My daughter had a playdate with a girl in her class. Chloe (my DD) was talking about our last trip to DL and this child replied *where?*. I said, you know where Mickey and Minnie live. She had no clue what I was talking about. I don't know why but this blew my away. I guess growing up in So Cal I figured everyone knows about DL. Just had to share.

:eek:

Wow! How old was this kid? A few of the really young ones at my daycare don't know about Disneyland, but all of the older ones do.

We watched the Three Musketeers yesterday at the daycare and one of the little girls asked "what's that thing?" She was talking about Mickey. I think he's quite obviously a mouse.

She is 5, almost 6. I know that's young but to have never heard of Mickey Mouse- whoda thunk it?

Geez and I thought it was odd when I met DH's nephew who was 12 and had never been there! Some kids are so deprived!

Wow. Some of my earliest memories are of the Mickey Mouse rug in my room, my plate/cup/saucer set with a Mickey Mouse Club theme, and going to Disneyland. But, then again, I was named after a Mouseketeer, so my mom gave me a head start.

I can't imagine how much poorer my life would have been without it!

I guess growing up in So Cal I figured everyone knows about DL. Just had to share.That, and there are actually quite a few people who have no interest in Disneyland, don't care for Disney, and raise their children with other experiences. I know a few at work who have never been to the parks (and we're up in NorCal), and have told me flat out that they will purposefully avoid ever going to the park with their children. I don't think that makes them bad parents, mind you. Those I've talked to have moral issues with consumerism and "affluenza" and prefer not to raise their children to want to eat at McDonald's, play with Barbie dolls and visit Disneyland.

I'm one of those parents who doesn't show my child disney movies, but my childhood addiction to the park got the better of me, so we go. He learned of "Mickey Mouse" from the antenna ball on my car, Nemo from a CD I bought for my PC, Pooh bear from a stuffed animal, and Dumbo is the "Elephant Ride" to him. For now, I'm sure someday things will change, but we're in no rush.

I don't think that makes them bad parents.

I do. :~D

That is just plain blasphemy.

I get accused quite often of being a bad parent because I'm so DL obsessed. We go at least 4-5 times a year and we live in Vegas. I'm even taking my oldest out of school for one day (tomorrow yeah!!!!) for her birthday trip. Maybe I am a "bad mom." But I think this will be a special memory for her; going to DL alone with just her Mom.

I'm one of those parents who doesn't show my child disney movies, but my childhood addiction to the park got the better of me, so we go. He learned of "Mickey Mouse" from the antenna ball on my car, Nemo from a CD I bought for my PC, Pooh bear from a stuffed animal, and Dumbo is the "Elephant Ride" to him. For now, I'm sure someday things will change, but we're in no rush.


why is it that you don't let your child see disney movies? :confused:

I never said or implied that this child's parents were bad. I just found it very different, and there's nothing wrong with that, from my own experiences and those of my children.

I am proud to have my children grow up with Disney and the many other adventures that we have provided.

That, and there are actually quite a few people who have no interest in Disneyland, don't care for Disney, and raise their children with other experiences. I know a few at work who have never been to the parks (and we're up in NorCal), and have told me flat out that they will purposefully avoid ever going to the park with their children.



:crying: That is so sad. :(

I can't imagine.

wow

We go at least 4-5 times a year and we live in Vegas.Oh man, that is the life. But if I lived in Vegas I'd eat the buffets all the time... that would be too tempting!

I grew up in a Disneyland-crazy family but my mom was ambivalent about Disney movies. She didn't like the cruel streak.

As a mom myself now, I totally related to that when "Aladdin" first came out. My kids were little; Jafar's metamorphosis was horrid. But the movie that freaked them out the most was "Pocahontas". We have many friends who happen to be Indians; the girls were physically sickened (as in vomiting) by the thought that someone wanted to kill people just because they were Indians.

My husband is not Disneyland-crazy, most unfortunately. He would slightly prefer our girls grow up without it. A muggle.

Many of the Disney films (particularly the "classics") also don't exactly portray their female leads as strong women. Of course, that was culturally appropriate at the time, and more recent films have done much better on this score, but I know more than a few parents who don't want their little girls to spend their lives waiting around for a prince to show up and save them.

Add to that the fact that no one ever seems to have a mother in these films, and, well, one can understand, if not exactly agree with such parents.

I personally have always thought the motherlessness (great word) or fatherlessness (think 'Lion King') or heck even complete parentlessness ('Alladin') has always been to garner more sympathy for the lead.

Just my 2¢

sorry for the hijack

I totally see the parents' points about 'Affluenza' and kids just having too much, but I put Disneyland in a completely different category that I would never keep from my kids.

My Aunt and Uncle tried to keep Disney away from my nephew. When he visited our home at age 2 my sister and I showed him a Mickey doll, and told him this is Mickey Mouse. On their way home in the airport they saw a man wearing a Mickey shirt and my nephew started yelling "look Mama it's Mickey!".

I'm sure my Aunt and Uncle were thrilled :p

I just cant understand this? there is no way this could be explained to me that i would agree with not taking a kid to a disney park if they have the opportunity to.

Every parent has to make their own choices for THEIR children. Just like anything else, we all have differences of opinion on what is right or wrong for our kids.

Personally for me, I grew up Disney. We went to DL at least once a year and I watched all the movies. My DH, is complete opposite, he never had been to DL until we met, in 1997, not that he didn't want to go, but that he wasn't brought up that way.

I plan to raise my kids, in regards to DLR and Disney as a whole, the same way I was raised. That is my choice though and surely doesn't make it right or wrong, or for everyone.

I just cant understand this? there is no way this could be explained to me that i would agree with not taking a kid to a disney park if they have the opportunity to.

rentayenta lives in Utah which isn't close enough to just drop into DLR. People from that area need to travel quite a distance and definitely spend the night in a hotel. That requires a financial investment that not every family is in a position to make.

Meanwhile, my kids hate hotels and sleep horribly in them. I hate going on vacations to hotels with my 5-year-old.

I grew up within miles of Disneyland, so it was much easier for my parents to take me as a child. They took me once when I was 2 and I didn't return for years after that because it just wasn't in my father's temprament to deal with a young child at Disneyland. That doesn't make my dad a bad father, it just wasn't his deal.

What constitutes having the opportunity to go to Disneyland? Some families don't have the opportunities because they have situations that make them unable to get to Disneyland as often as others do: geographical distance, fiscal issues, tempraments and other other family priorities.

Perhaps, maybe, maybe, if a family was financially able to take other vacations that involved travel, hotels, etc, and did not take an opportunity to go to Disneyland I would think that's unfortunate, but I don't think I'd get indignant about it. You don't have to agree but it would be nice to respect other people's choices, DBF.

Adrienne

I agree Adrienne. We just happen to make DLR a priority even though we live in Utah. If I wasn't from So Cal and didn't grow up Disney then maybe it wouldn't be important to me.

The family in which I am referring to actually lived in So Cal for two years. The are military and have lived many different places.


I don't know their reason but if I knew them better, I'd be tempted to ask. I don't know if they are anti-Disney or what their reasons are. I know in the big scheme of things it's not a big deal. I just found it interesting, like People magazine interesting :)

I'm wondering if this family lets their children watch television at all. How would a child not notice the numerous ads for Disneyland shown (especially if you live in the SoCal area)??

Sheila

I'm wondering if this family lets their children watch television at all. How would a child not notice the numerous ads for Disneyland shown (especially if you live in the SoCal area)??

Sheila

Interesting thought. I don't know the years they lived in So Cal and maybe it was when said child was very young or before she was born.

My DD has plans for a playdate there next week. I have been to their house but didn't think to look for a tv. I'll report back with any info :D

I agree Adrienne. We just happen to make DLR a priority even though we live in Utah. If I wasn't from So Cal and didn't grow up Disney then maybe it wouldn't be important to me.

Oh, I totally appreciate this, rentayenta. I was trying to explain my perspective to DBF.

Adrienne