The Vacation Kingdom of the World: Quiet, Please! by Tom Richards
In a modern world of noise and over-stimulation, Tom Richards offers some suggestions for a return to a gentler, calmer Walt Disney World.
Read it here!
The Vacation Kingdom of the World: Quiet, Please! by Tom Richards
In a modern world of noise and over-stimulation, Tom Richards offers some suggestions for a return to a gentler, calmer Walt Disney World.
Read it here!
Brilliant essay, Tom, and I couldn't agree more. It's funny I realized most of the "events" you mentioned I avoid like the plague and exactly for the reasons you listed. I used to enjoy most of the live entertainment at the Disney Parks; now I usually head in the opposite direction as quickly as possible. I thought it was just because I was getting older....for the reasons you so eloquently stated it's far from just that...
John
Great article; I couldn't agree more. Especially the "On with the show" section of the article.
One of the things I loved most about Disneyland Paris was how many experiences were nice, genteel, "day in the park" moments. It actually made for a pleasant outing. One of the things I'm most concerned about with Disneyland USA is how they keep taking those things OUT of an already crowded park, like with the Court of Angels. We need those quiet places to sit down and just take a second to exhale.
Wow, that was a pretty "Get off my lawn" type of article. If you want some quiet time, head back to your room. Most (all?) resorts have something actually called a "quiet pool" so you can avoid the cacaphony by the feature pool. There are still plenty of areas in all theme parks to get some quiet time. The Rose Garden in Magic Kingdom, along with Tommorowland Terrace most of the time. Several walkways with benches in Epcot. The boring "why don't they do something more with this area" New York street backlot at Hollywood Studios.
As you said Disney is a place for everyone, and like it or not, many "utes" of today are growing up with constant distractions around them and would feel out of their element without it.
Hmmm, and here I thought you were going to talk about the intrusion of the cell phone/smart phone world after reading your statement:
"Sadly, this notion seems threatened in a technology-driven society that has reached its "long tenacious fingers" into nearly every aspect of our daily lives."
I find the intrusion of the technology of today more annoying than Disney putting on a show.
"Although we think it's DOPEY that Pluto has been downgraded to a dwarf planet, which has made some people GRUMPY and others just SLEEPY, we are not BASHFUL in saying we would be HAPPY if Disney's Pluto would join us as an 8th dwarf. We think this is just what the DOC ordered and is nothing to SNEEZE at."
The EXACT same phrase was going through my mind as I read this. This article seems like it was written by the older lady in my church who sits in the back with her hands over her ears and complains about the volume, even though everyone else wants to turn it up.
Yes, I get that it's nice to have some quiet time. I like to find a quiet place myself - it's called Hawaii. I don't go to WDW to find peace and quiet; I go to to WDW to "go" and go fast and loud.
Now, I'm with you as far as all the activity around the pool area. I don't really mind it so much as I don't get it. It's a pool...with a slide. Why do kids need something extra to do? But that's where we part ways.
I love all the shows that are around the MK and DHS. Even the "Joy" show at Epcot with gospel singing is great, IMO. The Move It! Shake It! has been a great source of video footage of my kids as they get out and really shake it. And because it's offered several times a day, we're sure to catch one of them instead of stopping what we're doing to go catch the mini-paraade.
And did I read correctly? You don't like the Castle Projection show? Well, I figured there was one person out there. And wouldn't you know it, he has his own blog/story board. That must be the most amazing thing. The first time I saw it, which was a few weeks after it began, the crowd was stunned. It was amazing. And the talking isn't really talking other that Walt - it's singing, and it's good stuff.
I guess I just see WDW and DL as places where it's ok to be loud, right kids!!
Working for Disney. No, no. Working (in a Modesto office) for (the money to take a trip to) Disney (World/Land)
WDW Trips: June 2002, Feb 2004, Dec 2006, Dec 2008, Jan 2010, Feb 2011, Dec 2012
Disneyland Trips: Feb 2006, Nov 2013, Nov 2014, Feb, March, June 2015 (x2), Nov 2015
the sooner the " move it shake it " parade leaves the BETTER !!!! example cindys castle @ xmas waiting to light up & that stupid parade goes by shattering the mood .
First of all, Tom, it was a great pleasure to read your words. Proper sentence and paragraph construction just don't seem to be all that important these days. Nice to read words that were well thought out. And I was with you right up to the Celebrate part. I really love this show, but a huge part of that is that I've spent a good part of my adult life as a projection engineer, and I so appreciate the work that has gone into this show.
If I could include one thing on your list of intrusive sounds, it would be the silly safety messages that are permeating more and more Disney attractions. The top of that list would be Spaceship Earth's stupid "your vehicle is rotating for its return back to Earth". Completely unnecessary, and just a horrible interruption to the flow of the show.
The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
- James Taylor
I don't agree with this article. It is strange to see that people will spend thousands for a top Disney attraction and want to see less of it. Disney is putting on show for you. That's their job. To think you want quiet time, the vacation becomes something else.
Quiet time is needed if you had over simulation, but this can be accomplished in a different vacation like a trip to a beach or a National Park. A theme park vacation isn't the place for a peaceful calming vacation.
So what's the point of complaining about a Disney vacation? You could have written a counterpoint in the same article on the quiet places in the resorts. They aren't that hard to find, but you didn't do that because you would rather be right than wrong.That would be Animal Kingdom and Epcot. These places were left off your complaint list.there ought to be a wide range of experiences
Add me to the disagreeing with your basic premise... Disney hasn't changed it's basic idea- it's the happiest place on earth. It's full of bright colors and music- always has been. You can't expect to go to Disney World and not encounter these things.
Now there are quiet areas in all of the parks (some more than others) and I'll be the first to admit that it can be overstimulating. That's when I go sit down for a while on Tom Sawyer's island or in the rose garden, find a quiet bench around the world showcase, or just leave the park. I have no problem sitting down somewhere and listening to my own music on my Iphone or read a book on my kindle for Iphone app... sometimes we all need to escape the chaos. But to expect Disney to tone it down isn't their issue- it's yours. It's your responsibility to find the peace and quiet you need, not Disney's to provide it.
It's amazing how many extroverts here seem to think that the world should cater to them, and if you can't keep up then you're not allowed to have nice things. Instead of thinking that "go back to your hotel room" is a suitable response, why not consider that a Disney park should have attractions operating at different activity levels?
Well said, Cory!
John
Hello Tom,
Love the article. I am a bit late in responding here but I totally agree with you. WDW has become so much of an over-the-top sensory overload (all of the time, at times) that it can be offensive to those of us that like a vacation that is relaxing and enjoyable which I have had at WDW; but not recently. I thought it was just me. Many things have become offensive and disrespectful which is becoming more and more common in our society.
It appears to be the people want to make their 'big trip to WDW' the most that it can be and 'to bad for the others because we are getting our money's worth'. JMO.
We now travel at off-season times even with the kids; we have seen some awful things during the busy season which is very unsettling and which Disney does not really watch or care about. We do the best we can at reading the situation.
Clab
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