Do you get "defensive" about Disney?

[danyoung56]

I tend to be a little defensive when the subject of Disney comes up. I tread lightly until I figure out if the other person is pro or con on the whole Disney park thing. Most people are pro, which opens the discussion up and I can be the park expert we all know and love. But if there's disdain, I'll kinda back off and just "let it go".

The only exception is, as people have already pointed out, when the Disney parks get compared to my local Six Flags, as in "Why would you spend all that money at Disney when you could just go to Six Flags any time?" I try to explain that one, as there's really no comparison. Sometimes I'm successful at explaining, and sometimes the other person walks off shaking their head and wondering why I'm so stupid. I just shrug it off, and am happy with the knowledge that they just don't know what they're talking about.

Years ago I worked at an event in the Anaheim Convention Center, and talked one of my crewmates into going to Disneyland on an off day. He really didn't want to go, having visited his local amusement park and thinking he knew what DL was all about. I promised him that after a few hours if he wasn't digging things, I'd refund his admission cost. Well, the first ride we went on was the Indiana Jones Adventure. He came off of that smiling, and said "I get it now - don't worry about having to pay me back!"

 

[LuvtheGoof]

I don't get defensive, as I know that there are issues, but I do try to bring reality into a discussion. It is nowhere near as bad as some here would have everyone believe, and it is improving all the time now.

 

[Heffalump333]

I really do get defensive for Disney. Whenever someone says Disney is just about the money and stuff like that I always try to stand up for Disney because to tell the truth I can't help myself.

 

[wannabeBelle]

I don't get defensive anymore. I have learned to dismiss those criticisms. People who don't share my interests aren't criticizing me personally, and I can't be bothered to try to change their opinions. I ain't got time for that.

Exactly I am usually too busy planning my next trip!!! To each their own and if they are so closed minded that they wont even give it a shot, it probably wouldn't appeal to that person anyhow. So I go on about my day just agreeing to disagree!! Marie

 

[GVentola]

Others are more concerned when I take a vacation why I want to go to Disneyland when I'm an annual passholder to Disney World.

 

[WEDwaydatamover]

I get defensive to people on the outside of the Disney "family" who take jabs but tend to get offensive within the circle as I do a lot of jabbing myself. The difference is I jab 'cuz I care.

 

[disneydad1000]

My family and friends used to bust on us for going every year but after they realized that it didn't affect us at all they stopped. They've actually learned not to plan any big get togethers the last 2 weeks in August if they want us to be with them. Like I said to some friends and family who love camping(we are not big on camping) you drive your house(camper) to the SAME campground every year. So I ask them "don't you get tired of camping at the same place every year?" of course they say no. Exactly my point!!! We also do something other than Disney every year, but we ALWAYS do Disney at the end of summer vacation!! 76 days til we go back home!!

 

[BAChicagoGal]

Others are more concerned when I take a vacation why I want to go to Disneyland when I'm an annual passholder to Disney World.

I don't wonder "Why", I ask, "have you ever been to Disneyland, and isn't it great"?

 

[DuckTalesWooHoo1987]

My family and friends used to bust on us for going every year but after they realized that it didn't affect us at all they stopped. They've actually learned not to plan any big get togethers the last 2 weeks in August if they want us to be with them. Like I said to some friends and family who love camping(we are not big on camping) you drive your house(camper) to the SAME campground every year. So I ask them "don't you get tired of camping at the same place every year?" of course they say no. Exactly my point!!! We also do something other than Disney every year, but we ALWAYS do Disney at the end of summer vacation!! 76 days til we go back home!!

I know people that like to go to the beach a lot and I just really can't stand going there. I just feel like once I get there I'm there and then there's just nothing to do for the whole rest of the time. I always ask them "So the ocean is gonna be different this time around?" The thing about Disney is there is ALWAYS something new to experience. The place is just too massive for you to be able to do everything in one trip or even 10 if you really get down to it.

 

[draybook]

I prefer to stand in the middle. I LOVE Disney. I am the "Disney guy" at my company. I'm the "Disney guy" among my friends. I love going to Disney World and I look forward to each and every trip. However, I am a realist. I will NOT defend certain behaviors that TDO displays from time to time. There's nothing wrong with criticism, as long as it's backed by some substance.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

There was a guy at work who wanted to know what I was doing for my next trip. I told him nothing until next year and then maybe Florida.

"What..........Miami?"
"No, central Florida, Orlando."
"Disneyland?"
"Well, Disney World, but yeah."
"But it is for kids, you and your wife don't have kids."
"Yeah, but I love it and my wife hasn't been and to be honest I would have gone on my honeymoon."

Well, wouldn't you know it, that was a huge issue for a long time at work. I got pestered by my co-workers about it constantly. They weren't mean spirited, but just annoying. I have really thick skin and am never persuaded by the "crowd" so I naturally tend to go against the grain with mainstream opinions anyway. But I would always open up a discussion about it and start with asking when that person last went to Disney.

"Oh, I've never gone. It's for kids!"
"Well, no not really. It is for everyone. 8 years old, 80."
"All the commercials I see on T.V. target kids."
"Yeah, but so does McDonald's and adults still go there."

But people think they have it figured out. I can respect a person who says they went and didn't like it and so be it. But someone who criticizes your vacation choice despite the fact that they never went themselves and are way out in left field has always annoyed me.