Magic Kingdom...not so magical.

[donaldtoo]

Myself, oldest DD, SonIL, and our barely 1-year-old granddaughter were at MK from about 12:30p-6:30p on October 29th of this year, for the first time since February of ‘16. It was just a quick trip from Austin to Orlando and back on the same day.
I read and agree with much of the criticism of the Parks and Resorts on this board.
But, while we were there, I really only noticed about 3 things that were off, to me anyway...
Both the seance and undertaker with his dog scenes in HM seemed to have noticeably lower lighting than I remember, and the 2 dolls on the 2 half-round platforms in the last room of IaSW were missing.
Granted, I tend to put on my Pixie-dusted, rose-colored glasses (so, double-dose ), we don’t visit all that often, and it was our dear granddaughters first trip, but, I didn’t notice that much bein’ “off”.
The longest wait we had for the 9 attractions we did that day was about 15 mins. for IaSW, and everything else was pretty much a walk-on.
Again, we don’t visit all that often, and most guests probably don’t, so Disney has the advantage of many guests faded memories, I guess.
Anyhoo, most everything seemed to be in order on that particular day, and we had an AWESOME time...!!!!!!!

 

[bsiev1977]

Wait a minute...

No it couldn’t be her

She actually passed away earlier this year

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

MK is my wife’s and mine least favorite park of the 4.

We try not to visit in the fall because of Xmas parties, but we were there last week, and it wasn’t too bad.

still, number 4

Better than being No.2

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

She actually passed away earlier this year

Katiebug passed away

 

[bsiev1977]

Katiebug passed away

I thought that previous post about “perfumed poodles” was referring to Susan Grill. The “Poodle Lady”

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

I thought that previous post about “perfumed poodles” was referring to Susan Grill. The “Poodle Lady”

Ok. Not sure which they are referring to. I heard about the poodle lady.

 

[Lilofan]

She actually passed away earlier this year

Proof?

 

[Jon81uk]

and yet people keep visiting the Magic Kingdom so there is little incentive for them to add to it. The other parks are getting more attractions and attention to try and get the crowds out of MK and even out attendance across all of WDW.
I think they will spruce things up for the 50th, but I also thing Tron is going to be the only fully new attraction in that park for a long time.

 

[larryz]

Myself, oldest DD, SonIL, and our barely 1-year-old granddaughter were at MK from about 12:30p-6:30p on October 29th of this year, for the first time since February of ‘16. It was just a quick trip from Austin to Orlando and back on the same day.
I read and agree with much of the criticism of the Parks and Resorts on this board.
But, while we were there, I really only noticed about 3 things that were off, to me anyway...
Both the seance and undertaker with his dog scenes in HM seemed to have noticeably lower lighting than I remember, and the 2 dolls on the 2 half-round platforms in the last room of IaSW were missing.
Granted, I tend to put on my Pixie-dusted, rose-colored glasses (so, double-dose ), we don’t visit all that often, and it was our dear granddaughters first trip, but, I didn’t notice that much bein’ “off”.
The longest wait we had for the 9 attractions we did that day was about 15 mins. for IaSW, and everything else was pretty much a walk-on.
Again, we don’t visit all that often, and most guests probably don’t, so Disney has the advantage of many guests faded memories, I guess.
Anyhoo, most everything seemed to be in order on that particular day, and we had an AWESOME time...!!!!!!!

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip and found everything to your satisfaction, but you're still wearing your rose-colored pixie-dusted glasses. Wait times were, indeed, shorter than most days, but if you thought your 15-minute wait at IaSW was "long," then you most likely hit the same wait at Jungle/Jingle Cruise and the Haunted Mansion... https://touringplans.com/magic-kingdom/wait-times/date/2019-10-29 .

Of course, one person's "walk-on" is another person's interminable wait.

 

[NickMaio]

This sums up what myself and others have been saying over the last several weeks.

Seems more and more people are noticing this.

YUP - Totally agree.
It is really sad the flagship park is getting left behind.
I'm sorry a copy ride from Asia is not a big deal, it is just cheap, cheap, chapek.
Upgrade SM and give MK something original and innovative.

 

[bsiev1977]

Proof?

the Trained and Maintained Facebook page. Posted on June 18

 

[NickMaio]

Good to know that you’re there as a trained medical professional to spot the difference

Anyone - can spot the difference now - it is quite the abuse to an important system.
Come on-----dogs eating off of tables, shaking in public, pulling on leashes..... No properly trained animal or pet will do this.

I have friends with legitimate service dogs for anxiety / other conditions. All service animals should need to provide documentation to attest to their training before being allowed into a public space that would otherwise exclude animals. For our safety and the animals safety.
I think WDW and others have become too careless about this issue.

Last year we had a "service dog" lunge at our son as we walked by, I almost took the things head off. Had it bitten my child, I assure you that dog would never be able to bite another person again.

It is a problem - - anyone with eyes can see it!

 

[Lilofan]

Last year we had a "service dog" lunge at our son as we walked by, I almost took the things head off. Had it bitten my child, I assure you that dog would never be able to bite another person again.

It is a problem - - anyone with eyes can see it!

If a dog ever lunged and bit me or my family I would exercise the " stand your ground " law to defend.

 

[Trackmaster]

Very few “service dogs” you see are actual service dogs that meet the ADA requirements. Most are considered “comfort animals” that require no special training and you can get approval for one from nearly any “medical” person including an acupuncturist. It is being as broadly abused as the scam of “medical marijuana” was for years.

Businesses are between a rock and a hard place to turn them away and so people take advantage of the situation. Pure societal narcissism.

I'm sure that eventually congress will pass laws on this. Especially if enough businesses complain, and if there are serious safety issues that come up where some dogs attack people, or the dogs contaminate clean areas. I think that with the modern medicine and technology at our hands, using animals to solve a problem is a pretty antiquate way to do things. If somebody wants to hang out with their pet, they can do it on their own schedule.

 

[Trackmaster]

Magic Kingdom is saddled with a problem at the moment (but at the same time, its something that is good for the park):

Its "stuck" with a lot of classic rides that they can never get rid of it... unless they want armed insurrection in the streets. Rides like Space Mountain, Big Thunder, Peter Pan, Small World, Haunted Mansion, etc. will just never be removed. And the list of growing over time too. Eventually the park will be jammed full of classics where nothing can be built.

At this point, Magic Kingdom is the nostalgia park, and the other three are for new stuff. Disney gets enough money from adults who rode the rides with their parents as kids and now want to ride the same ride with their kids that it just makes more financial sense to keep those rides around than to replace them. It kind of sucks for locals who are stuck riding the same old rides again and again year after year or people going for the first time and seeing a ride from the 60's, but what they're doing makes sense.

MK is getting Tron at least, which is supposed to be the best ride at any Disney park.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

I just got back from a two week trip down and there were a TON of service dogs everywhere. Heck, in SSE post-show one night, a group of four girls came in, each with a dog.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I thought that previous post about “perfumed poodles” was referring to Susan Grill. The “Poodle Lady”

I mixed up my animals. There's Poodle Lady, there's the poodle I saw being dragged around for photos, and the doge at the Pluto m&g.

I'm not an expert, maybe this is a medically or psychologically necessary service animal, so I obscured the head. Here is a guest - Disney bounding as Pluto himself - taking his animal to Pluto to be petted. A curious sight so I snatched a discrete photo from afar.
(Incidentally, I thought these animals usually have aggressive notes on them explaining how it's a criminal offence to pet a service dog...)

 

[BASS]

I have noticed that FP tends to be much slower in the busy hours. IMO, the best time to secure FP is in the morning.

 

[NickMaio]

I'm sure that eventually congress will pass laws on this. Especially if enough businesses complain, and if there are serious safety issues that come up where some dogs attack people, or the dogs contaminate clean areas. I think that with the modern medicine and technology at our hands, using animals to solve a problem is a pretty antiquate way to do things. If somebody wants to hang out with their pet, they can do it on their own schedule.

I agree with the first half of your statement - however, there is a lot of research on the benefits of animal therapy for anxiety/depression/ mental health issues. Many people do not want to take meds but would rather use a holistic/nature approach. Some people can not take meds.
Animals have a solid place in our anthropological history -

 

[BASS]

I agree with the first half of your statement - however, there is a lot of research on the benefits of animal therapy for anxiety/depression/ mental health issues. Many people do not want to take meds but would rather use a holistic/nature approach. Some people can not take meds.
Animals have a solid place in our anthropological history -

I don't believe that many folks doubt that animals can have a place in treatment. Rather, the question is, is it necessary to bring a service animal to a trip to Disney (or anywhere else for that matter) where it appears to be a mere luxury or convenience, as opposed to a legitimate need?