I've Created a Monster

A cute, little, smart, Disney loving one, but a monster no less.

Tink has been getting her regular dose of Disney her whole life (just over two years.) She insists on her Mickey, Minnie, Eeyore and Ariel dolls for naps and bedtime. Her favorite show is Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Yesterday, after she saw a little bit of a Tinkerbell movie, she was saying, "I'm Tinkerbell." (Well, yes, Baby, you are.) She travels like a champ and went to Walt Disney World for her first birthday and at 18 months.

So where's the "monster" come in? Innocently enough, I sang her the theme song from Carousel of Progress, "Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" a while back. She was still hooked on "Jingle Bells" and "Frosty the Snowman" and I was just wanting to sing something else. Tink loved the new song and started asking for it. It became a regular part of the routine, along with "Jesus Loves Me" and "You are My Sunshine." I kept the "Four Parks, One World" CDs in the kitchen radio, and she would get excited when her song would come on.

For our recent cross-country move, I put the CDs into the van's changer to have a kid-friendly (and Mama-friendly for that matter) music option ready to go. I normally try to limit her TV time but on that trip, all bets were off and she watched Disney and PBS shows for 1300 miles. We didn't really need the music much. She did ask for "Great Big Gomorrow again" a few times but no big deal.

However, on a recent trip exploring our new area, my plan of kid-friendly, calms her down music blew up in my face. We were stuck in traffic on the way over to the beach (crying for me, aren't you?) and the toys and such that I could reach just weren't working. I turned on Tink's favorite song and she was happy. We tried to let the CD play on to its soothing Epcot background music but shortly after the end of "GBBT," my husband and I would hear "Great Big Gomorrow again" from the back seat. We'd restart the song and all was well. This went on enough times that my husband finally used the repeat feature to keep the song going on a loop. After a while, I turned off the front speakers so he and I didn't have to hear the song as clearly. Let's just say, she insisted on listening to "GBBT" all of the remainder of the trip. Yes, we could have said no, but she's done really well with all the changes we've put her through in the last few weeks and we had her way off schedule on this particular day. So we listened to "GBBT" for over 2 hours that day.

Now, any time we get in the van, that little voice from the back is asking for "Great Big Gomorrow again." Yes, I created the monster, but I just can't take that song much more.

Team Post: What would you like to change at WDW?

DisneyDad: This post requires a lot of thought. I have been going to Walt Disney World since it opened in 1971 and I have seen a lot of things change over the years. Some things for the better, others I’m not so sure. I am on an email group of DVC members and I see a lot of complaints voiced there. There are always complaints when admission prices go up. One person was complaining about the bullfrogs outside their room at Old Key West. They could not stand the noise and wanted to know why Disney didn’t do something about it. I on the other hand, stayed in almost the same room, and heard the same frogs and just absolutely loved it. It wasn’t noise; it was some of God’s most beautiful music. Restaurants change menus; attractions are updated or changed out. All in all I guess it fits with Walt’s vision that the “Florida Project” would never be completed.

My complaints:
1) Olivia’s changed menus years ago and took Key Lime White Chocolate Mousse off the menu. I still miss it.
2) Prices keep going up on everything; admission prices, room rates, food, souvenirs. Prices go up, but it keeps everything open and people working and someone making big profits.
3) The selection and quality of souvenirs, especially DVC Member merchandise. I need a new jacket with DVC Member on it and can’t find one.
4) I don’t get to go as often and stay as long as I’d like.

Ridge: We drink the Disney Kool-aid here.  We all like Disney because it is good family entertainment, the parks are clean, there is a feeling of security on the premises, free transportation while staying on resort property, and there are hundreds of DVC destinations around the world.  Is it hard to find something to complain about?  For me, it is but for others it isn't. But I thought let's find something to talk about that isn't the best. Again I have a hard time with this, but here it goes. I love the classic attractions as much as the next person, being able to share an experience with parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren but some things need to be updated and renovated. Number one on my list is the Carousel of Progress. It's a definite classic and one that Walt personally oversaw when it was being designed for the World's Fair. However, now is the time, now is the best time to update the animatronics and give everything a cleaning and polishing. The last scene is the only one that I think needs to be changed a little because the future of 1994 has come and gone.


Amy: What would I change at Walt Disney World? As a mom, I'd love to see more playgrounds within the parks. They wouldn't need to be large and the ones tucked into open and unused space at Epcot during the Flower and Garden Festival proved this is do-able. One of my big concerns for this fall's WDW trip is letting the little one burn off some energy in a safe environment. She's only a toddler so she can't run free just anywhere. Walt Disney World does have some fabulous amenities for small children, but it seems like they underestimate the number of babies and toddlers. When we took Audrey for her first birthday, the smallest "My first WDW vacation" t-shirt was in a size 3T. Seriously?!?! Look around. The first visit is much younger for lots of kids.

Time to vent a little.  What would you like to change/fix/upgrade at the Walt Disney World Resort?