Dear Disney, please fix...

[pug]

7dmt!

 

[Magenta Panther]

Before going any further, I want to set a few parameters that I hope people observe.

1) This thread's purpose is not to complain about how we miss long-lost attractions or cult favorites. The thread is intended to be a standing list of things WDW can realistically fix in its parks. We don't care how much you miss Mr. Toad or Alien Encounter.

2) Please remain mature and refrain from online fanboy arguments. This thread is not about Universal Studios or Tokyo DisneySea.

3) Please state things seriously so that the thread is taken seriously at WDW. Trust me, there are people whose job is to monitor message boards.

That said, let's get started.

Since all online Disney message boards tend to repeat the same complaints, I hope this thread can consolidate legitimate issues that Disney needs to address. A couple years ago, we did this about Splash Mountain; the thread spurred @KevinYee to write an article that caught Disney's attention, and the attraction has enjoyed a thorough refurb and decent maintenance since then.

Again, I'm hoping this thread stays realistic and doesn't devolve into a b*tchfest.

I dunno, dude. Remember when the Orlando Sentinel, years ago, wrote an embarrassing article about the broken yeti in EE? And what happened as a result? Answer: zip.

But oh well. Here's my list:

Please fix...

1. THE YETI, DAMMIT.

2. The Mine Train. DAMMIT.

3. The cheeseburgers. In every restaurant. They're gross. Except the Plaza's on Main Street.

4. JII. Bring back Dreamfinder and Figment. Spend some money on it too. For a change. Dammit.

5. That mist screen in POTC and the line "Dead Men Tell No Tales" in the audio. I could barely hear it the last time I rode POTC (last fall).

6. The Haunted Mansion queue. PLEASE fix it back the way it was. I'm begging you. It's so awful, so cramped and narrow and ugly and claustrophobic, and people mostly ignore the interactive stuff and that stuff breaks down all the time anyway.

7. And bring back the original Hitchhiking Ghosts effect. I'm NOT asking this because I hate change in park attractions. I loved the amazing refurb the Mansion got years ago that fixed all of the sound problems, plus added that awesome Escher staircase scene. But the new ghosts look FAKE and blurry and everyone can figure out how it's done (screens and CGI! Which people see on TV every damn day! Not amazing!). Whereas with the old ghosts, they looked much more three-dimensional and really looked like they were in the buggies with you. It was just a better overall effect, PLEASE bring it back.

8. Please fix the bluebird in Splash Mountain's last scene. It was broken on my last visit (is it still frozen and staring at you while its disembodied voice keeps talking?)

9. Please fix Little Mermaid so that the story makes sense and we can't see the black pole shoved up Ariel's back and the fish skewered on rods in the "Under the Sea" scene.

That's all for now.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Dear Disney,

Please fix the loading methods at the Haunted Mansion. Right now, guests keep pouring into the parlor during the Ghost Host's inaudible opening lines ("When hinges creak..."); if it takes too long to load guests, maybe the timer shouldn't start so quickly.

Adding to the chaos, the stretching room scene starts well before the door actually closes. There's no reason to wonder if the floor or ceiling is moving because you can clearly see the stationary parlor on the other side.

Then the hidden passageway opens to a packed, backed-up queue to the loading dock, all because there are too many people crammed into that space.

This issue has been going on for years and shouldn't take more than some Ops changes to fix.

Oh thank you thank YOU for mentioning this. It kills me how abused the Mansion has become, all for the sake of cramming more bodies into it per hour. It's appallingly greedy and disrespects the attraction and Walt would have kittens if he saw how the ride is handled now. (He got ed once because people were being taken through the Jungle Cruise too fast. I can imagine how he'd feel about people being shoved through the HM's parlor into the Stretching Room, missing most of the opening spiel and the portrait effect and thus destroying the ride's narrative from the very beginning).

Here, in my opinion, is what should happen: guests - a reasonable number of them - should be led into the parlor. There they should hear the entire parlor spiel, complete with transforming portrait, before being ushered into the Stretching Room. Then lead them to the Doom Buggies, and the ride system can take over from there. It's so simple! Good timing and good CM training could easily accomplish this, giving the guests the full Haunted Mansion experience they're entitled to after ponying up so much cash to visit the freaking Magic Kingdom for crying out loud. Geez.

And I still think the ride should be off-limits to people in wheelchairs or scooters if it means stopping the ride constantly while people are still riding it. I may never ride the Mansion again after that happened 3 times during my WDW visit last summer. It was just too effing upsetting and annoying, and I don't go on vacation for that.

 

[tirian]

New thing to add after my experience the other night. Please stop closing the RESORT food locations an hour before the last park closes.

Why should I stay in a deluxe Disney resort if I can't get a bottle of water past midnight, and the parks are open 'til 1:00? Even a Hampton Inn has a 24-hour food option.

 

[Magenta Panther]

New thing to add after my experience the other night. Please stop closing the RESORT food locations an hour before the last park closes.

Why should I stay in a deluxe Disney resort if I can't get a bottle of water past midnight, and the parks are open 'til 1:00? Even a Hampton Inn has a 24-hour food option.

I agree with you again! A few years ago I arrived at the Pop Century late at night, only to find the food court closed. I'd been on a plane all day and was starved. I wound up getting some peanut butter crackers and an orange soda out of a vending machine. Blech.

 

[Padraig]

Homogenisation of both merchandise and food offerings throughout the park. Less products, easier inventory management, less space = less cost. However, I'd argue that this actually doesn't add up. It's one of those things that makes sense on paper, but in reality you're missing out financially on having unique items in your stores. If I can buy it in the hotel, what's driving me into Merchant of Venus. You can charge a premium for rarities and It may even help disperse crowds. You just need more sophisticated inventory management. Food offerings also fall under this banner as well. Quality needs improving. And while I'm at it...

Open all your food location at peak times. Don't leave you guests eating on Main St.'s kerb when you've restaurants sitting idly near by. Again, I know the calculation you're making but I'm telling you it's more bad bean counter logic.

Light bulbs (and maintenance). There should be a zero tolerance attitude here. Effectively, this should be WDW's "Broken Window Theory".

Benches. Bring them back.

Water features. Turn them on.

If you're determined to keep them. Proper upkeep on the monorails.

 

[Matt_Black]

Homogenisation of both merchandise and food offerings throughout the park.

Huh, because it seemed to me that there's more variety in the food, especially at quick service spots, than there was in the 90s. Even the spots that just do burgers and the like usually have at least one unique item to their menu.

 

[copcarguyp71]

Huh, because it seemed to me that there's more variety in the food, especially at quick service spots, than there was in the 90s. Even the spots that just do burgers and the like usually have at least one unique item to their menu.

Over the past five years the dining options and offerings have been necked down and changed in many of the venues. I cannot remember what the food was like in the 90's honestly but I can say that on our trips from 2006 ( 5 of them) until now the difference and decline is staggering. Just the change at the QS at Coronado Springs Resort alone was enough to make us pretty unhappy. It went from a great QS to start the day with a good variety of offerings to your choice of Bagel or a breakfast sammich with plastic cheese...and no offerings for the kids like french toast sticks or even a mickey waffle. Another that comes to mind is Garden Grille which went from a nice open menu offering to "here's some plates of food...hope you like it" which for a character dining sit down just is not acceptable in my mind. On our visit in 2006 we dined there and ordered off the menu and last year decided to dine there again and got blindsided with no menu. It is still a good spot for characters but if mom and dad can't enjoy the food really what is the point?

 

[NewfieFan]

Dear Disney World, please fix;

- Frozen M&G! Princess Fairytale Hall was created as a permanent place for little girls to meet the Princesses and they've already been kicked to the curb to make way for Frozen. Give Frozen it's own permanent M&G with more "friends of the characters"! If you're looking for the money to fund this, just build a gift shop along with it that is fully stocked with Frozen merch all day long and you will have the profits needed!!!

- Canada! It's a sad, sad pavilion. And we're a really cool country but you'd never know it by looking at the pavilion. You can start by putting a CS restaurant on the upper level. Sell some real Quebec poutine, beaver tails, cheddar cheese soup (from the restaurant) with pretzel bread, etc. and you'd have a line stretching back to the UK.

- Unique shops and merch! We want it and your test offerings have proved it.

- DHS! This is a big one but for the love of all that's good and sacred in the world, please add another family friendly ride to the park! TSMM popularity is insane, INSANE!!!

 

[habuma]

That said, I do agree rides like Small World and Soarin' should be addressed. Sometimes you can see up to the rafters on Small World. There are panels missing and work lights on occasionally.

There's an EXIT sign in iasw that photobombs my photos of that ride every time. I'm glad there are exits, in case we need them, and I'm sure that there are regulations that must be followed with regard to exit signage, but...maybe Disney could do a bit more to hide them unless they're needed.

 

[NearTheEars]

Oh thank you thank YOU for mentioning this. It kills me how abused the Mansion has become, all for the sake of cramming more bodies into it per hour. It's appallingly greedy and disrespects the attraction and Walt would have kittens if he saw how the ride is handled now. (He got ed once because people were being taken through the Jungle Cruise too fast. I can imagine how he'd feel about people being shoved through the HM's parlor into the Stretching Room, missing most of the opening spiel and the portrait effect and thus destroying the ride's narrative from the very beginning).

Here, in my opinion, is what should happen: guests - a reasonable number of them - should be led into the parlor. There they should hear the entire parlor spiel, complete with transforming portrait, before being ushered into the Stretching Room. Then lead them to the Doom Buggies, and the ride system can take over from there. It's so simple! Good timing and good CM training could easily accomplish this, giving the guests the full Haunted Mansion experience they're entitled to after ponying up so much cash to visit the freaking Magic Kingdom for crying out loud. Geez.

And I still think the ride should be off-limits to people in wheelchairs or scooters if it means stopping the ride constantly while people are still riding it. I may never ride the Mansion again after that happened 3 times during my WDW visit last summer. It was just too effing upsetting and annoying, and I don't go on vacation for that.

I'm a little sad that only once out of the probably 40 or so times I've been on the HM have I ever caught much of the audio in the parlor. Part of it is my fault for trying to rush into the stretching room, but as pointed out, we aren't given any instruction to stay. Why the heck am I always in a hurry anyway? I'll remember that for next time.

I will say, though, with the anger over FP+ increasing wait times at HM and POTC, not ushering people straight to the stretching room certainly would slow them further.

 

[C&D]

This one has been 'done to death' in another thread, but at least let me mention it again, bring the Main Street Bakery back to its former self (Gaston's has been mentioned but pales in comparison to the old Bakery on main street). The only remaining, IMO, bakery (of worth) is Staring Rolls (at the 'Studios'). The kiosks in Epcot have pretty good pastries (and the coffee is very good, again IMO) but no atmosphere (obviously, 'cause you're outside sitting on a bench). There is (sub)standard fair in Animal Kingdom at Pizzafari and even though there are (better pastries at Kusafiri, it is curb service now, and you need to trek for a table).

 

[cw1982]

Dear Disney,

1. As others have said, please consider keeping food options available to guests who are coming back to hotels after being at the parks until closing. You could easily sell enough pizza and beer/soft drinks to make up for the labor hours.

2. Please keep the pools open later. I know many people who would love to be able to swim even just an hour later than the 11 pm pool closing time, and closing at 11 hardly gives people who stay at Epcot to watch Illuminations time to get back via bus, throw on a swimsuit, and get to the pool, much less actually enjoy a swim.

 

[muse1983]

Please tell off-duty Entertainment Cast Members to stop whooping and hollering at their friends performing in parades. It's unprofessional, it ruins the magic, and it's obnoxious.

That reminds me of Star Wars Weekends 2012 when after waiting for over 2 hours for Hyperspace Hoopla, I witnessed 3 female, off duty cast members pushing their way to the front to watch friends perform...didn't go so well...

 

[LondonGopher]

Please keep the pools open later. I know many people who would love to be able to swim even just an hour later than the 11 pm pool closing time, and closing at 11 hardly gives people who stay at Epcot to watch Illuminations time to get back via bus, throw on a swimsuit, and get to the pool, much less actually enjoy a swim.

Dear Disney,

We visitors from Europe say: Please offer a 24-hour pool at the Deluxe Resorts. When you are jet-lagged and getting up at 4:30 or 5:00 it is FAB to be able to go down and swim laps for 45 minutes. It makes for a great, energising start to the day - I love to watch the sun come up from the pool!

When we stayed at AKL back in '07, I would get up at Oh-dark-thirty and go down and swim. The other swimmers were all jet-lagged limeys. We swam laps and talked (quietly) about the Rugby World Cup . It was great. In '09, we stayed at the BC - no mention was made at check-in of a 24-hour pool, but I asked and was told I could use the quiet pool before official opening. Last visit (2012) - no joy.

The Deluxes are not full - above are two easy, cheap ways to appeal to ADULTS and families with teens and draw more of them to the $$$ hotels. Families with finicky, ill-behaved tiny children get all the love these days, but many of us want to be FAR AWAY from that scene . Treat us like grown-ups, please. In fact, can one of the hotels be made 13+?

I remain,

Gopher

CC: The OP (for a brilliant thread idea)

 

[NewfieFan]

Dear Disney,

1. As others have said, please consider keeping food options available to guests who are coming back to hotels after being at the parks until closing. You could easily sell enough pizza and beer/soft drinks to make up for the labor hours.

2. Please keep the pools open later. I know many people who would love to be able to swim even just an hour later than the 11 pm pool closing time, and closing at 11 hardly gives people who stay at Epcot to watch Illuminations time to get back via bus, throw on a swimsuit, and get to the pool, much less actually enjoy a swim.

Not to mention international travelers arrive late and haven't been fed since they left there home. Our biggest dilemma on arrival day is where we will get "supper". I usually end up getting take out from the airport and eating it on DME. This is a pain and I would much rather arrive at my resort and sit down to eat our first meal.

And yes, I see no reason why they can't leave the pools open. Advertise it's at your own risk if they want to remove lifeguards and enforce a quiet policy for the wee hours.

 

[Mouse_Trap]

I have emailed Disney myself telling them this. They leave so much money on the table when every shop has the same things in it. original shops, stores with ride specific gifts would go along way. They should see when they introduce things like Orange Bird merch that sales take off. One big store with everything in it, and a bunch of originals all over the park is whats needed.

I completely would love to see unique or specific products make a come back. Despite the points made here I can only imagine Disney have done the numbers and figure they make as much money this way....regrettably. They must know their sales figures and costs, if it wasn't working out I would have thought they would have fixed it by now. Lesson to everyone, refuse to buy generic products, especially if it says 'Disney Parks' on it.

I'd like to suggest that Disney "fix" the wait times for the Magical Express at the Orlando Airport. There's nothing magical about waiting in line inside the airport for 30 minutes or more for a bus to arrive. Then, upon boarding, waiting another 15 minutes in a parked bus before pulling away.

My wife and I have experienced this several times. Sure there was a trip or two where the bus pulled right up but unfortunately a long wait appears to be more of the norm rather than an exception. You'd think that this situation is easily corrected by adding another bus (or two) to each route.

If 45 minutes is the worst case before the DME departs, that doesn't strike me as terribly bad. After all if you were to get a hire car etc it takes at least as long. If they put on extra coaches, it would cost more money and they would have a lower occupancy.

 

[Chef Mickey]

the problem is if they ever are taken around the parks it is done by the park VP and a big group that will ensure them that everything is fine. They won't ever actually experience it as a guest.

Yeah, that's another mistake.

Maintenance and operational issues would be harder to hide.

 

[tirian]

Dear Disney,

We visitors from Europe say: Please offer a 24-hour pool at the Deluxe Resorts. When you are jet-lagged and getting up at 4:30 or 5:00 it is FAB to be able to go down and swim laps for 45 minutes. It makes for a great, energising start to the day - I love to watch the sun come up from the pool!

When we stayed at AKL back in '07, I would get up at Oh-dark-thirty and go down and swim. The other swimmers were all jet-lagged limeys. We swam laps and talked (quietly) about the Rugby World Cup . It was great. In '09, we stayed at the BC - no mention was made at check-in of a 24-hour pool, but I asked and was told I could use the quiet pool before official opening. Last visit (2012) - no joy.

The Deluxes are not full - above are two easy, cheap ways to appeal to ADULTS and families with teens and draw more of them to the $$$ hotels. Families with finicky, ill-behaved tiny children get all the love these days, but many of us want to be FAR AWAY from that scene . Treat us like grown-ups, please. In fact, can one of the hotels be made 13+?

I remain,

Gopher

CC: The OP (for a brilliant thread idea)

You know, throughout the last few years I've had the same complaint. I remember using the main pools at the Poly, Beach Club, AKL, and WL around midnight. In the past, I've walked to Captain Kidd's at 1 am for a cup of hot chocolate.

Now the resort amenities close before the parks do, and the concierge clubs close about an hour after that. Who forgot that vacationers need things 24/7? Sorry about your spreadsheets, Disney, but that's part of being in the industry. Even the Marriott down the road has a shop that stays open all night.

 

[Chef Mickey]

I dunno, dude. Remember when the Orlando Sentinel, years ago, wrote an embarrassing article about the broken yeti in EE? And what happened as a result? Answer: zip.

But oh well. Here's my list:

Please fix...

1. THE YETI, DAMMIT.

2. The Mine Train. DAMMIT.

3. The cheeseburgers. In every restaurant. They're gross. Except the Plaza's on Main Street.

4. JII. Bring back Dreamfinder and Figment. Spend some money on it too. For a change. Dammit.

5. That mist screen in POTC and the line "Dead Men Tell No Tales" in the audio. I could barely hear it the last time I rode POTC (last fall).

6. The Haunted Mansion queue. PLEASE fix it back the way it was. I'm begging you. It's so awful, so cramped and narrow and ugly and claustrophobic, and people mostly ignore the interactive stuff and that stuff breaks down all the time anyway.

7. And bring back the original Hitchhiking Ghosts effect. I'm NOT asking this because I hate change in park attractions. I loved the amazing refurb the Mansion got years ago that fixed all of the sound problems, plus added that awesome Escher staircase scene. But the new ghosts look FAKE and blurry and everyone can figure out how it's done (screens and CGI! Which people see on TV every damn day! Not amazing!). Whereas with the old ghosts, they looked much more three-dimensional and really looked like they were in the buggies with you. It was just a better overall effect, PLEASE bring it back.

8. Please fix the bluebird in Splash Mountain's last scene. It was broken on my last visit (is it still frozen and staring at you while its disembodied voice keeps talking?)

9. Please fix Little Mermaid so that the story makes sense and we can't see the black pole shoved up Ariel's back and the fish skewered on rods in the "Under the Sea" scene.

That's all for now.

This is a pretty good list. I agree on interactive queues. They are turning out to be rather annoying and a maintenance issue. I know they sound great in theory, but a simple audio track and scenery (like Haunted Mansion headstones, etc) would do just fine.

I originally loved the new hitchiking ghost effect. However, as time goes on, I think it has gotten tired. It also doesn't seem to work as well as it did before. I always ask myself, what happened? You can see through the CGI too much and it's just not crisp. I agree, the old effect was much more convincing and I would love to see it return. It was harder to figure out how it was done too. This is clearly computer driven. The other was so simple, yes so great, just like all the effects in the mansion.