Why Choose Disney?

[wendysue]

I think most people go to disney because you escape reality while you are there

This.....and the fact that with Magical Express, I don't have to drive for the whole week if I so choose. I dislike the hassle and cost of getting a rental car at the airport. I just want someone to pick me up, take me to my resort, and drive me around ALL week.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

It's the quality and variety of things to do, and that so many of the extra details are taken care of.

I don't have to think about airport transfers, don't need a cab or pay for bus fare to get around. You pay one price for the park ticket and [almost] everything is included. All reservations are linked in one system.

As expensive as everything is, it's easier to budget because there's one price for the hotel, one for tickets and then that's it besides food.

Bonus points for being in the same time zone.

 

[correcaminos]

Honestly I'm halfway between two pretty good coaster parks. They are day trips only, or one overnight if that. Not the same level as Disney or Universal really. Nothing says I cannot do both though (which I've done). So it's not an either/or situation for us.

 

[geekza]

Thrill rides are momentary rushes of adrenaline. The best Disney attractions stay with you forever.

 

[NickMaio]

Disney is a place like no other. The staff actually cares about your experience.
We were on our honeymoon in the TOT line. Getting ready to go on. The cast member herd my wife talk about how this was her absolute favourite ride at WDW. Then next thing we knew we were given our own private elevator to experience the ride. No one alse.... Just the two of us.
Some people were ticked off waiting behind us. We didn't care.
That was an experience we won't soon forget. We still watch the ride videos today

 

[danyoung56]

I can sum it up in one word - atmosphere. And that includes the rides, the restaurants, and especially the spaces between rides and restaurants. There's just a feel there that is unlike any 6 Flags or any other park.

 

[Michaelson]

I've been to a lot of places and vacation spots in my 63 years, but have to admit that WDW is the ONLY place I can honestly say when I walk under the railroad station onto Main Street, my wife and I say 'ok, this is the ONLY thing that matters now. Everything else that's on our mind has been left at home.'

Regards! Michaelson

 

[Jedi Stitch]

My first theme park experience was a Knot's Berry Farm - Disneyland Combo. Something has to be said jumping into my Brother's '79 mustang, later to be mine, and cruising down I-5 to SoCal. Getting a cheap room by Dl. Going to Knott's day one, then DL, Day 2 and be back up to Seattle in a long weekend. My first flight experience was going down and helping my best friend get drunk at the happiest place on earth when we were 21. Later when I went with my future wife, we turned it into a DL-Uni trip. Our first family trip with our daughter was to WDW. Now shortly another DL-Uni trip. We prefer Disney with Universal coming in second. We have Wild Waves here, and Silverwood in Idaho and Great Wolf toward Portland in Washington, but the Dis and Uni will be the better parks to go. Someday I would like to road trip back in the old days, but better accommodations, and see the fun road side and park attractions on the way down and back up. We have driven to SoCal a half dozen times, and I have yet to see Frisco. Ya, Disney is the happiest place on Earth.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

A few years ago my wife and I were at MK after it closed late, waiting for the monorail back to Epcot where we parked. We were the only ones waiting for it so the driver offered to let us ride in the nose. Late at night cruising along, watching the rail ahead, taking a spin over an empty but glittering Epcot, was a unique experience. Things like that keep me coming back.

That’s awesome.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Another (former) New Jerseyan here, grew up with occasional trips to Great Adventure (nobody called it Six Flags) and I actually credit them for Disney impressing me so much. I had such low expectations of a theme park based on GA.

I also blame my mother for the plastic Mickey plate and baby fork, and other indoctrination.

Disney World is the only place I don’t work (much) and don’t think about work (much.)

I can share with loved ones and friends a variety of experiences from low budget to fancy schmancy, with emphasis on attractions or tours or dining or resorts (all with cocktails!)

It’s like being an adult and a kid at the same time.

 

[slappy magoo]

My dad was a cop, then he became a state police detective. 1970-ish around the time I was born, he attended a law enforcement convention in Anaheim and before coming home he and some of his buddies hit DL. A bunch of grown men, crew-cuts and Kools, riding the Matterhorn. To paraphrase Mario Puzo, he was hit by the thunderbolt and worked out a way to afford to take his family of 5 to Cali. 2 different times, 72 and 77, he restored a limousine/microbus, drove the 3000 miles, we stayed with relatives, did DL as well as other parks and attractions over two weeks, then drove back.
So most of his kids grew up having been bitten by the Disney bug. He passed away in 1980 and that might be his biggest legacy, haha. Don't really remember the 72 trip because I was only 2, but still have some warm memories of the 77 trip. And some of my strongest memories involve the family all lumped together in our parents' bed like a litter of puppies on a Sunday night watching The Wonderful World of Disney.

1987 was the 1st time I went to WDW, senior trip. I enjoyed it enough but had way more on my mind than enjoying myself anywhere, let alone Disney.

After marrying my first wife, I wanted to give it another shot, did a 5 night trip at then-Dixie Landings, and we had a pretty much amazing time, though we couldn't really afford the trip. 97 I started making much better money so we went back, this time for a week, again at Dixie Landings followed by a few nights at Vero Beach. Again, a really good time, once of our last.

One of my biggest regrets after we split up was that I didn't suck it up and do a solo trip but I spent a goodly amount of time in poor poor pitiful me mode. Then once I was comfortable being single-and-ready-to-mingle, wasn't really thinking much about Disney. When I met the women I had a feeling I was going to marry, we booked a trip, my longest on property. At this point my income was much more secure, we did 10 nights at AKL (though due to an incoming hurricane we had to cut it a day short). We turned our passes into annual passes, went back the following Spring Break (where, to get some really-needed fastpasses we took a DVC tour of Saratoga) and the following August just before our passes would expire (when we were DVC members and our "bonus" was a one time use of 100 points). We were hooked, we knew we'd go back often (though my wife occasionally reminds me that once in a while we should, you know, go other places; we do go other places...but it's usually Hilton Head or nearby-to-us Cape May. And not often).

My kids have the bug, too. The increase in prices and the at-least perceived decrease in quality has soured me a bit...but not a lot.

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Another (former) New Jerseyan here, grew up with occasional trips to Great Adventure (nobody called it Six Flags) and I actually credit them for Disney impressing me so much. I had such low expectations of a theme park based on GA.

I also blame my mother for the plastic Mickey plate and baby fork, and other indoctrination.

Disney World is the only place I don’t work (much) and don’t think about work (much.)

I can share with loved ones and friends a variety of experiences from low budget to fancy schmancy, with emphasis on attractions or tours or dining or resorts (all with cocktails!)

It’s like being an adult and a kid at the same time.

That's because when it was built in 1974, it was known as Great Adventure...that was the name Warner LeRoy (the original owner) named it...it went through several owners, before the Six Flags Corp. took it over and while they are aggressive in building new attractions, the cleanliness and maintenance (painting, potholes on the cement sidewalks, parking lots, etc have been HORRIBLE...I guess that's not in their priorities...I don't EVER remember seeing grass and weeds growing thru cracks in parking lots and sidewalks at Disney...

 

[geekza]

I don't EVER remember seeing grass and weeds growing thru cracks in parking lots and sidewalks at Disney...

Very true, thought even Disney has loosened their standards as the years have passed. I remember when they made a big deal about repainting some things on a nightly basis and the fact that you almost couldn't see garbage hit the ground before a cast member would zoom in and sweep it up. Disney is still MILES ahead of other companies in the theme park business in a lot of ways, but you would have never seen attractions fall into disrepair back in the day.

 

[Rumrunner]

Of all the theme/amusement parks in the world, what has you coming back time and time again to Disney? Especially when a lot of these options are a lot closer? I’ll tell you my personal reason I adore the parks:

I live a short drive away from both Six Flags NJ and Rye Playland, yet Id rather travel all the way to Florida or California if I wanted a theme park experience. Reason #1 on why I do this is that Disney is just so much better than the two parks listed above, in almost every way. I find Playland to be just a glorified carnival, way too tacky and cheap. While Six Flags does have a ton of roller coaster options, (I’m a big coaster fan, the reason Everest is my favorite theme park ride of all time is because it’s a well-themed yet still fun coaster) everything else from the theming (they didn’t even try in most places) to the food (ugh) is a lot worse than at WDW or DLR. Second reason is nostalgia. I grew up watching Disney movies, and visiting the parks, and there’s still a sense of unrivaled quality associated with their brand. There’s just something about them, that can’t be matched by any other company. (Sorry Universal, I gave you a chance, but you blew it.) Whenever I step into one of their parks, I can just drop all my fears and worries of the outside world, and just enjoy myself. I forget about anything going on behind the scenes, and let the magic flow through me. (Also, getting to meet the characters from my favorite Disney films, both old and new, bring out my inner child.) My last reason is redoability. No matter how many times you go to WDW or DLR, no two times are exactly the same. You might stay at the same resort as before, and go to the parks in the same order as before, but you’ll never have the exact same experience as last time. Disney is constantly adding new things and changing pre-existing things, so there’s always something new to do.

For my family of 2 kids, their spouse, and our six young grandkids it is an experience that brings our family closer. No other place could do that. Disney will always have a special place in our family history. I know when I am gone they will all go back and I will still be a part of the experience even if in spirit only.

 

[jbird327]

My first Disney experience was in 1972 at DL. It was during my post high school graduation cross country trip. I grew up about 2 miles from Willow Grove Park in PA. and that was the extent of my amusement park experience. The difference at DL was beyond what I could imagine a park could be like and it was a trip I will never forget. I made a return to DL in 1975 and then started my trips to WDW in 1977. Back then it was a reasonable decision for me to travel to WDW for a weekend. I also started visiting other parks - making coaster runs over a weekend to neighboring states. Once EPCOT opened, it changed how I traveled to WDW, spending 5-7 days a trip. That meant a trip to WDW was now a vacation and not a 3 day weekend getaway with no planning. So now WDW competes with my other vacation destinations, not theme parks. I still enjoy visiting WDW every few years with my adult kids but I also make the occasional trip to Hershey, Dorney or Knoebels for some park fun.

 

[LittleBuford]

Simple: because it’s Disney. I grew up watching and loving the animated films, and that love transferred directly to the parks, which felt/feel like an embodiment of what those films represent. For me, it has very little to do with liking theme parks as an overall category.

 

[randomsoulshine]

Thank you so much for this post! There has been so much negativity posted on this site by “superfans”, it is so nice to see why we love Disney so much!
For me, its about the feeling I get when I’m there in my heart that I don’t experience at any other time or any other situation. At Christmas time at home with my family with baked goods in the oven and sitting in front of the Christmas tree is the closest I ever get to that same feeling...
Walt has given us all a gift... the gift of being able to feel the wonder that a kid feels where the world is so big, colourful and magical... and aren’t we all just trying to be kids again?

Yes to all of this! Disney is well...Disney! Despite the heat, the hustle,the crowds and the money, at Disney I just feel like I can breathe. I am surrounded by adults wearing 'goofy' hats, Minnie skirts, Mickey shirts, adults laughing and smiling and hugging characters, adults dressed in their Halloween best and I love those adults! I get tired of business casual and 'rules' that I don't follow anyways and for once I am surrounded by like minded Star Wars geeks and other people who would have a Haunted Mansion keychain etc. I guess for me Disney gives me a place that feels like home. I miss it already.

 

[randomsoulshine]

Yes to all of this! Disney is well...Disney! Despite the heat, the hustle,the crowds and the money, at Disney I just feel like I can breathe. I am surrounded by adults wearing 'goofy' hats, Minnie skirts, Mickey shirts, adults laughing and smiling and hugging characters, adults dressed in their Halloween best and I love those adults! I get tired of business casual and 'rules' that I don't follow anyways and for once I am surrounded by like minded Star Wars geeks and other people who would have a Haunted Mansion keychain etc. I guess for me Disney gives me a place that feels like home. I miss it already.

I mean how could someone not love getting lost in a moment like this!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The park complexes tend to provide mindless, all inclusive leisure for the time you’re there. You don’t really have to think, and Eisner built enough variety to not get bored. Crowds and prices are becoming a concern and eroding value, however.

 

[World_Showcase_Lover007]

Simple...it’s cleaner, better quality and more family friendly.

After going to Disney, you look around at other amusement parks, etc. and just think “this is gross.”