MAGICAL!?(yensid67 Trip Report as promised!)

Well, here it is...my long awaited TRIP REPORT! I spent 8 days in WDW and Boy, do I have things to say! First of all, I was very worried after reading the negative comments here and there. Most of you told me not to concentrate on them and not to have any preconceived notions! I went in thinking that this trip would be wonderful! Although I had a good time after 14 years of planning, I must say that I was disappointed, I wished it could have been the way I left it in 1999, but things have changed and I will tell you one thing...I am all for DISNEY but most of the negative comments that dealt with Disney being all about MONEY and not quality and show was right! I felt that the MAGIC has been dissolved from the traditional training that I had when I was a Cast Member. I realize that things change, but don't change because of MONEY, change because you can better the show! I felt like everything was just for the money involved. The parks were crowded, even though this is suppose to be the slow time of the year! At the MK we only were able to get on 4 rides! The prices have definitely went up, even though the economy is still in shambles! You would think DISNEY would do something to alleviate guests from spending too much money since most have already spent a ton of money on travel, room, ticket, dining costs!
So, to sum up my report, I was disappointed in the quality of the parks. you can tell that MONEY is the driving force and not quality or show! You may disagree with this report, but that's OKAY, because its just my opinion!

I WILL WRITE A MORE DETAILED REPORT AT A LATER TIME!

 

[sam_disney]

I have to say- i first visited in 1998 and since then it has gone down in my expectations.

I still adore the place, and love going but I completely get what you mean.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Sometimes even when you focus on the GOOD the bad still stands out far more than the good. I'm sorry you were disappointed. I know the feeling. Compared to how it was in the 90's,it definitely has gone downhill. Unfortunately Disney is a business and they rely on money. They need MORE of it to keep lining the pockets of their big wigs!! lol

 

[yensid67]

They need MORE of it to keep lining the pockets of their big wigs!!

That's exactly the point! The execs is killing the quality/show of the parks! It doesn't matter if the spend trillions of dollars on new attractions, parades, or shows...if the quality isn't there it will just be a futile attempt!

 

[yensid67]

i first visited in 1998

I was working at EPCOT July-December 1998 I might have seen you! LOL!

 

[fractal]

Funny how they keep raising the prices yet the crowds get bigger.

 

[Joshua&CalebDad]

The parks were crowded, even though this is suppose to be the slow time of the year! At the MK we only were able to get on 4 rides!

Yowza, only 4 rides. What time did you go into the park and how early did you come out and did you even attempt to use fast passes? Even during the absolute worst time of year, which is Christmas/New Years week, you could get more than 4 rides in.

And I'm not trying to be overly critical, but I'm not sure that anyone would call May a slow time of year. May is what one might consider "normal" crows (i.e. not horribly busy and not empty either, if there is such a thing anymore).

However, I truly am sorry that your vacation did not turn out quite the way you planned. Hopefully your next trip won't take too long and you'll be able to enjoy it more.

 

[WDW_Princess24]

I will agree the parks have been more crowded within the past year, the "slow" season seems to have disappeared. Being from NJ, the cost of food and merchandise is the same, sometimes even less, than what I would pay for the same items at home. I'm so sorry your experience was not everything you had hoped; it really still is a magical place, I promise!

 

[yensid67]

What time did you go into the park and how early did you come out and did you even attempt to use fast passes?
We got to MK around 1230pm had a Character Lunch at 105pm. We tried to use FP, but by the time we wopuld get a FP and go to another attraction, there was a wait that would make the FP obsolete(kinda like everything Disney doesn't want to fix becomes!) or the time conflicted with another attraction we wanted to absolutely do! But we tried to do what we absolutely wanted to do before leaving!
And I'm not trying to be overly critical, but I'm not sure that anyone would call May a slow time of year. May is what one might consider "normal" crows (i.e. not horribly busy and not empty either, if there is such a thing anymore).
May, from everywhere I read...blogs and books, considered May to be a SLOW time. Well I can tell them they were wrong! I would have much rather went in December for the decorations, but I could not wait that long...it had already been 14 years!

However, I truly am sorry that your vacation did not turn out quite the way you planned. Hopefully your next trip won't take too long and you'll be able to enjoy it more.
I really saw how DISNEY has veered off of the BASIC TRADITIONS and moved more into the MONEY vision for the parks! I know what Disney strives for with the guests experience...I just felt it was lacking the basic Disney traditions! It use to be focused on the guest, now I feel its focused more on the money! I am so disappointed right now, that a trip in 4 years to celebrate my 50th Birthday is not going to happen!

 

[yensid67]

MAGICAL!? Part 2

I had waited 14 years to go to WDW. I was excited to be returning to the place I once loved. It was very different now compared to 1998-1999. Back then, the quality of the show element was more prominent! I know things change over the years and it was going to be different. But I was disappointed to see how much of the quality of the show had deteriorated. I could tell that Disney is more concerned with the bottom line dollar and making money. I was very disappointed with the Disney parks. The whole point of this trip was to go to Disney and have a good time! But Disney failed to impress me, I had a better time at Sea World.
You have to understand, I have been planning and talking about Disney to everyone that would listen for 14 years! I was hyped up to go back to where I was the most happiest. I wanted things to be the way they were when I was a Cast Member, but even though the show was feeling the same, I could feel the quality has gone a rye!
I was contemplating another trip in 4 years to celebrate my 50th Birthday, BUT I am 99% certain I will not be returning! Time will tell, though! Some of you may disagree with this report, but we are all entitles to our own opinion and this is my opinion about my recent experience.
So to all those that have trips coming up in the near future, I would say DO NOT read ANY blogs about WDW. They negative comments, even though you say they won't effect you, will always be in the back of your mind and you will look for the bad aspects of Disney to see if those people told the truth! Please go with an open mind and enjoy yourself!

 

[stevehousse]

Did you only got to MK or did u visit other parks? And when did you go? We always go the first 2 weeks of May because there is no crowds! We were there may 5-10 and we got to all the parks and never waited more than 25 minutes for any attraction! We only had to use fast pass a few times! I am sorry you didn't enjoy yourself!

 

[yensid67]

Did you only got to MK or did u visit other parks? And when did you go? We always go the first 2 weeks of May because there is no crowds! We were there may 5-10 and we got to all the parks and never waited more than 25 minutes for any attraction! We only had to use fast pass a few times! I am sorry you didn't enjoy yourself!

We were there May 6-13 and we did get to all the parks, even for just a few hours to do the must do's! There were crowds at the MK...we didn't use FP's because they would interfere with going back to the first attraction. I am still emotionally upset when I think about how much money I spent and hyped myself up to go back! But life goes on and we learn from our MISTAKES!(Yes, I just said that my trip was a MISTAKE!) That should tell you how disappointed I am!

 

[Ember]

We're at Disney now and having a blast! Last night we were at MK and went on 6 rides in 3 hours including Splash, without FP. Today was AK and rode everything we wanted to without any problems, including EE four separate times during the day.There's very little crowds at all this weekend. We haven't waited for longer than 20 minutes for anything. And the CMs have been amazing. So far we have received free champagne twice, free desserts twice, and free fast passes. Not sure what happened during your stay, but we are definitely feeling the magic and guest appreciation. Did you stay on-site?

 

[Weather_Lady]

I'm a little baffled by the number of attractions the poster experienced, too. We visited last year at the same crowd levels as one finds in May (5 or 6 out of 10). We arrived at 2:30pm in the Magic Kingdom on a Saturday and by 8:00pm had experienced every single attraction in Adventureland and Frontierland, plus the Haunted Mansion and Hall of Presidents. (Granted, we used Fastpasses for the Jungle Cruise, Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain, but even if you subtract those three, we still covered six other attractions in standby lines, had dinner, browsed a couple of shops and watched a parade in five and a half hours.) The next day, we returned and in the four hours after rope drop, covered all of Fantasyland, New Fantasyland and half of Tomorrowland, plus two character meet and greets -- all in standby lines, but strategically hitting headliners first and doubling back later if necessary to visit less popular attractions.

I feel terrible that the original poster had a disappointing experience. I wish they had received or applied some better advice on how to tour the parks ahead of time -- it might have helped. If I'd gone to the Magic Kingdom and experienced only four attractions, I'd be devastated, too.

 

[yensid67]

Weather Lady... I am disappointed, not devastated. I am so upset that I am questioning my love of Disney. I would have to change my entire bedroom if I really got to that point...my entire bedroom is done in everything Disney...eyes and ears papers, mickey money, lots of ebay pictures, framed pics from the net...I think I will have the love for Disney in the philosophy sense, but going back to the parks right now is unimaginable!

 

[stevehousse]

I hope you are gonna write an actual trip report about your experience because I would love to know exactly what happened! We were there the same time as you and we were able to do everything we wanted! I don't understand how you couldn't have enjoyed yourself?