Sunday, May 13, 2012

Disney

Back when I was a kid, which seems like eons ago, it was quite a big deal to go to Disneyland. What did you do there? Well, you rode mostly old (1960s) rides, roamed around the park trying to find some poor, overheated person in a Goofy or Mickey Mouse costume, and rode calm rides while your parents tried to catch their second wind.

Now, things have changed.

Going to Disneyland seems standard even among the middle class by the time you're 5 years old. It's good to stay in the adjacent Disney resort. You have to do the character breakfasts and take pictures with princesses. If you're a child (or maybe even a whimsical adult), you have to dress like a princess. They have a princess beauty parlor to get your hair done like a princess.

In other words, it's a Disney cash cow. And it teaches little girls to be a princess and to find Prince Charming. Which kind of makes me gag.

Back in my day, it was about getting your picture taken with that poor person in a Mickey Mouse costume. Now it's so much MORE. You have to applaud Disney (the company, not Walt) for making it even more of an experience where you teach your little girl to be a princess.

As a cynical adult who doesn't believe in princesses or Prince Charming, it's like a big eye roll to me. As a business major, I'm in awe of how much money people my age throw at a week at Disney so that their kids can participate in this fantasy.

My daughter knows all the names of the Disney princesses. Since I didn't teach her (and I don't know them myself), I presume this came from school. Most of her friends at school have already gone to Disneyland. I'm trying to keep her from Disney (and those stupid princesses) for as long as possible, but I'm pretty sure she's going to be asking to go to Disneyland very soon.

I'm all about amusement parks. I LOVE them! I'm just not into the Disney advertisement machine.

5 comments:

Wendy said...

Guilty as charged, seeing that M has been going to Disneyland for her birthday since she was 2... The first year, she wasn't into the princesses, last year she totally was, this year, she's most excited about Radiator Springs and Toy Story. Next year, since we'll be in Asia, we're going to Hong Kong Disney...

B said...

Guess who wants an Ariel birthday cake? It's mainly the influence of the girls in her class who have just gotten back from Disneyland.

I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with Disneyland; I just don't understand the princess marketing machine they've got going.

If we had lived near any Disney, I'm sure we'd be annual passholders. :)

What will you be doing in Asia next year? Are you adopting?

Did you have IT done? I thought it was scheduled for May.

Wendy said...

Brother is getting married. He lives in China as does his fiance's family. No more children for me. I'm good with one.

Having IT done through end of the May...

B said...

So IT is a series and not a one-time thing?

No adoption anymore? Then we have to really do it big once we get these girls off to college. You'll be bikini ready, and I can strive to be (and fail).

Wendy said...

IT is a series of 9 treatments. IT does not offer instant gratification, to my chagrin.