Too much money and not worth it..

[John park hopper]

It was 17 years since we last went again in 2017. It came as a small shock to us when we saw how everything had changed and so much of what we remembered was gone. Curious if you will experience the same feeling

 

[RustySpork]

That's bad planning. My five year old has been seven or eight times and we've never had a meltdown like that. People need to slow down and make sure their family's basic needs are taken care of or they're not going to have much fun at all.

Are you sure you have kids? I'm not sure you have kids.

Kids meltdown over everything and nothing and they go from not hungry to OMG STARVING GOING TO DIE as soon as they see something they want.

 

[John park hopper]

The online information that

Perhaps why the people in Europe and Japan are not as obese as in the USA where food is plentiful and cheap? ( but not in Disney).

The problem is not Disney food on a short term basis it is the US fast food market and prepared foods that has increased the obesity level in the US population --high fat sugar and over indulgence. An inactive life style in adults and kids who don't get out and play like we did back in the 50's and 60's is a contributing factor to obesity.

 

[Patcheslee]

Are you sure you have kids? I'm not sure you have kids.

Kids meltdown over everything and nothing and they go from not hungry to OMG STARVING GOING TO DIE as soon as they see something they want.

Pack a snack??? And don't cave to kids meltdowns? If they are actually hungry they'll eat what is there.

 

[RustySpork]

Pack a snack??? And don't cave to kids meltdowns? If they are actually hungry they'll eat what is there.

I don't believe I've said anything about caving to their demands.

 

[mdcpr]

Very unpopular opinion I know.

I have been to the park several times growing up, and twice as an adult. This past trip was my first time experiencing it as a family.

We stayed at a resort, planned fast passes, rode on all the rides we wanted to. Everyone told us the food was overpriced, but we were still utterly shocked. It's offensive that Disney charges what they do for low quality subpar food. We navigated the trip with a budget in mind. Skipped the frivolous (obnoxiously prices add ons) like the princess makeup makeover, park hopper option, mickeys halloween parade, souvenirs. Our total before flights was $1700- 5 nights at a resort and 3 days in the park, not including food. I understand that may be cheap compared to what others spend...

The "buy buy buy" mentality is so in your face. And people everywhere fall into the traps. My jaw dropped when people buzz around these gift stores, spending ungodly amounts of cash on Disney merchandise. And for what?! Also, some people love the customer service...I honestly just felt bad for the workers. It was a forced happy, and the stuff they have to deal with is crazy. I came across some of the rudest, most entitled people in the park. When a family would bump into others and say "I'm so sorry" or tell their kids "be aware of your surroundings!" it was so refreshing.. but rare.

And don't get me wrong- I love Disney movies, music etc. Its total nostalgia for me. But I found it too overstimulating and a lot of work, as did our oldest.
Hitting the pause button on Disney for a very long time!

Has anyone else experienced anything similar? Also, do you go every year or mix in trips to other places? And how much do you spend on average (all in)? Curiosity has gotten the best of me.

I went back to your original post since I'm not sure how this deviated so much from your original post. I agree that there are a lot of frivolous add-ons like the princess makeover (I told my daughter that for that money she could get French makeup from Givenchy at Epcot and she agreed), but some others are a necessity for some like park hopper, this is a lifesaver for me since my family never sticks to any original plans.

The 'buy buy' mentality is indeed ridiculous, but it is to be expected because that's what most people do. As for the customer service, I couldn't agree more with you--indeed is force happy. As someone who works with customers, I know force happy, but I get paid well for that. I know a couple of active and former CMs that would agree. WDW is their job, and even the title reminds them they have to be in character. People are gullible thinking every CM smile and nod comes from the heart.

As for entitled people, that's everywhere, but you might also be right. But then again, tourists tend to be entitled after spending so much money on a vacation.

Just wanted to say that I agree with you.

 

[mdcpr]

Gotcha. I don't like a buy culture, and I guess that's why I was turned off. We could have easily afforded to spend more. It's not like I felt we were missing out, and don't feel like the lack of spending affected our impression.

I think at the end of the day its just not our kind of trip haha!

I like the 'buy culture' term, I might use it. My trip is in 36 days, and I have a feeling that my trip report would be similar to yours.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Are you sure you have kids? I'm not sure you have kids.

Kids meltdown over everything and nothing and they go from not hungry to OMG STARVING GOING TO DIE as soon as they see something they want.

It’s only a ridiculous suggestion if you consider that Capt is a pro-Disney team member masquerading as a dry, numbers only Capitalist theory expert that will defend all prices, policies, and abuses dictated by cast member Bob

If you don’t know that...you might take it at face value.

Pack a snack??? And don't cave to kids meltdowns? If they are actually hungry they'll eat what is there.

I don’t know what the issue is with this one...but it’s probably blanket defense of all things Disney again. Standard operating procedure.

I love it when people share personal details and they are dehumanized with tone deaf, one sentence commands to “fix” everything.

Nobody has to agree/sympathize with anyone...but silence is ok too.

 

[RustySpork]

I love it when people share personal details and they are dehumanized with tone deaf, one sentence commands to “fix” everything.

I just assumed it was a simple case of an overly judgemental person making a silly assumption because their imagination had gotten away from them again.

 

[parkerthebarker]

Let's put all of this into perspective. People value some things over others. Take my family for instance. We are a family of four, Mom, Me, two boys. My oldest is autistic- as such his jam/obsession/constant talking point is amusement park rides. He knows the layouts of the Disney parks by heart and he knows the stats of almost all the rides by heart- and not just Disney Parks, but even amusement parks we have never visited. I hadn't been to Disney since I was a teenager, and we planned a visit the year before last. I vowed that I was going to say yes as much as I could to as many different things that I could as far as what we wanted to do - all within our budget. I have memories of going to Disney and feeling like I was on a leash from my parents because we went on a SUPER tight budget. I did not want my kids to feel that way, and honestly- neither did I. So- we saved for two years. And we stayed for seven days. We spent a small fortune- but one that we could afford. We went in expecting crowd sizes that may be uncomfortable. We knew there would be rude park goers and entitled people that we'd encounter. But you know what- it didn't matter in the long run. My kids (and my wife and I to a certain extent) felt as if we had a run on the place. We could do what we wanted and how we wanted to do it. Did we know going in that most of it would be frivolous and wasteful? Yes- but we planned for it. IT allowed for such wonderful moments as my youngest who got of Expedition Everest in tears to receive a "yeti" warrior pin from a cast member. He felt ten feet tall. MY oldest got to ride Everest 8 times - and loved every second of it. MY wife met MAry Poppins and I met Scrooge McDuck- and I we each freaked out about those meetings. I even took a picture with my boys by complete accident in the exact same spot my father (who has died since then) and I took one in almost twenty years earlier.

In the end it isn't what you spend prudently or irrationally that matters- it's that the time was worth it. And regardless if you go with a budget in mind, or flush with cash, focus on the people you are with and the experience rather than the cost of it. I wouldn't trade it for the world, and we are headed there again in '20.

Oh wow, that's awesome. Happy to hear you guys love it! You definitely need to put those pictures in a side by side frame! Love that it was a complete accident... or a sweet message from your dad?

I know you weren't saying this- but we didn't have our kids on a leash with a budget. We could have easily spent more, just didn't feel like we should have. Disney is a marketing genius. While we were there I felt the affects- it's easy to get sucked in. And if you want to get sucked in that's totally fine.

We love travel, and continued to do so even when kids came into the picture. We live in the south, and have taken them all over. From small towns in Colorado, across the pond, and to major cities. I don't think any of them felt as overwhelming as this past one. But you are right, it comes down to what works for you. And while lots of people do Disney with young kids, it doesn't work for any of us. I'm not writing Disney off forever. I always enjoyed going in the past... so maybe somewhere down the line.

 

[mdcpr]

Oh wow, that's awesome. Happy to hear you guys love it! You definitely need to put those pictures in a side by side frame! Love that it was a complete accident... or a sweet message from your dad?

I know you weren't saying this- but we didn't have our kids on a leash with a budget. We could have easily spent more, just didn't feel like we should have. Disney is a marketing genius. While we were there I felt the affects- it's easy to get sucked in. And if you want to get sucked in that's totally fine.

We love travel, and continued to do so even when kids came into the picture. We live in the south, and have taken them all over. From small towns in Colorado, across the pond, and to major cities. I don't think any of them felt as overwhelming as this past one. But you are right, it comes down to what works for you. And while lots of people do Disney with young kids, it doesn't work for any of us. I'm not writing Disney off forever. I always enjoyed going in the past... so maybe somewhere down the line.

Here's a suggestion for future travel if you have not tried it--Hershey Park in Pennsylvania. Less overwhelming, tons of fun and all you might be compelled to buy is chocolate.

 

[Shouldigo12]

I like the 'buy culture' term, I might use it. My trip is in 36 days, and I have a feeling that my trip report would be similar to yours.

Ah, that's sad. I know you've put a lot of work into this trip. You said in another post you ended up cancelling a good number of reservations so your family could have a more "go with the flow" mentality during it and have more room for breaks, no?

 

[parkerthebarker]

$1700 for Disney is great budgeting. You should have just ignored the other visitors if their behavior bothered you. I'm going in December for the first time in 18 years - and I am planning down to where to eat (no table service, that's for sure). I'm paying for tickets - Park Hopper plus - and "scrimping" on room - All Star Sports. Renting a car to enable off site meals. If you didn't have a good experience then don't go back. Yes, it's expensive - and if the food isn't any good ridiculously overpriced. Can't compare it to urban areas - because there is stiff competition and if the food isn't any good people will soon go elsewhere. $16 for a lobster roll - that's a steal.

Yeah- we stayed at the All Star Movies Resort- it was totally fine. Renting a car is smart. Don't think that would have worked for us, I'm picturing the meltdowns walking to the car in the heat haha. Hope you guys have fun!

 

[parkerthebarker]

It was 17 years since we last went again in 2017. It came as a small shock to us when we saw how everything had changed and so much of what we remembered was gone. Curious if you will experience the same feeling

I noticed it when we went in 2012 (it had been like 10 years), and really noticed it this past time.

 

[parkerthebarker]

Are you sure you have kids? I'm not sure you have kids.

Kids meltdown over everything and nothing and they go from not hungry to OMG STARVING GOING TO DIE as soon as they see something they want.

Exactly. Combine that with all of the other things happening- heat, crowds, noise... it's a perfect storm!

 

[parkerthebarker]

Pack a snack??? And don't cave to kids meltdowns? If they are actually hungry they'll eat what is there.

Oh man. If only we had thought of that. (palm to face)

 

[networkpro]

I'm of the mind that children just need to be children first. Feed, hydrate, and put them to bed when they need these things, they, for the most part, are not very good at identifying these things yet. Plans only go so far and you have to make on the spot changes to fit the situation.

 

[parkerthebarker]

It’s only a ridiculous suggestion if you consider that Capt is a pro-Disney team member masquerading and dry, numbers only Capitalist theory expert that will defend all prices, policies, and abuses dictated by cast member Bob

I’d you don’t know that...you might take it at face value.

I don’t know what the issue is with this one...but it’s probably blanket defense of all things Disney again. Standard operating procedure.

I love it when people share personal details and they are dehumanized with tone deaf, one sentence commands to “fix” everything.

Nobody has to agree/sympathize with anyone...but silence is ok too.

Thanks for saying this.

 

[RustySpork]

Oh man. If only we had thought of that. (palm to face)

Spoiler

Now you know, so you can be prepared in the future!

 

[mdcpr]

Ah, that's sad. I know you've put a lot of work into this trip. You said in another post you ended up cancelling a good number of reservations so your family could have a more "go with the flow" mentality during it and have more room for breaks, no?

I've put a lot of work on this trip so we can have the best time as a family, and it all came down to 3 FPs to the rides we wanted to ensure the shortest lines possible, and not the FPS everyone wants. I had a total of 11 ADRs and ended up keeping 3 for unique experiences that we can't have anywhere else (BOG, CRT, and Tusker House), and I added tons of breaks to chill so we can go to lounges, ice cream shops and galleries. In by 9 am and out by 5 pm every day. Also, the schedule is now 3 park days and 2 hotel days even though I had bought park hopper/multiple days tickets.

It is not sad, it is just a reality that WDW is not for everyone and the definition of happiness varies. When I joined this forum back in March I thought I was going to do EVERYTHING, now that I'm close to the trip, scaling down is what it will work for us. My kids still don't care about MK and Disney movies, even when I hype them up. They are looking forward to the Epcot pavilions and the animals at Animal Kingdom.