Just back - Some random thoughts

[captainkidd]

Just got back from 2 weeks at WDW. I won't post a boring trip report, but rather break it down into some positives and minuses:

Positives:
-The parks all looked great. Main Street USA hasn't looked this good in years.
-Full service eateries were all good.
-Transportation to every park but Animal Kingdom was very efficient.

Negatives:
1.Brazilian Tour Groups. Good God All Mighty, they were EVERYWHERE. Now, the good news is, they were better behaved than normal. And when a couple of the worse ones started with the chanting and singing crap, they were told to stop by a Disney CM. We spoke to several CM's on this trip who pretty much confirmed this is the biggest complaint they get, and changes have been made.

2.Flash photos on dark rides. It was rampant. Pirates wasn't even rideable for me because the flashing gives me a headache. People just wouldn't stop. Disney is aware of this as well, but from what we were told, they've basically give up asking people to stop because no one listens.

3.People are pigs. We saw much trash and water bottles lying on the ground, in ride pre-show areas, etc. Every time we saw trash, we picked it up and threw it away, but only so much we could do.

4.Conversations with guests, which I love to have, was pretty hard. If 2 out of every 10 guests spoke english, that was a lot.

5.In 30 trips, this was the most crowded I've ever seen it. Good for Disney, bad for us. We won't, for the first time in years, be going to WDW next summer. Plan all you want, the parks are insane and it's not relaxing.

I'll post a bit of my comparison between the Poly and GF in the resort section later, as we split our stay between those resorts.

 

[Jakester]

I went on pirates a while ago (July 16) and the ride had been stopped for a little bit so i thought i minus well take a few flash photos since we'd been there for atleast 10minutes in the same scene.

 

[Nemo14]

I went on pirates a while ago (July 16) and the ride had been stopped for a little bit so i thought i minus well take a few flash photos since we'd been there for atleast 10minutes in the same scene.

What is "minus well"? :shrug:

 

[Fantasmic]

Might as well?

 

[Nemo14]

Might as well?

Ahhhh.....:ROFLOL:

Silly me - I was thinking of the well scene during the ride.



I think I need more rum.....

 

[Teachr4Disney]

Just got back from 2 weeks at WDW. I won't post a boring trip report,

Hey! Some of us like to read boring trip reports, especially ones with lots of pictures!

 

[Fantasmic]

I think I need more rum.....

good call :ROFLOL:

 

[Tom]

I went on pirates a while ago (July 16) and the ride had been stopped for a little bit so i thought i minus well take a few flash photos since we'd been there for atleast 10minutes in the same scene.

Last January we had the misfortune of being on a bus full of "tourists". I made it a point to ruin as many of their photos as possible. If they turned to the side or back at all, I'd put my hand up in front of their camera. Sometimes I would nudge the person in the back as they were taking a picture. When they turned around, I'd scowl and shake my head.

If people want ride photos, go when the park's about to close (so that you don't annoy too many people) and learn how to use it without a flash.

 

[captainkidd]

Another thing I wanted to mention - Dining ADR's. We made a bunch of them of this trip, and I'd say we only made it to about 75% of them. This is something else that is ruining WDW for me - The Dining Plan (specifically, when it's given away for free). What we came to realize this trip was we simply don't know what we might or might not be in the mood for on any given night 6 months in advance. However, there are some restaurants you simply have to have reservations for (Ohana).

I love planning, but I think I'm getting to a point where I want a nice all-inclusive resort where there aren't 80,000 other people around me, and where I don't have to plan every last detail months in advance.

 

[thrillseeker58]

RE: trash in pre-shows or queues

I'm really glad you mentioned about the trash in the queues. This is something I've noticed getting worse over the past 5 -6 years. I don't like seeing this and it ruins the experience for me when Coke cups show up next to something that fits the attraction's theme. Surely Disney notices this. Are they doing something about it?

 

[Drenhopkins]

CaptainKidd

I was there this weekend also. I'm also get ticked off when I see water bottles & trash laying around the rivers or where cast members can't reach to get it.

I notice issues with a couple of the rides.

Pirates - one of the women chasing the pirates not working. Pirate woth stack of hats down to one.

Haunted Mansion - Old man & dog by cemetary in complete darkness.

 

[CaptainShortty]

I'm really glad you mentioned about the trash in the queues. This is something I've noticed getting worse over the past 5 -6 years. I don't like seeing this and it ruins the experience for me when Coke cups show up next to something that fits the attraction's theme. Surely Disney notices this. Are they doing something about it?

Every CM is given the speech about keeping the parks clean in order the preserve the "Disney show" as much as possible. That being said, every CM can only do so much while still doing their job and the custodians certainly have their hands full even though there are tons of them around the park. That being said, I'm not sure if they have hired additional custodial CMs to help take care of the problem.

 

[CP_alum08]

Last January we had the misfortune of being on a bus full of "tourists". I made it a point to ruin as many of their photos as possible. If they turned to the side or back at all, I'd put my hand up in front of their camera. Sometimes I would nudge the person in the back as they were taking a picture. When they turned around, I'd scowl and shake my head.

If people want ride photos, go when the park's about to close (so that you don't annoy too many people) and learn how to use it without a flash.

Amen!!! If you can't do it right (and within the rules) then do not do it at all. Of the many things people complain on here that Disney is not doing a good job at, this is one that i fully agree with. They need to crack down on this. If that means stopping the ride every time someone uses flash and making an overhead announcement, fine with me. I just dont understand how people can think its alight. The pictures turn out like crap anyway!

This was taken without flash, show me a better photo taken with flash and I will never take a camera into the parks again!

109/334 - So close by CJ Balogh, on Flickr

 

[Drenhopkins]

Every CM is given the speech about keeping the parks clean in order the preserve the "Disney show" as much as possible. That being said, every CM can only do so much while still doing their job and the custodians certainly have their hands full even though there are tons of them around the park. That being said, I'm not sure if they have hired additional custodial CMs to help take care of the problem.

I've notice double custodial even up to 3x than normal. It was a very hot weekend. I made a lot of trips to the water fountain. But, it still no excuse to just leave your bottle laying where you finished it. When the storms come in and the wind picks up thats when the bottles find themselves in the rivers, lakes, and bushes.

 

[JohnnyDollaz89]

Was down there the same time as you and the Brazilian groups were the worst i have ever seen them in my 18 trips to WDW! They would just stop in the middle of the park and start chanting and dancing every like animals, I would love to go to their country talking our native language and chanting and signing God Bless America in the middle of their big towns and what not! They were annoying, and every park I was at no matter what day it was they were there. But other then that my trip was excellent

 

[CaptainShortty]

I've notice double custodial even up to 3x than normal. It was a very hot weekend. I made a lot of trips to the water fountain. But, it still no excuse to just leave your bottle laying where you finished it. When the storms come in and the wind picks up thats when the bottles find themselves in the rivers, lakes, and bushes.

Oh I agree, people are slobs. What a lack of manners and terrible examples these parents are setting for their children.

 

[thecompman]

Amen!!! If you can't do it right (and within the rules) then do not do it at all. Of the many things people complain on here that Disney is not doing a good job at, this is one that i fully agree with. They need to crack down on this. If that means stopping the ride every time someone uses flash and making an overhead announcement, fine with me. I just dont understand how people can think its alight. The pictures turn out like crap anyway!

This was taken without flash, show me a better photo taken with flash and I will never take a camera into the parks again!

109/334 - So close by CJ Balogh, on Flickr

I agree 100%!! Upset me so much it prompted me to write a blog post about it last year on how to take photos at a theme park without flash. For those that would like you can read it here http://dengrovestudios.com/blog/2010/07/17/you-dont-need-that-flash-proper-theme-park-photo-etiquette/

 

[captainkidd]

After yelling for about 3 days for people to stop using the flash, I gave up.

According to a Disney CM, they got more complaints about the ride being interrupted for them to ask that flash not be used than they did for flashes themselves.

Personally, I think it's a load of crap, and they realize the people are either foreigners who won't understand them, or people who simply don't care what anyone thinks.

 

[BigRedDad]

I would bet you that 90% of the flash users are using an iPhone or other smartphone just snapping away hoping to get one good one. I experienced this at WWoHP the other month. It was almost like strobe lights going off. No way to get a good picture at all. I am no expert like many here, but I know when not to use a flash.

 

[NewfieFan]

The flash thing drives me nuts too! For some reason, this really bothers me on the Nemo ride. What kind of pictures are you getting anyway on that ride with a flash!?! :hammer: