Expect more premium events with recent organizational changes

[21stamps]

So your friend paid full price plus extra to be in the park until 6pm? I hope they had a good time, but I would never do that.



Some people exaggerate, sure, it would be dumb to take internet posts as absolute truth, in this case about HS, but back to the original point we were discussing, people were sharing their feelings about the park closing early. That is what happened, that is what they felt and they said so. You shouldn't be upset if people avoid those days because people on here said it was a downer for them. They might even enjoy the information and plan accordingly.

No! That's what I said.. she DID NOT pay because she didn't think it was worth it, she had to leave to go home around 11am. Which would have meant 3 hours at the park for almost $200. It was not worth it for her. Wouldn't be worth it for me either.
BUT- the day before she spent well above that amount eating and drinking at Trader Sam's and elsewhere.lol. Because value of money is more than just the actual cost.

Like I said, I can't justify a one da ticket at Uni/IoA.. but I can justify spending the same amount on a place to watch a football game.
So is Uni a bad value because of the price?
Not to many people, plenty do one day tickets.. doesn't make Uni bad.. just means for me personally I don't see the value.

 

[21stamps]

DHS is a half closed park.... it is a simple as that! and there is currently a lot of construction going on too...
So those things are actually kinda true... wait until Great Movie Ride closes and they are down to 4 rides in the park...

I think you can say that close to half the park that was there in 2015 is no longer there:

I wish I could remember the name of the poster.. he's a long time member.. anyway, he's posted, in several threads, the list of what was open in 2015 vs 2016/17.

It's not half of what was there before.

I preferred HS in 2016 vs 2015. That's personal, sure. But regardless, there definitely wasn't "half" available to us as what was available the year before.

 

[The_Jobu]

Not to many people, plenty do one day tickets.. doesn't make Uni bad.. just means for me personally I don't see the value.

Well that's what we're all saying here. Not that Disney is "bad", just that we dont like they way they handle this one thing and we will avoid it in the future. I still dont think you should feel sad that people are sharing experiences.

 

[jakeman]

Very pretty photo.

Whoops. I guess I need to give credit. Bioreconstruct on Twitter.

 

[The_Jobu]

Whoops. I guess I need to give credit. Bioreconstruct on Twitter.

I really enjoy high resolution aerial photos of the parks.

 

[21stamps]

Well that's what we're all saying here. Not that Disney is "bad", just that we dont like they way they handle this one thing and we will avoid it in the future. I still dont think you should feel sad that people are sharing experiences.

Fair enough. I guess I'm just asking people to realize that it is a choice to be bothered by something, and that Disney isn't forcing these upcharge items on everyone.
For every upcharge that you don't like/want, there are other people who enjoy it.
So their customer service philosophy is still intact. They just offer a broader range of choices now so people can customize their vacations if they choose to.

 

[The_Jobu]

I guess I'm just asking people to realize that it is a choice to be bothered by something, and that Disney isn't forcing these upcharge items on everyone

Right. You're choosing to be bothered by people who chose to be bothered by paying full price for less time in the parks (be in only an hour, or half a day).

Now we can all share photos of the parks and be productive.

 

[pax_65]

I understand your point. If upcharge options and extras weren't so common everywhere in the entertainment industry then I would probably have a problem with Disney adding them too. But we've seen a major cultural shift in society- people want and are willing to pay for convenience and for something extra special, a company has to know their market and supply accordingly. Blame society and impatience

I hear ya. Look, I'm not opposed to these things. I've done the holiday parties and backstage tours. We've watched Illuminations from the private boat. Again, my issue is how these things hurt regular guests.

To use your earlier "Fast Lane" example. If there's a 3-lane highway and they build a 4th lane and charge for it, I really have no issue with that. I'm still getting the same 3-lane highway I had before. If I want the limited access lane, I can choose to purchase it.

But if they close one lane of the highway and charge for it, now I've only got 2 lanes. I'm facing longer delays than before they opened the fast lane. So now I'm unhappy.

Like I said from the start... if Disney wants to do upcharge events they need to figure out a way to do them that doesn't affect regular guests. Open the MK from midnight to 6am and charge extra. Build new fireworks viewing locations that didn't exist before, instead of commandeering old ones.

 

[21stamps]

Fwiw- I cancelled a booked trip on Easter weekend.. because of crowd predictions and stories from people who have been during that time. IF something like Disney After Hours or Early Morning Magic would have been available (they weren't) then I wouldn't have cancelled that trip.
Instead we went to great wolf lodge and an amusement park.. in worse crowds than were reported at Disney lol. So anyway, I probably made the wrong choice, but don't regret it.

Point being- Not having "extras" available is why I cancelled my trip.

 

[21stamps]

Right. You're choosing to be bothered by people who chose to be bothered by paying full price for less time in the parks (be in only an hour, or half a day).

Now we can all share photos of the parks and be productive.

I fully admitted that I willingly tangle myself in these types of threads and that I probably shouldn't. Lol.
Like I said.. I see it often... just like the guy in front of me in line last week, spending an hour complaining about people who paid for a Fast Lane Pass and about the company for offering said pass.. instead of just chilling and trying to make the best of the hour. It doesn't make sense to me.
If you're spending money somewhere- make the best of it, don't worry about what other people are doing.

I hear ya. Look, I'm not opposed to these things. I've done the holiday parties and backstage tours. We've watched Illuminations from the private boat. Again, my issue is how these things hurt regular guests.

To use your earlier "Fast Lane" example. If there's a 3-lane highway and they build a 4th lane and charge for it, I really have no issue with that. I'm still getting the same 3-lane highway I had before. If I want the limited access lane, I can choose to purchase it.

But if they close one lane of the highway and charge for it, now I've only got 2 lanes. I'm facing longer delays than before they opened the fast lane. So now I'm unhappy.

Like I said from the start... if Disney wants to do upcharge events they need to figure out a way to do them that doesn't affect regular guests. Open the MK from midnight to 6am and charge extra. Build new fireworks viewing locations that didn't exist before, instead of commandeering old ones.

I can appreciate that point of view. I'll agree to disagree with it, somewhat.. I also agree with some of it.

 

[The_Jobu]

Not having "extras" available is why I cancelled my trip.

It's good that you have a forum like this where people shared their experiences and you planned according to your needs.

See how it's the same?

 

[21stamps]

It's good that you have a forum like this where people shared their experiences and you planned according to your needs.

See how it's the same?

The crowd levels weren't the best decision from me, like I said.. Disney crowds weren't nearly as bad as they were at the amusement park we went to. I tried to buy a fast lane pass but they weren't available that night. We went on two rides only- one was a 3.5 hour wait, the other about 50. Couldn't eat or drink unless waited 40+ minutes.lol

But, I convinced myself that Disney would be unbearable unless we could do a paid event with less crowds.

I blame @CaptainAmerica. Not taking that guy's advice again.

Anyway, we had a fantastic Easter weekend, outside of the insane crowds, so no harm no foul really. Now I know for the future.

 

[The_Jobu]

But, I convinced myself that Disney would be unbearable unless we could do a paid event with less crowds.

Oddly enough, the crowd felt less crowded when I went on the 4th of July than a Friday in April. I think it has to do with predictive staffing. On busy days all the CMs are there and keeping things moving efficiently.

 

[21stamps]

Oddly enough, the crowd felt less crowded when I went on the 4th of July than a Friday in April. I think it has to do with predictive staffing. On busy days all the CMs are there and keeping things moving efficiently.

I hope this remains true if Easter Break coincides with kiddo's birthday again.
We don't have long "spring breaks" like a lot of other schools do..so Easter trips have to be 3 nights only, 4 nights max. If I had a week then crowds and attending upcharge events would be less important.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I blame @CaptainAmerica. Not taking that guy's advice again.

I surely never advised you to go to Great Wolf Lodge over Easter.

I wouldn't advise Great Wolf Lodge under any circumstances, nor would I advise traveling over Easter under any circumstances, so that's something I double wouldn't advise.

 

[21stamps]

I surely never advised you to go to Great Wolf Lodge over Easter.

I wouldn't advise Great Wolf Lodge under any circumstances, nor would I advise traveling over Easter under any circumstances, so that's something I double wouldn't advise.

You did.. You advised me Not to go to Disney. I think your specific comment was "Easter Weekend? Abort plans." I'm too lazy to find the thread.. but you definitely did say that.
You did not advice me to go to Great Wolf Lodge though. I did that on my own.. and with advice from a few others.
GWL makes the bulk of WDW resort prices look like a bargain.lol. Finally got it out of the way at least.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

You did.. You advised me Not to go to Disney. I think your specific comment was "Easter Weekend? Abort plans." I'm too lazy to find the thread.. but you definitely did say that.
You did not advise me to go to Great Wolf Lodge though. I did that on my own.. and with advise from a few others.
GWL makes the bulk of WDW resort prices look like a bargain.lol. Finally got it out of the way at least.

Had I known it was one or the other, I definitely would have told you to keep the res.

 

[21stamps]

Had I known it was one or the other, I definitely would have told you to keep the res.

Sure, now you say that.
All good though, we had a great time and got a fabulous bounce back offer which allowed me to book a stay over NYE for this year..(would never do it otherwise).

But the main purpose of that story was that for all the complaints of Disney offering extras and negatively impacting other guests- I cancelled a trip because there wasn't specific extras. Some people do enjoy them.
Turns out I didn't need to cancel, but I didn't know that while planning.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

All good though, we had a great time and got a fabulous bounce back offer which allowed me to book a stay over NYE for this year.

That's worse than Easter.

 

[Kman101]

Half of DHS is gone but it was a show and a tram tour. Everything else is still there