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Disney world, incredibly underwhelming. Seems like it's barely been updated in 20 years or so, long lines, crowded (and it was April), and not missing one single opportunity to squeeze a dollar from you.
The French Riviera, nothing particularly special about it.
Bali; but I guess I knew it would be full of bogans from my homeland!
Copenhagen, we found the famous statue but it was so small.
New Zealand was somewhat underwhelming to me. Sure it’s a beautiful place but the hype about it in the USA is ridiculous.
You remind me of our trip there when our kids were 5 and 7. It rained heavily much of the three weeks, the kids were very bored much of the time and I remember we were trying to find something to eat at 9pm on New Years Eve. No luck, everything closed. But in those days the locals were the friendliest people we have ever come across. Not as much so on later trips.
I agree with Boston- was disappointed when we went, we preferred Salem and Hampton Beach. We even found the aquarium disappointing- the same way we find zoos depressing.
NYC is fun the first weekend you visit. The second time it’s ok. I have to wait a few years I’m between visits in order to enjoy it. I have to agree with the poster who mentioned the smell, my husband still complains about the smell when we talk about the trip. We found the Musuem boring. Enjoyed exploring but were VERY disappointed with Chinatown and little Italy. Had great pasta and cheesecake in little Italy, but we were expecting it to be larger and have more of a prescence. Chinatown was cool but also smaller than I expected.
Disney has completely lost its magic. We took my daughter and niece when they were five and it was amazing- without us having to pay extra besides the ticket for entrance. Fast forward eight year to my other niece being five and it was awful. Too crowded to stop walking, you can no longer walk through Cinderella’s castle, everything was obviously centered on getting you to pay more money. At 3 pm the five year old even wanted to go back to the ocean.
I think previous expectations can ruin a lot of experiences. Our best vacations are the impromptu ones. I also hate planning and having an itinerary. Nothing ruins vacation more the. Having any itinerary. Except camping- camping always ruins a vacation. Last time I tried to force myself to enjoy camping I had an epiphany in the middle Of the night while tossing and turning and trying to sleep- I hate camping. I left the campsite in the middle Of the night to go back to my home with my running water, electricity, walls to keep out bugs, and BED.
Our best vacation memories- our impromptu stop at Gettysburg. Driving through and walking through that park was amazing. Renting a pontoon boat in Florida and going up and down narrow tributaries seeing the alligators and snakes and turtles and other wildlife- also amazing the first time. The second time we went we didn’t see many alligators and none of the large ones. Renting jet skis in Myrtle beach and driving up the inter coastal and then out into the ocean was also amazing. Washington DC and Chicago were both great trips and also impromptu. Even though we didn’t like the Musuem in NYC, we enjoyed the museums in Washington.
So I guess the moral for myself is do not plan in advance- that seems to be what leads to disappointment and unrealistic expectations!
?? Huh? There's a ton of things to do. Historical monuments (free or low cost), museums & art galleries (free on certain days), Broadway shows (reduced price tickets available daily), free seminars and talks, boat trips down the Hudson River, TV show tapings, various zoos and botanical gardens, etc.
The best part of New York City is just walking around, stopping to hear street musicians play and putting a buck in their case, finding a place to sit and sip coffee or a beer and people-watch.
I worked in NYC all my life, and it never occurred to me that anyone would come there to see tall buildings, unless, of course, they are architecture fan and looking for certain styles. Every city has tall buildings, as oregonwoodsmoke said. It's funny, but I was working in the city for 39 years when I was asked to go to a meeting at a company in the Empire State Building. It was the first time I had ever been inside the ESB.
Even after all those years of years of working there, I am sometimes amazed. I was walking to the train after a work event one evening, and I stumbled upon this store that sells ancient fossils from different parts of the word. I stopped in for ten minutes or so and just gawked. Never saw anything like it.
Really liked one of the fish ones, but I didn't have $25K on me.
Disney world, incredibly underwhelming. Seems like it's barely been updated in 20 years or so, long lines, crowded (and it was April), and not missing one single opportunity to squeeze a dollar from you.
I would be happy to never go back.
Same here. I went there before I had a kid with my husband and his brother and wife. I am not a person who likes to go on rides, and I found the Disney stuff hokey.
Went back when my daughter was three, and that was a little better, because at that age, they think it's all real. She was just enthralled that Snow White kissed her and Cinderella held her hand, and so it was a little more fun watching her, but still.
Went back when she was 7, and then she was into the rides, which she went on with her dad while I hung around and waited for them. After we left, I thought to myself, "There is no reason I ever have to go to that place again."
....I just don't see how the Japanese are that different from other people. Human nature is about the same anywhere.
It strikes me that your final sentence is meaningless in the context of the discussion you are attempting to start.
What you are engaging when you travel to Ireland, Turkey, India, Japan.....etc., etc. is the culture of the country, which has a very strong influence on how this same-anywhere-human-nature will, and will not, be expressed.
What you have probably encountered is the fact that in many countries the traditional culture has largely been heavily influenced/replaced by a world-wide digital culture, which has brought with it a great deal of sameness across many cultures, especially among the younger people.
Went to Philly, never seen so many short, fat people in my life. Stunned by amount of people smoking also. Place was underwhelming even in the 4-5 star areas. Newspaper headlines: 15 shot over the weekend, have we become desensitized to violence?
Funny how people have different perceptions.
I went to Philadelphia in April.
Loved it. Loved it. Loved it.
Hope to retire there - assuming I can handle winter.
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