Not everyone is excited about going to Disney World

October 19, 2011 at 2:05 PM · As a parent, I would rather take my life's savings to Vegas than try to predict little kids.

And if I'm with the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, I'm showing this video for the next 10 years. Epic. (See Rock City, kids!)

October 19, 2011 at 2:05 PM · First of all, with a crying, ungrateful kid like that I wouldn't take her anywhere!

October 19, 2011 at 2:35 PM · I don't think it's real. The little girl is trying to supress a smile each time she says she wants to go to Chattanooga. I think she's been promised the trip to WDW if she pretends she doesn't want to go.

Maybe if they'd told them we're going to IOA she might not have been able to hide her joy!

October 19, 2011 at 2:47 PM · My son's birthday is 2 days after Christmas. The year he was turning 8, I won plane tickets for 4. As a single mom, I couldn't afford to go anywhere so the radio station got Disneland to donate the tickets for the park and 2 of my friends paid for a hotel room. On Christmas Day, I rolled out a new set of kids luggage and told my son that his bag was packed and we had to get on a plane. He asked me where and I told him, "Disneyland!". He walked around in shock until we got down there. I never had any screaming or jumping up and down. I was worried about what to do about a cake on his birthday and so Disneyland pointed me to the River Belle Restaurant and they decorated a cake with his name on it and we surprised him. It was a memorable occasion. One I would do all over again...I love surprises!

October 19, 2011 at 2:56 PM · The media cynic in me suspects this is staged, too. If you want to get on TV, at this point, the "kids thrilled to go to Disney World" video is played out. But "kids angry about going to Disney World"? That's fresh, and guaranteed airtime.

Still, if this family ever again has to pay for a hotel room in Chattanooga, they're doing it wrong.

October 19, 2011 at 4:36 PM · Last September we surprised our boys with a trip to Disney World. We even went so far as to dress them in their school clothes and made them think we were leaving early for school. We told them we were going to go out for breakfast before school. When we got to the airport, one of my sons said, "Hey, are we going to Disney World?" When we told them that we were, they were excited, but not to the degree that their parents were. We even planned it that our first night there was to be there for the Halloween Party (which that night turned out nothing like we thought, but that is a whole different story). We had a great time and the boys were surprised, but their reaction was nothing like the ones we see on TV.

October 20, 2011 at 3:02 AM · So phony! But, if it was real, and if it happened to me, my wife and I would immediately dump the kids from the vacation package and upgrade to the Beach Club Resort for sure!

The question is interesting, though. I have never been able to surprise my kids with a WDW trip because so much planning is involved. But, when I announce the trip is coming, it is all my kids talk about until the trip actually happens.

However, I don't remember if it was the second or third time we took the kids to Silver Dollar City, but we planned it as a surprise. Told them we were going to the lake and they had no idea the best theme park in the Midwest was less than fifteen minutes from our hotel.

After nearly four hours of driving, we pulled into the parking lot and the kids could see the track for Wildfire over trees. Their reaction was one of absolute joy and the hugs came on so fast that the oldest boy didn't even remember he was too cool for public hugs! It was one of those Clark Griswold "hard to hold back the tears" moments for this dad, I can assure you! =)

I can only imagine how they would react if I could pull off a stunt like that with WDW... *sniff* *sniff*

October 19, 2011 at 6:47 PM · My mom use. To get us in the car and say lets see where the car takes us she put on Spanish music (ps I'm Spanish amrican) and my mom would put on Spanish music and before you know it me an my brother zzzzzz with us asleep on to walt disney world we would wake up and bam we would wake up and I would say wait what's that Mickey mouse head there for omg we are in walt Disney world so it is about the element of surprise getting them to go zzzzz and boom your in disney or ioa or any park you would be headn to

October 19, 2011 at 6:47 PM · first of all i live in chattanooga and this family has been interviewed all over the place here... apparently they go to chattanooga often for quick weekend trips

October 19, 2011 at 6:49 PM · @James, so there is a heart beating in that chest of yours. ;)

Great story James!!!!

October 20, 2011 at 1:55 AM · Although I have taken my kids, I have not surprised them as yet - still plenty of time to go.

I did surprise my Mum and Dad however at Christmas 2003. It was their pearl wedding anniversary in Sept 2004 so I wrote a big note saying Mum and Dad, Happy Christmas, your going to Orlando in September for your Pearl Anniversary and then put it in a box.

Because we had talked about going they were concerned that they wouldn't be able to afford it so I got them $1000 spending money which we gave them first and they still had no idea.

My husband then presented them with the box and said, here's a little something else for you too. They opened the box and read the note. Dad's mouth fell open and Mum just broke down in tears. I was videoing it and I was also crying behind the camera. It was the best surprise I could ever give them both for all they have done for me. It was also the best holiday ever becasue as soon as we got back the end of September, Mum was diagnosed with Cancer in the October. The April she went to sleep forever. Disney was her dream holiday and she made it before leaving. God Bless You my gardian angel x

October 20, 2011 at 2:43 AM · Eerily enough this story has some weird parallels to a story of mine when I was younger. My family took trips every year and usually rotated between Disney and some other destination (Chicago, New York, New Orleans, etc.) Well this particular year my parents had been working on a trip to TN. We were to go to Chattanooga, Memphis, Nashville, and Pigeon Forge. The kids were always fairly involved in the planning. So my sister and I had lots of ideas about what we were going to do.

We loaded up the car and got on the road. About 10 hours later my sister starts asking where we were and my parents reply that we are in Tennessee. My sister then asks why the Florida Baptist Convention is in Tennessee. At this point my parents pull over and admit that we are going to WDW.

At the time, I had just started playing trumpet and was getting into Jazz and the Blues. I was excited to go to Beale St. in Memphis and experience that. I was 10 and I started crying...lol. It was silly, but just the shock of completely changing plans got me upset.

However, by the time we got to Disney I was happy as a clam.

October 20, 2011 at 3:32 AM · No you can't predict kids but it got me wondering what the parents told them was at Chattanooga that made them want to go there so badly.
Maybe the original plan to go there was sold to well and , when they decide to go to Disney instead ( wisely ) , it totally backfired.
I'd have sent them to Chattanooga anyway and gone to Disney without them.
Only kidding........but I bet some of you thought that too for one second while they were whining. Be honest !

October 20, 2011 at 7:43 AM · I live 5 miles from Chattanooga. Trust me no one would choose Chattanooga over Disney World. :)

October 20, 2011 at 9:29 AM · I believe those children were being sincere… You folks are judging way too quickly. Always judge slowly…

There might be a real nice thing to see in Chattanooga… Like a Cow or something..

October 20, 2011 at 11:56 AM · Most annoying video of the year? I don't watch many, but I think we have a winner!

And Manny, regardless of how old you may be..and I really don't care...your posts are increasingly difficult to read. Some periods and capitals would sure be a nice change of pace to start. Yes, 12 years is young, but take some pride in how your views are presented, and people of ANY age will take them more seriously. I know it's not the first time I've mentioned this on this forum, but you're not the first and you certainly won't be the last.

October 20, 2011 at 12:16 PM · Remember that video that Ray William Johnson showed how the boy was like "I thought we were going to Dick's house!". Any kid who doesnt want to go to Disney world yet they have to is ungrateful. YOU KNOW HOW EXPENSIVE IT IS?!?!?! Also, WDW over Chattanoga (however you spell it) any day.

October 20, 2011 at 1:59 PM · I'd take the girl to Disney World...and abandon her there. Whiny brat!

October 20, 2011 at 2:49 PM · A great friend of mine use to ask: Do you know what the best part of any trip is? The answer: The anticipation and planning of the trip. I know many will disagree but I would never want to start on a big trip or vacation as a surprise. I want to know weeks in advance so that I can anticipate, plan, and dream about all the things we will see and do. Having said that I love WDW and will always be thrilled when I get to go there.

October 20, 2011 at 2:55 PM · People are so fond of Disney that they don't realize that Disney theme parks are not always suitable for all kids. Many kids do like Disney, but many don't. They way they designed their parks is contrary to how kids would want to enjoy a trip to a theme park. Many rides have a height limit. Lots of kids are under 3 or 4 feet. Why not have more rides suited for their size? The entertainment is more mature than we would like to acknowledge. The lines are ridiculous in many ways. There are so many people that you can't just let your kids run free or they will be trampled or get lost in the crowd.

Another thing, we would like to believe Disney movies are kids oriented, but not really. They don't have a good selection of films and television shows suitable for 6 years and under. This lack of material is reflected in the rides and attractions in the theme parks.

October 20, 2011 at 6:43 PM · What a dreadful little troglodyte.

October 21, 2011 at 12:15 AM · Firstly, Big thumbs up for the showing this. Made my day :)

Secondly, as a Brit, Ive had a not too dissimilar encounter when we told our kids we were going (again) it wasnt as emotional as the clip but more like this.

Luke on XBox...
Me "So we are going to Disney World again, cool huh?"
Luke "Yea.........No way I killed you....What?"
Me "Disney World, you wanna go back?"
Luke "Now? Im playing Halo dad......"
Me "No. In like 18 months."
Luke "Can we have Fish for dinner tonight?"

Yep. He got real excited LOL.

October 21, 2011 at 11:48 PM · Anon, no said bringing kids under the age of six was a good idea. Disney, not claiming to be designed for six and under, is a family theme park. As a cast member, and as do many other cast members, we don't recommend children that are very young to come. I'm not sure how you though that Disney was like a daycare in the sense it was all age appropriate. It was built for a family audience that is about ages six an up.

Also, no one said all or most Disney movies were toddler intended, but like I said, focused on entertainment a whole family could enjoy.

Legoland sounds like it's right up your alley, but lets not go blaming Disney for things they don't claim to be.

October 23, 2011 at 11:27 AM · My first thought at seeing this video is that somebody needs to be told "No" more often...Little brat.

October 24, 2011 at 3:00 AM · When I was about six, my parents planned a trip for us to Surfers Paradise, Queensland (I live in Australia and its our equivalent to Florida). When we got to the airport my parents told my two older brothers and I that there was a problem with the plane andwe weren't going to Queensland. We were heartbroken.

My dad then told us that we were going to Disneyland instead. I still remember it and we still have the home video mydad shot while we were there.

I cant wait to do the same to my kids.