Why are so many adults are obsessed with WDW?

[Much-Pixie-Dust]

Like @Janir, it was never a possibility for me to go when I was a kid. Didn’t really think about until my kiddo turned four. It was going to be a one and done trip. Now she is 14 and we have typically gone twice each year since that first trip. For us it’s pure escapism and the memories we make as a family. Sometimes we go for 2 weeks and sometimes it’s a 3 day trip, but we always have fun and connect as a family. There have been some threads about the decline in customer service, but that hasn’t been the case for us. Any problems have been dealt with satisfactorily to me. Rates are going up steadily, but I feel like we get a great vacation for the money we spend. I got seriously ill a few years ago and even though we’ve made other wonderful memories at other places and in daily life, it was all those Disney photo albums we looked at during the hospital and recovery phase. For us, it’s our happy place.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Walt Disney World is home to some of the best examples of themed entertainment, a beautiful and powerful storytelling medium.

 

[MaximumEd]

I go because I saw Epcot in 1986 and that fascination with what they were able to build in a bunch of swampland never left me. I geek out on what it takes to build a ride like Splash Mountain and what it takes behind the scenes to keep the place running. Plus, life is hectic and WDW is fun.

 

[bryanfze55]

Disney is the only place I can ride Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion. Until that changes, I’ll continue to go even when my kids are grown.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Nostalgia had nothing to do with it for my family. In fact the only time I went as a child, we absolutely hated it. My parents thought it was ridiculously over priced and over hyped, my siblings and I did not see any "wonder" in it at all and were bored stiffless. It took me over 25 years to even entertain the option of going back. one of my siblings to this day refuses to go back.

I feel in love with the parks during the supposedly down hill time according to the experts here. lol simply put, we have fun as a family. for one week we had fun doing just about every thing together. we adopted a no cell phone pact and that allowed us to escape the real world.

As @Dead2009 and others pointed out it's just plain fun.

I've been lucky enough to also share the world with girlfriends and extended family.

 

[Tank Man]

More than being a Disney fan, I'm a theme park fan... Disney is just the best at doing theme parks. Universal is closing in on them though!

Disney is winning yes
Universal is buffing themselves up but the only ones that have given them that has been Harry Potter as they now are looking for their next big thing (SNW) but they will never beat Disney unless Disney really has a loose shoe.

 

[jloucks]

I know I might get flamed, so here's my disclaimer: No, I'm not a troll. No, I don't have any preconceived views on this. Yes, I'm just honestly curious.

This board is amazing. I've learned more about planning the first WDW family trip than I ever thought possible. I even know the acronyms! But I am curious about the fascination with all things Disney from adults. If it wasn't for my kids, I know I wouldn't be going, and I did go to WDW 4 times from the ages 5-15. So, what draws people to it? It is definitely not a value vacation, so is it pure fandom, escapism?

Would live some views on this.

Not the first time this has come up. Usually gets a little heated.

Same reason adults collect comics books, action figures, dolls, legos, etc. They are either intentionally or unintentionally refusing to give up childish things. And there is nothing majorly wrong with that, but it can be seen as a little, weird, by the opinionated majority.

There is one exception, and those are the persons that go to remember the times they had with their young families in times past. That would be the reason my wife and I may return some day, without kids in tow. To time travel, if you will.

 

[Notes from Neverland]

I'll answer as an adult couple with no kids.

We find it fun is the simplest answer! Who doesn't love a ride, attraction or fireworks show? We also love the attention to detail that Disney has that other parks lack. The little things, such as the subtle transitions from one area of the Magic Kingdom to another. Then, and this is a big point, we love seeing how the machine works. Disney handles certain things brilliantly and it's amazing to see "behind the magic" at how they pull things off. Walt Disney World really is its own city and its fascinating seeing how it works.

 

[DisneyGigi]

This kinda sums it up for me.
(Pillow on my couch)

 

[bubbles1812]

I'll answer as an adult couple with no kids.

We find it fun is the simplest answer! Who doesn't love a ride, attraction or fireworks show? We also love the attention to detail that Disney has that other parks lack. The little things, such as the subtle transitions from one area of the Magic Kingdom to another. Then, and this is a big point, we love seeing how the machine works. Disney handles certain things brilliantly and it's amazing to see "behind the magic" at how they pull things off. Walt Disney World really is its own city and its fascinating seeing how it works.

I’ll echo that this is one of my main reasons along with an admittedly nostalgic pull. I had great times as kid and when I go back, I get to feel a little bit of that ‘magic’ where dreams came true and love conquers all, ect. I’m pretty cynical in my everyday life but Disney allows a fun escape for a little while. It’s a place I continue to enjoy, at the end of the day, and so continue to go back. Simple as that.

(And that’s not to say I don’t go other places too. Currently I’m in Germany and Austria for two weeks, and it’s awesome. Our blockbuster vacation for the year. But I still have a December Disney trip planned )

 

[Mainahman]

For me it's simple. I work a high Stress, high pace job. Theres something perfect and calming about being in the house of mouse. It's the one place.my wife and I feel we can fully relax.. just over a month or so and we'll be back with the mouse for a couple days.

 

[drizgirl]

Most of us grew up on gathering around the TV on Sunday nights watching the Wonderful World of Disney with uncle Walt. It remains to be seen if our own children developed the same connection with the brand without that shared experience.

 

[KaliSplash]

WDW didn't open until my freshman year of college. I had been a fan of the Mickey Mouse Club on TV (the original group in the 50s.) And I liked a number of Disney movies. Never really excited about going to WDW and passed on the opportunity in 1976. I was thinking it was just another 6 Flags with tons of roller coasters, of which I was not a fan at the time.

Then, In 1979 my soon-to-be wife took me to Disney for a one-day trip in September. (Was also the trip where she took me home to meet the folks Magic Kingdom, Contemp, Poly and what is now Shades of Green, Ft. Wilderness and the Disney Shopping Village were all that was there. We just went to MK.

Did you know they trim their shrubbery into the shape of their characters? (Of course you do.) I didn't and was stunned. I got more and more stunned on the monorail ride over there. And the Peoplemover. And COP. I was caught as we revolved from about 1900 to the 1960s. We saw much of the rest of the park. Had dinner at the Outer Rim in the Contemp and walked out by the pool and settled own to talk. And minutes later, the Electric Water Pageant almost literally exploded right behind us. Bought it hook, line and sinker. Have tried to get back there as many times as possible since. My oldest son made his first trip before he was 1. My youngest son made his first trip at age 4 months.

That's what happened to me and the cause of my obsession. (And I'm less obsessed than some folks on this board.)

 

[HoldenC]

I can never explain "why" I love WDW, I just do. It has been part of my life since I was 4 and I cant imagine a life without it

 

[Magenta Panther]

Because Walt Disney World and Disneyland, etc. are not children's playgrounds. They were never designed to be.

Here's a quote from Walt himself regarding the purpose and character of his parks:


“The idea for Disneyland came about when my daughters were very young and Saturday was always Daddy’s day with the two daughters. I’d sit on a bench eating peanuts while they rode the merry-go-round and did all these things. I felt that there should be something built where the parents and the children could have fun together. So that’s how Disneyland started. It all started from a daddy with two daughters wondering where he could take them where he could have a little fun with them, too.”

 

[durangojim]

Wonderful family memories from my childhood that I want to share and recreate with my wife and kids.

 

[NickMaio]

I know I might get flamed, so here's my disclaimer: No, I'm not a troll. No, I don't have any preconceived views on this. Yes, I'm just honestly curious.

This board is amazing. I've learned more about planning the first WDW family trip than I ever thought possible. I even know the acronyms! But I am curious about the fascination with all things Disney from adults. If it wasn't for my kids, I know I wouldn't be going, and I did go to WDW 4 times from the ages 5-15. So, what draws people to it? It is definitely not a value vacation, so is it pure fandom, escapism?

Would live some views on this.

Because many of us grew up in WDW and want to share this with our little ones.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

Funny things, nostalgia and memories - one of my earliest is being at WDW; Adventureland specifically - somewhere near the Jungle Cruise. I even remember some souvenirs. One was a pencil eraser with a character on it - the other was some neon green, injection molded plastic thing (made on the spot, IIRC). This was circa 1974.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Why?

Because we like it.

M-O-U-S-E.

I was never the kid that got to go to Disney World or was it even ever an option when I was growing up.
For me the appeal is all since I've been an adult.
The Disney bubble is just plain fun to be in. As an adult, you can kind of be a bit of a kid and enjoy things like PotC like a kid once again. The customer service in WDW is still top notch most anywhere. The escapism into another reality of just plain fun things to do 24x7 and just enjoying the break from life for a while and stepping into a reality of simple magic, far away lands on earth, dream of being in the stars, its all a ton of good clean fun.

Same.

For me it's simple. I work a high Stress, high pace job. Theres something perfect and calming about being in the house of mouse. It's the one place.my wife and I feel we can fully relax.. just over a month or so and we'll be back with the mouse for a couple days.

And same.

Most of us grew up on gathering around the TV on Sunday nights watching the Wonderful World of Disney with uncle Walt.

And same.

 

[FettFan]

I know I might get flamed, so here's my disclaimer: No, I'm not a troll. No, I don't have any preconceived views on this. Yes, I'm just honestly curious.

This board is amazing. I've learned more about planning the first WDW family trip than I ever thought possible. I even know the acronyms! But I am curious about the fascination with all things Disney from adults. If it wasn't for my kids, I know I wouldn't be going, and I did go to WDW 4 times from the ages 5-15. So, what draws people to it? It is definitely not a value vacation, so is it pure fandom, escapism?

Would live some views on this.

Because the world's gone mad and if we have to deal with an angry white guy named Donald.....we'd rather he have feathers and webbed feet.