I think I might be done with WDW.

[Tinkwings]

That is the real question, will the nostalgia factor ever go away. Disney is hedging its bets that this can't happen. But what they don't seem to understand is that you might not notice the erosion until there is a landslide. History is littered with examples of this.

Well I would bank on that nostalgia factor as one of the crucial constants....and part of the whole charm of the Magic Kingdom....it's overall intention from inception.....Walt even went on record to affirm such as someone suggested to him that Disneyland with all it's nostalgia WAS rather corny....
Walt said "All right. I'm corny. But I think there's just about a-hundred-and-forty-million people in this country that are just as corny as I am."

It is that reassurance that everything was alright and good in the past it is trying to capture, that so many Disney geeks still actually go there forjust that at some level, even if unconsciously. The other parks? Leave more room for renovation and re-creation without harming the Magic Kingdom's nostalgia factor....THAT is what I believe is simply what the MK IS. If it isn't integral in their mission statement apart the profit financial aspects....I don't know what else it would be.....so I feel no landslide anxiety here....if they removed the nostalgia? It would cease to be the Magic Kingdom period....so quite the opposite in my humble opinion.....it would be total annihilation of the Magic Kingdom to ignore its value and remove said nostalgia.

 

[21stamps]

Agreed on this, at least the three fast passes per day are included at no additional charge!

Apparently as of mid-January of this year Disney piloted a program of offering an additional 3 fast passes per day for Club level guests--at a charge. The additional 3 passes cost $50.00 per day per guest. And will also allow guests purchasing these passes to book at 90 days out as opposed to the normal 60 for the FP's that are free.

If this is true I am wondering if it's is just a precursor to charging for ALL fast passes?

It’s more than three though, as soon as you utilize your first three, then you can book another, and another, and another, until park closing.

We utilize this to the fullest. Of course there are a couple of rides that we can’t get a FP for in park, and for those- we skip or wait.

I happen to like the MDE ability to add fast passes, it works for my family.. and we can do this without paying an extra $100+ per person.

 

[Disorbust]

The fact is as long as they are increasing the bottom line their business plan is working. Attendance is up even though Epcot and MGM are a mess and prices are high. MK will be overcrowded untill the other parks are done with their improvements. Decisions are made on data insights and IMHO without any concideration to protecting their Brand. Up until three years ago I always found our vacations to be a reasonable value but that is just not the case anymore. It might work for now but in the long term I don' think so. People are not going to maintain loyality to a brand that is fleecing them. Their are to many other options. They just raised ticket prices when half of MGM is closed and Epcot is as well, can you imagine the prices when SWL opens?

 

[eliza61nyc]

I think MDE/FP+ has made for a pretty miserable day in the Disney Parks.

1. It allows Disney to "Right-Size" staffing to make sure every ride has an hour stand-by line.

2. I often find that I have 60-90 waits between attractions, I have already eaten, no desire to shop, all the attractions have 60+ min waits, so I wander around aimlessly on extremely crowded walkways for an hour. Ride a 4 min ride, then wander aimlessly through the crowd for another hour. Rinse repeat.

even with fast pass? One thing is Disney world is not conducive to running from ride to ride to ride. I don't think it ever was.
So what we generally do is try and group our fast passes together so generally there is only 40-50 minute wait. I'm the opposite I like to wander and take my time.
for my upcoming trip, on my animal kingdom day I have a Fp at 10 30 am for Dinosaurs, then I have an 11:15 Wild africa trek, a 3:00 fp for Kilamanjario safari and then a 4:15 for Pandora. that leaves enough time for me to squeeze in the festival of the lion king and at the end, "it's tough to be a bug".

Now my evening is free I can either do standby for kali river rapids or expedition Everest or get dinner. Now as I said, I don't go "commando" through the parks so if I get off of space mountain, taking 30 minutes to walk over to POTC is very easy.

 

[bigrigross]

Agreed on this, at least the three fast passes per day are included at no additional charge!

Apparently as of mid-January of this year Disney piloted a program of offering an additional 3 fast passes per day for Club level guests--at a charge. The additional 3 passes cost $50.00 per day per guest. And will also allow guests purchasing these passes to book at 90 days out as opposed to the normal 60 for the FP's that are free.

If this is true I am wondering if it's is just a precursor to charging for ALL fast passes?

I dont see them charging for normal fast passes. But I do see them using them using them to upsell their resorts. I can see them giving guest with deluxe resorts 4, moderates 3, and values 2 or something along those lines.

As much as I hate seeing fast passes being able to be purchased, I can see why they added them to club level. Honestly, except for the food, their is no benefit staying club level. I have never had an issue using the resorts concierge to get help with something. So having a dedicated one you can call directly doesn't seem as worth it to me. Being able to purchase 3 fast passes and get the 90 days to book them as well as giving you preferred seating for firework shows for only 50 dollars a day is a huge benefit to booking club level now, even though you still have to pay for it.

 

[pax_65]

Apparently as of mid-January of this year Disney piloted a program of offering an additional 3 fast passes per day for Club level guests--at a charge.

The first thought is, "This doesn't affect me - if people want this program and can pay for it, good for them."

That is so much the thinking among pixie dusters... but most of the changes Disney is making affect the average guest in one way or another.

In this case, if Disney starts selling additional FPs, how does that affect the current FP inventory? Are free FPs going to be harder to get? OR, will they simply add more FPs to the inventory and pull more guests from the FP line, making the standby line move even slower? Either way, I don't see it as a good change.

 

[pax_65]

Well hopefully the people in this thread who have fallen out of favour with WDW for whatever reason they envision choose to be people of their word and truly indeed stay gone.

I get this comment a lot, and I don't really understand it. As you pointed out, the disgruntled aren't hurting attendance that much - the parks are still crowded.

Those unhappy people who are posting here (like me), LOVE Disney. I am a Disney stockholder and DVC member. Until recently I purchased an Annual Pass every year and visited WDW 2-3 times a year. My kids grew up going to Disney and they used to love it too (although they notice things changing too). I'm grateful for all those vacations and we have great memories, and I *was* looking forward to many more, taking my grandchildren to the parks when the time came, etc.

Tell me... if posting here is foolish, what should I do? I've already expressed my concerns in detail to Disney (to their credit, they listened patiently, but nothing has changed). Should I just accept the changes without comment and continue to visit the parks, throwing away my money and rewarding Disney's bad behavior, toasting Dole Whips to Walt's memory while the WDW experience continues to deteriorate?

It may be idealistic and extremely wishful thinking, but my hope is that others think as I do, and that maybe if enough people DEMAND QUALITY, Disney will go back to providing the guest experience they used to provide - which was so far beyond an amusement park like Cedar Point or Universal that a comparison between the two was laughable.

 

[Tinkwings]

don't think Disney was ever supposed to be the "only" family vacation option. Doing other things is great for the soul. I'm dying to get to the national parks.

You got it! As a family we have done many of the National Parks and they are wonderful.....nature is awesome. But I can honestly tell you when I visited the Lodge at Yellowstone I was immediately transported to the Wilderness Lodge in thoughts..... (which is my preference over actual camping...ha) Anyhow they are different vacations, and if funds permit I say do BOTH! I like to do the parks in summer and spend a 2-3 weeks driving around our beautiful country. Disney on the other hand is my Winter vacation destination to escape subzero temps etc.....but then I fly in immerse self at WDW and spend one week and be quite content. Don't think we ever did both Disney and National Parks in same calendar year. But sounds good to me!

 

[Dizneydad Paul]

Last weekend, the Philadelphia Eagles won the Superbowl....and quarterback Nick Foles was asked the customary question, "What are you going to do now?" to which he responded "I'm going to Disney World!"

I was at a family party watching, and my mother pipes in "I think it's about time for us to have another Disney trip!"
I responded with "Not this year. Half of the Studios is closed down for construction and Epcot's barely any better."
Mom: "Oh..."

Just a few years ago, I would have jumped on board with this....start looking at hotel deals, including wanting to see how much I could save at the Swan or Dolphin using the discount they offer to teachers. But not anymore.

Maybe it's me "growing up", maybe it's that so much at WDW is changing in a way (that I feel) is in such a huge departure from the core values created by Walt Disney and maintained by the previous generations of Imagineers, such as the destruction of the Studios into what is essentially "Star Wars World" (even as a Star Wars fan, I'm totally burned out by the oversaturation) and the decimation of Epcot Center from a showcase of science, technology, and community into "Magic Kingdom 2" by replacing Norway with Frozen, replacing Test Track with Diet Tron, and replacing Universe of Energy with Guardians of the Galaxy.

I just don't LOVE Walt Disney World anymore. I get more of a thrill watching YouTube videos of Backyard Imagineering projects than I do thinking about the parks themselves.

Because, for me....the men and women who put their effort into those projects do so with a passion that has been sorely absent from Walt Disney World for at least the past decade.

PS. Here's a video of a guy who built a miniature version of DCA's "World of Color" in his backyard.

He's far truer to the spirit of Disney than anything TDO's been doing recently.

I agree with you, Disney does create new things and it is exciting to visit the parks to experience them Buttttttt. I am a huge Disney fan, I am also a stockholder and a D23 Charter member but my park visits have grown in years between visits. It seems like Disney HAS lost its core values and turned into a money machine. Dont get me wrong I know it costs to run Disney but lately it seems more about the money than family. It used to be a price increase every so often now it has become a yearly thing. The higher ups rake in the big bucks, I am one who does not believe that any CEO should make 30-40 million a year + that much in bonuses too. True I wouldnt turn it down but it is getting where an average person cannot afford to take their family anymore. I am a disabled vet on a fixed income and 30k a year just doesnt allow me to spend that much when I still have kids in school. Tickets are well over $100 each now you add that to travel, food, lodging it is just way out of reach anymore. As much as I love the place it is not going to happen anytime soon. People will disagree but around here where I live average pay is no where near what it is in a bigger city. Disney is getting out of reach for many and it is only a dream for them. Epcot used to be about technology and innovations and as he said above now it is rides that really have no meaning. Walts vision is lost at Epcot anymore.

 

[Sonconato]

The only thing I was really looking forward to for this years D23 was the new theater coming to Main Street, which now sounds like it's been canceled, but with the theater I was hoping there would be some type of expansion on Main Street, one of the original elements of the parks, and hopefully some return to the "small town" charm of the original Main Street instead of the "giant gift shop" it now is

I absolutely agree: I was really looking forward to the theater and expansion of Main Street.

 

[OneofThree]

Anyone who needs some help accepting the cost of food at WDW, visit Philips Arena in Atlanta. $21 for a single slice of pizza, coke and chips. Eating at WDW is a bargain compared to Philips Arena.

. . . but who spends a week at an arena, trying to get 3 square meals there every day?

 

[OneofThree]

I guess you were not in ATL in 96 for the Olympics...

Neither was the Philips Arena, and if I'm not mistaken, non-locals attending those events stayed at accommodations in close proximity to food sold at market prices. I don't have any problem with Disney charging a premium for on-property food, because they've essentially created their own market. But let's call it what it is.

 

[njDizFan]

Spend a Saturday at Cedat Point during the summer.

I know, I know, “it’s not Disney!”. No, it’s not. But it’s still not cheap by a long shot, and it will make you appreciate Disney World, and the FP system even more.

I agree, the local parks are just insane during the summer. Locally I have Six Flags Great Adventure in NJ. I would not even consider stepping foot in the place from June-September. And no, it's not cheap, I could spend 400-500 for a day trip including admission/food (family of 5/6).

But Disney is a destination and by my traveling habits (usually 2 weeks every 3-4 years ). I have to be willing to drop 10% of household income on these trips, so I want to see the value. As of now I still do, but shelling out $3500 for ticket media alone hurts considering it was half that not that long ago.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

I get this comment a lot, and I don't really understand it. As you pointed out, the disgruntled aren't hurting attendance that much - the parks are still crowded.

Those unhappy people who are posting here (like me), LOVE Disney. I am a Disney stockholder and DVC member. Until recently I purchased an Annual Pass every year and visited WDW 2-3 times a year. My kids grew up going to Disney and they used to love it too (although they notice things changing too). I'm grateful for all those vacations and we have great memories, and I *was* looking forward to many more, taking my grandchildren to the parks when the time came, etc.

Tell me... if posting here is foolish, what should I do? I've already expressed my concerns in detail to Disney (to their credit, they listened patiently, but nothing has changed). Should I just accept the changes without comment and continue to visit the parks, throwing away my money and rewarding Disney's bad behavior, toasting Dole Whips to Walt's memory while the WDW experience continues to deteriorate?

It may be idealistic and extremely wishful thinking, but my hope is that others think as I do, and that maybe if enough people DEMAND QUALITY, Disney will go back to providing the guest experience they used to provide - which was so far beyond an amusement park like Cedar Point or Universal that a comparison between the two was laughable.

Ok, I've said this in the past and will say it again but before I get into it, this is not directed at anyone in particular and is my honest assessment to this glaring situation.

First off we must establish the fact people are allowed to do whatever they want with their hard earned money, that goes without question living in a free society. Got it, good.

Now before I delve into the seedy underbelly of the collapse of the quality of WDW, we should also establish the simple fact a trip to WDW is not cheap, especially if you choose to stay on site.

Moving right along and it should be noted, no one is special, even at WDW.

Now we can roll.

No matter how much people proclaim they love Disney but are unhappy with their theme park product and still continue to go, shelling out thousands of dollars, well how would the average person look upon such a hypocritical statement?

" We just got back from Disney World, we knew it was going to bad because its going downhill but we stayed at the Poly..."

Disney is not listening to you because you still give them your cash.

You still give them your cash.

They are still getting your cash.

Why should they listen to you? I wouldn't, pass the Grey Poupon.

If you really want to make a statement, you need to stop going. If enough people do this, and Disney notices a serious financial loss to their parks being of such low quality, well then that magic " Back in Walt's day" hot garbage might actually come to pass. It won't though, I can fearlessly predict it, but I'll get to that later.

How can someone know they are doing anything wrong if you continue to support them? Can a drug addict ever get better if you keep giving them money to purchase drugs? Thats rather harsh but fair and accurate. If people keep giving Disney their money, yet continue to go their their parks, I mean how else can I put this? I have to chuckle and rub my hands together.

You can complain here all you want about how bad WDW is getting, I'm sure someone will impersonate Sydney from MASH, put a e-arm around you and tell you you're right, and everyone can join in on the conga line dancing to the bash Disney quality theme, knock yourelf out, but if you keep giving Disney your money on vacations, I have to jump into my Frank Vincent slash @PhotoDave and ask you for your shinebox.

Its not you personally.

Now back in the day when I was in the PML, or I'm still in it but stealthy, well one of the members in there, I think it was @jakeman, said the reason people are so frustrated with WDW now is because they are comparing their memories of their first visits to WDW to a more experienced experiences and they just don't measure up. Now I really don't think to much about this kind of stuff, but what he said was absolutely brilliant.

You first trip probably blew your mind, especially if you were a child and you never knew places like WDW existed. But as you get older and take more trips the magic wears off and you can see through the smoke and mirrors for what it is. This is where that quality drop off begins. Saying a burned out light, crack in the sidewalk or chipped paint is declining by degrees or this never would have happened with Walt is a copout, a internet myth as potent as unicorns and getting millions from African Princes. Walt never ran a company in 2018. WDW is still a quality product, I pay handsomely to go because I enjoy the experience because I want to enjoy the experience, all the negativity in the world will not bring me down, especially on vacation. If WDW no longer pushes the needle for me, I will go to other destinations, I go to Europe several times a year now because Epcot's Paris don't hold a candle to the real thing. But above all, I cherish the time I spend with my family. And I'm making memories I'll be able to compare them to other down the road.....

Ultimately, its your vacation and your money, if you so choose to spend it on a WDW vacation only to be unsatisfied with it, knowing before hand you're going to be unsatisfied with it yet continue to go, thats on you, and I wish those people well.

What should you do?

Easy, you don't go.

Jimmy Thick- Often imitated, never duplicated.

 

[21stamps]

Ok, I've said this in the past and will say it again but before I get into it, this is not directed at anyone in particular and is my honest assessment to this glaring situation.

First off we must establish the fact people are allowed to do whatever they want with their hard earned money, that goes without question living in a free society. Got it, good.

Now before I delve into the seedy underbelly of the collapse of the quality of WDW, we should also establish the simple fact a trip to WDW is not cheap, especially if you choose to stay on site.

Moving right along and it should be noted, no one is special, even at WDW.

Now we can roll.

No matter how much people proclaim they love Disney but are unhappy with their theme park product and still continue to go, shelling out thousands of dollars, well how would the average person look upon such a hypocritical statement?

" We just got back from Disney World, we knew it was going to bad because its going downhill but we stayed at the Poly..."

Disney is not listening to you because you still give them your cash.

You still give them your cash.

They are still getting your cash.

Why should they listen to you? I wouldn't, pass the Grey Poupon.

If you really want to make a statement, you need to stop going. If enough people do this, and Disney notices a serious financial loss to their parks being of such low quality, well then that magic " Back in Walt's day" hot garbage might actually come to pass. It won't though, I can fearlessly predict it, but I'll get to that later.

How can someone know they are doing anything wrong if you continue to support them? Can a drug addict ever get better if you keep giving them money to purchase drugs? Thats rather harsh but fair and accurate. If people keep giving Disney their money, yet continue to go their their parks, I mean how else can I put this? I have to chuckle and rub my hands together.

You can complain here all you want about how bad WDW is getting, I'm sure someone will impersonate Sydney from MASH, put a e-arm around you and tell you you're right, and everyone can join in on the conga line dancing to the bash Disney quality theme, knock yourelf out, but if you keep giving Disney your money on vacations, I have to jump into my Frank Vincent slash @PhotoDave and ask you for your shinebox.

Its not you personally.

Now back in the day when I was in the PML, or I'm still in it but stealthy, well one of the members in there, I think it was @jakeman, said the reason people are so frustrated with WDW now is because they are comparing their memories of their first visits to WDW to a more experienced experiences and they just don't measure up. Now I really don't think to much about this kind of stuff, but what he said was absolutely brilliant.

You first trip probably blew your mind, especially if you were a child and you never knew places like WDW existed. But as you get older and take more trips the magic wears off and you can see through the smoke and mirrors for what it is. This is where that quality drop off begins. Saying a burned out light, crack in the sidewalk or chipped paint is declining by degrees or this never would have happened with Walt is a copout, a internet myth as potent as unicorns and getting millions from African Princes. Walt never ran a company in 2018. WDW is still a quality product, I pay handsomely to go because I enjoy the experience because I want to enjoy the experience, all the negativity in the world will not bring me down, especially on vacation. If WDW no longer pushes the needle for me, I will go to other destinations, I go to Europe several times a year now because Epcot's Paris don't hold a candle to the real thing. But above all, I cherish the time I spend with my family. And I'm making memories I'll be able to compare them to other down the road.....

Ultimately, its your vacation and your money, if you so choose to spend it on a WDW vacation only to be unsatisfied with it, knowing before hand you're going to be unsatisfied with it yet continue to go, thats on you, and I wish those people well.

What should you do?

Easy, you don't go.

Jimmy Thick- Often imitated, never duplicated.

Best use of a meme, ever.

 

[HockityPockity]

I’m going to throw a psychological, left field two cents in here concerning the “magic”, nostalgia, quality, temperament, etc. VERY good points here with, well, just about ALL of you. The loss of vision, yep. The cost, ooh yeah. No argument. If I am completely honest, however, I’ve caught myself feeling stressed, irritated, broke, overwhelmed and overheated, wondering when the “magic” would kick in like it used to. NOW! ALOT of you will NOT understand where I am coming from, but some of you will...I am older. And I now feel it, in my bones, in my joints. I used to be able to walk MILES on the property, be FINE. I am heavier. My family used to vacation in Disney in August, now February can feel a little steamy. Drenched in sweat is my default setting in the parks, with a slightly purple face accompanying. I’m more anxious. Crowds that did not bother me in my youth can seem daunting now, along with the wait times. All this makes me VERY aware of the money being spent, every moment of stress feeling like money down the drain. I’m not going to let the company off the hook, I wish there was a more truly thoughtful approach to the projects and the upkeep. But I have to take my own sadness and frustration with the changes in my body and mind into account when I start to critique what I’m seeing and feeling in the parks. THAT’S the non helpful nostalgia I personally have to contend with. If I could do that more, maybe I could roll with the punches just a little easier, you know?......Frozen still belongs in the Magic Kingdom, though!

 

[OneofThree]

Disney is not listening to you because you still give them your cash.

Yes, and no. Really, they don't care where the revenue comes, just that there are revenue streams. And I agree that there will continue to be, but having nothing to do with the people who have been long-time patrons. Just consider the sheer number of potential guests with zero point of comparison in regard to a changing experience. For them, Disney evidently represents sufficient quality.

You first trip probably blew your mind, especially if you were a child and you never knew places like WDW existed. But as you get older and take more trips the magic wears off and you can see through the smoke and mirrors for what it is.

This is just too simplistic and dismissive of an explanation to be reasonable. It's too easy to cite objective specific examples of departures from modes past which I believe a majority of the disgruntled and non-disgruntled would likely agree upon.

Walt never ran a company in 2018.

Yes. And I have to question the extent to which the business model that put out the product I enjoyed over 30 years ago would be at all viable in the current paradigm. As I've stated before, I continue to go because I personally still enjoy it, which justifies the cost in my mind. That doesn't mean I don't recognize the World for what it was, and what it now is.

 

[njDizFan]

Ok, I've said this in the past and will say it again but before I get into it, this is not directed at anyone in particular and is my honest assessment to this glaring situation.

First off we must establish the fact people are allowed to do whatever they want with their hard earned money, that goes without question living in a free society. Got it, good.

Now before I delve into the seedy underbelly of the collapse of the quality of WDW, we should also establish the simple fact a trip to WDW is not cheap, especially if you choose to stay on site.

Moving right along and it should be noted, no one is special, even at WDW.

Now we can roll.

No matter how much people proclaim they love Disney but are unhappy with their theme park product and still continue to go, shelling out thousands of dollars, well how would the average person look upon such a hypocritical statement?

" We just got back from Disney World, we knew it was going to bad because its going downhill but we stayed at the Poly..."

Disney is not listening to you because you still give them your cash.

You still give them your cash.

They are still getting your cash.

Why should they listen to you? I wouldn't, pass the Grey Poupon.

If you really want to make a statement, you need to stop going. If enough people do this, and Disney notices a serious financial loss to their parks being of such low quality, well then that magic " Back in Walt's day" hot garbage might actually come to pass. It won't though, I can fearlessly predict it, but I'll get to that later.

How can someone know they are doing anything wrong if you continue to support them? Can a drug addict ever get better if you keep giving them money to purchase drugs? Thats rather harsh but fair and accurate. If people keep giving Disney their money, yet continue to go their their parks, I mean how else can I put this? I have to chuckle and rub my hands together.

You can complain here all you want about how bad WDW is getting, I'm sure someone will impersonate Sydney from MASH, put a e-arm around you and tell you you're right, and everyone can join in on the conga line dancing to the bash Disney quality theme, knock yourelf out, but if you keep giving Disney your money on vacations, I have to jump into my Frank Vincent slash @PhotoDave and ask you for your shinebox.

Its not you personally.

Now back in the day when I was in the PML, or I'm still in it but stealthy, well one of the members in there, I think it was @jakeman, said the reason people are so frustrated with WDW now is because they are comparing their memories of their first visits to WDW to a more experienced experiences and they just don't measure up. Now I really don't think to much about this kind of stuff, but what he said was absolutely brilliant.

You first trip probably blew your mind, especially if you were a child and you never knew places like WDW existed. But as you get older and take more trips the magic wears off and you can see through the smoke and mirrors for what it is. This is where that quality drop off begins. Saying a burned out light, crack in the sidewalk or chipped paint is declining by degrees or this never would have happened with Walt is a copout, a internet myth as potent as unicorns and getting millions from African Princes. Walt never ran a company in 2018. WDW is still a quality product, I pay handsomely to go because I enjoy the experience because I want to enjoy the experience, all the negativity in the world will not bring me down, especially on vacation. If WDW no longer pushes the needle for me, I will go to other destinations, I go to Europe several times a year now because Epcot's Paris don't hold a candle to the real thing. But above all, I cherish the time I spend with my family. And I'm making memories I'll be able to compare them to other down the road.....

Ultimately, its your vacation and your money, if you so choose to spend it on a WDW vacation only to be unsatisfied with it, knowing before hand you're going to be unsatisfied with it yet continue to go, thats on you, and I wish those people well.

What should you do?

Easy, you don't go.

Jimmy Thick- Often imitated, never duplicated.

Just a couple of points on this diatribe...

It is possible to have a good experience but find some aspects of your vacation diminishing. Thus seeing enough value to travel to Disney and have a good time but still find some things lacking.

Also actually there are place and things you can do, where you feel the experience has appreciated from past occurrences. A simple analogy might by Universal. Even though you may have been there recently and often, you may feel it is a better value based upon a newer and updated attraction roster. Disney nostalgia is more than just rose colored glasses, there are tangible reasons as well.

 

[pax_65]

What should you do? Easy, you don't go.

Ok. I totally agree with that logic. We've cut our trips WAY back. Disney gets a LOT less of my money than they used to. We are going this year, for the first time in a few years, and I'm trying to go into it with an open mind. I'm not convinced I'll be dissatisfied before I go. I'm hoping that the quality is close to where it used to be. We'll see how it goes.

I also agree there's nothing like your first time at WDW. I was just completely AMAZED and I looked at everything with wonder. But I haven't become jaded, if anything my appreciation for the place increased with time - even as I understood more about the "smoke and mirrors". I took a backstage tour and was fascinated. I read books about how Disney managed the parks and was intrigued about the business behind the Magic.

As a Disney stockholder and a businessman myself I get the importance of profit. I just totally disagree with how Disney is operating the parks today. They are too focused on the short-term and not focused enough on the long-term value of each guest. They want to milk every penny out of a guest on THIS visit (and cross-promote other IPs so you spend $$$ at the movies in the short-term), when they should be trying to exceed their expectations and provide such value that the guest wants to return time and time again.

I'm saddened by the whole "trip of a lifetime mentality". I don't want to save up for 10 years and blow it all on a week in Disney. I want to take my family there year after year like I used to do - to take the time to enjoy every aspect of the parks. But that's becoming harder to do, for a myriad of reasons.

 

[21stamps]

I’m going to throw a psychological, left field two cents in here concerning the “magic”, nostalgia, quality, temperament, etc. VERY good points here with, well, just about ALL of you. The loss of vision, yep. The cost, ooh yeah. No argument. If I am completely honest, however, I’ve caught myself feeling stressed, irritated, broke, overwhelmed and overheated, wondering when the “magic” would kick in like it used to. NOW! ALOT of you will NOT understand where I am coming from, but some of you will...I am older. And I now feel it, in my bones, in my joints. I used to be able to walk MILES on the property, be FINE. I am heavier. My family used to vacation in Disney in August, now February can feel a little steamy. Drenched in sweat is my default setting in the parks, with a slightly purple face accompanying. I’m more anxious. Crowds that did not bother me in my youth can seem daunting now, along with the wait times. All this makes me VERY aware of the money being spent, every moment of stress feeling like money down the drain. I’m not going to let the company off the hook, I wish there was a more truly thoughtful approach to the projects and the upkeep. But I have to take my own sadness and frustration with the changes in my body and mind into account when I start to critique what I’m seeing and feeling in the parks. THAT’S the non helpful nostalgia I personally have to contend with. If I could do that more, maybe I could roll with the punches just a little easier, you know?......Frozen still belongs in the Magic Kingdom, though!

My parents took us annually growing up. I have asked them, REPEATEDLY, to do another ‘family trip’, but this time with the 3 generations.

Each time I ask I receive a “No, I have no desire to go to Disney World now.”

My parents loved Disney, but they realize what they enjoy more these days.. and it isn’t a crowded park.
If they went, I’m sure they would say that it felt different than the 70s-2000s.. but the majority of the “different” would be because of them.