Will I regret never going to Disney?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The regret part is in your head, so we can’t tell you the answer.

I can say the experience was not something that appealed to us: overpriced, fake adventures, with crowds/lines/heat.

I brought my kid to other countries, where we did real boat rides, saw real alps, etc. Those memories are more meaningful to me. But you sound perhaps more prone to marketing/commercialization.

To those who claimed I was making it up when I said these threads become people who act as though Disney + other places are mutually exclusive: this is what I’m talking about.

PP, my family has gone to Disney as well as many, many other places — in the US and abroad. We find meaning in the experiences at all of those places.

[Anonymous]

OP, only take your kid if s/he wants to go. If s/he is not a super fan, they would likely never miss out. Some people LOVE it while others HATE it. Others do not think much about it. If you are in the "love" camp, you probably wouldn't be asking here whether you should go. If you're neutral, you probably won't miss it.

My kids are not big Disney fans - nor are we theme park people. If I surprised them with a Disney trip, they'd likely be nonplussed b/c it's. not their thing. However, if I surprised my kids with a surprise trip to the UK to attend an EPL game, they'd lose their collective minds.

Different strokes.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:OP, you are not missing out on anything. It’s an overpriced theme park that doesn’t offer much beyond hours in line, heat, terrible crowds, and subpar rides. Food is awful and I will never understand the hype. If you are not a fan of theme parks, there is zero draw or reason to be there. Save your money for places that really matter to you.

Totally get your opinion on Disney, but “subpar rides”? What?

The rides are essentially glorified conveyor belts where you’re forced into dark tunnels to watch lame animatronics. I also hate the staring at a movie screen while you sit in a chair effect for the others. I like real rollercoasters and Disney doesn’t cut it so the park would never be worth it for me

+1

I can’t believe how much I paid for universal only to be basically watching TV from a moving seat.

This. You stand in line for over an hour to sit down and watch tv. I will never understand the hype.

I can’t think of any Disney World rides that fit that description.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I always imagine my kids meeting their freshman roommate and they review their childhoods together. My kid doesn’t have to be wonder boy/girl but I would like them to have felt cared for and loved and had some middle class experiences. Also not to feel ‘left out’ when the conversation turns to summers…I loath Disney and all it stands for as a company - I worked for ABC News when they took them over - but still took my kids. It is a quintessential American experience whether you want to admit it or not. I would spend the money and go - even if you feel ripped.

My kids have been all over the US and have gone to several foreign countries, plus several more low-key amusement parks. They’ve never asked to go to Disney and I don’t think they’ll miss it.

My kid is 5 and has been to:

- Disney several times
- England
- Italy
- Sweden
- Finland
- Estonia
- NYC a lot, as my parents live there
- Arizona a lot, as the in-laws live there

This December, we’re taking her to Paris. Next December, we’re going on a Disney Cruise.

Turns out, going to other places and going to Disney isn’t mutually exclusive, despite what DCUM thinks.

Okay? I never went to Disney and I had a perfectly fine American upbringing, thanks.

Congrats! Just stop acting as though those of us who go to Disney a lot are somehow not able to go elsewhere. You all try to flex on all the places you’ve gone, as though those of us who go to Disney a lot never go elsewhere.

Not the point of this thread. We know some people like it. Some don’t. The question is would she regret not going. Hard to argue that there is true regret to be had if you don’t make it to one very expensive and stressful theme park.

If it’s not the point of the thread, then why are people listing all the places they’ve gone instead of Disney?

Because as a parent, you are building your kid’s memory bank. You are choosing between one way to spend $2,000 or another, so it is very relevant. Real life rafting or pretend rafting. That is what it comes down to. Some of us don’t regret missing Disney because of what we did instead of Disney. Why is that hard for you to grasp?

[Anonymous]

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I always imagine my kids meeting their freshman roommate and they review their childhoods together. My kid doesn’t have to be wonder boy/girl but I would like them to have felt cared for and loved and had some middle class experiences. Also not to feel ‘left out’ when the conversation turns to summers…I loath Disney and all it stands for as a company - I worked for ABC News when they took them over - but still took my kids. It is a quintessential American experience whether you want to admit it or not. I would spend the money and go - even if you feel ripped.

My kids have been all over the US and have gone to several foreign countries, plus several more low-key amusement parks. They’ve never asked to go to Disney and I don’t think they’ll miss it.

My kid is 5 and has been to:

- Disney several times
- England
- Italy
- Sweden
- Finland
- Estonia
- NYC a lot, as my parents live there
- Arizona a lot, as the in-laws live there

This December, we’re taking her to Paris. Next December, we’re going on a Disney Cruise.

Turns out, going to other places and going to Disney isn’t mutually exclusive, despite what DCUM thinks.

Okay? I never went to Disney and I had a perfectly fine American upbringing, thanks.

Congrats! Just stop acting as though those of us who go to Disney a lot are somehow not able to go elsewhere. You all try to flex on all the places you’ve gone, as though those of us who go to Disney a lot never go elsewhere.

Not the point of this thread. We know some people like it. Some don’t. The question is would she regret not going. Hard to argue that there is true regret to be had if you don’t make it to one very expensive and stressful theme park.

If it’s not the point of the thread, then why are people listing all the places they’ve gone instead of Disney?

Because as a parent, you are building your kid’s memory bank. You are choosing between one way to spend $2,000 or another, so it is very relevant. Real life rafting or pretend rafting. That is what it comes down to. Some of us don’t regret missing Disney because of what we did instead of Disney. Why is that hard for you to grasp?

Why is it hard for you to grasp that some of us do Disney and other things? No one is going to Disney thinking “all of this is real.” We go to Disney because it’s a fun, well-run theme park. We go to Europe and other places to see the world.

[Anonymous]

To those of you talking about doing Disney or other things: sorry you can’t afford to do all of it. Some of us don’t have to choose.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To those of you talking about doing Disney or other things: sorry you can’t afford to do all of it. Some of us don’t have to choose.

This is why some of us stay away from the ride or die Disney folks. What an absolutely terrible thing to say - "Sorry, you're poor so you must not be able to afford Disney" is really your flex? I budget $35K per year for our annual vacations. I will not spend $1 of that on Disney. And even when my vacation budget was significantly less, I'd never spend any of that on Disney. What is wrong with you??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To those of you talking about doing Disney or other things: sorry you can’t afford to do all of it. Some of us don’t have to choose.

This is why some of us stay away from the ride or die Disney folks. What an absolutely terrible thing to say - "Sorry, you're poor so you must not be able to afford Disney" is really your flex? I budget $35K per year for our annual vacations. I will not spend $1 of that on Disney. And even when my vacation budget was significantly less, I'd never spend any of that on Disney. What is wrong with you??

I’m responding to the people who claim that it’s important to not go to Disney because it’s “fake life rafting” and we’re building our kids’ memory banks, and should do that with other experiences. It’s a nasty post that deserves a nasty response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To those of you talking about doing Disney or other things: sorry you can’t afford to do all of it. Some of us don’t have to choose.

This is why some of us stay away from the ride or die Disney folks. What an absolutely terrible thing to say - "Sorry, you're poor so you must not be able to afford Disney" is really your flex? I budget $35K per year for our annual vacations. I will not spend $1 of that on Disney. And even when my vacation budget was significantly less, I'd never spend any of that on Disney. What is wrong with you??

I’m responding to the people who claim that it’s important to not go to Disney because it’s “fake life rafting” and we’re building our kids’ memory banks, and should do that with other experiences. It’s a nasty post that deserves a nasty response.

Your post was a terrible below the belt response - no matter what you were responding to. It did not prove the point that you think it did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To those of you talking about doing Disney or other things: sorry you can’t afford to do all of it. Some of us don’t have to choose.

This is why some of us stay away from the ride or die Disney folks. What an absolutely terrible thing to say - "Sorry, you're poor so you must not be able to afford Disney" is really your flex? I budget $35K per year for our annual vacations. I will not spend $1 of that on Disney. And even when my vacation budget was significantly less, I'd never spend any of that on Disney. What is wrong with you??

I’m responding to the people who claim that it’s important to not go to Disney because it’s “fake life rafting” and we’re building our kids’ memory banks, and should do that with other experiences. It’s a nasty post that deserves a nasty response.

Your post was a terrible below the belt response - no matter what you were responding to. It did not prove the point that you think it did.

I wasn’t trying to prove any point. This thread is littered with people listing all the places they’ve gone to instead of Disney, talking about how superior those experiences are. It’s nasty, plain and simple. Should I have responded to their crappiness with a nasty response? Probably not, but they also could have easily said “Disney isn’t for us” rather than “you’re building your kids’ memory banks” and “it sounds like you prefer commercialization.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you are not missing out on anything. It’s an overpriced theme park that doesn’t offer much beyond hours in line, heat, terrible crowds, and subpar rides. Food is awful and I will never understand the hype. If you are not a fan of theme parks, there is zero draw or reason to be there. Save your money for places that really matter to you.

This is a person who didn’t plan.

Op you should go, but, you need to research and plan it, makes the experience much better.

Not to derail, but what are the best sites to help outline a plan? There are literally 1000s of Disney hacks and tips sites, and I get so overwhelmed trying to figure it out. My kids are 7 and 4, so hoping to go within the next year.

[Anonymous]

Not going to lie, I am judgmental about people who go to Disney more than once, and very judgmental about adults who go without kids. It’s just so trashy to be into Disney as an adult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you are not missing out on anything. It’s an overpriced theme park that doesn’t offer much beyond hours in line, heat, terrible crowds, and subpar rides. Food is awful and I will never understand the hype. If you are not a fan of theme parks, there is zero draw or reason to be there. Save your money for places that really matter to you.

This is a person who didn’t plan.

Op you should go, but, you need to research and plan it, makes the experience much better.

Not to derail, but what are the best sites to help outline a plan? There are literally 1000s of Disney hacks and tips sites, and I get so overwhelmed trying to figure it out. My kids are 7 and 4, so hoping to go within the next year.

Start a new thread, and I will try to help. Other good resources:

- Disney Food Blog
- WDW Prep School
- All Ears
- Touring Plans

[Anonymous]

Disney isn't just an amusement park, it's an experience. If your kid loves Star Wars 100% go. Even if your kid doesn't it's definitely something to experience at least once. The resort pools are great as well so you don't need to spend the entire days at the parks. They also have water parks which should be pretty fun. We're hoping to do our next trip.