Disney Can't Please Everyone...WHAT?!?!?!

Say it ain't so!!  I can't believe that this could even be an issue!  People not liking Disney World?  WHAT?!  This is a joke right?!  Nope!  Not everyone enjoys Disney World, Disneyland and the like...but hey...what could the issue be?

I decided to write this because I read a FB post from our friends at Disney Guru (check them out on FB!) about a forum that she was reading...well here is the actual post:

Good Sunday morning Disney friends!! So today on a Disney forum I frequent...I saw a comment that blew me away. I would like to know what your thoughts are. A woman said that she took her kids ages 12 & 9 to WDW and that she will never be going back...it was just too boring and that her kids are (get this one) too old!!! What??? That made me so sad to read. What are your thoughts on this? What would you say to this person after you read this? ~Kelly

After reading this.. I thought WOW...really?  This can't be.  Then I went into my memory bank and I can think of a couple things that made me think...There really ARE people out there that don't enjoy Disney World like so many of us do.  Let me start with some of my family.  I have family that flat out REFUSE to take their children to Disney World.  I couldn't even FATHOM this.  I have heard the excuse of, well it is too much money and you don't get much or it's too crowded or too hot...or my personal favorite... it isn't really a "Vacation". 

To all of these I have to say... WHAT?

 

Let's break it down a little bit.  "It's too much money and you don't get much."  Hello? Are we on the same planet?  Can Disney World be pricey?  Sure.  If you don't do your research! Disney ALWAYS offers a promotion.  From FREE dining and Military Discounts to Buy 3 Days, get 2 free.  You can't beat any of these discounts.  Who wouldn't want to get FREE food during your whole vacation?  And not just burgers and dogs, but some of the finest cuisine you could ever get!  On average, For a family of 4, you will spend less then 1700 dollars for a FULL week! This includes hotel and all the park tickets plus many perks like transportation to and from the airport!  How is this too expensive?  Try going to any island or somewhere else--for the same price with all that you get!! 

OK I can get off of my soap box... onto the next.

"It's too hot and too crowded"...Again, it is all in the research and I would say pretty much common sense.  You want to go to Florida?  If you want some cool weather---go during January!  Too crowded?  AGAIN go when KIDS are in school and you can prevent this.  Check out DisneyWorld.com..they have charts showing you all of this stuff. 

"It's not really a Vacation"...OK..this one gets me.  As a die hard Disney Fan I have to 150% DISAGREE.  This is the most RIDICULOUS thing I have ever heard.  You can head to a day at the parks and end it with a massage.  You can hang out at the pool..go mini golfing, have a romantic dinner, see Cirque Du Soleil.  Can you wear out some tennis shoes during a week vacation? OF COURSE!  Been there, Done that!  But come on.. If you want a vacation--enjoy the parks at a leisurely pace and smell the roses!  There is NO way you will see EVERYTHING that Disney World has to offer in a weeks time...so enjoy what you would like and take time for yourself!  It's all what you make of it.  You can't complain saying that it "isn't a real vacation", if you are the one running around like a chicken with your head cut off!...

OK...I digress....

After thinking about these things for a while.. I got to thinking about our last vacation in May.  I remember standing in the Land Pavilion, getting close to the exit.  I see a woman bringing in a stroller.  I hear a Cast Member from behind me say "Ma'am, you can not bring a stroller inside.  There is stroller parking outside for your convenience".  The woman started screaming, exclaiming that her son (no younger then 2) needed to have his diaper changed and proceeded to complain that she could not take her son out and a diaper bag to go downstairs to the bathroom.  I myself was holding my one year old and followed the rule of leaving my stroller in the designated area provided.  Did this woman not see the 200 parked strollers lined up the side of the ramp outside?  What made her so special that she thought she could get inside with a stroller?  She continued to argue with the Cast Member-in which I give this CM MUCH credit for keeping her cool.  I was actually thinking about saying something when she said "THIS IS WHY I HATE DISNEY! I WILL NEVER COME BACK HERE! THIS IS THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING I HAVE EVER HEARD OF!"  I would like to know how she expected to get her stroller downstairs to get to the bathroom.  Just because you can not follow rules or instructions Miss Grumpy Gills, does not mean that you should have such a hate for the Happiest Place on Earth!

WOW! That was nice to get off my chest!  I guess Disney can not please everyone.  I still just do not get it!  When you head to Disney...you need to leave the muss and fuss behind!! This is a whole different World!! If you are not having fun---it is your own fault!

Has anyone else had an experience like this?  Or family that has been against Disney?  I just can not even imagine not having Disney!  Call it obsessed but not a day goes by that Disney isn't a part of my life!

Keep Moving Forward!!

Rock 'n' Rollercoaster starring Aerosmith...Kid friendly?

The weeks leading up to our vacation, (That Stephen had NO clue about-it was a complete surprise) he always brought up Disney World and what he would be allowed to get on the next time we go.  I always told him everything, because we wouldn't be going until Jackson was 3.  He said "Next time we go, I will definitely get on Rock 'n' Roller coaster!"  Needless to say, he had no clue it would be just a couple weeks away...and I didn't know if I should hold him to it.  In my last post I stated how I hated when my parents forced me to get on rides that I wasn't comfortable with, so I felt like I couldn't force him if he backed out at the last minute.

Our first day, we hit Animal Kingdom and he was so excited to ride Expedition Everest.  After getting on it (another post, another day) he wasn't too sure about roller coasters anymore.  He enjoyed it but it was a little too intense for him.  A couple days later we arrived at Hollywood Studios and he knew it was decision time to go on R'n'R or not.  As Stephen, Jackson and I waited for Steve and my mother in law to get off of Tower of Terror... he started asking me questions.  I tried reassuring him that he would have fun and if he didn't like it he didn't have to ride it again.  So, after receiving our Parent Swap--an amazing invention, any questions about this..just ask--we head towards  the big guitar.  He held my hand the whole way.  As we start going up the ramp, he was starting to doubt if he wanted to go or not.  I talked up the ride and how exciting it was and explained the only thing that was scary was the take off but it was over in 2.8 seconds.  Hitting 72 mph that quick was a tad scary but after that...he would have a blast!  Right?

I myself was nervous--who isn't, this rides G-force on your body is WICKED!  As we were walking through the cue... I explained everything that would happen.  Come to find out there was a little girl in front of us who was 2 years older then Stephen and it was her first time as well.  She was soo scared.  I kept assuring her as well and told them that if they got through it and enjoyed it, we would get pictures of them together.

It was finally time to board the stretch limo..we got the last seats.  I crossed over the seats and Stephen sat down next to me, while Steve sat behind us--and an 11 year old girl got in next to him-this was her 14th time THAT DAY. So, before we could even blink-we are sitting at the stop light about to take off.   ºoº *Is it bad that while I am typing this, I am reliving it and actually getting nervous?* ºoº  Stephen says "OK, Mommy, I don't think I wanna do this anymore."  I told him it was too late but we would have fun.  I warned him every second what was about to happen.  They were going to start pumping music into the headrest and it would start counting down.  The second the light turned green, we would shoot off.  I'm soo nervous for him but I was soo proud that he was going to do this without a fight.  He grabbed my hand...and the lights started changing.  Steven Tyler starts screaming in my ear....

3...2...1---BOOOOMMM!  We take off and hit the first inversion.  I ask him if he is ok and if he is having fun.  He said "I didn't like that!"  I kept telling him to look at the lights and to look for the donut that we would go through.  The whole time, I'm trying to talk up the ride and say how fun it is.  He made a couple statements about the cool lights but after a couple cork crews he had enough and asked me if it was almost over.  Just at that moment--the brakes took over and we were done.  We come to a stop and the restraint pops open.

As we stand up, I ask him if he liked it...he just said "No".  No explanation. Just "No".  I kept telling him how proud I was of him!  I couldn't believe my little baby...only 6 years old...WANTED to attempt this ride..with NO hesitation, NO fighting, NOTHING.  He told me he wouldn't get on it again until he was older.  Which I told him I was just so proud of him for even trying it.  We get to the gift shop and looked at the picture.  I immediately go up and order a picture and get a pin to commemorate the occasion.

Stephen is up front-LOVE his expression... Think he was nervous?
Notice the little girl all excited and not at all scared?
It was her 14th time IN A ROW.



So after all of this, if someone were to ask me if this is a ride that is ok for a kid? I would have to say, if they are ok with doing it..yes.  If they are kind of hesitant.. I would explain what the ride is like and go from there.  If they try it and hate it..then you know that they don't try it again until the next trip.  NEVER force your kid to ride a ride that they are not comfortable with.  That is what Child Swap is for!

In my eyes, this is one of the better rides at Walt Disney World... up there in my top 5 favorites!!  What are your thoughts?  Should younger kids--as long as they meet height restrictions--be able to ride these kind of rides?  I say, LET THEM ENJOY THE RIDE!

Until next time...

My Inspiration..."Facing Fears: Disney Style"

My whole inspiration for starting a blog came yesterday when I was going through my facebook posts.  I saw one of my Disney friends had posted "What was your first 'big-kid' ride at Disney World?"  I then started typing and next thing you know, my comment was too long so I made it a note on my facebook.  I'd like to share it on here for you as this is the first thing I wrote about Disney that everyone seemed to enjoy.

So sit back and relax and hang on for the ride...

Back when I was little--I always felt forced to get on all the rides. My parents didn't want to miss out on anything, so I was forced to face my fears and when I got off the rides---they were still fears but turned into reality. I never wanted to ride Splash Mountain because I didn't like the lack of security. No bar. No seat belt. NOTHING to hold me in the boat. I was terrified I would come flying up like the Wiley Coyote, the boat would be at the bottom of the fall, and there I would be, Mid-air, falling to my demise.

Once I got through the ride, I would remember how much I hated the feeling of falling and thinking I am NEVER getting on this ride EVER again. My husband and I honeymooned in Disney World in 2006, I refused to ride it. We went again in 2007 with my brother and sister in law and again I refused to ride it.  In 2008, We visited with my husband, my son (his first time), my mother in law, my parents and grandparents.

The first day that we visited Magic Kingdom, everyone but my son (4), grandfather and I got on the ride. We watched them fall down the hill, and my stomach was in knots just watching! 2 days later, we head back to Magic Kingdom and apparently they were conspiring against me.. here I was again, feeling like I was 5 years old-my parents and everyone else in my party was forcing me to face this fear of "THE DROP". I had no clue my parents talked my son onto the ride and since he was going, my grandfather decided to go as well.  I told everyone I would sit off of the ride and wait for them. Next thing you know, I am being dragged by my hand by my 4 year old saying "Come on Mommy!"  All the while thinking---OMG...I can not believe they talked him into thinking this is a fun ride! 

The whole way up the cue, I felt like i was going to literally either throw up or pee my pants.. I was SOO nervous.  I refused to sit up front, so my dad took my son to the front, and I sat in the back with my mother in law.  We get to the front of the line and boarded. I immediately start to panic because..once again, THERE WAS NOTHING TO HOLD ME DOWN! We start going through the ride and every time we hit a spot where I think its going to be the big drop.. I start screaming and freaking out saying I wanted to get off. My MIL (Bless her Heart!) kept trying to point to stuff... and at one point said "OH WOW, Look at that..isn't it cute?!" I Looked her in her eyes and said "THERE IS NOTHING CUTE ABOUT THIS RIDE!" I had the whole boat laughing...To me, it wasn't funny.

Next thing you know, we are ascending the big hill and I'm trying to find a place to jump out.  They would stop the ride and come get me, right?  So we go over the top of the big hill and I held my breath, knowing I would throw up..I just knew it. We start going down the hill, I had my eyes closed and held on for dear life!! We hit the bottom and I had a total of 5 drops on me, while everyone else was almost soaked. I literally started tearing up and was shaking...like REALLY?! THAT is what I was always scared of?! I get made fun of, to this day of how I reacted and that I cried.  After leaving the ride, we got pictures...we had to celebrate! 

Now... Tower of Terror is my next feat to accomplish and I'm praying that the next time we go, I wont chicken out!