Conscious Choice: A Simple Assessment of the Disney Experience

October 1999

A Simple Assessment of the Disney Experience

by Dina Robbins April

When I think back on my childhood, one of the most precious memories was my visit to Disney World. I was thirteen, it was summertime, and I was at sleep-away camp in Ocala, Florida. We were just an hour from Orlando and the highlight of the summer was a trip to the Magic Kingdom. This was not any ordinary trip. You see, once our camp bus arrived on Disney grounds, we were let loose in the park unchaperoned for twelve whole hours. Oh what an adventure it was!

From the trip on the monorail, to our first glimpse of Cinderella’s Castle, to rationing the coveted "E" ticket for the most popular rides, our freedom and fantasy-fulfillment were unsurpassed. Part of the charm of Disney World, back then, was its simplicity. One parking lot, one park, and just a few hotels. With an entire day on our hands, we could explore every nook and cranny of every "land." We could browse through all of the stores and we could even repeat our favorite rides. Bleary-eyed, we watched the electric light parade with exhausted awe, then headed back to the bus hoping no one was missing.

Fast forward twenty-five years. The remote tree-lined street that once led to the Magic Kingdom is now a multi-lane highway with signs indicating attractions in every direction. Hotels are lined up one after the other à la the Las Vegas strip. A fleet of buses moves in synchrony from one park to the next. Disney World is now something of a Disney Universe.

The one park, one day system may still work in theory, but you’d need a week to get to all the sites. From the Magic Kingdom, to Epcot, to MGM, to Animal Kingdom, to Blizzard Beach, and much more, the magic is multiplied so many times that, frankly, the sparkle quickly fades. With hundreds of restaurants, countless rides and attractions, and multiple evening extravaganzas, the Walt Disney experience has become nothing short of overwhelming. And gone are the days when leisurely exploration was possible; now the pace is fast, even frenetic, as visitors try to take it all in and get their money’s worth. These days, a family of four spends $3,000 to go to Disney World.

The result? Disappointing. I can safely say that even though my kids had a fun time, their memories have none of the wonder and sparkle that mine did from childhood. And, to dilute the experience even further, every souvenir they saw at Disney World is also available at our local mall.

What ever happened to the idea that less is more? We over-schedule our kids, keep the TV or computer on all day, and take ourselves on vacations that leave us needing a vacation. We seem to have lost our ability to slow down and experience the moment. And, instead of staying true to its magic, Disney chooses to take advantage of our lack of self-limitation and offer us a visit to their world that leaves our head spinning.

Oddly enough, when I think back on my children’s short lives, I see that the moments most imbedded in their memories are the simpler ones: family hikes, camping in the backyard with their aunt and uncle, driving around town looking at holiday lights, and the occasional treat at the local Ben and Jerry’s. Adventures and magical moments don’t have to be elaborate and glamorous and fast-paced to be meaningful. My kids know this — and so do our European counterparts.

Some years ago, when the magic of my childhood visit to Disney World still persisted, I wholeheartedly invested in some shares of Euro Disney stock. I thought everyone across the Atlantic would be grateful to experience American entertainment in their own backyard. Was I ever wrong. How could I have thought that lands of afternoon naps, leisurely meals, and multiple weeks of yearly vacation would be interested in the garish, commercialized, extravaganza that Disney has become?

My $2,000 investment has dwindled to a worth of $125. I toyed with selling the shares for a tax loss, but then I decided the stock held a more symbolic purpose. Now, when my quarterly statement arrives, it reminds me that the magic and peace that we all long for in this life are to be found in the simpler moments.

I understand that Euro Disney is growing in popularity — though some say Europeans simply enjoy laughing at the kitsch. Now, despite my stock holdings, I find myself hoping our European counterparts can remain immune to the fast-paced distractions we gobble down. We Americans must challenge ourselves constantly to slow down and experience the blessings we already have, the joys we take for granted as mundane.

Dina Robbins April is a freelance writer and stay-at-home mom living in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.

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