Post #444533 by Kiki von Tiki on Fri, Apr 3, 2009 12:24 AM

It's great to hear that people are going and having fun. I have annual passes for my daughter and myself and we go probably about once a month. The best thing about the passes is they take the pressure off to have to do everything at the park in one day - you can always come back another time!
I will tell you this for certain about going with kids, they are a pain in the keister! My daughter likes to start the day by arguing with everything I say. Then she moves on to complaining about everything she's experiencing. After several hours of too many people, too many lines, and too many OTHER people's whining kids on top of the crap from my own, it's easy to lose it. Don't get me wrong, there are days when we have a happy sunshiney fun blast of a day (actually most of the time), and there are days that just suck like a black hole. Usually the more people there (like now during spring break) the worse it gets. Happy place or not, that's just life with kids, and Disneyland is a place where people take their kids, so ya gotta get past it.

I admit I have taken my daughter firmly by the arm and hauled her ass to the sidelines to have a "serious" talk with her about her behavior, and threatened to "leave right now" between clenched teeth. I love ya honey, but if you don't shut up, I'll have to take you out! (just kidding- please don't email me about what a crappy parent I am). BUT, there is absolutely no excuse to ever, ever punch, shake, or put your kid in lock down. I think if I saw that, I would say something to the parent, then they can be pissed at ME instead of their kid. I do think people get under pressure to try and do too much and their kids don't get naps, or eat right, or even eat at all (those hot dog tidbits could be beacuse the darling refused to eat their own food earlier), or go to bed on time because they're trying to do too much in the day. It's sad to see for sure. But kids get way stressed out too by all the same stuff adults do, they just don't have any coping mechanisms. Parents should be better equiped to handle it. Thank god I can go over to California Adventure and get a beer and chill! Mommy needs her medicine! :wink: Then we go on California Screamin'! Wheeeee! And it's all better. I say, let's put the FUN back into the disfunctional family!

So for me the one thing that Disneyland doesn't do right is manage all the people they let in the gate every day. The lines to get in the gate, the lines for rides, the lines for food, the lines for the bathroom. It makes me cranky just thinking about it. I would be happier if they just had a lower daily "maximum occupancy" and then the people inside might actually enjoy themselves more. If I didn't get in on busy days, then so be it. I can go back another time. People who are on vacation should allow more time because it does get REALLY crowded during peak seasons. Learn how to really work the Fast Pass System and you're half way there. Take a kid with you that has a special assistance pass and you're home free! No lines for rides! Whooo! But ya still have the kid issues, regardless.

[ Edited by: Kiki von Tiki 2009-04-03 00:28 ]