I'm not going to Disney World any more!!!!!!

[StarWarsGirl]

I'm sure WDW would have crowd control problems if they recently wrapped up a $1 billion expansion at a park that used to be awful as well. Actually, scratch that. WDW has crowd control problems with transportation as-is. DL has no such transportation problem, because who needs transportation when your parks are a practically 15 yards away from each other?

And yes, WDW's Haunted Mansion is (surprisingly, given the maintenance situations at each resort, and especially the fact that it gets two refurbs a year at DL) superior on the inside. Outside, not so much, but it's one of the rides which is better at WDW. Fortunately for Disneyland, their version of Pirates wasn't rushed.

Managing crowds during parade routes and fireworks at DLP was poor. I felt like I was constantly in a crowd. Granted, paths are not as wide, but still. DCA didn't have as much of an issue. My other really big complaint is that the CMs are too quick to reprimand you. For example, it is perfectly acceptable at WDW to leave your shoes where they are during Soarin', but not at DCA. A cast member was very rude to me when she saw this. And my mom didn't have a bag one morning and the CM reprimanded her from going around. She looked at him and said, "Really? You want me to further congest the line by standing here?" He let her go around. Since DL has no transportation like WDW, they can't have a problem controlling it, now can they? The bus situation can be poor at WDW, I agree.



I noticed so many broken effects on Haunted Mansion. The only reason we did it was because my brother thought the stretching room being an elevator was cool. It really needs to go down for a while. They need to do to it what they did to Splash Mountain in WDW. Give it several months and fix EVERYTHING. Even though I think because of track length it will never be as good as WDW's, it could be substantially improved.

Splash Mountain is not nearly as good at DLP. I've never gotten so wet on Splash Mountain. And then there's not much to look at in the way of audio animatronics. Astro Blasters has too few targets in the rooms. Star Tours should have had additional speeders. Overall, queue design at WDW is much better, TSM being the prime example. Tea cups aren't as big and don't spin as fast as at WDW. More to do overall at WDW just because of spacing. And would someone get rid of the Peoplemover Track already (I know, it would require shutting the area down, but still)? But then DL has its high points, such as Pirates as you mentioned, Toontown, Radiator Springs (big one), Indiana Jones, the Aladdin show, others. DLP is my favorite American Disney theme park, though WDW wins overall in my book. Of course, I'm only 18, so I haven't observed degrading quality since the 80's or so, but my parents have never mentioned anything, just that it becomes more and more expensive, though DL ended up costing us more.

I think it would be neat if Disney did an exchange program with managers, sending some from WDW over to DL for six months and vice versa. Ones who are willing to go in and run the show a bit differently but also willing to pick up on some strategies from the other end of the country. It might fix some problems on both ends. I doubt Disney would ever do it just because of costs, but still.

 

[mousehockey37]

Due to impending increases in the costs of employing an individual, many employers are dropping employees to 29 hours per week week or eliminating shift premiums.

This is why when you look at the jobs report that just came out, that most jobs that were created part-time. Nice to know that with the rising costs of health care and such that we're only making part time jobs so that the owners of those companies can make more money.

 

[Nubs70]

I once heard that you have to spend money to make money. I guess that's not the case anymore. Any business majors out there, feel free to jump in lol

You need to spend money to remain relevant.

 

[Nubs70]

This is why when you look at the jobs report that just came out, that most jobs that were created part-time. Nice to know that with the rising costs of health care and such that we're only making part time jobs so that the owners of those companies can make more money.

Watch average hours/week for September 2013

 

[Thrill]

Splash Mountain is not nearly as good at DLP. I've never gotten so wet on Splash Mountain. And then there's not much to look at in the way of audio animatronics. Astro Blasters has too few targets in the rooms. Star Tours should have had additional speeders. Overall, queue design at WDW is much better, TSM being the prime example. Tea cups aren't as big and don't spin as fast as at WDW. More to do overall at WDW just because of spacing. And would someone get rid of the Peoplemover Track already (I know, it would require shutting the area down, but still)? But then DL has its high points, such as Pirates as you mentioned, Toontown, Radiator Springs (big one), Indiana Jones, the Aladdin show, others. DLP is my favorite American Disney theme park, though WDW wins overall in my book. Of course, I'm only 18, so I haven't observed degrading quality since the 80's or so, but my parents have never mentioned anything, just that it becomes more and more expensive, though DL ended up costing us more.

I think it would be neat if Disney did an exchange program with managers, sending some from WDW over to DL for six months and vice versa. Ones who are willing to go in and run the show a bit differently but also willing to pick up on some strategies from the other end of the country. It might fix some problems on both ends. I doubt Disney would ever do it just because of costs, but still.

I'm even younger than you, but the decline of WDW is still visible for me. Things like the price increases, the mold issue at Maelstrom, termites at SpectroMagic, these all changed in the past few years. I'm not going to see a decline as profoundly as others do (I didn't see EPCOT Center at its peak, for example), but I still see it.

As for swapping managers, DL's president moved to WDW in January. Maintenance actually did look better on my visit last week, but not everything is looking up.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Sometimes we don't want to see them go just because we love them so much. I bet if Disney announced Space Mountain would be going, people would be very, VERY upset.

True, if Disney announced it, but I suspect if Walt Disney announced it, all would be good. That's the way he ran the park. If it got old, he replaced it. It was what was expected.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Replacing a ride with a meet and greet isn't exactly innovative, but to go along with the idea of this thread, it takes less effort to maintain a meet and greet location than a ride with moving parts.

Example, look at EPCOT. If over the busiest of holidays, no one rides the Ellen's Energy Adventure, and most of the other rides are at least 45 minute waits (like I said, this is just a hypothetical example), it would make sense that no one will miss it and that it's time to see what could be new and innovative for that space.

That's my point. In your original quote post, you basically stated that every replacement is innovative. Unfortunately, that isn't always the case.

 

[Computer Magic]

You need to spend money to remain relevant.

That sounds cheap and stagnant :lol Someone hungry (coughUNIcough) may just take some market share.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I'm even younger than you, but the decline of WDW is still visible for me. Things like the price increases, the mold issue at Maelstrom, termites at SpectroMagic, these all changed in the past few years. I'm not going to see a decline as profoundly as others do (I didn't see EPCOT Center at its peak, for example), but I still see it.

As for swapping managers, DL's president moved to WDW in January. Maintenance actually did look better on my visit last week, but not everything is looking up.

Maintenance was terrible at DLP. Breakdowns are frequent.

I always think prices at WDW are ridiculous. Then I go to a baseball game. All better. Inflation does have something to do with it, as well as other market factors. The increase in popularity and amount of available activities means they increase prices. You know, supply and demand? Demand increases, price increases.

Disney can't always do anything about the bugs. Bugs appear because they are bugs. Disney takes precautions. There was a problem in BLT with bugs that they've fixed. It can't be like flipping a switch.

A president swap can only do so much. They need to swap down at the lower ends to fix things such as crowd control, breakdowns, etc.

 

[Californian Elitist]

True, if Disney announced it, but I suspect if Walt Disney announced it, all would be good. That's the way he ran the park. If it got old, he replaced it. It was what was expected.

Walt Disney lived for the first eleven years of Disneyland. I wouldn't consider eleven years to constitute something as old. Most of the things that were replaced were replaced because because they just weren't working out for the park, example Holidayland and the Flying Saucers.

 

[draybook]

Man, someone voices their opinion and talks about taking a stand and this is how they are treated? Baa baa goes the sheep......

 

[Thrill]

Maintenance was terrible at DLP. Breakdowns are frequent.

I always think prices at WDW are ridiculous. Then I go to a baseball game. All better. Inflation does have something to do with it, as well as other market factors. The increase in popularity and amount of available activities means they increase prices. You know, supply and demand? Demand increases, price increases.

Disney can't always do anything about the bugs. Bugs appear because they are bugs. Disney takes precautions. There was a problem in BLT with bugs that they've fixed. It can't be like flipping a switch.

A president swap can only do so much. They need to swap down at the lower ends to fix things such as crowd control, breakdowns, etc.

The curious side of Disney's price increases is that supply has increased (in the form of a revitalized Universal resort), while demand is probably not much higher than it was (if it is higher at all) before the recession struck.

The DL-biased side of me says that the DL breakdowns might be related to their 101 policy. At WDW, a $15 million animatronic breaks, you throw on a strobe light, and open the ride for five more years. At DLR, I think they're more true to Walt's 101 policy (where the Auctoineer shuts down the ride, for example). In a way, if everything doesn't work, then nothing works. Not 100% sure on this, but it's certainly a possibility.

Either that, or it was a weird few days. I want to say it was July 1 (somewhere around there), but Toy Story Mania was down for half the day, while Tower of Terror and Test Track were down for a while at the same time at WDW. These things happen. When I went to Disneyland, the only thing that broke was Indiana Jones. I'm sure Dinosaur is just as bad, but I just don't go to Animal Kingdom for enough time to have any clue about such a thing. Haha.

 

[Yert3]

I kinda agree with the OP. I'm never going to stop going to WDW and DL but the decline in quality still really bothers me. I also agree with him that they care way too much about their profits. I understand they are a company and need to make money, but they care a little too much. Walt was never in it for the money, and always spent loads of money the company didn't really have. From stories I've heard, Roy would get so mad at him for doing that, but it's how he kept the quality up

 

[ToyStoryMiss]

After I saw the title, I just thought, "here we go." and, like @MOXOMUMD said, "One last person in line!"

EDIT: One less person in line. Why do I type things wrong at midnight. WHY.

 

[Thrill]

I kinda agree with the OP. I'm never going to stop going to WDW and DL but the decline in quality still really bothers me. I also agree with him that they care way too much about their profits. I understand they are a company and need to make money, but they care a little too much. Walt was never in it for the money, and always spent loads of money the company didn't really have. From stories I've heard, Roy would get so mad at him for doing that, but it's how he kept the quality up

They have to be about the profits, but there are multiple means to the end. Disney could make bank with expansions and maintenance, but they decide to cut those things while still increasing prices. Bigger margins, smaller attendance. It makes a profit, yes, but it's not terribly sustainable.

 

[Yert3]

They have to be about the profits, but there are multiple means to the end. Disney could make bank with expansions and maintenance, but they decide to cut those things while still increasing prices. Bigger margins, smaller attendance. It makes a profit, yes, but it's not terribly sustainable.

I agree they should be about profits. But if price goes up, quality should stay the same, not go down.

 

[Goofnut1980]

This is meant to be funny but... You sound like my Bride last night... She whined and cried because of $57.60 for having a stuffed baby portobello mushroom for an appetizer on her bill and wanted us to change it to a regular button mushroom. Mind you, she was paying about $15,000 for 150 guests including the location and bar. And, complained about $57.60... Its a business and sometimes you need to make a profit.

 

[Californian Elitist]

What some people don't realize is a ride can go down for various reasons, but most people assume the ride is "broke." I remember having to shut Snow White down because somebody dropped their purse in the ride. Pinocchio shut down one time because an elderly woman took light years to get on. A ride could go down because someone wanted to be stupid and try to touch something (yes, that's happened before). But @Thrill is right, when a major show element isn't working on a ride at Disneyland, the entire thing shuts down. Even if it's just one thing and it doesn't matter how long it takes to fix it.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

The curious side of Disney's price increases is that supply has increased (in the form of a revitalized Universal resort), while demand is probably not much higher than it was (if it is higher at all) before the recession struck.

The DL-biased side of me says that the DL breakdowns might be related to their 101 policy. At WDW, a $15 million animatronic breaks, you throw on a strobe light, and open the ride for five more years. At DLR, I think they're more true to Walt's 101 policy (where the Auctoineer shuts down the ride, for example). In a way, if everything doesn't work, then nothing works. Not 100% sure on this, but it's certainly a possibility.

Either that, or it was a weird few days. I want to say it was July 1 (somewhere around there), but Toy Story Mania was down for half the day, while Tower of Terror and Test Track were down for a while at the same time at WDW. These things happen. When I went to Disneyland, the only thing that broke was Indiana Jones. I'm sure Dinosaur is just as bad, but I just don't go to Animal Kingdom for enough time to have any clue about such a thing. Haha.

Disneyland has far more breakdowns. I spend about a month in WDW during the year, and while breakdowns are a part of life, they are not nearly as frequent as at DL. When you encounter multiple breakdowns at WDW, it's usually a fluke. However, in DL, it's a daily occurrence to find several breakdowns (was just there for six days). I was told many times it was the computer locking them out of the system.

Your economic theory is wrong. Sorry. I assume you haven't gotten to AP economics or college economics yet since you said you're younger than me and I just took the AP, so I'll explain. You're thinking on a market graph, not on a firm graph. Moreover, you're thinking perfectly competitive. This isn't a perfectly competitive market. Disney's costs have increased with the recent expansions. They've got New Fantasyland, which increases amounts of workers to be hired. This is a shift left on their marginal cost curve, which raises prices. With the recent expansions, demand has also increased. Therefore, they will sell at a higher price. What Universal does affects Disney, but not in the way you're thinking because of the market type. No worries; it's not an easy concept to grasp,even after you take college level economics (I took a lot of time completely thinking this through myself). You also have to account for inflation. Even though prices everywhere don't increase at the same rate, they do gradually increase. So Disney increases prices. As far as merchandise prices, I've seen more ridiculous prices at baseball games and such and the quality of my product is always good from Disney. Although I refuse to pay that much for a pen. But unique merchandise=higher cost. Disney, when all is said and done, is trying to make a profit.

 

[Yert3]

when a major show element isn't working on a ride at Disneyland, the entire thing shuts down. Even if it's just one thing and it doesn't matter how long it takes to fix it.

And that's how things SHOULD be at WDW, but sadly this isn't the case. It's all about riders per hour. Every AA in an attraction could be down and they still won't close. It's sick.