I have a new theory in my head, and I can’t stop thinking about it. People who don’t like, or even outright hate, the Disney Parks may have something in common: they went once as a child, and they were with someone who didn’t like the Disney Parks either.
Now, I realize that sounds incredibly obvious on the surface. But the more I think about it, the more I wonder if there is something deeper happening here. And honestly, I think this is something worth sharing with the husband, wife, grandparent or other family member who is coming along on your Disney trip and has already announced that they “don’t like Disney.”
Because the Disney Parks are a shared experience.
Even if you’re visiting by yourself, you’re still surrounded by thousands of other people who are experiencing the same things you are. But for most families, that shared experience is even more important. You’re deciding together what attractions to ride, where to eat, when to take a break, whether to park hop and what you want to do next. Everyone’s mood becomes part of the vacation.
Imagine you’re at the beach with your family. It’s a beautiful sunny day. The water is warm, the cooler is full of cold drinks and good snacks, the kids are having fun and everyone should be having a great time, but Mom or Dad spends the entire day complaining.
“Those people set up their towels too close to us.”
“Ugh, the sand is getting everywhere because you guys keep stepping over the blankets.”
“The water is gross. Look at all that seaweed.”
Suddenly, the beach isn’t really the problem. The problem is that someone is determined to find everything wrong with the experience. And eventually, that attitude spreads.
Now put that same person in the middle of a Disney vacation. It’s the person wearing a shirt that says “The Most Expensive Day Ever.” It’s the person complaining about the heat before you’ve even made it down Main Street. It’s the person looking at crowds instead of the fireworks, complaining about the prices, and pointing out every little inconvenience.
Of course, some of those complaints can be legitimate. Disney World can be hot. It can be crowded. It can be expensive. Not every attraction is worth the wait. But if someone goes into the day actively looking for the things they don’t like, they’re going to find them.
And here’s where I think this becomes particularly important for families. Kids are incredibly impressionable. If they hear Mom, Dad or Grandma repeatedly talking about how miserable Disney is, how expensive everything is and how they can’t wait to leave, eventually that becomes part of their experience too.
The kid who might have been completely fascinated by the castle starts hearing that it’s crowded. The kid who was excited about riding an attraction starts hearing that the wait is too long. The kid who is eating a Mickey-shaped snack starts hearing about how much it cost.
That’s why I think the attitude you bring into a Disney vacation matters so much. I’m not saying you have to love Disney. I’m not even saying you have to pretend you’re having fun when you’re not. But if you’re the person who doesn’t particularly care about Disney and you’re going on a family trip, maybe the best thing you can do is understand that this isn’t just your vacation. You’re part of everyone else’s vacation too. And maybe, just maybe, the child who grows up thinking Disney is the greatest place on Earth isn’t necessarily the child who had the most perfect Disney vacation. Maybe they’re the child whose family let them believe it was.
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