What percentage of U.S. kids have been to Disney?

[Subi WRX]

I don't know. I can't get past the fact that you seem ok with your son making fun of someone over their vacation.

Thank you. I was just thinking this as well. Rude, IMO. And to announce that he did it on a public message board? Definitely questionable.

 

[NMAmy]

Thank you. I was just thinking this as well. Rude, IMO. And to announce that he did it on a public message board? Definitely questionable.

Well, that doesn't really seem fair. Her son couldn't believe that someone didn't know about a Fast Pass. I've seen plenty of adults on these boards making fun of strangers for thinking there is a fee to use them or talking about those in the standby line thinking they were cutting when using Fast Pass.

And the OP seemed to want to be able to give her son an actual statistic so she could reinforce the idea to him that not every kid in the U.S. goes to WDW multiple times.

I also think it depends on where you live. Most people I know haven't taken their kids to WDW. Not because they don't like to travel but because they just don't have any interest in going. I tease one of my friends that I'm going to take her dd with us because even though she's 6 and she's been all over the world on vacation, her mom is mean because she won't take her to WDW. It's not always a matter of not being able to afford it but more of a lack of interest.

 

[Subi WRX]

Well, that doesn't really seem fair. Her son couldn't believe that someone didn't know about a Fast Pass. I've seen plenty of adults on these boards making fun of strangers for thinking there is a fee to use them or talking about those in the standby line thinking they were cutting when using Fast Pass.

And the OP seemed to want to be able to give her son an actual statistic so she could reinforce the idea to him that not every kid in the U.S. goes to WDW multiple times.

I also think it depends on where you live. Most people I know haven't taken their kids to WDW. Not because they don't like to travel but because they just don't have any interest in going. I tease one of my friends that I'm going to take her dd with us because even though she's 6 and she's been all over the world on vacation, her mom is mean because she won't take her to WDW. It's not always a matter of not being able to afford it but more of a lack of interest.

So, because people make fun of it on these boards, it's OK? OP pointed out that her friends have financial constraints and it would probably be their only trip. OP said her son was smart alecky about them not knowing all the ins and outs. Didn't sound like general teasing to me, but making fun. That's how it came across to me.

 

[Aliceacc]

My 3 kids haven't.

My sister's 3 are there now for the first time.

My niece's 2 kids haven't.

Her brother's son hasn't.

Her cousin's daughter hasn't.

How sad that someone's idea of a good time is making fun of us all.

For the record, my husband and I are both teachers with Master's Degrees. My sister has her MBA, her husband has his BA.

And I have been to London, Paris, Bermuda, LA, Chicago, Detriot, New Orleans, DC, parts of the Carribean, Canada, and a number of destinations around the northeast... then the kids came along. My kids' travels have been more limited: aside from my son's trip to the US from Korea as an infant, most of their traveling has been within a 5 or 6 hour drive from Long Island.

 

[suzimar57]

i'm with the rest of you about that less than 10% - even less.

 

[ilisao]

Well, that doesn't really seem fair. Her son couldn't believe that someone didn't know about a Fast Pass. I've seen plenty of adults on these boards making fun of strangers for thinking there is a fee to use them or talking about those in the standby line thinking they were cutting when using Fast Pass.

And the OP seemed to want to be able to give her son an actual statistic so she could reinforce the idea to him that not every kid in the U.S. goes to WDW multiple times.

So that makes it ok? No it does not. She said her son was "making fun" of this woman. It's nice that she wants to give him an actual statistic. But, judging from what she wrote, she didn't seem all that bothered that her son was making fun of a friend. And you don't need an actual statistic to teach your child gratitude and humility.

 

[NMAmy]

So, because people make fun of it on these boards, it's OK? OP pointed out that her friends have financial constraints and it would probably be their only trip. OP said her son was smart alecky about them not knowing all the ins and outs. Didn't sound like general teasing to me, but making fun. That's how it came across to me.

And I can't speak for the OP, but the fact that she started a thread to ask for an actual statistic to tell her son made me think she didn't approve of his attitude and was trying to get him to understand that the entire U.S. was not like his little part of the world.

And ilsao, no, you don't need an actual percentage to teach gratitude and humility but her son was the one who brought it up and I can understand wanting to reinforce the ACTUAL percentage as opposed to what he thinks it is based on the people he knows. Makes it a little more real, KWIM?

I wasn't trying to pick a fight with the two of you but just wanted to point out that we're talking about a child. And this is a great opportuntity for the OP to teach him that not everyone has the things in life that he's lucky enough to have.

 

[Charade]

Out of all my friends I am the only one who's been there and I've been there twice.. I highly doubt its in the double % range. Dh wasn't there until last year.

My experience is quite different. Most all of my immediate family and friends, many of my immediate coworkers and a fair percentage of my customers have been to WDW. Many more than once.

 

[Robinrs]

I didn't go until I was in my 40s and living in Georgia and it was hardly because of money problems. I grew up thinking it was corny and never cared to go.

It may surprise lots of people on this board but some people don't like Disney anything. In my family only my niece, one cousin, and I have been to Disney, mostly because of our kids. I've gone 6 times since my first trip and don't plan to return until I have grandchildren.

 

[ford family]

So that makes it ok? No it does not. She said her son was "making fun" of this woman. It's nice that she wants to give him an actual statistic. But, judging from what she wrote, she didn't seem all that bothered that her son was making fun of a friend. And you don't need an actual statistic to teach your child gratitude and humility.

The way I understood the original post, the conversation was between mother and son. The people being made fun of were not there, they were in WDW already.

ford family

 

[Charade]

The way I understood the original post, the conversation was between mother and son. The people being made fun of were not there, they were in WDW already.

ford family

That's the way I read it too. In fact, that's the way she wrote it.

But it would be nice to not "make fun" of someone over something like that irregardless if the other person is there or not.


...save that for something REALLY special!!!

 

[ilisao]

The way I understood the original post, the conversation was between mother and son. The people being made fun of were not there, they were in WDW already.

ford family

So? That makes it ok, to make fun of them behind their backs? Because in our house, it's unacceptable for our kids to make fun of anyone, to their face or behind their backs.

Oh, and NMAmy, we're not talking about a young child. We're talking about a 14 year old.

 

[powellrj]

There are lots of kids that my kids are friends with that have never been. The girl across the street has family members that she visits ever summer in Orlando and she has never been. We had a boy down the street that had never been to Kings Island and its only 2 hours away.

While its some place we go as a family, some people just don't enjoy that kind of thing and other people don't have the money for it.

 

[golfgal]

According to this website http://unsolvedmysteries.com/usm181363.html 70% of Americans (including, presumably, adults and children) have been to Disneyland or Disney World. No idea where they got that number.

That is REALLY high.

I totally think it is regional. If you are from Florida or Georgia or Alabama, you have been, but the further north and west you go, the fewer have gone....In Minnesota I don't know many people that have been, they are quite happy with Dells, 6 Flags and Valleyfair (I was there on the 4th and let me tell you, never again)

Did you see the guy getting beat up on the 4th?

I would have to agree that the farther away you get from Florida the fewer people you will run into that have gone or have gone more then once. Fast Passes aren't all that old so people that may have gone as a child might know nothing about them too. In our general circle of friends/family, I would say less then 1/2 have been to Disney and of those that have gone, most have only gone once, maybe twice.

 

[NMAmy]

Oh, and NMAmy, we're not talking about a young child. We're talking about a 14 year old.

A 14 yo is still a child. And in my experience, that's an age when they're even more likely to think that everyone has had the same experiences they have had. A prime time to teach them that that is not the case.

I'm not disagreeing with you that it's not nice to make fun of someone who may not have been able to afford a WDW vacation. I just did not get from the first post that the OP thought it was okay, either.

 

[Charade]

So? That makes it ok, to make fun of them behind their backs? Because in our house, it's unacceptable for our kids to make fun of anyone, to their face or behind their backs.

That's OK. Your house, your kids, your rules.

 

[Quiksilvr]

What exactly do you want the OP to do? Put a disclaimer in her first message that she has severely punished her son for doing something some of the responders might not like? Come on. She asked a very honest question to which she is looking for some kind of proveable answer. She didn't ask for any parenting advice.

A lot of kids are tools. I certainly was; it took a long time for me to grow out of that phase and it had nothing to do with what my parents tried to teach me. My parents were great; I was the one with the attitude problem.

Anyway, in response to the OP's question, I think the percentage is quite small. I grew up in a small city. Most of my small circle of friends had been to WDW once when they were kids for the obligatory family trip. I had been three times and it was thought to be quite extravagant. However, my friends and I were a small percentage of the school. Most of the other kids had never been and never would go (for financial, family, and other reasons).

I'm now in a situation where pretty much everyone I know has been at least once (as kids) but would never go back because it's not their idea of a great vacation. They'll probably take their kids when they have them but until then they'll vacation in Greece or something.

 

[gina2000]

OP was giving background info on why the question was brought up. If I had a nickel for every stupid, rude thing my 14 year old said, I'd be rich. And hoarse because I'd never be done lecturing him. It doesn't mean I don't correct him at every turn, it just means that he opened his mouth before his brain filter engaged....again. If the OP had realized that you were going to pick apart her background information, I'm sure she would have given you a blow by blow description of how she corrected him, lectured him and reminded him of his manners.


I think less than 20% of all children have visited WDW....and many of them only have done so on a one day basis while vacationing in Florida.....which in and of itself is a once in a blue moon activity. Many people don't have the means to vacation and travelling a long distance is a rare event.

 

[yankeepenny]

I realize your son is 14. I am however surprised that you did not think his comments were inappropriate. I never went to Disney until a couple of years ago. Many folks are just now BARELY able to make a trip. It is not in the reach of many, many americans. I happen to know a large number of folks who have not been, financially able or not.
just expressing my thought.

 

[Aliceacc]

While I think that 14 years old is WAY too old to still be making fun of people who have less than you do (and I teach high school, so I'm not unfamiliar with the age group), let's help the OP answer the question:

Let's start with the number of US kids living in poverty, we can assume that most of them have not gotten to Disney:

"SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 1981 to 2006 Annual Social and Economic Supplements.

In 2005, 18 percent of all children ages 0–17 lived in poverty, unchanged from 2004. The poverty rate was higher for Black children and for Hispanic children than for White, non-Hispanic children. In 2005, 10 percent of White, non-Hispanic children lived in poverty, compared with 35 percent of Black children and 28 percent of Hispanic children. "

Now take a look at just where that poverty level is-- how little you have to be earning in the US to qualify as being in poverty-- and figure from there how many people NOT 'living in poverty" can't afford extras like new backpacks for school, much less a trip to Disney World.

Take a look at the unemployment numbers, particularly in the inner cities and among minorities.

I think the estimates I've been reading here are WAAAAYYYY too high.