Trying really hard to like Disney World

Over at Slate, Seth Stevenson becomes most likely the world's first childless, non-pedophiliac adult to spend five days at Disney World by himself. The reason? He's on a quest to figure out why, exactly, more than 100,000 people visit the place every day.

On just Day 1 of the five-parter, Seth is already underwhelmed by Epcot. He finds that its "World Showcase," an arrangement of eleven pavilions each dedicated to a different country, mostly depicts the rest of the world as the worst tourists probably see it.

"Half the pavilions have no cultural content at all. The Morocco complex is just souvenir stores selling carpets and fezzes. The ride meant to encapsulate Mexico is a collection of slapstick Donald Duck skits. (Donald loses his bathing suit while parasailing in Acapulco, Donald flirts with some caliente señoritas, etc.) I guess none of this should surprise me. Lots of tourists view travel abroad as basically a chance to shop for regionally themed trinkets."

If this series is half as good as Seth's 2004 travel series, "Trying Really Hard to Like India," we're in for a treat.

Part 1 of "Five days of Disney" here.

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Stories, United States