The last time we went was at the start of Gulf War I - we watched the bombing if Baghdad in the evening. Epcot was definitely the best part. I’m a sucker for world pavilions from excessive attendance at the NY Worlds Fair when I was 13. At that time it beat the crap out of Disneyland.
Hmm. Maybe we felt each other up on 20,000 Leagues. It would explain why there was an underwater portion of the ride.
As the years go by, I’m more interested in (and impressed with) the amount of thought and effort that went into its design, and goes daily into running the place.
Len
I was wondering when you would show up!
Now if we could just get Steven Birnbaum to lurk here. 
I voted for “US: It’s totally magical and beautiful and I can’t wait to go back.”
My wife had to twist my arm for years to get me to go to Walt Disney World (WDW). I used to live in Orlando back in the early '90s, and took my sisters to “the parks” once when they visited. After that, I always figured, “Been there, done that.” Oh, and “…everything’s fake, anyway.”
But when my wife finally insisted that we take our 10-year old son back in 2007 (even threatening to go without me), I agreed and planned the trip. I picked up a copy of the excellent Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World (authored by the SDMB’s len from two posts back, if you weren’t aware of this) before we went, and planned the heck out of the trip. It was the best vacation we’ve ever had. There was something completely different about seeing Disney through my son’s eyes. I also found that it was a completely different experience staying in a Disney resort, as opposed to commuting in the way I had on my previous visit with my sisters. Staying in a Disney resort is a much more immersive experience. In a way, it’s like being on a cruise, in which you can just forget about the outside world completely for a few days.
Anyway, on our 2007 visit, we so much did not want to leave that we extended a day, even though we had to switch resorts. Before we left, I vowed that we’d be back. We went back exactly two years later (this past August), and had an equally great trip.
Now we have another trip planned less than six months later. (We had been talking about a cruise someday, and the Disney Cruise Line’s “Kids Sail Free” promotion was the trigger for us. And of course, if we’re going to be there anyway, we may as well stay at WDW for a few days…on both ends of the cruise).
So all in all…I really love WDW, and so does my family. My wife laughs at the memory of having to twist my arm to go that first time.
I went when I was nine years old in the late 1980s. I loved it to pieces. (There was no poll option for this, excactly.)
At EuroDisney (Paris) they have a really awesome 20,000 Leagues attraction. (Jules Vern being French I’m sure it won’t leave) They have a great walk in replica of the ship. You sort of just explore the place but it is beautiful.
Some friends of mine went to Disneyland and the wife’s favorite thing was The Swiss Family Robinson Tree house, She had read the book many times as a kid and she knew every item in every room was just so authentic, it really blew her mind.
She is the only person I know who thinks The Swiss Family Robinson Tree House is the coolest thing at Disneyland.
Loved it as a kid, hated it as an adult should be one of the choices. It would probably be the winner too.
We took our twins a few years ago when they were 8. Perfect age…Not too old to give Mickey a big hug, old enough to enjoy the scariest rides and too old for the It’s a Small World ride! And because they are the same age, they had the same age-related experience and there is no need to go back! We stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and used the shuttle buses to get around which was great. Nothing like giraffes and yaks passing by your window every morning!
I didn’t feel manipulated necessarily. I resented having to book in advance for dinner every night…no scope for spontaneity or eating when we were actually hungry. As for the gift shops at the end of each ride, it seems logically entrepreneurial to me and we’ve learned to say no to our kids so it was no big deal.
The best part is we were there on New Year’s Eve and the fireworks were brilliant.
Tower of Terror was pretty cool too.
My husband and I went to Disneyworld for our honeymoon (my first time ever on a plane or going to Florida.) It was my honeymoon, so it’s hard to imagine being upset about anything that week, but I genuinely liked it.
We went only to Epcot Center, which I thought was unique and definitely kitschy. For those who haven’t been, the park is basically set up so that you can visit different representations of countries throughout the world. Lots of props and stereotyping, but I enjoyed the fantasy of it all. My favorite was on the ‘‘Mexico’’ ride, a slow boat through a tunnel educating everyone on Mexican culture. It jumped immediately from the indigenous civilizations of Mexico’s glorious past to the bustling modern day. Ooops, someone left out the genocide!
My favorite part were the shops, lots of unique and interesting things to buy. We ended up buying some really special pieces as gifts for those who had given us their time and resources during the wedding planning/execution. To the people who hosted our reception, we brought a giant jade turtle from ‘‘China’’ which they still display prominently in their living room.
Completely commercialized, but kind of naively idealistic in a way. There are no international conflicts in Epcot Center, just lots of stores and people dressed in costume. It was just one of those things you can’t take too seriously. I would go again.
I hate to admit it, but I’m totally a sucker for the whole Disney thing. Went to Disneyland a few times as a kid and loved it but I think I actually enjoy the experience more as an adult. I’ve been to Disneyworld twice, both times were great, but we really found our experience enhanced by staying in a Disney property the second time. When you spend all of your time on Disney property, the fantasy bubble never bursts. The first time we went we stayed at a hotel outside the gates and it was a bit of a let down to leave the magic behind every night.
It is a bit kitschy and quirky but that’s part of the magic too. It’s still fun to believe in the fantasy world.
Posting this from Old Key West.
Someone on one of these threads trashed Space Mountain a bit–it just got refurbished, and I was able to ride in its soft open phase yesterday (it’s still officially listed as closed). The queue area is much, much better now–all of the really dated sci-fi stuff looks more in line with modern sci-fi imagry. There were a bunch of wide video screens that all displayed nothing but “Training Complete” messages, I assume those will probably have some video sequence at launch.
As for the “how they do it” bit, I also took the Keys to the Kingdom tour, which is 5 hours going through, behind, and underneath the Magic Kingdom–a lot of amazing information on how the place runs, how they keep the themeing, etc.
That *would *be much more impressive.
Not to mention spooooooooooky.
Is he dead or something?
Steve died a few years ago. I don’t know whether the current book is the result of a single author or a team with an editor. I’ll have to pick up the 2010 edition.
We spent a week at Disneyworld a couple of years ago and we had a great time. But I don’t feel the need to go back anytime soon. I voted* It’s tacky and kitschy, but that’s the beauty of it.*
I love Disneyworld! I want to go back on another adults only trip there.
I’ve been there 3x with kiddies and 2x adults only.
I put on the stupid hat and get into the fantasy. Love it!
Somewhere between “tacky” and “magical.”
It is my favorite place in the world. I travel around the US and overseas often, and I’ve had great trips in Europe, Japan, the US, etc. Yet, for vacation I choose Disney World. Its safety and predictability are part of what makes it such a magical place. One can be completely relaxed there.
As a seasoned WDWer I’d offer some caveats though. You really have to research and plan. A person who just shows up with no clue may get to see four or five attractions on a peak day, while even the most basic planner will ride sixteen. The clueless will be stuck eating overpriced corny-dogs on a cement bench, while the planner will have a relaxing meal in a one-of-a-kind restaurant. I’m not kidding. Typically when people tell me they had a bad time at WDW, and go into details, I can immediately see why they were disappointed. It only takes a couple of hours of research to make a huge difference in the quality of your experience. By the time you go few times you’ll have memorized the best itineraries and all the pro tips so you won’t have to plan so much. Though trends do change as our most recent trip proved.*
The other suggestion I’d have is to go all in. If you are going please stay at a WDW resort, use the WDW transport system, eat at WDW restaurants. It is an immersive experience, and honestly WDW does an incredibly efficient job at running things. If you stay offsite, and drive in every day, and eat in Orlando, you might as well be going to six flags. I’m not entirely convinced it would save you any money anyway, unless you are really frugal. The value resorts run at $79 a night, and staying at a WDW property gives you all sorts of perks that save you a few bucks here and there anyway.
I feel strongly about those two suggestions. So strongly in fact that if you don’t follow them I’d suggest you just do something else for vacation.
Also try and go long enough to do all the parks. There are five: Magic Kingdom, Epcot-Future World, Epcot-World Showcase, Disney Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Doing just Magic Kingdom is okay, but all the others (besides Future World imho) are great.
*Used to be at DHS early-birders would rush the Tower of Terror/Rock n’ Roller Coaster section. Now they are all going for Toy Story Mania, and I don’t blame them. It is the best amusement park ride I’ve ever experienced, with the best waiting queue.