Why do people look down at Disney?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I look down on ppl who only go to Disney, go year after year, and don't expose their children to any real history or I culture. A man in my office takes his kids out of school every year for a week for Disney. Yet he's never taken them to any of the smithsonian museums right in our backyard. I view that as not valuing education and learning.

Oh, God, what a bore you are.

if going to disney every year for a character breakfast but not ever seeing the inside of air and space or archives makes me a bore, then sign me up!

me too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm amused by people talking about 'Europe' like it's a monolith.

+1

As if Norway and Portugal are remotely similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm amused by people talking about 'Europe' like it's a monolith.

+1

As if Norway and Portugal are remotely similar.

god forbid someone summarize to make a point when they are posting on DCUM.....

[Anonymous]

I would rather take my kids whitewater rafting in West Virginia than on the whitewater raft ride at Disney. One is outdoors, teaches them a new skill, involves getting exercise and is actually cheaper. The other is more expensive and synthetic.

I would rather take them to a zoo or a nature park to see real animals rather than animatronic animals.

I would rather take them to an actual foreign country than a simulated one at Epcot.

And Disney characters are sexist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europe = Gettysburg?

Have you actually been to Europe? LOL.

Yes smarty pants, I have been to Europe. My point was, I'm not dragging my young children all the way to Europe to listen to them whine. I can listen to them whine locally...no need to spend $10,000 to do so. You are either obtuse or just trying to stir the pot.

If my kids were that whiny I probably wouldn't take them anywhere.

We priced out Disney for a week - nearly $10k. So instead we flew to France and stayed at a rental house in Provence for a week. We explored the local markets, went to the beach, hung out on our beautiful patio/pool, made international friends hanging in the village square while eating ice cream. It was very low key and fun for the kids. No stuffy museums, no forts, no battlefields, no "site seeing", no waiting in line, no crazy crowds, no long bus rides back to the hotel, no rush to map out rides and get fast passes, etc.

Again, I don't hate Disney and we will go to again sometime in the future, but Europe isn't necessarily more expensive and isn't necessarily boring for kids. It is a real option for families. As are many other places in the world. There are many fun places around here too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would rather take my kids whitewater rafting in West Virginia than on the whitewater raft ride at Disney. One is outdoors, teaches them a new skill, involves getting exercise and is actually cheaper. The other is more expensive and synthetic.

I would rather take them to a zoo or a nature park to see real animals rather than animatronic animals.

I would rather take them to an actual foreign country than a simulated one at Epcot.

And Disney characters are sexist.

Aren't there real animals at Animal Kingdom, at Disney?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bottom line: you can take a baby and toddler to disney, but you can't take them zip-lining in Belize. You can obviously drag them through museums in Europe, but that's not a toddler's idea of fun.

So do disney when your kids are young enough to enjoy the magic, do Belize or a dude ranch when your kids are older, and do Europe when the grandparents are willing to pay for the family trip ;0)

Is there stuff ofr toddlers? I keep hearing about all the rides...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would rather take my kids whitewater rafting in West Virginia than on the whitewater raft ride at Disney. One is outdoors, teaches them a new skill, involves getting exercise and is actually cheaper. The other is more expensive and synthetic.

I would rather take them to a zoo or a nature park to see real animals rather than animatronic animals.

I would rather take them to an actual foreign country than a simulated one at Epcot.

And Disney characters are sexist.

Aren't there real animals at Animal Kingdom, at Disney?

Are you sure they're real? Disney animatronics are pretty realistic these days....

[Anonymous]

My Grandparents took me to Alaska when I was 7. I barely even remember it. Actually, they took me to Disneyland in California first for a couple of days and then we went to Alaska. I remember more about being at Disney. Because of my experience, I am not going to spend money to take my kids on a trip that will A) bore them and B) not be something that they fully embraced. When my youngest turns 5, we will start branching out a bit.

Maybe because I have traveled on my own before kids, I don't mind taking my kids to Disney. I love seeing them happy and boy are they happy campers when they are there! I may not be a Disney fan, by my kids are.

[Anonymous]

Norway and Portugal are so far apart. If only someone could miniaturize them, and present them in clean, safe sterile environment.

[Anonymous]

I think it is that people who desperately want to be some blend of hip, intellectual (they believe), urbane, educated, elite, sophisticated, etc. don't do disney because they say it isn't worth the money (as compared to Europe or whatever). I don't think those people actually travel much at all, when they do, it is home to their parents, they don't really like laughing and being silly with their kids for the short time that their kids are kids but would rather play "we are all so sophisticated, even our kale eating snowflakes who, by the way, are grades ahead at their montessori, bilingual, immersion, organic, free range school."

I love disney. Love travel in general. We will do what we feel is appropriate for us and our kids at each age. I could go jawbone with some "international friends (i just met)" in provence and drink wine with my 3 year olds but that isn't the type of vacation I want to have in Europe since i can drink wine with people I don't know in Virginia with my 3 year olds. I'd rather go to Museums, castles, historic sites, etc. and I would rather wait until my kids are old enough to appreciate it. So maybe the first it will be London where there is a "queen" and lots of easy to see cool things (red buses, Big Ben, a place where peoples heads were chopped off!) and a big zoo. But later it will be harder places that are a bit more of a challenge. But for right now, with 2 little kids, Disney, cruises, the beach, exploring East coast cites are all good. We will always go back to disney, though, because the rides are fun and the food can be good.

And 2 additional points.

Animal Kingdom has real animals and has some animals that are not seen at most zoos. Many animals that our National Zoo doesn't have anymore.

Victoria and Alberts at the Grand Floridian Resort in Walt Disney World is ranked as one of the best restaurants in the ENTIRE COUNTRY ever year. I have eaten there and it is wonderful. No kids allowed. They have babysitters at he resorts because Disney knows who is paying and how to keep those people happy too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europe = Gettysburg?

Have you actually been to Europe? LOL.

Yes smarty pants, I have been to Europe. My point was, I'm not dragging my young children all the way to Europe to listen to them whine. I can listen to them whine locally...no need to spend $10,000 to do so. You are either obtuse or just trying to stir the pot.

If my kids were that whiny I probably wouldn't take them anywhere.

We priced out Disney for a week - nearly $10k. So instead we flew to France and stayed at a rental house in Provence for a week. We explored the local markets, went to the beach, hung out on our beautiful patio/pool, made international friends hanging in the village square while eating ice cream. It was very low key and fun for the kids. No stuffy museums, no forts, no battlefields, no "site seeing", no waiting in line, no crazy crowds, no long bus rides back to the hotel, no rush to map out rides and get fast passes, etc.

Again, I don't hate Disney and we will go to again sometime in the future, but Europe isn't necessarily more expensive and isn't necessarily boring for kids. It is a real option for families. As are many other places in the world. There are many fun places around here too.

You must have worked hard to make a week at Disney cost $10K! Way to crunch the numbers for the trip YOU really wanted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it is that people who desperately want to be some blend of hip, intellectual (they believe), urbane, educated, elite, sophisticated, etc. don't do disney because they say it isn't worth the money (as compared to Europe or whatever). I don't think those people actually travel much at all, when they do, it is home to their parents, they don't really like laughing and being silly with their kids for the short time that their kids are kids but would rather play "we are all so sophisticated, even our kale eating snowflakes who, by the way, are grades ahead at their montessori, bilingual, immersion, organic, free range school."

I love disney. Love travel in general. We will do what we feel is appropriate for us and our kids at each age. I could go jawbone with some "international friends (i just met)" in provence and drink wine with my 3 year olds but that isn't the type of vacation I want to have in Europe since i can drink wine with people I don't know in Virginia with my 3 year olds. I'd rather go to Museums, castles, historic sites, etc. and I would rather wait until my kids are old enough to appreciate it. So maybe the first it will be London where there is a "queen" and lots of easy to see cool things (red buses, Big Ben, a place where peoples heads were chopped off!) and a big zoo. But later it will be harder places that are a bit more of a challenge. But for right now, with 2 little kids, Disney, cruises, the beach, exploring East coast cites are all good. We will always go back to disney, though, because the rides are fun and the food can be good.

And 2 additional points.

Animal Kingdom has real animals and has some animals that are not seen at most zoos. Many animals that our National Zoo doesn't have anymore.

Victoria and Alberts at the Grand Floridian Resort in Walt Disney World is ranked as one of the best restaurants in the ENTIRE COUNTRY ever year. I have eaten there and it is wonderful. No kids allowed. They have babysitters at he resorts because Disney knows who is paying and how to keep those people happy too!

Nice story, bro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Europe = Gettysburg?

Have you actually been to Europe? LOL.

Yes smarty pants, I have been to Europe. My point was, I'm not dragging my young children all the way to Europe to listen to them whine. I can listen to them whine locally...no need to spend $10,000 to do so. You are either obtuse or just trying to stir the pot.

If my kids were that whiny I probably wouldn't take them anywhere.

We priced out Disney for a week - nearly $10k. So instead we flew to France and stayed at a rental house in Provence for a week. We explored the local markets, went to the beach, hung out on our beautiful patio/pool, made international friends hanging in the village square while eating ice cream. It was very low key and fun for the kids. No stuffy museums, no forts, no battlefields, no "site seeing", no waiting in line, no crazy crowds, no long bus rides back to the hotel, no rush to map out rides and get fast passes, etc.

Again, I don't hate Disney and we will go to again sometime in the future, but Europe isn't necessarily more expensive and isn't necessarily boring for kids. It is a real option for families. As are many other places in the world. There are many fun places around here too.

You must have worked hard to make a week at Disney cost $10K! Way to crunch the numbers for the trip YOU really wanted.

I just priced it out again for spring break week - $8k for one very basic room on the monorail, mid-level dining option (only one sit down meal/day), only 5 days in the park, etc. With the current spring "sale" prices. Plus add in the extras and you are pretty close to $10k.

Crazy expensive. Especially compared to similar experiences at Dutch Wonderland, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it is that people who desperately want to be some blend of hip, intellectual (they believe), urbane, educated, elite, sophisticated, etc. don't do disney because they say it isn't worth the money (as compared to Europe or whatever). I don't think those people actually travel much at all, when they do, it is home to their parents, they don't really like laughing and being silly with their kids for the short time that their kids are kids but would rather play "we are all so sophisticated, even our kale eating snowflakes who, by the way, are grades ahead at their montessori, bilingual, immersion, organic, free range school."

I'm the Provence poster. My DH and I are very much into letting our kids being kids. We get silly with them ALL of the time (I just had on a princess cape 5 min ago). I think because of this our kids have a great time wherever we are. So why not take a vacation that we want every now and then - our kids will have fun, we will have fun. It doesn't need to be Disney every single time.