Am I The Lucky One?

[HouCuseChickie]

Until our most recent trip...I would have been on board with you for the most part. I used to think maybe I was just naive or far less critical than others. I mean, I did start noticing more issues by going more often as an adult... issues I probably wouldn't be as aware of if I were going every few years, but the pixie dust and magic bubble were strong enough to allow me to shrug it off. As awesome as this last trip was, there were just too many inexcusable flaws that I can no longer think all of the doom and gloom on here is overreaction. So, I think some of it is luck and some of it is choice to ignore the flaws.

We experienced more ride breakdowns on this past trip than I've experienced altogether in 20 or so trips to WDW. We had a whopping 9 ride breakdowns in 1 day at MK. Talk about feeling like you've just thrown your $ away. Something is horribly wrong when the breakdowns are to the point that a 4 year old child is stomping through MK woefully proclaiming that she's sick of all of the broken rides.

There have also been many posts about how we all could never stay off site b/c of the glorious 24/7 magic bubble that you get by staying at WDW onsite resort... and that the service is just leaps and bounds above anything you'd find offsite and it's worth the premium so many of us pay to stay onsite. Well, the consistent rudeness we enountered at Yacht Club pretty much blew that right out of the water. We've only been staying onsite since 2010 and the service received at WL and Contemporary were the epitome of magical Disney service. Welll... You know you wasted your $ on your lodging when the $79 a night roadside motel on the interstate offers significantly better service....i.e. than YC. I'm sure some of you are reading this and thinking it's a gross exaggeration, but just the fact that the motel clerk could greet me with a smile and a cheery disposition already put them well ahead of the dismal check in at YC. We were in BC one day and DH turned to me and asked why we weren't staying there...i.e. the difference in service level and CM attitudes was soooo obvious.

I have been going to WDW since 1985 and while we had a 12 year hiatus after our 1998 trip, with the ride breakdowns and subpar hotel experience on this most recent trip...DH has 1) said no more "Orlando area" vacays until our girls hit the next big height milestone (maybe give him time for a change of heart and WDW to look seriously at improvements) 2) has suggested we skip WDW next trip and focus on everything else (in case they don't get their act together) 3) has suggested that we stay at a Universal hotel or look at the Ritz, Waldorf or the Peabody if we want luxury.

If you see my recent trip report- it looks like a very nice trip...which it was (since I still want people to see the positives ... as there were many)...but there were enough things that went wrong to make me quite angry. Angry enough to complain and angry enough to take my $ elsewhere for some time.

EDIT...The thing is, as the magic bubble is burst...the flaws do become more noticeable and they start to add up. I had to laugh at myself...even being bugged by a number of the C9 lights being out in the YC's exterior decorative lighting.

AND yes...I complained. I should be taking a call tomorrow that is hopefully more in depth than a canned reply email.

 

[marni1971]

Standards are no where near what they used to be, and what the company built itself upon.

The fact the resort still seems magical to most today is testament to the stellar work done to make it that during its first 3 decades or so.

Imagine how even more fantastically magical it would be today if the standards were still as high? Imagine your already perfect vacation being even better.

Yes, it's still a wonderful place. Bt it should be even better.

Other parks are catching up in many areas, even surpassing in some. Will they be "better" than Disney? That will purely be in the eye of the beholder. Should they even try? Or should and could they be as good as in their own way?

Seaworlds Antartica will blow any ride the mouse has installed since the late 90s out of the water. Gringotts coaster will reinvent the bar for E Tickets. And I'll enjoy them both. As I will Tower of Terror. So what? Each park has plusses and minuses. You can get great service at a WDW resort. And poor service too. Same for any resort, anywhere. And often for less money elsewhere.

Just don't mention Nexgen.

 

[real mad hatter]

Im not surprised you have no time for complaints, too busy taking notes for reference to make 10,000 posts a day on here.

But it comes down to choice, some folk are happy with mince, whilst others would rather have steak.

Hoots mon.

Mmmmm.I love steak mince.But if it smells aff,I'am gonna complain.Well only if Ive got the time.

 

[marni1971]

Directly to the op.... Would you know what you're looking for? Did you ever experience the gold standard of yesteryear? No offence, but seriously would and did you? Doom Buggies stop for so many reasons. Breaking down, as a stop is often called, is the least reason for it. Major problems more often than not are not a reason in themselves not to return. The legacy of the place is that good still. But add them up and you find people have more reasons to spend less time on property.

 

[real mad hatter]

Until our most recent trip...I would have been on board with you for the most part. I used to think maybe I was just naive or far less critical than others. I mean, I did start noticing more issues by going more often as an adult... issues I probably wouldn't be as aware of if I were going every few years, but the pixie dust and magic bubble were strong enough to allow me to shrug it off. As awesome as this last trip was, there were just too many inexcusable flaws that I can no longer think all of the doom and gloom on here is overreaction. So, I think some of it is luck and some of it is choice to ignore the flaws.

We experienced more ride breakdowns on this past trip than I've experienced altogether in 20 or so trips to WDW. We had a whopping 9 ride breakdowns in 1 day at MK. Talk about feeling like you've just thrown your $ away. Something is horribly wrong when the breakdowns are to the point that a 4 year old child is stomping through MK woefully proclaiming that she's sick of all of the broken rides.

There have also been many posts about how we all could never stay off site b/c of the glorious 24/7 magic bubble that you get by staying at WDW onsite resort... and that the service is just leaps and bounds above anything you'd find offsite and it's worth the premium so many of us pay to stay onsite. Well, the consistent rudeness we enountered at Yacht Club pretty much blew that right out of the water. We've only been staying onsite since 2010 and the service received at WL and Contemporary were the epitome of magical Disney service. Welll... You know you wasted your $ on your lodging when the $79 a night roadside motel on the interstate offers significantly better service....i.e. than YC. I'm sure some of you are reading this and thinking it's a gross exaggeration, but just the fact that the motel clerk could greet me with a smile and a cheery disposition already put them well ahead of the dismal check in at YC. We were in BC one day and DH turned to me and asked why we weren't staying there...i.e. the difference in service level and CM attitudes was soooo obvious.

I have been going to WDW since 1985 and while we had a 12 year hiatus after our 1998 trip, with the ride breakdowns and subpar hotel experience on this most recent trip...DH has 1) said no more "Orlando area" vacays until our girls hit the next big height milestone (maybe give him time for a change of heart and WDW to look seriously at improvements) 2) has suggested we skip WDW next trip and focus on everything else (in case they don't get their act together) 3) has suggested that we stay at a Universal hotel or look at the Ritz, Waldorf or the Peabody if we want luxury.

If you see my recent trip report- it looks like a very nice trip...which it was (since I still want people to see the positives ... as there were many)...but there were enough things that went wrong to make me quite angry. Angry enough to complain and angry enough to take my $ elsewhere for some time.

EDIT...The thing is, as the magic bubble is burst...the flaws do become more noticeable and they start to add up. I had to laugh at myself...even being bugged by a number of the C9 lights being out in the YC's exterior decorative lighting.

AND yes...I complained. I should be taking a call tomorrow that is hopefully more in depth than a canned reply email.

Wow!!! So I was right all along.I am the lucky one.After reading your holiday woes I would be changing my vacation destination.If I go out for a meal and its crap,I complain,but I never go back to that restaurant.Theres plenty more out there.Just like holiday destinations.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

 

[real mad hatter]

Directly to the op.... Would you know what you're looking for? Did you ever experience the gold standard of yesteryear? No offence, but seriously would and did you? Doom Buggies stop for so many reasons. Breaking down, as a stop is often called, is the least reason for it. Major problems more often than not are not a reason in themselves not to return. The legacy of the place is that good still. But add them up and you find people have more reasons to spend less time on property.

Eh,let me answer your questions..Do I know what I'am looking for.? Yes,and I've found it..Did I ever experience the gold standard.? No,I went straight to Platinum.Doom buggies versus Gloom buggies,love them all.In all honesty,I go there to enjoy the Disney magic and that's what I get,time after time after time.So I'll leave the adding up to others.

 

[real mad hatter]

Whit the h... Snorting the wrong dust dude!

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Wow!!! So I was right all along.I am the lucky one.After reading your holiday woes I would be changing my vacation destination.If I go out for a meal and its crap,I complain,but I never go back to that restaurant.Theres plenty more out there.Just like holiday destinations.

It's really unfortunate b/c I do love WDW. While the $ and time wasted on subpar experiences aspect are the lead anger points, seeing something you really enjoy "betray" you is pretty upsetting. You factor in the cost increases and the diminishing discounts and it brought me to a boiling point. But, thankfully there's a great big world out there to explore! And who knows, maybe things will be better whenever we do return to WDW.

 

[marni1971]

Eh,let me answer your questions..Do I know what I'am looking for.? Yes,and I've found it..Did I ever experience the gold standard.? No,I went straight to Platinum.Doom buggies versus Gloom buggies,love them all.In all honesty,I go there to enjoy the Disney magic and that's what I get,time after time after time.So I'll leave the adding up to others.

Thanks for that. Your position is now crystal clear for all to see. The math is easy.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Whit the h... Snorting the wrong dust dude!

Dude? Shouldnt it be "pal"?

Still makes a change from what you normally shovel. No offence like.

 

[onesandzeros]

Here in the U.S. of A, people love to be a victim.
IMHO it’s become a national pastime.
I always try to be in your camp Hatter.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Standards are no where near what they used to be, and what the company built itself upon.

The fact the resort still seems magical to most today is testament to the stellar work done to make it that during its first 3 decades or so.

Yes!

The above is the core of my my thoughts about WDW too. The place was build so well, that even a WDW that's 60% of what it was is still magical.


Imagine, if you will, the current WDW. Then the next time you visit, Main Street has been demolished for a Walmart. Yes, it is convenient that you can now do your grocery shopping right in the park, and yes, the castle and all the other lands are still there, and you have a great time at Splash and Peter Pan. But still the MK is the lesser for it.
And then the next time, they turned Peter Pan into Stich's Burping Through Neverland With YOU Adventure. Fair enough, you try to make the best of it.
Then imagine half the WS countries being gone. Simply turned into little garden plots. Nice, pleasant gardens, with Pixar meet and greets. WS lagoon will still be pretty, there are still six awesome countries around a gorgeous lagoon. But WS is just not the same anymore.

WDW would still be lovely, great even. And you love simply being on the monorail, you cry at the fireworks, you go on pilgrimage to One Man's Dream. But part of you could never truly accept the place for what it is anymore.

 

[ThankstoMOM]

I don't see you as being lucky. Just unaware of the problems at the resort.

When people complain, it's because they love the place so darn much, and they want to see it in its best shape. That's it. They don't hate the place. In fact, they love it to death.

You haven't seen complaining or "doom and gloomers" until you've met the Disneyland community. I was on MiceChat the other day and someone was ed off that the schedule for New Years (or something like that) wasn't holiday themed. People were even complaining about the Golden Horseshoe Revue.

I know you have an adoration for WDW, Hatter, but when things are blatantly wrong and it's dead in your face, like the sad state of Splash and Maelstrom, or anything else, we shouldn't be getting irritated when one speaks up about it. Walt Disney held a standard for Disneyland, when he was alive, and that standard should still be held for all the other Disney theme parks around the world. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

I'm actually grateful for people reporting this stuff. I've held off a first time visit to WDW because of the state its in right now. This is a good thing, as I don't want to have a bad and negative first impression.

Wait a min.. So you have never been to WDW??????

 

[real mad hatter]

Dude? Shouldnt it be "pal"?

Still makes a change from what you normally shovel. No offence like.

No dude.Check the definition of " Pal " If I were a betting man,and I'am not,I'd say your a Glaswegian.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

No dude.Check the definition of " Pal " If I were a betting man,and I'am not,I'd say your a Glaswegian.

Just as well you dont gamble.

And I was using the word in its generic form.

 

[real mad hatter]

Just as well you dont gamble.

Damn it! Thats me got it down to the west coast of Scotland.

 

[ThankstoMOM]

You know when I read people's stories of things that shouldn't happen at Disney,and the " state of the parks " I begin to wonder.Am I at the same place as these other people? Last year was our fifth trip to WDW,our first two trips were a two centre vacation,in other words,one week on site and one week off site.So in total we've spent 56 days & nights in the magic bubble.Yet in all that time,exploring the parks,rides,simulators,restaurants,character meetings,shows,etc,etc, Ive never came across a major problem that would stop me coming to Disney.So am I the lucky one,or is it just some people like to complain about anything they see wrong.? Yes I've been on the doom buggy when it stops inside the haunted mansion,but hey! It starts up again and away we go.

Same here Hatter!!! Been going since the 80s and have never had a single bad experience and ALWAYS have had a great time (ok maybe a bad waiter or 2). I totaly feel blessed and am more then grateful for just being able to travel as much as we do!!!!! I'm in the Trades and am hyper aware of my surrounds and there condition, Yeah some things NEED to be fixed like Splash Mountain, but I'll still ride and enjoy it knowing it'll get fixed (adventualy). In the long run life is way too short. Enjoy what you can while you can.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Wait a min.. So you have never been to WDW??????

Nope, and I'm not going until some things change out there.

 

[marni1971]

Hatter.... You really should ask for a job at Celebration Place with all your magical posts.