Why Bonnaroo is like Disney World...

Ok, before you laugh, roll your eyes or call me crazy - please hear me out!

I am considered a Disney guru in my circle of family & friends much like some of you are probably Roo guru's. I've been to Disney several times and love the place dearly. My husband and I are also huge music fans and have wanted to go to Bonnaroo for a long time but either pregnancy, kids being born, schedules or lack of funds kept us from going until this year.

This was our first Roo and we were both blown away by the whole experience. It was amazing and magical. It's true what I heard someone say "that it's both the best and worst weekend of your life". I left Bonnaroo feeling the same way I do after leaving Disney World. Obviously they are COMPLETELY different things and experiences but so many of the little things were the same.

What triggered this thread was a few times while there I made a few comments to my husband "this is just like Disney" and we laughed about it. Well...on our long drive home I decided to make a list of things I thought were very similar and was surprised at the amount of things I was able to come up with.

Obviously some of this is meant to be funny, some I'm serious about it but I hope you enjoy or at least chuckle at my Bonnaroo/Disney comparison!

1. It's hot as hell, there are lots of people, long lines and waiting

2. You never know what kind of costumes you will see

3. Strange things are known to appear in the sky.....whether that be the sky divers & "glitter" or Tinker bell flying across on a zip line

4. Too many great choices for food.......do I eat at Le Cellier or Boma at Disney or Spicy Pie or Phat Daddy's at Roo

5. Scheduling conflicts - too many choices, not enough time in the day, no matter what you can't do everything......do I see The Decemberists, NOFX, Florence or Ray? or do I miss the parade to watch the Nemo show or go back to use my fastpass on Everest?

6. Light up toys....very popular at both Roo and Disney (in fact I brought our kids Disney light up toys with us in which we used at the late night shows)

7. Great vibe - everyone is always happy and in a good mood. Whether at Roo or Disney you are at the happiest place on earth!

8. Meeting people from all over the place - you never know who you are going to meet or where they will be from

9. You think you have a plan of what you are going to do for the day but it never works out that way - and that is ok, in fact you have a great time regardless

10. Getting into Centeroo is just like Disney....1st step get your bag searched, 2nd step scanning wristbands/cards

11. Parades - lots of music & dancing

12. Waiting for buses/taxis and getting passed by because they are full

13. Going on a psychedelic trip - whether that be through Never-Never Land or to Shpongle's set...both are awesome

14. They are both magical and surreal in their own ways. You leave everything behind and literally enter another world

15. There is something for everyone

16. At Disney you walk up to strangers and trade pins with them at Roo you do that with party favors

17. "Cattle herding" from one show to another

18. You have moments while there thinking "What the hell did I just get myself into"

19. Ending the night with a cool fireworks display

20. The headliner is someone with the initials MM - Mickey Mouse or Marshall Mathers

21. Staking out a good spot at a show hours ahead is just like trying to get a good spot for one of the parades or the show in front of the castle

22. Getting hit in the ankles with a stroller at Disney is very similar to getting clocked with someone's backpack when they are pushing their way through the crowd

23. You never know when you are going to walk around a corner and find people playing instruments

24. Staying on the premises at Disney and Roo is the only way to fully experience it. Day passes and off site hotels just doesn't cut it.

25. Escaping into a gift shop to find cool air is like going into the cinema tent or one of the lounges

26. The garlic grilled cheeses are as infamous as the Disney Dole Whips

27. When you get home you are depressed and you walk around in a daze. You are constantly thinking about your trip and already planning your next one. As the weeks go by you think "at this time last week I was doing this..."

28. You are so turned around on where things are but finally learn the layout on the last day

29. There are levels of how you stay.... RV VIP is like staying at the Grand Floridian, and camping in BFE is like staying at the All Star resorts

30. The arch all lit up at night with the lights shooting up in the sky is seriously so much like Mickey's Sorcerer's hat at Hollywood Studios

31. Planning, talking about it on forums and the anticipation leading up to the trip is half the fun.

32. Waiting for the line-up, additions and schedules for Roo is just like waiting for the park & parade schedules as well as your 180 dining reservation date.

33. You carry around a map & schedule in your pocket that gets mangled by the end of your time there

34. Both Bonnaroo & Disney are great places to people watch

35. And no matter how great both of these places are deaths still occur


So....that's it. That's my list of similarities. Like I said obviously they are two completely different experiences but I really felt the exact same way when I left both places. It really was a "what the heck did I just experience?" type of thing but "holy crap was it awesome!"

Whether it was seeing those smiles on my kids face and feeling like a kid again myself at Disney or having some awesome alone time with my husband in these crazy conditions seeing amazing music I just felt like they were both magical and surreal and probably are my 2 favorite places on earth now!


Oops....I forgot to to say that Disney does trump Bonnaroo in the bathroom department!