco, which are where all my kids live now.

 

[com_op_2000]

It depends on what you are into:
sports: golf, mini-golf, fishing, marathon, bowling, ESPN Club, WWS/ESPN Zone, etc
shopping: DTD, area outlet malls, large scale malls
drinking: Jellyrolls, Raglan Road, monorail tour of resorts, walking tour of resorts in the Boardwalk area
movies: DTD 24 screen theater some with meals served by waiters
night clubbing: Jellyrolls, Atlantic Dance, Raglan Road, Citywalk
resort tours: monorail tour of resorts, Boardwalk around the lake tour of resorts, horse drawn tour of FWC, AKL/AKV
offsite: Gaylord Palms Resort, Citywalk, swamp tour
eating: Formal GF 5* Chef's Table @ V&As
I agree with the PP who recommended you take DCL and just spend a couple of days before with the WDW resort. IMHO, you might not be someone(like my dad) who can stand Disney just not be in the parks and around the area that often.