If you hate all that is Disney?

[21stamps]

YES ! Maybe the best way cut Disney a break, is take "a" break AWAY from Disney . Alternative options are UNLIMITED .

Ha ha, jinx

 

[Disneyworld_here_we_come]

Same to you! Fwiw, I think your 2018 itinerary sounds better than a Disney trip. I’ve said many times, I love Disney.. but not enough to make it our only “big” annual destination.
I think people need to experience the real world.. see countries outside of the world showcase pavilions. If you have the vacation time to do it all, wonderful! If it becomes a choose one or the other.. choose the other sometimes!

I think this may be at the heart of some people’s discontent.. take a break, see other things.. come back to Disney and maybe you’ll see it in a favorable light again.

I have only just now hit a point in my life where I can afford vacations and where to go is a huge battle for me. I personally find lots of value in Disney and loved every minute of my trip. I could go over and over BUT I need to see other places and give my kids other experiences as well. In 2018 we're going to Seattle for the first time and taking our first cruise in October. It will be my first time ever leaving the country. I believe a lot of negativity comes from people going to Disney all the time. I'm hoping that we can go back in 2020 after the new lands are open and it will be as exciting and fun as last time.
I have to admit I hate it when people say the value isn't there at Disney. What I find of value is different then everyone else. I found the food to be wonderful. I don't go to a character meal expecting the food to suck. I don't pay those prices if the food is sub par. My kids can meet the characters elsewhere. I paid extra for a deluxe resort because as a family, that's what we wanted. I don't expect anyone to agree with me but please don't tell me it's not worth it or has no value. I do appreciate people giving honest trip reports.

 

[TwilightZone]

Same to you! Fwiw, I think your 2018 itinerary sounds better than a Disney trip. I’ve said many times, I love Disney.. but not enough to make it our only “big” annual destination.
I think people need to experience the real world.. see countries outside of the world showcase pavilions. If you have the vacation time to do it all, wonderful! If it becomes a choose one or the other.. choose the other sometimes!

I think this may be at the heart of some people’s discontent.. take a break, see other things.. come back to Disney and maybe you’ll see it in a favorable light again.

I take several theme park or other trips in between disney to get myself an honest look at disney and compare it to other parks and to have fun and keep myself from getting bored of disney. It works well for me and my routine trips make me better understand why disney makes the decisions it's making right now.

 

[21stamps]

I have only just now hit a point in my life where I can afford vacations and where to go is a huge battle for me. I personally find lots of value in Disney and loved every minute of my trip. I could go over and over BUT I need to see other places and give my kids other experiences as well. In 2018 we're going to Seattle for the first time and taking our first cruise in October. It will be my first time ever leaving the country. I believe a lot of negativity comes from people going to Disney all the time. I'm hoping that we can go back in 2020 after the new lands are open and it will be as exciting and fun as last time.
I have to admit I hate it when people say the value isn't there at Disney. What I find of value is different then everyone else. I found the food to be wonderful. I don't go to a character meal expecting the food to suck. I don't pay those prices if the food is sub par. My kids can meet the characters elsewhere. I paid extra for a deluxe resort because as a family, that's what we wanted. I don't expect anyone to agree with me but please don't tell me it's not worth it or has no value. I do appreciate people giving honest trip reports.

Your upcoming trips sound exciting!
I feel the same, fine if someone doesn’t feel something is “worth” it.. but no one else can say what is “worth it” to my family.

I take several theme park or other trips in between disney to get myself an honest look at disney and compare it to other parks and to have fun and keep myself from getting bored of disney. It works well for me and my routine trips make me better understand why disney makes the decisions it's making right now.

This is my point! I have a major amusement park literally minutes from my home, we go often during the season, we don’t get sick of it.. but we are still doing other things as well, we don’t only go to said amusement park for our entertainment. It’s ok to like different things! It’s not a sports team, so it’s not cheating
Experiencing a variety of entertainment allows us to appreciate each one for what it is, it also allows us to see that Disney isn’t the only place with raising prices well past the rate of inflation, nor are they the only parks who are cutting back their operating hours.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

After reading your post, I guess I realize why I have become cynical toward Disney. The second time I went I was 20 and dying to see EPCOT which opened 2 years prior, I had little money, but scraped up airfare and booked a cheap hotel on 192. Tickets were twenty something, but a friend told me to go and outside the 7-11 they had attraction ticket booths that had 4 day tickets that still had 2 days left on them and when you arrived at the gate they stamped the ticket and in you go. Everything was so magical, they made you feel wonderful and even a broke kid like me, thought the ($20 something) ticket was a steal. You never felt like you were being squeezed for money, but now that I am older and can easily afford the price, I feel like they have their hand in my pocket at every turn. I am sorry my kids didn't get to see the real Disney, I mean before the people with edible disabilities run you over in scooters, but I guess it falls also on our decline in civility as a culture as well..

I don't want to get into a "what would Walt do" thing. But let's face it, he wasn't in this for the money. He wanted things to be successful so it could feed his other projects. He was indifferent about shareholders and appeasing them. Yes he no doubt had money and left his family with it, but if you look at the prices of Disneyland and compare them to today (taking inflation into account) it is insane what they charge. It doesn't need to be that way. It wasn't in the past.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

I think it's safe to say that nobody here hates Disney; in fact I'd say 99.9% of us love it. What you're seeing is an outpouring of emotions over the state of affairs that are the current parks and the malaise in upkeep and upgrades - surely a lot of that emotion the result of nostalgia for many.

 

[John park hopper]

Looking through some old stuff and found 2 park tickets from WDW 25th anniversary--- in 1996 we paid $39.95 far cry from what we paid in May 2017

 

[jimbojones]

Looking through some old stuff and found 2 park tickets from WDW 25th anniversary--- in 1996 we paid $39.95 far cry from what we paid in May 2017

and just because I have done it already here is the inflation adjustment for comparison, $39.95 in 1996 has the same buying power as $63.82 at the end of 2017.

at 64 bucks a day I would make a lot more WDW trips...

 

[21stamps]

and just because I have done it already here is the inflation adjustment for comparison, $39.95 in 1996 has the same buying power as $63.82 at the end of 2017.

at 64 bucks a day I would make a lot more WDW trips...

So would the rest of the world. That’s the problem. People complain about crowds now.. can you imagine what they would be like for under $65 for a one day ticket?

 

[RustySpork]

and just because I have done it already here is the inflation adjustment for comparison, $39.95 in 1996 has the same buying power as $63.82 at the end of 2017.

at 64 bucks a day I would make a lot more WDW trips...

I think the gate prices should be even higher to help keep the crowds down, but the prices once you're in the parks should be lower.

 

[21stamps]

People have to look at the big picture.. prices, crowds, expenses. I’m willing to bet that Disney’s operating costs are a lot higher than 1996. We can say “same buying power”.. but at the end of the day, it isn’t. There is a lot more for a business to spend money on now than there was back then.

This includes food margins.. there’s more expenses than just the food that Disney is purchasing.

And again.. as I said in another thread.. WDW’s QS prices are on par or less than most entertainment venues.

 

[Jedi Stitch]

To the OP, I don't think everyone on the board is about the negative. I see a lot of negative posts, but most of them are from people asking if others had the same bad experience at a ride, restaurant, show, and want to understand if it was a fluke, or next time skip that in the itinerary. I wish, I knew about this board before and during my last trip. I might have given a second chance to a couple of my less than magical experiences. Now, if you are on lines of Kaitebug, or other net trolls, then ya, they just love misery, and the company they can keep.

 

[grnflash]

I am not sure if this is the correct place to post, but it seemed to be appropriate. I have stalked the forum for 10 plus years, but I have just recently become active in posts. There seems to be a common thread that links us all together. We all love Disney. Hence the confusion. I regularly see the same tired posts from the same people that hate what Disney is now. Disney has changed over the years and will continue to do so. My question is this: If you hate what Disney has become why are you still making posts? If you hate everything why re-live it over and over. Live your Non Disney life and stop posting here. I would exclude people like @DisneyJoe who don't visit but are a great help to others. If all you want to do is make troll posts, then go find a political forum. You can stay busy there. If your entire life revolves around making negative posts in Disney forums then maybe you need to rethink your reasons to be here.

The hyperbole aside ("entire life revolves around making negative posts" yada, yada), I think you're confusing the nature of the general complaints. People love (LOVE, LOVE) the Disney product. How that product is served though has become the problem.

The "hate" is not about being unable to accept change...it's dissatisfaction with changes that serve the product worse than it used to be served.

People have different priorities and different tipping points when those priorities are weakened. When it comes to Disney, you can generally lump the complaint priorities into 3 broad categories - Crowds, Cost, Customer Service. Which of these is Disney not appreciably, obviously, quantifiably serving at a lower standard as each decade of operations pass? It's reasonable to both love the Disney product (the rides, the theming, the immersion) and yet complain about how they are serving the product (the crowds, the cost, the customer service.)

Sure, one can always say Disney is still the gold standard of theme parks when comparing to other theme parks brands. But is Disney 2018 the gold stardard when compared to Disney 2008? Disney 1998? Why wouldn't people complain when the cost and crowd factors have skyrocketed but they can't even call the front desk directly from their high priced hotel room? Hopefully their call isn't to ask where the towel animals or Mickey shaped soaps are hiding. Or when the night parade at MK begins.....

 

[MAGICFLOP]

The "hate" is not about being unable to accept change...it's dissatisfaction with changes that serve the product worse than it used to be served.

What I think many don't realize is the changes over the years, some are subtle and some are not. Imagination ride is an example of what you say.. the Original was way better in both content and presentation, so why spend the money to change it.
Society in general is becoming dumber and ignorant and when subtle changes are made. Many people go to restaurants and can't tell if they are eating freshly prepared food or something that was frozen and reheated. Some don't mind spending top dollar and don't understand why others freak.. they consider them complainers / haters. Accept an inferior product and then expect it to be offered every time.

 

[Bullseye1967]

Society in general is becoming dumber and ignorant and when subtle changes are made.

You mean like the new way you rate a hotel on hotel.com?

Seriously?

 

[ford91exploder]

The hyperbole aside ("entire life revolves around making negative posts" yada, yada), I think you're confusing the nature of the general complaints. People love (LOVE, LOVE) the Disney product. How that product is served though has become the problem.

The "hate" is not about being unable to accept change...it's dissatisfaction with changes that serve the product worse than it used to be served.

People have different priorities and different tipping points when those priorities are weakened. When it comes to Disney, you can generally lump the complaint priorities into 3 broad categories - Crowds, Cost, Customer Service. Which of these is Disney not appreciably, obviously, quantifiably serving at a lower standard as each decade of operations pass? It's reasonable to both love the Disney product (the rides, the theming, the immersion) and yet complain about how they are serving the product (the crowds, the cost, the customer service.)

Sure, one can always say Disney is still the gold standard of theme parks when comparing to other theme parks brands. But is Disney 2018 the gold stardard when compared to Disney 2008? Disney 1998? Why wouldn't people complain when the cost and crowd factors have skyrocketed but they can't even call the front desk directly from their high priced hotel room? Hopefully their call isn't to ask where the towel animals or Mickey shaped soaps are hiding. Or when the night parade at MK begins.....

Correct

The pre-Iger era was one of constant improvements to the 'Disney' experience not that all the changes met with fan approval. But Disney management strove to provide a top quality experience.

During the Iger era Disney has become a constantly declining experience with things both large and small being constantly deleted from the guest experience, Dining constantly cut down while menu choices shrink to promote 'efficiency' so all meals can be prepared in a central kitchen and reheated at point of service.

Small things like the Comic Waiters and Miyuki the candy lady, to rides and pavillions being closed with no replacement.

All the while prices rise. Nope not a product for me any longer

 

[ford91exploder]

People have to look at the big picture.. prices, crowds, expenses. I’m willing to bet that Disney’s operating costs are a lot higher than 1996. We can say “same buying power”.. but at the end of the day, it isn’t. There is a lot more for a business to spend money on now than there was back then.

This includes food margins.. there’s more expenses than just the food that Disney is purchasing.

And again.. as I said in another thread.. WDW’s QS prices are on par or less than most entertainment venues.

The difference being you are not spending several full days at the local sports venue with no other dining options.

QS food pricing should be at a modest premium to a good cafeteria found at hospital/college/corporate campus. Strangely these ALL make money whilst paying employees more and charging customers less

 

[jaklgreen]

I have been giving this a lot of thought. I think times are different now in terms of companies are slaves to their investors. And investors care about 1 thing, more and more money. They have no love for Disney nor do they care about how amazing the parks can be for guests if they only invest in it the right way. They do not see that if you put in the money then it will come back to them. I feel bad for those who's job it is to keep the parks running. I think most of them do love Disney and want it to be great but their hands are tied. I also think that a lot of the food issues is the guest's fault. Disney is trying to give us what they think the majority want. Take for example the kids meals. They used to be much much better until this new breed of parents think that children are only able to consume processed, fried junk. WDW has over the last decade tried to provide better kids meals(and still does in some places) but it does not sell. Same for the adult meals. Look at what happened at Pecos Bill, they changed the menu to give us a variety of foods(and the mexican food they have now is good). But look at how many of you even on this board complained how you wanted it to be back to another burger place. Sheesh. They try to give us better food and more of a variety but the crappy American palate just wants their crappy burgers that you can get anywhere. Sure Disney is dropping the ball on things but we have to be aware of the feedback we do give them in terms of what we really want.

 

[StarshipDisney]

I have been giving this a lot of thought. I think times are different now in terms of companies are slaves to their investors. And investors care about 1 thing, more and more money. They have no love for Disney nor do they care about how amazing the parks can be for guests if they only invest in it the right way. They do not see that if you put in the money then it will come back to them. I feel bad for those who's job it is to keep the parks running. I think most of them do love Disney and want it to be great but their hands are tied. I also think that a lot of the food issues is the guest's fault. Disney is trying to give us what they think the majority want. Take for example the kids meals. They used to be much much better until this new breed of parents think that children are only able to consume processed, fried junk. WDW has over the last decade tried to provide better kids meals(and still does in some places) but it does not sell. Same for the adult meals. Look at what happened at Pecos Bill, they changed the menu to give us a variety of foods(and the mexican food they have now is good). But look at how many of you even on this board complained how you wanted it to be back to another burger place. Sheesh. They try to give us better food and more of a variety but the crappy American palate just wants their crappy burgers that you can get anywhere. Sure Disney is dropping the ball on things but we have to be aware of the feedback we do give them in terms of what we really want.

Well said. I have loved Disney since I first visited as a teenager in 1973...and I think it will always be my vacation of choice regardless of changes. But it is a shame that Walt's theme of "Plus it" seems to have gone by the wayside and some of the changes seem like they are only intended to save $$$.

 

[21stamps]

The difference being you are not spending several full days at the local sports venue with no other dining options.

QS food pricing should be at a modest premium to a good cafeteria found at hospital/college/corporate campus. Strangely these ALL make money whilst paying employees more and charging customers less

This argument is repeated over and over. Doesn’t make sense regardless of how many times it’s repeated.

“Spending several full days” is irrelevant. Completely irrelevant.

Food in Disney World is priced the same or lower than most major amusement parks.. and it’s also priced the same or lower than most sought after resorts.
There is no truth in claiming otherwise, and it’s not relevant to compare a college campus or hospital cafeteria.