While it isn't a perfect world, of all the resort properties, Walt Disney World is suffering the worst when it comes to what the guest experience was like to what it is now. Sure other properties like Disneyland Paris are struggling in terms of attendance and identity. WDW is aging, fading, and becoming quite literally a "tragic kingdom". The majority of the guests who visit receive this preconceived notion of a perfect vacation painted on their TV screens. They come from far and wide to experience the vacation Mecca. When they arrive they find stress and deception. It's overwelming, it's expensive, and to the first time visitor it is impressive, but it's a false facade. You have parks, resorts, and transportation that are aging. It isn't always crowded, but when they are, you feel it. The experience is being pushed as family togetherness and memories, but what I see is a grab for their wallets and a strategy on what can be cut, cheapened, and reduced to save money to make more money. Disney does ton of research, but I think what they finding is the research might be flawed. They are relying so much on data that they are forget to look at the emotion behind it all. It's easy to collect data on how you might rank your experience in the park today as a 3 because it was crowded, but until you actually see the family of 5 run around looking for their stroller that got moved with 3 screaming (bratty) kids saying they want to go back to the hotel to swim when they are trying to get to Winnie the Pooh for their FP before their Bibbity Bobbiti Boutique reservation at 4pm and dinner reservation at 6:30pm, it won't mean the same thing.
