Walt Disney World: It's Not Just for Kids » rant

And Disney Store continues to fail…

Hedy — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 22:12:39 +0000

I have discussed my issues with the Disney Store before here. However, given that DisneyStore.com seems to have gotten a clue, I was hopeful that the Disney Store outlet in Riverhead, NY would have something. Their outlet was a fail-one thing of t-shirts, one rack of pajama pants, and some discounted Pook-A-looz merchandise. Oh, and the pajama pants had a helpful sign letting me know they were $16.50, compare at $16.50.

Site of New World of Disney Store in NYC-April 2010 in Times Square. It's due to open in the fall, and there a MAC Cosemetics store next door!

Let me tell you, the cool new Imagination Park Disney Stores cannot come soon enough. I have been waiting with baited breath for the one in Times Square to open, and I hope it has more adult merchandise.

Apparently I don’t make Disney memories…

Hedy — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:53:30 +0000

At least according to the powers that be at Disney. Once again, a Disney press conference has sent me into rant mode. Today Disney unveiled their new “Memories in the Making” promotion campaign (the same one that Stitch Kingdom revealed months ago). This campaign will include “guest generated content.” Now, you all know how much I love sharing Disney stuff on social media sites, and I must admit I am a total sucker for sappy Disney World ads. The idea of sharing stuff on park icons? For a company who was using their twitter account as an RSS reader a few months ago, it’s pretty cool.

BUT, I’m somewhere between bummed and angry that their “Let the Memories Begin” promotion is completely centered around families. So does my trip in December not count because I’m going solo? If my brother and DSIL go as a couple, do they not make memories? What about Disneymooners? What about solo folks? I simply do not get why Disney hasn’t figured out that non-”family”/adult Disney Parks fans exist, and welcome them. I was happy to see the dancing couple in their opening video, though.

I am excited for the 3-D Star Tours, though.

What did you think of today’s announcement? Let me know in a comment, on Twitter, or on my new facebook page. If you like what you’re reading, feel free to subscribe in a reader or by e-mail.

Are some WDW rides just for kids?

Hedy — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 11:23:28 +0000

Jen has brought this point up before, but I figured I’d explore it in more depth. You all know I’m unapologetic about adults meeting the characters, but what about “kiddie” rides?

The gold standard of these rides, even among all these rides in Fantasyland, is Dumbo. For some reason, Dumbo has a reputation for being a line that moves very slowly-the Unofficial Guide (Ding!) has a touring plan they labeled the “Dumbo or Die” touring plan for a reason. Dumbo is slow loading, and popular. It’s also so classic that there’s a “must do” sensation-people who are dying to ride on Dumbo usually aren’t placated by the nearby Magic Carpets of Aladdin, nor by the TriceraTop Spin at Animal Kingdom. To be perfectly honest, I had to Google to find out the name of the latter attraction. Dumbo appears to be in a lot of Disney promotional material, both official and unofficial (who remembers Kimmy Gibbler and her sneakers on Dumbo from the Disney World episode of Full House*). So, should children have a special ability to ride Dumbo, or other “kiddie” rides like Winnie the Pooh, or Buzz Lightyear?

I don’t think so. As with my thoughts on characters, I believe that any paying guest (or guest under the age when they need to pay admission) should be able to ride any ride they choose to ride. As Dumbo is among the rides open during Magic Kingdom’s Extra Magic Hour (EMH), I think it would be nice if anyone who wanted to ride Dumbo, regardless of age tried to get there early, but not necessary.
While Universal Orlando is not Disney World, they do have an interesting policy regarding their Pteranodon Flyers attraction at Islands of Adventure. Only children between the heights of 36″ to 56″ may ride this ride. Adults may only ride when accompanied by a child of that height. While this limitation addresses the fact that this ride is a slow-loading ride, it does not address the fact that unaccompanied adults might be interested in riding the ride. (In my opinion, the irony of this policy is that it’s mainly themed around a movie franchise that people who are taller than 56″ remember. I find it further ironic that this policy exists given that Jurassic Park is rated PG-13). Because I enjoy being contrary, I probably wouldn’t care about this ride, save for the fact that I can’t ride it.

How about you? What are your thoughts?

*I was all excited when my nephews got into Full House a couple of years ago. They adored the Disney World episode, but the blank look I got when I asked if they got why Steve was Aladdin reminded me that I am old. LOL

Hip hip hurray! This post is in the Disney Blog Carnival 2: The Sequel!

I Went to the Disney Store…

Hedy — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:32:50 +0000

I stopped by the Disney Store today to pick up the winner’s gift card. I stopped by to poke around. Now, my local Disney Store closed, then reopened a couple years ago. Anyway, is there a greater adult Disney fan Disney fail than the Disney Store? I hope things change as Disney takes them back, but seriously? There was one table of adult t-shirts, a tiny display of water bottles and an eensy-weensy amount of Alice in Wonderland ephemera. Very disappointing. I did poke around the “basket stuffer” bin, where I picked up a Pooh antenna topper. The other antenna topper in there was the derby from the villian in Meet the Robinsons (Come to think of it, maybe at present the Disney Store is just an epic fail, period).

However, I did end up getting some great Disney Easter re-usable bags. I hope that as Disney takes over the Disney stores once again, they keep in mind that their adult fans have wallets.

Mickey Moms’ Club…

Hedy — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:56:56 +0000

Courtesy of shopping blog.com

I’m a member. Actually, allow me to rephrase that-I’m a member of the Mickey Moms’ Club. The reason I’m a member is because I applied to be on the Walt Disney World Moms Panel last year. In my Moms Panel application, I sung the praises of what a PANK could do for the Moms’ panel. However, I was not accepted, and am now on the Mickey Moms’ Panel.

Anyway, point of that was that I open my e-mail today, and have an advertisement for a What Will You Celebrate?” In–Home Celebration.” Being lured in by the all-important phrase “special gift”=AKA free Disney stuff, I read further. Surprise, surprise. It has items for adults and children. Of course.

Do I blame Disney for this? Of course not,Disney is a company, and they’re marketing to a key audience-families. However, let’s stop and think for a moment-know who is an awesome PANK? Minnie Mouse. So I think Disney should start looking to us PANKS as a force to bring them money, with or without kids.

Remember my contest for a $25 Disney Gift Card runs until 3/19 at 7pm EDT

Mickey Balloon image courtesy of shoppingblog.com

Characters

Hedy — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:20:45 +0000

For some weird reason, I feel like this is the definitive Adults at WDW topic. Now, there are a million different viewpoints on this topic, from mine to a child’s; from my dear/Disney sister-in-law, to the then 11 year old Sharpay, who would shield her face every time she saw a character. So I am going to stage a bit of a role-play between myself, and the family which was in front of me at Pixie Hollow in October of 2009.

Hedy has gotten to Pixie Hollow at five minutes after opening time, having secured an early morning ADR purely so that she may be on time to this momentous occasion of meeting Tinkerbell. She sees a 60 Minute wait sign, but has been prepared for this for months. As such, she people-watches, and sends out a handful of Tweets.

The line is possibly the slowest Hedy has seen in her WDW career, and Hedy has been here on December 26 in a vyear before Fastpasses. She smiles to herself upon seeing two college-aged girls ahead of her. With hipster hair, facial piercings, and tattoos, they don’t look like something out of the promotional DVD. However, they are chattering away about how the cut class to come to see Tinkerbell for one girl’s birthday. Aww.

Hedy hears the parents behind her muttering. Their two princesses look about five and seven, and are waiting very patiently, giggling and chattering to each other. “Look at all these adults!” One parent says. “It’s disgraceful. What are they doing here? There have got to be ten adults here! They were at the meet and greets last night too! It’s ridiculous! Why won’t they just let the kids go in?”

Well, here’s why! I love the characters too! And since Disney World is for everybody I can meet characters. If I wanted to justify it, I could play the “I paid more to get in this park that your kid did” game, but I won’t as I am an adult. I love character meals, meet and greets, and I am a total autograph addict (and have been since 1993, thank you very much). And I love that Walt Disney World lets me do that.

Do you have any thoughts or experiences on being an adult at Walt Disney World around the characters?

No related posts.

Kids and Princesses, or Why this Blog exists

Hedy — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:58:39 +0000

I was eagerly following the D23 event on Twitter last night. Lou Mongello (Mongello everyone!) tweeted that the re-theming of Fantasyland will include a feature which will include “Kids may spend up to 10 minutes with each of the princesses.” I believe this was a quote directly from the person who was giving the presentation. My first question, of course, was “What about adults?”

Maybe it’s just me, but I think I may be as excited, if not more, for the re-theming of Fantasyland as many young children. After all, kids don’t remember having to go a half-hour away to see the Little Mermaid when it came out in 1989, as our local theaters weren’t showing it (thanks Mom!). Kids don’t remember entering a party store in 1992 and being thrilled that they did just get in Belle party supplies. Upon hearing about Fantasyland’s re-theming, few kids probably muttered “OMG! Eating at the Beast’s Castle? I’d pay 4 Table Service credits for that!”

The stupidest part about this statement, to me, is that this statement was at a D23 event. In other words, this event was directed at adult Disney fans who have ponied up the money to join D23.

I’d like to close with a saying by Walt himself “You’re dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway.”

What are your thoughts on this statement?

About This Blog

About This Blog

Hedy — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:40:12 +0000

To all that come to this happy place, welcome!

There are oodles of Disney fan sites out there. Why am I littering cyberspace with another blog? It is my personal opinion that while there is a plethora of Disney World information out there, sites which directly address adult travelers to Walt Disney World are expressly are scarce. I love Disney World. And one of my best trips was, in fact, the trip I took with my precious nephews in 2008.

That said, there’s a joy to being an adult traveler in Walt Disney World that I think a lot of people miss out on. Sure, people love Vegas’ open container laws and wandering The Strip with a beer in hand, but how many people know of the delight of wandering Epcot with a Grand Marnier slush while passing through the beauty of World Showcase. And don’t get me started on the plethora of eating opportunities! In short, the goal of this blog is to both educate and celebrate the fact that Walt Disney World is not just for kids!

Also, I think that adults who don’t have children (or, at times, even don’t have young children) are an invisible market. Case in point-the Disney Mom’s panel and the Disney Social Media Moms event. I have nothing against Mom bloggers or the Mom’s panel, but PANKS, DINKS and the link seem to be not a priority for the Disney Parks, at least on paper.