I haven’t written in a very long time as I’ve been busy with life and projects. But this week I have been inspired by my current vacation. I’ve misunderstood a tourism destination for so long, I felt like writing this was my admission along with my apology.
Many people, myself included, have the misconception of what it means to go to Disneyworld. I’m willing to guess that the first thing that comes to mind is Cinderella’s castle or maybe Space Mountain… almost certainly an endless sea of breeders, strollers, and snot mongers. You wouldn’t be wrong with that visualization, but that’s far from what your entire experience could be. While it is Disney, staying at one of their resorts does not require you to attend any of their parks to benefit from what they offer overall.
A quick background for context:
- I’m not a big vacation person.
- Crowds mean noise, herd mentality, and an abundance of shitty, inconsiderate people.
- Tourist destinations are money traps -overpriced mediocre everything…except the scenery itself.
- Undesired anxiety and stress due to having to set aside the expected costs associated with the trip.
- Nothing to show for it once you get back, except pictures you’ll likely never look at again, a lower bank balance or higher credit card debt, and souvenirs that will take up space and collect dust.
When I met my other half around 14 years ago, I knew I had an obstacle to navigate. Her and her family are hardcore Disney fans. And when I say hardcore, I mean “going at least once a year since 1972” kind of hardcore. They live for it. To this day, her 80 year old mother can run the rest of the family into the ground with 12-14 hour days spent at the parks just to get up the next day and do it again… So yeah, they’re fans.
Year after year she begged me to go to the park with them. I want to say around our 4th anniversary, she talked me into it. I smiled and put on a happy face, but there was nothing but dread inside. We went in the “off-season” which, if I remember right, is just after Halloween. It’s cooler outside and less crowded. I had no idea how that trip would leave a splinter in my mind that would continue to work its way in -right up till the time I decided to write this after an evening at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party.
The day we arrived at the park, everything went right. To be honest, I was surprised at the lack of people. Every adult oriented ride they had was conquered by noon-ish. Some of them even twice. The lines were nonexistent. After we got our fill, we returned to the room to rest for the evening’s return and the fireworks display they always set off.
Something happened that night. I don’t know what ingredients went into it, but half way through the fireworks, I became emotional. My eyes welled up. Years of anger, resentment, hatred, bitterness, and negativity were lifted. The purity of the moment. The energy of joy from everyone around me. I was overwhelmed and ill-prepared to deal with it. It was as close to feeling like a kid again as I have ever experienced.
It took me years to completely unpack that night. I’m a student of human psychology so of course I knew what was on the surface, but that wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to know what was being tapped into in what’s referred to as “below the line.” -An emotional response that occurs when someone makes a generic statement and you take it personally because of your pre-existing psychological baggage.
Fast forward to this year. For my partner’s 50th birthday, I agreed to go with her back to Disneyworld. This time, we would stay at two of the resorts Disney offers -Jambo House and Kidani Village at Wild Kingdom. These two resorts share a large savanna where exotic animals like zebras, wildebeest, and giraffes freely roam. We would also be attending the “Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party” at one point during our stay.
We took an Uber from the airport to the resort. At the property gate, the security guard welcomed us with, “Welcome home.” As a former marketing person, I immediately recognized what was happening. We were being pulled into the Disney experience. I was intrigued. Because of my past employers and associations, I like the challenge of picking apart authentic experiences that are tucked into a genuine experience versus scripted behavior beaten into its employees to build a facade long enough to make a sale.
I think we are on day 6 and I have yet to see a break in the cast or experience itself. We’ve now stayed at two resorts, attended multiple different locations, and it’s the same across the board. Smiling faces and engaging cast members. They are quick to apologize and/or address whatever you need in a timely manner. There’s not a touch of sarcasm or resentment for whatever you are speaking with them about. If something is needed in our room, it’s there within minutes of a phone call. Cast members are everywhere, all the time. Their smart phone app aids in many things, to include ordering food. The arm bands you can buy open your room door, allow access to the resort at the main gate as well as to the theme parks (provided you paid for a park ticket).
There are shuttles that run between the two resorts as well as a constant fleet of buses that spread out and cover every square inch of Disney’s empire. I don’t know how many for each location run, but I can tell you that the wait time is minimal between one bus and the next. They have their famous monorail system along with the ferries that bring people to and from the resorts. They now offer a Disney-owned Uber/Lyft service called “Minnie-Van”.
So let’s talk bottom line. When Disney enters the conversation, the unavoidable topic is cost. If you do not understand Disney as a whole, it’s easy to claim that they are overpriced. I know I’ve made that claim more than once over the years. During this stay, I decided to do some research for myself.
According to a Google search of “the least expensive rooms at Disneyworld” on September 4th, 2026, the least expensive room available is at Disney’s All-Star Sports, Music, and Movies Resort. The cost is $151* per night.
Before you decide on the value of that cost, look at what the location offers on-site:
- Consistent positive customer-service by an abundant number of cast members (staff)
- A huge pool
- Food court
- Disney app integration (a ton of useful info in here)
- In-room Alexa-style screen that interfaces with the hotel
Price comparable hotels in the area according to Kayak.com on 9/4/2026:
- $121/night Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Orlando at Millenia (3 Star)
- $136/night Rosen Plaza (4 Star)
- $178/night Rosen Centre (4 Star)
The hotels I listed have positive reviews and offer nice amenities. Some have a pool or bar. Others may have a restaurant. The Rosen Plaza even has a considerable amount of assets on site to entertain; however, what none of them have is the atmosphere provided by the Disney resorts AND the guests who stay here.
You can walk into a nice hotel and be greeted by friendly staff. Your room can be all you could ask for. Access to your desired food and entertainment can be within arm’s reach -but you will still not have the same experience as a Disney resort. There’s so much positive energy the moment you enter their world, even strangers will walk by, smile, and say hello. This is a happy place and it’s infectious. Unless you are not a nice person by nature, the longer you stay here, the better the chances your defenses will come down and you will find yourself smiling more and overall load lifting from your shoulders.
Rather than avoid eye contact and stay to yourself, you’ll discover that the longer you stay, the more you’ll want to actually engage with other visitors here. I’ve always been an introvert with a partial desire to be anti-social. After my wreck, that magnified. Today while waiting for our breakfast order, I initiated a conversation with a total stranger -something I do not do… ever… because I never know what I’m going to get. Will they be nice? Will they look at me like I’m nuts? Will they be a douchebag? It’s too much to deal with, so I never bother.
And that’s what makes this place magical. There’s a freedom here that feels like it’s disappearing in the outside world. I see dads dressed like princesses for their little girls. I see old ladies dressed up in full cartoon glory… Cast members are quick to buy into your experience and compliment your silliness. There’s no judgement and people laugh with you -not at you.
Are there exceptions? Of course, but not from the staff. There are the kids who run and scream. There are the couples who strut around in look-at-us clothing thirsting for attention. There are plenty of people who do not need to be wearing the outfits they parade around in… But most of that is contained inside the theme parks where everyone is too busy with all the visual stimulus to really care. With that being said, it’s up to you how you handle it. If they aren’t interfering with your experience, you can simply ignore them.
This is where damaged souls need to come to find their center again. To see for themselves that there is still good in the world. That more people than we realize just want to be happy and free of all the nonsense that saturates our daily lives. A place you can walk with your head up and smile at a stranger without hesitation. It’s ok to smile… To be human.
Not only are you in a safe space, you’re in a place where everyone has the same joy all at once -and there isn’t anyone present to try and steal it away because it wasn’t theirs. It’s not a contest. There is an abundance of unconditional happiness and joy for everyone, regardless of who they were and the life they had before that moment. You don’t have to be a kid to get the full experience… But it wouldn’t hurt to allow yourself to be young again.
*Prices shown are for the rooms only and do not reflect taxes, gratuity, parking, or any other extras.
The disclaimer: I’m neither blind nor ignorant of the fact that there are strict rules that govern cast members and their behavior. I’m also aware of the quick-to-be-fired consequences that linger over everyone’s head should they stray from the happy face and polite mannerism… There is a sort of iron fist Disney rules their employees by – but you see, that’s where so many other companies fail. Disney is the alpha and omega when it comes to pulling people into their experience. You can’t make the claims they make while allowing an employee who has a bad day to tarnish the Disney name/experience. If their name is on your chest, you are a representative of their brand. As such, you agree to abide by their code of conduct. If these things are ignored, as so many other companies do, it’s not long before the customers go somewhere else.
Off The Rails 