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.

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!

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.

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.

Oh, of course you can skip it. Why would you go if neither your nor your kids want to? A caveat 'tho -- DH and swore we'd never go. Not a problem as our boys never had the slightest interest . . . until their decidedly un-princessy little sister wanted to go. So, we sucked it up and went for 3 days. Totally fun. My favorite memory is of our oldest, who was almost in HS, getting this goofy grin on his face and racing over to high-5 Tigger.

Anonymous wrote:I would avoid it just on principle. DC, now 14 has never gone and never will while under our roof.

Kudos to you! This Disney hysteria is really out of control

My opinion, which is all it is, my opinion, but I think that's what you asked for right? People's opinions? Not sure why some people on this board take it so seriously or get so bent out of shape, but I digress...

We were like you... "should we go?", "aren't kids supposed to go to Disney?", "I don't really want to go but maybe we should...". Anyway, we did and had a nice time but that's about it. Our kids are exactly two years older than each of yours and I felt like if I had to do it over again I'd have waited at least 2 years. I know TONS of people take their babies and young kids to Disney, good for them, but for someone on the fence I at least wish my kids would have liked the roller coasters or shows (5 YO too small for coasters and too scared for shows where it was dark and 3D, 7YO tall enough but scared of coasters and "too big" for the "baby rides"). If you haven't, I'd recommend checking out a local amusement park first to see how your kids do, we had never done that, if we had I think we would have waited.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can't compare Disney to Hershey. You just can't. Hershey is a theme park but Disney is so much more than just rides. Until you go there, you won't get it.

Like others have said, sure it is possible to skip a Disney vacation but why? There will be plenty of time for your family to do other trips to other places. As the kids get older, they may truly appreciate those other places a little bit more. But while they are young, it is okay to do a fun trip to Disney. You won't be wasting your money or vacation time on such a trip. If done correctly, you will have a great time making great memories on a Disney trip. Do it - your kids don't know what they are missing (do you?)

.


No, I don't get it. I just don't get this mentality. This idea that you HAVE to go to one certain place or else you are neglecting your children (as some people on this thread are implying) doesn't make sense to me. I don't doubt you've had fun and great memories at your Disney vacations. But it's one thing to say we had a great time and another to start insisting that every child must go to Disney or "miss out" on some essential part of life. Guess what, your kid is going to miss out on something too. We all miss out on something. The world is full of amazing, beautiful, and fun places, and life is short. Most of us don't have endless supply of money and time for traveling/vacations. Pick and choose the places that mean the most to you and let others do the same.

+10000

+ 1 million.

+2 million
We've done Disney (once), had a nice time, but it wasn't mind-blowing and we won't be back. There are too many real-world experiences I want my kids to have, not some canned version of different "countries" and their "cultures" (Epcot). I love a good amusement park, but there are plenty that are closer and less expensive. A life-changing vacation for our family is a trip overseas.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can't compare Disney to Hershey. You just can't. Hershey is a theme park but Disney is so much more than just rides. Until you go there, you won't get it.

Like others have said, sure it is possible to skip a Disney vacation but why? There will be plenty of time for your family to do other trips to other places. As the kids get older, they may truly appreciate those other places a little bit more. But while they are young, it is okay to do a fun trip to Disney. You won't be wasting your money or vacation time on such a trip. If done correctly, you will have a great time making great memories on a Disney trip. Do it - your kids don't know what they are missing (do you?)

.


No, I don't get it. I just don't get this mentality. This idea that you HAVE to go to one certain place or else you are neglecting your children (as some people on this thread are implying) doesn't make sense to me. I don't doubt you've had fun and great memories at your Disney vacations. But it's one thing to say we had a great time and another to start insisting that every child must go to Disney or "miss out" on some essential part of life. Guess what, your kid is going to miss out on something too. We all miss out on something. The world is full of amazing, beautiful, and fun places, and life is short. Most of us don't have endless supply of money and time for traveling/vacations. Pick and choose the places that mean the most to you and let others do the same.

+10000

+ 1 million.

+2 million
We've done Disney (once), had a nice time, but it wasn't mind-blowing and we won't be back. There are too many real-world experiences I want my kids to have, not some canned version of different "countries" and their "cultures" (Epcot). I love a good amusement park, but there are plenty that are closer and less expensive. A life-changing vacation for our family is a trip overseas.

We went to WDW a lot when I was growing up and generally enjoyed it. We were middle-class and stayed at nice resorts.

Several years ago we took my oldest when he was little (work trip) and we had a good time. Always thought we'd go back again as a family a few more times.

So I recently priced it out for all of us to go to WDW for 5 days this spring and was shocked SHOCKED at how $$$$ it was. Then I priced out a trip to the UK that we've been putting off. We are now going to the UK/Europe to visit friends & travel around for 10 days - same price as the Disney trip. We are staying at some pretty posh places AND European airfare is ridiculous right now. So it's amazing to me that compared to that Disney was even more expensive.

Plus on our most recent trip to WDW, it was so crowded and commercialized that it didn't feel quite as magical as I remembered.

So I don't think our kids NEED to go. If I can ever suck up the price and we can go during a non-peak time then maybe we will try. But I don't think it's a must do thing at all.

Anonymous wrote:those poor thrashed AG dolls

You'd probably turn up some pretty sick websites if you googled that.

Anonymous wrote:OH boy, don't even get me started on the AG dolls. WE are not doing those either. Does everyone truly thing we are abusing our DD now? We only do the books. Which we get from, wait for it, a little ol-fashioned place called: THE LIBRARY.

Nobody is impressed.

That's what you were going for, right?

Hint: the cool kids are too cool to flood their posts with emoticons.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:those poor thrashed AG dolls

sorry, but what are AG dolls?

American Girl Dolls

Anonymous wrote:those poor thrashed AG dolls

sorry, but what are AG dolls?

OH boy, don't even get me started on the AG dolls. WE are not doing those either. Does everyone truly thing we are abusing our DD now? We only do the books. Which we get from, wait for it, a little ol-fashioned place called: THE LIBRARY.

We could not afford it until I was 14 and it was the trip of a lifetime! No rush to go while they are very little, but why would you want to skip it?

those poor thrashed AG dolls