More Questions about Childfreers

[Hippychickali]

My DBF and I are planning to go to Disney together and we don't have any children. Would we look odd going on rides like Dumbo, Cinderella's Golden Carrousel, the Barnstormer at Goofy's Wiseacre Farm and the Magic Carpets of Aladdin?

Also, do any childfreers bring autograph books and use them with the characters?

Ali

 

[eeyore74]

You will not look odd and yes, I have seen adults with the autograph books. I love the Magic Carpets. The camels spit on you.

Just go and have fun. Don't worry about looking odd or out of place. If there is something "kiddy" you want to do, do it.

 

[alliecats]

You will not look odd. Or anyway, if you do, my DH and I and dozens of other people off this thread will be right there with you. Giving everybody plenty to stare at!

 

[alliecats]

uh, OT but I just noticed that was three posts in a row from DIS-ers named Allie (one spelling or another). Is that a new record?

 

[emmagata]

childfreers?

What an odd term. I've heard of childless but not that.

Anyway, knock yourself out and have a great time. Who cares what people think about what rides you go on. You'll never see those people ever again.

 

[floridagirrl2]

DH and I go on the kiddie rides together--nobody cares, but you may get a few smiles acknowledging your supreme right to remain a child forever. You'll have a blast!

 

[Lil Lil]

I enjoy taking pictures with the characters and riding some of the rides. This is one of the advantages not having kids! You still get to be a kid at heart!

 

[Fire14]

I did an autograph book and rode Carpets, never made it to Dumbo but I'd be right there riding with you.

 

[KarenNY]

I love Goofy's Barnstormer.

 

[DennisP]

At WDW, everyone is a child. Don't worry about what other people think. Let the child in you emerge and have a great time!!!!

 

[taswira]

Originally posted by emmagata
childfreers? What an odd term. I've heard of childless but not that.

"Childless" means "without children" but MAY give the impression that the "childless" may be unhappy about that, that they wanted children and could not have them or that they are despondent since their children are grown and on their own.

"Childfree," on the other hand, is the CELEBRATION of being childless. One can be joyfully childfree because they CHOSE not to have children of their own (This is NOT to say they don't LIKE children), or because their children have moved on and they are now free of the <I>responsibility</I> of parenting children (although still being parents).

So while "childless" may be something sad, "childfree" is something WONDERFUL!

I am childfree by choice, and yes I DO get character autographs and pictures. I even have an autograph book for my <I>Pal Mickey</I>, who managed to garner 29 different character signatures in his book on a <I>packed</I> day at MK.

 

[WDWguru]

Thanks for posting the definition... I didn't want to have to do it again... lol! For what it's worth, most childfree folks do not consider those with grown kids to be childfree. They may be free of raising small children, but it's not really the same.

For those who have missed it or are just interested, there's a lengthy thread here where many of us have "checked in" here. There's some interesting discussion toward the start about the definition of the terms and such.

 

[taswira]

Yeah. I only consider adults with grown kids to be "childfree" IF those "kids" are very much adult (not 20-something) and have moved far away with families of their own.

Adults with grown kids who move out but live in the same state and call and visit regularly are not "childfree" IMHO, because they are still "parenting" on a regular basis. But thanks for the clarification of your definition.

 

[donac]

My husband and I went with our two sons this past AUg. They are 18 and 13 so we left them to go off on their own and to meet at a certain time. My husband and I loved it. We went on Dumbo, both during the day and at night. We also did the Indie Speedway, something we have not done in ages. It was fun just doing kid things with my husband of 25 years.

Dona

 

[JenniBarra]

Originally posted by taswira
Yeah. I only consider adults with grown kids to be "childfree" IF those "kids" are very much adult (not 20-something) and have moved far away with families of their own.

As the author of that thread that keeps going and going <g>, yes, I would like second what WDWguru has said in that "childfree" is a term that was birthed (pun intended!) by the childless by choice movement. (If you use "childfree" as a key word on a search engine, you will quickly see what we mean.) I tend to use the term "empty nesters" when describing a parent whose children are grown.

Anyhow, back to the original questions, Hippychick, ride whatever you want to ride. It's just as much your vacation as anyone else's and Walt Disney designed his first park to be just as much for the "big kids" as the little ones.

 

[tinkerbell81284]

I ride what I want to when I want to! It's so fun not having to worry if someone's gotten lost or hasn't caught up yet. Noone fighting over which ride we want to go on! Pure JOY!
This past year I started collecting the pins, getting pictures with the characters and getting their autographs! It's so fun acting like my kindergarten students every now and then! Then when I get home I get to do a scrapbook!

Tinkerbell81284

 

[WDWLVR]

For many years I would look at envy on the little kids riding Dumba and felt I was too old to go on it. That changed a number of years ago at Disneyland during an early entry - there was no line at all. DH knew I wanted to ride so we did and I loved it! We still ride from time to time - again usually at a less busy time - don't like waiting in long lines with lots of little ones.

The Pooh ride is one of my absolute favorites and I'll wait in just about any line for that.

Life is to short not to enjoy it! Go for it!

 

[DaveH]

We are empty nesters. We ride all the rides and do autographs. I have also done it solo. I try not to laugh at folks who see a 40 something male by himself getting pics taken and getting autographs from the caracters. We also enjoy seeing the little ones having fun too. I took my DW on Dumbo for her first time on our first trip to WDW together. She had been there a couple of times before but had not doneit even with her kids. It was great!!! It was like we were little ones. Just rlax and have a great time.

 

[kirstyfly]

My husband and I went last year to WDW for our first time along with some friends of ours who are living and working in the sates who have been there before.

No one looks odd at disney adults can be children and no one cares. I even got my husband to ride the merry go round on the horses ( i think you guys call them carasouel).

I rode dumbo by myself while hubby and friends were riding splash mountain for the 100th time. I rode it at night and it was magical soaring above the castle by myself, I had children on the ride sure but it felt great to experience it by myself.

My husband jokes to friends that I was the biggest kid lining up to meet mickey, donald etc.. but hey it's not every day you meet them is it and no i wasn't the only adult lining up.

 

[mtheiss]

DW and I make a point of getting pictures with every possible character. We are not autograph people, but not because we find it to "kidlike". At Disney, everyone can get in touch with their inner child (though mine is not that far in to get to). As for the rides, the fun of the Magic Kingdom is that you have a wide variety of rides and that the rides all relate to stories and themes (so much better than plain rides at amusment parks.)