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[lukesmom]

I have a very simple answer for people like this normally. I ask them:

Where in Europe can you have a meal at a 3 Michelin Star restaurant, have a straight razor shave in a barbershop, a message, a round of golf on a PGA Golf Course, fly in a hot air balloon, sail through a calm river, see hand made stained glass and tapestries, interact with state of the art robots, see a west end show, see stuntmen perform dangerous stunts, place yourself in environments that encompass the western frontier, the wilds of Africa, Asia and the Caribbean, and embraces the promise of the future. Explore the supernatural.  And there is much on offer for the whole family.

A place where they can learn about film making and animation, ride adreline pumping attractions, and witness the human characteristics of what makes Europe different and yet unites?

A place that in summer shines in lights, and in winter where you can ice skate outside.

A place where the young can act as adults, the not so young become kids again.  A place of miracles where disabled people forget their ailments, and the mute speak.

And all this can be done within 5 sq km just East of Paris.

And if they tell me they are going somewhere to lie on a beach, get drunk or go camping, I ask them what it is like to have a boring life.

And for culture vultures, I say that at DLP you can have all this plus history and culture - not just Paris, but Provins, Campagne towns, the Chateu, Aquariums, world class shopping and dining.

Very, very well said davewasbaloo  

[speedpacket]

Sigh - I absolutely HATE it when people say this.  I must say that sometimes I even feel awkward saying I'm off to Disney - again.  I shouldn't, but you often get funny faces when you do, which is sad really...

I must say that this year however, I convinced about 20 people to get an annual passport, and some of these are people that were extremely sceptical and visited the resort for the first time when I convinced them to do so...

For me Disney is so much more than "just" the childish place where all people get to be children again.  It's relaxing on the parade route with a nice glass of wine after lunch with a great view on Tower of Terror.  It's walking at Lake Disney hearing the birds wistle when passing Sequoia Lodge.

It's having GREAT dinner at Walt's (who was saying this is childish?), having a great cocktail at Disneyland Hotel before that...

It's SO MUCH MORE than what Disney does show in their ads, and I must agree that they really should try and also advertise to other audiences, as I already outlined in another topic...

I don't know - I just get very tired when people think I'm crazy and start discussing this while they have still not been there.  I'm collector of the Classics Collection figurines, and I really can say that the prices are not at child level...

[Anonymous]

You know what - how about this for a different way of looking at things. It is childish, but that's what's so great about it, it lets out the inner child, and it's a place we can all go where we don't have to grow up.

Yeah, there's all sorts of things that you can do and enjoy there, but at the end of the day, nearly all of those things are things that appeal to the child in all of us. But why fight that, what's the big deal?

I don't go to Disneyland to be grown up. I go to escape!

I go to Disneyland to come face to face with dragons, to feel the Force, become a daring archaeologist, rub shoulders with Princesses and meet Mickey!

I don't want to be grown up at Disneyland when I can have this much fun being a kid!

 :lol:

[Parkfisch]

I think part of the problem is people are expecting it to either be a kiddy place or an expensive version of Alton Towers, Walabi, Six Flags insert amusement park name here.

As we all know, it isn't.

In Austria there's not even a Park like Walibi so it's not even possible to describe Disneyland, because there are no examples people know themselves. Many people don't even know that there are rides in Disneyland ( as I mentioned in my very first post ). They think there's just a castle and a garden where Disney Characters are running around. And those who have heard that it's an amusement park with rides, think it's like the traditional Prater of Vienna which is an open part of the city where you have to pay every ride extra. People pay 5 Euro for riding the  "Boomerang" ( standard roller coaster of Vekoma that can also be found in Geiselwind in Germany or in Walibi World in the Netherlands - it goes forward and then backwards ). 5 Euro for one ride !! In most Western European countries nobody would pay that price for this coaster, because there's mostly competition that can be reached in one hour. If you live in Vienna it takes you about 7 hours to the next real Theme Parks ( Gardaland in Italy and Europa Park in Germany ). When I took an Austrian woman to Six Flags Magic Mountain in Los Angeles we went to "Revolution" first. After passing the nearly empty queue, she was looking around and asked me "Where do we have to pay for that ride now ?" When I told her that there was nothing more to pay for rides, she nearly couldn't believe it. Going to Phantasialand or Europa Park is accepted in Germany, because people know what it is. So German people could at least say Disneyland is a Park like Europa Park ( because many people there go to Europa Park and make jokes about Disneyland fans - as I got told  :wink: ). In Austria the Europa Park is not very famous and when you say you go there, you get the same reaction like you're traveling to Disneyland.  So most parks ( let's better say: their adult attractions ) are popular and famous in their countries, but the farer you travel the less people know them. Disney is known best, but only the name, not what it is. I'd hate when German people ( if I lived there ) are laughing about me, because of my Disneyland voyages and hear that the same people like to go to Europa Park with its copied Space Ship Earth ( from Epcot ), Universe of Energy ( from Epcot ), Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted mansion and Buzz.  :twisted:
Disney, please !!! bring some great TV spots on the way !  

[Javey74]

I agree with most of the views I have already read.  

I can say with my partner being a travel agent they get statistic reports about the people who go to DLRP, the travel agents reason for this is to sell further DLRP holidays to these same people in the future.  

But they also tell another story......

Statistics have proven that their is a large increase in courting couples, or newly weds going there, I hasten to add with no children.  So where people say it's only for children, why are so many without children travelling there.

Walt always wanted it to be a place where children and adults alike can have fun together, that's the magic that makes adults enjoy Disney just as much if not more that some children.  Fairgrounds are fairgrounds but Disney Fairgrounds are more than that, they tell a story from start to finish, from entering the park to going back out.  

We all can relate to stories it is built into us from being children and the emotions we get from stories never leave us, until the day we die.  What captures the adult mind with Disney stories is that they are very visual, musical and meaningful, which all lead to becoming very memorable.

We are all children in different ways, so if someone says Disney is just for children, then I say we have children in all of us no matter what age.

But you don't have to believe that, Statistics prove that more adults are returning time and time again with and without children.  The word Family springs to mind, which takes me right back to the start of what Walt wanted, "A themepark for all of the family to enjoy" not "Just for children".

Take it or leave it..........I know what I would do  :wink:

[mr gibbs]

AAAhhhh Davewasbaloo - once again we bathe in the warm waters of your wisdom!  :lol:
In a way, the people who make comments like that are right - Disney is for kids. Kids of all ages - like us. What's wrong with that?

[davewasbaloo]

AAAhhhh Davewasbaloo - once again we bathe in the warm waters of your wisdom!  :lol:

You sir honour me with such praise, if only it were deserved.

[jazzluvva]

DLRP's most recent free planning dvd, (couple of years old mind)uses the tag line "where can you go, and never grow old?" showing a father wearing Mickey ears.  That's just the way I feel & i'm nearly 40!  We aren't going until November and I'm itching now! - I get the kids to watch the DLRP dvd every other day!! the wife thinks i'm obsessed  :roll:

Is DLRP expensive? I beg to differ, it is no more expensive than any other theme park, but then how many others can offer Disney's level of entertainment?

[tubbsy]

My friends have paid for a 10 day holiday-pretty much the same price I've paid for a week in Disney.

Why go to Disney for a week?

She's going to lay on a beach.  Oh n her kids are going to have a fun club to go to. She's planning on booking them in for all of two days of the holiday.....

I'm going to Disney to be a kid with my kids.

[Soap]

Amen to that Dave!

It's so much more than only a parc. It 's a lifestyle and something where you can really escape those daily routines. The whole imagineering and the way Walt Disney saw this all is just breathtaking......

[Javey74]

My friends have paid for a 10 day holiday-pretty much the same price I've paid for a week in Disney.

Why go to Disney for a week?

She's going to lay on a beach.  Oh n her kids are going to have a fun club to go to. She's planning on booking them in for all of two days of the holiday.....

I'm going to Disney to be a kid with my kids.

I like this reply Tubbsy, does really sum it up doesn't it  :wink:

[Haz]

What an amazing statement, "Disney is for kids", i too have seen stats and the adults visiting is a lot higher than children,these were from the states i would add.

 As a few have said, we all escape when we are there, be it with children or on your own.  I for one would rather spend 7 days at Disney any year than 14 days sitting on a beach or round a swimming pool,and most familes would too if you asked them.

 If anyone ever stated it to me, i would first ask if they have been, and i bet 99.9999% of them have not.

 And finally, i think as you get older you appreciate the place even more with regards to the engineering and design that goes into the ride and shows.

 Just some thoughts,

[disney_donutter]

I go mad, simple as that. lol

[15MagicalYears]

My friend said to me once durring a trip

"Disneyland is soo cheesey and kidish but you get wrapped up in it all that you forget you are watching a mouse tell you that dreams come true or that you are on a mission into space"

Disneyland is aimed at kids but I guess we are all kids realy!    

[Goku735]

There are so many ways of to tell them that it's not just a themepark but a thing of life it reflects your childhood to be fun and enjoy yourself if only they would understand it what it was about though.