When at WDW as a child, were you hurried past things that you now love as an adult?

[McGoofy]

Sometimes when we are young children, our parents drag us right past things that are uniquely Disney because they are in a hurry to get somewhere in the World, beat the crowds, etc... Last year one of my best friends who is now 32 watched the fireworks at MK for the very first time in her life when she went with us to WDW, although she had been many times as a child. She stood there and literally cried as she watched the fireworks over the Castle. she commented to me, "My dad never let us stay for the fireworks. We always had to rush out to beat the crowd to the parking lot." I just read on another thread that somebody else's parents never stopped at the photographers because they were in a hurry to get to rides. My parents never stopped to enjoy any Disney food. (That was primarily a money issue, not necessarily a "in a hurry issue.") I never had any Disney snacks/meals until I was grown and went to WDW with my DH. All these things...fireworks, Disney photographers, Dole Whips, etc...all seem to be classic Disney things that are unique to Disney. I was just wondering if others out there know of things that they missed out on during childhood trips to Disney that you now take the time to enjoy as an adult?

[SBETigg]

I'm very fortunate to say that I wasn't, not at WDW. We only went once in my childhood, when I was twelve, but I helped plan the trip and it pretty much revolved around things I wanted to do anyway.

My one regret, perhaps, is that my family turned their noses up at counter service meals and we only did table service. No complaints, really, but in adulthood, I've enjoyed trying some of the counter service and seeing what I was missing.

[kbean]

I can't say I really missed out on anything as a kid. I was lucky to have parents that took my down there once a year from philly. Now I live less than two hrs away. Never thought I would be.
It was what my parents dragged me on as a kid that I now enjoy. Thats was the American Theatre in Epcot and the Hall of Presidents. I thought it was sooooo boring. Now I enjoy it. Although I still skip H.O.P.

[TheMartellFamily]

When I was a kid we never ate at the restaurants. We stayed at Fort WIlderness and we would eat at our camper. Now when I had my own kids we would eat one meal at the parks and the two other meals at the campsite. Now forward 5 years we stay at a resort room and do the dining plan.

I know too when I was young we would rush at opening to get to ur favorite rides and not see any of the opening of parks. I never new there was anything like that until we saw it one day with taking our time with the kids in a stroller.

[Aggie97]

My husband definitely was rushed by things as a kid. His family visited WDW every year, and all of their vacations (not just WDW) were commando-style. His parents did not let him ride Space Mountain because the lines were too long. They never watched a single parade or fireworks show -- they either rode rides during them or left early to beat the crowds. They did not do any TS meals because they took too long, not for financial reasons. Needless to say, we've never vacationed with them! :)

Luckily my parents were (and still are) all about being spontaneous and having fun.... :mickey:

[EpcotNut]

Great thread!

It's interesting - I find now that I'm more inclined to do things that we would have skated past when I was a kid because I either thought I was too old or too cool (ie Mad Tea Party, Small World, etc) are some of my favorites now. I would also say that firreworks were never a priority. I can't ever remember seeing any in-park fireworks shows...I can't imagine not seeing Wishes, Fantasmic or (gasp!!) Illuminations. Also - we did have a tendency to skip attractions with long lines.

[Young@Heart]

Great thread!

It's interesting - I find now that I'm more inclined to do things that we would have skated past when I was a kid because I either thought I was too old or too cool (ie Mad Tea Party, Small World, etc) are some of my favorites now. I would also say that firreworks were never a priority. I can't ever remember seeing any in-park fireworks shows...I can't imagine not seeing Wishes, Fantasmic or (gasp!!) Illuminations. Also - we did have a tendency to skip attractions with long lines.

This sort of describes me, too, but maybe in the different way. :mickey: We never went to any "boring" things :blush: like Hall of Presidents or COP (PLEASE don't flame me.....I was only a kid!!! ) because we (kids) didn't want to. Now, I find I love these things and my children have enjoyed them rather thank skip over them. :thumbsup:

[newcarsmell]

One attraction that I always passed on as a kid was the Tiki Room ( actually I thought the pre-show was the show). As an adult, I really liked it and also enjoyed the AC and darkness. Alas, I now pass it by occasionally because all the birds scream in it's latest version.

[Gottaluvgoof]

I'm from a very large family and honestly, I never went to Disney World as a kid. My first trip was with my own kids when I was an adult. I remember flying through the World Showcase on our first trip and not doing much of anything. Now, we take our time and we all love the different countries.

[Faver]

This is a great thread!

When going to WDW as a child, my family never stayed onsite. We always stayed somewhere in Orlando. It wasn't until I started going as an adult that I've been staying at the resort!!!! And I wouldn't have it any other way:mickey:

[ASweetLov]

As a kid my parents always ignored my sister and I everytime we said we wanted to go to WDW. We never got to go as a kid. I have been twicew already as an adult and my sister has never been yet, so next year i want to take her for a sisters trip.

I have not seen Wishes yet:( Not because I havent want to but because on the first trip I went to The Magic Kingdom right when I arrived to WDW and since I had been on my feet from 5am in Logan Airport in Boston I just couldnt stand my feet no more and had to go back to the resort. My second trip both times I was in The Magic Kingdom there were lots of lightning storms that delayed/cancelled Wishes. Next trip is a priority of mine to watch it:fworks:

[Giselle]

When I was a kid we would only spend 1 day at Disney World. I never met a single character. Did they not have them then (in the 80s) or did we just miss them? Also, we barely got to eat because it was too expensive. Further we always went in the middle of July when it was 100 degrees and didn't get a break because we had to get our money's worth. Tired, hot, and hungry!


I have learned a lot about how to make it a lot more fun since them.

[disneygeek84]

I was very fortunate when I was kid because we got to go once a year. Not because we were wealthy, by any means, but because my dad had business conferences in Orlando every January (and still does). so his business would pay for the travel expenses and hotel and my parents food. Even though we might've had to skip over something on one trip, my mom would always remind us that we could do it on our next trip. I guess I was lucky though, because as much as my parents love Disney World, they always loved doing things that we wanted to do as well.

Although, due to money issues, we never really ate at very many TS places. We ate at a few every now and then but not as many as so many children do today, mainly in part to the DDP (which they didn't have when I was little). My honeymoon was the first time I really got to enjoy the TS and it was great. It eats up alot of park touring, but it's fun to do on special trips like a honeymoon.

[wonderalice23]

Well, in my case...I was the Disney "nazi" (a-la Seinfeld) on our first trip - and I was only 17. I had read all the guidebooks and was a self-appointed expert! (and yes, parents screamed at me more than once to knock it off).
But we only ate at one TS....I insisted, because they really couldn't understand paying those high Disney prices. We also stayed offsite (gasp) and that will never happen again with me!

When I took my boyfriend on his first "real" trip (he had gone once at 18 with a friend and their family) he finally got to experience the world properly! Apparently they had gone to MK and Epcot all in one day and that was it!:unsure: He also finally got to ride Spaceship Earth...they had told him there was no ride inside it! What nerve!:D

By the way, now that I have been 7 times....I am no longer a park commando...(because I know I will always keep going back! :thumbsup:)

[Kairi_7378]

My in laws used to eat Pecos' Bill's chili for the entire time they were in WDW... and they'd hit Denny's on the way to the hotel. DH never ate anywhere else in the World until we went together and were on the DDP. He also never made it to half of the WS countries because MIL didn't think the kids would be interested in them. When we came back from our last trip he called his mom and asked, "Mom, did you know there were Italian and German pavilions in Epcot?"

[slegrant]

This is a great thread!
I was one of the lucky ones. We lived an hour and a half a way, so we went all the time especially when they came out with Annual passes. My parents had an Rv so we would always stay at Fort Wilderness, my folks believed as I do that Disney staying on property is the most magical. There would be trips that we would go for a weekend and never go to the parks. My parents wanted us to appreciate everything that Disney was and still is. We would visit resorts, swim, fish, ride the boat back and forth the Magic Kingdom. As I got older and met my future wife we would frequently go to WDW and she just fell in love saying that when she was a child, it was ride, ride, then escape before the parks closed, so she appreciates everything that is Disney and we now share that with our kids.:mickey3:

[bigbabyblues]

I didn't get to go to WDW until I was married, but I do try to hit everything my boys want to do. We don't wait more than 30 minutes or so in line, but we find a time to come back that works if at all possible.

DS7 has reminded me several times that he wanted to see the Tiki Room last year and I didn't take him. In my defense, he didn't tell us until Wishes was getting ready to start. We will see the TR this year, just for him.