Is it all about the rides?

Jim Chandler

Jim Chandler

Well-Known Member
wdwfan4ver said:
When I am at WDW theme parks, I am there for rides, shows, looking at shops and taking my time going through a park.

It is more than Rides for a park to be considered a half day. A middle age couple I know thinks DHS is a half day park, but it isn't caused by rides.They take their time at all the parks, shopping, doing attractions, etc. They do shows, but the problem is they don't DHS live show during the day for all their trips because the shows never changed like Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular. I think they do Muppetvision 3d for all their trips though. The Middle age couple also can't do TOT, Star Tours: the Adventure Continues, and Rock 'n Roller coaster at DHS.They only do Toy Story Midway Mania depending on the fast for fast pass, or the wait time is.

DHS is half a day park for middle aged couple because they don't do a lot of shows during a day and is limited to what type rides they can do to different health problems such as back problems. I think they do some meet and greets in the past.
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I really hope you mean older than middle age. I'm 63 and the only ride I will not do is the EE I can not do the roller coaster in the dark going backwards...just can not do it although I have and usually regret it every time
 
Gabe1

Gabe1

Ivory Tower Squabble EST 2011. WINDMILL SURVIVOR
Nemo14 said:
After reading and posting here for the past 8 years (actually 8 years today!), I'm noticing more and more that many people judge the Disney parks strictly by their ride experiences. AK and DHS are only half-day parks because there's "not enough to do". The new Fantasy land is judged by the success of the Mermaid ride (and the coming-someday Snow White ride). World Showcase is "boring" because there aren't enough rides to do.

Maybe it's just that I'm old enough now to appreciate little things more, or perhaps it's because I've "done" the rides enough times now that it's no big deal if I miss a few, but I really feel like so many people miss out on so much that Disney has to offer. Perhaps it's the ridiculous price of park tickets that makes you want to get your money's worth of fun ,or maybe some primeval instinct that isn't satisfied until all is conquered, I don't know. Thoughts?
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DHS started as a half day park, moved to a full day and is back to a half IMO. The back stage area tours a a mere glimmer of what they once were. We have a shuttered space last owned by Sounds Dangerous and an ill-conceived Idol. Indiana Jones, great show but how many times can one guest view, it is beyond stale, it is moldy for seasoned visitors and LMA doesn't hold ones interest after a few times. The animators missing makes that area lack interest, as much as the tram going through what was the working studio. Sure you can spend a few hours waiting in line for Fantasmic or time eating a meal to get into Fantasmic, which needs as much maintenance help as Splash Mountain did. It is annoying to stand in line for a few hours and be told, sorry the show will not run this evening.

AK, I started going the Spring it opened and the boats in the river were already gone into yesteryear category. Everest is great! Not a fan of the carnival area, the safari is nice but disappointing the upgrades were for private tours at a big fat charge not a refurb for the average guest. Seriously when I walk AK there is so much space between any type of an attraction and the attractions that are there, well after 15+ years they can really use some tender loving care. I guess AK is about the money. There really isn't enough of substance to justify nearly $100 per person.

Disney just opened the door for guests to consolidate these two parks into a day and hop over to Universal for a day or two and spend that $100 admission saved by consolidating the two Disney half day parks.
 
W

wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
Nemo14 said:
This middle-age couple does them all!
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That is wonderful for you and your spouse, but that is not the case for all people in their 50's or early 60's. The Husband of the couple I know offline had a heart issue a couple years ago by flunking a stress test.
 
luv

luv

Well-Known Member
I consider myself middle aged. If you count 35-45 (with a life expectancy somewhere between seventy and ninety), I count. And I ride all that stuff. I have friends who feel too discombobulated, even at our age, and won't ride.

My father is 70 and claims that he, too, is middle aged. i argue that he is old, but he claims that he plans to live to be 150 "at least". He can't ride any of it. There are 70yos who could, though. President Bush (old George) jumped out of a plane when he was 70!!

Guess it depends on the person.
 
Tinkerbella16

Tinkerbella16

Well-Known Member
It was only ever been about the rides when I was a kid and didn't know any better to appreciate the things that I appreciate now. This year I will be taking my 20th trip to WDW in my 27 years being alive, so they must be doing something right! No other place keeps me coming back and feeling the same feelings that I feel when I am there and when I am leaving to go home. I actually have no desire to vacation anywhere else so that tells you how much I appreciate WDW. I don't complain about rides and such, but it is hard to please everyone all of the time so I'm not surprised to hear negativity. Epcot was my LEAST favorite park as a kid.. and now it is my favorite because there is SO much more than rides to me. From the classic attractions to the new ones, the restaurants, World Showcase, meeting castmembers from all over the world, the shops, taking a monorail ride around the loop of the park, the disney smells and to the atmosphere alone. I was never able to appreciate those things when I was young.
 
S

Susan Savia

Well-Known Member
It's about everything..... We walk into a park and notice how clean it is, the friendly hello's from cast members, the wonderful smells from the bakery, several spins on a favorite ride, the great shows and the fun stores and shops. It's also a good place for people watching. I love taking a 10 minute break in a populated area and watching people going about their day.
 
Aurora1

Aurora1

Well-Known Member
For me, every park can be an "all day park" just by soaking in the atmosphere! I love rides, and we do get on each ride at least once during our trip, but seeing the shows, meeting characters, photographing the scenery and admiring the theming is definitely just as fun!
 
GoofGoof

GoofGoof

Premium Member
I think WDW can be different things for different people. You can go to the parks commando style and run from FP machine to FP machine in an attempt to do as many rides as possible in a day. You can spend the day lazily exploring the parks and enjoying the scenery, parades/shows and shops/restaurants while only going on select rides. You can also visit WDW and spend days not even in the 4 parks. There's things like renting a boat or parasailing at CR, shopping at DTD, mini-golf, actual golf, pools and arcades at the resorts, tennis/ping pong/shuffleboard at the resorts, Spas at several resorts, Disney Quest, 2 Water Parks, renting a bike at the Boardwalk, activities at Fort Wilderness, etc... I'm sure I'm missing a bunch of things too. I sometimes enjoy just wandering around the various resorts even when I'm not staying there. The beaches on the lake resorts (CR, Poly, GF, WL) are generally pretty empty and a nice place to just sit and relax. Of course the reason the whole resort exists is the parks and the reason the parks exist is the rides so without the rides none of the other things would be possible.
 
Nemo14

Nemo14

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
GoofGoof said:
Of course the reason the whole resort exists is the parks and the reason the parks exist is the rides so without the rides none of the other things would be possible.
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I'm not sure that's true in all cases though - AK for example has very few "rides", but still lots to do and see.
 
disney1077

disney1077

Well-Known Member
At first it was about doing all the ridesand multiple times. But now I have been so many times to Disney World, I really just want to take the time to enjoy the parks more. I mean I will still go on rides just not like before where I used to ride two or three times in a row.
 
Bloopers

Bloopers

Well-Known Member
It's all about the rides for me. This is why I don't really like to go to Epcot - the lack of rides (or good ones.) I'm not really into sight seeing at a theme park.
 
litaljohn

litaljohn

Well-Known Member
I don't think it's all about rides, however I think it's easy to believe that given the marketing. for one it's hard to sell "atmosphere" when there are multiple themes and lands all over in the parks. also it sort of makes sence that its marketed for new rides since those exposed to Disney know what's there and if they weren't dying to go back already one would think a new thrill may nudge them towards a return. it certain seems to be the case, I mean if you lived a great deal from disneyworld which would excite you more, a new snow white roller coaster or a tangled theme bathroom?

that said I have no idea how people cram in animal kingdom in a half day. as I always say having intended to go for a major in animal science I am pretty biased but I honestly don't know how people see everything so quick. I have to assume people just rush past all the exhibits. perhaps instead of that not a zoo marketing they should have said not JUST a zoo, because there's a ton of animal exhibits and walking trails and other great things at the park besides the few "rides". And thankfully the new maps point many animals out now. people used to be shocked when I would go through the line at tough to be a bug on slow days to go by the animals that were there. they all thought I just didn't know where I was going and had no clue what they were missing
 

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