But that's more anecdotal. Full disclosure the people I know are dvc members so it's a bit different.
My family of 7 just did a vacation in September, our next one is in February. My next door neighbor has 3 little girls, they've got two trips on the books for 2024 .
Now we always went other places so it never was either or. Lol the Jersey shore has gotten so ridiculously expensive (4k for a week at the shore, are you kidding?) That the Philadelphia inquire had an article about how people here are GOING to wdw instead.
Now to be clear, no one is under the illusion that it's not expensive,
Yes, Eliza, that is anecdotal, which is everyone's personal experience. Just like what you talked about. That is yours and their anecdotal experiences.
I know there are a lot of people who are ok with Disney, and that's great.
But there cannot be ignored the amount of people who are not returning to disney.
I think that once the long time disney fanatics (like we used to be
have decided that the cost does not equate the experience anymore, then there will be a decline in families for generations. Unless.... they change some of their unpopular decisions that are affecting the parks now. When families don't want to go back, then the children/grandchildren of these people probably won't have that same love of disney either, and so it goes through the generations.
As I have stated, in our family that has happened now. In several families that I know that has happened now. Yes, that is anecdotal, but it is happening. I'm glad that you know people who are still going, that's great, but the reality is that a lot of people are not happy and are not going (maybe not as much as before, or maybe not at all). In the end, the loss of these people who have loved disney and have gone religiously will be felt. In our situation, we have grown kids, grands, and great grands who will not be going back at this point. They have found other places that they love, and they have other interests besides Mickey and Minnie.
It all saddens me. We were the people who everyone came to for advice on WDW. We were known as Disney fanatics and we took trips annually or more when we could. We talked about our love disney to everyone and took our kids and grandkids. At least our grown kids and grandkids will have wonderful memories of Disney from those days. They are making more memories at other places now. I would love to return to disney for the nostalgia, but not until things change to back to the way disney was (great customer service, rides that didn't break down at this disgusting rate, the week long disney school for the new CM's, good affordable food, etc, etc), or at least close to the way it was..
I sincerely hope that things change for the better at WDW because it was a big part of our lives for a long time, and we had wonderful memories of those times. Now? We are making memories at Universal and other places. We have found our wonderful National Parks, other states and historic towns (Charleston for one), and other activities. I know disney has never been cheap, but we didn't mind spending the money when we felt the return on investment was fantastic. I also know other places charge a lot more now too, but it matters if our ROI is worth the cost at those places too. Hopefully, one day it will be again For Us.
