The Miscellaneous Thought Thread

[Phroobar]

 

[Figments Friend]

I think so much of this comes from theme parks of all stripes increasingly being dominated by thrill rides and roller coasters consequently being seen as the "real" reason to go to parks, with everything else just filler. At one point, in the wake of Disneyland, parks really did try and appeal to families first and foremost, now seemingly everyone else has given up with that idea and even Disney is feeling/has felt the heat to add more thrill rides.

I've talked to multiple people whose impressions of Disney parks was that it would be basically Six Flags with Disney characters instead of Looney Tunes. It took long, frequent conversations to the effect of "some attractions involve you sitting and doing nothing while watching a bird show" to convince my grandparents to go to WDW.

In a way it's fascinating (if not at times depressing) the way that Disney parks according to people who have never been are either parks for five year olds or die hard thrill seekers with nothing in between, with very few people seeing them as being for everyone. I'd blame Disney for it if I didn't know from many, many years of experience how utterly unwilling most people are to research what a park actually offers before they buy a ticket.

Agree with all of this.

A recent example is someone I work with.
She has been convinced for the past decade that WDW was just for toddlers, and there was nothing she would be interested in experiencing as a 20-something.
Unbelievable…and she was puzzled as to why I visit yearly or sometimes more as a 50-something.

Like a parent, I gave her ‘the talk’…and encouraged her to try it out the next time she visits Florida.
And you know what…?
After I pointed out some things she might enjoy, and her giving it a chance, she came back from a visit a changed gal.

Now, she ‘gets it’ and better understands why it is not just for toddlers, young families, and ‘those weirdo Disney people /fans’.
Her next visit is next month…third within the past two years.
Mission accomplished.


Also reminds me of the time I had to convince another friend to give Disneyland a try.
He was convinced because the Park was ‘smaller’ there was ‘less to do’ and it wouldn’t be as ‘good as WDW’.
Oh boy….where have we heard this before?
Got him properly straighted out as well…
Took all of ten minutes inside the gate at Disneyland to change him permantly.
Now he is a ‘lifer’.

(I will happily take my payment of a Silver Pass now, Mickey, for my four decades of promotional work for your Company. )



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