Types of guests at Disney

kybred72

Active Member
As I'm listening to a coworker talk about his family's vacation to Disney and what a horrible experience it was. It was his first time to Disney, as a grown adult, and he says he'll never go back. Obviously, he is NOT a Disney fan!

I don't know if there's even an answer to it but I'm wondering all of us on this site (and other fan sites) are Disney fans but there are hundreds of thousands of people who are also visiting Disney. But who outnumbers who? Are there more Disney fans at Disney or is there more regular vacationers who do the obligatory trip to Disney?

Does this even make sense :p . I know what I want to say, just not sure it's coming across correclty...

I know as I'm watching SpectroMagic, I can't help but get all teary-eyed and I look around and I don't see anybody else crying so I must look like a fool to these non-Disney people :lol:
 

LoriMistress

Well-Known Member
I just don't understand people who don't plan their vacations (regardless where they're going) and wonder why they didn't see much or enjoy their vacation much. Personally, it's basically two generations attitudes (Baby Boomers and Generation X). These people expect everything to be handed to them immediately and believe because they spent so much money on (fill in the blank) then they're obligated to be a crybaby. And that's fine with me. Let the crybabies ruin their vacation and never go back. It leaves more ADRs and less people at the parks.

What I cannot completely understand is how most people go to one website/message board and get their ONLY form of information at that site (because that particular website gives poor information which shall remain nameless), and still wonder why their vacation sucked @ss. Sorry, but it's also best to go to other websites to get your information because the site could always have old information that no longer applies that's not updated daily, or the site may have inaccurate information all together.
 
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SnowFire

Well-Known Member
This is not any sort of scientific poll, but I know people that love Disney and people that say they would never go back again. Those that love Disney outnumber those that don't.

I still can't understand how someone could say that they will never go back again. Even though we experienced a major family tragedy while at WDW the last time (sudden death of a family member back home - which I detailed in another thread.) we somehow still enjoyed the trip and intend to go back ASAP. It was a very different Disney experience, but still better than any other place I've been.
 
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KeithVH

Well-Known Member
You know how they use the little wireless PDAs to take exit surveys when you leave the park? Having been subject to several of them, I'm wondering if anyone has ever seen some compiled results? I think it would be very interesting to see what info Disney has on customer satisfaction ratings.
 
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wdwmomof3

Well-Known Member
I just don't understand people who don't plan their vacations (regardless where they're going) and wonder why they didn't see much or enjoy their vacation much. Personally, it's basically two generations attitudes (Baby Boomers and Generation X). These people expect everything to be handed to them immediately and believe because they spent so much money on (fill in the blank) then they're obligated to be a crybaby. And that's fine with me. Let the crybabies ruin their vacation and never go back. It leaves more ADRs and less people at the parks.

What I cannot completely understand is how most people go to one website/message board and get their ONLY form of information at that site (because that particular website gives poor information which shall remain nameless), and still wonder why their vacation sucked @ss. Sorry, but it's also best to go to other websites to get your information because the site could always have old information that no longer applies that's not updated daily, or the site may have inaccurate information all together.

I agree:ROFLOL:

I read everything I can about going to Disney before we go. The first time that we went down, in my adult life, we went with my BIL & SIL and we had a few ADR's and what park we were going to each day down, but that was it. I remember reading somewhere prior to going that you should never catch the train to go to Toon Town first thing in the morning b/c it was faster to walk. What did they want to do as soon as we got in? You guessed it, we got on the train. They had been there the year before so I just followed them. I have to say, that was the only dumb thing that we did but I can see where if you don't do any research at all it could be very overwhelming. :lol:
 
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tunaman68

New Member
Probably preaching to the choir here but -

As has been said already, if you go looking to have a problem, you're likely to find one. My father is one of those types that can have a problem with the check in process on a 7 day vacation and then not enjoy anything else for the rest of the time.

It's all a matter of attitude. I have traveled a lot in my 38 years, but there is not a better, more thought out, and accessible vacation to be had then a week at WDW. But if you think that all you need to do is pay for the trip and every thing else will happen automatically, it's not hard to imagine this:

"Why I had a bad time at Disney World"

A fictitious story that we've all seen happen too many times.....


You book a room at a value resort during cheerleader/marching band week in July. You land in Fla and have a problem getting a rental car. You booked a compact, but what you needed was a full size (you're carrying your own luggage because you didn't read the fine print about the yellow tags and magic express). You try to follow the map that the rental guys gave you, but they didn't tell you you'd need cash for the toll lanes. You arrive at Disney, but have no idea where to go. You thought it would be hotel on the left, and theme park on the right. You get totally lost on the property, and finally after stopping at the same Hess station twice to ask directions, you find the POP. You stand in line in the lobby for 45 minutes waiting to be assigned a room. You get a smoking room downstairs, (of course you didn't bother to ask for an upstairs non smoking when you booked), and are mobbed by a loud bunch of kids coming back from the pool. You finally land in your room drop your suitcases and decided to try to get in dinner and a few rides before bed.

You drive your rental car to the TTC and get on the ferry over to MK just in time for the dinner rush. There are no seats anywhere for the food places, (it's EMH tonight at the MK and it's July 10th of course). You give up and grab a hot dog and some chips and look for a bench to sit on. Your kids are starting to whine because you left for the airport at 7:00 that morning and now it's 7:00 PM (10:00 to you, being from Washington state), and you start to get angry. The wait for everything is at least 45 minutes, and the only thing that doesn't have a line is the TTA. You manage to make it through the fireworks, but can't see much because you're in the mass of people who are standing directly in front of the castle. Now you're trying to get down Main Street to get back on the ferry to get to your rental car, to get back to the hotel, and you've got a crying 6 year old and a sleeping 3 year old. You finally make it back to your room at the POP, get into bed, and every 5 minutes you hear a toilet flush or a door slam. You think "I've only been here 5 hours, and I already feel like I need another vacation!"

The following four days are much like the first, you try to sleep in, then have breakfast at the food court (which is a mile from your room), and by the time you get to the parks at around 12:00 it's crowded, hot and all the Fast Passes are gone. You're not even sure what a Fast Pass is, but there sure are a lot of people that seem to be cutting in line, and the people who work at this damn place don't seem to care!! The loud kids from your hotel seem to be following you, or at least they are always waiting in the same line you are. You watch your wallet empty, your kids get more tired, and no one seems to be having any fun. You and your wife are constantly snapping at each other, your three year old wants to see Mickey Mouse, and your 6 year old wants to ride Space Mountain. You heard that there is a great place called Animal Kingdom, but you don't bother to go there because you came to see Small World and the Castle, and you don't want to go to some "zoo thingy". You manage to make it to Epcot, but the place is huge and your kids think it is boring. You haven't had a good meal because the only places you can get a seat at are the food court, and Cosmic Ray's. Everyone else seems to have reservations, but when you called from the hotel, they said the next available reservations were in October. You try to do some souvenir shopping on main street, but you always do it at closing time, and the lines to check out are as long as those for Splash Mountain (which has been closed for refurbishment your entire vacation). All around you you see people having fun, but you really don't feel like one of them.

You've finally learned about the Disney bus system and your rental car has been sitting unused ($34 a day). It seems to you however, that the POP bus always seems to have the longest line, and there is always at least 3 motorized scooters driven by very large people to load. You still can't figure out why they put the best rides on opposite sides of the park, and are stunned how short the Pooh ride was after waiting in line for 45 minutes. Last night when your 3 year old had a melt down after loosing her mouse ears on the train ride, your told your wife (and everyone else on Main Street) you were sorry you'd ever had kids at all!! You know that marriage counseling is surely in your future. You get into an argument with a rude man from somewhere "foreign" who thinks it's OK to put his kids on his shoulders right in front of you during the parade. Then, to top it all off, the guy at the rental car place insists that the big dent on the passenger door wasn't there when you took the car.

At the end of your trip, all you're left with is tired feet, a strained marriage, an empty wallet and $4,000 on your Master Card. No wonder you get back to the water cooler at work and trash WDW.

Imagine if you'd done a little reading, a little planning, and talked to some people about what to expect and how to approach your trip to WDW - you might have ended up a fan like the rest of us!!!!!
 
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wdwmomof3

Well-Known Member
Probably preaching to the choir here but -

As has been said already, if you go looking to have a problem, you're likely to find one. My father is one of those types that can have a problem with the check in process on a 7 day vacation and then not enjoy anything else for the rest of the time.

It's all a matter of attitude. I have traveled a lot in my 38 years, but there is not a better, more thought out, and accessible vacation to be had then a week at WDW. But if you think that all you need to do is pay for the trip and every thing else will happen automatically, it's not hard to imagine this:

"Why I had a bad time at Disney World"

A fictitious story that we've all seen happen too many times.....


You book a room at a value resort during cheerleader/marching band week in July. You land in Fla and have a problem getting a rental car. You booked a compact, but what you needed was a full size (you're carrying your own luggage because you didn't read the fine print about the yellow tags and magic express). You try to follow the map that the rental guys gave you, but they didn't tell you you'd need cash for the toll lanes. You arrive at Disney, but have no idea where to go. You thought it would be hotel on the left, and theme park on the right. You get totally lost on the property, and finally after stopping at the same Hess station twice to ask directions, you find the POP. You stand in line in the lobby for 45 minutes waiting to be assigned a room. You get a smoking room downstairs, (of course you didn't bother to ask for an upstairs non smoking when you booked), and are mobbed by a loud bunch of kids coming back from the pool. You finally land in your room drop your suitcases and decided to try to get in dinner and a few rides before bed.

You drive your rental car to the TTC and get on the ferry over to MK just in time for the dinner rush. There are no seats anywhere for the food places, (it's EMH tonight at the MK and it's July 10th of course). You give up and grab a hot dog and some chips and look for a bench to sit on. Your kids are starting to whine because you left for the airport at 7:00 that morning and now it's 7:00 PM (10:00 to you, being from Washington state), and you start to get angry. The wait for everything is at least 45 minutes, and the only thing that doesn't have a line is the TTA. You manage to make it through the fireworks, but can't see much because you're in the mass of people who are standing directly in front of the castle. Now you're trying to get down Main Street to get back on the ferry to get to your rental car, to get back to the hotel, and you've got a crying 6 year old and a sleeping 3 year old. You finally make it back to your room at the POP, get into bed, and every 5 minutes you hear a toilet flush or a door slam. You think "I've only been here 5 hours, and I already feel like I need another vacation!"

The following four days are much like the first, you try to sleep in, then have breakfast at the food court (which is a mile from your room), and by the time you get to the parks at around 12:00 it's crowded, hot and all the Fast Passes are gone. You're not even sure what a Fast Pass is, but there sure are a lot of people that seem to be cutting in line, and the people who work at this damn place don't seem to care!! The loud kids from your hotel seem to be following you, or at least they are always waiting in the same line you are. You watch your wallet empty, your kids get more tired, and no one seems to be having any fun. You and your wife are constantly snapping at each other, your three year old wants to see Mickey Mouse, and your 6 year old wants to ride Space Mountain. You heard that there is a great place called Animal Kingdom, but you don't bother to go there because you came to see Small World and the Castle, and you don't want to go to some "zoo thingy". You manage to make it to Epcot, but the place is huge and your kids think it is boring. You haven't had a good meal because the only places you can get a seat at are the food court, and Cosmic Ray's. Everyone else seems to have reservations, but when you called from the hotel, they said the next available reservations were in October. You try to do some souvenir shopping on main street, but you always do it at closing time, and the lines to check out are as long as those for Splash Mountain (which has been closed for refurbishment your entire vacation). All around you you see people having fun, but you really don't feel like one of them.

You've finally learned about the Disney bus system and your rental car has been sitting unused ($34 a day). It seems to you however, that the POP bus always seems to have the longest line, and there is always at least 3 motorized scooters driven by very large people to load. You still can't figure out why they put the best rides on opposite sides of the park, and are stunned how short the Pooh ride was after waiting in line for 45 minutes. Last night when your 3 year old had a melt down after loosing her mouse ears on the train ride, your told your wife (and everyone else on Main Street) you were sorry you'd ever had kids at all!! You know that marriage counseling is surely in your future. You get into an argument with a rude man from somewhere "foreign" who thinks it's OK to put his kids on his shoulders right in front of you during the parade. Then, to top it all off, the guy at the rental car place insists that the big dent on the passenger door wasn't there when you took the car.

At the end of your trip, all you're left with is tired feet, a strained marriage, an empty wallet and $4,000 on your Master Card. No wonder you get back to the water cooler at work and trash WDW.

Imagine if you'd done a little reading, a little planning, and talked to some people about what to expect and how to approach your trip to WDW - you might have ended up a fan like the rest of us!!!!!

:ROFLOL::ROFLOL::ROFLOL:
 
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cloudboy

Well-Known Member
Has it ever occurred to anyone that maybe the thing a lot of guests hate about Disney is that they have to do all this planning just to survive, let alone have a good time? When you are shelling out several thousand dollars to go get pummeled by Disney Marketing, the last thing many people want to do is spend more time having to organize and plan their trip than they have to do on their projects at work. People are going on vacation to relax - why should they spend all that money to work harder?

Another thing that I have found is that just because you enjoy something, and it's so inspiring to you, doesn't mean that it is to other people. I know plenty of people who find no interest in Disney characters and movies. They really don't enjoy many of the rides because quite frankly, they find them dull. And instead of finding the place imaginative, they feel like all they are getting is herded together and brainwashed into a cycle of movie ads. Sometimes I feel that way myself.

The worst thing you can do is to force them into doing things your way, which only makes them unhappier and even more displeased with the parks. And certainly not to to say that there's something wrong with them because they don't enjoy the same things you do. Remember that there are lots of different people out there of all age groups, and not everyone is going to be a family or have the same interests. Instead find things in the park that they would enjoy, and steer them towards that.
 
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DisneyMarg

Member
I just don't understand people who don't plan their vacations (regardless where they're going) and wonder why they didn't see much or enjoy their vacation much. Personally, it's basically two generations attitudes (Baby Boomers and Generation X). These people expect everything to be handed to them immediately and believe because they spent so much money on (fill in the blank) then they're obligated to be a crybaby. And that's fine with me. Let the crybabies ruin their vacation and never go back. It leaves more ADRs and less people at the parks.

What I cannot completely understand is how most people go to one website/message board and get their ONLY form of information at that site (because that particular website gives poor information which shall remain nameless), and still wonder why their vacation sucked @ss. Sorry, but it's also best to go to other websites to get your information because the site could always have old information that no longer applies that's not updated daily, or the site may have inaccurate information all together.

Post #1: Please be careful with the stereotyping. We would never say something like that about a certain ethnic or religious group, yet it is not uncommon to be critical of groups of people born in a different decade than we were. I'm a baby boomer but I do not expect ANYTHING to be handed to me, nor do I act like a crybaby. And neither do most of my family and friends.
 
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DisneyMarg

Member
Post #2: I have a friend who has never been to Disney and no desire to go. She only likes wonders of nature - not wonders created by people. She considers Disney artificial. Plus, she has travelled in many parts of the world, so she doesn't appreciate the Epcot pavilions. And, she's a vegetarian, so the food wouldn't appeal to her that much.
I guess there are other people like that.
I'm sure not one of them!:lol:
 
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bayoutinkbelle

Active Member
IMHO, if you spent all that money on a Disney vacation and don't plan, you might as well just drive down I-4 throwing your cash out of the window (and I'm speaking as a GenX'er, thank you very much. I hate when all members of a particular group are lumped and labeled.).

I think the guy spoken of by the OP has money issues and can brush off the need to even think about going back to Disney again by saying he had a horrible time and Disney isn't worth the money. A really rotten attitude to have going through life, but I suppose there have to be people out there like that to remind me of how great my life is.

I intend to keep planning and keep going back to Disney -- with or without my son -- because I love it and it makes me happy. I truly feel sorry for those who don't have room in their hearts to think and act like a child. What a waste.

*end of rant*
 
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smk

Well-Known Member
tunaman68....you have a real talent for comedy! I laughed out loud, funny BUT familar, especially to those of us who have gone with children and argued with a hungry, tired, stressed out spouse who is only worried that the whole expensive vacation will be a total loss with only bad memories to re-live. Who hasn't carried a very tired/cranky child back to the car and wondered IF you even want to go back the next day and do it all over again? We have, more than once. I thank my lucky stars that my husband loves WDW(almost) as much as I do, even when we have had some trying moments there.
 
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Kristamouse

Well-Known Member
If the orignal poster is wondering how many Disney geeks are at the park compared to the nomal guest (I don't consider the wdwmagic member normal :lol: ) I would like to know too. Our last trip was during free dining and we talked to and overheard so many Disney knowledgeable people it was cool. I learned so much from just talking to people in line, on the TTA, waiting for FOTLK and waiting for LMA to start. I know being there during FD probally skewed the number of Disney loving folks than other times of year. I was dying to ask random strangers if they posted here because of they types of conversations I was overhearing, Wand hate at EPCOT, pointing out the Dragon on benches at AK, Stich hating while on TTA passing the Stich line. But then you all would know I was totally evasdropping on you :lol:!
We need a univeral sign like some other boards have so you can reconginze others at WDW. Unless we do and I didn't know....
 
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Senderella

Member
Probably preaching to the choir here but -

As has been said already, if you go looking to have a problem, you're likely to find one. My father is one of those types that can have a problem with the check in process on a 7 day vacation and then not enjoy anything else for the rest of the time.

It's all a matter of attitude. I have traveled a lot in my 38 years, but there is not a better, more thought out, and accessible vacation to be had then a week at WDW. But if you think that all you need to do is pay for the trip and every thing else will happen automatically, it's not hard to imagine this:

"Why I had a bad time at Disney World"

A fictitious story that we've all seen happen too many times.....

LOL Great post!

These people at least GO to WDW. I've got a friend of mine who I will NEVER in a million years understand. She absolutely abhors WDW and refuses to lay one toe on WDW property. The **only** vacations she deems worthy are trips that are educational. Now, I have no problem with educational/historical vacations. She doesn't believe anything can be learned at WDW. I tried telling her about the things that can be learned. Now keep in mind she's got a 5 yr old little girl.. she told me "What in the world can my child learn from imaginary people?" :lookaroun Wow... She also told me if she DID take her kid, she'd only want to do the stupid princess thing. Now.. the problem in this is she still buys her kid Disney princess stuff. :shrug: I couldn't believe it. They're taking a trip to Alaska this summer so she can learn about all sorts of topics I can't even remember because they're so "over the average persons head". She's 5! I don't think a 5 yr old will really give 2 hoots about this stuff she was talking about having her learn. To me it's sad because she's not allowing her kid to be a little girl... a kid.. someone who can believe in pixie dust and princesses. :veryconfu :veryconfu :veryconfu
 
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kybred72

Active Member
Original Poster
LOL Great post!

These people at least GO to WDW. I've got a friend of mine who I will NEVER in a million years understand. She absolutely abhors WDW and refuses to lay one toe on WDW property. The **only** vacations she deems worthy are trips that are educational. Now, I have no problem with educational/historical vacations. She doesn't believe anything can be learned at WDW. I tried telling her about the things that can be learned. Now keep in mind she's got a 5 yr old little girl.. she told me "What in the world can my child learn from imaginary people?" :lookaroun Wow... She also told me if she DID take her kid, she'd only want to do the stupid princess thing. Now.. the problem in this is she still buys her kid Disney princess stuff. :shrug: I couldn't believe it. They're taking a trip to Alaska this summer so she can learn about all sorts of topics I can't even remember because they're so "over the average persons head". She's 5! I don't think a 5 yr old will really give 2 hoots about this stuff she was talking about having her learn. To me it's sad because she's not allowing her kid to be a little girl... a kid.. someone who can believe in pixie dust and princesses. :veryconfu :veryconfu :veryconfu



Geesh, sounds like a blast! :brick:

Sounds almost as tempting as a mom I know who doesn't let her child have ANY sugar! ZERO! She makes her birthday cakes from TOFU :hurl: Let kids be kids, heck let adults be kids (at least at Disney! :D )
 
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eeyoremum

Well-Known Member
These people at least GO to WDW. I've got a friend of mine who I will NEVER in a million years understand. She absolutely abhors WDW and refuses to lay one toe on WDW property. The **only** vacations she deems worthy are trips that are educational. Now, I have no problem with educational/historical vacations. She doesn't believe anything can be learned at WDW. I tried telling her about the things that can be learned. Now keep in mind she's got a 5 yr old little girl.. she told me "What in the world can my child learn from imaginary people?" :lookaroun Wow... She also told me if she DID take her kid, she'd only want to do the stupid princess thing. Now.. the problem in this is she still buys her kid Disney princess stuff. :shrug: I couldn't believe it. They're taking a trip to Alaska this summer so she can learn about all sorts of topics I can't even remember because they're so "over the average persons head". She's 5! I don't think a 5 yr old will really give 2 hoots about this stuff she was talking about having her learn. To me it's sad because she's not allowing her kid to be a little girl... a kid.. someone who can believe in pixie dust and princesses. :veryconfu :veryconfu :veryconfu

I too know people that won't take their children to WDW because they don't want to deal with the crowds and screaming kids. It is sad but you just are not going to change people's minds. As a Disney Geek I can't see why anyone would not want to take their children. But, i would rather them not bring their children if they are just going to yell or be rude and abnoxious while on vacation. What type of memory is that?

Proudly raising 2 Disney Geeks that can't wait for our next trip.
 
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Senderella

Member
Geesh, sounds like a blast! :brick:

Sounds almost as tempting as a mom I know who doesn't let her child have ANY sugar! ZERO! She makes her birthday cakes from TOFU :hurl: Let kids be kids, heck let adults be kids (at least at Disney! :D )

That's my whole beef with her explanation. She wants her 5 yr old to experience this & that when in reality.. 5 yr olds just want to play and be kids. Her kid's smart as heck. I just don't get why she'd be so anti WDW but allows all the princess paraphernalia in the house?
 
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I have a family member who absolutely hates anything and everything Disney. He comes for a weekly trip with his family every year and he's always miserable. In fact, it's his only vacation time all year long. I asked him why he doesn't move his time share to some place else and he said that he comes because his family loves it so much. What can you do? Some people just don't like Disney despite the fact that they keep going.
 
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