Lol Disney is a cult! If you say anything bad about it people come out of the woodwork to defend the mouse. I was raised outside of the cult but I have dear friends that are a part of it. Totally rational people until you level any criticism towards Disney, which is especially crazy because most of these folks are normally anti corporate types, but Disney gets a pass for some reason.
Now, I don't enjoy amusement parks and never did, and don't feel strongly about Disney media, so it's just amusing to me, especially seeing it play out on HN
How are we even equating a State Park with theme parks like Disney? It originally was suggested as State Fairs vs Disney. At least a typical State Fair has some sort of amusement rides that tilts in the direction of a Disney level theme park. While State Fair to Disney is at least apples and oranges, State Parks to Disney is like comparing fruits to anything else unrelated.
I grew up going to Disneyland, had an annual pass in the past and still live fairly close to it; it's an easy day trip. Almost went when the new Star Wars section opened - until I started to look at the pricing. Would have been over $100 a day for tickets (!), never mind all the other costs. The last time I went tickets were in the $80 a day range and I thought that was nuts.
Obviously they are getting people to still pay it - good for them; I'm out. Too many other things to do. And it warms my heart to see Universal in Orlando really taking on the mouse. Disney has killed Star Wars and Marvel - Thor's theater receipts are an utter joke. Disney has gotten complacent and lazy; maybe a good fleecing will wake them back up.
Growing up in Kansas I never got the Disney thing either. Disney was re-running their hits in theaters decades after they were originally released, and of course knocking out Don Knotts films like "The Apple Dumpling Gang". I thought it was a generational thing — like, of course my parent's generation are into Disney.
Moving to California though I was surprised by how much traction Disney continues to get with the follow-on generations.
I went to Disney in Tokyo during COVID, when they let only 5000 people a day in. That was about the level at which I thought it was fun, but it still felt kinda busy (fastpass rides still sold out).
I have a hard time imagining anyone could enjoy it in a normal situation.
Using a fast pass is a must at Disney. Little to no wait at every ride. Additionally staying at a Disney resort let’s you stay an hour after everyone else and then even without the fast pass you cruise thru every line.
I remember doing multiple rides on the same roller coaster without giving up my seat as a teen at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. At peak times they had 20+ minute lines, but I never considered that as worthwhile.
Disney lines are horrific by comparison. It’s nice they add some theming while you wait, but you will have a far better time just skipping the rides unless you want to run to something at park open or schedule your day around fast pass.
Horror stories about the lines these days, unless you buy the extremely expensive passes that let you skip them, are why I'd hesitate to go even for free. I don't get why people pay for it. 55 minutes in a line for every 5 minutes of fun is a shit deal even if it's free, IMO. Sounds like hell.
Knott's Berry Farm on Thanksgiving used to be one of my family's best kept secrets. People have since caught on but you you used to be able to walk up to a ride and ride it within minutes.
It's been a hot minute (like 20 years), but the Maryland Six Flags used to stay open until 8 or 9 PM in the summer and I could ride the coasters with basically no wait (waterpark was closed, though).
I've been to a number of parks where it seemed like average wait times were closer to 15 minutes rather than 1-3 hours. In fact, other than Disney or Universal Studios that's generally been the norm, and for a while I would go to theme parks multiple times a year.
I got extremely lucky going to Disneyland during a massive off-peak week, right at the beginning of September but just after the Labor Day holiday. Every ride was practically walk up. The only real wait was for the new Star Wars ride which had only recently opened. My wife and I managed to see everything in both parks in a day and a half at a pretty leisurely pace.
One of the points in the article was that there are a lot more rides at Disney now. But my thought was, "yeah, but you can still only ride 5 of them in a day!"
For me it's more about just how boring state fairs are. Maybe if you have young kids that want to pet a goat or are really into fried oreos on a stick.
You said "state park" which is a very different thing than what GP was talking about. I like Disney alright but spending time in nature at a state park can be just as fun IMO. State fair though? Count me out.
Now, I don't enjoy amusement parks and never did, and don't feel strongly about Disney media, so it's just amusing to me, especially seeing it play out on HN
I'd rather go to a state park than Disney lmao