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!

[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

[Imagineer1981]

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

agreed!!!

[Mousemates]

By the way this kind of thing is not limited to WDW....back in the day (college)I used to work for the Gatlinburg PD as a traffic control officer during the summer and busy autumn season (for those not familiar with the area, Gatlinburg TN is the primary gateway city to the Great Smokies Mountains National Park. On more than one occasion while making conversation with tourists to pass the time (on days with light traffic) I would ask people if they enjoyed the park and what they had seen and i would get answers like "What park?" , "There's a park here, does it have good rides."

However, while thinking folks were a little on the dingy side for not understanding that the GSMNP is s why Gatlinburg exists (and thinking it odd to come to one of the prettiest places in the world and not want to get out and explore it), it made me realize that what I thought was "the best part of the area" wasn't viewed the same way as everyone else...you see the folks who came without knowing there was a national park (just a few) as well as those who knew about it but never entered it for the first time (more than you might think) were perfectly happy just ambling around Gatlinburg, shopping, eating in the restaurant, cruising mainstreet and swimming in the pools.

Everyone one isn't into the great outdoors (GSMNP), an americanized taste of the world (Epcot) or even Africa in central Florda (AKL)...but thats okay. They have to go someone on vacation and if they choose not to take it all in, thats okay too. To each his own.

[Lakin]

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

That's the spirit!

[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.

[SandmanGStefani24]

i kind of see it like this...

i walked right past some great attractions and didn't know what I was missing. my first two trips to WDW i didn't see Pirates of the Carrib. Now, I can't imagine going and not riding it. I waltzed through the world showcase trip #2 and had no idea how much cool stuff there is to see and do there. Maybe all those people just need to take a 2nd look and see that there is a ton of stuff they will like at the parks they might have skipped. But, I also look at it the same was someone ealier said...less people in line for us!

[LoriMistress]

Ignorance is bliss. If people aren't willing to try new things or even do any form of research; and complain about how much their vacation sucked and will NEVER go back to WDW, they brought it upon themselves. Less people in the parks taking up space.

I saw numerous people who had no idea how to use FP and tried to yell at CMs because they though one FP meant they can drag everyone and their mother onto the attraction.

[PETE FROM NYC]

My wife and I are WDW nuts.We try to visit as often as we can.
A couple of years ago,her family wanted to go with us.Consisting of DW's sister in law,her adult daughter and her 2 kids 912,and 14 yo.They are all total rookies in all things Disney.
DW and I were to do all the planning,and be the group leaders.We did all of the research,made the bookings,ADRs, etc.
DW and I wasted more time looking for the others that we could not enjoy ourselves.We are in our mid 50s,in not so great health and we still ran all of them into the ground.
One day,they wanted to sleep late,saying they would meet us in MK around noon.Around 1 PM,we got a cell call,they cabbed it to Universal instead,not only losing the days admission to WDW,but fowling up our ADR for that night.
This thread asked about fools.
After that trip,DW and I were both fools for vacationing with a non-Disney family.
NEVER AGAIN!!!

[Zawadi]

...

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.

...

We all have the ablility to learn from everything that we do/experience in life. Therefore everything is educational.


It's a pity that people don't take these opportunities and get rid of xenophobic ideas. May be then the world would not be as messed up.