I just returned from a three-day visit to Orlando that
included trips to three of the four Disney theme parks plus the shopping
district- Disney Springs, and I was shocked by what I saw. Hundreds (maybe
more) of school age children at the parks with family or friends, on school
days. Now I tried to rationalize this phenomenon. My first day at Disney was a
Sunday and I get that. Families’ being together enjoying all that Disney has to
offer. But what about Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday? Here it is two weeks
BEFORE Christmas, so schools are not yet out for the holiday vacation.
I can discount all of the foreign visitors who vacations
schedules may be different than those here in the US. Then there are the homeschooled
children. According to the US Census, 3.4% of America’s children are home
schooled. I don’t think that all of them were at the Magic Kingdom on Monday.
Something else must be at work here.
I understand that some parents do not have control of when
they take vacations. So some may just decide to take their children out of
school to meet their own schedules. I wonder if the families made arrangements
for the children to make up missed work? That is not to say that a trip to
Disney World cannot be an educational experience- especially a place like
EPCOT.
I must confess, that I have lectured about Disney’s impact
on American culture. So there are beneficial experiences that children can have
at the theme parks. I also have been reminded that it is important for families
to be together, yet, while dining at one of the restaurants, I noticed a family
of five at the next table each busily working their cell phones and paying no attention
to each other.
While strolling through Disney Springs, I observed a line of
little girls at the “ Bibbity Bobbedy Boutique,” getting coiffed and made up as
princesses at an exorbitant cost. I wonder what educational value this experience
has over being in a classroom with a professional educator developing skills
and knowledge that will be necessary in the future.
And one other thing, I must have been in at least six gift shops and did not find one book for sale. I found this strange as Disney is the country's largest publisher of children's books.
Am I being curmudgeonly or am I on to something? My wife
said to “Let it Go.” I am not so sure.
c.2016 J. Margoils
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