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Thursday, April 14, 2011

Disneyland Vacation

I just got back from a Disneyland vacation and I didn't take my kids.
Yes, some of you will think that is mean of me to go without them to a place that was made with children in mind.

But what I don't understand is parents who take their children to someplace like Disneyland for vacation and then yell at the poor little ones when they are tired, hungry and just want to sit down.  Or if they are scared to go on a ride, "Well you should just go sit in the hotel room alone while I go have fun if you can't handle it!"
Yes, I heard that phrase spoken (harshly, mind you) to small children on more than one occasion during my two days in Disneyland.

If you want rides your kids are afraid of, go without the kids. If you want a Disney vacation with the kids, go on the rides the kids like, take lots of breaks, get Fastpass tickets so your wait times are shorter and carry lots of snacks with you.

I saw so many crying children and I just thought it was mean of the parents to do that to them when they were supposed to be having fun.  The kids were totally worn out.  Some were upset that they were too short to go on a ride because their parents snuck them past the first measuring point and had waited in line for 40 minutes only to be told they had to leave.  Some were just purely hungry because it was past lunch and the parents wanted to get one more ride in before they ate.  

Some were just way too little to be in Disneyland in the first place.  I think the youngest one I asked about was 5 weeks old.  I can't even begin to tell you how many I saw who were so young they couldn't walk yet.

It made it hard for me to have a good time when I saw so many unhappy children.  They were supposed to be in "The happiest place on Earth" and they were definitely not happy.

And the parents weren't happy either.  They were also worn out.  They looked longingly at our drinks while we sat in the bar either in Downtown Disney or in California Adventure.  

So tell me.  What is the point of taking a child on a vacation with you where you both are going to become exhausted, upset, and eventually the child will cry and the parents will be exasperated and wish they were home?

I'm not saying you should never take a child to Disneyland.  But if you do, do it with the child's needs in mind.  

Until Next Time,

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