This just in: The Magic Kingdom is boring

[Kwesty]

I had to weigh in on this post because my husband and I have this discussion ALL THE TIME, as well as with people who go for the first time as adults. They will come back and basically tell me they can't believe what a big deal I make about Disney. This happened twice recently with my dentist and a good friend.

I truly believe that you really need to be indoctrinated to Disney at a young age and the more the better. Once you are hooked as a kid the magic is always there. I've been to France and Austria and various other locations and there is just no place I would rather be than Disney World. People think I'm nuts. But my parents took us as kids nearly every other year, I'm nearly 40 now and it is something I've passed on to my kids.

There are always exceptions but I think if you haven't been to Disney by the time you are 10-12, the magic may very well be lost to you. You've "grown up" and the ability to see beyond the "hokey" is lost.

One exception is my husband who used to like to quote from the Simpson's about Walt Disney having the "evil gene." He has been Disneyfied and I take complete credit for that! Very proud of myself. Now he looks for any excuse to get us down there!

It still drives me absolutely NUTS when someone says they didn't like Disney World. I take it as a personal affront and have to restrain myself from getting into serious debates. I'm working on that....

[Marceline]

I always like to say that only boring people get bored. So there you have it.

I happen to think Magic Kingdom is just that, magical. To each their own.

[WDWPrincess]

I had to weigh in on this post because my husband and I have this discussion ALL THE TIME, as well as with people who go for the first time as adults. They will come back and basically tell me they can't believe what a big deal I make about Disney. This happened twice recently with my dentist and a good friend.

I truly believe that you really need to be indoctrinated to Disney at a young age and the more the better. Once you are hooked as a kid the magic is always there...

I also believe that there is a HYPE factor that is hard to achieve for many adults and even some kids.

I know people who would not want to have a tree that grows money if it meant they had to stand in line to get it. Those types will NEVER like a place like Walt Disney World.

It's interesting though that kids would be jaded about their first-time Magic Kingdom experience. They tend to focus on the fun and not the crowds, the heat or the expense. Usually the grousing is left to the adults.

[harmon_174]

I am an 18 year old college student that has been visiting Disney World since I was 3 years old at many varying ages. My family and I traveled to Disney when I was a teen and I can completely agree with the statements of these kids. At age 10-16 a lot of kids just want to go fast and be entertained completely. I went through the stage when I thought Magic Kingdom was completely boring but after about age 16 I realized what Disney World was all about. I started to appreciate the little things in the Disney parks. All of the Disney parks are different than any other Amusement park in the world and you must realize what your getting yourself into. Recently when I was on a bus going back to my resort I heard a few teenagers talking and complaining about how everything in Disney you have to watch a "stupid" pre-show. To me the pre-show sets up everything. I go to any other theme park and nothing lives up to Disney. Disney World is about story telling and a lot of teenagers don't realize how special this makes Disney from other theme parks. Every ride has a story and thus you are immersed in the attraction. While riding Expedition Everest I feel as if I am journeying up and around Mount Everest and this is why I love Disney Parks.

[SelfmadeWade]

I agree that a 13 year old kid who finds the Magic Kingdom boring can grow into an adult who ends up loving it.

What still surprises me are the adults who go as first-timers and shrug their shoulders and act like it's any run-of-the-mill theme park.

Maybe it's subtle retaliation for the attacks on their wallets.

[Silver_Surfer]

LOL! My son sometimes thinks the small world is boring and for the little kids but my wife and I always drag him along and once we exit we catch his humming/whisleing the tune and all smiles. We elbow him what was that? Their is something about that song that just get stuck in your head

[marlyn]

It still drives me absolutely NUTS when someone says they didn't like Disney World. I take it as a personal affront and have to restrain myself from getting into serious debates. I'm working on that....

I have the same problem! It drives me crazy when people just don't "get it". I get so much joy from Disney that I want everyone to be able to feel what I do

[AndyMan]

I have the same problem! It drives me crazy when people just don't "get it". I get so much joy from Disney that I want everyone to be able to feel what I do

There is a guy in my office at work who says that I am part of a cult where I worship a mouse. Ha Ha.

[CaptainSad]

I agree that a 13 year old kid who finds the Magic Kingdom boring can grow into an adult who ends up loving it.

What still surprises me are the adults who go as first-timers and shrug their shoulders and act like it's any run-of-the-mill theme park.

Maybe it's subtle retaliation for the attacks on their wallets.

I for one never visited WDW or DL as a kid. My first visit to WDW, I was 28. I am now 55 and I am a kid at heart. I don't care if the rides aren't fast or do loops. I just love the atmosphere. I used to watch the Mickey Mouse Club and Wonderful World of Disney on TV as a kid. I have always loved what Walt Disney stood for. Most kids today don't see Disney as I did when I was younger. The Disney Channel is showing the new stuff and the old stuff should be brought back. I don't care for High School Musical or what they show now. I guess the powers to be don't get it...

[Ms. Mode]

I for one never visited WDW or DL as a kid. My first visit to WDW, I was 28. I am now 55 and I am a kid at heart. I don't care if the rides aren't fast or do loops. I just love the atmosphere. I used to watch the Mickey Mouse Club and Wonderful World of Disney on TV as a kid. I have always loved what Walt Disney stood for. Most kids today don't see Disney as I did when I was younger. The Disney Channel is showing the new stuff and the old stuff should be brought back. I don't care for High School Musical or what they show now. I guess the powers to be don't get it...

My DH and I are both Wonderful World of Disney kids too. When we would talk about some of the movies we used to watch our DD had wanted to see them too, so we ended up buying the VCR tapes (years ago) for her...she loved them and has purchased many of the theme songs for her IPod so she can get her fix. I think her favorite is "Davey Crockett"

[WDWPrincess]

I for one never visited WDW or DL as a kid. My first visit to WDW, I was 28. I am now 55 and I am a kid at heart. I don't care if the rides aren't fast or do loops. I just love the atmosphere. I used to watch the Mickey Mouse Club and Wonderful World of Disney on TV as a kid. I have always loved what Walt Disney stood for. Most kids today don't see Disney as I did when I was younger. The Disney Channel is showing the new stuff and the old stuff should be brought back. I don't care for High School Musical or what they show now. I guess the powers to be don't get it...

I agree. It really bothers me that the Disney Channel seems to exist just to be a huge marketing machine designed to create new "stars" for tweens that will in turn, buy the merchandise.

The same goes for the theme parks. There should be NO Hannah Montana merchandise in a Disney theme park. She does not belong. She is not part of the "Disney Magic". And there should be no shows themed around Disney Channel shows and movies. The High School Musical "parade" at the Hollywood Studios is an embarrassment. It's a rolling commercial. And it does not belong. I wish they would keep all of those types of things OUT of the parks.

[cuteduck223]

wow. i just waded through this entire thread. We're taking our 2 year old and a 14 year old we recently aquired. The 14 year old is so excited, as she has never been and is even talking about wanting to get autographs. She has a few friends who are able to go more often that talk about how boring it can get. I'm hoping that she isn't disappointed.

when we went 3 years ago, we took my brother and sister in law (both for the first time) and we were all in our mid-20's. My brother-in-law hates theme parks of any kind, and was leary of my spreadsheet and schedule. They LOVED every park of every park. We went to universal one day in the middle and halfway through the day, they were ready to head back to disney.

It's all about the atmosphere I think and how its presented. We're going to do pressed pennies for both girls, and are looking at other ways to add magic to the trip!

[mom2morgan]

wow. i just waded through this entire thread. We're taking our 2 year old and a 14 year old we recently aquired.

LOL - Kind of made me chuckle :-) I don't know your exact circumstances, but our first trip to Disney was with a "recently acquired" 15 year old boy. I must say, though, that it was a very up-and-down experience for him: partly very exciting, and partly so overwhelming that he got really grumpy and negative. To be perfectly honest, I think there was also a level of feeling he'd missed out since "we" probably weren't his first choice to go to Disney with, if you know what I mean. BUT... He's 21 now and is so hooked that he can't wait to go back

[mom2morgan]

Count me as an adult that didn't really "get" it until I went! I was never very interested in Disney, although I wanted to go ONCE (growing up, I remember all my friends going to Disneyland and my family had zero interest, so I never got to go). We decided in 2006 to make a trip for our kids - our "once in a lifetime, so you better soak it up and do everything you want to" trip since we're "only doing this once". End result - I've been totally Disneyfied - have been back twice and currently planning trip number 4 :-)

[KennyandKim]

I took my kids for the first time in March 2008. My DDs were 13 and DS 15. We made the mistake of staying off site and that was their only objection. Not once did any of them think anything about Disney was boring. My son didn't like flying as it was all their first times to fly. My daughters couldn't wait to see the castle and many other things about Disney they have seen on TV. My son is a gamer but still loved Disney.

In March 2009 my DH and I took our daughters. My son stayed behind as he did not want to fly again. My daughters were 14 and we stood in line many times for autographs. I am not a big thrill seeker as I am VERY afraid of heights. Epcot is our least favorite park. We like Soarin and Test Track but that's about it so our next trip probably will not include Epcot. We do not think anything about Disney is boring but we enjoy some things better than others.

I had never been to disney before I took my kids in 2008. We all experienced our first trip together and it was awesome. My DH had gone once when he was a child but it had been over 30 years and he LOVED our trip. He has an extensive Mickey Mouse collection and to see his reaction to having his picture taken with Mickey Mouse was priceless.

We are planning our 3rd trip for September 2011 and can't wait

[cuteduck223]

LOL - Kind of made me chuckle :-) I don't know your exact circumstances, but our first trip to Disney was with a "recently acquired" 15 year old boy. I must say, though, that it was a very up-and-down experience for him: partly very exciting, and partly so overwhelming that he got really grumpy and negative. To be perfectly honest, I think there was also a level of feeling he'd missed out since "we" probably weren't his first choice to go to Disney with, if you know what I mean. BUT... He's 21 now and is so hooked that he can't wait to go back

Thanks so much. Since we have our 2 year old, we're taking things slow as it is her first trip as well. The 14 year old is already overwhelmed a little, and has been poring over the maps--and has told me several times to please "not lose" her.

[WDWPrincess]

LOL - Kind of made me chuckle :-) I don't know your exact circumstances, but our first trip to Disney was with a "recently acquired" 15 year old boy. I must say, though, that it was a very up-and-down experience for him: partly very exciting, and partly so overwhelming that he got really grumpy and negative. To be perfectly honest, I think there was also a level of feeling he'd missed out since "we" probably weren't his first choice to go to Disney with, if you know what I mean. BUT... He's 21 now and is so hooked that he can't wait to go back

I think it's encouraging to hear that a 21 year old who first experienced the Magic Kingdom as a 15 year old wants to go back. The magic lives!

[forever a child]

I think it's encouraging to hear that a 21 year old who first experienced the Magic Kingdom as a 15 year old wants to go back. The magic lives!

The first time I went, I was 15. I remember liking Disney. I didn't really get the Disney bug however, until I started taking my daughter. DD went at ages 9, 10 and 11. She broke my heart at age 12 when I told her to guess we were going for vacation that year and she replied "Not Disney again." Well, actually I was planning a trip to the Grand Canyon for that year, but it still hurt. After I left a full time job to go back to school to get my master's degree in 2006, our expensive vacations stopped. That's when DD really started to appreciate and miss Disney. We finally got to return twice last year and both of us have the Disney bug! DD plans to apply for the Disney College Program after she starts her first semester. I guess it just took us both a while...but we LOVE WDW now and it has special memories for the both of us.

[Marionla]

My first wdw trip was at age 50. I visited 14 times in 12 years and never find it boring. My friend was bored on her 2nd trip. It is sad that one's imagination is limited. I am amazed by the talent and diversity throughout wdw. Cannot wait to return in dec 2011.

[spoiled]

My DS is 10 he loves the magic kingdom
My DD is 13 and loves Magic Kingdom i do not know why these kids said it was boring it is one of my kids favorite parks