How Should You React When Someone Asks – ‘Why Disney World?’

The other day a friend of a friend asked me what I’d been up to lately, to which I excitedly responded, “I’ve been writing articles for a Walt Disney World fansite called Doctor Disney!” Obviously, I can’t expect everyone to be as excited about Disney as I am, but most who know me associate me with the Mouse and support my endeavors.

After discussing a few of the topics I have written about, this person bluntly questioned, “So how long are you going to be doing this? I mean, what will happen when you run out of Disney stuff to write about? You don’t even live there.”

An awkward silence fell. A tumbleweed rolled by. I thought I heard Jiminy Cricket chirp, but that may have just been my imagination.

I looked her straight in the face and calmly stated, “I will never run out of Disney stuff to talk about.”

And here’s why.

Walt Disney once said:

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”

The Disney Company has never been afraid to move in different directions, all the way from “Disney’s Folly” of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, to Disneyland, to the 1964 World’s Fair and development of audio-animatronics, to the Imagineering idea of “plussing,” to Magic Bands, and even to the new concepts for Avatar Land. If you’ve visited WDW, you know just how diverse the vacation can be. The vast diversity, creativity, detail and story are what drive Disney and set it apart from the rest.

With that said, there is something for everybody at all 40 square miles of WDW, whether it be roller coasters, musicals, fishing, horseback riding, fireworks, princesses, ESPN, golf, spas, concerts, NASCAR, virtual reality, beaches, dining, water parks, pirates, dancing, Cirque du Soleil, animals, arcades, drinking, parasailing, shopping, bowling, bicycling, even people-watching, all within one property and accessible through public transportation by boat, monorail, bus, or your own car.

This list could probably go on for another page and a half, or maybe forever because the possibilities are endless. Disney World is a place where your 75-year-old grandma can have just as much fun as your three-year-old nephew.

My family once spent an 11-day vacation at WDW and it was still not enough time to do and see everything that they have to offer (plus, we do have to keep to a budget). A few years ago I completed a six-month internship there and still did not conquer every restaurant, every experience, and every piece of magic that the entire resort has to offer.

Disney World is also constantly changing, even daily.

Doctor Disney would not have much to report if this was not true.

The dozens of other Disney news sites and podcasts would grow stagnant if every attraction, resort hotel, and park stayed the same.

Here are just a few examples:

The past few months, Magic Bands and FP+ have put Disney on the map as a technological achievement.

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is now open, completing New Fantasyland.

Starbucks is now serving up caffeinated deliciousness around the property. Disney gardeners plant a new tree here, or the Imagineers add a new detail there, often overnight.

Attractions are frequently refurbished. Festivals and parties like Food and Wine Festival and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party happen at various times of the year. New alcoholic Dole whips are appearing at Tamu Tamu refreshments. The Polynesian Resort lobby is being refurbished. Endless Hidden Mickeys run rampant, just waiting to be discovered. There is always something new to see and do at the parks, as well as the resort hotels and everywhere in between.

I also often get asked the question, “You’re going to Disney AGAIN? Don’t you get sick of it?”

The short answer is no, and for many of the same reasons I listed above. Some people like to go to the beach, or to Hawaii, or hike in the mountains and relax. I prefer to relax at the sandy shores of the Seven Seas Lagoon, hit up ‘Ohana, and rough it at the Fort Wilderness cabins, then take in as many attractions as I can until my legs fall off.

WDW is the same as any other favorite vacation spot that folks claim to return to year after year. I enjoy the all-inclusive experience at Disney because I know it comes with quality service, top-notch safety, and guaranteed fun. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s mine (and Royal Anandapur Tea Co. at Animal Kingdom has a fabulous selection, or if you prefer to spin, they have larger cups over at the Magic Kingdom).

To understand why people ask these kinds of questions, it’s important to understand their view on WDW. Perhaps their only memory was a Disney World vacation with little to no planning during mid-July, cranky children, sweltering weather, long lines, and tons of tour groups. Maybe at the other end of the spectrum, they haven’t been to WDW since 1985 and don’t realize that things have changed and expanded immensely. Or maybe they went and it just seriously was not what they expected it to be. Or maybe they just don’t like to have fun!

It’s also very easy to not realize the vastness of the property and what it encompasses, especially if you drive in for the day or stay outside of property. For example, some people may be surprised that the Atlanta Braves do spring training at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex or that the Grand Floridian has a Wedding Pavilion, or that some Disney restaurants require a dress code. It’s not all fanny packs and Mickey Mouse, and it’s certainly tailored to the individual.

Next time someone asks why you love Disney, what will you say?