Disney Snobbery

[Mrs Bus Driver]

I used to fret about people who think Walt Disney World is just the Magic Kingdom (which in itself is pretty darn swell).

But following discussions among Disney fans I see another kind of what could be called snobbery. The view that WDw is the be-all end-all only place worth visiting in the whole by golly world and people who waste their time going anywhere else just aren't turned in to the "magic".

There was actually a discussion post once that said, "Why would someone go to all the way to Africa when the Animal Kingdom Lodge is...

wait for for it

...more authentic."

I encourage people who haven't tried WDW - including those who last rode Dumbo 20 years ago - to go back again and have a great time... and those who never go any place else should spin the globe and spend some frequent flyer miles.

Much as I like seeing the Temple Of Heaven in EPCOT I'm jazzed to say in 46 days we're visiting the Temple of Heaven built 70 years before Columbus took his Caribbean vacation.

I get what you are saying but I think I will have to wait for retirement before I can afford to travel outside the country. Until then WDW/DL is a great place to relax and unwind.
As for the look I usually get it from DH (who has only gone on vacations with me and the kids 2 times in our 29 years of marriage). Getting him to go anywhere is worse then pulling teeth. When he starts whining about my next trip (and he is always invited) I simply explain "I don't drink, smoke or gamble and I have never cheated on you (except with Micky) so I am going to take my one trip every year". Used to go 3/4 times a year to Dl now I go once to WDW.

[Crow]

My best friend used to say "dont you want to go to someplace different?" after i had been there a few times & told him I was going back.
Then he was stationed in Pensacola, bought a house & got the Fl resident pass. He started driving over once every month or two.
Granted I was going to skip it this yr, but then my sister said how my nephews had never been there & she trusted me to take them since i knew WDW (well that mayb a mistake, guess I will have to be good)
so I will be back there Easter day for a wk.....
(it is a first time for me at that time though)
and Ive been there w diff configurations of people as noted in my signature

[jimsgal05]

yes I got the looks and the" why are you going you have been so many times"...When I went by myself..oh good grief....I thought some of my family though I lost my mind. My mom is a nurse and most of her coworkers goto Disney to relax and destress and they are in there SIXTIES!!... and now my parents are coming in Sept!!!

well we are all here cause we ALL know a good thing Believe in the magic.....

I enjoy everyone on Intercot~~~

Lori

[PrettyMinnie]

I agree. Some people just don't understand the magic of Disney World. Even I don't have a trip in place I am excited about WDW. Anyway, I don't let it bother me. That's why I have Intercot friends and my other friends who are happy to obsess with me.!

[Imagineer1981]

I encourage people who haven't tried WDW - including those who last rode Dumbo 20 years ago - to go back again and have a great time... and those who never go any place else should spin the globe and spend some frequent flyer miles.

Much as I like seeing the Temple Of Heaven in EPCOT I'm jazzed to say in 46 days we're visiting the Temple of Heaven built 70 years before Columbus took his Caribbean vacation.

I agree, and infact my DW and I have discussed at length going to Europe and throwing Disneyland Paris in while we are there. I have been fortunate enough being young, to have been to several European countries and China several times. It actually has made me more intriguded about World Showcase, and how well Disney captured elements of the countries, and at the same time "americanized" elements as well.

If you have an opportunity to go somewhere new, I say go for it, the experiences you have on that trip could change your view and give you a new appreciation or new experience at Disney the next time you go.

[ojeilatan]

When my boyfriend and I last went to DL, he was worried about telling his boss for fear of getting that 'for kids' thing. Incidentally, his boss brightened up as he told him and said, 'Really? We went last year, and are going back in the summer! We love it!' And this boss doesn't have children.

When we mention we're going to WDW, it's usually, 'We wish we could afford that!'

[grumpyguy]

hello,my name is grumpyguy and i too love WALT DISNEY world.

[garymacd]

Not only have I seen that look....I used to give it.

You see? It is a cult!

Eh. Could be worse.

[wire0monkey]

I know what you mean. Actually, I usually give the same confused look on my face when people say they're going to Mexico. I've done most of the common locations: Cancun, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo, etc. Blechhhh...dirty, dangerous, alcohol infested, college driven tourist traps.

I've had a really good time in Puerto Vallarta and did NOT find it dirty, dangerous, alcohol infested, college driven or a tourist trap.

We stayed at a beautiful hotel and had a lovely time diving, whale watching and hanging out at the beach.

You just have to know where to go and what to schedule.

[wire0monkey]

I encourage people who haven't tried WDW - including those who last rode Dumbo 20 years ago - to go back again and have a great time... and those who never go any place else should spin the globe and spend some frequent flyer miles.

n.

Walt Disney World is a wonderful resort, but there are OTHER wonderful places in the world, too.

Having small children really put a cramp in my ability to travel easily. I'm really looking forward to my youngest being old enough to travel more easily.

I love Disney because it makes travel with kids easy. We always have fun there. I really wish I could afford some of the Adventures with Disney trips.

[texasteacher]

I get lots of looks and negative comments when I tell people I'm going back to WDW (My upcoming June trip will be trip #12). The negativity always comes from people who have never been.

[Brooklynos]

My DH and I got this look from one of our friends wife the other day. Our friends that know we are going asked when we were leaving, then our friends wife rolled her eyes and walked away. BUT, oh well.... we get to go be big kids in one of our favorite places to go!!!

[hubbyofadisneyholic]

to Intercot!

I know the look. And you know what? Most the time it's from people who go to the same place year after year after year, like Cancun or one of those places like that. Sort of the pot calling the kettle black, eh?

That is our situation exactly. I have a s-i-l that always gives us the "I can't believe you guys go every year" routine, but yet for many years her and my brother rented the same cottage in the same tourist trap town in Wisconsin and were just fine with that.

We are lucky enough to be able to go to WDW every year and still have the opportunity to go other places, too.
But the WDW trip always gets priority!!

[homeschool mom]

We go there every other year for our family vacation. There were two years we had APs so we went 2 and 3 times those years. My extended family has gotten used to it so they don't scoff anymore, but others do.

We are a family of 7 with 2 DSs 8 and 10 and 3 DDs 14, 15, and 17. WDW is the only place we have been able to vacation that will interest all of our kids as well as DH and myself. We all love it!

DH and I are going in April to celebrate our 20th anniv., and we are leaving the kids with Grandma and Grandpa. People have had different reactions when I tell them we are going to WDW, but I don't care. DH and I enjoy WDW and we will be having a wonderful time alone, I'm sure.

[wifey5794]

I ALWAYS get the looks and the comments. We are lucky enough to still be able to take other vacations every year - but we LOVE Disney and as long as the kids still want to go with us, we just ignore everyone else and have fun!

[Figment104]

I have to admit that the only time the "look" bothers me is when it comes from my MIL. My in laws have been many times themselves (never stayed on the grounds though) and luckily for me my DH really enjoyes going to WDW with me (not a nut like me, but there's still time)

I think the reason that it bothers me so much from my MIL is that it's not necessarily that we're going again, it's the costs associated with it. She thinks it's too expensive of a trip for us to afford to go on. For heavens sake, I'm a financial analyst (money is my thing) so I make sure that we save in advace for it and that it won't impact our finances in anyway. As someone else mentioned, we save, we live within our means, we pay our bills on time, and aside from a mortgage we don't have any debt, we should be able to spend what we want on our one big vacation a year with out anyone questioning it. I guess it's just the little demon in me that wants everyone to be ok with my decisions. Can't please everone so we may as well just go and enjoy ourselves.

Currently we've got a trip planned for May and my inlaws have no idea about it, but we decided that we just wouldn't tell them until right before we left. It was to the point with me that I couldn't enjoy the planning thinking that my MIL was dissaproving. Oh well, 56 more days til we our back with the mouse.

[Figment78]

My two cents...

I get that look and after a while, we just stopped telling people where we were going. Sometimes I don't care and other times I just don't want to deal with the looks and comments. We have been on other vacations and enjoyed them - Vegas, Caribbean Cruise, etc. But we like WDW best. It fits us and our vacation preferences.

What gets ME (and probably others) about the comments and looks is that I don't think it's polite to judge others on their personal decisions. I HATE unsolicited advice/opinions. I don't walk around saying "Oh you're going to Aruba/Myrtle Beach/the OuterBanks again?" and roll my eyes. I don't walk around saying "oh you are wearing those brown pants again?" or "Oh I think you should cut your hair it would look better." I wish others wouldn't walk around saying those things either. If you can't find something polite and nice to say, just smile and move on. Really!

A portion of the nay-sayers are probably jealous that they can't go. Another portion have never experienced it or didn't have a good experience. People who went in 1980 had a VERY different experience than someone who went in 2000. And other people just aren't into it.

As for the snobbery term, I think the OP's word choice was intended to reference the look-givers acting like they too good or sophisticated for WDW (thus, snobs).