I can't agree more with this topic. I feel Disney is not just failing here with dining options for boys but fails in general with older boys in the parks. As a boy growing up with a grandma in Orlando my parents would often ask where we want to go of my sister and me when visiting. She always wanted to go to Disney World and I was always in favor until I was older. Around 12ish, I started saying can't we go somewhere else, like Bush Gardens, but my sister always won out. I still had a good time but things always seemed better for her. Princess dinning, cute dresses, pictures with characters, all the sing song rides, they started to make me sick as a boy in his teens, I just wanted to puke. As an adult with two boys age 3 and 6, they love Disney and we are heading to Disneyland in one week, we can't wait for Car's land. I see Disney trying to appeal more to Boys, with things like Cars Land, Removing Pixie Hollow from the FLE and having the Pirates league. But I think they are still not seeing it...Universal is however, and they are starting to monopolize it. Teen boys don't want characters or anything cute, if they are forced to do a character dinning, it should have some humor added to it. But most of all if Disney wants to appeal to teen boys (I honestly don't think they do, it's too big of a change for them) they need to add more High Thrill attractions. I'm all for rides with themes like Disney does so well, but there is no ride that compares to a thrill ride at a Six Flags. Maybe Pandora is the answer...doubt it. I believe Disney will be a stepping stone for my two boys and a few years from now we'll be making our stops at Universal and Six Flags.
I'm sure I'm not stating anything here that Disney is not fully aware of but the truth is it would take a marketing genius to change the name of Disney to mean anything different than cute, Princesses a fairy tale place with Pixie Dust fun for Girls of all ages and young kids (But not teenage boys). There is nothing Disney can add or do to change the masses already perceived image or Disney...It is what it is and they are stuck in this box. I would love to see them try but I believe and I'm sure they believe this too that the Princesses bring them a lot of money with the girls and they would not want to deviate too far from this tried and true money maker they already have. I’m a few years away and then I believe I will be giving up my renewed love for the Disney Parks for more thrill until my boys are making family of their own.
