An absolutely fantastic read that should be mandatory for all of us

[eliza61nyc]

Yup, as is often said on these threads - if the people are lined up for slop, don't blame the chef for making it.

I think the disconnect comes from who makes the blanket decision something is "slop'. for example there was a recent review of the Riviera resort. just about everyone here hated it, got really nasty. yet on another popular disney fan site, it got glowing reviews with some comparing it to the Bellagio and other big Vegas spots from one review.

"Just stayed at Riviera for 4 nights this week (Disney Visa promotion) and absolutely, positively loved it. If we weren't so old, I would definitely be adding a contract there to our BCV/Poly.

We declared it the 'perfect resort' and we have stayed at all DVC except SSR and Grand CA.

I definitely want to go back to the Riviera."


who's then determines the "slop"?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Yet on another popular disney fan site, it got glowing reviews with some comparing it to the Bellagio and other big Vegas spots from one review.

Speaking as someone familiar with both Vegas and WDW I know that's bollocks just based on a direct comparison of amenities, room size etc. Riviera falls way short for the price it charges.

There are actual independent organizations that rank these kinds of things. It's why The Four Seasons Orlando is the only AAA 5-diamond rated hotel in Central Florida. In some cases, standards are formalized for the industry by people who have a certain level of knowledge, experience and industry connection.

The same is true for the WDW product. The individuals who have the least amount of knowledge/experience with either WDW of the past or current Disney or other theme park resorts elsewhere, are the least qualified to judge things. No matter how they feel about their opinion.

The individuals who are proud to say they don't care about costs or theme when it comes to the world's most expensive theme park probably should not be taken seriously.

 

[RobWDW1971]

who's then determines the "slop"?

Only the people who refuse to eat it. If you're eating it, you're telling the chef it's tasty and keep it coming.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Speaking as someone familiar with both Vegas and WDW I know that's bollocks just based on a direct comparison of amenities, room size etc. Riviera falls way short for the price it charges.

There are actual independent organizations that rank these kinds of things. It's why The Four Seasons Orlando is the only AAA 5-diamond rated hotel in Central Florida. In some cases, standards are formalized for the industry by people who have a certain level of knowledge, experience and industry connection.

The same is true for the WDW product. The individuals who have the least amount of knowledge/experience with either WDW of the past or current Disney or other theme park resorts elsewhere, are the least qualified to judge things. No matter how they feel about their opinion.

The individuals who are proud to say they don't care about costs or theme when it comes to the world's most expensive theme park probably should not be taken seriously.

What Disney has done is cultivate a brand obsessed audience that doesn’t actually like the product itself, and in some cases actually seem to loathe it. They’re like those blind taste tests but instead of liking it and being surprised at the brand, they say they dislike it until the brand is revealed and reverse course. As you say, defense of design decisions are rarely an actual defense of the design but more often a defense of apathy.

 

[The_Jobu]

There's probably a psychological term for it already, but I notice a lot of people who spend so much on something they tell themselves it's great, even if it's clearly not. Like a self-defense mechanism.

 

[lazyboy97o]

There's probably a psychological term for it already, but I notice a lot of people who spend so much on something they tell themselves it's great, even if it's clearly not. Like a self-defense mechanism.

And that definitely happens. Some people are even aware that they do it, saying they know something is very good but they chose to ignore it.

 

[bryanfze55]

I continue to be amazed there’s such a large audience for the deluxe hotels. I couldn’t imagine paying the going rate for them, even if my salary were double what it currently is. It just seems like it would carry too much cognitive dissonance.

If people are spending so much that they have to lie to themselves about quality to justify the cost... I don’t know. That’s not just not ideal. Obscene as it may sound, I spend as little as possible on Disney vacations. No onsite hotels. No After Hours or upcharge events. Minimal table service meals. Sure, my overall experience is not as premium as the next guy’s - but I would rather have a basic experience and my sanity than a premium experience and the associated cognitive dissonance that will come with it.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I continue to be amazed there’s such a large audience for the deluxe hotels. I couldn’t imagine paying the going rate for them, even if my salary were double what it currently is. It just seems like it would carry too much cognitive dissonance.

Deluxe hotels are often discounted for APs, Florida residents, conventions and other reasons.

They're still very expensive, but the rack rate is mostly for show.

 

[bryanfze55]

Deluxe hotels are often discounted for APs, Florida residents, conventions and other reasons.

They're still very expensive, but the rack rate is mostly for show.

Maybe, but I’m none of those. And I would imagine a lot of customers staying deluxe are neither AP or Florida resident. Rack rate is rack rate for me unless there is a discount. Even with a 20-25% discount, the deluxe hotels are obscenely expensive.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Rack rate is rack rate for me unless there is a discount.

Most days of the year there is one. Occupancy would look very different if Disney relied exclusively, or mostly on rack rates to fill the Deluxes.

 

[bryanfze55]

Most days of the year there is one. Occupancy would look very different if Disney relied exclusively, or mostly on rack rates to fill the Deluxes.

I’ll take your word for it. Fortunately for my pocketbook, I rarely check. I find I enjoy Disney more when I’m not treating it as a resort vacation and giving them all of my money hand over fist. It’s prevented me from getting jaded thus far.

 

[MaximumEd]

We’ve stayed at several different value, moderate, and deluxe resorts in the past, but now only stay in values. We have a pool at home and don’t spend much time at the resort. Can’t justify the price for us.

 

[RobWDW1971]

We’ve stayed at several different value, moderate, and deluxe resorts in the past, but now only stay in values. We have a pool at home and don’t spend much time at the resort. Can’t justify the price for us.

Same here - the more they have made them generic and let the quality erode, the more I save by just staying off lot or at Universal. Haven’t missed them at all.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

We’ve stayed at several different value, moderate, and deluxe resorts in the past, but now only stay in values. We have a pool at home and don’t spend much time at the resort. Can’t justify the price for us.

Same. I absolutely love the animal kingdom lodge and port Orleans riverside but the rates are just too high to justify. I’ve been staying at more off-site hotels but the skyliner is changing that.... if I can get a passholder rate at pop or art I don’t mind paying a bit more for the skyliner.

 

[MaximumEd]

Same here - the more they have made them generic and let the quality erode, the more I save by just staying off lot or at Universal. Haven’t missed them at all.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved Wilderness Lodge, but we hit the parks commando tourist style and do rope drop until close for the entire trip. A deluxe is just wasted on us. I just need a bed and a shower and I’m good to go. There’s also those ridiculous prices......

 

[eliza61nyc]

I continue to be amazed there’s such a large audience for the deluxe hotels. I couldn’t imagine paying the going rate for them, even if my salary were double what it currently is. It just seems like it would carry too much cognitive dissonance.

If people are spending so much that they have to lie to themselves about quality to justify the cost... I don’t know. That’s not just not ideal. Obscene as it may sound, I spend as little as possible on Disney vacations. No onsite hotels. No After Hours or upcharge events. Minimal table service meals. Sure, my overall experience is not as premium as the next guy’s - but I would rather have a basic experience and my sanity than a premium experience and the associated cognitive dissonance that will come with it.

Wait so you are saying those who chose to stay at a deluxe couldn't possibly be doing it because they like it and have the means to pay for it, that there must be some type of mental disability or disconnect??

That they are fooling themselves into believing they like it to justify what disney is charging?

that's what you're claiming?? is that just for Disney or does it carry over to other luxury items? If someone buys a 5K LV bag are they also suffering from some cognitive dissonance? are they too "lying" to themselves about the quality.

 

[bryanfze55]

Wait so you are saying those who chose to stay at a deluxe couldn't possibly be doing it because they like it and have the means to pay for it, that there must be some type of mental disability or disconnect??

That they are fooling themselves into believing they like it to justify what disney is charging?

that's what you're claiming??

No, I wasn’t claiming that. Someone else claimed people need to justify expensive purchases by forcing themselves to like it more than they really do. What I was implying is that I personally couldn’t do a deluxe or even a moderate without feeling guilty about the money I was spending. Do I have the means to? Technically, yes. But it wouldn’t be a good use of my money. It would make me feel overly stressed to maximize the value of my vacation spending. I’m sure there’s an income level where this feeling would go away, but I haven’t reached it yet.

All that being said, I know plenty of people who think any sort of Disney vacation is a waste of money, much less staying at a deluxe. A manager at my office easily clears $150K a year, and he celebrated his daughter’s high school graduation by taking her to Six Flags St. Louis. To each their own.

Everyone has their own spending thresholds, and I’m not insinuating that has anything to do with mental illness. But I think we all play mental gymnastics to justify things. I do it. For instance, I much prefer Disneyland and know it’s a better theme park than any park at Disney World. It’s just not even that close. But because I can do Disney World much cheaper, I force myself to find reasons Disney World is superior whenever I plan a trip to WDW.

 

[eliza61nyc]

No, I wasn’t claiming that. Someone else claimed people need to justify expensive purchases by forcing themselves to like it more than they really do. What I was implying is that I personally couldn’t do a deluxe or even a moderate without feeling guilty about the money I was spending. Do I have the means to? Technically, yes. But it wouldn’t be a good use of my money. It would make me feel overly stressed to maximize the value of my vacation spending. I’m sure there’s an income level where this feeling would go away, but I haven’t reached it yet.

All that being said, I know plenty of people who think any sort of Disney vacation is a waste of money, much less staying at a deluxe. A manager at my office easily clears $150K a year, and he celebrated his daughter’s high school graduation by taking her to Six Flags St. Louis. To each their own.

Everyone has their own spending thresholds, and I’m not insinuating that has anything to do with mental illness. But I think we all play mental gymnastics to justify things. I do it. For instance, I much prefer Disneyland and know it’s a better theme park than any park at Disney World. It’s just not even that close. But because I can do Disney World much cheaper, I force myself to find reasons Disney World is superior whenever I plan a trip to WDW.

Why can't it be as simple as the person likes the resort, can afford to stay there so they do?? How does one "force" themselves to like a hotel more than they do? I just find it interesting that if someone says they like something that is deemed inferior by the experts here, there automatically needs to be a reason outside of they simply like what they are spending their money on. that is some type of mental issue, that they have to "convince" themselves it's something that it's not or they are basically too stupid to know it's not worth the money.

I too know folks who think going to wdw is a waste of money but that's cool, I think going skiing is a ridiculous waste of money. I guess I just would never assume that someone is not competent simply based on the things they like. I have a friend who does those Rick steves tours, now those are super budget friendly but even so they would be a huge waste of money for me because I would never be happy in the places Rick picks to stay at. but I just chalk it up to different strokes for different folks.

 

[bryanfze55]

Why can't it be as simple as the person likes the resort, can afford to stay there so they do??

It can be that simple for some people. For me, it’s not. Even if I made a half million a year, I couldn’t justify the cost of a deluxe when there are simply superior options for much less nearby. But I’m not everybody. And everybody is different.

 

[awoogala]

There's probably a psychological term for it already, but I notice a lot of people who spend so much on something they tell themselves it's great, even if it's clearly not. Like a self-defense mechanism.

sunk cost fallacy

Sunk cost fallacy

Definition of sunk cost fallacy, a key concept in behavioral economics.

www.behavioraleconomics.com