scott_alexsk said:
Why do you like Disney so much (brace yourselves)? I mean my family likes Disney because it has such high-quality parks. We find the movies morally sound and entertaining. Are these your reasons in a nutshell?
-Scott
You'd be surprised to hear that this is actually a rather new obsession, since 2001. In addition, I am more of a fan of the theme parks, in particular, Walt Disney World (WDW), than anything else. While I like their movies, I don't have a collection of Disney movie characters or anything like that. My most favorite Disney movie is The Aristocats, and I have not a single merchandise from that movie.
So why do I like WDW then? It is a snowball effect that feeds back onto itself. Literally, to me, it is the Happiest place on earth. I get into this mindset when I'm there that I can act foolish, childish (without the temper tantrum), carefree, etc. without someone wanting me to be institutionalized. And in that mindset. I get carried along with the whole Magical theme, and I make friends with strangers very easily, especially when we're standing in line at an attraction, or if I see they have someone who is having a birthday, or a couple that is spending their honeymoon there, or people who are not familiar with the park. This makes for an even happier, magical time. That's why I said that it sort of feeds back on itself. Chatting with people while waiting for Illuminations, discussing what we did that day, what we should do, etc... etc. It's very fulfilling talking about our common likes and dislikes.
I suppose the familiarity with the park is what makes it so "homely" for me. I do feel that I'm home whenever I'm there. And with our recent purchase in the Disney Vacation Club, they literally greet you with "Welcome Home" when you show up at your resort. Gives me goosebumps everytime I hear that.
So most of my collecton has a lot to do with the theme parks, and WDW in particular. Things that reminds me of it, and the good times I had, are the ones I collect and cherish. My office at work is filled with such things, including the original Disney characters, what I call the Fab 5 - Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, Pluto. I have dozens and dozens of pictures with these characters when I'm at the parks. So they remind me more of the parks than the movies or the TV cartoons that they were in. That's why I collect their plushes and figures.
Did that answer your question? :)
Zz.
Other resorts and hotels provide free shuttles for their guests, so why shouldn't Disney? It's not like Disney owns every hotel in the area, or offers the service to people not staying at their hotels. The only difference is they pick up your luggage for you too, but even if they didn't do that, I'd use the shuttle of whatever hotel I was staying at if it was offered as part of the hotel package (unless I was planning on driving around the area a lot with a rental car). I know from past experience that it's a bigger pain to find parking for a rental car than to just get an airport shuttle and either walk or take cabs. It just means instead of taking the cab from the airport, I'll take cabs around town if I need them.
