Too old for Disney?

rob0519

rob0519

Well-Known Member
captainkidd said:
We all know that the misconception of people who aren't Disney regulars is that Disney is for kids. But at what point do you think to yourself "I really can't do this anymore"?

Let me explain: My wife has been awesome enough to let me take a solo trip every January or February for the past 8 years. Though I miss the hell out of her and the kids, it's become "my" vacation. She knows how much I love WDW, and as wonderful as the 2 weeks with the family are in the summer, I've come to really cherish the moments by myself that I get to sit on a park bench with a box of popcorn and soak up the atmosphere on Main Street, or take my time with all the movies and shops at World Showcase. Those who have ever traveled solo know what I mean.

But I'm 36 now. Let's face it, it's got to seem odd to see a 36 year old man riding by himself on Peter Pan or Winnie The Pooh. Any of you have a fear that you'll age out of Disney soon?
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Well, there are so many things to do at WDW, I'm not sure you're ever too old to find something to enjoy. At 58, you wont find me riding solo on Peter Pan or Winnie the Pooh or the Tea Cups or any other ride in Fantasy Land. If you want to do that fine, it's just not my thing anymore after 20 years of visits. Being there solo I would do as you said, soak up the sun and the atmosphere. Sit and people watch. Ride the attractions that interested me and take my time in the shops and shows.
 
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westalan80

New Member
You maybe aging but your heart is growing younger:) Go ahead you deserve to be a kid at times and have some private time tio yourself. Look around there are so many people like you escaping their busy mature lives to ride peter pan and forget their ages just for a couple of days:)
 
Walt Disney1955

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
32 years old here. I just bought a shirt from Disneyland of Grumpy on the front of it that read: "I'm Grumpy, don't make it worse!" You don't wear a shirt like that if you aren't young at heart.

That being said I have never gone on a trip to Disney alone. Always either with my parents or my wife. Had a blast each time and each time I always tell myself that I am getting older and more mature and someday the magic will just not be the same. Wrong answer. We were in Disneyland for the first time the other day and my wife got a kick more out of me running around like a kid at Christmas than anything.
 
Mikester71

Mikester71

Well-Known Member
Didn't go for the first time until I was 35 (41 right now) and have been a total of four times now, all four times with the whole family. The kids are getting older now and as much as I want to take them with us on our fifth trip in a couple of years, there is a part of me that just wants it to be me and my wife for once. We've been married since we were teenagers and have only gotten away by ourselves once, maybe twice in those 20+ years. Like I said, I would love to go down there, just the two of us. But I also can't wait for the day where my kids have kids of their own in the not so distant future, and hopefully we can all go to WDW together and get to experience it through the eyes of our grandchildren.

Back on point here, I hope there is never a time where I feel like I outgrew WDW or get bored with it. I hope to experience it many more times in my lifetime, whether that be solo, with my wife, or with the whole family again. I agree with everyone else on here - I think you're never too old to experience the magic of WDW! And as for riding the rides by yourself and worrying about what others are thinking - the way I look at it, you will almost certainly NEVER see any of those people again in your life, so why worry about what they're thinking anyways! As long as you're happy, just enjoy yourself! :)
 
disney magic 06

disney magic 06

Well-Known Member
I'm in my 50s now and love Disney as much as ever. My husband and I first visited WDW in 1992 when our children were 7 and 8, and as far as he was concerned he had ticked that box, having no desire to go again.

My daughter and I longed to re-visit but didn't make it until 2005 and we have been every year since, along with various friends. My husband is brilliant about it all, he doesn't like going away from home and never complains about my yearly trips to both Florida and Paris. The older I get, the more I enjoy it, even though some of my friends and colleagues think I'm crazy :D

One particularly grumpy work collegue said to me recently "Isn't it about time you grew up". My reply was "Why?".
 
ddbowdoin

ddbowdoin

Well-Known Member
woody98 said:
I should of aimed higher...all i got my golf and fantasy football....lol
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we're a young couple... my wife is in graduate school, interning and well... making an interns salary. I don't exactly bring home a ton of bacon myself, but enough to pay for everything I need (my car payment, rent for our apartment, food, etc etc etc) but I've had to lose a lot of my interests.

I was a 2 handicap in college, played D3 golf and now I play like once a year. Here in MA golf is an expensive sport, public tracks are often overpriced and not cared for well. I just see spending 75 bucks on green fees as a waste of my money, and 75 is the average course here. Sure there are some for 30 bucks, but they're complete dog tracks.

The only thing I have left that is worth money are my cameras...
 
Dennman

Dennman

Member
My first trip to WDW I was 9 years old (1972).
Upcoming trip (in 10 days) I'll be 48 and still just as excited. I have to be a grown-up every day. For those 7 days, I plan to be the biggest kid in the parks;)
 
jlevis

jlevis

Well-Known Member
Okay, if you're questioning whether you're to old at 36 then you are too old. I just turned 70 and I did it at Disney. Sure there were 13 other family members there (including our first great grandchild) but I, and my 64 yo wife had a ball. I've never gone solo but you'll find us on the tea cups, dumbo and TSM. If someone thinks were odd for doing so, well that's on them. Physical issues are slowing us down but at Disney we're always young.
 
Lucky

Lucky

Well-Known Member
As long as I'm going with other people who enjoy the parks I don't see age as much of an issue. But I don't think I'd get much out of it going solo. I ate at Flame Tree BBQ by myself last trip while the rest of my family toured Dinoland, but I can't remember ever doing anything else solo.

I prefer touring solo when I'm in Europe on business trips - I can go at my own pace and see what I want to see. But at WDW it's a family thing.
 
michmousefan

michmousefan

Well-Known Member
WDWmazprty said:
Hey, nobody really knows that you're not there with anyone else. You could be going on rides by yourself while the rest of your family is on another ride or watching a show =)
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That's true. About 10 years ago (I'm 49 now) I was in Orlando for work for a few days, so there was no way I wasn't going to spend an evening in the MK, especially as it was summer and the park was open until 1am that night. So I'm soloing on BTMRR, and two tweener girls who were about to board in the seat in front of me looked me over and said, "lonely dad, right?" They were picturing a wife with a stroller at the exit of the ride, I guess. I laughed and "something like that!"

If you're feeling self-conscious about being in the parks by yourself, add an activity. I love photography, so if I'm going alone -- which I occasionally do, but not on an annual basis -- I use that as an opportunity to get some unusual, cool shots that my family and friends probably wouldn't have the patience to wait around for. My time is my own...
 
disney1077

disney1077

Well-Known Member
I dont think you can ever be too old for disney because it is the only place where everytime you go you feel like a little kid again.
 
bdearl41

bdearl41

Well-Known Member
I dont think you are ever too old for Disney, however, I do feel a large demographic isn't tended to with a great deal of concern with Disney. Ages 16-25 really dont have a ton to do in Disney. There are a few thrill rides, but not enough to keep someone busy for a half day in a park. In EPCOT you can do the drink around the world, which is fun for 21-25 year olds, but overall there isn't a lot aimed at that demographic. This is really why i didnt visit much during this time. Conversly though, being in my upper 20's, i have found a new excitement about the World, whether it is sentimental values, nice restaurants, or just strolling through the parks with my wife, it really has enthused me about the parks again. So I definately dont think you can be too old, I just think there is about a 10 year span, where there are a lot of other places to go other than Disney.
 
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woody98

Active Member
ddbowdoin said:
we're a young couple... my wife is in graduate school, interning and well... making an interns salary. I don't exactly bring home a ton of bacon myself, but enough to pay for everything I need (my car payment, rent for our apartment, food, etc etc etc) but I've had to lose a lot of my interests.

I was a 2 handicap in college, played D3 golf and now I play like once a year. Here in MA golf is an expensive sport, public tracks are often overpriced and not cared for well. I just see spending 75 bucks on green fees as a waste of my money, and 75 is the average course here. Sure there are some for 30 bucks, but they're complete dog tracks.

The only thing I have left that is worth money are my cameras...
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WOW......that sucks. I play at least once a week and golfnow.com has become a best friend. Just played a $70 course for $25. Of course I have my dvc's also so I can't complain
 
ddbowdoin

ddbowdoin

Well-Known Member
woody98 said:
WOW......that sucks. I play at least once a week and golfnow.com has become a best friend. Just played a $70 course for $25. Of course I have my dvc's also so I can't complain
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I played my first nine in almost a year last month when I was down the cape...shot 36 on the front so I still have it going on lol
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
bdearl41 said:
I dont think you are ever too old for Disney, however, I do feel a large demographic isn't tended to with a great deal of concern with Disney. Ages 16-25 really dont have a ton to do in Disney. There are a few thrill rides, but not enough to keep someone busy for a half day in a park. In EPCOT you can do the drink around the world, which is fun for 21-25 year olds, but overall there isn't a lot aimed at that demographic. This is really why i didnt visit much during this time. Conversly though, being in my upper 20's, i have found a new excitement about the World, whether it is sentimental values, nice restaurants, or just strolling through the parks with my wife, it really has enthused me about the parks again. So I definately dont think you can be too old, I just think there is about a 10 year span, where there are a lot of other places to go other than Disney.
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Sorry, but the problem is not Disney...it is with the folks that think that everything has to "thrill" them to the point of wetting their pants. The thing that attracted people to Disney in the first place had nothing to do with thrills and everything to do with imagination, slower paced fun (granted FP pretty much took that away) and just good old entertainment.

My kids loved Disney through their early years, then again when they were 16 - 25, and they still do in their mid to upper 30's. I loved it from my mid-30's to my (current) mid-60's. You are correct that they probably don't "cater" to that particular demographic and they never should. Six flags or several other parks are there to take care of that. It should never change it's focus to entertain everyone in the family at the same time. If different folks tend to not always participate in everything, it doesn't mean that it isn't geared for just about everyone, and that's the way it should be.

It would be easy for them to change focus, and I'm sure that they have bounced that idea around a lot, however, dropping what made Disney great and a different experience needs to remain. Yes, they do need to keep current with new ideas and new technology, but they should never change what made them great to begin with. What is out of style now...will return. It always does!
 

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