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Have you ever not felt the magic?
- Thread starter J_Carioca
- Start date
Roakor
Well-Known Member
After our last trip, a year ago in sept, I definitely felt something was a miss. I thought it was just the bad weather we had. A storm front moved in and it rained most of the trip, not the normal hour or 2 then gone each day but steady rain all day. But I think it had more to do with feeling rushed to get through things. I have been during capacity crowds and still didn't feel rushed like I did the last trip. Everything we wanted to do had a time stamp on it. ADR, fastpass, shows. We were constantly watching the clock to see where we needed to be next and just never took time to stop and smell the roses, so to speak. Going down I thought having advanced fasspass reservations was a great thing, no waiting in line. However in retrospect I think it really took away the relaxation part of the vacation by putting everything on a time schedule. next trip is going to be in early dec, because we have never been for the christmas decorations. After that I am thinking we are going to move to a Jan-Feb schedule. Maybe the lower crowds will make the lines more manageable so we can just skip fasspass for most of them.
BJones82
Well-Known Member
We went in the beginning of September during the free Dinning time and we had only 2 ADRs in advance (Be our Guest and Sanaa we had never had dinner at BoG and love Sanaa). We did our fast passes every morning when we first got into the parks just like we used to look at a map as soon as we got in. We go every year and I can honestly say I was freaking out before this trip because we are not planners and we ended up having no issues not planning this year...
disneyflush
Well-Known Member
Are you freaked out that your husband might be rejecting the Disney magic and, therefore, rejecting the relationship built around the idea of it? If my wife and I loved cats and put cat pictures and actual cats all over our house and then one day she said, 'I don't like cats anymore' then I would be a little freaked out too. The freak out would be more about the dynamic of the relationship probably changing than about how I might have to get rid of some cat stuff. Disney magic isn't really a static thing, just a marketing gimmick that they have managed to patent and extol the virtues of to justify the cost of finding it. My wife and I went through what you are going through now, once we moved away from knowing where we were going to vacation each year we were actually able to really enjoy being with each other on vacation instead of being at Disney with a checklist and appointment times each day. Stuff is just stuff, Disney is just Disney, but your husband is the person you love and will be with you forever. Embrace the change and see if your relationship doesn't evolve a little and breathe some new life.
Chef Mickey
Well-Known Member
The suggestions for Disneyland are warranted, but I doubt his experience will be any different. Disneyland is cool for a lot of reasons, but he sounds like he's soured on the entire Disney experience. I can't believe that only Fast Pass+ and a couple bad cast member issues ruined his experience. Sounds like there are other problems or he's just sick of it.
Disneyland is not nearly the scale, size, and immersion of Disneyworld and is absolutely no substitute for me.
Disney is magical, but it's not going to be a magical experience if you have the wrong mindset. You have to let go and be a kid again in a lot of ways. You can't think negatively.
"This new system ruins the experience. The Lines are too long. The people are too rude. The cast member wasn't nice enough. This ride was closed. This area is dying. This needs refurbishment."
All maybe true in isolated cases, but Disney is still ultimately what YOU make of it and your mindset. If you let the little things get to you, there are a LOT of things to be upset about as I mentioned.
However, all of the good outweighs the bad, for me at least. I love Disney because of the memories I have there and the good that still exists in the parks today. Are they perfect? No, but I can't sour on them for these smaller reasons, despite being highly critical.
I'll admit there is a lot of brand loyalty and nostalgia built in, but it's not just blind faith. They still do so many things so well:
Disneyland is not nearly the scale, size, and immersion of Disneyworld and is absolutely no substitute for me.
Disney is magical, but it's not going to be a magical experience if you have the wrong mindset. You have to let go and be a kid again in a lot of ways. You can't think negatively.
"This new system ruins the experience. The Lines are too long. The people are too rude. The cast member wasn't nice enough. This ride was closed. This area is dying. This needs refurbishment."
All maybe true in isolated cases, but Disney is still ultimately what YOU make of it and your mindset. If you let the little things get to you, there are a LOT of things to be upset about as I mentioned.
However, all of the good outweighs the bad, for me at least. I love Disney because of the memories I have there and the good that still exists in the parks today. Are they perfect? No, but I can't sour on them for these smaller reasons, despite being highly critical.
I'll admit there is a lot of brand loyalty and nostalgia built in, but it's not just blind faith. They still do so many things so well:
- Cast members are still some of the best in the industry.
- Character interaction is phenomenal.
- WDW has incredible size and breadth; truly its own city
- Tons of options for food
- Tons of options for lodging
- Disney is still the king of content. I love their classic movies and concepts.
- Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Spaceship Earth, Expedition Everest, Tower of Terror, RnR coaster, Great Movie Ride, Hall of Presidents, American Adventure, etc are still world class attractions that I can't miss.
- WDW property is beautiful. Flowers, maintenance of the grounds are world class.
- Great transportation service
- Incredible fireworks and shows
- The best music in the industry
Chernaboggles
Well-Known Member
We do the same thing and plan our trips for times with middle-to-low crowds. I book a few FPs for hard-to-get rides (last trip we used 3 FPs, total, the whole time), but mostly we just do rides morning and evening standby and do less crowded things or take breaks in the afternoon. We've done two trips this way in 2014 and had no difficulties. We book restaurants the day before or day of by checking for cancellations or eating meals at odd times, filling in with QS or snacks as needed.
There's a real culture of planning and a sense of having to work the system to get everything in, and Disney marketing really pushes this, so you have to actively resist it. Honestly, though, you CAN ignore that stuff if you're flexible and willing to just take things as they come. If you go every year, it's not like you won't get another chance - just kind of watch what the crowd is doing and go the opposite way.
James Clifton
Active Member
Guys & Gals,
I go to WDW once a yr.in Dec.I wondered about the loss of magic & attributed it to me getting older.....or a combination of things! This MB idea....sucks.....this ....lack of upkeep ....sucks.....
Returning to Miami....what was happening I had seen happening in the business world before I retired!Upper management....cares only for $$$$.Raise ticket prices.....people yell,add parking fee & raise it...people yell,
hotel prices are high,etc.CEO'S & upper management don't care....people still come &PAY...if they don't... others will come & still pay.End result..."they"don't worry,everyone will still gripe "but" still pay! Is there an answer to the problems....yep....but no one wants to do it!
Jim
I go to WDW once a yr.in Dec.I wondered about the loss of magic & attributed it to me getting older.....or a combination of things! This MB idea....sucks.....this ....lack of upkeep ....sucks.....
Returning to Miami....what was happening I had seen happening in the business world before I retired!Upper management....cares only for $$$$.Raise ticket prices.....people yell,add parking fee & raise it...people yell,
hotel prices are high,etc.CEO'S & upper management don't care....people still come &PAY...if they don't... others will come & still pay.End result..."they"don't worry,everyone will still gripe "but" still pay! Is there an answer to the problems....yep....but no one wants to do it!
Jim
GrinningCat
New Member
Ditto Kentucky.
Yert3
Well-Known Member
I felt this way back in December of 2012. But as of August 2013 I've starting feeling the magic again. They've improved a lot since 2012, which in my opinion, is the worst year I've seen at WDW.
My personal example:
SM video taken by me on Dec. 23rd, 2012
2013 video of SM:
I know SM is just one example, but it's actually something I've noticed with a lot of attractions. The quality between 2012 and 2013 on attraction upkeep was amazing to me.
My personal example:
SM video taken by me on Dec. 23rd, 2012
2013 video of SM:
I know SM is just one example, but it's actually something I've noticed with a lot of attractions. The quality between 2012 and 2013 on attraction upkeep was amazing to me.
FettFan
Well-Known Member
unkadug
Follower of "Saget"The Cult
Nope...I went to Auburn University.
FettFan
Well-Known Member
unkadug
Follower of "Saget"The Cult
That was just crazy.
donaldtoo
Well-Known Member
Honestly, while we're there, I don't ever remember not feeling the Magic the vast majority of the time. But, after we get home, and back to "reality", I tend to look back and analyze a little closer.
I notice things while we're there, but, keep them to myself, as my DWifey and kiddos are havin' such a great time that they neither notice most of the things I do, or care.
It makes for a much more Magical trip.
I notice things while we're there, but, keep them to myself, as my DWifey and kiddos are havin' such a great time that they neither notice most of the things I do, or care.
It makes for a much more Magical trip.
DfromATX
Well-Known Member
Ditto Texas! LOL
bethymouse
Well-Known Member
We went to Myrtle Beach this year. My husband loved it! I have still been trying to go to Disney this year ( LOL) , but to no avail. I want to go in 2015. Perhaps the magic is gone for my husband and 10 year old boys ( they wanted to go to Busch Gardens, and we did). I just think "other" vacations are just not the same. I have never "lost" the magic because I have had a different , new, and memorable experience at WDW each time I go.
Arty Cordova
Well-Known Member
Are you planning on having kids? I know that brings out a huge difference for my family.
Dwarful
Well-Known Member
Oh don't worry....Illinois has its own stereotype.....I think we hold the record for the most governors making license plates in prison. First we elect them, then we let them rob us blind, then we pay to house them away from other prisoners....then we wonder why our state is so broke.
But back to the issue at hand, yes, we have experienced FP+ and the lack of magic on vacation at Disney. We hope to eventually recover that old lost magic. But aside from a short band trip in Feb/March we are taking a break and going to DL.