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View Full Version : War Front: Disneyland (a bit long)



wonderful
10-29-2001, 09:58 PM
"Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America... [Disneyland] will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world" Walt Disney

Holidays are coming and, true enough, places like Disneyland WILL be crowded... but what do you do? Do you "stay home" and wait till next year? Do you stay away from the malls, the parties, the bloody streets! C'mon! You wanna show the world what an "American" does... He/she grabs the kids and goes to Disneyland and celebrates the holidays with all of its traditional/religious/commercial(ie."American") charm and, I, for one, would rather spend my last minutes showing terrorists that they haven't scared me than spending the rest of my life proving the HAVE.
I've talked to so many people who tell me "aren't you scared to go to work?" and the answer is heck no! The scariest thing is thinking of everyone in the nation losing their jobs cause everyone's hiding away "till it all blows over."
Our "American" ideals... courage, strength, standing for what is right
Our "American" dreams... FREEDOM
Our "American" hard facts... there's no guarantee that ANYWHERE we go is "terrorist free"....
Disneyland MUST continue to be a source of joy, not fear, and it must continue to inspire all of us to hope in "better"...
Frankly, it nor any other business entity can do so without the cash of folks willing to follow the sound advice of their President and "live their lives"...
That's all... from someone who counts on your courage for his paycheck. Thanks.

Nigel2
10-29-2001, 10:30 PM
Good I was hoping I wouldn't have to put you in the rubber room with Mr.D:D I avoid disneyland arround christmas-new years not out of fear (mabey drunk drivers) but for crowds, you cant have much fun when you are shoulder to shoulder in the cold (well for me at least). Speaking of Drunk Drivers, was anyone else paranoid when you use to have to take the tram across the street to the parking lots?

Morrigoon
10-29-2001, 10:51 PM
I love going to the park on New Years... I just make no plans to go on any rides. I like the atmosphere, and the fact that nobody's drunk. Not sure if that'll be the case this year, and anyway it doesn't matter since I have to work that night til 1am (Oh no, I just realized... I'm going to hit MAJOR, HUMONGOUS, AWFUL, ROTTEN, STINKING, CRAWLING traffic on the way home (I have to cross the strip. Hopefully I'll be able to take the beltway instead and avoid strip traffic.)

...like you cared, right?

Vegas is a blast for New Years, but having spent it once inside a hotel and once out on the street, I can tell you you're best to get inside one of the major hotels around noon, before they stop letting non-hotel guests in, and staying there the whole night. If I wasn't working I'd probably buy a ticket to one of those $100 parties (Spent that much gambling the night away anyway, so at least I'd have a party to be at instead of sitting plunked in front of the one-armed bandits all night - still beats being in the street with the drunks tho)

But back to the actual topic: Yes, by all means let's do our patriotic duty and go to Disneyland! (We live in the greatest country in the world... some countries tell you it's your patriotic duty to be a suicide bomber, ours says it's to go to Disneyland!)

tabacco
10-29-2001, 11:22 PM
I went to Disneylanbd between Christmas and New Years once. ONCE.

Mr D
10-30-2001, 12:28 AM
I honestly hope that the terrorists are afraid to attack Disney and all the theme parks, with such strong vocal comments here they wouldn't stand a chance:D

Ralph Wiggum
10-30-2001, 12:57 AM
Originally posted by Mr D
I honestly hope that the terrorists are afraid to attack Disney and all the theme parks, with such strong vocal comments here they wouldn't stand a chance:D

That's the greatest thing I have heard in awhile. :)'s to you Mr. D

Mr D
10-30-2001, 01:01 AM
T/Y MR Ralph:)

innerSpaceman
10-30-2001, 07:08 AM
I truly hope that no one refrains from going to Disneyland out of fear. I know that travel is down around the world, but I still find it hard to believe that most Americans will cower away from malls or theme parks or airplanes, etc. It just does not seem in the American character to do so.

On the other hand, I am really starting to resent the implication, made by everyone from the government to Disney itself, that it's our patriotic duty to go out there and spend, go out there and fly, and go to DisneyWorld. It is NOT our patriotic duty to do these things or to spend money needlessly. I don't want anyone to lose their jobs, mind you, but I must come down on thinking it's a good thing for Americans to have a little wake up call from the totally false, debt-ridden economy they have created. With massive layoffs, recession looming, and most Americans deeply mired in credit card debt, I think it is irresponsible to tell people that they are obligated to spend their way out of these troubles, that they must put themselves more deeply in debt for the sake of the nation. Just because the excesses of consumer culture have artificially supported an economy of near-full employment in the past does not mean that it must always be that way. There must be a balance between people losing their jobs and people being permanently enslaved to credit cards they can never pay off in their lifetimes. There must also be a balance between going about our normal business and maybe not spending the family savings on a DisneyWorld or Disneyland vacation.

I encourage all locals to visit the park (although even that is a significant expense for a family), but if tourists want to forego their Disney vacation at this time, I will not call them cowards, I will not call them traitors. Perhaps they are just being practical, not scared, prudent not panicky.

hbquikcomjamesl
10-30-2001, 08:16 AM
Nor would I call people cowards for shifting their vacation plans from air travel to train travel (particularly if it's a relatively short trip where train travel makes more sense anyway). Just prudent, and willing to try something other than the corporate line of the airline industry (which they should have tried years ago).

We need Disneyland, and WDW, and vacations, more than ever at a time like this. It's not inconceivable that we may, at some point, have to make the sacrifices our parents and grandparents had to make during WWII, and forego such things for a while. But more to the point, we cannot go on grieving forever, and if we refuse to allow some approximation of normal life to continue, then the terrorists have won.

tabacco
10-30-2001, 08:57 AM
Originally posted by innerSpaceman
I truly hope that no one refrains from going to Disneyland out of fear.

Fear or being trapped in adventureland between 5 large sweaty people?

Uncle Dick
10-30-2001, 12:20 PM
Originally posted by Nigel2
I avoid disneyland arround christmas-new years not out of fear (mabey drunk drivers) but for crowds, you cant have much fun when you are shoulder to shoulder in the cold (well for me at least).

Hmmm... I loved New Year's Eve 2000. In fact, it is still my most favorite visit to Disneyland ever. Sure it's crowded, but as long as you use FastPass and visit less popular attractions you can still have a great time. I got a front row seat on the Rivers of America for the festivities, which were wonderful. After 1 am, the park empties and you essentially have the run of the place until 3. And there wasn't any traffic leaving.

So anyway, I guess the point is, everyone should go on New Year's Eve at least once, just to experience the fun for themselves.

mad4mky
10-30-2001, 12:26 PM
Originally posted by Uncle Dick


So anyway, I guess the point is, everyone should go on New Year's Eve at least once, just to experience the fun for themselves.

I agree.:D

MickeyD
10-30-2001, 01:15 PM
Originally posted by Uncle Dick

So anyway, I guess the point is, everyone should go on New Year's Eve at least once, just to experience the fun for themselves.

Yeah, some of my favorite New Year's Eves were spent at Disneyland.

coronamouseman
10-30-2001, 04:23 PM
I believe the bottom line in terms of entertainment these days is simply that one should do whatever one feels comfortable doing. If that means not flying somewhere on vacation then so be it - if it means not attending a sporting event or concert because one is uneasy with being in a large crowd then so be it.

Yes, Disneyland and to some extent the MK park in Florida are American icons but so are any large buildings including monuments, sports stadiums, airports and bridges.

So make those adjustments in your life that make sense to you and make your comfortable - I don't think there is anyone these days that would think any less of a person if they chose not to do something because of their own comfort level.

Just rejoice in the fact that you have a choice ......

And remember that having that choice is what makes the USA great.

wonderful
10-30-2001, 10:11 PM
Just in response to "spending" being our "patriotic duty"...
I agree that it is NOT and I agree that to use "patriotism" as a selling point is a bit in bad taste...
I just want everyone to know that I think that our patriotic duty is to be ourselves... be Americans... baseball watching, mall shopping, Disneyland going Americans. You don't have to spend money to be brave... but you do have to venture out the front door! For my part, I will be the American I always have been or I will be dead... but I will not be afraid. I am glad to see many of you agree with me. Here's to a happy holiday... in SPITE of those who would have it otherwise!
Long live Disneyland, the holidays, America and LIFE... lived without fear!

Brookelh
10-31-2001, 11:02 AM
As someone planning to visit DL with my family in less than 2 weeks, part of my rationale was that if things do get "worse", whatever that may mean, and travel gets harder, I would rather have spent time with my kids at DL than not.

baileykat
10-31-2001, 01:17 PM
A few days after the attack, I think like 2 or 3...my husband and I decided that NOW was the perfect time to plan a trip! DO YOU KNOW HOW CHEAP AIRFARE IS RIGHT NOW???...We love DL...and originally were going to see family in Palm Springs then come up for one day of DL for daughters bday...then we blew off the family...changed to 3 days at DL...YIPPEE!!!

I'm probably the only person in America that actually PLANNED a trip because of all this mess! Any other time, we would not be able to afford to fly out for the weekend....for $500 the WHOLE family of four are flying from Texas to LAX...not bad deal!!!!

I'm not afraid to get on a plane, go to a big sporting event, open my mail, go to Disneyland! If they are going to bomb me, attack me, infect me with disease, then come and get me! I'm not just going to hole up in my house and wait! I'm gonna live my life with out fear! Just like I did on Sept 10th, before this mess! I will never forget what happened...but I'm just ready to live life with as much normalcy as possible!
I'm sure that if something does happen to me...my family will remember the amazing trip we took to DL and all the great times we had together!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Venting is wonderful!!!!!!

Berry Princess
10-31-2001, 02:04 PM
I'm not afraid to get on a plane, go to a big sporting event, open my mail, go to Disneyland! If they are going to bomb me, attack me, infect me with disease, then come and get me! I'm not just going to hole up in my house and wait! I'm gonna live my life with out fear! Just like I did on Sept 10th, before this mess! I will never forget what happened...but I'm just ready to live life with as much normalcy as possible!

EXACTLY!! I know we have gone to Disneyland since then and will continue too. We are AP holders and we are not going to waste away in our homes. We go to the malls and do the things we always do. I just don't think my family should live in fear and be afraid to go somewhere or do something. I actually got into it with a friend of mine about this. It made me mad that she was using this whole thing as an excuse to not take her daughter trick-or-treating (she really is just lazy). I told her how can she be afraid to do that when she just went with me to Disneyland on Sat, the busiest day of the week for them, and they are a target. Plus she took the train each way to get here and home. She tried to say she wasn't afraid but don't tell me that you don't want to do something because of this stuff after you have gone to a place they could target. UGH!! I get tired of the people being afraid of every little thing. We can't live our lives like that. It isn't good for any of us to do. I am not someone that does air travel just cause I have never flown and never will. I don't like airplanes at all. But I will go to places I always do. And if you fly it is a good time to do it cause it is soooo cheap. I know we are finally able to afford to buy a house because of all this. I understand that people are afraid but they can't be that way forever. It is actually worse for them and their wellbeing to be that way then it is for them to go out of the house and do something.

JeffG
10-31-2001, 02:19 PM
That is a very good point that if you are willing to make travel plans now, there are some incredible bargains to be found. My sister lives in Florida and we have had some longstanding plans for her to travel out here to Los Angeles for a long weekend in early December. We took care of her airline reservations this week and were able to get round-trip, direct flights from Orlando to LAX for $185. I don't ever recall seeing the rates that low.

-Jeff