What’s your Disney breaking point?

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

We all have it, there’s that one offset that either has happened near or we just know that time where Disney just isn’t the place you once loved any more. For me I have got that but there’s hope and I’m giving Disney to 2022 to win be back fully. So far all my favorite shows, soundtracks and parades which were the main drawer for me are gone and the only thread keeping me going right now is Epcot Forever. Biergarten at Germany and Japan always keep me coming back to the World Showcase, Once Wishes and the Light Parades left the Magick Kingdom I have had no desire to go back once except for a couple of rides that I absolutely Love. If Disney can’t win me back with their upcoming shows attractions and changes to come this might be it for me. As for newer attractions, I get exited for them, put my attention towards them but always end up gravitating towards the older ones after a while leaving newer attractions behind.

 

[Dead2009]

I almost lost all hope and vowed to never buy those yearly guides Birnbaum puts out after they got rid of the hot cheese dispensers. But once they brought them back I bought the 2020 edition a few weeks ago.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I've been going since the 80's and have seen many changes in that time.
I have yet to have a "breaking point". I think the breaking point would be if they take away too many attractions I enjoy and do not bring in enough new attractions that I enjoy. Not sure if that will ever happen with Disney though since I like most of the replacements and other than Illuminations being gone I like the changes I'm seeing for EPCOT.
It did happen with Universal back when they closed Jaws. Just too many attractions I liked were gone and only a couple good once put in their place.
My advice to anyone that gets to the breaking point is to stop going and pick a new destination vs dwelling on it.

 

[StarshipDisney]

My breaking point will be when it gets too expensive for us...and at an average of roughly 14% - 15% inflation each and every year...we'll see what things look like in 2025. I am already planning three trips in 2020, 2021, and 2022 because three straight years going to Disney is a bucket list item for me. But I am sure there will come a day when I'll decide it is not worth it.

 

[JIMINYCR]

I hate it when certain attractions and shows disappear when they are my favorites but I realize Im not in control of those decisions and things will always be changing. Cost wise, sure there may come a price when I will say its not worth it but Im not close to that yet. The breaking point for me more than anything else is the crowding situation. In the past we chose our trip times when the crowds were manageable. We never went on major holidays or during school vacation weeks to avoid the ultimate crunch of bodies. But our last two trips we encountered the crowds more than at any other time. Disneys build up of rooms and doing little to disperse the crowds in the parks is becoming an issue. We are going in 2020 and will see what it brings. If we find the lines are massive waits, if the walkways are jammed to be barely passable, if it gets to the point where our once pleasurable day is made intolerable, we will sadly pass on Disney. To pay for a trip that has you spending most of your day standing in lines and delivering very little enjoyable time isnt worth doing.

 

[eliza61nyc]

My advice to anyone that gets to the breaking point is to stop going and pick a new destination vs dwelling on it.

lol duck and cover @Queen of the WDW Screne , they really rather not hear that.

So luckily I don't have those "back when Disney use to be..." blues so nostalgia doesn't fuel my enjoyment. My breaking point is pretty simple, when we stop having fun we'll stop going. I also don't compare the cost against what it use to be 20 years ago. disney is still comparable to the other vacations we take. basically we have a vacation budget and we try to stick to it. A lot of things that bother other folks really doesn't faze us. We don't get annoyed that there is IP in certain places but again we didn't go to WDW prior to 1999.

Now there are things I wish did not change, I really loved spectromagic and Illuminations but I also understand after decades, change can be good.

like @JIMINYCR I think the over crowding will get most people faster than price increases.

It's looking like my age will get me before anything

 

[John park hopper]

I guess it is just inevitable age brings "I remember when", I can remember cringing when I was a kid every time my grandmother would say "I remember when" Now I find myself saying the same thing when it comes to WDW having first gone in early 72. There are many attractions I remember long gone I wish were still there but time marches on as my grey hair will attest too. Going with my granddaughters has brought a whole new experience at WDW. I know in previous posts I have said I was done going to WDW-- eat my words--- granddaughters have changed that so I have not reached the breaking point yet--- but "I still remember when" Ha Ha

 

[Lilofan]

Magic Bands to your hearts content. Breaking point is when the credit card bill arrives at the end of the month.

 

[Weather_Lady]

I've made jokes about this, but it's the truth... the breaking point for me was when they started charging for guacamole at Pecos Bill's. It's not that it was a big deal in and of itself, but it was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back, and was the last in a long chain of events that gradually changed my perception of Disney as a company that put the customer first and wanted to show me a good time such that its high prices were totally justified, to a greedy nickel-and-diming corporation that I would have to outwit in order to have a good time without saying "yes" to all the ridiculous upcharges.

Don't get me wrong -- we still go (albeit less often, for less time, and each trip gets a little more "bare bones"), and we still have a nice time. We're in a respectful marriage with WDW, but the honeymoon's definitely over. Actually, I guess that's not a great analogy, seeing as we've been stepping out with Disneyland, Universal, European destinations and weekend road trips for years now, and loving it... I guess we and WDW have an open relationship!

 

[John park hopper]

We're in a respectful marriage with WDW, but the honeymoon's definitely over.
[/QUOTE]

Love the comparison ---I'm with you on a lot of your sentiments regarding the Disney Corporation

 

[macefamily]

Amen to Lilofan. I just started paying my credit cards from our early November trip. It will be a few months till I get them down.

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

My breaking point will be when it gets too expensive for us...and at an average of roughly 14% - 15% inflation each and every year...we'll see what things look like in 2025. I am already planning three trips in 2020, 2021, and 2022 because three straight years going to Disney is a bucket list item for me. But I am sure there will come a day when I'll decide it is not worth it.

I think my money would be better spend back in the day, so much more for a buck.

 

[eliza61nyc]

I think my money would be better spend back in the day, so much more for a buck.

Lol
Ice cream cured me from using "back in day"
Man, I still get annoyed that one day I woke up and the containers were 1/4 smaller and what's with " frozen dairy treat " crap .

Sorry, I have an ice cream" line in the Sand"

 

[Raineman]

My breaking point probably will not be cost, at least in the short term, as any significant cost increases will just make us save longer and not go as often. I think the two biggest factors will be removal of, or massive changes to, the classic attractions that we have left, ie HM, POTC, JC, Tiki Room, TTA, Pan's Flight, IASW, SSE, etc., and/or crowd levels to the point that my frustration overwhelms the fun I am having at WDW. I found myself getting more frustrated than before with being stuck in the middle of the massive herds every day, when we were at WDW a couple of weeks ago. Longer lines at attractions don't bother me as much, but not being able to freely walk around the parks without being slowed right down or having to dodge people like a running back breaking through the defensive line does get to me. When it comes to the classic attractions, I would hope that they will always be free from extinction; I think the results of the upcoming SSE refurb may be an indicator of how far Disney will go when updating an attraction like that.

 

[Moka]

My breaking point has never been a show or an attraction leaving. In fact, unpopular opinion, I love HEA and Rivers of light. It’s just probably when Disney has those days where NOTHING is working. Whether it’s a power outage, or the rides constantly are being shutdown. Or maybe their CM aren’t having the best day either.

Maybe the cost too when it gets too high.

 

[Lilofan]

I've seen guests have a meltdown sitting at the Fantasmic theatre at DHS with the other thousands of guests when there is a theatre announcement that the show is cancelled due to weather.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

My breaking point has already been hit. Due to proximity and the value of an AP (based on number of visits), I can't see myself abstaining from Disney altogether. At least at this stage. My breaking point isn't necessarily structured around cost/price.

So while yes, I get upset about resort parking fees, annual increases in food and beverage cost, and AP increases. My breaking point has more to do with value and quality. I no longer feel I am getting the experience, quality, and value for that which I am paying. Too many corners being cut to save a buck. Food quality not up standard for the cost they're charging.

It's for that reason I spend less time (and money) with Disney than I used to. And it's also for that reason that I find myself eating and shopping off property more.