Anti-Disney folk: What do you say to them?

[Pigletlover]

Hi everyone, I posted this on the WDW board a couple of years ago and thought it might be fun to also post it here.


Each to their own, I know, but it puzzles me why some people have so much negativity and hatred for all things Disney. Why are there so many misconceptions and generalizations about Disney vacations?

Here are some statements I have heard:

Disney is for kids. As an adult, you really should have grown out of all that long ago

Disney fanatics/obsessives scare me. It's really creepy!

Walt was a communist/Disney is an evil corporation, blah blah blah

Disney vacations are too expensive/over-priced

Disney is too artificial/sanitized

I hate crowds and waiting in long lines in hot weather

You go waste your money on over-priced/sanitized Disney/Epcot, while I visit the REAL countries with my REAL passport

I'd rather visit a REAL zoo than Animal Kingdom

Disney food is crap. Disney caters to the chain restaurant crowd

Having your wedding at Disney is weird and creepy

I went to Disney once and I was bored out of my mind


Have you guys heard similar things?
What do you say in response? How do you deal with Negative Nellys?

 

[DLR29]

Here's how I'd respond:

Disney is for kids. As an adult, you really should have grown out of all that long ago

"Disney is not just for kids. If you think so, don't go and thanks for not visiting the parks and helping decrease the crowds when I go." OR "I don't know about you, but I know of a lot of adults who like roller coasters, thrill rides, fireworks, fine dining, and taking vacations."

Disney fanatics/obsessives scare me. It's really creepy!

"BOO! Did I scare you?"

Walt was a communist/Disney is an evil corporation, blah blah blah

"Then I guess ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition should be stopped because Disney (who owns ABC) is evil". (or you could insert whatever thing that Disney runs/owns that is the exact opposite of evil)

Disney vacations are too expensive/over-priced

"It's less expensive to go to on a Disney vacation than on a trip to Hawaii/skiing, especially when you know about all of the money saving tips and deals like me!" (insert whatever type of vacation they like to go on)

Disney is too artificial/sanitized

"So is grape soda, but I still love it!"

I hate crowds and waiting in long lines in hot weather

"Then don't go when it's crowded or when there's hot weather! DUH!"

You go waste your money on over-priced/sanitized Disney/Epcot, while I visit the REAL countries with my REAL passport

"Good luck visiting 10 countries in 1 day, sampling all that yummy food, and then getting to see a wonderful light show all in one day with your REAL passport. It's also more expensive to visit each of those countries separately than to see small (albeit accurate) glimpses of each of them at Epcot"

I'd rather visit a REAL zoo than Animal Kingdom

"Ok, I'll be riding one of the best Disney roller coasters ever, taking an African safari, watching two incredible live musical shows, riding a high-tech thrill ride about Dinosaurs, seeing a clever and unique 3D show, and enjoying myself much more than you!"

Disney food is crap. Disney caters to the chain restaurant crowd

"Where else can you get delicious dole whips (you might have to explain what these are), massive turkey legs, cuisine from many countries (at Epcot), (insert one of their favorite foods and say why it's better)."

Having your wedding at Disney is weird and creepy

"You don't have to come then. That's why it's our wedding."

I went to Disney once and I was bored out of my mind

"You obviously didn't go with me!"


Those would be my nice answers.

 

[l’amore bella]

We all enjoy different activities and obviously not everyone is going to like visiting Disney parks. However, there is no reason to be rude about it. In my experience, people who feel the need to put others down are usually not very happy with their own life. I personally wouldn't even bother responding if someone make those types of statements towards me.

 

[pixiewings71]

Here's how I'd respond:



"Disney is not just for kids. If you think so, don't go and thanks for not visiting the parks and helping decrease the crowds when I go." OR "I don't know about you, but I know of a lot of adults who like roller coasters, thrill rides, fireworks, fine dining, and taking vacations."



"BOO! Did I scare you?"



"Then I guess ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition should be stopped because Disney (who owns ABC) is evil". (or you could insert whatever thing that Disney runs/owns that is the exact opposite of evil)



"It's less expensive to go to on a Disney vacation than on a trip to Hawaii/skiing, especially when you know about all of the money saving tips and deals like me!" (insert whatever type of vacation they like to go on)



"So is grape soda, but I still love it!"



"Then don't go when it's crowded or when there's hot weather! DUH!"



"Good luck visiting 10 countries in 1 day, sampling all that yummy food, and then getting to see a wonderful light show all in one day with your REAL passport. It's also more expensive to visit each of those countries separately than to see small (albeit accurate) glimpses of each of them at Epcot"



"Ok, I'll be riding one of the best Disney roller coasters ever, taking an African safari, watching two incredible live musical shows, riding a high-tech thrill ride about Dinosaurs, seeing a clever and unique 3D show, and enjoying myself much more than you!"



"Where else can you get delicious dole whips (you might have to explain what these are), massive turkey legs, cuisine from many countries (at Epcot), (insert one of their favorite foods and say why it's better)."



"You don't have to come then. That's why it's our wedding."



"You obviously didn't go with me!"


Those would be my nice answers.

I'm with DLR, great answers!!

 

[bonofreak]

Wow! I guess I've been lucky because I have never encountered any negative Disney comments. But if I did I wouldn't argue with them. We all have the right to our own opinions and hey! With those people not there, the lines will be shorter.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I have really not heard much of this, but when I do it rolls like water off my back.

 

[Pigletlover]

These are the 4 comments that really puzzle me:

Disney is too artificial/sanitized

Isn't this one of the large reasons for going to Disney? To escape into a fun, fantasy-type world and forget about the big bad old real world for a little while?

You go waste your money on over-priced/sanitized Disney/Epcot, while I visit the REAL countries with my REAL passport

Why do people presume that the "type" of person that visits Epcot does not also visit other countries too? Both types of vacations are equally enjoyable. It's apples and oranges, and if you budget wisely you can afford to do both.

I'd rather visit a REAL zoo than Animal Kingdom

We saw a TON of different animals at Animal Kingdom. In fact I made a big list of what animals we saw and where we saw them. You just have to know to look in all the nooks and crannies and areas that are not as obvious as others. I thought the habitats/enclosures were very well done and imaginative and better than many zoos I've been to.

I went to Disney once and I was bored out of my mind

This one I just have no words for. There's such a huge variety of stuff to do and see and experience (especially at WDW), but you didn't find anything enjoyable? Now I find that really creepy!

 

[Teki]

I hear that kind of stuff to, but the way I see it its my thing if they dont like it they can but out. My BF likes wrestleing and people always tell him "you know its fake?" as if thats gonna change his opinion he still likes and is entertained by it. The fact that Christmas is a big retail commercial doesnt change the fact that I love the holiday and think its magical. Same goes for Disney there negativity is not gonna magically change my passion for it so just ignore them....or if you reallly wanna have some fun try and super creep them out

 

[MissDisney04]

i know there is another response, but i wanted to write mine, then read it, see how close we get lol

Disney is for kids. As an adult, you really should have grown out of all that long ago

I think one of the biggest problem in the world today is that people decide to *grow out* of sweet and innocent things. Why should I lose my joy so I can be *more adult* when the people that are *more adult* aren't very interesting.

Disney fanatics/obsessives scare me. It's really creepy!

People that dont like Disney scare me, but I dont let that bother me....

Walt was a communist/Disney is an evil corporation, blah blah blah

Capitalism rocks. Its what makes the world go round (my world anyway). Do they try to make money, absolutely. Do they provide absolute happiness and lasting memories while doing it? Better than anyone else. Some of the best things in life *are* free, but the best thing in my life isnt....so what?

Disney vacations are too expensive/over-priced

I have spent ALOT of time and money in Disney parks, and I have never, ever, ever regretted a penny of it. I have the most fun in my life there, I experience so many different things, for less than it would cost to travel the world, or even to other cities regularly. I can go to Epcot and taste food and take in 11 different cultures. Is it the same? no, but its not over priced...Just a choice. Vacations, in general, are expensive. If you dont want to pay, dont play and miss out.

Disney is too artificial/sanitized

SO dirty, real and ugly would be better? Why pay to experience something real that you could just walk out of your house and see. Disney is magic, its manufactured, its perfect. I wouldnt pay the thousands and thousands I do for just another ride.

I hate crowds and waiting in long lines in hot weather

Cant help you there. I dont mind crowds, and the heat, while oppressive, is also avoidable. I dont go to FL in the summer. Anything else I can handle (I am from Vegas after all)

You go waste your money on over-priced/sanitized Disney/Epcot, while I visit the REAL countries with my REAL passport

Okay, and you enjoy yourself....they arent the same thing. If i wanna go to China, I will go (i plan to). They are both vacations. Mine involves magic and characters, but its not wrong.

I'd rather visit a REAL zoo than Animal Kingdom

In a *real zoo* animals are on display, rarely in anything that looks natural and the *information* is usually a pamphlet. In Animal Kingdom you see where they live, someone (a real someone) can tell you how they live. Its natural and beautiful. You are surrounded by nature, not observing it.

Disney food is crap. Disney caters to the chain restaurant crowd

I live in a town where I get 5 star meals at a moments notice. I know good food, and Disney has better than decent fare most of the time. Even their quick service has quality. I had the best fried chicken I have ever had in Disneyland (and I make killer fried chicken). The fact that the prices dont bother me likely stems from living in a tourist spot. My first trip I thought we were going to spend a fortune on food, but I was totally wrong. Its just food at low level sit down prices (and in some cases, WAY better than upper level sit down....eat and Cosmic Rays in MK, its amazing)

Having your wedding at Disney is weird and creepy

Having your wedding in a church is creepy (and yea, I really do believe that). Too each their own. You celebrate with your *magic* and I celebrate with mine.

I went to Disney once and I was bored out of my mind

The Disney isnt for you, you didnt go with the right people, or maybe you are just a scrooge. No matter what the reason, you are one less sour puss that can sit there all grimaced on Its a Small World while I am having a ball.

 

[bumbershoot]

I used to be pretty anti-Disney, so I know what both sides feel like. (little note...the "love Disney" side is a lot more FUN!)

None of the little things listed here would have brought me out of the anti-Disney phase. In fact they pretty much all would have made it WORSE. I really don't recommend saying any of those things to a real person. Not if you want them to *like* Disney at some point.


I was anti-Disney in my 20s. I went to a private "liberal" university, and wanted to fit in *somewhere*. The theater people were way too out there for me, and the granola crowd was the closest fit for me, and of course none of them were going to DLR on their breaks.

The my mom and stepdad lived in Country Walk Estates in Miami, FL. That's the place that was wiped out in H. Andrew b/c the builders used finish nails instead of REAL nails. Well...the place was Disney designed. If anyone had been able to get the Disney name into the courts, the homeowners would have gotten much more than 20K each from the builder. Does starting a housing development mean you are responsible for your builder's actions? Nowadays I probably don't feel that way, but at the time I did. I thought it was sneaky and creepy that Disney kept their names out of it, letting Arvida (Arvada?) take the fall completely.

Also at the time I was reading lots of Dave Barry and Carl Hiaasen, and they are rather anti-Mouse. I read The Mouse That Roared by Hiaasen and it really lays it out, how sneaky Walt et all were when buying the land for WDW. From my current perspective I know that officially they wanted to buy enough land so Anaheim didn't happen again around the parks, AND they didn't want the landowners to jack up the prices. But what they did was take the landowners for much less than they really should have done...

Anyway, what turned me around with Disney was having my mom die. That let me experience the journey that happens when a parent dies...that opened my mind to why fairy tales ALWAYS start with a parent's death. And since all the Disney movies were pretty much based on fairy tales, I realized it wasn't Walt that hated moms, LOL...it's just that the stories wouldn't have been possible with an intact family. The emotional journeys wouldn't have started.

And that let me be more open to the parks. Then DS was a year old and we wanted to visit my brother, and we figured "why the heck not" to a day at Disneyland...and I discovered I enjoyed it *just* as much as I had as a kid, and here I am!


It had to be my OWN journey, though. Any little quips said to me would have harmed "the cause".

 

[Sherwin]

The animosity you see towards Disney being "evil" is just a generic distrust of large conglomerates in general. I mean, sorry to say, but you're always going to have people who make the negative connotation with larger companies. And it's not even the content that Disney provides... a lot of the criticism is a red herring because you have people criticizing the corporate interests by blaming the content for being fanatically unrealistic. Large corporations always have a hierarchy of power, but that doesn't matter because corporate ethics have little to do with what we Disney lovers experience at the individual level.

As far as people perceiving Disney is artificial, that's mostly the impression that the company fabricates a dream-world based on fantasies that just don't happen in reality, disillusioning park visitors. But you're absolutely right, Pigletlover. I consider myself a very down-to-earth person. I've witnessed assaults and drug deals with my own eyes. I've been robbed and periodically volunteer at homeless shelters. Life isn't a pretty picture and Disney doesn't mean to paint it that way. In fact, I still choose to love DLR because it provides an outlet. I don't go to enter a fantasy that doesn't exist. I go to blow off steam and do fun things that make me happy. Critics that say Disney is corporate indoctrination to our kids are missing the fact that children go through progressive stages of psychological development. They will get to a point where they begin to assume responsibility for themselves. I've never met anyone who grew up watching Disney classics and going to DLR end up being a brainwashed airhead.

 

[LuvBaloo]

My sister is very anti-Disney.
My sister-in-law is pro-Disney.
The 3 of us were shopping together and ended up talking about Mickey Mouse, because SIL's 6month-old girl likes her Mickey doll. Sister made a comment about "another brain-washed child" and then one about "its a good thing Walt Disney didn't want to start a cult, because he could have had people doing whatever he wanted". Neither SIL or myself responded. Sister has her opinion and it won't change based on our comments.

Sister has commented that DL has nothing but burgers and fries, so in our trips we have taken pictures of us eating a variety of food.

No matter what sister's attitude is she's entitled to her own opinion. I'm not going to attempt to convert her, it would just lead to frustration.

They went to DL a few years ago, and DH had suggested we drive down to spend a couple days there at the same time. We didn't and we are very glad, because we love the magic of Disney and wouldn't want it ruined/tainted for us or our kids by someone else's negativity.

 

[Judy from Boise]

very smart, engaging someone who is anti-Disney reminds me of that "wrestling with pigs" saying......

 

[onelilspark]

I think most people in my life have just completely given up trying to "reform" me. I like going to Disney. End of story. It makes me happy, why wouldn't I spend my money on that? I used to hate the question "you're going to Disney again?" Until I started answering with all my plans laid out for that current trip. People stopped asking because they didn't want to hear all my plans

 

[californiamomof4grls]

My husband was going to surprise me and take me to DL of our 10 year anniversary. Needless to say it's not a surprise any more. BUT when he was talking to his mother about watching the kids for us she tried to talk him out of the trip there. She felt it was unromantic and that I (of all people) didn't like DL that much and that I wouldn't enjoy myself! That didn't last very long once I found out about the trip and she saw how thrilled I was. She was quiet!
Sadly I think some people are just to angry about life to allow the happiness that something so quaint as DL could bring to them.

 

[Judy from Boise]

we spent a lot of time at DL when we first got married.....

Our first trip to WDW was for our 5th anniversary, our most recent trips to WDW was for our 20th and 21st (APs of course )

It is such a fun and romantic place.

 

[Pigletlover]

Judy, where was that boat ride located? I read about a boat ride that used to be opposite the Matterhorn Bobsleds. Was that the one?

 

[Judy from Boise]

No, this is at the DLH , back when there used to be a marina.

 

[HollyEpcot]

Hmm... I think I've heard all of these at some point! Have also heard ant- Disney comments like:
"It is a cult"
"Disney destroys creativity/imaginations"

 

[Spacepest]

"You go waste your money on over-priced/sanitized Disney/Epcot, while I visit the REAL countries with my REAL passport"

I just LOL everytime I hear this type of comment. I've had to tell these people that I've gone to real countries too with my real passport, and most of these trips were always more expensive then Disney! And if they weren't, it was because the country was one where it wasn't safe to drink the water (among other things that we Americans take for granted)!