Something my son said...

[DfromATX]

I can only speak for myself because I don't have children, but I've love Disney since I was a little girl. I can remember as far back as 10 but I have photos of myself at WDW with my grandparents from even younger than that.

I also wonder if male teenagers experience Disney different then female teenagers? Just an interesting thought. I find it's more acceptable for females at least in my experience growing up. It's acceptable for girls to still like princesses in high school but it would be odd for a boy to like captain hook and have captain hook things in his locker etc.

Yep, cause I just turned 40+ *cough cough* and I still love princesses. I think the older boys get, the more they get into the thrill rides & such (but I like those too).

 

[Poofiesdream]

My kids even as teens wanted to go. They love going any place away from home but especially Disney because they knew there would be lots of things everybody could do. they could even eat or try food they would never get at home. Now they are grown and when they can afford it they take their kids. Sadly with prices these days that's not very often!

 

[Sloan]

Like Jillie Fish, I don't have any kids - just me - I'm the big kid that loves Disney, and it seems the older I get and the more I go, the more I love and appreciate WDW and all it has to offer.

 

[DfromATX]

Like Jillie Fish, I don't have any kids - just me - I'm the big kid that loves Disney, and it seems the older I get and the more I go, the more I love and appreciate WDW and all it has to offer.

Actually, my husband and I both think it's more fun the older the kids get. We can just go, go, go, and not worry about all the things with little ones. Then when we get too old to "go, go, go," we can start over with our grandkids.

 

[Thiago Acquaviva]

That's an AWESOME family story!
I'm planning my fist trip to WDW this year. I'm from Brazil and since I was a little kid my dream is to visit WDW.
Now I'm 26 and finally I'll be able to fulfill my dream, and I feel like I'm ready than ever, doesn't matter if ppl think that I'm too old now to fulfilled a child dream, but I feel like inside I still have a child dreaming to visit WDW and discover that magic!
I hope that's only the first of soooo many trips to WDW that I'll be able to make

 

[Monty]

That's an AWESOME family story!
I'm planning my fist trip to WDW this year. I'm from Brazil and since I was a little kid my dream is to visit WDW.
Now I'm 26 and finally I'll be able to fulfill my dream, and I feel like I'm ready than ever, doesn't matter if ppl think that I'm too old now to fulfilled a child dream, but I feel like inside I still have a child dreaming to visit WDW and discover that magic!
I hope that's only the first of soooo many trips to WDW that I'll be able to make

I started going in my 40's... There's no such thing as too old.

 

[TeamUBR]

but I feel like inside I still have a child dreaming to visit WDW and discover that magic!

That's exactly the way I feel and I think one of the reasons most of the people are on these Disney forums.

Have a great 1st trip!

j

 

[DfromATX]

That's an AWESOME family story!
I'm planning my fist trip to WDW this year. I'm from Brazil and since I was a little kid my dream is to visit WDW.
Now I'm 26 and finally I'll be able to fulfill my dream, and I feel like I'm ready than ever, doesn't matter if ppl think that I'm too old now to fulfilled a child dream, but I feel like inside I still have a child dreaming to visit WDW and discover that magic!
I hope that's only the first of soooo many trips to WDW that I'll be able to make

Thank you. You will have a blast! Maybe you can tell me something... There's a lot of teenaged Brazilian tour groups at Disney every summer. What is the occasion? Are they recent high school graduates? What lucky kids they are to travel so far!

 

[Bloopers]

I had a guest around his mid-twenties tell me the other day "For my birthday, my friends wanted to go to Vegas but I said heckk no I'm going to Disney, it's my favorite place on Earth!!" Like he was being 100% sincere, I could tell, LOL. After telling me how much he loved Disney, he proceeded to purchase $400 worth of Disney merchandise.

I feel like I'm gonna be exactly like that guy one day. I honestly don't think I can live without Disney anymore.. it's like a part of my lifestyle now. Haven't been in a week and I feel empty.. Like I'm missing a piece of me! Going tomorrow

 

[Mikester71]

My teenage son was miserable during our last trip back in 2011 and it seemed like he would have rather been back at home the whole time we were down there. He made it unpleasant for the rest of us most of the trip. I figured maybe he had outgrown it or something, as he was 14/15 at the time. There were times during the trip where he would be clowning around and enjoying everything with us, but they were few and far between what we were used to with him. Turned out he had just started dating a girl (his first girlfriend, who he is still with today) a month before our trip and was very insecure about leaving her for two weeks since they had just started dating.

After opening up to us about it, he really felt bad about how he had acted and wishes that he would have tried to enjoy himself more. To this day, he still loves talking about WDW and our earlier trips (as does my 21 year old daughter) and is hoping that he can come back down with us when we go in early 2015, even though he'll be close to 18 by then. I think deep down he wants to make up for that last trip with the family. And for the record, I asked him what would happen if he was still with her then and he said, "I don't care, this time I am going and enjoying myself!"

 

[graphite1326]

We have been going to WDW everyother year since my youngest was 6. He is now 22. I thought once they became teenagers they would go off on their own and not want to be with the parents. We even encouraged them to go have fun. They would for about an hour but ended up hanging out with us. They told us that we know how to have the most fun at Disney. Huh, they don't act that way at home.

 

[Alley7728]

We have been going to WDW everyother year since my youngest was 6. He is now 22. I thought once they became teenagers they would go off on their own and not want to be with the parents. We even encouraged them to go have fun. They would for about an hour but ended up hanging out with us. They told us that we know how to have the most fun at Disney. Huh, they don't act that way at home.

HaHa same here with my daughters they are now 20 and 14 but still end up with dear ole' mom and dad!

 

[real mad hatter]

First visit for me was when I was coming up for my 52 birthday.

 

[DfromATX]

Haven't been in a week and I feel empty.. Like I'm missing a piece of me! Going tomorrow

You've got Disney withdraw! We feel like that too when our vacation is over. That's a sure sign you had a fantastic time!

 

[juniorthomas]

I know people don't really care when parents start talking about their children, so forgive me in advance. I'm thinking maybe parents of teenagers might appreciate this.

Since we have a trip planned for this summer, I've been reminicing by looking at the photos of past trips. On our first trip, my oldest son, almost 17, was about 10 years old. (Oh how I miss those days!) We've had some bumps in the road this past year with him. Some typical grunts & groans, some other issues, but overall he's a pretty good kid.

Anyway, I came across a photo of all of us from our first trip posing with Eeyore. I showed it to him expecting the typical groans or an "I guess." Well to my surprise, he said, "I love that place." Then we actually engaged in conversation! He even told me that he wouldn't mind getting married there and that he plans to take his children one day! He also said if he's talking to others about Disney World, and someone says it's for babies, he is quick to tell them it's awesome and it doesn't matter how old you are.

I guess I'm posting this because it made me so happy that he really does appreciate going and that he really does enjoy going on our family vacations. Fond memories, that's what it's all about, right? Thanks for listening.

P.S. - That's him in the red shirt and Lilo & Stitch cap. He'd die if he knew I put that online!

This is really special. Cherish that.

 

[PineapplePrincess]

My DD14 claims that she doesn't like Disney. However, when she found out her friend is going to Disneyland this summer, DD told her, "You can't act cool. You have to get your picture taken with the characters and act goofy. You'll have more fun." That made me a very proud mama! We are splitting our trip this summer between BLT and Vero Beach, so she's pretty excited about that.

 

[JIMINYCR]

I know people don't really care when parents start talking about their children, so forgive me in advance. I'm thinking maybe parents of teenagers might appreciate this.

" Well to my surprise, he said, "I love that place." Then we actually engaged in conversation! He even told me that he wouldn't mind getting married there and that he plans to take his children one day!



I guess I'm posting this because it made me so happy that he really does appreciate going and that he really does enjoy going on our family vacations. Fond memories, that's what it's all about, right? Thanks for listening.

More of us care and appreciate the stories than you might think. Keep em coming.

Wonderful to find those times and topics to get them to open up and converse. Keeps those lines of communication open. Teen years are tough but youll get through them as we all do, at some point they appreciate us and the sacrifices we made for them, and they in turn will do the same for their children.





Disney succeeded in accomplishing his goal. He got it right, his reason for the parks were to give families a clean, wholesome place to come together and create memories. Thanks and God Bless Walt.

 

[Alley7728]

This is really special. Cherish that.

I have a tear in my eye....it's hard being a teenager we have all been there and it's even harder as parents watching them grow. My mother use to say everyday is different..... the difficult will be learned from and or forgotten the good ones will be cherished. Loved your post.

 

[Tigger#1]

My DS was 7 when we first took him to the World and now he is 17 and has no desire to go back. When he was younger he always wanted to move to Florida and work for Disney.
Oh well I will always have the pictures of a smiling kid sitting on dad's shoulders having the time of his life.

 

[DfromATX]

More of us care and appreciate the stories than you might think. Keep em coming.

Wonderful to find those times and topics to get them to open up and converse. Keeps those lines of communication open. Teen years are tough but youll get through them as we all do, at some point they appreciate us and the sacrifices we made for them, and they in turn will do the same for their children.





Disney succeeded in accomplishing his goal. He got it right, his reason for the parks were to give families a clean, wholesome place to come together and create memories. Thanks and God Bless Walt.

Thank you for the nice compliment. This is the same son I was talking about in the other thread who said he wanted tatoos...lol.