# To Disney Or Not To Disney



## simpsontruckdriver (Mar 22, 2013)

Disney Travel Debate

TS


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## Trudyt623 (Mar 22, 2013)

I have been sprinkled with the Pixe dust!  My children age 11 and almost 16 still love Disney. My husband and I love that we can stay at the resorts and lose that theme park feel and enjoy the adult offerings like exquisite meals, spa treatments and health facilities. Even on the cruises there are adult places we love. Friends and family members have given us grief about owning dvc but we look them in the eye and say "we are investing in our family memories"


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## talkamotta (Mar 24, 2013)

Trudyt623 said:


> I have been sprinkled with the Pixe dust!  My children age 11 and almost 16 still love Disney. My husband and I love that we can stay at the resorts and lose that theme park feel and enjoy the adult offerings like exquisite meals, spa treatments and health facilities. Even on the cruises there are adult places we love. Friends and family members have given us grief about owning dvc but we look them in the eye and say "we are investing in our family memories"



Good for you...  Investing in family memories  is what life is all about.  I tell my children  "You wont get an inheritance, I plan on spending all my money, but, come with us and you will have great memories."  

Im grateful to Disney because my daughter went to work for them years back and met her husband.  I have 3 wonderful grandchildren  and I love my son in law.  Ive taken most of my 13 grandchildren to Disney and plan to take all of them in the future.  Its fun looking through the eyes of children.  I makes you young again.  Disney has a great plan for all ages. 

We now go to the south for 3 weeks every October, much of which includes Florida,  but  we dont go to Disney.  Florida is so much more than Disney.  Lots of history and fun things to do in the South. 

Would a child have more fun going to Disney or going through a fort thats right in the middle of the city (St Augustine)  or going to the Everglades, or the many beaches. There are no right or wrong answers,  do what you like. Most important thing is to DO IT.


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## simpsontruckdriver (Mar 24, 2013)

Years ago, a friend of mine in South Africa said that, when she went to WDW, it looked fake. I told her that you need to look at WDW through a child's eyes. Eliminate all analysis, just walk in and enjoy!

TS


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## BocaBum99 (Mar 24, 2013)

My guess is that people who loathe Disney are not very happy people.  They are the people who see the glass as half empty.  Life is short.  Memories are priceless.  Disney has done a fantastic job at capturing the essence of what a child believes is magic.  In addition, they package it in a way that gives some of it back to us adults.

Does Disney make a ton of money?  You bet.  Anyone who can make an old man feel like a child again deserves every penny.


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## PearlCity (Mar 25, 2013)

simpsontruckdriver said:


> Years ago, a friend of mine in South Africa said that, when she went to WDW, it looked fake. I told her that you need to look at WDW through a child's eyes. Eliminate all analysis, just walk in and enjoy!
> 
> TS



You know i went to disneyland for the first time whem i was seventeen. While i hsd fun i felt the sqme way. Fast forward to my thirties, going with my kids. I cant getvenough of disney now!!


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## timeos2 (Mar 25, 2013)

simpsontruckdriver said:


> Years ago, a friend of mine in South Africa said that, when she went to WDW, it looked fake. I told her that you need to look at WDW through a child's eyes. Eliminate all analysis, just walk in and enjoy!
> 
> TS



Hey, no will accuse me today of being a Disneyite. But there is no one, no company, that creates an experience - really an immersion - in the make believe made real like Disney. I'm no fan of the outside the parks hoop-la or even how you are basically treated like intelligent cattle as they shuffle you around and look to drain your wallet but just for pure creativity even today what or who can match the magic of the Haunted Mansion with a 50 year old design? Or the pure fun of the Country Bear Jamboree? The Magic Kingdom remains magic and will always be a special place.  And as someone mentioned go there not as an old coot & his bride but with a child - especially on the first few visits. There is nothing like it. 

Today my family prefers the action and modern whiz bang of Universal as the newer Disney stuff falls short of that. But if my grandchild comes along and wants to visit Disney I want to be there with him or her - and I'll gladly pay the price to do it!  Just not my first choice for regular visits anymore. I'd never want it to go away.  Now Downtown Disney? Lets not get into that...


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## vacationhopeful (Mar 25, 2013)

I took to my nephew when he was 12 and at Disney for the 1st time since he was 23 months old. He said Haunted Mansion was scary ... I told him it was "funny" and to listen to the words of the "ghosts' songs". As it was EMH, we did 3 times (no wait) ride throughs -- and at least 4 more times later in the week.

It might never be his favorite ride - but he does enjoy his visits with the ghosts.


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## Icc5 (Mar 25, 2013)

*Young old and in between experience*

I remember going to Disneyland as a kid and loved everything about it.  When we had kids it was even more fun for my wife and myself to watch the looks and actions of our kids enjoying most things.  Daughter was scared the first 3 or 4 times and then decided on her own not to be scared anymore and went and loved all the rides.  My son would go on almost everything but with his eyes closed (still does this at 23 years old).  
My wife and I went for our 15 wedding anniversary and got thru the park in no time and were bored as heck.  We realized it was the kids that made it fun for us.  
Now, we have a grandaughter and this summer we will be taking her to Disneyworld.  The fun will begin for us again.  Last year we took her to Dollywood and she didn't want to leave.
Bart


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## MLR (Mar 25, 2013)

*I still love Mickey Mouse!*

Loved him as a kid, love him to this day. He is one of the nicest 'people' I know 

We have taken our kids multiple times over the years to WDW and then our granddaughter and even decided to spend our 42nd anniversary at WDW when a great TS was available in Kissimmee at the right time. Nuts? Maybe. MEMORIES - YOU BETCHA!!

Would I take babies or children under 7? Been there, done that - nope, never again. But it is a great time with kids ages 7-14 or even a tad older.

Has it lost a bit of its charm? Maybe. Would I go again, YES, MAYBE - especially if we had a few more grand-kids.


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## Trudyt623 (Mar 28, 2013)

My son was only 15 months during his first visit and my daughter, who the trip was really for  was just turning 6. My son loves to look at the pictures of himself in the park and he has even take a few in the same areas as he has gotten older. My daughter will be 16 soon and she still loves Disney. They would love nothing more than to go there every year. We just love the simplicity of life with the Mouse and everything beautiful and possible.  For us it never gets old, even my DH enjoys it.


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## timeos2 (Mar 29, 2013)

Lets be real. The world would be a sadder place if Disney didn't exist as we know it. No one should ever forget what a genius and visionary Walt Disney really was. Even the current corporate rein cannot ruin the wonderful base Walt left us with all these years later.


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## jandlintx (Mar 29, 2013)

My son was eight when we first went and we wound up being there during Star Wars weekend, and we didn't know it. The kid was insane, following characters around and wandering wide-eyed through the Star Wars store. I watched a little blond girl four year old hug Darth Vader.

In a cynical world, Disney is over the top fantasy happy, but they really do make memories that last a lifetime.

Heck, my now fourteen-almost-fifteen year old kid still gives me guff that I didn't press the button when I was supposed to on the Mission: Space ride at Epcot and nearly exploded our spaceship.


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## spiceycat (Mar 31, 2013)

talkamotta said:


> Good for you...  Investing in family memories  is what life is all about.  I tell my children  "You wont get an inheritance, I plan on spending all my money, but, come with us and you will have great memories."



don't count on it. my mother had $150,000 in the bank and owned a house value at $199,000 - now she is pennies - every heard of something called alzheimer's it goes thru saving like water.

so even if you save - don't count on leaving anyone anything.

I brought DVC back in 93 - when mother refused. have loved it!!!!


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## talkamotta (Apr 1, 2013)

spiceycat said:


> don't count on it. my mother had $150,000 in the bank and owned a house value at $199,000 - now she is pennies - every heard of something called alzheimer's it goes thru saving like water.
> 
> so even if you save - don't count on leaving anyone anything.
> 
> I brought DVC back in 93 - when mother refused. have loved it!!!!



My children already say I have "oldtimers". Seriously, you wonder what disease will be the death of you and alzheimer's is close to the top of my list.  Im sorry your mom has it.  Its not only tough on her but extra tough on her family.  I already have a very bad back and heart problems that Ive had since I was a child.  I probably wont die of those but there will be days that will suck pretty bad.  I have good insurance through my work/retirement and will be getting medicare so Ive done due dilligence but crap happens to everyone.  

I retired last year at 58 and life has become so precious to me.  We work so hard in our lives and tend to put our children on the back burner.  I want to be a better grandma than I was a mom. I was lucky my kids all turned out good, now I want to be thier friend, too.  I want my 60's to be the 20's/30's.  I want to be the party grandma.  Money seems to be tight when you are raising a family so I want our vacations to be educational, fun, and adventurous. 

As mentioned before, Disney did a wonderful job. Disneyworld was a swamp.  I like going on the rides and screaming.  My grandkids think Im funny.  Others think Im crazy.  Do I like going to other places like our National Parks, yes to that too.


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## Pietin (Apr 3, 2013)

Disney or not, either you get it or you don’t.  But whether you get it or not make memories with your kids.   

Disney is a great memory maker.  We have been taking my oldest there every year since he was two.  We wanted to take him before we had to pay for him.  After that first time, the cost did not matter.  He still remembers some of his earlier trips we have taken there, and so does his brother.   He is in college know and asked if he can still come with, to which I replied “of course!”  He rides the rides with his 10 year old little brother most of the time but on occasion his still want to sit with mom or dad.  Test Track used to be our favorite to ride together, until they rehabbed it.  We all love playing find the find the tourist, and sometimes we even play the tourist.   Usually we go in matching Disney shirts.  After college he wants to work in the parks as theater tech.  I hope he get the chance.   We bought our first timeshare at Westgate when he was two, bought our first resale when he was three.  Don’t have either of those now, but have been timesharing ever since. 

It not just Disney but any trip you take is what they will remember.  It the one on one time with dad or mom away from the normal stress of life that makes the difference.  We would take one to Disney and one to learn something every year so we would go to Williamsburg, DC, the Smoky Mountains, or anywhere the kids could learn by doing or seeing a different perspective.   One of the best learning trips was to the Iowa where we were able to hunt for fossils.   In French Lick we toured the Amish country, toured the inside of a mountain (large hill) large enough to drive a truck inside, that was a granite mine, and learned how they remanufacture automobile engines.  We would even make sure we would go when times were tough, the maintenance fees were paid.  That is the most important time to go.  It lets the kids know that they are the most important aspect of your world, it’s their time.  It also takes the stress out of life.  People tend to forget that children work too, it is in school but they need a break too.   With a timeshare the most expensive part of the trip is paid for, we would use it to go somewhere, anywhere.   

I am a proud owner of a timeshare (or two).   I just wish I could get others (sister-brother inlaw) to understand the concept before they miss out on great trips with thier childrens.


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## Bourne (Apr 7, 2013)

Pietin said:


> Disney or not, either you get it or you don’t.  But whether you get it or not make memories with your kids.   Disney is a great memory maker.
> ...
> ...
> 
> I am a proud owner of a timeshare (or two).   I just wish I could get others (sister-brother inlaw) to understand the concept before they miss out on great trips with thier childrens.



Could not have put it better. Was bit by the travel bug when I was a kid and passing it down to the kids now. Even with school calendar, we manage to take about 35+ nights of vacation. 

Is Disney worth it. Absolutely. Just came back tonight from our 10th. The kids are 7 & 4 and they have been there every year since birth. Each year is different. And memories are made every year. This year was no different:

* I finally ended up doing the Summit Plummet
* Little one's first splash mountain ride
* And his first( and 10 more ) toboggan ride.  
* And the older one did not need a stroller. :whoopie:


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## amanda14 (Apr 7, 2013)

We have a 13,10 and 4 yr old. My two older ones were never really into characters when they were small and they have been to WDW maybe 5 times by now. The 4 yr old being our youngest, we wanted to do a character breakfast for the experience for her so we did the LILO and Stitch breakfast at the Polynesian one day. My wife and I literally had tears in our eyes to see how excited she was to hang around with the characters, get pics etc. She also had her first ride on Thunder Mountain Railroad which is apparently her favorite ride now. The breakfast bill was insanely overpriced but I knew that going in and it was a blast.

My oldest still remembers how when she was "little" and her and I were first to go on Space Mountain and after the ride we received free passes to go on the front of the lines for every major ride. At the time, it was an anniversary for the park and that was a cool thing.

Indeed a fantastic memory maker. I have been there maybe 20 times and sure as an adult was the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Ride an utter disappointment as an adult (was my fave as a child)? Sure. But that place is phenomenal on so many levels.


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## AwayWeGo (Sep 6, 2013)

*How Interactive Lines At Disney’s Parks Make Waiting For Rides Not So Bad.*

Click here for the story. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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## SMHarman (Sep 6, 2013)

timeos2 said:


> Lets be real. The world would be a sadder place if Disney didn't exist as we know it. No one should ever forget what a genius and visionary Walt Disney really was. Even the current corporate rein cannot ruin the wonderful base Walt left us with all these years later.


Walt was a savvy businessman himself
http://techliberation.com/2009/08/06/copyright-duration-and-the-mickey-mouse-curve/
The magic of 'corporate authorship'


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## presley (Sep 6, 2013)

I miss Disneyland of years ago when it wasn't so crowded.  The crowds really take away from the magic.

For my daughter, Disneyland really is the happiest place on earth.  She was 6 months old when we took her there the first time.  She had always been a very unhappy baby, very colicky, but from the moment we took her out of the car in the parking lot, she got a big smile on her face.  She was so enormously happy at Disneyland, especially with Mickey Mouse.  Seriously, she was never that happy any other time in the first year of her life.

Fast forward 21 years and she still gets the same giant smile when she goes to Disneyland.  I couldn't believe it.  We were in downtown Disney a couple months ago and I said we should go to DL for a couple hours since it was right there and we had nothing else to do.  That same big baby face grin came over her face and was there pretty much the whole time we were at the park.  That type of magic is priceless.


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## stoler527 (Sep 6, 2013)

*Disney*

Disney memories are strange things.

When my daughter was younger we owned DVC OKW and stayed there on every trip. We visited all the parks, ate in the restaurants, etc. 

Recently we made a return trip and stayed at SSR. Something seemed wrong about the whole trip. The magic was lost. We did the parks and restaurants and bought souvenirs. We weren't having that good of a time, but couldn't quite figure out what was wrong.

One night we went to eat at Olivia's at OKW. All of a sudden, the memories and our feelings of comfort came rushing back. When someone said 'welcome home', I almost cried. Apparently, for us, the Kool Aid is very much attached to OKW. If we go again, we will be sure to stay only at OKW. 

Different families have different experiences that are meaningful to them. Apparently, Disney Magic is a very fragile thing and can be lost if you are not careful.


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## Sea Six (Sep 6, 2013)

It's not just about cartoon characters and rides.  One of the reasons we go is for the food and wine festival.  We drink wine, we eat food, and we watch shows.  This year during 1 week we will see Jefferson Starship, the Go-Gos, and Air Supply.  You may not like them, but seeing all 3 in the same week included with the price of admission is a good deal for us.  We'll do some rides and see some characters, but there is so much more to it than that.


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## TSPam (Sep 6, 2013)

HI,
We too will spend time at food and Wine this fall. The concerts, the food, the talks and activities are what we go for. 
In December it is the Holiday activities with the decorations at all of the resorts, the lights, holiday shows that we go for. I especially like the decorations that people put up at the campgrounds. Great way to spend an evening.


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## mspeggysue911 (Sep 6, 2013)

I am a Disney fanatic. I take my kids once a year but the husband and I go twice a year WITHOUT THE KIDS.

I have 2 Disney tattoos.

Disney is expensive. We spend a small fortune every year because we go so many times.

I can't begin to tell you how much money having all these Wyndham points is going to save us over the years. Usually on our family trip when we take all the kids JUST OUR ROOM usually runs $3,000 for a week or $4,500 for 11 days.

Now we can stay at Bonnet Creek (which we will be this November) for less than one fifth of what we usually pay for lodging.

Disney rooms that will house 5 ppl are outrageously expensive even if you rent DVC points. And Bonnet Creek rooms are bigger. The resort amenities are way better.

We still go to all the parks Disney and Universal as well as all the other ones. We eat at all the Disney restaurants.

When we first went I thought we will go this once, have a trip of a lifetime and probably won't ever go back. WRONG! We got bit by the bug and have been going back every 4-6 months ever since.

We have spent more money on vacations in the last 3 years since we started going to Disney than we have spent all put together for all vacations in the past. But it is so worth it. It's magical even for adults.

My kids are teens and they all love it there too. 

I feel fortunate that we can go so often and I feel bad thinking about all the children who probably won't ever get to go because it is so expensive.

I have a 28 yr old son who I never got to take to Disney when he was growing up but he has since been and he wasn't a big fan. But my younger ones are hooked.


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## Sea Six (Sep 6, 2013)

We are so with you on the holiday lights.  We like to get on the monorail, then stop off at the Contemporary, the Floridian, and the Contemporary just to tour the lobbies and see the decorations, and share some of their holiday cheer, especially during happy hour!


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## tombo (Sep 7, 2013)

BocaBum99 said:


> My guess is that people who loathe Disney are not very happy people.  They are the people who see the glass as half empty.  Life is short.  Memories are priceless.  Disney has done a fantastic job at capturing the essence of what a child believes is magic.  In addition, they package it in a way that gives some of it back to us adults.
> 
> Does Disney make a ton of money?  You bet.  Anyone who can make an old man feel like a child again deserves every penny.



Wow what a mistaken generalization. The fact that one is BORED with the long lines to ride the mostly lame Disney rides does not make them unhappy, half empty, or unable to enjoy the "theme", "pixie dust", or "Magic". Some people (myself included) like thrill rides at theme parks, not long lines for boring kiddie rides.

The cutting edge technology of robotic presidents, talking mechanical bears, and a Haunted house where the highlights are a face riding in the car with you and a talking crystal ball have passed long ago. Most of the rides and special effects are the same as they were when I started going in the 70's. Space mountain yawn. Pirates of the Caribbean, boring. I NEVER want to look at dolls while listening to that mind numbing song "It's a small world after all" ever again. The jungle cruise with the fakest animals anywhere, please. 20,000 leagues where my 4 year old said look daddy the fake fish are tied to the bottom of the pool with strings. Yes there are a couple of good rides (Tower of Terror, Rock and Roller Coaster), but $95 a day per park for one or 2 decent rides is not worth it to me. 

I am actually like a kid at theme parks with THRILL rides. We set aside 2 days in Los Angeles to go to Six Flags Magic Mountain to ride the coasters and thrill rides. I hope to make it to Cedar Point in Sandusky Ohio to ride the coasters before I am too old to enjoy them. Bush Gardens is GREAT in Tampa and we usually go when we are in Orlando. I went to Universal and Universal IOA this summer for 4 days and my wife had to keep telling me to slow down as I got off of one ride and started running to the next. I also just got back from Silver Dollar City and loved their 3 coasters. There were no lines at Silver Dollar City and I rode the coasters again and again, and again like I was a teenager. I was excited walking in the gates at both Universal and SDC every day this summer anticipating the coasters that flipped, barrel rolled, loped, and dropped almost straight down at both theme parks.

I went to Disneyworld at least once a year, every year, from the year it opened until I hit college. When I was 18 told my parents Disney was boring and I didn't want to go anymore. I did not go again until I carried my children to Disney. We went about 4 times when they were young up until they were teenagers. Once they became teenagers they too no longer wanted to go to Disney. At about 13 or 14 they both wanted to go to Universal, Sea World, Bush Gardens, Six Flags every time they could because they too enjoy thrill rides. To quote them Disney is for little kids and old people.

I would never generalize and say that people who go to Disney are people  who can't summon the courage to ride real thrill rides. I would never summarize all Disney devotees as people who hate their adult lives and wish they could be children again. I do not think that there is anything wrong with people who love Disney. Some people love it. Good for them. I personally do not like the rides at Disney, and I go to theme parks for the rides. I am not unhappy person. I will never walk into anything Disney again until I have grand kids. I will enjoy it then watching their fun, joy, and excitement. Until then I will go to the theme parks I enjoy. Disney is not on that list.


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## stoler527 (Sep 7, 2013)

I would have to agree that many of the Disney rides have become tired. Major refurbishment is needed to bring the parks up to a currently acceptable standard. For the last few years, Disney has even cut back significantly on the Christmas decorations. They have been raising prices and cutting services at least since the Great Recession.

At last, Disney seems to have started to put money into the parks. The new Fantasyland has promise and we like the new Star Tours.

In general, the new emphasis seems to be on princesses and elementary school children. Teens and twenty something's don't seem to be targeted any more by Disney. 

For us, the parks at Disney are emotionally tied to family memories. We will continue to go there as long as we feel warm and fuzzy about the place.

As I mentioned before, the warm fuzzies are fragile and not guaranteed. On our last trip we ate at the Liberty Tree. This used to be a favorite and we have albums full of pictures of our daughter at the restaurant with the characters. Without the characters, the meal was downright dreary. The dessert was changed and was inedible in its new incarnation. With the magic gone, we won't eat there again.

Too many non magical experiences and we won't be back to Disney for the foreseeable future. We already reserve at least a day for Universal. In the past we never left Disney at all. When we were at SSR, we had almost decided not to go back. We even contacted a broker while we were there to see about selling our points.

We will make another trip and stay at OKW, where our memories are. If this trip has the warm fuzzies, we will continue to go. Otherwise, we will look for other vacation destinations.


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## DebBrown (Sep 7, 2013)

We've been to Disneyworld more times than I can count but these days it is the vacation of last resort.  If I can't get an exchange where we really want to go, there's always Orlando.  I'm still using park hopper passes that I bought in 2003!  Every time we are in Orlando, we only go to Disney one day.

I love vacation memories but mine are of trekking glaciers in Patagonia, swimming with spinner dolphins in Hawaii, hiking in Glacier National Park.  I don't need all the Disney hoopla to have a wonderful vacation.  This doesn't make me a Disney "hater", just someone with different priorities and interests.

Deb


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## tombo (Sep 7, 2013)

DebBrown said:


> We've been to Disneyworld more times than I can count but these days it is the vacation of last resort.  If I can't get an exchange where we really want to go, there's always Orlando.  I'm still using park hopper passes that I bought in 2003!  Every time we are in Orlando, we only go to Disney one day.
> 
> I love vacation memories but mine are of trekking glaciers in Patagonia, swimming with spinner dolphins in Hawaii, hiking in Glacier National Park.  I don't need all the Disney hoopla to have a wonderful vacation.  This doesn't make me a Disney "hater", just someone with different priorities and interests.
> 
> Deb



Swimming with spinner dolphins, hiking in National Parks, trekking glaciers. I need to let you plan some of my vacations. I love the outdoors.

My favorite family vacation memories are not of theme parks, they are of trips we took to outdoor destinations. My son pulling a clump of hair off of a buffalo as it walked past our car in Yellowstone. The geysers, bears, elk, eagles, and deer we saw in Yellowstone along with the beauty of the park. Family hikes to waterfalls in Yosemite. Hiking to and being dwarfed by giant Redwood and Sequoia trees. The Grand Canyon. Sliding down natural water slides in the cold streams of North Carolina. Trout fishing in the mountains. Seeing bears and deer in Cades Cove. Snow skiing at Lake Tahoe, North Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia. White water rafting in Montanna, North Carolina, and Tennessee. And of course probably the best family memories are of the weeks on the beach building sand castles, catching fiddler crabs by flashlight, swimming, looking for shells at daylight, and riding the waves. The theme park memories are great too, but a week at the theme parks would not make the top 5 vacation memories list of anyone in my family. To each their own.


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## DebBrown (Sep 7, 2013)

Hey, tombo!  I should be asking YOU for vacation planning tips.  I love your adventures.  

Deb


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## Sea Six (Sep 8, 2013)

Believe it or not, it's possible to like Disney, thrill rides, AND the great outdoors, without hating either one


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## chriskre (Sep 8, 2013)

Sea Six said:


> Believe it or not, it's possible to like Disney, thrill rides, AND the great outdoors, without hating either one



I like it all too but Disney is one of my happy places.
I go at least twice a year and sometimes more.
I think over my lifetime since 1970 I have been to Disney at least 100 times.
It does help that I live in FL and get the FL resident discount annual pass.  
Owning DVC also helps too.  Staying onsite is fun even if you don't do the parks.  :whoopie:


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## DebBrown (Sep 8, 2013)

Sea Six said:


> Believe it or not, it's possible to like Disney, thrill rides, AND the great outdoors, without hating either one



So true.  Nobody in this thread has said anything about hating either one, as far as I know.


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## suzanne (Sep 9, 2013)

I had my first Disney Experience in Disneyland many years ago on New Years Eve. It will always be a special memory. The stop at Disneyland was a spur of the moment decision on the way back home to Oregon from visiting DH's Mom in Yuma, AZ. It was a surprise for me from DH. After we moved to Florida many years later. We have spent Christmas and New Years at Disney World in Orlando many times. This year we are returning to see all the Christmas joy at Disney and Sea World. We also will be going to the Gaylord Palms Ice Sculpture show. If you have never seen it it is amazing. It changes themes every year and I was totally blown away with how beautiful the scultures are.

I too love going to other places to see Mother Nature at her finest, but during the month of December Disney always has my heart. 

Suzanne


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## Sea Six (Sep 9, 2013)

DebBrown said:


> So true.  Nobody in this thread has said anything about hating either one, as far as I know.



When people describe you by using words like "boring", "not worth it", "tired", and "major refurbishment needed" - they don't like you anymore.


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## MichaelColey (Sep 10, 2013)

tombo said:


> The jungle cruise with the fakest animals anywhere, please.


If you think Jungle Cruise is about the animals, you're missing out.  It's all about the humor.  It's one of my favorite attractions.  I think I rode it half a dozen times on one of our recent trips, and have probably rode it 50 times in my life.  Every time I've heard at least one new one-liner.  One recent skipper was so good I think I heard a dozen new ones.

It's definitely true that the appeal is primarily for kids (or those who have kids), and I really doubt that's ever going to change.  That's an ideal demographic for businesses to target, because people don't mind spending a fortune when it comes to their kids/grandkids.


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## simpsontruckdriver (Sep 10, 2013)

This is why people visit Disney...

TS


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## AwayWeGo (Sep 13, 2013)

*The 5 Most Underrated Walt Disney World Experiences.*

Click here for the story. 

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​


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