Adults who got to go when they were children v. those who didn't...

[Since1976]

I've noticed a curious thing. There are many adults who were not fortunate enough to have their parents take them to WDW as children, and grew up to be rather bitter about it. When they finally went as adults, that bitterness remained.

"It wasn't all that," I've heard some people say. It sounds like sour grapes to me, and I feel really bad that they are unable to let go of their childhood bitterness and be glad that they are experiencing the World now.

Has anyone else come across this type of person?

 

[Master Yoda]

In my case not true. From birth in 1971 (Lived in Jacksonville Florida since 1972) till High School graduation in 1989 I was able to go to WDW 3 times, including Grad night, and I absolutely love Disney. We go so much now that are kids even gripe about going so much. At 6 months old my youngest daughter had been to WDW more times than me at 18.

 

[garyhoov]

I went to Disney World in '73 and Disney Land in '75, so I was 8 and 10 . . . hated them both.

Even when I went back to Disney World as an adult around 1996, I hated it up until the time we got back to the Philadelphia Airport, and then something clicked and I wanted to go back (whatever they put in the water must require a few doses and some time before it kicks in).

 

[barnum42]

I never made it to Disney World until I was twenty and I could afford to pay my own way over the Atlantic. I've now made that journey thirteen times, so it did not affect me that way. As a kid I dreamt of going, but held no bitterness that my folks never took me.

 

[PetePan]

That really wasn't the case for me either. I didn't go for the first time until I was about 16 years old. I have no "sour grapes" about not going as a kid, I'm just thankful that I can go and enjoy it now.(And I probably enjoy it more now than I would have even as a kid)

 

[longfamily]

I was able to visit with my parents a s a kid and I also was able to take two school trips there (6th grade and 10th grade) without mom and dad. I think what really sparked the love for me was that I was able to do those two trips without my family. On both trips we had a buddy system and we were set free to explore as we wanted. How cool is that at 11 yrs old? the random check -ins were no biggie. Now don't get me wronge, trips with the family were very fun, but doing it with a large number of friends was much cooler.

As an adult we go about every year and a half. My husband and son are huge fans and we all suffer withdrawals when the vacation is planned too far away. I think that by growing up with Disney, I feel that Disney can do no wronge. I still feel that innocent magical feeling and I don't notice the things other adults notice like chipped paint. I think that by growing up as a Disney child I don't have the adult bias that some people (not all) get by going for the first time as adults. It can be compared to a first love. A first love is a love without distraction, barriers, or caution. Every love since is riddled with defenses, caution, and bias. This is how I think different people may view their Disney experience depending on when they go for their first visit.

But with all love, there is always an element of madness. I think no matter when you go there, once you fall under the spell of Disney, you gain the madness for it as well

 

[Zip-D-Dude]

I made my first trip when we were honeymooning in Florida. I thought Magic Kingdom was for kids and the rest of the parks were just OK. I think we did MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom Magic Kingdom in one day. (Maybe part of the problem)
After we had kids, in 2001 I took them to Disneyland in CA. I fell in love with Disney then and there. It is a completely different feeling with kids. Since then I have gone to WDW in FL 2 more times and can not wait to go back. I believe having children allows you to get into it more, and act like a big kid as well as see Disney World in their eyes.

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

I was 33 when I went to WDW for the first time - married with two young daughters. We're now looking forward to our 5th trip in August next year, and who knows, in years to come we could be there with grandchildren
The whole family love Disney and Florida and I have no regrets about not getting to WDW as a child, as my childhood is rekindled when we take the exit routes off I-4

 

[Ergens2]

I can see your point. I grew up on Disney. Even living in VA we made the trip at least 2-3 times a year. It did help that my grandparents lived in Vero Beach. But I do have co workers who think I am crazy for "spending that much money" to go to an amusement park. Esp. when we don't have children. I also have a hard time convincing my hubbby to go every year but he is starting to come around. His first trip was with me Sept. 11 2001. That was an adventure! Now he has little things that he plans to do while we are visiting the mouse.

 

[Raven66]

I didn't go for the first time until I was 14. Even then I didn't want to go because I had my very first boyfriend and I didn't want to leave him. :lookaroun After that I didn't go again until I was 18 for grad nite. That boyfriend was long gone, so I wanted to go that time. :lol: Then again at 22 for my honeymoon and then not again until I was 35. Now we go once a year. I hold no bitterness to my parents. We just couldn't afford to go. We can afford to take our little princess once a year, but I don't think she would be bitter if we didn't. My mom does tell me that we went to DisneyLand when I was a toddler. I don't remember. That was a long time ago.

 

[littlered]

My dad always said we had to be old enough to appreciate it, he really wanted to take us as we got older but the little sisiters and brothers kept coming. so we all weren't old enough at the same time. Then my dad passed away. Several years later my first trip was for my honeymoon and I unserstood what my dad meant. I was old enough to appreciate all of the magic, and it was really special. DH and I go about every other year now. In September of 2003 I was able to take my two youngest brothers who were 15 & 17 at the time. They keep bugging me to take them back. But this year, (next month in fact) I am taking my two sisters, they are 23 & 25 and I know they will also fall in love with the magic of Disney.

 

[Scooter]

Neither one of my parents ever had a drivers license so we didn't take vacations.

I wasn't able to go to Disney World until I was in the area on a buisiness trip at the ripe old age of 37.

From that point on I was hooked and I've been to The World at least once every year since.

I made sure to take my kids so they could experiance the Magic as well, but they are grown and on their own now but my wife and I still go every year.

It's like I finally get to experiance the childhood dream vacations that I never had the opportunity as a child to experiance.

I hold no bitterness towards anyone, my parents never had much but they gave us what they could afford. A Disney World or Disneyland trip wasn't even within grasp. They worked hard and saved money so we could have a better life than they had and now their dream has come true.

My parents have both passed on now, but I know they are smiling down at us as my family strolls through Disney World knowing that they accomplished their goal, and raised us children to make good intelligent life decisions as adults.

I Love you Mom and Dad...you did well!!! and I wish you could be here with us on one of our Magical Disney vacations!! :wave:

next trip...May 4th!!!

 

[casualrdt]

Wow I was born in 70 and had gone to WDW so many time as a child I lost count but it is in my signature. I have wanted to go so many more times in the past few years, now I make enough money I can go when I want and it is just a question of what time of year. My last visit was Xmas week 03 and I leave on May 8th for a full week with my GF. She has never been and I get to show her around. She is not all to excited... or aleast I though until she said to me the other day.... I want a picture of me with Mickey. Well I set up a breakfeast at the AK for that Monday morning as a suprise. She has asked a few questions and I have been getting her a little more pumped up each time.

It will be a yearly thing for me going foward!!! Every time I go... I still feel like a little kid.

 

[Disneyland1970]

I have been going to Disney parks since the age of 3. I was taken by my parents who had been going since the opening year of DL! I have GROWN UP on Disney. I am now 37 and take my DW and 5 year old daughter to WDW at every chance we get(Aprox 18 times since 2001) since moving to the east coast from CA. My parents have retired an hour north of Orlando and visit the parks at least twice a month.

My DW did not have the chance to visit DL until we were dating. Then my family took her with us to WDW on our first trip in 1991. She had parents who were the crunchy granola types that run wild in northern california. They had the feeling that by going to DL you were supporting the SYSTEM. She spent her vactions in the mountains on hiking trips and camping. Now she was probably more healthy because of it, and she still has a very deep appreciation of nature to this day, she felt a compromise was needed. My DW is a as much of a Disneyphile any of us on here. This was only made worse with the birth of or daughter. I feel the ones who feel it's "not all that" would not have appreciated WDW anyway. That is why there is six flags!!

So this July all 3 generations will spend 10 day in WDW. Well, we will be there earlier but we don't just don't plan the weekend trips, we just kinda end up there :wave:

May the magic live on with all of you!

 

[Nut4Disney]

My parents took me to WDW in 1978 when I was 7. I didn't get to return until 1987 when I was 15 with a friends family. I have since been 18 times since 1992, all either by myself, or with a friend/wife. I am not bitter, in fact my wife had never been before our honeymoon in 2000, but we've been back 7 times since. Our 2 yr old has even been 4 times now. I just feel fortunate that I was able to introduce Disneyworld to someone else and now she feels the same way about it that I do.

 

[Magic Nut]

Florida Residents

I have lived in Florida for almost 3 years and in my experience most people who were born and raised in FL do NOT like Disney. They act as though it is a bother to them because of all the pesky tourists. Give me a break, they don't realize how much money they bring in! Most of the residents that do not like Disney do like Universal Islands of Adventure. I can't compare as I havent been to IOA because I can not imagine making the drive to Orlando and not going to Disney. If I went to IOA I would feel as though I was cheating on Disney! thats my two cents..carry on!

 

[crazycalf]

I went once when I was little and I don't remember too much about it. Just that I wanted to go to the living seas but couldn't because it didn't open yet. I enjoyed it more as an "adult", even though I never act like one.

But my sister in law hates disney for some reason. she's never been, and says she will never go. He husband (my brother in law) wants to go back though but he conforms too much to her. He thinks he's british now because she is from Whales. So I doubt they will go, but hopefully when they have the baby he can change her mind. I know the kid will be jealous of my wife and I and her parents. He/She will be saying why do uncle john and aunt tina always go to disney world? I want to go.

 

[DDuckFan130]

My mother made one trip from Nicaragua in the 60s to DL (in her 20s), and she made it out to MK in its first year of being open. She didn't go back until after she had moved to Miami (she moved here in 1979) when she went for Epcot's inauguration. After I was born in 1985, she bought annual passes back then and we've taken many trips as a family ever since. My mom could've been bitter. She could've gone more times since at the time my grandfather had the money. But they didn't choose to do so. Nevertheless, my mom is a great big fan of the parks and Disney in general to this day, although I beat her by a landslide My dad probably never went to the parks until 1982 and he's not as big of a fan. For him, the best part of taking these trips and spending all the money is the "family togetherness" it brings. Sure he has fun and there are certain aspects he likes (i.e. technology stuff in Innoventions and World Showcase), but he's not as big of a fan as the rest of us, because it's just not his thing.

 

[David]

I was not able to go to WDW with my parents but I can not say that I was bitter. Disappointed, yes, but our family just did not take vacations like that. I mean let's face it, as much as I love going to WDW, it's not the cheapest vacation in the world.

My first trip down was in 1997 and we carried our 4 1/2 year old son. Some people say "that's too young, they will not appreciate it, etc." and maybe he do not remember everything from that first trip, but I remember seeing the wonder in his eyes and the sheer joy he experienced. We went back in 2000, 2002, 2004 and are making our first trip to Disneyland this summer, then returning to WDW in 2006.

I'm probably older than most folks on these boards, but the joy we have each time we visit Disney replaces any disappointment I had at not being able to go as a child.

 

[bjlc57]

I went when it first opened.....

I went when WDW first opened. Way before epcot. When you still had to use e tickets. Let me say that in my family, I am the one who wants to go every year, if not more. My wife doesn't feel anywhere near this attraction to Disney and calls Florida the "f word" in our house. This is very, very frustrating. Yes it is an expensive trip from Wisconsin. But we cut corners and make it happen. It's too the point where if my wife gave the get go, I could leave within 24 hours or less notice. Even my kids don't seem to have the desire to go as often as I do.





Just a guy who never had a bad day at Disney.