Anonymous
Post 01/09/2015 09:06     Subject: Re:Why do people look down at Disney?
Anonymous wrote:

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.


We just came back from Disney.
Airfare (direct) $1200
Room (2brcondo) $1200 3 star
Tickets $1300
Food $1300
10 days, 9 nights
$5000
We are not really into souvenirs. seems expensive to us, but its not 10K
Our trip to Europe will be 12K by the end for the same 10 days; 8K for the same time 10 days in Caribbean resort.

PP here mistake: the room was $220 nt, but it was a 2 bdroom condo not on Disney. Disney is not the cheapest vacation!






Anonymous
Post 01/09/2015 08:49     Subject: Why do people look down at Disney?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:People aren't simply saying they don't like disney because of the crowds or heat...which would be legit criticism. Instead, people are saying they hate disney for a variety of reasons with a similar theme: they prefer to avoid the commercialism and artificial experience and instead travel to more upscale places where they can have a more intellectually stimulating and authentic experience. If that's not snobbery, I'm not sure what else it could be.


How is preferring to avoid a completely commercial and artificial experience not legitimate criticism? You don't have to agree with it, but that doesn't make it illegitimate.


Anything you have to pay to get into is a commercial experience. Big deal.

How is Disney an "artificial experience"? Is it your belief that there are genuine colonial costumed singers elsewhere? That there are "real" giant mice to be found in a more authentic location? It seems to me that you're missing the point entirely. Disney is wholly fantasy land. That's the idea. No one believes they're on a genuine mine roller coaster or strolling through authentic Parisian streets. It's...JUST FOR FUN.

My parents took me to Disney when I was in late elementary or middle school, and what I remember is that it made me want to learn more about energy thing I'd seen at Epcot. The Land sparked my curiosity. Spaceship Earth made me want to learn more as well. And all those fake countries made me want to learn language (eventually French and Spanish) and travel. Disney gave me a taste of what I COULD go do. But I never, even as a kid, believed that Disney replaces the "real" thing. My experience was not artificial - it was real - and is a great memory. More memorable quite honestly than or family trips to National Parks, Mount Rushmore, the beach. Those places were fun but quite honestly didn't leave me with the same sense of wonder.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2015 08:36     Subject: Re:Why do people look down at Disney?
Clearly there are degrees.

I've taken my kids to Disney; I've also taken them to Funland and McDonalds. I'm not ashamed of doing so, but I certainly think there are better options.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2015 08:29     Subject: Why do people look down at Disney?
Times Square is artificial and commercial. Ditto for colonial Williansburg. And Amish country if you set foot in a buffet or buy your kid a buggy whip souvenir you might as well put her in a princess dress and eat at the Beast's castle. What about the natural history museum? All those fake dinosaur bones? Now let's to about the beach. If you hunker down in a traditional beach house circa 1950, then you are golden. But once you walk into a restaurant or store, the commercialism begins. And if you set foot in Grottos or Candy Kitchen, then you might as well be at disney (where you can eat pizza at fake Italy in Epcot). And if you dare play minigolf or ride go karts or walk on the boardwalk, then that's practically the same artificial experience (but the disney boardwalk resort has far less riff raff). Let's face it: Sea Colony is about as artificial as it gets. But you don't go to the beach, right? You prefer camping or swimming in lakes. Well if you go to a man made lake like Deep Creek then you are a poseur. And disney has camp grounds...they even have treehouses!
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2015 07:46     Subject: Why do people look down at Disney?
Anonymous wrote:People aren't simply saying they don't like disney because of the crowds or heat...which would be legit criticism. Instead, people are saying they hate disney for a variety of reasons with a similar theme: they prefer to avoid the commercialism and artificial experience and instead travel to more upscale places where they can have a more intellectually stimulating and authentic experience. If that's not snobbery, I'm not sure what else it could be.


How is preferring to avoid a completely commercial and artificial experience not legitimate criticism? You don't have to agree with it, but that doesn't make it illegitimate.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2015 07:42     Subject: Why do people look down at Disney?
Anonymous wrote:And please stop saying you should go to Europe instead. Flights to London and Paris and other major cities are $1,500. Flights to Orlando are $200-300. Big difference.


Who said you SHOULD go to Europe instead?

And obviously the flights aren't the expensive part of a Disney trip...

Anonymous
Post 01/09/2015 07:24     Subject: Why do people look down at Disney?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Simmer down, 20:45. Sounds like you are taking this personally.

Have you read the entire thread? People aren't simply saying they don't like disney because of the crowds or heat...which would be legit criticism. Instead, people are saying they hate disney for a variety of reasons with a similar theme: they prefer to avoid the commercialism and artificial experience and instead travel to more upscale places where they can have a more intellectually stimulating and authentic experience. If that's not snobbery, I'm not sure what else it could be.

I get that disney isn't at the top of most adults' list of vacation destinations. And that's fine with me. But there's a pretty big dcum contingent that is rabidly anti-disney...and I think it's bizarre. Candidly, I think it's actually quite rude when folks go out of their way to raise the topic so they can emphatically voice their anti-disney philosophy. Whenever disney comes up (most recently when we were chatting about our recent trip with a group of friends), someone always feels compelled to prattle on about how they prefer more authentic vacations (whatever that means) so that's why they've never done disney. Um, ok. But do you realize his rude it is to say something like that to friends chatting about their recent disney trip? And more specifically, do you realize that everyone thinks you're a tool for saying that to us?


No, I won't "simmer down," but thanks, Mom. And re-read your bolded paragraph. You're the snob, and you're the one personalizing this (I didn't bring up having my feelings stung IRL, that was you. I didn't say anything about your vacation.). Disney is artificial. It is false. Its whole universe is curated, and it is commercialism at its drecky best. We live in a world that is increasingly run by for-profit corporations. I find it bizarre that people pay thousands of dollars to further enrich a corporation, and then insist with that it's the happiest place on earth.

Candidly, while you pro-Disney people seem sensible on here, I've met your type IRL. And you guys don't seem curious or alert. I'd have more respect for a family who took a trip to Amish country. Or the Badlands. Or a state park. Literally anywhere other than made-for-the-masses Disney.


I have more respect for people who do both. Life isn't black or white. Take them to Disney, but also make sure they learn to appreciate the world around them. That makes more sense. This is not a black and white world.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2015 07:13     Subject: Re:Why do people look down at Disney?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone "look down" on anyone else for vacationing choices? I don't understand that at all.


I don’t either. I know people who go to Disney. Not a choice I would make, but they seem to enjoy it. Don’t even know why the OP needed to start such a discussion Is anyone who is otherwise inclined to go to Disney really going to be deterred because doe people "look down" on it?


some.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2015 07:12     Subject: Re:Why do people look down at Disney?
Anonymous wrote:Why would anyone "look down" on anyone else for vacationing choices? I don't understand that at all.


I don’t either. I know people who go to Disney. Not a choice I would make, but they seem to enjoy it. Don’t even know why the OP needed to start such a discussion Is anyone who is otherwise inclined to go to Disney really going to be deterred because doe people "look down" on it?
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2015 06:48     Subject: Why do people look down at Disney?
The funny thing about the anti-disney posters is that they seem to think families only take one vacation EVER and that it is wasted on disney.

I mean, the recent poster who said she has more respect for families who go to Amish country instead of disney is a perfect example.

Lady, I think you've confirmed the fact that your family simply can't afford disney...and that your family simply doesn't travel often.

Newsflash: the families who take their toddlers and young children to disney also vacation at the beach. They also do weekend trips to Amish country and colonial Williansburg. They also go on ski trips. And they visit the grandparents. And they piggyback vacations in NYC and Chicago, etc on business trips.

Comparing a weekend trip to Amish country (which costs less than $500) to a week at disney ($5kish) is absurd. They are two very different experiences that most families in our area will have, but why compare them at all? You make it sound like an either or proposition...and maybe that's because it is for you.

And please stop saying you should go to Europe instead. Flights to London and Paris and other major cities are $1,500. Flights to Orlando are $200-300. Big difference.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2015 05:56     Subject: Re:Why do people look down at Disney?
Why would anyone "look down" on anyone else for vacationing choices? I don't understand that at all.
Anonymous
Post 01/09/2015 05:20     Subject: Why do people look down at Disney?
I also dreaded going and didn't see the appeal until I went for a week in November. I'd compared it to a trip to hell and it was not that way at all. With pre planning w fast passes etc. I let go and had a wonderful time myself. It was a great escape from reality and there were times I'm pretty certain that I was having as much fun or more than my child. I don't see going back year after year. But would do it again while dc is youngish. I'd leave out Hollywood studios and go to universal studios.
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2015 23:27     Subject: Re:Why do people look down at Disney?
New poster - we take our kids on many different vacations (national parks, skiing, Europe this year) but loved our two trips to Orlando. Look forward to going again.

On another note, we have done two Disney cruises and just took our first Carnival cruise. Never again - or at least not for a long time will I venture away from the Disney cruises. They were so, so much better for everyone in our family - even the grandparents agreed!
Anonymous
Post 01/08/2015 22:13     Subject: Re:Why do people look down at Disney?

Candidly, while you pro-Disney people seem sensible on here, I've met your type IRL. And you guys don't seem curious or alert. I'd have more respect for a family who took a trip to Amish country. Or the Badlands. Or a state park. Literally anywhere other than made-for-the-masses Disney.


Maybe, they do those things, too. And, what about the people who seem to think you done one or the other. I also don't understand people criticizing those who go to visit family.




Anonymous
Post 01/08/2015 22:03     Subject: Re:Why do people look down at Disney?
Anonymous wrote:
Re:Why do people look down at Disney?


Maybe, because they have never been there?
They are afraid to do something just for fun?



Cause if their version of fun isn't what you think it is, then they're clearly afraid to just have fun.