A Thank You To Our Insiders

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spresso81

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I have been a member of WDWMagic since the early 2000s. I think this post is really needed in a time in which the WDC has continued to show a blatant disregard to the true fans of WDW.

I want to thank people like Marni1971, Magic Feather, Rteetz, Lee and The Visionary Soul amongst others for bringing us so many news stories, rumors and in many ways giving us a heads up years in advance of where the WDC company was going. Even our old favorite WDW1974 really showed us where this was all going.

We all knew Disneyworld vacations were not cheap but were happy to pay a fair price and premium for a magical vacation where our parents, significant others and children got to enjoy rides, shows and parks which made them happy. Was paying $10 for a Mickey balloon cheap no, was paying $300 a night a the Yacht Club ten years ago cheap no or was paying $70 for a Mickey XMas party as recently as 2013 cheap no but made so much more sense then what we are facing today. I am not even saying the $15 for Genie + per say is too much but as many have said it is all adding up to destroy what we loved.

This is a company that is taking almost each and every benefit away from it hotel and loyal guests. Sadly, most of our insiders mentioned above hinted at this strategy for years with at times cryptic posts, honest and fair criticisms for projects such as Harmonious and honestly voicing displeasure with the idea of tearing the heart out of Epcot to create a lazy bar on stilts to upsell corporate customers.

I know I will be going to Disneyworld far less in the future then I ever envisioned in 2001 when I was 20 if you could tell me in 2021 I would have a wife, 2.5 year old son and 6 month old daughter. However, smart people need to show this company it needs to provide future generations with the magic and value we all cherished. Thanks again to all who make this forum so interesting to be a part of and Steve for running a great place for true Disney fans.

Just one last note - To counter the expected but I am still going to go comments, I did not write this post just to bemoan the WDC. I will keep going in part due to the nostalgia and my kids just FAR FAR less and in ways which Disney gets less of my $$$. That being said my family fits into what the WDC's key demographic was as recently as 5/10 years ago and to lose my entertainment dollar every other year or two years plus no more hotel stays is telling. I was the type of person who bought a DVC or went at least once heck maybe twice a year on a whim.
 
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Horizons '83

Horizons '83

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
spresso81 said:
I have been a member of WDWMagic since the early 2000s. I think this post is really needed in a time in which the WDC has continued to show a blatant disregard to the true fans of WDW.

I want to thank people link Marni1971, Magic Feather, Rteetz, Lee and The Visionary Soul amongst others for bringing us so many news stories, rumors and in many ways giving us a heads up years in advance of where the WDC company was going. Even our old favorite WDW1974 really showed us where this was all going.

We all knew Disneyworld vacations were not cheap but were happy to pay a fair price and premium for a magical vacation where our parents, significant others and children got to enjoy rides, shows and parks which made them happy. Was paying $10 for a Mickey balloon cheap no, was paying $300 a night a the Yacht Club ten years ago cheap no or was paying $70 for a Mickey XMas party as recently as 2013 cheap no but made so much more sense then what we are facing today. I am not even saying the $15 for Genie + per say is too much but as many have said it is all adding up to destroy what we loved.

This is a company that is taking almost each and every benefit away from it hotel and loyal guests. Sadly, most of our insiders mentioned above hinted at this strategy for years with at times cryptic posts, honest and fair criticisms for projects such as Harmonious and honestly voicing displeasure with the idea of tearing the heart out of Epcot to create a lazy bar on stilts to upsell corporate customers.

I know I will be going to Disneyworld far less in the future then I ever envisioned in 2001 when I was 20 if you could tell me in 2021 I would have a wife, 2.5 year old son and 6 month old daughter. However, smart people need to show this company it needs to provide future generations with the magic and value we all cherished. Thanks again to all who make this forum so interesting to be a part of and Steve for running a great place for true Disney fans.
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Well said, I am very grateful for whatever tidbits are shared here. Only been on here for 6 years but its truly been a place for great Disney centric conversation (minus, the political and Covid related threads :joyfull: ) and the insiders play a vital role in that. 👍
 
Disstevefan1

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
spresso81 said:
I have been a member of WDWMagic since the early 2000s. I think this post is really needed in a time in which the WDC has continued to show a blatant disregard to the true fans of WDW.

I want to thank people link Marni1971, Magic Feather, Rteetz, Lee and The Visionary Soul amongst others for bringing us so many news stories, rumors and in many ways giving us a heads up years in advance of where the WDC company was going. Even our old favorite WDW1974 really showed us where this was all going.

We all knew Disneyworld vacations were not cheap but were happy to pay a fair price and premium for a magical vacation where our parents, significant others and children got to enjoy rides, shows and parks which made them happy. Was paying $10 for a Mickey balloon cheap no, was paying $300 a night a the Yacht Club ten years ago cheap no or was paying $70 for a Mickey XMas party as recently as 2013 cheap no but made so much more sense then what we are facing today. I am not even saying the $15 for Genie + per say is too much but as many have said it is all adding up to destroy what we loved.

This is a company that is taking almost each and every benefit away from it hotel and loyal guests. Sadly, most of our insiders mentioned above hinted at this strategy for years with at times cryptic posts, honest and fair criticisms for projects such as Harmonious and honestly voicing displeasure with the idea of tearing the heart out of Epcot to create a lazy bar on stilts to upsell corporate customers.

I know I will be going to Disneyworld far less in the future then I ever envisioned in 2001 when I was 20 if you could tell me in 2021 I would have a wife, 2.5 year old son and 6 month old daughter. However, smart people need to show this company it needs to provide future generations with the magic and value we all cherished. Thanks again to all who make this forum so interesting to be a part of and Steve for running a great place for true Disney fans.
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TWDC has been doing the short sighted, money grab stuff for many years now and most of us said it would come back to bite them some day, but that never happened. Even after SHUTTING the theme parks for extended periods did not hurt them, some say it helped them; allowing them to make cost cuts they always wanted to do. Now they are coming back stronger than ever, prices for everything higher than ever.

To the OP, don’t worry TWDC and it’s theme parks aren’t going anywhere; TWDC and it’s theme parks are invincible!

As for the future affordability of a DisneyParks vacation is concerned, price increases will outpace most folks and many foks will be priced out completely, many folks must save for several years for a single vacation. It’s too bad…
 
C

Christi22222

Active Member
Great post. I've been agonizing for awhile about how badly I still want to go. My son is an adult now, however, we have still enjoyed our Disney trips very much. My husband and I run the races at Disney, too. We live far away but go at least once a year, and often twice, for 20+ years. I think I may have finally hit the wall. I am lucky enough we could still afford it if we choose. But besides the fact that I have no intention of flushing money because I can, they have sucked all the fun and magic out at this point. I adjusted to Dining Plan and grew to like it despite the ridiculous prices and cutbacks. I adapted to Fast Pass and made it work very well for my family. I stayed in almost all of the onsite hotels to mix up the experience and try out all the fun, despite the absurd prices. I have paid for our own transport, tried DME, rented cars, and paid absurd and constantly rising parking prices. I lived with growing crowds, even in the VERY off season when we choose to go. I lived with Magic Bands instead of new rides. I lived with insanely busy walkways and long ride lines, despite the overall crowds being light because of managements cost saving choices. I've done spontaneous and lived with it, and planned down to the second and lived with it. But I think I am finally over this. I don't need to do PhD level research every time I visit a vacation spot I know like the back of my hand simply to understand how to get on the one new damn ride. We actually choose Disney to vacation because we love the energy, but it's super relaxing to us because we don't feel pressure to see everything. I also don't appreciate the culture of blatant cash grabbing. It's a them park. I get it. Have for decades. But this has gone to next level. We are signed up for Wine and Dine. But that may be it at WDW for awhile. Maybe we finally go to Paris or Tokyo. Then I'd at least be getting a new experience for my efforts and cash. Or maybe we just stick to National Parks and Europe trips (our other favorite places). This forum isn't even fun anymore. It's a job I have to do or my disney trips will suck. It's patently absurd. Sorry, rant done.
 
Sir_Cliff

Sir_Cliff

Well-Known Member
Disstevefan1 said:
TWDC has been doing the short sighted, money grab stuff for many years now and most of us said it would come back to bite them some day, but that never happened.
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This is kind of where I am with all of this at the moment. I enjoyed the last trip to WDW 2018, but honestly felt I couldn't justify the cost anymore and things like park hours had been cut back too much. So, I enjoy following all the developments on here but have no real interest in booking a trip back anytime soon.

That said, I am among those who have repeatedly thought they'd gone too far with this price rise or that cutback... and so far the missteps mostly seem to come when they produce a product people aren't interested in rather than them jacking up prices or cutting something. So, overall, I find it hard to see the evidence for any backlash over prices and cutbacks which makes it hard to blame them. After all, if the parks are still too crowded and people keep eating whatever measures Disney puts in place to raise their profit margin, why wouldn't they keep pushing things further? 🤷‍♂️
 
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Disstevefan1

Disstevefan1

Well-Known Member
Christi22222 said:
Great post. I've been agonizing for awhile about how badly I still want to go. My son is an adult now, however, we have still enjoyed our Disney trips very much. My husband and I run the races at Disney, too. We live far away but go at least once a year, and often twice, for 20+ years. I think I may have finally hit the wall. I am lucky enough we could still afford it if we choose. But besides the fact that I have no intention of flushing money because I can, they have sucked all the fun and magic out at this point. I adjusted to Dining Plan and grew to like it despite the ridiculous prices and cutbacks. I adapted to Fast Pass and made it work very well for my family. I stayed in almost all of the onsite hotels to mix up the experience and try out all the fun, despite the absurd prices. I have paid for our own transport, tried DME, rented cars, and paid absurd and constantly rising parking prices. I lived with growing crowds, even in the VERY off season when we choose to go. I lived with Magic Bands instead of new rides. I lived with insanely busy walkways and long ride lines, despite the overall crowds being light because of managements cost saving choices. I've done spontaneous and lived with it, and planned down to the second and lived with it. But I think I am finally over this. I don't need to do PhD level research every time I visit a vacation spot I know like the back of my hand simply to understand how to get on the one new damn ride. We actually choose Disney to vacation because we love the energy, but it's super relaxing to us because we don't feel pressure to see everything. I also don't appreciate the culture of blatant cash grabbing. It's a them park. I get it. Have for decades. But this has gone to next level. We are signed up for Wine and Dine. But that may be it at WDW for awhile. Maybe we finally go to Paris or Tokyo. Then I'd at least be getting a new experience for my efforts and cash. Or maybe we just stick to National Parks and Europe trips (our other favorite places). This forum isn't even fun anymore. It's a job I have to do or my disney trips will suck. It's patently absurd. Sorry, rant done.
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I am a long time WDW fan but I vote for Tokyo Disneyland. It’s the BEST Disney Park ever built…
 
britain

britain

Well-Known Member
I’ve been pondering a lot about this and just how inauthentic everything has become with the company.

Been watching a lot of Hayao Miyazaki documentaries lately. You see him drawing, throwing away his drawings, taking a long drag on yet another cigarette, saying he didn’t like how one aspect of his last film turned out, and then bemoaning the state of civilization. But he pushes forward and creates delight and magic with his pencil.

Disney CANNOT bring themselves to be honest about anything like that. The closest is when they had to acknowledge that DCA needed a redo. But they stay away from anything that indicates that the creative process is not a bubbly cauldron of pixie dust. Don’t acknowledge that WDW Pirates is inferior! Don’t note that the hotels are becoming bland! Everything is great! Everything is wonderful!

And they definitely don’t want to put any talent on a pedestal. Heaven forbid we care about individual artists, their ups and downs. No, there aren’t any Miyazaki geniuses at Disney, because then THEY become more interesting than the IP. The Disney geniuses can share their stories after they are kicked out of the company.

As a slight aside, this was another thing that stung about the John Lasseter fall from grace, besides the treatment of women. I enjoyed BELIEVING that there was a guy there focusing on creating great things. I’m sure Pete Docter is probably doing well creatively, but the “singular artist leading the corporation” tale is not in vogue right now.

There’s just nothing authentic coming out of the company anymore. I’ll probably watch the next Marvel movie, or Star Wars thing, but I’m not excited about ANY of it because it all seems to be churned out by a Disney machine, rather than artists with individual visions.
 
chimchimcheree

chimchimcheree

Well-Known Member
I'd quibble only with the complaints surrounding the IP. Obviously, the new SW trilogy left something to be desired (well, pretty much everything), and you can argue with me on this, but I thought Rogue One and their recent slate of animation offerings have been pretty decent. The Mandalorian was one of the best pieces of storytelling I've seen in a while. I don't think the creative side has necessarily suffered.

That being said, the business side of TWDC is so bad that it surpasses satire. Any time a new rumor pops up, the rational side of my brain thinks, "No, there's no way they could be that incompetent," and then I remember that Steve Carell will probably be playing Bob Chapek in the inevitable workplace sitcom. Fun fact! Lord Farquaad from Shrek is based on Michael Eisner. The scripts are writing themselves to the point that the insiders on this board should demand a share of the royalties.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
I truly with every fiber of my being hate to tell you I told you so, but ... I did see it coming.

Both with the destruction of our American society and of the quality and magic that came out of TWDC. I take not an iota of pleasure for being right. But I was. I am.

You may not agree with me. That just makes you either knowingly blind or uncaring.

And things are going to get worse in both areas.

But I need to get back to Regions Beyond before my suspicious wife notices I'm gone ...

~Really Carlye? No, like REALLY?!?!~
 
WEDYENSID

WEDYENSID

Member
WDW1974 said:
I truly with every fiber of my being hate to tell you I told you so, but ... I did see it coming.

Both with the destruction of our American society and of the quality and magic that came out of TWDC. I take not an iota of pleasure for being right. But I was. I am.

You may not agree with me. That just makes you either knowingly blind or uncaring.

And things are going to get worse in both areas.

But I need to get back to Regions Beyond before my suspicious wife notices I'm gone ...

~Really Carlye? No, like REALLY?!?!~
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Most Loved you (some hated you), but we all know that you cared. You were the most entertaining on these pages that I have followed for 20 years or so... Hope you Have a Great Day!
 

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