I think it would have been really cool to experience the old Disney that I've only read about from the old timers here.
This made me giggle. I love being considered an "old timer".
I can say for certain that it's changed all because of management and the focus on the bottom line. I am one of very few who can say they were there when EPCOT, MGM, and DAK opened. I even helped open the Bone Yard at DAK as it was my first position at Disney. Slowly, it's all come to change. There was the feeling when I was younger and throughout the 80's and 90's that WDW was a special thing. That families kinda earned the right to go and that everyone was there because of that. Kinda hard to explain, but let me put it as best as I can.
My dad was CFO of Virginia Life, so we got invited alot of places and things. I was not well liked in my family. But, once a year, we would go to Disney. It made me feel special. The cast members made me feel special. That's what it was. The attractions were great, I learned things at EPCOT. UOE was my favourite. And even after I got kicked out of the house, I still went. When I got out of the military, I went and applied at Disney. It was worth it to me.
Then, after the millennium celebration, it started. I noticed that we were being pressed on dispatches at ToT, the friends I had in merchentainment (now disdainfully called merchandise) were pressed on entertaining to sell items not interact with people. It just got worse and worse. When the 50th came, it was a small break because of the magical moments that were being pressed, but once that was done, and year of a million came, it was back to work.
It's a cattle farm now. Children don't feel special. Last year I heard a kid complaining that because they didn't get picked for something that they didn't want to come back. And the parent was fine with this. It's not the only time I have heard it either. Parents complain about lines, because I guess spending that much time with your family is a pain. And the list-to-doer's are getting worse. They have to check every box off or the vacation is ruined. I once got punched at ToT because I wouldn't get a parent front of line access to a ride because of the wait time. (Which was only 50 minutes. Yes, I have kept records of wait times and incidents for all 15 years I've worked for TWDC.)
The up keep is worse now. With more people means that custodial is overworked. And the fact that they put college programmers on the high shifts burns them out. I have talked to so many CP's that won't come back because of the way they scheduled them. Back in the 80's and 90's it was so clean. I have pictures to prove it. Now, it's when they can get to it. All the rest spots that were on MS are gone pretty much, so people just walk and walk. No wonder they drop stuff and don't care. Disney doesn't care they are tired. This is just getting worse and worse.
So, it all boils down to the bottom line. They want cash and cash now. Parks and Resorts have to feed themselves given company mandate from Iger and his goons. Meg Crofton is horrible and I have more than once stated that she was wrong for the job, Tom is just as bad. They don't care. They just want to see it float on the dime. It's all my opinion, but I really feel that bad management based on the all-mighty dollar has ruined the park finally. Saddest part is I'll keep going, hoping it gets better. But, it won't for a long time.
