Angry mother's Disney rant raises debate: kids vs. no kids

Guests watch a show near a statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Allie Goulding/Tampa Bay Times/TNS)
Guests watch a show near a statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Allie Goulding/Tampa Bay Times/TNS)

Disney with kids vs. no kids. That is the debate that is taking place online after one anonymous angry mother's rant about millennial age visitors to Disney World.

While the rant was made on Facebook, it was Twitter user @JenKatWrites who posted it to her account with the original poster's name blacked out that has caused the online Disney population to speak out.

In the rant, a mother of a 3-year-old describes the challenges of parenting a toddler while upset at the care-free manner in which young visitors to Walt Disney World go about their day. The catalyst occurred when her son saw a young woman eating a pretzel, wanted his own pretzel, and ended up crying because the mother told him he could get a pretzel later, citing that the line for said pretzel was too long.

It's standard parenting at Disney World. Many of the challenges detailed in the rant are challenges most parents face with tired, cranky children at the Happiest Place on Earth.

"DW is a FAMILY amusement park!!!! yet these IMMATURE millennials THROW AWAY THEIR MONEY ON USELESS CRAP!!!!! They have NO idea the JOY and HAPPINESS it is to MOTHERS WHO BUYS THEIR BABIES TREATS AND TOYS!!!! THEY WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE THE EXHAUSTION THAT IT IS TO CHASE A 3 YEAR OLD AROUND AND GETTING STARES AT ASSUMING IM A BAD MOTHER!!!!," reads part of the post.

No doubt those with children at the park, especially those dealing with challenging temperaments, could on occasion be jealous of those enjoying the theme park without children.

That said, the rant veers off the rails, especially with its reliance on invective.

Reaction to the July 19 post, which had more than 70,000 likes as of early last week, has been mostly pro-millennial.

"Sounds like she's resentful she's not having fun because she's too overwhelmed with toddler needs, and envious of unencumbered women (likely her own age) who are actually having fun. Sounds like she's the one who needs to grow up and stop blaming others for her own choices," reads a comment from Twitter user @orangepeel18.

"As a single person with no kids who goes to Disneyworld all the time, this is making me feel extremely powerful," reads another from user @mstankow.

"Who ever this woman is should be banned from the park. Because my daughter is grown that means I can never go there again. I think not. The one who made that child cry is the mother. The attitude and cursing of that mother sets a real good role model example for that child. Not," reads a post from Twitter user @mbhistmajor.

"As a single man who loves to go to Disneyland, as far as I'm concerned the place is wasted on children. Do you think they are sophisticated enough to understand the artistry? The craft? The layers of nostalgia? Hell no. They're just all dErP miCKeY mOuSE," reads a post from @PaxtonTroll.

While the park is certainly popular with families, and the Disney empire has been built around those with children who want nothing more than to visit the parks, it has always attracted visitors of all ages.

Walt Disney himself was appreciative of both young and old.

"Why do we have to grow up? I know more adults who have the children's approach to life. They're people who don't give a hang what the Joneses do. You see them at Disneyland every time you go there. They are not afraid to be delighted with simple pleasures, and they have a degree of contentment with what life has brought - sometimes it isn't much, either," Disney said.

His goal in his business ventures was never to focus on just the children.

"You're dead if you aim only for kids. Adults are only kids grown up, anyway," he said.

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