Can you ESCAPE reality at WDW as an Adult?

[hokielutz]

When Disney does something right (Soarin' is a perfect example), people get so enraputured and focused on what's going on in front of them. Another great example is people's reactions during Wishes. Seeing adults literally cry (which I have seen more than once) is proof as well.

Count me as one of them. The soaring anthem along with the visual cues of the fireworks, really tug at my feelings. Its really magical and nothing else of the outside world matters. During those moments... I feel a great inner peace. When I reflect back... it makes me wish that everyone in the world could experience this kind of moment. Maybe then we would all be better off.

 

[LoriMistress]

90 percent of the time, yes. I feel like a kid. The only time when I feel like an adult is when I encounter and rude guest.

 

[DonaldDuck34]

I'm 16 years old and I've been going to WDW since I was 3 months old and I been 12 times total. And let me tell you that the feeling I get when I get off of the Disney Transportation Bus and start walking toward The MK I feel like I am literaly becoming younger. Like I am 6 years old again walking around the MK riding rides and seeing shows that i actually felt like I was apart of. I know this may sound stupid and to most of the kids at my school it sounds stupid too but to me its real. That feeling I get when I walk into MK actually almost makes me alittle teary eyed I almost start to well up when I see little kids and I can tell that it's their 1st time in the parks. I almost wanna go up to them and just tell them all of the feelings that they are about to experience in side this land from a whole nother world. I feel scared, happy, sad, frieghtend, amused, shocked, in awe of everything that is going on around me. And while I'm in MK and all of the other parks I honestly feel like i really am 6 years old again. And I'll be honest I have cried while watching Wishes. I get very excited during the Dreams Come True Parade. And when Tink flys around the MK just before Wishes I really feel like I could fly to that second star to the right and make my way to Neverland. One day I hope that I can help make more of these fantasys become realities for many people because my lifetime dream ever since I can remember setting foot into MK is to become an Imagineer. And next year I will be a senior in High School so after High School I hope to apply for a Disney Professional Internship as an Imagineer. So maybe one day I'll be making some of your dreams come true and helping you become a kid again. Sorry for the long post but I just really had to get all of that off my chest. Thanks

 

[FantasMickeyM]

after High School I hope to apply for a Disney Professional Internship as an Imagineer.

Thanks for your post!

Sorry about this very stupid question from me , but do they often take young people straight from High School to do a PI as imagineers, or is it more like your dream?

What kind of experience/background is normally required for people to be employed as imagineers?

I wish you good luck with senior year and your PI

 

[d'Isigny]

Like you...I didn't go until later in life...in my thirties...but I always dreamed of going ever since I was a kid...watching Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color.

I escape reality every time I go and I'm just as thrilled to be there every time I go...

I have fond adult memories...

YES I CAN ESCAPE REALITY!

It's why I go whenever my wife let's me.

I never went to WDW as a kid. I was 29 years old the first time I went... and have been there 11 times since. Im 36 now.

For those of you like me... who never went as a kid... are you like me? And what about those that went as a kid, is it as much of an escape from you since you tie each visit to childhood memories? Thoughts?

 

[cloudboy]

Time for a little blasphemy again. I started going to Disney when I was in college, on spring break. That was a good 15 years ago, I have been going down ever since. I don't know if I would say that I ever got "lost" at Disney, but then again I never would feel comfortable doing that. But at that point, I think I could relate.

Perhaps it's because I do it a little differently. I don't go to Disney as the whole vacation. I go to visit friends down there, and we spend most of our time in the park. By now we have gotten pretty choosy - we usually enjoy spending more time walking around doing the smaller rides than we do on the big ticket ones. In many ways, this makes it even more special - less a fancy new coat and more a really nice, well made but comfortable jacket. You almost develop a kind of "insider's view" of the place.

But for the last several years something has been changing. I think I have kind of identified it, at least for myself. And this is probably not reflective of everyone else's thinking. But whereas I once entered the park and stepped away from this time and place, I am now stepping into - now, that is designed to look a little different but still intrudes with the latest real world promos and ads and trailers. Whereas you once stepped into the wild west, or the future, or utopia, you now step into a theme park that is decorated to look like those places, but not for one minute will you be left to forget this is all a theme park with movie and merchandise tie ins.

 

[ErickainPA]

1st time I went I was a Sr in HS. It was my parents (50's) first trip. They never went back, I went after I graduated.

My DH's first trip was the week we married there. He was almost 23 and I was 27

Our son will be 7 months on his first trip.

DH said he can escape reality if he doesn't have his work cell phone with him

 

[WEDisney]

I was 8 on my first trip and 31 years later I am still going stronger then ever. Its odd because so many people ask me "Aren't you bored with it yet?" but each visit brings with it a restored strength of why I love it so much. After returning this March I started planning for a September trip right away. I usually wait a few months but this time I did it the day after I got back .

When I am there, Disney is my only reality. I just hope it lasts forever.

 

[figment1985]

After returning this March I started planning for a September trip right away. I usually wait a few months but this time I did it the day after I got back . .

HA! That is EXACTLY what happened to me March of 2006. We went for a week, had a blast and we got back, and as SOON as I finished scrapbooking all my pictures we started to plan our September trip, which turned out wonnnnnderful (got engaged at Epcot, so yea!)

But as a reply to the original poster...

YES - I can escape and it's wonderful! March was a little scary for me last year because I was in the middle of a college level biology course when I went! I came back and passed everything though! It was so wonderful to go last September and not be in school (since I finished technical school and I was working full time). NOW I am back in the college boat at NC State, but STILL going during school (dont shoot me teachers on here)...and I just have work extra hard! But yes, I can still escape from problems at home and school, it's so relaxing for me...nothing makes me happier.

 

[WEDisney]

(got engaged at Epcot, so yea!)

Awesome, I love that picture by your name

 

[mickster]

Somewhere in Time

This is a great discussion!

I've lived in CA my whole life and grew up going to DL. My first trip to WDW was when I was 24. I am now 41 and have been back more times than I can count.

I absolutely believe it's possible to still escape reality at WDW, however things have changed over the years that occasionally have made it more difficult.

Bear with me as I try to explain by using a movie analogy: There is a great movie called "Somewhere in Time" starring the late Christopher Reeve. Many of you have undoubtedly seen it or have at least heard of it. In the movie, Christopher Reeve's character lives in the year 1979 and he travels back in time to the year 1912 by putting himself in the mindset of already being IN that time period. This is facilitated by him removing absolutely all reminders of present time...and it works! However, at one point in the movie, he accidentally pulls a penny out of his pocket and the penny is dated 1979. This object from his own time immediately thrusts him out of 1912 and back to 1979 again.

Sometimes I think WDW is the same way. It's an escape from reality, but occasionally there are things that are such reminders of the "real world" that they thrust you back to the real world. For example, all the kiosks for the DVC do that to me. When I'm at MGM and walking down Sunset Blvd, I'm able to escape into 1930's Hollywood until I look over and see that kiosk for DVC. It's not like the sales people are obnoxious or anything, but it just makes me immediately think of timeshares and people trying to sell you stuff. Another thing that brings me, momentarily, back to reality when I'm there is when they have the photographers trying to get you to pose for a picture. Again, it just makes me feel like it's someone trying to sell me something when I'm trying to enjoy the escapism of the place. And, of course, the overkill of merchandising sometimes does it to me. I realize that Disney is a corporation and the heavy merchandising is not likely to go away. But there used to be a time when the shops on Main Street, for example, each had some uniqueness to them. Now it seems like each one of them is just essentially another Disney Store with maybe slightly different decor. This makes me feel like I'm in the mall.

I'm sure there are some who will want to flame me for this, but I sometimes feel like Universal actually does a better job of helping you escape reality these days than Disney does. Maybe it's because the merchandising at their parks doesn't seem so "in your face". I'm not sure exactly.

 

[DonaldDuck34]

Thanks for your post!

Sorry about this very stupid question from me , but do they often take young people straight from High School to do a PI as imagineers, or is it more like your dream?

What kind of experience/background is normally required for people to be employed as imagineers?

I wish you good luck with senior year and your PI

Thank you I'll need the luck but i'm not going to apply for the internship right out of high school they only accept college students so when i am in my freshman year of college i will apply.

 

[WWallaceII]

I went to WDW last year for my first visit, turned 24 while over, and I have to admit before I went I was concerned that my own inhibitions and self-awareness would mean I would not come out of my shell and act as a child - as so many of those who have been said I would - BUT, how wrong was I!!!

Literally 5 minutes into Epcot on my first day there, I was in SSE with the biggest grin on my face, and it never feigned for 2 weeks

I have booked my next trip back for Sept again, and each time I go on this forum, look at the WDW picture of the day thread, or even pay-up part of my holiday, that stupid grin comes back again

And you know what? I couldn't care less how stupid I look...

I CANNOT WAIT!!!!!!

 

[Glasgow]

I don't know if you can fully appreciate the magic and escapism of WDW until you've experienced the rigors of the real world. In light of that, I grow more fond of WDW and our vacations there each time I go .. the older I get, the better it is!

 

[hcswingfield]

Reality starts sliding away as I head down I-75 through Florida and start seeing the billboards advertising the big attractions at WDW. Once I get to the turnpike, reality starts moving away in my rear-view mirror. By the time I see my first WDW landmark it's just a speck on the horizon behind me. When I enter the welcome gate into WDW property, reality is long gone. And when the cast member at the resort front desk says "Welcome home!" I know I have completely escaped.

 

[C&D]

Reality starts sliding away as I head down I-75 through Florida and start seeing the billboards advertising the big attractions at WDW. Once I get to the turnpike, reality starts moving away in my rear-view mirror. By the time I see my first WDW landmark it's just a speck on the horizon behind me. When I enter the welcome gate into WDW property, reality is long gone. And when the cast member at the resort front desk says "Welcome home!" I know I have completely escaped.

+1, once the car is parked it's like ignition on, 56 years old, ignition off, I'm 12.

 

[hcswingfield]

+1, once the car is parked it's like ignition on, 56 years old, ignition off, I'm 12.

Amen to that! I have a rule that we always stay in a WDW resort, use only WDW transportation, and the car does not budge until (sadly) it's time to return to reality.

 

[Kerby626]

I definitely escape reality when I go to Disney. When I was there as a teen it was just cool. When I went with my wife it was more magical than anything we'd ever done. Now, I look at it as I sit here in Iraq and I try to plan our trip in Nov/Dec I look back at my trip last year. I came back from Iraq in Oct 05, and we went to Disney. I drove by my dad's place on the way. We didn't stop because we were in a hurry. I lost him three weeks later. Now, when I drive down I-95 I have to pass the exit to his house. When he went to clean it out, I hit a Disney outlet in St Augstine. I wanted to go to Disney to try and cheer up. Once I get back this time, I will definitely need to escape reality. I wont be going til Nov/Dec though. I feel "safe" at Disney. I'm the kind of guy who is always on edge, so to speak. I'm always looking for a threat. I dont do that at Disney. I relax, and let the goodness flow.
By now I've probably freaked a few people out. That's fine, I'm still standing the watch while you all are relaxing. Soon it will be my turn to relax. I'm doing it at the Poly!!!!

 

[Craig & Lisa]

My first trip was 1997, Nov., during the IFWF. Me, my wife, and our 2 sons, 4 and 1 1/2. It was unbelieveable. The funny thing was that I fought with my wife about going. Thought it was too much, then we got there and was totally in shock. Ever since then, I have been hooked. Once we pass under the WDW sign all of the problems that are at home stay there. And I have just as much fun as my sons, because we have the same good time and it brings us closer as a family. Oh, by the way April 10th to the 15th will be our 15th visit to WDW in a 10 year span, and another one in July. 11 days and counting.

 

[hcswingfield]

I definitely escape reality when I go to Disney. When I was there as a teen it was just cool. When I went with my wife it was more magical than anything we'd ever done. Now, I look at it as I sit here in Iraq and I try to plan our trip in Nov/Dec I look back at my trip last year. I came back from Iraq in Oct 05, and we went to Disney. I drove by my dad's place on the way. We didn't stop because we were in a hurry. I lost him three weeks later. Now, when I drive down I-95 I have to pass the exit to his house. When he went to clean it out, I hit a Disney outlet in St Augstine. I wanted to go to Disney to try and cheer up. Once I get back this time, I will definitely need to escape reality. I wont be going til Nov/Dec though. I feel "safe" at Disney. I'm the kind of guy who is always on edge, so to speak. I'm always looking for a threat. I dont do that at Disney. I relax, and let the goodness flow.
By now I've probably freaked a few people out. That's fine, I'm still standing the watch while you all are relaxing. Soon it will be my turn to relax. I'm doing it at the Poly!!!!

Stay safe and keep planning that relaxing trip to WDW in November. You deserve it! :sohappy: