Originally Posted By Kimrue I'm a mom of a family of 5, including my husband and myself...two girls one boy. I've never noticed until now, but how GIRLy IS WDW????!!!! Where are the pirate character dinners, buzz and woody character meals, hec, what about cars or SOMETHING character meals that is more geared towards my son, or anyone else's son for that matter. My sister is having her third son and she has an older daughter, she said, in about 4 years she'll have NO reason to visit wdw with her family because her three boys will not have any interest as far as theming...she's right! Anyone else agree?
Originally Posted By Lisann22 Yep and it's not just WDW, it's pretty much the same at DL too. It's a bit better with the whole Pirates merchandising, and the revamping of Tom Sawyer Island. I'm so done with all the Princesses!
Originally Posted By nbodyhome I am glad all that princess stuff wasn't so popular when I was a kid. I'd not have gone for it at all. Denise
Originally Posted By DlandDug Over at Disney Hollywood Studios there's the Jedi Training Academy. We have that at Tomorrowland in Disneyland. As far as the MK goes, I really don't know. We took the DizKid there, and his major observation was that Under New Management is a travesty. (Love that guy!)
Originally Posted By TDLFAN I would not call WDW "girly", but INFANTILE. Almost anything they are doing at the theme parks is geared more for the kids than adults. From the BBBoutique, to the Jedi Training thing, to the many character meals... everything is for kids. It's obvious the powers running these parks feel the only reason why adults go there is because they have kids, or instead, they use the kids incentive to be a way to lure adults (with kids) to go there.
Originally Posted By hopemax Well, I will give you the answer that was given at a NFFC seminar last weekend. I wasn't there (my Dad was), so I don't know the woman's name but it's the person who came up with the BBBoutique. When she was asked this question she said, "I'm so glad you asked, for boys we have our great Pirates merchandise line, of which 70% is geared to boys!" However, apparently Disney is getting all their ideas from Starbucks these days. Same seminar, lady explaining the Goofy Candy Company concept...see Starbucks sells more than just coffee. They expanded into pastries and other food items, and music and other things, so they copied that. They not only have packaged candy but "create your own snack" and then they have the Disney line of coffee, with coffee counters coming soon. So get Starbucks to focus on young boys and I guarantee Disney will do it too! (Can you tell how impressed my Dad was with this seminar).
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost Let me interject this for the heck of it. You are assuming that boys would give two winks about character breakfasts. Yes, there are more girly things, on the service than stuff specifically for boys but try to not feel bad for the boys. It's not very likely they would voluntarily go for that kind of think anyway. Boy's aren't heavy into theming or anything frilly. They want the Pirates or Tom Sawyers Island, Splash Mtn., Thunder Mtn, etc. Believe me, they will still be interested in going even without the "special" stuff. It's a whole different set of hormones.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<You are assuming that boys would give two winks about character breakfasts. Yes, there are more girly things, on the service than stuff specifically for boys but try to not feel bad for the boys. It's not very likely they would voluntarily go for that kind of think anyway.>> Exactly. A boy would puke if you made him pose with 'Captain Jack's' arm around his shoulder so you could take a picture. Plus I doubt parents would pay for junk like that for their boys. When it comes to frivolous spending people always spend more on their daughters than their sons.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Another way of asking this question is this: Does Walt Disney World have more of a feminine appeal or more of a masculine appeal. My sisters and I discussed the matter--recently--and decided that it really depends on each individual guest and THEIR personal tastes and preferences. You really can't speak for the masses in this instance. The Disney theme parks are whatever each individual guest makes of it. If you're natrually inclined to go for the Princesses--as my sister Orwen does--then she might feel the parks are 'girly'. But if you were to ask a more butch-like sister--such as Orgoch--she would say there's plenty for a more masculine type female to enjoy. Tom Sawyer Island is where she prefers to hang out. After all, hunting for bull frogs all day long isn't exactly a very feminine thing to do.
Originally Posted By Kimrue ...I don't know, my son is 3 1/2 and he would love to pose with a pirate or buzz light year! I know I'll hear it for this, but I'm also glad they have the princess stuff, my girls love it. My son loves animals and they have this breakfast safari, only for concierge guests...DRAT! He would've loved that....I just feel they could really gear things towards the boys too. I think boys of a certain age would definately age out of the character meal idea, but as for the little ones, I think they would love it. My son also likes the princesses, I guess from being around two girls and having a girly mom, he thought he should get used to it.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 My son enjoyed dancing with Belle (as the Beast) during "Belle's Story Time" of course he was 20 at the time, and about to go on his first deployment.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost I guess I didn't communicate my thoughts very well. You have already mentioned the things that your son likes and they already exist. It is hard sometimes to separate the sexes in the sense that even though boys might like to meet Captain Jack they would put less importance on having fries with him and more on where he can get his hands on a sword and have a duel with him. The idea that there seems to be more things for "princesses" than "pirates" may be just because that is where your emphasis has been. You said that he was 3 1/2 but you were talking about the future when he will no longer be that age. As he grows, it is likely that he will become less and less willing to participate in the "special" stuff. He may still be willing to go but he, I'll bet, would be perfectly content with the rest of the stuff that Disney has to offer and not complain once about not breaking bread with the good Captain.
Originally Posted By wdwbff I don't know; I'm 51 and a mother but I wouldn't mind having a character breackfast with Johnny Depp!
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: I've got my tongue hanging out for a Tarzan dining experience--preferably a late evening meal where I get to offer myself up as the dessert. ORGOCH: Well, I hate ta tell ya, tramp, but Tarzan don't eat but two meals a day and makes sure ta skip dinners 'n desserts of all kinds--'specially the spoiled kind a desserts that comes with wrinkles and warts!
Originally Posted By Kimrue Hahahahaha! I agree, girls!!! I was so mad when they removed the tarzan stage show!!! What's up with that?! Between Jasmine and Ariel and Pocohontas, the dads get to oogle some disney characters, and the ONE we had gets the axe! Well the Jack Sparrow guy outside of pirates is a pretty good sub for Johnny Depp, but not exact! Oh gosh, now this is BAD....oogling Disney characters is just wrong on so many levels!
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 ^^^No, it's healthy! Safe fun. Years ago the guy they had playing Phoebus, over near ToT, from Hunchback. He was gorgeous.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORWEN: Oh-oh! Peoebus is ONE Disney hero whom my sister, Orddu, has bad memories over. I mean--she still thinks the world of him and all--but she'd just as soon forget all about the terrible 'cat fight' she had with Esmeralda after trying to lure Pheobus away from such a possessive gypsy woman. Orddu won't even talk about Pheobus anymore. ORGOCH: Yeah, now it's JANE the ol' tramps 'bout ta have another cat fight with. Any bets on who's gonna' win this time???
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Hmmmm...nothing is worse than a couple of sister witches talking behind their lead sister's back, is there? Anyway, I was just reading an article on a similar topic on another web-footed site. It inspired me to think that there probably could be more character merchandising done with a male type consumer in mind. For instance, I think it's high time both Animal Kingdom and Adventureland started selling Tarzan type loin cloths. Can't you just imagine going to the Disney theme park of your choice with the man in your life wearin one of those?!?! (I certainly can!)
