Disneyworld rant

to quote Jim Gaffigan on taking his child to Disney: "Well, I hope you enjoyed it- it was either this or send you to college!"

I've been to Disney World 3 times. The first time was 1975 I think, while I was stationed in Mississippi. We went to Fort Wilderness with another couple camping in tents. We arrived late in the evening. Driving in, there was a huge highway with mowed median and side aprons. Not another soul or anything around, just a sign that said to tune your radio for Ft. Wilderness directions. We got our site, set up our tents and went to bed. Next morning was just everything I ever could have imagined Disney World could be. We were miles off the main highway, off an expressway that didn't have anything and in a campground that seemed miles from civilization. I walked over to the main building and toured the general store, got a coffee and enjoyed one of those rocker chairs while the rest of our group got their act together. To get to the park we walked down to the lagoon and got on a boat. I've been to Disneyland many times but this was just over the top. Instead of a parking lot and buses dropping hundreds of people off in front of the entrance to the Magic Kingdom, we were on a boat getting even further away from the real world than we had the night before. Other than a monorail train, it was the only way to get so deep into the swamp where the Magic Kingdom resided.
Simply put, we found the magic that Disney World created.
On subsequent trips, it was no less magical, with the second trip including our two children and our third trip including our grand children. Each time was just so special that I will count all three trips as the best vacations we have ever taken.
I just think if you can't find the magic in Disney World, you really need to evaluate your expectations of anything that is designed to allow you to escape the real world for a few days, including what ever the hell is going on in that real world through the TV. (Seriously? Bitching about how many TV channels to watch when you're at Disney World? THAT'S messed up!)
If you are family oriented and want a get-away from the real world and discover a way to explore your inner child with your spouse, kids and grand kids, then Disney won't let you down. Nothing beats it. But if you are tech oriented, with your priority bigger, better, faster, scarier attractions with every means of keeping in touch with the rest of the planet with wifi, cellular and TV, then Disney isn't for you.

****EDIT****
Each time we've gone, we spend a day just touring the hotels on the grounds. Grand Floridian is our favorite. Huge floral displays, a man in white-tie and tails playing a grand piano, a beautiful restaurant upstairs with fantastic views and even a luau on the beach after dark. We took a little sail boat out and explored the lagoon too. The other hotels were also great, just that the Grand Floridian really hit a note with me. If you want a good coffee table book, get the one on the Gardens Of Disneyworld. Do it before you go and you'll really appreciate the landscaping of the Magic Kingdom.

Oh, and there is no comparison of Disneyland to Disney World. The magic kingdom is all there is to Disneyland. With Disney World, it's only a small part. There's so much at DW that it's a shame to spend much time at the Magic Kingdom if you go to Disneyland more than once or twice.

It is not for a poor man for sure.

I guess it's a small camp ground after all...

skipro3 wrote:
I've been to Disney World 3 times. The first time was 1975 I think, while I was stationed in Mississippi. We went to Fort Wilderness with another couple camping in tents. We arrived late in the evening. Driving in, there was a huge highway with mowed median and side aprons. Not another soul or anything around, just a sign that said to tune your radio for Ft. Wilderness directions. We got our site, set up our tents and went to bed. Next morning was just everything I ever could have imagined Disney World could be. We were miles off the main highway, off an expressway that didn't have anything and in a campground that seemed miles from civilization. I walked over to the main building and toured the general store, got a coffee and enjoyed one of those rocker chairs while the rest of our group got their act together. To get to the park we walked down to the lagoon and got on a boat. I've been to Disneyland many times but this was just over the top. Instead of a parking lot and buses dropping hundreds of people off in front of the entrance to the Magic Kingdom, we were on a boat getting even further away from the real world than we had the night before. Other than a monorail train, it was the only way to get so deep into the swamp where the Magic Kingdom resided.
Simply put, we found the magic that Disney World created.
On subsequent trips, it was no less magical, with the second trip including our two children and our third trip including our grand children. Each time was just so special that I will count all three trips as the best vacations we have ever taken.
I just think if you can't find the magic in Disney World, you really need to evaluate your expectations of anything that is designed to allow you to escape the real world for a few days, including what ever the hell is going on in that real world through the TV. (Seriously? Bitching about how many TV channels to watch when you're at Disney World? THAT'S messed up!)
If you are family oriented and want a get-away from the real world and discover a way to explore your inner child with your spouse, kids and grand kids, then Disney won't let you down. Nothing beats it. But if you are tech oriented, with your priority bigger, better, faster, scarier attractions with every means of keeping in touch with the rest of the planet with wifi, cellular and TV, then Disney isn't for you.

****EDIT****
Each time we've gone, we spend a day just touring the hotels on the grounds. Grand Floridian is our favorite. Huge floral displays, a man in white-tie and tails playing a grand piano, a beautiful restaurant upstairs with fantastic views and even a luau on the beach after dark. We took a little sail boat out and explored the lagoon too. The other hotels were also great, just that the Grand Floridian really hit a note with me. If you want a good coffee table book, get the one on the Gardens Of Disneyworld. Do it before you go and you'll really appreciate the landscaping of the Magic Kingdom.

Oh, and there is no comparison of Disneyland to Disney World. The magic kingdom is all there is to Disneyland. With Disney World, it's only a small part. There's so much at DW that it's a shame to spend much time at the Magic Kingdom if you go to Disneyland more than once or twice.

If you need all that to escape the real world then you too need to re-evaluate your expectations! I don’t need all that. And yes.....a few extra outside stations to watch after the parks would be nice. Im sure it was like you say back on 75, but not anymore!

We (DH and I) were like skipro and we went in about 1985 and camped in a tent at Ft Wilderness with a friend and our young son. We enjoyed it and our friend, who was raised overseas and had never been to an amusement park had a blast. We got one-day tickets by going on a time share tour. They found out we were camping and told us we didn't have to do the tour!!

Fastforward to a few years ago - my DDs have wanted to go since the oldest was about 2, we decided to take them. I did some research and we decided that it was cheaper to fly, stay on-site in a hotel (yuck, hate doing that), rent a car and do a dining package for 5 nights. We had a really good time, but we then went to Universal for 3 days. Again, we stayed on-site at Universal, rode their transportation, but did not have a dining package. We had a blast! We will go back to Universal, but we will probably never go back to Disney.

Don't get me wrong, we did enjoy Disney, but it was just too crowded, too expensive, too much walking, just too much.....

We thoroughly enjoyed Universal and will plan to return in a few years if our daughters ever get time. They swim on the area swim team, just started marching in the marching band, etc.

Skippro, we are from Yuba City. Well we were. Lifetime residents. Now we live 25 miles West of WDW. We moved here for Disney. Our plans today are to take a day off from hurricane clean up and go to Epcot for the food and wine festival.

Those complaining about the cost of the Ft. Don't forget you have all that transportation included. No bus ticket or boat tickets needed. You can ride Disney transportation all day just to sight see.

Yep, it is not cheap but we saved a life time to spend our money our way. May as well enjoy the Magic.

you learned it was not for you.
me, never been and never plan on going :)

but each will have different experiences etc....so it is what it is for everyone on this disney rant!

We love Fort Wilderness, but it has gotten very expensive. The first time we visited the Fort as a family was 2005. We spent $38/night with AAA discount for a premium site in November. That same site 12 years later is over $100/night in November and they no longer provide AAA discount. We used to go twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall. We would spend most of our time at the Fort. There's plenty to see and do and it's usually quiet as everyone else is at the parks. In the last 12 years, we've only done the parks 3 times.

Disney in the summer is not such a fun experience. Too hot and too crowded. We don't go from May through September. October to April is our favorite time, avoiding NJ Week (first full week of November), the holidays and spring break.

-Michael

Those who don't like going to Disney or feel the "magic" that's ok, it would be a boring place if we all thought the same. We Love going to Disney and have been there many times. There are millions who love going to Vegas, me on the other hand have 0 interest in going to the point of even if it were free.

Just because one person hates something doesn't mean everybody else should feel the same. I loved the Fort when we camped there. Every trip now (we stay at the resorts now when we go) we always make a trip there to either eat at Trails End cafateria or the Hoop De Doo Review and wander around the place. Expensive yes but I feel you get a lot.

Dan