Since Disneyland opened in 1955, the Disney Parks have been recognized as the premier theme park experience around the world. Not only are they the most visited theme parks, but also the most beloved. Well, beloved by most who visit, but not all guests feel the magic after their vacation is over. In fact, some guests despise the Disney Parks. As a lifelong enthusiast of the Disney Parks and former cast member I was curious what the criticizers had to say about the Disney Parks. Looking through the negative reviews online, I learned there are certain categories of people who don’t like the Disney Parks, so here is how I broke it down:
The Nostalgic Disney Fan
This person claims that they used to love Disney, but that the parks have changed. They state that the changes that have been made since they were a kid have negatively impacted their vacations. They constantly compare what the parks are now to what they used to be. Any time the parks are crowded this person has to make it very clear to everyone around them that “back in my day the parks were never this crowded!” This person is often just disappointed in Disney more than anything else because at one point in their life they really did feel the magic of the Disney Parks. This guest just wishes they could go back to the good-ole-days.
The “It’s Not Meant For Adults” Person
He or she laments that they don’t understand the wow factor at the Disney Parks. As an adult he or she feels the park wasn’t meant for them to enjoy. They feel like it was a park purely for young children, and that while it makes sense for young families, they feel out of place. This person is totally confused as to why full grown adults love the Disney Parks so much. As they see it, there is nothing for adults to do at the Disney Parks. This person has no understanding that you are allowed to act like a kid for the day. They don’t understand that no one will judge them for wanting to take a picture with Mickey Mouse or ride “it’s a small world”.
The “It’s Never Good Enough” Mom
This woman complains that her daughter’s vacation was filled with disappointment and tears. This mom thinks that her special little snowflake should be treated like the only princess in the entire park, and that cast members should be paying special attention to only them. This mom usually complains that the Disney Princesses were rude for not spending more than 5 minutes at a meet-and-greet. This mother thought that every minute of her Disney vacation was going to be exactly like the Disney commercial she saw on television. Her expectations were far too high, and so she just feels let down the entire vacation.
The “Universal Is Better” Person
This is the person that no matter how much fun they have in Disneyland or Walt Disney World, they always compare it to what they think is better about Universal. For example, this person thinks the team members are much friendlier and better organized than the Disney cast members. Even when they should be enjoying something at Disney they are constantly pointing out what Disney could do better because they don’t want to say anything good about the Disney Parks.
The Penny Pincher
The Disney Parks are expensive, and this guests cannot handle that fact for their entire vacation. They simply cannot get over the fact that a quick service meal costs as much as a table service meal outside of Disney Property. Throughout the entire day they constantly are trying to see if they are having enough fun to justify the cost of a park ticket. By constantly worrying about having fun, they don’t allow themselves to actually do it. They view wait times in dollar signs, and won’t allow themselves to wait in a longer line even if it is for an attraction they really wanted to ride. Walking through a Disney souvenir shop with this person is agonizing as they are constantly blown away by the prices. Ear Hats costing $15 or more make their head spin.
The Neat Freak
Walt Disney wanted there to never be a trash can more than 30 steps (some say 27) away from any guests at all times. He found that any more steps than that guests would just throw their trash on the ground. Apparently even with that rule, the Disney Parks are still too dirty for some guests. The neat freak guest thinks every little piece of garbage that missed the trash can suddenly makes Disney Parks the equivalent of the local carnival. This guest is simply looking to be grossed out. The Disney Parks see millions of people a year, and for some reasons they thought every inch of the park was going to be perfectly pristine all year round. Oh, and don’t let this person into a Disney bathroom because then they are right when they complain about how dirty they are.
Photos: All Non-DIS Photos Are Labeled For Reuse
