So, I think I've been "Disney Shamed"...

[DrunkJam]

I found it really hard to tell people this week that I am going on holiday to WDW without my children. I really thought I was OK with it....

 

[Evangelina]

Almost no one asks me where I'm going on my vacation anymore! If someone does ask, when I tell them we're going to WDW they roll their eyes and nod their head as if saying, "I should have known better than to ask that question." I have relatives who sometimes try to argue that we should go somewhere else on our vacation, but I just let it go. I'm so used to it by now.

 

[lobolabo]

I don't get the comments, but because of the whole "shaming" thing, I always feel so much more awkward because I'm a lone adult dude at a Disney movie. I'm always worried (not really) they're going to report me after the theater says "And if you see any suspicious characters"....

My husband and I are usually the only kid-free adults at Disney movies. We've learned to roll with it.

 

[CanucksRock]

My friend and I are totally going to be the retirees hanging out at Disney This past year anytime someone asks where I’m going on vacation, the answer has been Disneyworld It’s been a great stress reliever. Going on my third trip since July in a week, with one more trip booked in April. The trip in a week is the only one that will include a kid - my 6 yr old niece. She gets to hang out with her parents, grandparents, great aunt and myself. Other trips have been with a very good friend that shares the love of Disney and decided to get an AP when I did (for what was originally going to be two trips, but once you have that AP, you must add more trips!)

 

[Haz23]

Reading this thread has made me feel so much better!

DBF and I have been to WDW twice; the first vacation we ever took together five years ago, then we went again last year and got engaged. I was so worried about booking a third trip for our honeymoon next year purely for the comments, but have since realised it's our favourite place in the world and no one should care where we choose to go.

Like lots of you have said, those who have never been or who went when they were younger but don't remember much will never really 'get it'. A lot of people I speak to at work or in social situations think its just characters and rides, but I see their faces change to actually looking interested when I tell them about Food & Wine, resort hopping, Trader Sam's, Pandora etc.

Life's too short, book that Disney trip!

 

[kylenne]

If it helps anyone else, my therapist is very encouraging about my Disney fixation and in our last session reminded me that I'm a grown adult who takes care of my responsibilities and my family does not get one iota of a say so in how I choose to spend my disposable income. Going to WDW makes me happy and no one should be allowed to steal that joy, even if they don't understand it.

There you go. Seal of approval from a professional!

 

[Summer2018]

If it helps anyone else, my therapist is very encouraging about my Disney fixation and in our last session reminded me that I'm a grown adult who takes care of my responsibilities and my family does not get one iota of a say so in how I choose to spend my disposable income. Going to WDW makes me happy and no one should be allowed to steal that joy, even if they don't understand it.

There you go. Seal of approval from a professional!

I'm going to remember this.

 

[MS Sweety]

Yes, it's been since 2008 since I've been and I'm dying to go. I've tried to get my grandson (16) to go that has never been and he just thinks it's for little kids and won't go. So, I'm taking my husband that is okay with it but he's such a drag! I tried to get my girlfriend and she's like Oh, I took my kids when they were little but I'd rather go to the beach and laughed at me. I had to explain that there's so much there for adults too! I was considering going by myself but I really want someone to share it with. Oh well, I'll have fun regardless of the hubby.

 

[Unvoiced_Apollo]

Yes, it's been since 2008 since I've been and I'm dying to go. I've tried to get my grandson (16) to go that has never been and he just thinks it's for little kids and won't go. So, I'm taking my husband that is okay with it but he's such a drag! I tried to get my girlfriend and she's like Oh, I took my kids when they were little but I'd rather go to the beach and laughed at me. I had to explain that there's so much there for adults too! I was considering going by myself but I really want someone to share it with. Oh well, I'll have fun regardless of the hubby.

What I would do is totally make sure to do a couple of things tailored to each person who refused.

Teen- Try for RotR Boarding Pass and/or spring for a Void VR experience.

Friend - Stop off at the beaches at Polynesian.

You only know your husband, but I'm sure you can come up with something to turn him around while down there

 

[Angienharry]

This fall will be my first trip without kids. DH and I are going during Food and Wine Festival and are super pumped. We have two sons who are grown now but when they were younger we went to Universal every year or two (big Harry Potter fans). Now with Disney owing Marvel we are feeling drawn toward Disney. It will be interesting to see if we start getting Disney shamed now that we don’t have kids in tow.

 

[DisLiss]

Except for the people right immediately around me, or people who are making themselves very noticeable, i don't even pay attention or notice who else is at a movie theater with me. (Unless it's empty or close to it, of course!)

I don't think of myself as an oblivious person---quite the opposite in that I make a purposeful effort not to bother other people as I go about my life--but when I read comments about being the only adults without kids in a theater I can't help feel like I might be more oblivious than I thought!

 

[lobolabo]

Except for the people right immediately around me, or people who are making themselves very noticeable, i don't even pay attention or notice who else is at a movie theater with me. (Unless it's empty or close to it, of course!)

I don't think of myself as an oblivious person---quite the opposite in that I make a purposeful effort not to bother other people as I go about my life--but when I read comments about being the only adults without kids in a theater I can't help feel like I might be more oblivious than I thought!

My husband and I notice because we go opening weekend when the theaters are packed. I also notice because I'm a people watcher. Then again, most movies we see in theaters are Disney movies so maybe it's something we've just picked up on over time.

 

[GPC0321]

I don't think I've been shamed, but I have a few friends who just don't "get it" and assume WDW is aimed at kids. Which...I guess it is, LOL, but it's so much more than those who've never been there realize.

At work (school...I teach), there is a group of my colleagues who love Disney. Granted, they take their children, but most of those children are either upperclassmen in high school or in college, and they still love to go. That's because they know how to "do Disney" right, and they understand all that's offered down there.

If it ever comes up with someone who doesn't understand, I just say, "Oh, I love it! No place like it on earth!" And then I usually toss out some stats like it being the size of San Francisco, having four huge separate theme parks, two huge water parks, about 30 sprawling resorts, and a whole shopping/dining/entertainment district of its own. That usually surprises them, as they think WDW is just Magic Kingdom, and the only thing to do there is meet Cinderella and Mickey and ride Dumbo and the Teacups.

 

[HCL]

I always have similar things. Even my now wife was like that when we started dating, but then I took her for our 1 year dating anniversary. It was my first solo trip, and the first one I planned alone which made if a little rocky, but even with the mistakes I made, she enjoyed it and changed her tune about DW now. She travels a lot on her own, for work and her hobby(AMUN), so shes fine with the fact that I only want to do DW for my vacations. I'll be thirty in 2022, and I just got a great new job where we can afford to go again, but we are holding off for my thirtieth birthday to make a production out of it. Shes been incredibly supportive of this plan, and has reminded me when I talk about something to add it to the trip plan. But I often run into the issue of "Disney-shaming" from co workers and people I know, I've just started wearing it as a badge of pride when they react like dorks. Yeah, I do love Disney world, maybe you should try it out and see. Some times I get the "I went as a kid and hated it" and I always tell them things change over time, and I remind people to not judge disney on their first trip. Its overwhelming and can be rough, but by the second or third trip, you'll get the groove of it.
I also get it when I saw I'm going, then they ask how many times I've been. I've only been 12 times in my life, which is not much compared to some of you guys on here, and they are taken aback that I've gone so many times. I'm like, if it was up to me, I'd have gone three times that many.

 

[kria525]

My roommate and I have only started doing Disney trips together the past 3 years, and whenever I mention to other people that I'm going on one, there is definitely an initial look of "Really? People do that?" before I mention all the amazing eating and drinking we partake in. I feel like non-Disney fans don't really know all the things that are available to us now as adults in WDW. Of course there's that Disney air/vibe we all get sucked into as well. I love my travels to different countries, but Disney in any form is like a comfort food vacation to me.