Advertisement
Most people don't care ME wasn't there the first 35 years. They care it was there the last 15 or so and it's going away. They want new perks, benefits and updates have proven they will pay more for it. Disney is going the other direction with everything except prices. How much are people willing to pay for less?
I agree. People like to complain about price, but when it comes to Disney, I believe the convenience and experience are much more important.
Disney is expensive, but I'm willing to pay quite a bit for the convenience they've built into the system over the years to make staying there carefree and all-inclusive. We rent a car now, but really loved dropping off our bags at the resort airline check-in, then going to Olivia's on our way back to the airport without having to deal with our luggage at the terminal. (I'm not looking for people to say how easy it is to check bags - it's us, not you.) It made Disney different and just a bit more special for us.
I don't mind paying to add new experiences like Highway in the Sky Dine-Around or the recent tours or dessert parties. But Disney is making it just a bit harder for us on our way out than it has been for the past 15 years. If they add a paid service that works the same way, we'll pay for it. But if we have to deal with our bags at the airport, that makes a difference for us. (Once again, that's us - it may be different for you.)
The two changes that made me most upset about Disney over the past years aren't the price increases or changes to attractions - they are the resort parking fees and the demise of DME - and we only used a small part of the latter service. People don't respond well to having things taken away.
And it is definitely about context. All of these responses are being made in the context of a free, convenient service that has existed for many years being taken away. Even if they don't phrase it perfectly, posters are not complaining that there is no way to get from the airport to WDW. It does make a great straw man argument, though, because there are several forms of transportation available.