Are Some WDW Visitors Just Plain FOOLS?

[Goes4FastPass]

Folks, I know some sort of political correctness says everyone is entitled to their opinion etc. etc. etc. but

On our last and previous trips to WDW we have struck up bus conversations with more than one family, bright shiny faces, happy excited children... how long are you here for?... a week ... 2 days left... then...

Have you been to EPCOT? No! Yuck! It's educational isn't it. I didn't take my kids outa school a week to go there myself! And isn't part of it foreign? That has no appeal to me at all.

and/or

Are you going to the Animal Kingdom? No! it's just some sort of zoo or something isn't it? Smelly animals. We've been to the zoo back home.

I gotta tell you, I like Dumbo and Corn Dogs as much as anybody but I always find unique and entertaining things for all ages and interests when I take family and friends to any of the Disney Parks.

Can a person who hasn't walked through the gate at EPCOT or AK or DHS know they won't like it? Is that an opinion or a guess?

Sometimes we feel tempted to reply with words like Natazu and Nemo and Soarin' and Dinosaur and Everest and Mulan and Belle but usually we just wait out the rest of the bus ride.

I guess these people go home and tell their friends WDW is a nice place but there's not enough to do there to stay a whole week...

[1goofyfamily]

I know what you mean we had friends just get back and we asked them if they went on the Kilimanjaro Safari and they said "no" my sister said it wasn't worth the time and we were like WHAT?? They had us do all this last minute planning for them since they never had been and didn't want to plan out their days but gave them must do things. So I just knew then they didn't do anything in EPCOT but I asked hoping to be surprised. So I asked about the tree lighting & story tellers and the little things in each country we love and sure enough they said they barely walked through the countries of EPCOT because again sister said there was nothing to do there. Then they were like oh I wish we would have known....hello we told you but oh well.

[Ian]

Look at it this way ... less people in line in front of us!

[albino_pygmy]

So I guess when Disney say "because the guests wanted these changes" based on their polls, they really do mean it, and all this time I thought Disney was just using that as a line to make it feel like we really did ask for some of these newer changes that aren't really all that and a bag of potato chips.

We could also blame the average tourists for the demise of Futureworld at Epcot, and the prescence of a working studio at MGM (sorry, not calling it DHS.) I also remember the whole nahtahzu campaign which I thought was cute, but seriously, do you think these people would really figure out that they're really saying "Not a zoo?" I don't think so. I do hope there's a way to get into the mind of all these people and straighten them out so that we're all not changing our ways to better suit them. I could go on and on about how stupid we (as a society) have gotten, but I'd rather not since it'll just be another lost cause

[Janmac]

I suppose it depends on your definition of fool. Certainly some folks have different priorities, both in their off World and in the World lives. I think we have met more that hadn't done their homework, rather than the I'm not doing educational on my vacation or it's only a zoo/amusement park/water park and we have those at home types.

A year or two ago I did up some trip plans for coworker of my sister's. The coworker is a single parent, doctor, with little spare time but enough common sense to know that she needed some advance preparation and to actually follow the advice. They saw and did most of what they wanted, and didn't feel they needed a vacation once they got home.

Three weeks from today will be the 35th anniversary of my very first visit to DIsney World, which at that time was synonymous with Magic Kingdom. That visit was horrible, as we had not done our homework and wound up spending way too much time trying to figure out which way was up on the map while hot (it was 85 degrees and we'd just had a white Christmas) fussy kids jumped up and down hollering to ride their favorite rides.

Note: it wasn't their first time as a great aunt (in more ways than one) had taken them to WDW already at least twice.

We spent more time criss-crossing the park as I finally located Jungle Cruise or it's a small world on the map than we did in any of the attractions. It would be five years before we gave the place another try.

I suppose rather than fools there are the clueless (we have a zoo at home), overworked (no time for homework) or obsessed (yrs truly, et al) than actual fools. As a PP said, if the clueless and overworked all stayed home after their first trips, the obsessed would have fewer folks in line.

Jan

[mom2morgan]

Well, everyone has different tastes, and I can respect that. I admit I'm NOT a huge Epcot fan, myself. But what kills me is when people end up disappointed because they don't do their research. I was blown away but a guy complaining about Seaworld, because - are you ready for this? - "There were hardly any rides! Just a bunch of stupid dolphins and stuff." Fair enough if you aren't "into" that - but to GO to Seaworld and then be disappointed because it is what it is.....

[CU Tiger]

I think a lot of it comes down to experience. Having been to each park many times over the past several years, we know what to expect. Some of our friends that have never been have several misconceptions about each park. Some of the park descriptions do not them justice and not all things interest all people. EPCOT is one of those parks that does not seem as fun as it really can be. I tell my friends to try each park if they have the time, but steer them to the appropriate parks if they will only be there a couple of days.

[DisneyNut2005]

So I guess when Disney say "because the guests wanted these changes" based on their polls, they really do mean it, and all this time I thought Disney was just using that as a line to make it feel like we really did ask for some of these newer changes that aren't really all that and a bag of potato chips.

We could also blame the average tourists for the demise of Futureworld at Epcot, and the prescence of a working studio at MGM (sorry, not calling it DHS.) I also remember the whole nahtahzu campaign which I thought was cute, but seriously, do you think these people would really figure out that they're really saying "Not a zoo?" I don't think so. I do hope there's a way to get into the mind of all these people and straighten them out so that we're all not changing our ways to better suit them. I could go on and on about how stupid we (as a society) have gotten, but I'd rather not since it'll just be another lost cause

Man, what you said was quite harsh and discriminatory, IMO.

Times DO change and the best thing to do is get used to it.

P.S.: Call the Studios park DHS anyway. It sounds waaaaaaaay better than the previous name.

[stitchaholic]

it is amazing to hear that people do not take advantage of seeing all they could see while being there. i had my doubts that my kids would like epcot,but it turned out to be one of our favorite parcs,we spent 2 days there and could have gone back for more,we have planned 2 days minimum in each parc(except DHS,1 day and 1 evening) so that we could experience everything!

[PirateLover]

P.S.: Call the Studios park DHS anyway. It sounds waaaaaaaay better than the previous name.

In my neck of the woods, "DHS" is the "Department of Human Services." It's the organization to contact when you think a child is being neglected. So for me, I am uncomfortable referring to a Disney park by that acronym.

As far as people being fools.... I appreciate Epcot more now as an adult (and the World Showcase more as an adult of drinking age who also teachers geography) but I just can't stand AK after 11am. Sorry.

[Georgesgirl1]

Look at it this way ... less people in line in front of us!

hehe...I agree!

[Yvette]

I have to agree with the original post.

The first time we went to WDW, I bought a planning book and my husband and I had a great time.

The first time I took my daughter in 2002, while we were DL experts, I took the time to do my research (by that time I graduated to the "Unofficial Guide" and we had a great time) Why did I do that? Since AK and the Studios weren't there the first time, I wanted to be prepared for them. Therefore, I knew about Fast Pass, restaurants, touring plans and the like. Did it help to make it a more successful trip......"you Betcha"

When my brother and new SIL went last year, I set up a complete plan for them based on their interests. Did they listen? Did they love their trip? No. What a shame to waste thousands of dollars like that.

Yeah, many people are fools.

[MarkC]

A lot of people know I'm a resident "expert" and ask me for advice. I give them all kinds of tips on what to see, when to do it, how to plan, etc. The ones that take my advice give me all kinds of thanks when they return telling me how much it helped them. The ones that don't take my advice come back and often say they didn't enjoy their trip since there were too many people, or the lines were too long, although had they used some of the advice it would have saved them those problems. So I agree that everyone has different tastes but they simply don't want to venture out of their own little perception of what they plan to see and do. Maybe they don't know what they're missing, but it is really frustrating when their once in a lifetime trip is less than they thought because they aren't willing to listen. I don't even know why they ask. Ok, enough venting. We leave for our trip tomorrow so I've got better things to do anyway. Mark

[betteratmk]

One of my favorite lines that we get is " My kids can't walk that long!" translation: I don't want to move my lazy behind !! People don't want to prepare for the trip and don't like it when they don't know where to eat, where to stay or have enough sense to make sure their children get adequte food and rest so they don't have a melt down. Drives me crazy!

[dmosher]

I think the main thing to consider here is a lack of preparation and education regarding WDW in general.

It troubles me that people are willing to pay such an increasingly rising amount of $$ for their "dream vacation" but not seriously inquire as to what they can actually do on that vacation.

It can not have anything to do a lack of information available to the general public. We (DW and I) live way out here in NEw Zealand, and I can tell you that in the small library we have here there are 2 books on traveling to WDW (last years editions) and 1 on DL. IF we get them here, anyone can get them. Add to this the amount of commercials, DVD's (free to you all in the US), websites and the ability to just go into Borders, sit down and read and take notes (What? I was a poor College student).
In all, there is no real excuse for not being educated when THAT much $$ is involved especially for most people who only get to go to WDW once every few years.

D

[chrisb26]

It is strange that people would really think that about other parks and go as far as not even be willing to go and see if what they heard was true about the parks. I am the type of person that will experience things for myself before I pass judgment because somebody's opinion probably isn't the same as others. That being said I would be more then happy to let people know that Epcot isn't all education and Animal Kingdom isn't a Zoo.

Although the people saying it are also to blame. Even if they choose not to look online or at any books available. They're park maps available everywhere in WDW for each park. They could at least look at the map and see all there is to do at Animal Kingdom and all the cool rides at Epcot.

But still I would be more then happy to let people know what they are probably missing I know I would be very upset if I had been told one thing about a park and later found out after I returned home it wasn't true and I had missed out.

[KAJUNKING]

i try to educate any of my family or friends that are going on just some small tips to make their trip more enjoyable and most of them appreciate the info, when i hear someone is going i often point out websites like this one and podcasts like wdw today, and books like the unofficial guide, all these are the things that have made all my trips alot more enjoyable

[FromKnoxvilleto Disney]

Our family loves Epcot. My 4 year old loves it and so does my 9 year old. After MK it is our second favorite park. I believe research your expectations for each park and go and enjoy. We even enjoy walking around World Showcase and browsing in the shops. Our kids love seeing toys and trinkets from other places.

[DisneyBabies]

I just have to add my . . . DH and I were two of the clueless when we went to WDW last year, not because we didn't do research, but because the guide books give a little written description of what each ride is, but no pictures. So as we were reading the descriptions, DH would say, "no, not that one, it sounds boring." so we wound up skipping a lot of things in all the parks (including all of tommorrowland in MK!) .

Well, I finally got DH to watch some of the disney shows that come on the travel channel AND the planning DVD a couple of weeks ago. Through it all, he kept asking "is that new? it wasn't there when we went. let's go on that when we take DS." And I kept telling him, "no, that's another one you vetoed when we went the first time." DH got very grumpy and said they need to put pictures of every attraction in the guide books for people like him who need to see a picture of a ride to decide if they want to go on it .

So, I am soaking up as much advice as I can here on intercot from all of you who know sooooo much more than I do. Thanks for the help, and we'll try not to be clueless in the future.

[LauraleeH]

Why does everyone care if someone doesn't want to go to a Park? I mean, yeah, if it's someone in your group that refuses to go to Epcot because they don't want to be educated on vacation and that happens to be your favorite Park, I can understand why you'd be so upset. But if it's a completely different family with completely different opinions, why get so upset over it?

And yes, Animal Kingdom is just another zoo (I can't stand animals) and although I love Expedition Everest, I can live without it.