Not my words, but someone I spoke to. Which raises the question, how do react, what do you say, when someone tells you "Disney is just for kids" and "you need to grow up"? Is it worth educating them that Disneyland isn't designed for toddlers? Discuss :-)
Well... I would absolutely explode... :evil: not that that's the solution.
I would explain, in my own, quite agressive way that there is SO much more to DLRP and Disney than only attractions an fairytales for little kids... then I would continue to explain it to the ignorant fool, for about an hour or two... and if that didn't help and this person would still criticise Disney, I'd probably never speak to him or her again and I would wish him a very unmagical life and a painfull, slow death... :lol: no probably not that last thing but still, I would doom him :wink:
Just the way I am with Disney, very protective, can't help it 8)
I would just ignore them, esprcially if they have never been to a Disney park. Though if I was in the mood I would definately try and argue my case, sadly with some people however even when they go they see it through the mind of this place is just for kids idea.
I got a shock the other day when randomly talking to a customer at work who said, well personally I feel Disneyland is more grown up and not fully for kids. :lol:
I'd ask them if they'd put a young child on a ride like SMM2, Indy and RnRC :wink:
Often the kind of people who have this overly negative attitude towards Disneyland are:
- Cynical
- Miserable
- Very "grown-up"
- Interested in "cultured" holidays
- Close-minded
They're not necessarily all those things, but at least some of them :-) Often teachers and news reporters have this attitude towards Disneyland. They've never been, but they're absolutely certain it's a horrendous plasticky place, full of queues, junk food, fake buildings and fairground rides.
I get upset when people talk like that about DLRP, and I'll try my best to prove them wrong. Theme parks seem to be one of those things that you either love or hate :lol:
Quote from: "RnRCj"parks seem to be one of those things that you either love or hate :lol:
True.
RnRCj, Disneyland is not a themepark, it's a lifestile!! :twisted: :lol: don't forget!;) but your right Alan, it are mostly people who don't really enjoy and let loose... they just refuse to relive their childhood and don't believe in dreams... ahhr the poor poor guys... :roll:
Quote from: "Alan"Is it worth educating them that Disneyland isn't designed for toddlers?
That should be done by Disney himself by creating TV spots, where you can see Disney Village, Space Mountian, Rock'n'RollerCoaster, Tower of Terror and so on. But there's only commercial that shows Mickey Mouse. So, Disney should do something !
Parkfisch has a point there. If all you see is Mickey being cuddled by kids and not everything else, then they're not going to see what else there is.
However, everyone knows that I am a big kid who is longing to see Eeyore on my next visit. :D
I would say to this person, "Isnt life boring acting as an adult all the time? What do you do to relax n enjoy life? Of course you are entitled to your opinion..... even if you are a complete idiot and wrong!" :lol:
Don't really care what everyone else thinks. Where else can you go where you can get up and go and see Belle everyday?
:lol:
You can tell I'm feeling better, getting obsessed with Belle again.
:belle:
Hi Alan - you know I don't think you truly know until you have been to DLRP how great it is. These people you speak of would try their hardest not to enjoy it if they did go - they would complain about the queues/the volume of people, the food etc. I suppose its just not for some people.
My husband, son (4 nearly 5) and I went for the first time in May this year. My little boy has had three ops this year, we have had a death in the family and my brother returned from America with serious problems. As soon as we arrived my heart felt lighter, cheesy I know but its true and my husband felt the same, and he is quite the cynic! Added to our joy was the face of our son Luke at the sights, particularly the parade, and he kept saying to us wide eyed, I can't believe Kinai and Coda (Brother Bear) are real ma! It brought a tear to my very sentimental eye!!
So :) if someone made these observations to me, I would say well - we absolutely love it - with a big smile on my face and leave them to it!!!!! They hate it when you don't rise to them you know!!!! :lol:
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.
Well if they think it's childish and disney then makes ads on T.V for the attractions in the park then they will start to notice that it is a fun themepark.
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.
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"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 :D
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...
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:
Quote from: "davewasbaloo"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 ! :D
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:
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?
Quote from: "mr gibbs"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.
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?
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.
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......
Quote from: "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.
I like this reply Tubbsy, does really sum it up doesn't it :wink:
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,
I go mad, simple as that. lol
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! :D :P
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.
Hi everybody,
This subject is a really nice point of discussion. I had the same experience, friends of mine said "Go to holidays in Disneyland, nah it´s for kids". Of course they don´t know what they were talking about, people who said that don´t know nothing, but i also had the experience to go to Disneyland with friends who thought so, and guess what! They were marvellous with Disneyland and now they want to came back once again!
I like go to beach in summer, but for me one week is enough, but i prefer culture holidays, know places, know people, and be happy and fun in holidays, and dont think in nothing more than that.
I think, and studies tells that, more and more people is considering every year Disneyland as one of the great holiday´s destiny, it´s a place for fun, culture, big party, walk around, everything you want to do is there, and also you can go to Paris, to Provence, etc, etc.
So, next week i´ll be there once again!
See you.
(i´m from Portugal - Porto)
I think the worst thing, is when my friends say. "oh my god disneyland again?! Don't you *ever* get bored going to the same place over and over again?" that gets right up my nose!
Quote from: "disney_donutter"I think the worst thing, is when my friends say. "oh my god disneyland again?! Don't you *ever* get bored going to the same place over and over again?" that gets right up my nose!
Same here, explaining it over and over again....it's just getting on my nerves :?
It's a passion, a relegion, a fantasy, a living dream, being "home", etc.....all in one. It's just a pure happy place and thats a unique thing nowadays in our world....
Exactly, disneyland is like my home, I feel so happy there, I am a little bit of a nutter, so It's nice fitting in with all the other crazy people. lol.
When my friends ask me that I just say, "well obviously not, because I wouldn't keep going there, would I?" then they know too shut up. lol.
:D
Same here ..... I pity them for not feeling or knowing that feeling ;)
Once they go to DLRP they feel more at home than what they said about it see once they comment about it they will soon change their minds completely but not everyone does that anyway.
Quote from: "disney_donutter"I think the worst thing, is when my friends say. "oh my god disneyland again?! Don't you *ever* get bored going to the same place over and over again?" that gets right up my nose!
same, there is alot more to do at Disney other than sit on a beach :P
And lots more to do in the parks than just going in the sea of the beach or just going over to the pier and play in the arcade.
when i "grow up" i will stop going to disney, so i reckon that i will be a female peter pan for the rest of my days and fly above those lesser mortals who havent yet been sprinkled with pixie dust !! we dont use the excuse "we are going for the kids" any more,we just tell people that no, we dont get bored, no we dont want to go to the "proper" disney and no we dont fancy going to the algarve or any where like it - the trips to disney are for us and the kids only come because they have to! we are aiming for the day that we leave them with grandma, pretending that we are going to tescos, and just keep driving until we get home to dlrp!!(only joking kids, we love you too much to do that :twisted: :twisted: ) p.s. im still feeling a bit guilty about booking hong kong !!!!
Quote from: "maji"no we dont want to go to the "proper" disney
That's the thing that winds me up the most - not the Disneylands just for kids, but the people who say it isn't the proper Disney, and adopt this air of superiority because they've been to one of the US parks.
Just because it's in France doesn't mean it's any less proper than any other Disney Resort! :roll:
Well techinaly must people prefer the American parks then here in france and they never heard of DLRP then they would be surpised that they consider Florida or the orignal Disneyland park the best. But that's my opinion on view of things for that.
QuoteThat's the thing that winds me up the most - not the Disneylands just for kids, but the people who say it isn't the proper Disney, and adopt this air of superiority because they've been to one of the US parks.
Just because it's in France doesn't mean it's any less proper than any other Disney Resort!
I agree with Dark Prince here, I have heard people say that about Disneyland Paris, I find that Disneyland Paris has its own unique place along with all of the other US Parks.
Once I was there, I heard an American tourist who was standing in the queue for the obitron say that he has been to all of the parks in the states and Europe, and he says that every park has it's own unique attraction which makes all parks that little bit different, and worth visiting, no park is better than the other, they all have their wonders.
Also if anyone is arguing for the US parks, take this into account, the Thunder Mountain Ride is noted to be vastly quicker in Paris than the one in WDW, newer parks tend to come tried and tested from looking at other parks and with the advancement of new technologies come new innovations.
:wink:
There are several attractions in DLRP which are considered to be improved upon over the US attractions. We have a much faster and rougher Space Mountain than in the US. I know Phantom Manor differs from Haunted Mansion, and I believe Pirates follows a different order to the US version. There is no animatronic dragon underneath the castle in the US - something I love at DLRP, and always go to see several times while I'm there!
For me, I don't particularly enjoy flying, and I always like to bring back plenty of souvenirs from Disneyland, so the ability to drive there (albeit a long drive), is very appealing to me. I hate the idea of the long flight to the US, and hate the idea of not being able to bring souvenirs back even more.
At the end of the day, I want a Disney holiday. I'm not particularly bothered about all the other theme parks. I can experience all the things I want at DLRP, which includes the Disney atmosphere and characters, the parades, Star Tours (my main reason for going originally), Indy and the shopping.
Also, it's generally accepted, even amongst people who live in the US, that Disneyland Paris has the most beautiful, visually appealing Disneyland Park of all the resorts.
I agree with that dark prince and it seems we all get the same responses, a) dont you get bored going every year, b) dont you want to do the real disney this time and c) you dont have kids. All my staff know not to question my disneyland paris obsession as i always say to them " dont you get bored going to the same club every weekend" and put the ball back in their court it soons hushes them up
Quote from: "Dark_Prince"There are several attractions in DLRP which are considered to be improved upon over the US attractions. We have a much faster and rougher Space Mountain than in the US. I know Phantom Manor differs from Haunted Mansion, and I believe Pirates follows a different order to the US version. There is no animatronic dragon underneath the castle in the US - something I love at DLRP, and always go to see several times while I'm there!
For me, I don't particularly enjoy flying, and I always like to bring back plenty of souvenirs from Disneyland, so the ability to drive there (albeit a long drive), is very appealing to me. I hate the idea of the long flight to the US, and hate the idea of not being able to bring souvenirs back even more.
At the end of the day, I want a Disney holiday. I'm not particularly bothered about all the other theme parks. I can experience all the things I want at DLRP, which includes the Disney atmosphere and characters, the parades, Star Tours (my main reason for going originally), Indy and the shopping.
Also, it's generally accepted, even amongst people who live in the US, that Disneyland Paris has the most beautiful, visually appealing Disneyland Park of all the resorts.
I have been to both US parks and Paris last year, i really do think the Paris park is better, cleaner, more developed, modern without losing any of the Disney magic.
Yes, splash mountain will help if it comes, but the rest,my view is better.
Yoy only have to go to WDWMAGIC/Jim Hill/Miceage, they are always talking about the state of the parks in the US, Disneyland has been getting some TLC of late and a lot of money has is being pumped in there.
Though the american parks have more parks in the whole resorts DLRP beats the american disney parks hands down but I still want to go to WDW though.
Quote from: "Goku735"Though the american parks have more parks in the whole resorts DLRP beats the american disney parks hands down but I still want to go to WDW though.
The two parks in the US that are themed the same in paris you talk about, talking about florida here, here are my thoughts and scores.
Magic kingdom - paris wins
Studios - florida wins :( we will change this over the coming years i hope.
The LA side.
Magic Kingdom - it's what WALT built, it's great for that,is it better, NO, but it has that magic that no other park will have due to the fact the great man did it with Roy.(i know Walt was involved in florida but look at EPCOT, this is not what he wanted)
I am not going to talk about the other thing over there, lets hope the 1.2 billion improves it :) it has some great attactions, one that will be soon coming here :D but it's like going to Alton Towers :shock:
Just to add, the park is like Alton Towers, not Sorin
I have to say, I think the imagineers did a great job with DLP, but ops have been ruining it (15th aside). I still would rather go to the original in California than DLP becuase of the service, magic, live entertainment, cleanliness, guest behaviour and fireworks, as well as the weather.
But DLP is head an shoulders above the filthy and souless Magic Kingdom in Florida. And I would actually say once ToT opens, our studios is actually better than the one in FLA too!
But Epcot and DAk are amazing. Someone said he was speaking to an American in the queue of Orbitron that likes all the parks, I wonder if that was me you were talking to?
I wouldn't mind if I want to go WDW though.
Quote from: "Haz"Studios - florida wins :( we will change this over the coming years i hope.
I'm convinced that if Karl is allowed to, he will turn the Studios into what we have been hoping for...
As long as we realise that the Studios were built because they had to at a time when they had virtually no money, I believe that this year might very well be the year where things get turned around :)
DIsney is for all ages,
it brings back childhood memories and fun, laughter and joy to everyone
and creates dreans and memories
Over the last couple of days, I've had 3 people walk past me asking why I'm looking at Disney stuff :? They say things like "Aren't you a bit grown up for that?".
It really annoys me :evil:
The other day me and a friend went into the Eurostar shop at the Bluewater shopping centre to get a rough cost for a trip in October. The lady that helped us was very friendly and she was telling us how its not just for kids and that a while back she went with a huge group of adults to the resort with no kids. She admitted that she was very shocked at how much there is for all ages, including adults. Just thought I should mention that in this topic :P
People who dont get Disney are just fun suckers!
Maybe your right but their might be others though at the same time think it is not just for kids.