Thanks for the report.... I got the impression that you
did enjoy the experience but, as you stated, you didn't allow sentimentality about the Disney branding to colour your perceptions that the agenda is basically one of creating profit from visitors.
I have been a member of this and other boards for several years, and have visited WDW 7 times in 6 years. I feel that, whilst Epcot is my second home, I'm not over-enamoured of the smchamltzy sentimentality that is poured all over the more character-based parks, particularly MK. However, you pays yer money and takes yer chances, and I think that overall WDW is excellent value.
I similarly expect that to be my view of DLRP... I am
not going to compare it to WDW (it
doesn't compare, as there's no Epcot, no Boardwalk, no Jellyrolls or Celebration
), I'm going to have a family holiday with two stroppy and cynical teenagers in a place where (due to familiarity with theme parks and Disney branding in Florida) there should be something for everyone, including Paris for DW and myself, as we love citybreaks, and, at 5/6 days, it will be short enough to survive should we get any issues with the brats - sorry, darling children!
It will be a lot cheaper than Florida, and (and it's just personal to us, you may feel very different about your own brood) I'm pretty sure our days of 2 week breaks with the kids are over now.
So it should tick plenty of our boxes - and as we all love
some elements of theme park life, we should have a generally positive experience - hey, we go to Blackpool every summer for a boards meet, and we survive that with a smile!
In conclusion, it isn't heresy to admit that you don't sell into the Disney thing completely, it just proves that everyone's different. And, don't forget, a balanced view is essential on boards like this... there
must be first time visitors who, having read repeated threads about the emotive elements of Disney,
do get totally convinced that they are going to some sort of 1950s themepark heaven, where every minute will be filled with apple-pie smiles and hugs! Well, after standing in line for an hour with whingey toddlers who "haven't seen Goofy/Pluto/Minnie yet", during 100 degree July heat, they may start to feel a bit let down!
Oh, and I'll be doing a trippie BTW!
Mike