Is it possible to totally skip a Disney vacation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course it is possible, especially if your kid doesn't show any interest in Disney characters… If the kids likes disney princess and/or characters AND you have the financial means, why would you skip? To make some sort of point? It won't' harm the kid but it is kind of ridiculous.

[/b]I never went as a kid or teen but I am not from this country. I went before having kids (once I moved here) and after we had our child we have taken him 2 times - will take a 3rd soon. He just turned 4.

We also have traveled a lot internationally and to a much lesser degree inside the U.S. My kid had fun in all our trips but Disney was "magical" for him. If I had to choose between an international trip and a disney vacation, I would choose the international trip for sure, but I would make sure to make space at least one year out of his childhood to take him to Disney. Not because I think he would feel deprived if not going, but because it is truly something I would like him to experience at least once during his childhood.

That's EXACTLY what the harpies on this thread are trying to do - make a point about how high above the Disney riff-raff they are, enjoyment of kids be damned!

um ... because there are so many more interesting, worthwhile things to do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course it is possible, especially if your kid doesn't show any interest in Disney characters… If the kids likes disney princess and/or characters AND you have the financial means, why would you skip? To make some sort of point? It won't' harm the kid but it is kind of ridiculous.

[/b]I never went as a kid or teen but I am not from this country. I went before having kids (once I moved here) and after we had our child we have taken him 2 times - will take a 3rd soon. He just turned 4.

We also have traveled a lot internationally and to a much lesser degree inside the U.S. My kid had fun in all our trips but Disney was "magical" for him. If I had to choose between an international trip and a disney vacation, I would choose the international trip for sure, but I would make sure to make space at least one year out of his childhood to take him to Disney. Not because I think he would feel deprived if not going, but because it is truly something I would like him to experience at least once during his childhood.

That's EXACTLY what the harpies on this thread are trying to do - make a point about how high above the Disney riff-raff they are, enjoyment of kids be damned!

um ... because there are so many more interesting, worthwhile things to do?

Seriously. I don't think I'm "high above" anybody, but I just don't get excited about the whole Disney thing. Why is that so offensive? I'm sure those of you who love Disney, and go back time after time, wouldn't be at all interested in the things I like. And that wouldn't bother me a bit.

[Anonymous]

OP, on a tangent here, I was totally against the American Girl dolls until I read some of the historical books. WOW they are really good. I had a preconceived notion about AG, but if you stick with the historical part of it you may be surprised.

And it had a bonus component besides learning American history, and that is when a kid can compare their life to someone else's they can appreciate what they have, and also become a bit braver.

We had to tell our kids we were moving cross country (new school, new friends, etc). Well, after we had read about Kit (Great Depression) re-sewing her worn out bedsheets, Julie moving schools and locating and losing access to her dad, or Abby, moving into an attic without heat, losing 1/2 her family, and going to a new school where she's the only one who cannot read, our situation seemed pretty bearable.

Don't sell it short! It's not Barbie, OP.

[Anonymous]

I find questions like this funny. I guess I run in a different crowd, but most people I know have not taken their kids to Disney! And if they have, they did a day at Disneyland as part of a bigger CA trip. My kids are upper elem schools aged by the way, and we are at an affluent MoCo elem school, so certainly you'd think we'd have a different response based on all of those who claim that "all the kids at school" talk a out their Disney trip. So not true in my experience - kids don't talk about their trips with one another the way adults would
So, yes, I definitely think you could skip a Disney trip! Although I do think that Disney is a really fun trip with kids in the age 5-10 sweet spot!

[Anonymous]

It is hard to avoid. We figure we will go one time so they get their fix and then no more.

[Anonymous]

What a bunch of stuckup snobs who care way more about appearances than their children's happiness!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

What a bunch of stuckup snobs who care way more about appearances than their children's happiness!

As someone who has been to Disney, if you can't see that other people can have fun with their kids in other ways besides a Disney trip, you sound ignorant and unimaginative. But go ahead and keep up the name calling!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

What a bunch of stuckup snobs who care way more about appearances than their children's happiness!

It has nothing to do with appearances and everything to do with a limited amount of vacation time in my experience. Almost all of our vacation time is spent visiting relatives in other parts of the country. The kids have been to Disney, btw, but they vastly prefer a quick weekend jaunt to Hershey park to get their thrill ride giggles, and save actual rare vacation days for exciting things (to them) like a dude ranch, skiing, or Yellowstone. They don't give a flip about Disney and the trip they did take there was full of crowds and long lines. They don't remember it fondly.

Should I force them to go and make sure they pretend to be happy, or let them experience true happiness in their destinations of choice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What a bunch of stuckup snobs who care way more about appearances than their children's happiness!

It has nothing to do with appearances and everything to do with a limited amount of vacation time in my experience. Almost all of our vacation time is spent visiting relatives in other parts of the country. The kids have been to Disney, btw, but they vastly prefer a quick weekend jaunt to Hershey park to get their thrill ride giggles, and save actual rare vacation days for exciting things (to them) like a dude ranch, skiing, or Yellowstone. They don't give a flip about Disney and the trip they did take there was full of crowds and long lines. They don't remember it fondly.

Should I force them to go and make sure they pretend to be happy, or let them experience true happiness in their destinations of choice?

+100

Not all kids fantasize about meeting Mickey and Tigger, especially after a certain age. There's a whole (real) world out there to explore!

[Anonymous]

I hate the same intentions but grandma took us and it was truly a magical experience and we can't wait to take the kids again. Just do it. It isn't as bad as you may think.

[Anonymous]

^had the same intentions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What a bunch of stuckup snobs who care way more about appearances than their children's happiness!

As someone who has been to Disney, if you can't see that other people can have fun with their kids in other ways besides a Disney trip, you sound ignorant and unimaginative. But go ahead and keep up the name calling!

Ha ha. I'm neither, actually. We go many other places besides Disney, too. But nice try, sweetie!

[Anonymous]

disneyworld is fun and well run, its an american institution and its a part of cultural literacy. I think everyone should go if they have the time and money. that doesn't mean go every year, but sure, go. We go to the USVI often, Sweden, Italy, California, Utah, etc., but I think a trip to WDW should be in the mix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What a bunch of stuckup snobs who care way more about appearances than their children's happiness!

As someone who has been to Disney, if you can't see that other people can have fun with their kids in other ways besides a Disney trip, you sound ignorant and unimaginative. But go ahead and keep up the name calling!

Ha ha. I'm neither, actually. We go many other places besides Disney, too. But nice try, sweetie!

So what you are really saying is that you are a single-minded bitch who can't believe people make different choices than you. Well, okay, then. Have fun in the lines...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

What a bunch of stuckup snobs who care way more about appearances than their children's happiness!

As someone who has been to Disney, if you can't see that other people can have fun with their kids in other ways besides a Disney trip, you sound ignorant and unimaginative. But go ahead and keep up the name calling!

Ha ha. I'm neither, actually. We go many other places besides Disney, too. But nice try, sweetie!

So what you are really saying is that you are a single-minded bitch who can't believe people make different choices than you. Well, okay, then. Have fun in the lines...

Actually, it's the OP who is single-minded and doesn't even want to try Disney. She only wants her fancy adult vacations -- screw what a kid might like.

Now if your kids don't like Disney, then no, don't go back.

Oh, and if you are smart enough to go off season, when you can breeze on the rides like we do, then no, you don't spend time waiting in lines.