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."

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.

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!

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.

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?

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)

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.

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.

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.

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

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!