That being said, I don't think we can put it off much longer. I always keep that old saying in mind: "Be nice to your children, for they shall pick thy nursing home."

@RandomZero: oops, broken tag. That was supposed to say that this was what came to my mind.

@squinko - is pretending there's a star: Yeah,

[www.catastrophegirl.com]

and when the parents showed up at 10pm looking for their kids to be waiting outside the building where they told them to wait, they were sooo mad because the kids weren't right there. the kids were inside, supervised.
outside the building, waiting for the parents was a sheriff's deputy who charged them with child endangerment.
bonus credit to mike, the security guard, who managed to communicate with two little boys for 7 hours entirely through gestures. [he already had three of his own at home]

I caught onto it the first time I saw it in action, then read about the practice in a trade magazine. Rather sickening, and it soured me on the whole Disney experience. Sell.... Sell.... Sell.... Sell.... *barf*

@squinko - is pretending there's a star: I have a friend that works as a blackjack dealer in a casino, and they end up picking up kids every night who have been abandoned by their parental units, since it's more worthwhile to sit in front of slot machine instead...

@philipbarrett: My parents took the whole family to Disneyworld when I was 12, and I wasn't impressed. I was actually deeply cynical about the whole thing. I was a precocious kid & like kacee up there my parents were trying to educate me about marketing messages my whole childhood. Plus, I was (am) a tomboy and there weren't a lot of female Disney characters that appealed to me.

I enjoyed trips back home in NJ to Six Flags more (better roller coasters, imo, at the time). Also, in the same trip we went to Disney, we also went to Sea World (loved it) and the Kennedy Space Center (LOVED IT!!!!). THAT was a magical place I'm always trying to find an excuse to go back to.

They actually fill their Christmas store in Magic Kingdom with a very delicious smell all year round and I've never heard anyone complain. (If I stay in there too long and inhale like a stoner sniffing paint, it can give me a headache. But then I just move to another part of the store and I'm fine.)

"Oh, you wanted to return something you bought here yesterday? Sorry, you need to create an appointment before we can help you."

"Oh, you need to exchange this shirt for a different size? I'm afraid you'll have to come back when you have an appointment."

Apple stores piss me off.

@meg9: you guys must post on stupidguesttricks.com, don't you? ;-)

There's only so much Disney stuff one can buy. They actually should have spent more money developing more useful (but branded) products, not kitsch. You know, things like furniture, bedding, towels, etc. etc. and instead of letting stuff go on mega sale, they should have better prices up front.

"We think it might be cheaper, and just as effective, if they simply build American Girl facades and hide the Disney stores inside."

Kudos for that one!

If you live someplace where you'd have to take time off and put people up in hotels and forego what other vacation the family might have to do it? No. It's not a parent's obligation to give a kid every single enjoyable experience there is.

Yes. Yes it does.

I went for the first time last summer (I'm 19) with my girlfriend. Loved it. I can't wait to go back. I'm mad at my parents for not taking me!

On days off, my friends and I would go into downtown Orlando, just to see things like cigarrette butts and real dirt.

Pass.

@philipbarrett: Depends.. did you go there yourself and first invite the kids, but then later say something similar to, "NOT! We're going without you!"?

It happened to me.. *Sigh*

My dad still hasn't lived it down.

I kind-of forgive him now because he was not in the right state of mind back then (I was 9). But I do take the opportunity to jab him for it whenever it comes up.

I'll make it to Disneyworld eventually.

I have been surprised how common these issues are among the kids. Start spraying that stuff in a store, and any kid with issues like this - can't walk in the door.

Where's Whitney Houston when you need her? She'd take care of that in a heartbeat.

I can do without the headaches or allergic reactions, thanks.

@Saltillopunk: Yep, they stopped doing that about the same time that the Warner Brother's store went out of business.

I miss that store...

@calquist: I imagine the high markup on their stuff might make it worth it to them.

I will be pushing the birthday button though.

@squinko - is pretending there's a star: I probably would too if I worked at a high volume place like that.

My old job was a small business and we gave private lessons. So it was hard to draw the line between "Dropping kid off for lessons" and "taking advantage of free babysitting" I did call parents that were taking advantage of me though.

One time I had a woman leave her 3 year old son with us because his sisters were taking lessons. She didn't speak very good English so I called the father at work, and told him what happened. She came back and picked up the son, but boy was the dad pissed.

They later worked around this by signing the son up for lessons : /

I let her watch some Disney movies, so I'm not anti-Disney (in fact kudos to them for their early adoption of same-sex spousal benefits), but as a parent I do not respond well to tricks to get my kid to consume consume consume.

So...backfire fail +1.

Mt g/f is obsessed with Ariel. The few times we venture into a mall and wander by one, I have to physically restrain her from going in, spending money she doesn't have on knick knack crap she doesn't need/goes against on us saving for the house next year.

The term "fairy princess crack pipe" is the greatest description of a Disney Store I've ever heard. Keep it up.

@uncle moe:

Will they have discounts for Florida Residents?

And the scents? I'm thinking instant headache for me on those alone. Sorry, Disney store. I'll shop for the nieces elsewhere.

These things are made with a variety of toxic chemicals and synthetic scents. They can give everything from headaches to nausea and even asthma attacks or anaphylaxis.

Dear gawd. Now my GF will *never* want to leave the mall.

Wow.. I already thought that the Disney store was sensory overload.

I have to admit though.. I want to see it.

@squinko - is pretending there's a star: I can vouch for that.. I know of parents that used to leave their kids in my waiting room at my old job.. sometimes for a couple of hours. And there is NOTHING to do there.

Receptionist does not = free baby sitter.

I wish I had a magic mirror.

Almost none of my toys had batteries when I was a kid.

I think this will cause me to avoid the stores. Not that I hate Disney. My family has always been big with Disney stuff.

But if there is one thing I hate about Disney rides, it's the ones that incorporate what I call Smell-O-Vision. These are the rides or shows that puff scents at you to add to the experience. They make me want to hurl.

@uncle moe: @uncle moe: @cabjf:

Places don't have to be lavish for neglectful parents to abandon their kids there for a few hours. See: anywhere that has a video game console demo unit.

I say if the child has been there over an hour and there aren't any parents in sight, you should call the police and report an abandoned child. When the parents come back to get the kid and find out they have to go to the station to get them, they may think twice before leaving their kid unsupervised again (you hope they would at least).