Over the years, Iâve sort of changed my mind on the whole adults-enjoying-theme-parks thing. I used to think it was weird that Ryan Gosling would take girlfriends on a Disneyland date, and I would roll my eyes a little at the stories of various celebrities getting sh-thoused at some Disneyland bar. But as Iâve gotten older, I can sort of understand the whimsy or joy an adult might find there, with or without children. Note: the photos in this post are from tennis player Guido Pellaâs Instagram – Pella is a (childfree) Argentinian player who loves all things Disney and all Disney theme parks. Half of his IG is made up of photos of him at Disney theme parks. He recently said that heâs probably been to Euro Disney 25 to 30 times. That relates to this story:
One parentâs vented frustration spurred a heated debate: Should guests without children be allowed into Disney World? It all started when a Twitter user shared a screengrab of an old Facebook post made by an upset mother lashing out at childless adults for visiting the Walt Disney World theme park.
âDW is a FAMILY amusement park!!â she wrote, later adding, âDW is for CHILDREN!!!! People without CHILDREN need to BANNED!!â In the angry rant, the mother claims adults who visit without children cause longer lines and make the experience more difficult for adults with children. The rant was the conclusion of her own experience with her 3-year-old son who allegedly acted out after she told him they couldnât wait in a long line for a pretzel.
But what fueled the debate, even more, was an argument in The New York Post op-ed that claimed to go to Disney theme parks without children was âweird.â
âMillennials are indeed in an unhealthy relationship with Disney, having granted control of so much of their leisure time and personality to a single, enormous corporate entity meant for children,â the op-ed written by Johnny Oleksinski read. âAnother oft ignored problem with letting a kids brand control your adult life is the stupidity and culture ignorance it leads to.â
The long lines are one of the big reasons why I wouldnât want to go to a Disney theme park as a childfree adult. I would feel the same way if I had kids, I think, because arenât those long lines even worse with kids? Of course, all of the screaming children are another big reason why I donât want to go back. But everybodyâs different and itâs insane to suggest that *only* parents and children can enjoy a theme park. I would guess that a very significant portion of day-pass sales and VIP-pass sales come from adults who just want to enjoy the theme park.
WALTâSđđ»WHOLEđđ»GOALđđ»WASđđ»TOđđ»MAKEđđ»THINGSđđ»THATđđ»EVERYONEđđ»COULDđđ»ENJOY.đđ»
maybe stop shaming people for enjoying a freaking theme park. pic.twitter.com/b9VP7MhaRY
— Katie is ready for BlimeyCon âš (@katiethehuman99) July 26, 2019
Photos courtesy of Guido Pellaâs Instagram.
Disney World was built for everyone to enjoy. If people don’t like it they can stay home. Then the lines WILL be shorter. End of.
For my friends 30th Bday, 6 of us went to Eurodisney, we had a fantastic time. Went on all the big roller coasters etc. And we had no kids with us. My money is as good as anyone’s so I won’t be punished for not having kids at the time.
Anybody who’s willing to pay those sky-high prices for the Disney experience should be allowed to. Not my cup of tea, leaves more room for me to go elsewhere.
Yep, Iâve been to Disney World many times, both when I was younger with my parents and then as an adult with my husband. Iâve also been to Disneyland a couple of times, once younger and once when I was an adult with my parents and adult sister before they moved out of CA. Honestly when/if we go with our kids one day, Epcot would be the last park we would visit because to me itâs adult centered and itâs a lot of fun tasting all the different foods and drinks. The last time we went we went with another couple and we all had a blast. Also, for people complaining about the lines, fast pass. Thatâs literally the only way we did the rides and we didnât ride any of the more kid centered rides like snow white or the teacups or Mr. Toad. We did space mountain, rock n roller coaster, but of course Haunted Mansion and Small World for a break from the heat and because they are classic.
I’m a high school teacher… Took my students to Eurodisney (1 week field-trip to Paris, last day was Eurodisney)… Both me and and the students LOVED IT!!.. It was awesome!!
+1
FFS is this the hill people want to die on??? This whole society caters to families and people with children so this argument is ridiculous. If I want to go to Disney I should be able to and not be shamed because I donât have kids. My aunt is almost 60
and she and her husband love Disney and got married there about 12 years ago. They donât have children and they gone there many times since. Iâm single and childfree. Itâs bad enough when I get that âwhatâs wrong with her?â Look when I tell people I donât have children. I live in a town that absolutely caters to families. If you want to get ridiculous how about a childfree grocery store where I donât have to deal with your kids running around the store, blocking aisles, and having a tantrum in the check out lane because you wonât buy them candy???
You should move to San Francisco! Itâs the oppositeâlowest percentage of children of any major city. I keep my kids on the DL at work. Society definitely doesnât cater to children here.
That saidâthere are playgrounds downtown where you supposedly have to be with a kid to be there.
IDK. I live child free in the Bay Area too, and while agree it’s not as family focused as other regions, I still get told at work that “so and so shouldn’t have to work after hours. She has a child.” (Don’t slam me. I have defended working parents many times here, but nevertheless there is a different expectation for non parents).
In what way does any western society cater to families and parents with children? THE US certainly not, what with no paid parental leave and expensive childcare and education. Not even Germany here, although it’s way better it’s still hard to find daycare and children are the No. one poverty risk.
As for Disneyland, of course everyone should be able to go there. I went to Eurodisney before I had kids and I sure had more fun that I have going to parks with them. People shouldn’t get drunk and behave like a-holes and tired toddlers should be taken home. It’s just common courtesy.
Exactly.
I read that lady’s post and it just sounds like she didn’t want put up with her toddler (and wanted to shame people) more than other people were ruining the kid’s experience.
Seriously though, I have no kids and probably won’t. I’ve never been to Disney-anything and I would like to go one day. As long as people are behaving like adults, they should be free to spend their hard earned money on whatever they please.
I have actually witnessed parents use their tantruming child to try and push to the front. I was in Kings Cross station waiting on a friend near the Harry Potter 9 3/4 entrance barrier and there was a long queue (which is usual) and one family was using their screaming toddler as an excuse to argue with others and staff as to why they should be at the front. There were refused and had to wait their turn, the irony was that the photo with the luggage cart was for them, not their toddler who by this time was asleep in a buggy.
Gross! What message are you teaching your kid that throwing temper tantrums should automatically move you to the front of the line? No wonder people struggle so hard with waiting patiently/entitlement. Le sigh.
@Digital Unicorn, I would imagine a child still in a buggy (unless there is some kind of disability) would have no interest in this, they’d be far too young.
Yeah, the kids don’t even have to be having a tantrum for this to work, according the two ladies who cut in line at my local pizza place, then gave me a shoulder shrug like ‘we shouldn’t have done it but we did and we know you noticed but we don’t care.’ I’ve since had a kid, and I’ve NEVER used her as an excuse to cut in line anywhere!
Desdemina, I truly agree. The only time I would request to cut in line is maybe if my child had to desperately go to the bathroom. Beyond that, un-unh. And as far as those moms, they are the same ones that will cut you off on the freeway without blinking. Or cut into your parent-teacher hour.
Or talk more than the students at a school function. Etc..etc..etc..
I don’t consider this type of mom a “queen bee”. Need a new moniker for this type of parent.
You’re right; Disney world, theme parks, whatever, it’s all for everyone. Each individual should be allowed to be at any public place as long as it’s not threatening in any way. Some childless person walking by and eating a Mickey fking shaped pretzel while a 3 year old cries first world tears does not constitute being banned. I doubt they had a shortage of those idiot pretzels. Her point was weird. I think she meant her kid cries when he saw this “slut” walking by and he was still in line with his nutty mom.
No matter how short her shorts were which, by the way, is not a great example of pro-female parenting for her kid, but, I’ll give her a minute to compose herself because I detect several serious no-joke issues happening with this lady….
1) She seems so stressed that only SHE is the one not making it the “happiest place on earth ” for her kid. She’s too caught up in lines, in things, in running after her kid which I get. Her attitude is the vibe that’s the problem. She reminds me of my mom, when she would take my sister and I places, but scream that we’d BETTER HAVE FUN or else lol.
2) I don’t think she hates people who don’t have kids; I think she resents taking care of hers. It’s overwhelmed her and she lost her shit. I suggest therapy and Chuck e cheese to start. This is coming from a mom with an autistic kid now 15 who knows all of the annoyances of public places and then some. Don’t blame others, don’t go the hate route. It ain’t fun if no one’s having it.
I promise, your 3 year old won’t remember that shitty shaped pretzel. But he will remember your reaction.
As an aside, I am a professional carnival/theme park expert.
This.
It is not my thing, but I have a lot of childfree friends who enjoy these kind of theme parks, and they go. I have never heard them complaining about the kids.
“The rant was the conclusion of her own experience with her 3-year-old son who allegedly acted out after she told him they couldnât wait in a long line for a pretzel.”
LMFAO because your kid NEEEEEEDS that pretzel so bad that you think you should ban childless adults from the park? This is is the kind of shit that makes everyone hate the mommy internet warrior brigade.
That three year old better get used to the idea of having to wait for things. It’s a good teachable moment that not everything can go your way all of the time. But let’s not pretend that line of people was caused solely by childless adults.
When I went to Disney… hands down the worst kind of park attendees were the parents who’d ram you with strollers all day. I also got to listen to a family from Quebec tear up an employee saying “oh well that’s not how it’d be done in Canada, this is insane” and just absolutely loudly berate the poor teen that was working for everyone around them to hear. I was probably about 17 at the time, and I was SO embarrassed that when I got to the window that the kid was working I apologized profusely and assure him that not everyone from Canada was a piece of garbage. A 17 year old shouldn’t need to apologize for the pathetic actions of some parent who felt entitled enough to rip up an incredibly kind teenager in front of their kids.
Why not just blame people for having too many kids as the reason for long lines? That lady is f*cking absurd.
And I mean, if she’s had an especially bad day and that meltdown tipped her past the breaking point, I get it. I get exhausted dealing with my 4 year old niece who I adore, and her 1 year old brother. And Disney is a lot. There’s just so much stimulation between the sights, sounds, and smells that it can be overwhelming. I don’t really blame the kid for having a tantrum, like I said, it’s a lot for a kid that age to take in. And I don’t blame her for being frustrated.
But I do blame her for taking it to social media and blaming/generalizing a whole group of people to be the problem when it’s clearly not their fault. It was trashy and entitled, and as a millennial I’m constantly surprised how quickly people call my generation out while partaking in the same behavior that they are condemning.
Erinn – Gen X is aged 40 – 54. Someone with a three year old is very likely a Millennial.
Newsflash: maybe the kid really wasn’t interested in being there. He might have been equally happy taking a stick and string and pretending to fish in a creek. Not everybody is made for Disney. I’ve seen more miserable kids in strollers out with parents who thought that was what the “should” be doing…..when your kid melts down, you’ve probably overstayed their tolerance time.
Exactly. Sheâs complaining about the âMillennialâsâ sense of entitlement (which 3 funny because that woman paid for her ticket just like she did) while displaying copious amounts of entitlement herself. I have a feeling her kid is an obnoxious brat if he is crying over a having to wait for a pretzel
I go to amusement parks to remind myself why I don’t have kids. Lol!
He’s 3. Three year olds have temper tantrums over everything. Plus, Disney World is freaking HOT! Any time of year, it’s hot! FLorida is hot. The theme park is a lot of asphalt. The rides produce a lot of heat. Heat makes kids tired and cranky.
Personally, I think it’s ridiculous to spend that much money (those tickets are EXPENSIVE) on a trip to a theme park the kid won’t even remember because he’s too young. Wait until he’s a little older and can actually enjoy it and remember it.
3 year olds are difficult. Taking them to any amusement park, with any moderate lines, is difficult. I mean what did she expect? Disney is just a series of lines in a cartoon world. If you go when the park opens its actually perfect timing. Most adults and large groups aren’t there yet and the lines are moderate.
Parents who believe the entire world exists to entertain, support, and provide conveniences to their child are selfish and immature. This mother needs to grow up because she is sending her kid all kinds of wrong messages.
Exactly. She could have used that as teaching tool to teach patience instead she simply reinforced his behavior.
Honestly, my feeling was more – *I* wouldn’t take my three year old to Disney world. Crowds like that are so overwhelming for young children. I’d wait until the kids were at least five or older before taking them. More emotional restraint and psychological control. Less id-driven impulsiveness. Better at listening. Those places can be hard on adults – imagine what it feels like a as a kid!
Same! Disney is for making memories and having an experience. It’s wasted on children who are so young they won’t remember going.
Kids under 3 are free at Disney world. We took our kids when our youngest was under three and I loved it. She may not remember it, but I do.
I’ll gladly give up my ability to go to amusement parks if we can agree to ban kids from breweries. Seriously. If I had a dime for every time I saw a kid in a place that’s really for adults, my childfree ass would be rich by now.
Oh, lort. Not to dox myself, but my ex worked in an industry that worked closely with breweries. The number of screaming babies at beer events was always staggering to me. Like, why would you even want to bring a baby to a pub in the first place, Karen?
Do you guys live in Colorado? Thatâs pretty much the norm here. At first it was a bit jarring but now I really donât care. Iâm at the age where maybe 50% of my friends are child free and the other half have toddlers. When we all get together itâs kind of absurd to expect them to get a sitter to grab a beer. That being said… child free adults should go wherever they want to as well.
@ elimaeby-My BF and I are beer fanatics and we love to check out new breweries. It drives me absolutely CRAZY when I’m in a brewery and there are toddlers running around playing and babies in cribs sitting on the floor. It’s hard enough to carry a f*cking flight of beers without spilling it but even harder when some kid is crawling on the floor right by my feet. And don’t even get me started on the screaming and crying.
Look, I don’t mind if people come in with their kids and grab a quick pint, buy some cans, and then leave–but that RARELY happens. Usually a group of moms roll up with 6 kids and their toys and ipads etc and spend the whole damn day pounding beers and the rest of us childfree folks get to babysit their children while moms get trashed. It’s getting to the point where there are more kids at breweries than adults SMDH. If you want to day drink with your family then put some beers in a cooler and take your damn kids to a playground or the beach FFS.
@Squirrelgirl-I live in Massachusetts and it’s the norm here too. It shouldn’t be though. And I’m not talking about people who are just grabbing a beer–I’m talking about families who spend four hours at a brewery with their kids. Hell, I’ve seen THREE children’s birthday parties held at breweries. Take them to Chuck E Cheese.
At the VERY least, if you insist on taking your children to a brewery, keep an EYE on them and don’t leave it up to the rest of us to have to watch out for them. We are adults trying to enjoy adult libations in peace.
I don’t mind kids in breweries, if the brewery is kid friendly. Like we went to one a few week ago in Texas that had a playground and boardgames for kids etc. Clearly, kids were welcome and encouraged and it was a lot of fun.
Some around here are also clearly kid friendly, with lots of open space and games for the kids to play etc.
Some are definitely not as kid friendly and I think every parent “should” be self-aware enough to figure that out. But alas, some are not, lol.
“When we all get together itâs kind of absurd to expect them to get a sitter to grab a beer.”
I don’t think that’s absurd at all. if you choose to have kids, there are things that you wind up sacrificing. like day drinking at a non-child friendly brewery if you can’t find a sitter. why not invite your friends to YOUR HOME and drink there?…that way the kids can run around to their hearts’ content.
I’m not anti-kid and I’m not against bringing your kid out to places WHERE IT’S APPROPRIATE. but being in the ME ME ME generation means too many parents don’t abide by societal norms of not bringing kids to non-kid friendly places. Like R-rated movies at the 10 pm showing. No, Karen, your 3 year old will NOT “be OK” while you watch the movie. and NO, Karen, he DOESN’T cry quietly. and NO, Karen, you’re not slipping out “quietly”.
@ Becks1- The brewery in my hometown is in an old historic schoolhouse and has toys and stuff for kids-a lot of breweries do–but it’s a pretty small space and always had so many damn kids there that they eventually created a space that is for adults-only. I think that’s probably the best solution. Keep the families in a separate area and let the childfree adults drink in peace.
And the thing is, breweries almost NEVER have full kitchens so it’s not like the kids can get food and obvs they can’t drink alcohol, which is the product breweries are selling. Paying customers should have priority and should absolutely have a say in how much we must endure from non-paying customers.
Honestly it seems like something that the free market would shake out. If a small brewery is being overrun by nonpaying customers, it seems the brewery would make adjustments or have new guidelines in place to ensure that the customers are paying. Kind of like how some coffeeshops or restaurants have rules in place. If you want to go to a brewery and there are too many kids, go some place else. and I don’t mean that in a rude way. but if enough people feel that a certain brewery has too many kids, and they go elsewhere, the brewery will prob change its approach a bit.
I’m saying all this but I should add that we prob go to a brewery (like an actual brewery, not like a brewery with a full restaurant attached where we go for lunch or something) with our kids once every 2 years lol. it’s just not that fun for us at this point. But I also don’t expect other people to watch my kids while I’m drinking so maybe I’m doing it wrong đ
I’ve always found it interesting that once people have kids, most of them don’t curb their drinking habits. In my observations, many really ramp it up. The fact is, having kids is hard. It can be tedious and stressful. But it’s sad to me that so many are drinking so much to get through it.
My therapist once said that’s how the “mother’s little helper” trope came about, that parenthood being hard was a dirty little secret for a long time. Booze and beer are the new mother’s (and father’s) little helper.
@Esmom – I kind of think that’s how it always was, it was just less blatant. (I don’t drink more as a parent than I did before, personally.) but, think of moms in the 50s who probably had multiple afternoon cocktails, etc. My mom once said to me something about how in the 80s, she and her friends would hang out after the kids went to school and drink peach schnapps. which, gross, lol, but also surprising to me because my mom really doesn’t drink (like she maybe has one drink a year?) so I would not have expected her to be part of the “peach schnapps post school drop off” crowd. and that was 35 years ago.
So I don’t think parents drinking is anything new, I just think its different with social media and hashtags and shirts with stupid sayings on them.
@Becks1-How is that different from a bar though? If you saw several kids sitting at a bar with their parents while they get trashed, wouldn’t that be alarming to you? These are adult spaces. We deserve to have some places that are not for children and I would say that places selling only alcohol fits the bill. As a paying customer, I shouldn’t have to go elsewhere simply because selfish parents want to get wasted and are too cheap to pay for a babysitter.
@ Esmom-That’s a huge part of the issue for me. It’s not *just* about my right to drink a beer in peace, it’s also about the optics of parents getting shitfaced at a brewery.
Like, I get that some parents think they can continue the same lifestyle that they had before kids, but really shouldn’t parenting require some sacrifices? Maybe ONE sacrifice is that you can’t have 6 beers on a Sunday anymore.
All the people who are defending parents bringing their kids to breweries, do you not feel concern when you see those same parents driving their kids home?
Again, go to a brewery with your kids, grab a pint and some cans, and go the f*ck home while you’re still sober.
Um you are being a little overly combative here.
I don’t think I am, Becks1. I think it’s unfair to tell people that if they don’t like breweries that allow kids, they should just go somewhere else.
NO.
I’m minding my own business and not ruining other people’s time and I’m a PAYING customer. Children are not. If they can’t behave then THEY should be asked to go somewhere else. And that’s kind of the issue for me: every brewery is family-friendly–at least in Massachusetts. Child-free adults don’t have other options.
I do hope that you’re right that breweries begin to see the problem and either have child-free spaces or simply have times where children are not allowed (say, after 7PM). That would be more fair. And believe me when I tell you that I’ve been into craft beer and going to breweries for almost 20 years and it never used to be like this.
You are ranting on a message board about people being shitty and selfish parents who drive drunk with their kids. But no, that’s not combative. FFS.
Why is it unfair to say, “if you don’t like X brewery that allows kids, go somewhere that doesn’t” but its not unfair for you to say, “parents with kids shouldn’t go to breweries”? Clearly the breweries in question have made a business decision to allow and in some cases even encourage children.
And I’ll clarify again that we don’t go to breweries with our kids and that we are super conscious of what restaurants are kid friendly and which are less so. But, still, you’re being combative.
Good lord. This whole post. I wanted to have a fun Disney convo and instead I’m arguing before lunchtime about breweries.
have a good day.
@esmon, I’m in the minority as I stopped drinking when I had kids. Being hungover or buzzed wouldn’t have worked for me. Never went back to drinking – one or two a year.
@kitten, I totally agree. A brewery is not a place for children. We have a restaurant here that doesn’t allow anyone under 21 in at any time. And it is one of the most popular places and hard to get into. I never took my children where it was not appropriate – which includes bars, breweries etc. Much of the problem as I see it today is many parents don’t watch their children and they run around wild – even in restaurants.
Who’s Karen?
I guess the real question is, if you know the brewery is child friendly, you know there are going to be children there, and you don’t enjoy that, why would you keep going? Just to complain? Just to dig your heels in and then complain? So weird. It’s just the flip side of this nutso Disneyland mom.
Yikes.
I’m in Wisconsin, another state that has a lot of breweries with tasting rooms and food options. Some have full restaurants, but some have a smaller menu with mostly appetizers. There’s also the festivals, including multiple Octoberfests and a large regional tasting festival in the summer. Yes, the New Glarus Octoberfest is a family event, where parents are drinking in front of their kids and most of the time, don’t have one abstaining as the designated driver.
One of my cousins plans most of his vacations and free weekends around visiting breweries throughout Wisconsin and in other neighboring states. The highlight of his year is the Great Taste of the Midwest, which he has been attending for over a decade. That one is very much aimed at adults, including those who choose not partake in the sampling. He’s been saying the last year or so that this is his last year going due to both the difficulty of getting tickets, how it’s gotten too big, and hitting his 30s. It’s the one event that doesn’t allow anyone under 21, so unlike some of the breweries him and his wife visit, it’s kid free. That’s probably why he keeps going.
He shouldn’t be too shocked that parents bring their kids to breweries – it’s Wisconsin. I can remember going out to eat at one of the bars in the town where my grandmother lived and him getting a beer there when he was a teenager, because his parents were with him.
It always reminds me of Sweet Home Alabama. “You have a baby! In a bar!”
LOL exactly! The children are NOT paying customers.
I was at a bar over the weekend and a lady had her baby there…I was concerned for the baby’s hearing, because it was ridiculously loud in there.
YES!!!
or, really, any fancy restaurant that is clearly NOT child friendly.
I get so annoyed when I go to a fancy, expensive restaurant to have a nice date with my fella and there are some parents there who decided NOT to get a sitter and bring their three small children to a restaurant where they proceed to IGNORE the children as they run around the dining room, bumping chairs and making servers jump out of the way. Like, I expect that if I go to a Chili’s or Friday’s or some chain place…but not a fine dining place.
if you CHOOSE to have kids, there are some things that you have to sacrifice. if you can’t get a sitter, YOU DON’T BRING YOUR KIDS TO DINNER AT THE RITZ.
Exactly!
One of my college friends had a business lunch at a very nice restaurant where “business meals” are common. She posted something on facebook about being irritated that a child at the next table had an iPad that was up at full volume watching videos. She made a comment that perhaps they could have used to headphones or turned the volume off, since it wasn’t appropriate for the type of restaurant.
Holy cow, she got eviscerated by moms about her post. “Well my kid can’t wear headphones!” or “my child will have a meltdown if they can’t hear the video!” .
Not every restaurant/bar is going to be suitable for every family’s needs. It’s about being aware and adjusting. There are plenty of restaurants (etc.) that are intentionally family friendly, that go after the family market and make their establishments enticing for people with children. It isn’t as if people have no alternative but to stay home.
Some environments are for adults, and that’s OK.
This! There are restaurants I won’t frequent because they are for families and I would prefer a quieter meal. If you do bring kids to an upscale restaurant, they should know how to behave there. My mother has often commented there were places they didn’t go until we were old enough to handle it.
Lots of local breweries here welcome children. As in, provide toys and have giant Jenna and connect four games, etc..
Iâve seen people complain loudly amongst themselves in front of parents, but Iâm like… complain to the brewery. Or go to a brewery that doesnât have toys đ€·ââïž
Oh believe me, we DO complain! You should read some of the reviews of the breweries near me. It got so bad at one place that they started asking noisy, rambunctious families to leave. Keep in mind that there are bartenders and staff members who have a job to do and when they have to constantly admonish unruly children, that cuts into their ability to do their job and make more money.
I was never paid to babysit. I was paid to smile and pour beer. If I wanted to babysit, I would have chosen that route.
Signed a former beer garden bartender that had to deal with all the children and complaints about the children
OMG yes, exactly!!!!
This just happened to me recently. Had a girls night at a local brewery. One of my friends brought her 16 month old son! I was like wtf are you doing? He was understandably fussy the entire time because it was normally his bedtime. He screamed so much we eventually moved onto the deck outside even though it was a very hot night.
When I asked her why she brought him she replied that he is going thru a clingy stage & she couldn’t bear to make him cry by leaving him at home…..
But he cried the entire time we were out….even though he was by her side….wouldn’t it have been better for him to be at home in bed?
I don’t get it.
đ
Ugh. 16 frigging months–WHY?!?!?
Breweries are NOT a place for babies!
Years ago I scheduled a dinner with old high school friends. It was really tough to put together because they all had kids and different schedules. So when we eventually set a date, it was really exciting.
Cue the night of, and one women rolls in with her 6 year old. Her excuse was that “Daddy was tired” and didn’t want to watch him. So we all basically had to watch we said around this kid. I was so mad, but my parent friends were infuriated, because they finally had a child-free evening, but little Brayden’s daddy was useless so now he’s at the frigging table.
I haven’t seen that friend since.
Oh FFS hire a damn sitter then! Nobody wants Timmy along for a Girls Night Out.
Could be worst @Kitten, When I was at university (20 something years ago – at that time it was allowed to smoke in cafĂ©s, pubs, restaurants, everywehere), some friends and I went to a pub near our place and on the table next to ours was a mother and her 7-day old newborn (we were overhearing the conversation). YES- 7-day year old… The air was foggy from the smoke, my friends and I commented on how irresponsable that mother was..
Kitten, my cousin and his wife are in the restaurant business. He specializes in beer-themed restaurants so a great deal of their free time together is spent in breweries. You will be happy to know that they have VERY strict rules, including: you do NOT get up from table unless mom/dad says you can; once up, you hold onto mom/dad’s hand at all times; no running; stay out of the way of the waitress; no shouting; if you shout, we will leave. Every other weekend, their instagrams are full of pictures of the two boys, seated, drinking root beer or cider at a brewery with big smiles on everyone’s faces.
THIS is what I’m talking about: have RULES if you are going to bring your kids to a brewery!
Also, if the place is a restaurant at least the kids can get food and non-alcoholic drinks there.
I love these people. That sounds fantastic. Even just from a danger perspective – it’s easy to trip over a kid, or drop a tray of glasses, and they could get hurt.
But from a childless adult perspective, that seems like a fair balance to me.
and those were the rules that my sibs and I followed as kids when we were lucky enough to be brought out to dinner. (my folks didn’t start taking us out to dinner until the youngest was 6 or so.) We had to stay seated at the table unless we had to use the restroom, and then it was ONLY when Mom or Dad escorted the child to the restroom. and we had to be polite and yes, no shouting or squabbling. any of that and out the door we went. too many parents today have the “my child is perfect and can do whatever they want because they’re a little prince/princess” and it’s so GD rude to other people.
the other day we were at a family friendly Mexican restaurant. couple with two kids, one boy, one girl. the girl stayed seated and was well behaved. the boy kept standing on his chair and was chattering the whole time. the server, and then the manager, asked the parent to get the kid to stop standing on the chair (safety issue). Well, you would have thought that they asked the parent to beat their child. the OUTRAGE! and you can probably guess what happened. kid fell of the chair, hit his head, and wouldn’t stop wailing.
My whole thing is – I live with friends who have three children, and when I take them out to give their parents a break, we always corral them in public. Like, I force them to sit on the inside of the booth so they can’t escape and run around. We are constantly telling them to keep it down. If they start acting up, we leave. And if I can do this, a person watching children that aren’t even mine, what’s the excuse of actual parents?
Exactly! We frequent a brewery with our two year old but we have rules. One, the brewery advertises as family friendly– they have high chairs and kid friendly amenities in the restrooms (like a stool for the sink), a kids menu for food and drinks, and a separate area with kids movies and activities. Two, we only go during times we know she can handle. Only stay for an hour or two at most, never go near bedtime or naptime, and if she starts melting down we leave immediately. Last, we watch her! She has to be next to us at all times and is not allowed to run around and wreak havoc. We’ve taken her since she was tiny and slept in her carrier and she knows what is expected of her. Usually she people watches, colors, or we play giant connect four when she’s not eating.
I totally get frustrations with kids running wild and not behaving. Parents need to know the brewery’s environment and their kid’s limitations and respect other patrons.
Frequently we get a sitter because we want to drink without a toddler. But short trips for lunch or dinner (their food is really good) or a quick beer or two after some other activity are totally fine to bring her along in our eyes.
Yeah I definitely think that a big part of the issue is how people parent. I’ve seen parents being REALLY good with their kids in public places: telling them to sit down, be calm and respectful and not to run, etc. That’s great. But I think part of the problem is when it’s a group of parents and kids and the parents are distracted because they’re spending more time with each other than watching over their kids. And when you add alcohol to the mix it just gets worse.
ETA: thank you to all the conscientious parents who are commenting here. I really do appreciate it.
Kitten, not only is it great when parents do that, these days it’s REFRESHING to see a parent…well, PARENT their child. ACT like a parent and keep your kid in line.
and I agree, thank you to all the conscientious parents. please know that YOU are not the parents that people are complaining about. it’s the ones that think parenting ends once the kid pops out.
Totally agree with the point about breweries and fancy restaurants. Not the place for kids. You know what is the place for kids? Disneyland. While everyone can certainly go and this mom makes her point badly, I do kind of get it. Itâs weird to be waiting in a huge line to see Mickey and most of the line is adults spending 20 minutes each posing with Mickey. Iâm just saying- if you can complain about kids being in adult places it seems fair to complain about adults being in kid places.
Angie, but Disney isn’t “a kid place”…as evidenced by the multitude of food and drink offerings.
it’s a place for EVERYONE. all ages. designed and planned that way. as breweries and R-rated movies are designed and planned for adults.
I would agree if you were talking about groups of adults at a place like Chuck E. Cheese.
Worked at a brewery with a beer garden for many, many years. Because it was a fenced in area the parents just let their kids go absolutely feral. They destroyed the trees, they threw water from the drinking jug on adult patrons, they ran into people and spilled their beer. I had to tell a mother that her six-year old daughter wasn’t allowed to free climb the 30 foot tent pole. “That’s very impressive ma’am, but that’s a massive liability. Thank you”
So I’m in 100% agreement that there should be absolutely times when these places are child free.
Makes me so frigging mad. You didn’t apply to be a babysitter at a brewery!
Just so disrespectful to both staff and childfree patrons.
I always get super super annoyed at all the people who are intolerant and judgemental of us for bringing in our well behaved children into a nice restaurant that We watch like a freaking hawks and remove the instant they even squeak the wrong way just because youâve seen some badly behaved kids or bad parenting. Why do we occasionally take them to nice places and not only Chiliâs? Because thatâs how they LEARN to behave. Weâve done that since birth and thatâs why thank God we donât have the dumb kids who are running around the restaurant, crawling under tables, or crying. My kids learned at very early ages to sit through movies, theatre productions, nice dinners, and wait in lines politely-you know, be humans. Itâs not my fault other people suck at parenting đ€·đ»ââïž
I’m there with you @babyswans. We are trying to expose our kid to different places and set the expectation of how to behave (knowing that if it doesn’t go well that we will need to leave immediately). Unfortunately, there are way too many parents out there who don’t set boundaries for appropriate behavior and think they can just live their lives the same as pre-kids. I know we aren’t “those people” but enough parents act like assholes to make people wary of any kids in a more upscale space, whether it be a restaurant, show or brewery. We’ve gotten complimented more than once on our toddler’s behavior and to me it makes me kind of sad because all we do is pay attention to her, not let her play on a phone, and if she acts up we remove her and discipline appropriately. If a parent doesn’t want to do that they should get a sitter.
I get irritated too when parents bring kids to things that aren’t appropriate or they clearly aren’t ready for. For example, we got a sitter to see Deadpool 2 at 9pm and some idiot parent brought their three kids, one of which was an infant and one who was younger than 5. They were talking and crying in addition to it being freaking DEADPOOL and why in the hell would you bring your young kids to see that?!
Entitled parents ruin things for everyone.
If those selfish parents are going to bring their kids (who, I assure you, no one else thinks is adorable) to an obviously adult place like a bar or brewery, donât act offended when the adults at other tables use adult language and discuss adult themed conversations. We spend the rest of our time catering to you and your children, andâspoiler alertâwe go to bars to get away from kids and hang out with adults. It doesnât matter how well behaved they are, donât tell me to hush because youâre afraid Ayden might repeat the F word that heâs hearing repeatedly.
Yeah, I’m kind of a humorless b*tch about kids in places like breweries. I honestly think it should be illegal, much as it is with actual bars around here. Any place where adults are primarily consuming alcohol in ways that can undermine their cognitive abilities is a massive liability to the kids and anybody around them.
This completely.
We have a 2 year old daughter. My husband works at a brewery, and used to have a microbrewery himself. So after our daughter was born, when she was, 6 months and older, we took her a few times to our usual place. We sat outside, kept her in the stroller and tried not stay for too long. A couple of months ago we did it again, but it was early, and stayed maybe for an hour, and gave her some crackers and a book for her to read meanwhile. It’s definitely not my favourite thing to do, though
Same @Veronica. I get aggravated working with kids all day and then going out to an adult place – bar, beer garden, etc thereâs children. Donât go out with them, go buy a six pack and drink at home safely with your kids
I feel this way about music festivals. Coachella is an all ages festival. I go to Coachella and other festivals specifically to do drugs and see shows. I don’t want kids anywhere near me or the thousands of other adults/older teenagers who are also doing drugs. I’ve mentioned this before on reddit and other forums and get yelled at. Children have lots of ways to be exposed to music and fun, they have no business getting that experience around adults who are intentionally intoxicated.
Yes, it so weird to see kids at Coachella. Thereâs so much drug usage going on, it really isnât a place for little kids. This year, someone brought a baby to Coachella.
My little 16 year old cousin is begging me to take her to Coachella but Iâm not comfortable taking her and sheâs 16 (although she acts much younger that sometimes I forget that sheâs 16.
@Thea, I’ve seen babies there too! Some of my friends think it’s great. It pisses me off! I also see posts on the reddit Coachella sub with people praising the parents for exposing their infants to the experience. The experience is rolling balls in heat, wind, VERY loud and dangerously crowded stages/tents. It’s a blast for adults but leave the kids at home, for the love of God please!
I for sure wouldn’t want to go with a 16 y/o. The first time I went I was drinking with my friends 14 year old cousin. I thought she was over 21 because she had a 21+ wristband on but later found out her older sister got it for her. I was not happy at the notion of me, a 30 year old at the time doing shots with a 14 year old. I don’t think you’d accommodate a similar situation (hope not) but there are so many ways for a teenager to get in trouble there, not worth the headache in my book.
@ann I totally agree. I would have been pissed to if I was a 30 yo drinking with a 14yo. Like you, I go to Coachella to drink, do drugs, and listen to music – my little cousin doesnât need to see me rolling lol. I told her, Iâll take her once sheâs old enough to get into the beer gardens. Lol.
Can I add movie theaters for movies rated higher than PG?? I mean, why are you bringing your small child into the movie theater to watch It???
@ Kitten, Have you been listening to my conversations? Ha! My boyfriend and I have said the same thing about breweries so many times. We have several in our area here in KC and usually try to visit a local one when we go on vacation. There are always kids there. I don’t get it…..
Ha, this sounds like the bars in Spain where families bring their young kids and babies and are there sometimes way late (I’m talking past 10 pm). A bar in Spain is not like what we think of a bar in the US, more like the UK pub where families bring young kids all the time. I’d be out walking past 9 pm in Madrid (because that’s often when stores close and restaurants do not open for dinner before 8 pm due to the late Spanish tradition of meals) and I’d see so many babies and toddlers out with their parents way past what would be considered an appropriate bedtime. I didn’t understand it and since the toddlers/young kids were usually running around in the bar or outside while their parents basically ignored them and ate and drank, I started to understand why the kids in the school I taught English in had no sense of basic decorum, being overindulged by their parents from a young age.
Most Spanish kids seem to grow into normal adults though… or at least the adults I interacted with were not entitled so I dunno if it’s a generation thing.
No Amelie, it’s not a generation thing. You just don’t understand the culture of the country you are living in. Mediterranean people don’t make it a habit to leave their children alone/with a stranger at home when they are having fun. Nothing wrong with having a sitter every now and then but it’s also quite cool to include your children in your life when possible as long as you’re not disrupting your kids’ rhythms daily. I’m pretty sure you’re also exaggerating on how the parents donÂŽt care/are drunk around their kids. Usually the worse behaved kids and parents I see are not really the Mediterranean ones (but well I will not generalize from tourists).
I’m all for “don’t bring your child to a place if they are not able to behave appropriately and don’t expect others to take care of them”. Still the idea that a kid is a burden that should be left at home at all times is really disturbing for someone like me (still child free) that was raised in a Mediterranean child-friendly culture.
And seriously, if there can be child-free restaurants and whatsoever (which I agree) maybe there should be some only family with children days at Children Theme parks like Disneyland…probably everyone would be happy.
Maybe the kids in Spain grew up to be normal adults, because they were raised in a world where they were able to see and interact with normal, well-adjusted adults on a daily basis. As opposed to the US, where children and their schedules are overmanaged and organized to such an intense degree that they literally cannot manage as adults because they’ve spent their whole lives under parental supervision constantly, so much so that they’ve lost all capacity for critical thought.
@Minime Never said the parents were drunk around their kids. But the parents ignoring their kids as they ran around restaurants/bars bumping into waiters and overall being disruptive I observed many times and I also experienced it when I last visited Spain in 2017. I don’t care where you’re from, you bring your kids out with you in public, you watch them and discipline them (something I saw rarely).
@Amelie, again, they were disruptive according to you and YOUR cultural standards. In Spain, the standards for what counts as good behaviour in children and adults is clearly different. Children running around and otherwise acting like children is the norm in a lot of places, and the majority of adults know this and don’t find it remiss or an example of poor behaviour. Rather, this weird Victorian expectation that seems to be the prevailing norm in America is that children are to be seen and not heard, preferably not seen and not heard, ever, lest their presence accidentally infringe upon the delicate sensibilities of the grown ups around them.
Not everyone around the world raises their children the same way Americans do. And Americans, for that matter, happen to be some of the most entitled grown up human beings on the planet compared to everyone else. So clearly, for all of the discipline that parents are meting out to their children, a lot of it isn’t sticking. You’d think this would prompt some kind of introspection on the part of parents, but it’s increasingly obvious to me that, in this part of the world, parenting is a lot less about helping children become reasonable, level-headed adults, and a lot more about policing their behaviour so that they don’t accidentally annoy grown ups by behaving like children.
Iâm currently childfree but I love that kids can be brought to breweries/bars! I have no problems with seeing kids in public places and if it means that I can have a drink with my friends while the little ones are napping in their strollers, Iâm happy! There are a few family-friendly pubs around my place that even have a few toys and they are fun to go to. They also usually have a decent selection of mocktails which is always appreciated by pregnant friends/ppl that donât want to deink for whatever reason
In Australia it’s the norm to have kids at pubs. A lot of pubs have playgrounds just for that purpose, although kids can’t go near the bar or pokie room and have to be out by a certain time (usually it’s 9pm). I don’t get the wowserism about parents drinking around their kids but I definitely understand how annoying it can be when the kids are misbehaved. I don’t see it that often, maybe because the kids are occupied in the playground.
Also this rant is so old, it made the rounds in a the CF groups ages ago. We’ve been laughing at this deranged woman for a while now lol.
That would piss me off too Kitten. I almost got in a fight at a bar once cause I was talking shit about this guy that had his baby w him in the bar. He heard me! Thankfully the Male coworkers w me told him to chill out. It makes me mad cause you know the parents are there getting drunk, then driving home drunk w their kids in the car.
Chiliâs or fancy restaurant your kids shouldnât be running around disturbing other customers and possibly tripping a waitress carrying heavy/hot dishes.
I just travelled to Orlando from Australia and spent four days at the parks. The first two days were solo while I attended a conference, and the second two days were with a friend.
We’re both childfree 27 year olds. We had blast đ€·ââïž
Universal Studios? I absolutely love that park! Themes and rides are the best đ Step parent to a 14 year old, and we’ll probably still swing down there when we’re empty nesters.
Should childfree adults be banned from Disney World? Not if they look like him .
LOL!
Heâs like 5â4, just FYI.
Short men are hot, too. Just fyi.
The person ranting on twitter or wherever misses one key point – if Disney is open only to people with kids, and all people with kids get to skip the line…..how will that work out? lol.
Disney is crowded. You are always going to have wait in some lines. But if you are smart about it you can manage your time well and your FPs and ADRs and have a pleasant experience. we never wait more than 20 minutes for anything. I refuse to, lol. So sometimes we miss rides bc I am not waiting 3 hours for 7DMT, sorry, but I still have a good time.
the mickey pretzels are EVERYWHERE and there is no reason to wait for one. Every cart has them.
Anyway. I clearly love Disney. We have been with the kids a few times, and are going again next summer, and my husband and I went this past March for a long weekend…..sans kids. Gasp! the horror!!!
People who don’t think adults should go to Disney without kids clearly haven’t been to epcot in a while. That place is definitely for the adults, ha.
I just want to commend you on your use of Disney fanatic abbreviations that few in this comment section will understand đ I totally agree! My best friend and I are 30 and childless and meet up in Disney at least once a year to drink around the world, and I so look forward to it. Epcot was never especially kid friendly (I remember being bored to tears when I was young and begging to go back to MK), and Disney has really leaned into its adultiness.
@Caitlin lol thanks! but that was my first thought reading her rant. “um, Epcot is basically all about adults” (at least world showcase) and before TSL and now GE, I didn’t think Hollywood Studios was that kid friendly. My kids are over it in an hour after we do star tours. I mean its kid friendly bc its Disney, but MK and AK are definitely more interesting for my kids.
‘…It’s his vacation too…’
Why does a 3 year old need a vacation?
Uh, because 3 year olds have school or daycare, and even if they don’t probably would also like to go to a fun place and experience new things with their family who loves them? Children are also people who have valid needs and wants and feelings and experiences and should be treated with respect. I realize that’s hard for some people to understand.
@broodytrudy THANK YOU I love your point.
No three year old screaming for a pretzel is dealing with a valid need, turn it up.
The best time to go to Disney is during the off season. I’ve been in November and January, and we were able to ride the BEST rides 7 or 8 times in a row, just as fast as we could get through the empty rows where lines are supposed to be.
Seriously. I can’t recommend going during off times enough. Some of the “big” rides might be down for maintenance, but they won’t all be down. It is such a different experience.
Also, November is food and wine, so that’s a good time (for adults but also my younger niece who is a little gourmet and loves to eat adult food).
I totally agree. November is great at Disney, as is January and early February. My best trip ever was actually in late October, but I think we got lucky with just amazing weather (high 70s to low 80s with clear skies and a light breeze) that time. My last November trip was in the low 90s the entire time, but the parks were only busy on the weekends.
As a millennial, I think people my age can be really obsessed with the pop culture of our childhoods and anything nostalgic-see Buzzfeedâs five million âyouâre a millennial if…â articles and quizzes. (Having said that, only my child could get me to stand in a two hour line in the sun with a million, crabby people.)
Newsflash pretzel lady: Iâm sure everyone enjoyed standing by your screaming kid as much as you enjoyed standing in line between a group of 28 year olds.
Iâm Gen X and I have plenty of friends who love Disney because of the nostalgia from our childhoods.
I’ve got Boomer friends (childless) who love Disney and go to the parks or a Disney cruise almost annually. I’ve got no kids myself (Gen Xer), but totally want to see the Star Wars attraction that is opening this fall. My sister works with a travel agent/event planner who all they do is book Disney trips for people. I’m giving that lady a call when I’m ready to see the new park.
And beyond that – Disney hosts things like wine festivals and things of that nature. CLEARLY Disney is cool with having adults hang out – they court it. The food is also great at a lot of places.
Completely agree! Iâm saying I think Disney is very popular with millennials and seeing a group of adults at the parks shouldnât surprise anyone.
Mom throws online tantrum over child throwing tantrum over a pretzel. Did I get that right?
wonder where the kid gets it from. /s/
Do I know some people in my age bracket with a Disney obsession that I find a LITTLE over-the-top and cringeworthy? For sure. Do I think we should ban them from Disney parks and cruises for being a little weird? Absolutely not! Where do we draw the line, then? Am I only allowed to go to a Disney movie in the theater once I have a child? This argument is so ridiculous and insipid.
LOL I know people who literally moved to Disney. Like quit their jobs in other states and moved to “Disney” (or okay Windermere, they can see the fireworks from their house) and go to the parks every day and have turned their love/obsession into SM careers and blogs and such. Which, good for them, but that may not have panned out. And their reason for moving was to move to Disney. More than one person too.
It’s a little over the top, despite my love for Disney, but hey, whatever, lol.
I’ll be honest, I hate Disney. And I have relatives who go once or twice a year and have Disney everything in their houses.
But they aren’t forcing me to go so đ€·đŒââïž Sorry that your precious Bryce had to wait for a pretzel, Karen.
Oh good lord. I understand that waiting in lines sucks, but thatâs part of the Disney experience Iâm afraid. Spending a lot of time judging what other people do for fun is ridiculous. I think getting a tattoo seems weird and painful so I never got one, I donât waste time demanding other people stop getting tattoos because itâs not what I would like. Just live and let live, itâs not that hard.
A really great part of standing in lines is getting to know people from all parts of the world. I take/have taken each of my grandchildren when they turn 8. Its grandma and me time without interruptions from the other grandchildren. It’s been great. I take my last grandchild next year and it will be a sad moment. But I plan on going by myself after that so I get to do all the shows I don’t get to do when I am with them (they get to choose what we do and what rides to go on). I also plan on going around Christmas time.
I am sooooo bored with “Moms” who feel that their children’s needs are more important than anything else. They need perspective. Of course, protecting your child is a number one priority. However, standing in long lines happens when you are at an amusement park. If you don’t like the wait, don’t go. Or, go when lines are less. Don’t shame/blame childless people for wanting to enjoy some fun.
I am a mom to an almost 3 year old and he’s yet to pitch a fit like that in public. Usually I can say “maybe we can get a pretzel later” and he will say “ohkay” and move on with life.
Now, if I was there by myself and saw a 3 year old crying over a pretzel and the mom was NICE I would probably offer part or all of my pretzel to the kid and get another. But if you come at me hollering? No ma’am I am not being kind to you.
Too right!
Your failure to plan is not my emergency, Karen.
LMAO!!! Perfect.
Me thinks Karen regrets a few of her life choices. đ
What my friend Karen, who’s a 42 year old bi-racial veterinarian, regrets the most: that her parents decided to name her Karen. Middle name Nicole. Not much better.
I was wondering how the Karens and Jans of the world feel about their names now.
I’m a Becky. It’s been tough, LOL.
Hahaha! Y’all are cracking me up!
Add Susans to the list
This, exactly. I would not have ventured anywhere like a theme park when my kids were babies/toddlers/preschoolers without an entire bag full of emergency snacks — both healthy stuff and not so healthy bribes. For about a year it took a Starburst to get my kid to leave the zoo. I didn’t feel great about bribing him but it worked. And he eventually got over it.
Hmmm maybe Disney should take her up on her plan that bans the child free and lets mothers with kids skip the line…and then sell tickets to childfree s**ts to watch the mothers and kids fight it out battle royale-style to see who exactly gets to skip the line first. It will be the most entertaining show at Disney Word! The screaming! The hair pulling! The drama! All live! đ
I know dozens of couples who are wayyyy older than millennials who have been going to Disney without kids my entire life, and Iâm in my 30âs. Either way….I have been several times but not yet as a parent of toddlers. I canât imagine the hell of dragging two tired, over stimulated, young toddlers around a park on a hot day. Ha! We are several years away from our first attempt I think. Went once with my husband before our kids and had a blast!!! Universal and Disney, we would recommend to anyone.
We went the first time with our kids when they were 3 and 9 months, and it was a TON of fun. It may be my favorite trip. We went again when they were 4.5 and 2, and that was also fun (but that was in January, so weather was much better.) Last time we went they were 6 and 3.5 and it was hot again, so that was tough, but we got a double stroller and that made a big difference. “hop in, sit down, here’s a pretzel and a juice, now we are going to stroll around World Showcase.” If you plan for multiple breaks, and just take it easy if its the summer, its still a lot of fun, just different than going without kids.
I should probably see myself out of this post now. I can talk about Disney all day long.
BECKS1, I love Disney also. I donât go but every 3-5, but I love it. I believe my first trip was at 14 years old. It was so much fun! I think at this stage of my 2 year old and a 3 year old, the only way my partner and I could go(and me be happy) would be to bring along another paid human to help. LOL! My kids donât know who any of the characters are yet(I donât turn the tv on much), and I donât buy character things at the store(Iâm weird, I know), BUT my son is obsessed with lightening McQueen(anything with an engine he loves). Itâs the only movie he has really ever watched. I would love to take him to the Cars themed park in Cali!
People be crazy.
“Family” is not synonymous for “people with children”. My husband and I (and our three cats) are a family, we don’t need kids to become one. I hate when people say things like that….
I guess now judgy mommy wars have the childree is their crosshairs? you can’t mommy-shame us so you’ll find new ways to shame and judge others..
Two kitties here and my BF and I call our little crew The Cat Fam. đ
Four kitties + husband here. We’re a family, too!
Great post! Me, my BF and our rescue dog are “The Snuggle Bunch”. đ
I love going to Disney, and Iâm going to keep going now that I know a can piss off sanctimonious, entitled parents. The way she feels about childless adults going to Disney is the way I feel about certain restaurants and stores having children in them. I ignore because I know I canât control everything. And also, Iâm sooo sick of people trying to tear down others who enjoy things they donât like. What was the point of writing that article NYT? Who are you to tell me my harmless interests are weird?
That mom ended her rant saying she hates childless women. Yikes! How miserable must your own life be to think something like that.
Yeah, she’s clearly very unhappy. And likely envious of those without kids.
How crazy to think you could ban childless adults from an amusement park! No way!
Listen I will happily never go to Disneyland or Disney world or any of it for the rest of my days. In my own mind yes I do think itâs strange to want to go there as an adult… I donât get it. I also agree that it can dumb you down when you are obsessed with Disney as an adult.
But these are just my shitty personal thoughts, Iâm a salty introverted asshole. But even an asshole like me knows that my own opinions on Disney shouldnât impact anyoneâs happiness. Let people be happy! If adults WANT to spend their day and their money this way, itâs not for anyone to tell them they canât. The world wonât make itself perfect for your fussy threeyear old, not even at Disney. Stop having that bizarre expectation, crazy mom lady.
And this doesnât even begin to touch on the fact that there are plenty of adults who want but cannot have children. Just stop. Itâs a crazy idea all around.
Personally, I think it’s weird when adults are really into Disney but that is neither here nor there. I’m fine with banning childless couples from Disney if we can then I get to ban couples with children from, well, pretty much everything else. I don’t have children by choice and the last thing I want to deal with at a public place is your crying, messy, sticky and generally in the way children. Deal?
LOL
Every time we fly my husband talks about his idea for the airlines to create child free flights. He says he would happily pay more for adult only flights. I think we just need to get some of those noise cancelling headphones.
My mum (60) took her daughters-my sister (30) and me (25) to Disney last year lol. I think we enjoyed it so much more as adults than we would have as children.
While I was there, i did notice that there were way more adult groups than families with children. I also wondered why families brought children under 3 that couldn’t go on the majority of the available rides. It was also super hot (September) and the children that were there were miserable. This wasn’t due to the adults at Disney, it was due to the fact that the place is hundreds of acres and children get tired of the heat, constant walking and other inconveniences due to their short attention spans.
Makes sense, childless adults have that disposable income yo.
I think the larger conversation is about how Disney now only caters to the super wealthy. Have enough money to buy fast passes and stay on a Disney resort? Then you get all the perks. All the plebs that still shell out $100+ for a day ticket get the worst experience.
Fastpasses are free at Disney parks to all guests whether you stay onsite or not. Maybe youâre thinking of Universal which does charge extra to bypass lines.
yeah FPs are free at Disney but you do get to book them earlier if you are staying onsite.
Tickets have gone up so much because demand for the parks got too high. Raising the prices was the way Disney managed to crowds manageable so that the experience is completely terrible for everyone.
Trouble is, everyone else in Florida followed suit, figuring they could charge the same price, so the parks just keep increasing prices every year. They run specials for locals, where it’s buy one, get in free all year, but I still have no desire to pay $110 for a ticket.
Yeah, I really wish Disney would just open up another park in Texas or Ohio or something because they could make money hand over fist and it would reduce the insanity.
I’m old enough to remember when Amusement parks would have “Maximum Guest” numbers. For example, if Disney set their maximum number of people in the park to say, 25,000 people — then once that number was reached– THEY WOULD STOP SELLING TICKETS and you were SOL for going to the park.
You had to plan to be early to make sure you made the number quota. Now, if significant number of people left during the day, then they might open it up again.
Knott’s Berry Farm used to do this too. So, prices remained the same, but they were just “tough” and drew a line in the sand, and said NO MORE. Because after a certain number, the lines were too long and people wouldn’t get to enjoy the park — THAT was their concern.
@Fluffy Princess – Disneyland use to do that. We tried to go one time during Christmas. We got there at like 9:30 and they had already shut off letting people in. So my mom decided we would try again two days later, so she bought the tickets on line and we got to the parking structure at like 7:00am. So, they use to do that. They should enforce that during the Fall because now it’s super crowded during the Fall months when use to not be.
And raising the prices as a means of crowd control is one reason. Another reason, at least in California, was due to no one wanting to go to California Adventure. So, they raised the prices to help with the cost of that (I have a friend who works at Disney in Florida and I asked her about the rising prices at the time).
I went to Disney World BY MYSELF a few years ago when I was in Orlando for a conference. I hadn’t been there since I was 8 and wanted to see what it looked like through my now adult eyes. I decided I was going to go one some of my favorites rides as a kid and I had the best time. It was full, fun nostalgia. I’m so glad I went as an adult, because when I went as a kid my mom took me and it was such a great memory with her. I’ve since lost her to cancer, so being able to relive those memories was something special.
I am sure people judge a woman going alone to DW, but I don’t care at all. Life is tough as hell, so if you can do something that brings you joy, do it and f**k the haters.
I envy you because I would be terrified to go there alone. Iâm not comfortable being alone in places where everyone else is with someone. That said, banning people without kids is ridiculous.
I feel the same way. I’ve never been by myself, but my dad loved Disney World. He had a stressful job, and WDW is so full of stimuli that it could distract him, so it’s very escapist. He died almost four years ago, and WDW is the last place I have that reminds me of him. My mom has sold their house together and their business, and my first trip back to WDW without him, I cried as I went through the gateways because it reminded me of him so much.
I have Disney nostalgia largely because it’s a place full of happy memories I have of my family together, before my dad died and my mom kind of lost her mind. And they won’t be going childfree free anytime soon because my single self can afford to splurge because I don’t have children to take all my money.
one hand: these parks are ‘for children’ but they also have themes and reflect pop culture that is still relevant to adults that are not parents, so unless parks are going to switch the stories and characters that ONLY appeal to kids, then you can’t really stop adults from wanting to enjoy it. Plus, non-parents have money and conglomerates like DW are not going to turn that away. ever.
other hand: the adults who dress up and spend MOST of their free time and money being part of this DW zeitgeist just reminds me that there is probably something about being an adult and dealing with ‘the real world’ that is causing these adults to suspend themselves in this semi-state of childhood. I think we should look at what our culture is becoming to make adults feel happier and desire to spend their time and money in a place designed to be for children.
This! Disney and its parks are for everyone, and no one should dictate otherwise. BUT astronomical ticket prices â a day pass cost $33 in 1995; today it costs $149 â and horrible crowds at Disney are driven by crazy fanatics. Great for them, but I miss the days when people thought of Disney as a special treat. Now, half of the teens I know want to grow up and âlive at Disney.â Not work for Disney, or animate for them, but go to the parks every day and monetize it through social media. Sounds fun, but unrealistic for most, and IMHO, just a way to avoid growing up.
I’ve have become really worried about the sanity of human beings. Are there more stupid people every year, or is it just that social media exposes them? It seems about 80 percent of people are just insane.
LOL. There are more stupid people and social media exposes them for the most one they are
Orlando has a million business conferences and like the main thing to do outside them is the theme parks. They serve alcohol. It’s not just for kids or it would be dry (if you’re juggling multiple kids on a hot day a triple margarita isn’t probably a wise choice)
I have a toddler I would never take at this age. She’s rambunctious and not a huge fan of strollers she’ll pitch a fit going in, fine once strapped in. But she just wants to run around and play with other kids. Playground any day over theme park lines.
See I thought I remember that being on a fake Facebook account called âRants of an Angry Mama Bearâ. The person running it makes posts like that to make fun of a certain type of parents. Iâm almost 100% I read this on there months ago.
Others have stated on other websites that this “rant” is indeed fake. I don’t understand why this is getting so much attention now when this “rant” was out months ago…I remember seeing it on Reddit.
My parents are almost 70 and they LOVE Disney. People trying to ban others are shitty and deserve to have their pretzels stolen by the birds.
Hey, Pretzel Lady, ever hear of the Epcot Pub Crawl? It’s for ADULTS.
I know! That’s what I was thinking!
Haven’t these people every heard of the Food and Wine festival at Epcot? Or the Flower and Garden festival at Epcot? All that stuff is geared towards adults and not kids.
Childless couples have that thing that Disney wants, and that’s cash to spend. There is NO way anyone at Disney thinks that childless adults should be banned from their parks.
It’s funny how this popped up in my news feed and I have just gotten back from Disney with my adult children. We hadn’t been since 2007 and it was more fun with them now than it was when they were kids. Yes, there was still whining but it was mainly my husband and I because it was the hottest week we chose to go, but we had a blast. We poked fun at all the parents with their screaming kids who will be too young to even remember going to WDW. I could not get over parents bringing their newborns to the park. I mean infants who could not walk or even hold their heads up. I understand that they are free, but it’s got to be torture for them to be drug out in the heat, the noise, and a disruption in their schedule. But…to each, his own.
This is what I came to post. Disney’s much more fun when you aren’t pushing a stroller. The babies and the toddlers being pushed to their limits in the heat have my sympathy. We enjoyed taking our teens to the parks 100 times more than we enjoyed taking them when they were younger.
Disney has so much for all ages to enjoy. Also honestly Disneyâs lines arenât any worse than any other amusement park, in fact I found it much more bearable.
is this really about lines or more about shaming adults who aren’t parents?
I’m 34 and love amusement park rides. You can now buy passes to skip the line which I think would be totally worth it, although im sure expensive but if I’d go now, id spring for that. my main memories from Disney as a kid was waiting in lines for hours. No exaggeration- hours. Not the rides themselves, the waiting.
I am getting sick of the boomer obsession with bashing millennials for any and all reasons. I have had several occasions in work and retail settings where a boomer will start ranting about millennials right in front of me, an obvious millennial. Such nerve and entitlement. As for this, of course childless adults should go to Disneyland. I have a kid and due to lack of support I have had to take her to places where I knew I would get side-eyed (fancier restaurants once or twice, a brewery once). However, because I provided entertainment and made sure she never made a fuss no one ever even noticed she was there or cared if they did. If she did start to make a fuss I would leave immediately. I donât understand entitled parents.
I donât think pretzel mom was a boomer
Youâre probably right. I was referring more to the NY Post article saying millennials have an unhealthy relationship with Disney
@MachineElf, I mean, it’s not as if Disney hasn’t spent millions of dollars selling itself as the epitome of escapism and joy for a whole generation of people. And now folks are mad because a bunch of us have bought the company line? Millenials simply can’t win, lol.
Anyway, I’ve been to Europe. What the article fails to mention is that the line for the majority of the tourist traps in Europe are just as long, if not longer, with just as much walking, if not more. And all of this, while still being eye wateringly expensive. I’ll take Disney any day.
If she has a 3 year old then she is likely to be a millennial.
This woman just hates parenting and is jealous of childfree peeps.
Also, those of you saying she was waiting in line for the pretzel: she wasn’t. She told her son they could not wait cause the line was too long. The kid was not crying for waiting. He was crying cause his mom wouldn’t stop for him. Then she says the childless woman with the pretzel made him cry? Um…no.
Not all of us had parents who took us to Disney as kids. I went for the first time as an adult ! Also, if you go during the “off season” there are barely any lines. I went in January, and it was great…kids back in school…no long lines, good weather.
I went for the first time at the grand old age of 33.
As a child it was simply unimaginable
Yes I never even dreamed of Disney World as a kid. As an adult, when I went (in my mid 20’s) it was unreal. I couldn’t believe such a place existed lol.
My husband and I just recently went to Epcot for our 11th anniversary without our kids and it was wonderful–we drank all day in the France and UK pavilions and took our sweet time doing whatever we felt like doing. That pretzel lady is insane.
Even if I didn’t have kids I would still keep enjoying Disney because that is a huge part of my childhood and the place makes me happy. I’m not ashamed to admit I even get slightly emotional about it. The first time we took our kids to the Magic Kingdom was the first time I had been back to Disney in about 14 years, and let me tell you, when I saw the castle from the window of the monorail, it was like seeing an old friend and I about cried.
This article made me angry because it implied if you like Disney World or Disney movies, youâre wasting your time on childish things when you could be traveling to Europe and watching critically acclaimed films.
Guess what? I adore going to Disney and Iâve also loved visiting many European countries. I love Disney movies and I also love watching the Oscar showcase every year. We contain multitudes!
So much entitle. I say ban parents with 3 year olds. That is too young. Actually, I say let everyone enjoy things that are to be enjoyed.
I saw a woman at Disney World breast feeding a new born. I just couldn’t figure out what the f*cking need was to take a newborn to Disney. You just gave birth, are you not tired? What will a newborn benefit from being in a crowded place like that alllll day???
Maybe the mom was accompanying someone else who wanted to come, or she had other small children who were there at Disney for the day? Like, I think there are a whole host of reasons why someone would bring a new born to Disney? Or heck, maybe SHE wanted to be there because, as you said. She’d just given birth, maybe this is her idea of a vacation.
Mom of four here. Just stopping by to say not all parents think the world needs to revolve around their kiddos, and I donât mind child free and younger people at a theme park. Most of us are reasonable!! I may be a bit envious, but thatâs my âfault.â I chose to have a family and one day, Iâll get to enjoy things on my own again! Right now, Iâve settled for being everyoneâs pack mule and for knowing Iâll have to sacrifice and maybe not have as much fun so my kids can be the ones to enjoy something. Itâs just how it goes. My parents did that for me so now I do it for mine.
Iâm also the type of person who isnât gonna take her kids to enjoy Disney until they are all at an age where I know they can handle it and also remember and enjoy it. I wouldnât take a two year old to Disney. But thatâs simply my preference. I think it may be unreasonable to spend that amount of money on something and expect kiddos to be able to handle long lines and lots of walking and the heat at that stage. To each their own. Thatâs the beautiful part.
Adult me would mark out if she could hug princess Ariel or Winnie the Pooh. One day Iâll get mine!
You honestly sound like a doll <3. I hope you don't take our complaints personally – because you sound like the exact kind of parent we see as what the OTHER parents should be like. Unfortunately it seems like you're more of the exception than the rule these days.
You are so kind. Thank you! And I agree with you. I definitely think there are some parenting…trends that need to change.
My other half and I have always tried to teach and guide our children in how to act in public and what boundaries are and expected behavior while letting them still be children. Easier typed on the internet than done for sure.
On the flip side, I feel like adults need to understand that sometimes, kiddos have bad days just the same as adults. And what you see in public is just a snapshot in day to day life of a child and parent/caregiver. On top of behavioral issues and diagnoses that you canât always distinguish just by looking. Not every child that acts out is doing so because they arenât disciplined at home.
We all just gotta try to understand each other!
This is ridiculous. Disney is too much about the $$$$$ to ever ban anyone, let alone adults. An adult fare is higher, they eat more, they drink more, and they’re more likely to buy souvenirs than kids
I saw this story over the weekend and the woman that wrote this rant was very hateful towards adults without children, like just in general. It started out as a rants specific to Disneyland and ended with her (IIRC) saying she hates child-less adults. So F her.
I personally wouldn’t want to go to Disneyland again with or without kids. I’ve been many times on band trips and family vacations. Last time I was with my niece and nephew who are both under 10 and yes, DL w/o kids is way easier to deal with. It’s not necessarily better, but for sure easier.
I do kind of see where that op-ed is coming from but Disney obsession isn’t just a Millenial thing. My Gen Xer boss is obsessed with Disney. My sister-in-law’s whole family is Disney obsessed. It’s a powerful, long lasting brand that has stuck with people of all ages.
Let people enjoy things!! This world is a mess…if ppl find joy going to Disney (with or without kids) then let them! Plus Epcot is clearly for adults with all of the wine & food festivals and pub crawls!
I do think adults without kids who go on yearly trips to Disney are pretty creepy though.
What a weird comment to make about people you don’t even know.
They are not creepy. They have the means of being able to take a trip without the extra hassle of children.
I know right. How is it creepy? Disney is the most wholesome place on earth lol. People with kids just tend to be miserable…that’s my take on it anyways.
Ha!! I have childless friends who have yearly passes who go all the time. We live just an hour away so they can decide to go anytime.
I just wanted to add after reading the whole thing is that I think the bottom line is that the mom is jealous of the young childless woman who has the freedom to choose to wait in line or attend outings and enjoy them. She honestly sounds like she hates her life. I understand that we all get that way, and I’m sure having a toddler at Disney World was the definition of frustration/exhaustion, but to then log onto social media and craft this massive rant means it really stuck in this mom. She’s just jealous and wants to ruin it for everyone else so she can feel superior about being a mom, even though she’s not happy. (not saying she doesn’t love her kid, etc, I don’t know her, but her unhappiness is obvious)
She does seem wildly unhappy. I mean, like you said, I’m sure she loves her kids. But it sounds an awful lot like she doesn’t want to be reminded what a child-free life is like and is looking for people to validate her choice to have children.
See seems to only have an issue with child-free WOMEN. No mention of child-free men. I know plenty of people who got married and regretted it or had kids and regret it. They are miserable and want every child-free person to feel their misery lol.
So I have zero problems with childfree adults visiting Disney–my husband and I did so once before we had kids. I grew up in Orlando, and I like Disney! No shame.
We have kids now, and what I *do* find weird and creepy is when childless adults wait in line for character meet and greets. Like, my little kids don’t understand that it’s not really Mickey, so I’m going to wait in a stupid line so they can feel special and wonderful and have their little hearts bursting full of (Mickey, Pooh, Ariel, etc.) love. BUT OF COURSE YOU, CHILDFREE ADULT, KNOW THAT “MICKEY MOUSE” IS JUST AN UNDERPAID PERSON IN A VERY HOT COSTUME, SO PLEASE DON’T MAKE THIS ENDLESS LINE LONGER FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE KIDS WHO ARE STILL IN THAT “MAGIC IS REAL” PHASE.
I mean, I’m not going to ban them from doing it or whatever, but it is weird. Last time we were at Disney, about half of the people in line for character meet and greets were childless adults. I have absolutely no idea what they’re getting out of them and will frankly enjoy Disney more myself once my kids age out of the meet and greet phase.
/end rant.
I hear you! We just got back from taking our 5 year old to Disney and there were so many adults in line to meet Ralph, Vennelope, etc. I’m pretty sure it’s for the Instagram
Those adults were in those lines far before instagram was invented. Anyone is allowed to meet Mickey, etc. Why should it be reserved for people with Kids only? I see plenty of parents posing for pics with Mickey, etc. You have to remember not everyone got to go to Disney as a child. Some want to meet Mickey because they never have before…let them live ! Stand in line, don’t like it, too bad. Those adults paid for the full Disney experience. The world doesn’t have to cater to people who have kids. That’s just ridiculous.
@jva, I’m not on instagram, so it wouldn’t have occured to me, but you’re probably right!
@ME, Like I said, I wouldn’t ban childfree adults from doing the character meet and greets, but I’m allowed to find it weird and creepy BECAUSE IT IS.
I loathe any amusement parks, my husband had to take the kids into Disney and I read by the pool. Just not my thing. And I would never wait in long lines for a ride! Sounds hellish.
I couldnât afford Disney while raising my 3 children as a single Mom.
But I took all of us to Disney World for four days a few years ago and we had the time of our lives! The youngest in our group was 24.
We witnessed sooo many families there with little tots in strollers that had no clue what was going on. There really is such a thing as being too young to enjoy the parks.
Maybe a compromise now and then ~ all children/strollers out by 4:00; then let us adults and âchildlessâ freaks in from 4:00 till Midnight!
We did a family trip to Disney last year and my SIL instituted a schedule for her kids that worked great. Up in the morning, breakfast, park for 2-3 hours (with fast pass that was usually 2 rides a day, the kids saw the Magic Kingdom over a week), lunch at the park, back to hotel for a nap. Then the kids either went to the pool with an adult, or spent their afternoon in the hotel’s daycare service. The afternoons were for the adults to go back to the park, or go golfing, or whatever we wanted to do. It was a great trip, everyone got to do something they wanted to do, and the kids avoided major meltdowns. The kids also had a great time, and experienced about as much of Disney as their toddler brains could handle. We’re planning on going back when they’re a little older to do other parts of the park like Epcot and Animal Kingdom. For childfree me, as nice as it was to see the wonder and excitement on my nieces and nephew’s faces, my favorite parts of the trip were getting to visit the park without the kids. It’s just a different experience and I had more fun without the responsibility of making sure no little ones died on a rollercoaster or something.
My partner and I are childless frequent Disney people (we have annual passes) and to be honest, sometimes it seems like fewer and fewer families have a good time there. We’ll see people with 3+ kids who have spent a grand or so most likely just to get in the park and I think the stress of spending so much causes this frayed nerve energy. On busy days we’ll often get pushed out of the way by families, ankled by strollers trying to move us forward etc. The worst part is seeing parents take the stress out on the kids. I don’t want to count the times I’ve seen parents scream right in their kids’ faces when the kid starts to get upset. Also I’ve noticed that parents will be the most likely to do dodgy stuff to game the system, like they will often put one kid in a line while everybody else does other things and then the group of 10+ jumps in line right before it starts, or parents will just straight up cut the line with their kid claiming the rest of the family is closer in the line. I think the families that seem to have the best time are when the parents were previously adult childless Disney goers and they enjoy the park as much as the kids.
A lot of it is the stress from expectations, isn’t it? I bet parents are sold this idea that Disney is going to be absolutely magical and wonderful, and they get there and the reality sinks in. You’re spot on with the whole observation about money. I think that the number of grown ups misbehaving at Disney FAR outnumbers the children who misbehave lol.
I went to Epcot last year and I canât imagine a kid enjoying it. The best rides are meant for older kids at a minimum, the only cutesy ride is the Frozen one, and the world pavillion is meant for sampling booze.
I love Disney! I waited til my daughter was about 6 or 7 before I took her though for the first time. Sheâs now 25 and we donât go during the summer or during the day. We go at night when there are fewer people and the lines are shorter. Last time we went was about two years ago and sheâs already paid for our gift cards to go in the Fall. We have so much fun together.
Childless people complain about kids in adult spaces all the time so do we really need to care what this lady’s old facebook post has to say?
I forgot to mention that guido_pella is fn hot!
I can’t believe more people aren’t talking about Pella’s hotness, honestly. He’s one of my faves.
He is! I’d ride him, many times!
+100. It’s bonkers. But people love to complain and love to repeatedly put themselves into situations they know they won’t enjoy so they get to complain more. So weird.
Yeah I mean…the world really isn’t set up to be kid friendly in any respect, especially in the United States I feel. There’s such a huge emphasis on parents constantly being attached to their kids at all times. And god forbid if you leave them on their own for about five seconds so that you can go get something done. Is it any surprise that so many parents feel forced to bring their kids along everywhere, when as a culture we’re really at a point where we make parents feel guilty for not being attached to them at all times?
Lmao oh hey Lady, SO sorry that the lines caused your child to pitch a s-t fit. Kids throw tantrums anywhere at anytime, and trust me no one else wants to hear your child being an entitled brat either .
Maybe she was jealous of having to deal with an irate child and the fact that she doesnât have the luxury of being child free herself? I donât think I can eye roll any harder without popping one out of socket right now đđ
Disneyland and Disney World are not the same. Disneyland is easily manageable with small children. We took my younger son when he was 2 to Disneyland and he loved it. Not all little kids are sniveling brats. Some are actually fun and enjoyable lol.
We waited without incident in a 45 minute line to get to see Mickey Mouse in Mickeyâs house and he was SO happy when he finally met Mickey Mouse. Totally worth it even having to stand in line with all of those child free adults… (kidding!)
Ali, when I went to Disneyworld, it was an exact replica of Disneyland. The only difference is that Disneyworld has all the other parks like Epcot. We just made sure to take our little girl to just one park per day: Epcot on one day and Disneyworld on another. This was almost 20 years ago, so maybe things have changed in Florida since then.
The rides were mostly the same but Disneyland felt smaller to me than Magic Kingdom (I just looked up the park names. Iâve always called Magic Kingdom âDisneyâ). Maybe it was the lack of humidity that made it seem easier to walk from one side to the other đ
And even if some children are snivelling brats–they are still kids. I’m not going to go ape on a child that’s probably still getting to grips with concepts like patience and learning to wait, lol. And I’m saying this as a child-free adult. I’ll save my disgust and ire for the grownups who queue up at the DMV and or the customer service at Costco and scream at the people working there for taking too long when they’re the ones who are bad at managing their time.
What should be banned from Disney amusement parks (and maybe planet earth in general) are strollers. Women pushing strollers like they own the world, like they aren’t using their children as weapons and/or shields everywhere they go.
I’ve seen stores that are smaller or have narrow aisles have signs out front that say “NO STROLLERS”.
Restaurants, too.
Childfree by choice here………..I’ll go anywhere I darn please.
This is old and I’m not sure why we’re still litigating this, but I didn’t get to go to Disney as a kid. I went for the first time as a 30-year-old with my husband’s family. They continue to go every year, and the “kids” are now in their early 20s. Not sure why anyone would have a problem with their family vacation. People are selfish idiots.
First of all, Disneyâs largest market by far is childless adults. LOOK IT UP.
Second of all, Waltâs welcoming speech on the day Disneyland opened stated âTo ALL who come to this happy place, WELCOME.â His literal and specific goal was to make a place that adults and children could enjoy alike and together. Again, look it up.
For all of you that are commenting about how âweirdâ that is, there are literally millions of us, and the parks were created for EVERYONE. You guys can travel internationally and Iâll go to Disney. Thatâs fine with me. PEOPLE LIKE DIFFERENT THINGS AND ITS OK.
The woman who made that rant is an entitled loser who needs to get a grip and a life. I have a six year old child and I wouldn’t dare tell child free men/women where they could go and what they could not do. Amusement parks including Disney are for everyone. She really has a lot of nerve. I haven’t taken my son to disney yet, but I am trying to teach him not to have a sense of entitlement and to know that sometimes he will just have to wait. This woman obviously never learned that. Oh and I am a millenial. So she can stfu with bashing my generation as well as bashing child free people. Yes kids have tantrums and it is annoying, but child free people are not to blame for that.
Single child free here, and probably will stay that way the rest of my life.
I visited California Adventure Park last week, went with a couple of my friends and their 2 children. Yes, I was looked at when I was moved up the line for being a single rider, or sometimes people didnât even want to join me on rides cause I was alone. Anyway, I still had a blast. People need to stop shaming single people for enjoying the park.
As for the lines, those are hell but we bought Fast pass which are 15 dollars plus your regular ticket. (Not sure why people are saying those are free) and finally, everything is app driven now. You can order food through the Disney app, so if you donât want to wait in line for a pretzel, grab the app, order and it tells you where to pick your order up without having to wait that long.
Yeah. There are so many ways to make the Disney experience so much easier. You can get Fast passes. If you’re a family with a stroller, you can get stroller passes too, and both of those go a long way towards making the lines shorter.
Fastpasses are free. You paid $15 for maxpass. Maxpass lets you download fastpasses to your app. If you didnât have maxpass, you would have to go to the kiosks near the ride to get a fastpass.
Took my daughter when she was 13 WE loved it ..went again when she turned 20 WE loved it!! Itâs Disney expect long lines and teach ur kids patience
Nailed it.
Kids donât know better, but parents sure should.
I’ve never been to Disney World or Land in the US, but I did go to Euro Disney twice growing up since I’d go to France every summer to visit family. I’m pretty sure it rained the two times we went and the lines were often long. I was old enough to deal with it and I had fun on the rides I went on but I don’t have this amazing memory of “I want to go again as an adult!” I’m probably one of the few people who doesn’t have a strong desire to visit Disney World mostly because I hate crowds and I’m not a fan of roller coasters or long lines. People act like my parents committed a crime when I tell them I’ve never been to Florida or been to Disney World. But I was spending my summers in France visiting family and doing cool things like visiting Monet’s garden or Mont-Saint-Michel or the castles in the Loire Valley (which we actually visited because I requested since I saw a bunch of pictures of Chambord and was like we need to go visit this!). I don’t think I missed much by not going to US Disney.
I think childfree adults going to Disney World is just fine though and I don’t think it’s weird. My friend got engaged at Disney World at the Beauty and the Beast show (her husband used to work there and pulled some strings) and I thought it was cute.
Sheâs the one that didnât want to wait in line to get a pretzel.
Sometimes kids are inconvenient like when they get hungry and need a snack after walking around a hot amusement park all day. Suck it up and feed your child instead of blaming other paying customers.
I have 4 kids and my dream is to leave them at home for a day so my husband and I can go to Epcot.
I wish Disneyland would be ban all STROLLERS. Yeah, I said it. If your kid can’t walk, then leave them at home or come back when they are at an age where they not only can walk the majority of the time but they will have some memories of it. The strollers are becoming too much. There are so many strollers that they block the walk ways (see Adventure Land & Pirates of the Caribbean area) and it’s creating a hazard. I know they put in place new “rules” about strollers before Star Wars land open but frankly, all should be ban- unless it’s the actual park stroller that you rent. Those are small enough.
SUSTAINED. When I was there two weeks ago there seemed to be a competition going on for “Who Can Park the Biggest Stroller In Front of a No Strollers Sign.” Like people were backing in these strollers the size of a 1950s Buick with a tailfin and sh-t. Just oblivious.
I read the womanâs rant. It was all calling women sluts, whores and the C word. Truly vile misogynistic nonsense. Iâm disheartened that the press are taking her slut-shaming. body-shaming rant seriously. Her rant has less to do with Disney and more to do with the fact she obviously hates and resents young childless women.
And the whole pretzel thing was ridiculous – she talked about how she should have slapped the pretzel out of the hand of a woman who did queue up for it, just because she wasnât prepared to queue herself?
So Disney spends all that time and money sucking you in as a child and youâre suddenly supposed to shut it off when you turn a certain age? If adults were to suggest child-free days or say after 8pm itâs time for kids to go home, parents would go ape-shit. So, no. Theme parks are for everyone.
I say ban kids under 6 years of age. There literally isn’t anything for them in an amusement park since everything is too dangerous and not suitable. They’re also just too goddman young to actually understand anything or remember anything in fact. What is the actual point. Wait till your kid starts school at least and then take them.
I agree and itâs kind of a waste of time and money to take pre school age children. I went when I was ten and it was a perfect age.
Sorry, but I disagree. Banning young children from a park with many rides intended specifically for them is as ludicrous as banning childless adults. I have four kids and have taken them several times to Disneyland and the most magical age was always 4-6 years old. That said, we came prepared for fatigue, weather and long lines â and certainly didnât expect any special treatment. Also, what about families where some children are older than 6, but one is younger? Should they have to find a babysitter while on vacation to watch their child?
Eh. My parents took me and brother individually on our 4th birthday. But there was one condition- no stroller! We had to walk, which we did as my dad likes to point out (although I’m pretty sure there was carrying later on and I have one photo of me on my dad’s shoulders). We did the same for my niece two years ago & she was able to go on 90% of the rides. And she walked…most of the time because I’m a softy and I carried for the last two hours.
This is a little ridiculous, no? There is more to Disney than just the rides. There are people in costume as characters, and that’s a big hit with kids. There are restaurants and experiences and merch and things like that. And it’s only really kids under the age of 6 who can look at an actor in costume and still think they’re the actual character. I’m all for adults enjoying Disney theme parks, but the whole notion of the company is and always will be geared towards children.
They don’t allow adults without children into Lego Land here in Toronto, Canada.
Adults unaccompanied are only allowed to go one day of the week.
I learned this first hand. And was shocked at the policy.
The rides and attractions at LEGO Land are largely for younger children and I’d say that LEGO is more of a toy, less of a story/character based experience.
I’m aging my ass by writing this but here goes…. (in my best Sofia Golden Girls voice) Picture this, Orlando Florida, 1978, 7 year old HK9 is taken to Disney by her Jamaican mother. 7 year old HK9 waits in line for two hours for most of the rides because that’s what Disney is like. 7 year old HK9 knows better than to try Ena (Jamaican, take no shit on any day ever Mom,) with any kind to tantrum, because I know she’ll take me out, right there in line. Disney is about waiting to see fun stuff. That’s just what it’s like. I know the kid in question is 3, but it is what it is, and if you’re not up for it, wait until the little bundle of joy is a bit older.
HK9, goes back to Disney in 2011 single with no kids with my brother and my nephew. I had a FANTASTIC time, and I give no f-ks about anyone who thinks I shouldn’t be there.
I definitely think kids should go to Disney only when they’re old enough to wait in line patiently and ONLY when they’re old enough to understand that going to Disney is a huge deal that a lot of kids never get to experience. They need to be thankful !
Yeah, I think if you’re really insistent on going with a three year old (and no shade there, I think people of all ages should be able to enjoy Disney), then you should really tailor your expectations accordingly, y’know? Try to find a few things that you know your kid will really enjoy, hit those spots, bring plenty of food and water, and be prepared to call it a day early if need be. And most kids are just happy to be there, they really only get annoyed or fussy if they’re hungry, tired, sick etc.
And at the end of the day, kids are going to be kids. I think expecting them to have the same type of patience as adults is a huge ask. They’re simply not capable of that at their age. I was a relatively well-behaved child, but even I had a limit at some point. The big difference was, my parents knew those limitations, planned accordingly, and we all had a good time.
The definition of family varies so widely so enjoy Disney world/land or wherever else as your heart desires.
I know I shouldn’t waste my sympathy on a woman like this. And yet, when I read her rant, I really did feel bad for her. Not because I agree with her stupid rant, which I think is focused entirely on the wrong target, but because she sounds like an overstressed mother who needs a break and isn’t getting one. I don’t have children myself. But parenting, especially a three year old, is HARD. And if you’re on vacation? At a place like Disneyland? The crowds alone give me hives. As a grown-up, I know that my poorest behaviour is when I’m tired, overstimulated, and hungry, with nothing but overpriced options for food. But when you’re a three year old who is all of those things, and also lacking the ability to regulate your emotions? Oof.
THAT being said, her insisting that this experience is the fault of childless women is just wrong. My sympathy for her only extends as far as her obvious parenting woes. She’s allowed to feel overwhelmed, but she’s taking out her anger and frustration at people who are not at fault for anything, simply because she needs a visible victim and a target, and young childless millenials are probably it for her. She sounds like the kind of mom who’d ask to speak to the manager because some poor fifteen year old fast food worker forgot to give her napkins or something. People like this always think that other people going about, enjoying their lives, is some kind of affront to them personally. It’s really stupid.
I’ve been to Disneyland many times, as a child and an adult, with and without children (ha ha enjoyed it more without kiddos). However, after working as a vendor to Disney, I’ll never give that company another dime of my money. Truly an awful company that disrespects employees and vendors.
My parents don’t like theme parks so I never went to Disney as a kid. My husband and I (childfree) went for my 30th birthday so I could finally see what all the fuss was about. There’s plenty of stuff for all ages, and a lot of it is clearly aimed at adults (food/wine fests, RunDisney marathons) and therefore possibly easier to do if you *don’t* have little ones with you. There are things to dislike (lines, heat, expense) about the parks but they’re not related to age; we saw groups of all kinds (toddlers to teens, young adults to the elderly, mixed generations and not) enjoying themselves. To suggest that Disney is only for children is absurd and to limit access to only certain kinds of families would be discriminatory.
Childfree couple I know went on a Disney cruise. I thought they were nuts because I would never choose to do that. That said, this woman was just rage tweeting out of frustration and not logic.
Why take a toddler to Disney unless it’s the parents who really want to go and don’t have a babysitter? If the trip is for the little one, guess what? He’ll have absolutely no recollection of it. It’s too hot, too crowded, too long of a day and calling it sensory overload is an understatement. Of course he’s going to have a melt down at some point. If you’ve been in the presence of a 3 year old for a day, you know they have melt downs. Wait til they’re 7 or 8 when they can appreciate it, remember it and are less likely to have a melt down or run away from their parents every time they see something new and shiny.
My first time at Disney, I was 8 years old. I remember waiting in line for the Dumbo ride. And the 4 year old behind me in line was beating on her dad and screaming. Probably for all the above reasons.
I hesitated writing this because I didn’t want to parent-shame, but Disney Debbie said some pretty horrible s–t about an innocent woman who by her account simply waited in line for food and wore shorts because it’s hot AF there. And this childless adult is not childless by choice. Debbie was a dick. So. Fair game.
The lady who wrote the post was definitely in a toddler induced spiral. Iâve been to Disneyland twice with younger kids and honestly the lines werenât that bad. My kids were so happy to be there that they didnât complain once. We went to Tokyo Disney a couple of years ago (with our now adult children) and those lines were insane. I didnât have a meltdown but we didnât get to do as much with some lines being a 2 1/2 hour wait. The toy story ride also maxed out their fast passes in under an hourâ-totally booked for the entire day.
I absolutely plan to go back to Disneyland without small kids, and Iâlol be getting a pretzel.
I did Disney with my oldest when she was little and I am hoping to take my hubby there one day as he’s never been. We are young to have all but one of our kids moved out but I am really, really, looking forward to going and doing the things I want to do without kids. It was great with them but I am stoked to go on the big rides. I am a scary ride nut and she was too little to take on them when I took her.
Oh wait, I suppose my whole family could go now since she is now 26 and my ‘baby’ is almost 18. The whole family would be kidless technically…….
Disney parks are for everyone and tbh that mom needs to control her kid a little better. A pretzel is not the end of the world and having been to DW they sell those mickey pretzels everywhere.
Some parents these days just let their kids walk all over them. I was recently in an orthopedic doctors office and one woman was letting her young kid (Iâd say he was about 3 or 4) run amok without pants in the office. She was with an elder female who I assume was the grandmother and a young girl who was about ten or so. The girl sat quietly, and the grandmother kept smiling at his antics, he was yelling, he was running into people (elders included), he ran around the chairs and even at one point ran out the doors. It was at that point that his mom finally intervened because I guess she didnât want him to play in traffic?
The grandmother smiled at me as the kid continued to run around and I just rolled my eyes. No itâs not cute and put some pants on that kid because a doctorâs office isnât your house.
I donât dislike children in the slightest, I just dislike the parents who donât discipline their kids when the kid is in that test to see how far I can go with my behavior stage.
Aside from the fact that anyone should be able to enjoy themselves how they want….
This childless Millennial first went to Disney at 22, because she was from the other side of the world…. it was never going to be a family childhood destination for me (and I grew up early 90s Disney Renaissance period – so it was my DREAM vacation as a kid)
Then I went last year as a 29 year old with my family (my parents & sister) so that we could finally experience the place as a family.
Everyone has their reasons for doing things (or not doing things) when they do.
Also the Guardians of the Galaxy ride was THE BEST…. (and funnily enough, that lady’s 3 year old would not have been big enough to go on anyway)
I’ve lived in FL for 14 years, 7 years I was 2 hours away from Orlando. Have never been to Disneyworld. Just seems like too much trouble, too expensive, too many kids. I keep telling myself I should go at least once but I never get motivated enough to do it. Or don’t care enough.
I was just at DW last weekendâan adults only girls trip. Iâm child free, the others have kids they left at home and we had a blast! We nabbed fast passes for the rides we wanted and spent time at the pool, as well as making a pub crawl âaround the worldâ at Epcot. It was literally the hottest day of the year (100 degrees?) and I felt sorry for all the parents pushing strollers or lugging around 3 or 4 kids. The kids would have been way happier at the pool!
I grew up in SoCal and regularly went to Disneyland. We had annual passes – back when it was affordable. As a childless millennial, I still go to Disneyland.
Letâs start by banning unvaccinated crotchgoblins. Itâll shorten the lines AND improve public health.
The person who wrote that is clearly suffering from both mom derangement syndrome and mom entitlement syndrome. Having a baby or being a mom doesnât mean everyone else should cater to you or your kids. Ugh.
Wow, she comes across as a big mouthed selfish witch. I feel sorry for her spouse.
Disney has been marketing to this group intentionally in the last few years: concert series/festivals, food & wine festival/garden festival at Epcot, marathons, retail… They’re not stupid, childless singles have cash to spend. I keep my FL resident seasonal pass and I pay for one year access what the average tourist pays for about 3 day park hopper pass. I grew up in Florida and they hosted Project Graduation. when I graduated… free trip to Disney and they kept the park open all night just for just for FL graduating seniors (do they still do this? Was a fabulous night and I loved it.) I still go back to hit up the food & wine festival every year.
That’s exactly a place for parents to be parents and teach their kids about self regulation skills, being able to wait and handle disappointments etc. Banning kid free adults from Disney World is just as stupid as is requirement to ban kids from all restaurants everywhere. And grocery store. Because they make kid free adults life more difficult. World doesn’t work that way. Life isn’t always easy. Deal with it and teach your kids to deal with if if you decide to get kids. That skill is life saving for them later.
My stepdaughter and I really want to go to the Star Wars and Harry Potter theme parks together. We’re all adults, and no, we have not sold our souls to any brand.
Harry Potter and Star Wars are among the things we shared and bonded over when they were little. It’s entirely about the role that played in our lives together. Who could have a problem with that?
We went to our cabin in the Rockies for three weeks every year when I was growing up. I am glad. Now that I am 44, guess where we go…Rockies. I am glad that we spend our vacation funds on our family cabin. With that, it is your money, go where you please.
We were poor and I never had that kind of vacation time in my job. So we read books together, played games at home, watched movies and made big homemade dinners, went to the beach. Family bonding is family bonding. It is not a contest.
I’m a millennial who grew up watching disney. Snow White was one of my first VHS tapes and The Lion Ling still remains my favorite movie. Why shouldn’t I be allowed to enjoy a theme park dedicated to my favorite films? This woman is a germ
I just came to read the comments of the defensive people preaching their side of why they think they get the short stick….