Disney World Vacation

It depends on how you present it…I love Disney World. Its a nice, relatively wholesome place to take your family. Disney movies generally have enjoyable plots and good, moral messages that are easy for kids to understand. They also tackle tough situations (like kids losing parents) that are easier dealt with through animals or other types of characters. Then, you bring those warm fuzzy feelings and create a place with nice rides and a happy atmosphere.

But, if you become obsessed with the false outside of Disney and teach your kids that its important to look happy, but not be happy (something that you can easily learn from a place with fake characters and facades covering everything), your kids will only hear a fake message.

Most situations are not black and white, rather what you make of them.

Tough question. I’ve been to WDW many times when I was younger. I’ve never taken my family. (can’t afford to) I guess I am kind of glad, I have the excuse to give to my kids that it is really expensive and totally out of the question. As I have grown older, and hopefully wiser, I realize that it is all part of the of materialism of this world. Disney is not perfect.Like for example the “Little Mermaid” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” where they have women being auctioned off and being chased around by pirates in that exhibit. I am trying to show my children that they don’t need that sort of thing. I am not perfect, though. If I do go anywhere with the kids, it is usually durning Chol Hamoed, to places where there are frum people, because Tzinut is a factor also. They are off for a few days on Chol Hamoed, so we need to do something with them. We try to do at least one thing, because my husband sometimes has to work then.

ha ok, i knew there would be one

ames, great last comment.

Ames, there is a difference in LIVING in reality, and escaping for a small bit of time to have some fun. Some people live there and its so not healthy.

BTW you don’t come across as a fanatic, just a nice Jewish women who is always growing.

moish01- The sword in the stone…great for the kids with zero love…

I guess it depends what we want to imprint on our “clean white papers”. The ink that first touches that paper is surely going to be making a deep and lasting impression. For children to grow up with the notion (when it comes to shidduchim-sorry had to throw it in there) that prince charming will come along and they go off into the sunset and live happily ever after is quite upsetting to those who face reality.

I’m not a fan of escapism.

no such thing as no one disagreeing. you know that, ames

I’ve not seen many Disney movies, but I’d say that while Finding Nemo & Lilo and Stitch are not romantic stories, they are definitely stories about family love. And The Fox and the Hound is about friendship and its limits.

I never visited Walt Disney World, and probably won’t take my kids there. It’s too expensive for us, & if I did have enough money I’d spend the money on something else. I’m not especially fond of the message most Disney movies send girls anyways (Lilo and Stitch is the only one I kind think of with a really strong female protagonist who’s not a love interest).

Ames, I mostly agree with you! I wanted to process for a bit before responding though, hence the delay!

If you spin any story, it can be both good and bad. Avraham turned against his family (away from Avoda Zara to Hashem and “got his way”) – so did Ariel. True, Aladdin was a thief, but he stole to eat/live NOT for general gain(not that it makes it ok, but its a good talking point for tzedaka), Simba has a traumatic childhood and still comes back to be a great leader (and true “baal teshuva”)…these are not meant as being a moral code for your kids to follow, but rather talking points. No one should ever hand over chinuch of their children to ANYONE (except qualified rabbonim/teachers, and even then, parents have the responsibility to make sure the rabbonim or teachers are truly l’shaim shamayim).

Does general tznius (in terms of men watching) apply to cartoons? (serious question here, if anyone knows the answer)

Anyway, I want my children to understand that at times, life can be a fairytale. I had a wonderful courtship with my husband, and we got engaged in a very romantic, far away place (in a halachically acceptable manner). Life is not always roses, but you shouldnt aspire to have a moderately happy life – but an exceptionally happy one. Life brings challenges, but ultimately, I have a happily ever after.

So, does visiting Disney World once in a while mean your kids won’t want to follow halacha? Only if your basic chinuch is lacking.

[Whether its worth the money is a totally different ballgame]

ames-you can go to the hotels and stay there for a while

you cant get drunk in disney