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Doug
08-13-2006, 11:47 AM
How would the experience be different?

potzbie
08-13-2006, 11:53 AM
Probably:

1. all queues will be shorter.

2. less candy will be sold.

3. fewer light sabers and squirt guns and pirates pistols will be sold.

4. there will be a drop off in kids menu items being sold.

Since 2/3 of the human beings inside DL at any given time are minors, then there would likely be 2/3 less people in general on the grounds.

nvmom
08-13-2006, 11:55 AM
Sad. I can't imagine DLR without children? The looks of amazement and pure magic in their eyes....

Now, having said that... my dh & I are trying for an adults only trip for his 35th bday this winter. There is a lot of fun & wonder in DLR for adults too... but I wouldn't ever want it to be without children.

nvmom

I Heart Disneyland!
08-13-2006, 11:59 AM
It would be SO sad not to have them there! That is part of the fun of DL to me, seeing their sweet faces! (Mine are grown, so, I love seeing little ones at the park.)

infinite
08-13-2006, 12:02 PM
Probably:
3. fewer light sabers and squirt guns and pirates pistols will be sold.



Do you really think so? I mean REALLY?

Those are just soooo much fun.

Ha ha ha ha

Doug
08-13-2006, 12:54 PM
Well, I agree that the crowd levels would be far less (and oh how I wish that where so!), to me, a non-parent, the occasional little face lit with magic is rare, I hear cries, screaming, and general negative behavior much more often (not to mention the adults ;)!) ... and yes, just because kids are not there, does not mean that adults would not buy toys, and you would still see Adults with that look of "magic" on their face... I remember the 1st time my current DLR buddy and I went together, I took lots of pictures that day, and EVERY picture this friend of mine was in, the grin was ear to ear :>!

Leslie21
08-13-2006, 12:55 PM
Do you really think so? I mean REALLY?

Those are just soooo much fun.

Ha ha ha ha

:fez: :D

geoffa
08-13-2006, 01:37 PM
Dare I say it; NO STROLLERS!

doombuggy driver
08-13-2006, 01:45 PM
Well, I agree that the crowd levels would be far less (and oh how I wish that where so!), to me, a non-parent, the occasional little face lit with magic is rare, I hear cries, screaming, and general negative behavior much more often (not to mention the adults ;)!) ... and yes, just because kids are not there, does not mean that adults would not buy toys, and you would still see Adults with that look of "magic" on their face... I remember the 1st time my current DLR buddy and I went together, I took lots of pictures that day, and EVERY picture this friend of mine was in, the grin was ear to ear :>!
You live in a sad, sad world! Children are amazing at Disneyland!!!! My DD (who is 5) never cries, whines or screams while we are at DLR. She loves riding all of the rides and has a great time our entire trip. In fact she behaves better at DLR than anywhere else! If you cannot see the magis that children bring to DLR then maybe you should continue to be a non parent!

Walt never intended DLR to be a child free place! The reason Walt created DLR is because he enjoyed watching his children play in the park and wanted to make a place for their imaginations to play and grow.

This is a depressing forum topic. :crying:

TP2000
08-13-2006, 01:54 PM
Since 2/3 of the human beings inside DL at any given time are minors, then there would likely be 2/3 less people in general on the grounds.

I think you've got that figure wrong. I would estimate that only about 20% to 25% of the people inside Disneyland at any one time are under 18.

Take a look at any crowd shot provided by Darkbeer's weekly photo updates, you will see primarily adults and few children. Even when the typical All-American family takes the kiddies to Disneyland, the adults outnumber the kids two to one usually. (Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa = two kiddies)

Try finding any picture on the web that shows more children than adults at Disneyland. Again, Darkbeer is the best at these random walkway shots of Disneyland and DCA that show the average crowd demographic. Here's a link to one of his recent pics of the morning line for Pirates of the Caribbean, a kid favorite, and adults outnumber children at least 4 to 1 in that queue. The people walking in the surrounding area are even more adult-skewed, and equal about a 5 to 1 adult to child ratio. http://darkbeer.smugmug.com/gallery/1761613/2/87358818

backsthepack
08-13-2006, 01:59 PM
It would be a Disneyland that I wouldn't want to see or be a part of. The magic of it would be gone for me without the excited little ones there.

barely
08-13-2006, 02:25 PM
Horrors! :eek: I couldn't even imagine it! Disneyland would not be Disneyland without the children!:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

jcruise86
08-13-2006, 03:08 PM
EPCOT.


(Just kidding.)

Rockchalker
08-13-2006, 03:54 PM
How would the experience be different?

My DH and I have been going to DL or WDW at least once a year since we met in 1996. We have always had the greatest time with just the "two of us" with our favorites having to be the Farewell to the Electric Parade in '96 and the Millenium '99 (and 2000). We really splurged on those trips and have so many incredible memories.

However, our DD getting off the Monrail last February when she was 3 and jumping up and down screaming "We're at Disneyland!! We're at Disneyland!!!" OR when she celebrated her 2nd birthday at Disneyland and was so excited to see Mickey that the people behind us asked how much Disney was paying us to have her act that way.... Pretty much sums it up!

We are going to WDW in February 2007 with our DD and soon to be here DS. We took DD there when she was 18 months old and it was some of her first memories. I know this because when we walked into the Fantasyland at DL 6 months later the first thing she said was Dumbo. And Dumbo was being a wall being refurbished:crying: .)

People tease us that there are other places we should go. But that excitement she displays (and hopefully her brother will feel) is what makes us happy to keep going back. And, of course, we have fun too! :fez:

Opus1guy
08-13-2006, 04:34 PM
Grad Nites. ;)

I've been to a couple of Private Party nights and Private Press Events at Disneyland where there were no children. It was as much fun as with children. Might even have been a bit better. I don't know.

adriennek
08-13-2006, 04:57 PM
Well, I agree that the crowd levels would be far less (and oh how I wish that where so!), to me, a non-parent, the occasional little face lit with magic is rare, I hear cries, screaming, and general negative behavior much more often (not to mention the adults ;)!)

So what's the purpose of your question?

Seriously?

It seems to me that as a non-parent, you find children un-necessary? Are you suggesting that Disneyland would be more enjoyable for you if you didn't have to see the faces of sad children? Do you think that this is a legitimate business option for Disney? Or is it one of those fantasies that life would be so much better if you didn't have to be exposed to all those sad little faces?

It really doesn't matter to me if other people bring their children or not. And it doesn't matter to me what other people think about my children being there or if they think my children are "happy" or displaying "general negative behavior."

My family has a good time when we go to Disneyland together. I suspect there are plenty of families having a good time when you're there, too. Sure there may be times of the day that my children are less chipper than others. I'll let you in on a secret: Adults do that, too. :eek: But I suspect that you're just remembering more of the sad little faces that haunt your memories. Sometimes negative reinforcement is more powerful than positive.

Adrienne

potzbie
08-13-2006, 05:01 PM
How would the experience be different?

Imagine "early entry."

Now imagine REAL EARLY entry. -- Entry before the "early entry" people arrive.

And all rides and attractions are open!
:)
Aaahhh!
:)
Asparagus/Bacon skewers and Dole Whips and churros and popcorn -- without waiting in line!
:)
Spash Moutain and Space Mountain -- without the queue!
:)
Matterhorn Bobsleds, both sides of the entrance (Fantasyland and Tomorrowland), with no one ahead of you!
:)
Pirates of the Caribbean, with no queue and empty boat. And there is no boat in front of you and no boat following you.
:)
Blue Bayou restaurant will take you right now, without a reservation!
:)
****
... What???
Is that the alarm clock?
I gotta go to work?
****

rentayenta
08-13-2006, 05:13 PM
Hmmm. Disneyland without kids.

I have been to Disneyland without my kids and overall it was fun but something was missing and that something was them. I would prefer not to go without them again. They make the trip magical for me. Their little faces do light up when they see Mickey wave at them in the parade. Even my oldest who is 9 gets so into it. When Belle told her this past July that they were so much alike she was in heaven.

Walt created DL for both adults and kids and without children the magic would be missing.

I began going as child. Making those same wonderful memories with my children is priceless. If I hadn't gone so often as a child I am not sure that I would bust arse like I do to ensure they go 2x a year from Utah.

hbquikcomjamesl
08-13-2006, 05:39 PM
The reason Walt created DLR is because he enjoyed watching his children play in the park and wanted to make a place for their imaginations to play and grow.Actually, he created DL (no bloody R, no bloody P, just DL!) because while watching his children ride a merry-go-round as he sat on a bench, eating peanuts, he decided that there should be an amusement enterprise built where parents and children could have fun TOGETHER, i.e., as equal participants, not as two daughters on the merry-go-round, and daddy as a passive spectator.

As to "Grad Nite," I would consider the about-to-graduate and just-graduated high school students to still be children themselves, and so Grad Nite is an occasion where ALL the guests, with the exception of a chaperone or two per busload, are children.

As to the normal percetage, I would say that for every family of 4 bringing along the grandparents (Post #10, from "TP2000"), there's probably a family with more than two kids, or a family bringing along neighbor kids, or one parent (either a single parent, or with the spouse working or going to a ballgame, or otherwise elsewhere) or babysitting grandparent (happened to me many times at Knotts, when I was growing up and Knotts was cheap) bringing the kids.

I've been to late-night passholder events where there were practically no children present. And when I was unemployed, and (because my pass, an annual birthday present from my parents for my entire adult life so far, made DL cheaper than even a 3rd-run movie house) frequently spent weekday evenings in DL on "school nights", I was there even in normal operating hours with few children present.

It's different. Not inherently better. Not inherently worse. Just different. There are tradeoffs.

I Heart Disneyland!
08-13-2006, 05:49 PM
Hmmm. Disneyland without kids.


I began going as child. Making those same wonderful memories with my children is priceless. If I hadn't gone so often as a child I am not sure that I would bust arse like I do to ensure they go 2x a year from Utah.

I could not agree more! And, now that my children are grown and out on their own....it was the best DL trip EVER when my grown daughter went with us to the park last October. To be there again, with her, even though she's now 24, was the greatest DL trip we've had since our kids grew up and we've been going alone. Every corner of DL holds dear memories to me, of my days there with my kids. A funny memory, or story to recall.

I too began going to DL as a child, in the 60's, and it would never be the same being there with no kids.

tod
08-13-2006, 08:13 PM
The reason Walt created DLR is because he enjoyed watching his children play in the park and wanted to make a place for their imaginations to play and grow.

Uh, no. :rolleyes:

James elucidated the girls-go-on-the-merry-go-round-while-daddy-watches story so familiar to most of us from repeated viewings, so it needn't be repeated here.

Suffice it to say Disneyland was built for entire families to enjoy together.

--t

SeansMom
08-13-2006, 08:23 PM
Grad Nites. ;)

I've been to a couple of Private Party nights and Private Press Events at Disneyland where there were no children. It was as much fun as with children. Might even have been a bit better. I don't know.

As much as I love kids, and my kids in particular, if you can get me into one of those Private Party nights I think it would be a hoot to be at DL without the kiddies and the strollers ;) .

jazzysmom
08-13-2006, 08:25 PM
My DH and I went to DL for our Honeymoon and first 5 anninversaries after that alone. It was an absolute BLAST! I never noticed other peoples kids, they certianly didn't bother me! Then we had our first DD and took her right before she turned 2. How incredible it was to see DL through her eyes. She has been countless times now, and so has our younger DD. We have had some crying/crankiness, but overall, a fine time is had by all.

Last year for our anniversary, we were finally able to go again by ourselves. It was incredible. We hadn't been on rides together in about 7 years, and it was carefree without the stroller and all the other gear the chicklets require.

I greatly prefer to be there as a family, but an alone trip thrown in once in a while is such a blast too.

In general though, "What would DL be like without children there?" it simply wouldn't be Disneyland. No where could be the happiest place on earth without a childs laughter present. Nothing is more pure.

10-97
08-13-2006, 08:41 PM
Actually, he created DL (no bloody R, no bloody P, just DL!) because while watching his children ride a merry-go-round as he sat on a bench, eating peanuts, he decided that there should be an amusement enterprise built where parents and children could have fun TOGETHER, i.e., as equal participants, not as two daughters on the merry-go-round, and daddy as a passive spectator.

Exactly. Walt intended DL to be a place where parents and their children could have fun together. And I think he did a good job. When we're at DL, I have fun, I enjoy watching my kids have fun, and I even enjoy watching other families having fun, even though they are complete strangers.

I can't imagine DL without kids, and I can't imagine leaving mine at home when my wife and I go. If someday I'm a grandfather, I hope our whole family goes to DL together.

I Heart Disneyland!
08-13-2006, 09:08 PM
Dare I say it; NO STROLLERS!

For shame Geoff! haha! ;) ;)