Negative trip report threads

Okay, I've gotten all my fire gear on and ready to be flamed if need be, so here it goes. I have really taken notice lately to a lot of the most recent trip reports and how negative they all are. Is it me or does it seem like everyone who is taking trips to WDW is doing so just to report back how terrible their trip was due to something that was well beyond their control so many little things that it is too many to list.
We have be visiting WDW since 2003 and yes, we have had some not too happy experiences between other guest and CM's but when it has occurred we just move on unless it affected our trip to the point we would need to contact WDW about it which we never had to do and when we did contact WDW it was about a lost item of our sons which was a very personal item and it was located and returned to us.
My point is we are making another trip to WDW in 2014 and we are going to enjoy WDW I am not going with the intent of seeing what I can find wrong will there be trash on the ground, yes there will and with thousands of people in the parks CM's can only do so much. Will there be long lines, yes there will, but I will be enjoying the smiles on my children's faces when we board the ride.
We go to WDW to enjoy the atmosphere that WDW offers us, we go to see how happy our children are when we are there. We go to WDW to escape our real world problems just for a few days. I go enjoying the moments away from what I see on my job and to relax I go to WDW to have the moments I miss with my wife, the walk down Main St. holding hands, buying her something special just because.
So, if you go to WDW and find you have a not so happy experience think about what has happened if it didn't affect you personally move on if it has, don't whine about it here go right to the source and let WDW know abiut it.
Finally, our family goes to WDW to make memories to last forever and ever. Isn't that what Walt wanted to do??

 

[ford91exploder]

I am happy to see a DVC owner who sees it. Let me be clear that I AM NOT complaining about DVC owners as a gross generalization but rather just that I am surprised to see an owner who has not partaken of the magic cool-aid. I am always amazed that DVC owners are not among the more critical as they are the ones who actually made an investment beyond the daily park ticket and the ones who should demand more ROI than any of us itinerant occasional vacationers.

Yes they should and some of the long term DVC'ers are starting to get angry, Especially those who bought at BLT, BLT took in approx 765 Million dollars in point sales, We are charter members BLT had been open less than 6 months before our first stay and there were rust stains from the hardware in the shower, After less than 5 years furniture needs to be replaced because it wore out.

NOT ACCEPTABLE - Disney had plenty of cash to do it RIGHT they deliberately chose to use Motel 6 construction quality instead to make a quick buck, Now the refurnishing of the ENTIRE hotel will be done on the members dime.

Yes I AM P-----d.

 

[George]

I'm a DVC member too....there is a reason they offered us the super discounted PAPs that could be activated any time during a calendar year. They were starting to get concerned about park attendance from the timeshare crowd. I'll be real curious to see what happens next year as the passes expire.

 

[donaldtoo]

I have an idea. Anyone with anything negative to say stay outta' the positive threads and vice versa.
To me anyway, it seems like it all boils down to 3 basic groups with varying combinations in between, of course, but, essentially, 3 BASIC groups...
* Those that are so high on Disney they couldn't see it's blemishes on their worst day.
* Those that completely couldn't give a rats rotund rear about Disney/truely dislike it.
* Those that still love it overall, but, are understandably, pretty upset with the way WDW and the company culture in general has devolved over the years.
My combination is that I love Disney, and I enjoy almost everything about every trip we go on and I ignore almost everything while on said trip. I especially keep my mouth shut around my wife and children who adore it and am always Magical and we always have a blast of a time filled with lasting lifetime memories.
All that bein' said, when I get back to reality...well, I get back to reality.
Disney needs to get a grip, already.
Another irony, to me anyway, is that those who call the bad actors at Disney on the carpet for there actions are then, by many, called bad actors. WTH?!?!?!
Plain and simply, if you think you might interject some bad juju into someones positive thread DO NOT GO THERE.
And if for some reason you're in the first basic group, and I know, It's like a train wreck and you just can't help it, again, please DO HELP IT and DO NOT GO THERE.
There's more than enough room here for everyone to go their own way...

 

[ford91exploder]

I have an idea. Anyone with anything negative to say stay outta' the positive threads and vice versa.
To me anyway, it seems like it all boils down to 3 basic groups with varying combinations in between, of course, but, essentially, 3 BASIC groups...
* Those that are so high on Disney they couldn't see it's blemishes on their worst day.
* Those that completely couldn't give a rats rotund rear about Disney/truely dislike it.
* Those that still love it overall, but, are understandably, pretty upset with the way WDW and the company culture in general has devolved over the years.
My combination is that I love Disney, and I enjoy almost everything about every trip we go on and I ignore almost everything while on said trip. I especially keep my mouth shut around my wife and children who adore it and am always Magical and we always have a blast of a time filled with lasting lifetime memories.
All that bein' said, when I get back to reality...well, I get back to reality.
Disney needs to get a grip, already.
Another irony, to me anyway, is that those who call the bad actors at Disney on the carpet for there actions are then, by many, called bad actors. WTH?!?!?!
Plain and simply, if you think you might interject some bad juju into someones positive thread DO NOT GO THERE.
And if for some reason you're in the first basic group, and I know, It's like a train wreck and you just can't help it, again, please DO HELP IT and DO NOT GO THERE.
There's more than enough room here for everyone to go their own way...

Good post - I am in Group 3 - DW, DMIL and DFIL are group 1 - we ALL have a good time while at WDW however I am saddened at the decline in experience over the years and even DW is noticing the cracks as we've gone to a more than a few MVMCP's and last couple DW is looking for stuff that is no longer there.

 

[danpam1024]

From my point of view, I've never suggested folks stop complaining. In fact quite the opposite. The one thread I created on a similar topic was specifically because I wanted to understand "the other half" of that coin.

That said however, it seems every thread posted lately gets responses that are negative, even on topics that seem so simple. If you're the OP, and posting something positive, it kind of kills the mood. It's kind of like thinking you're baby is absolutely gorgeous and having everyone who looks at her tell you she's horribly ugly. For lack of a better way of putting it... it hurts.

It seems of late, those of us who come here to discuss something we absolutely love can't enter into any conversation without our "pixie dust snorting" opinion being shot down. Sure there may not be threads created to do it, but it's happening in nearly every thread on these boards. The key is, if you want to say something negative, go for it! Just, don't do it at the expense of someone else's opinion. Just because you disagree with their point of view doesn't mean you can't respect their opinion on the topic. And of course that's true for both sides of the coin. That's where the line is drawn at least for me.

maybe the gloomy weather is putting people in a funk! They just need to come on down to Florida!

 

[darthspielberg]

I've found a happy medium which is that I love Disney World, it's a place I like to go because it has lots of fun things I like to do. It has Haunted Mansion, Tower of Terror, Everest, Star Tours, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder. These are all rides I never get tired of and have a blast going on. On the other hand, I do see that Disney could be doing a lot more with Disney World than it is. I am pro-MyMagic+ but I agree that spending money on rides, attractions, and new things could be doubly effective when it comes to increasing capacity and revenue. I am saddened by things like Journey Into Imagination and how Epcot is a shadow of it's former glory, but while I am there, none of that pops into my head (Well, I tend to notice Imagination because as sad as it is, I have to see Figment) and I just have a good time.

I still trust Disney to eventually do cool things. The Mine Carts look great, even if they've taken a dog's age to finish. I look forward to the change in energy at AK when Avatarland eventually happens. I can't wait for more Star Wars at Hollywood Studios, and even a potential Cars thing would be fun.

I can't fault people for being upset, although certain people seem to relish being unhappy. I guess that's the nature of the world though.

 

[blackthidot]

There are definitely people out there who just whine and cry about everything. They will never be happy.

But, there are a lot of folks that are just not happy with what the parks have become or what they are turning into. EVERYTHING changes. It is usually not for the better when things change. At the end of the day it's just how you are going to accept or handle that. Some handle it better than others. Some would rather and moan rather than just enjoying themselves.

Me, I see a lot of things that are pretty screwy and so far gone from just 2-3 years ago. I am not going to let that bother me or ruin my vacation. With all the stupid Magic Band and Fast Pass changes...I can still take a 2 week vacation to Disney World and still have a kick time.

The BIGGEST gripe I have with the place is that they just let people do WHATEVER the hell they want. There are NO enforcement of rules at all. People scream and yell inside attractions, they take flash pictures, they clog up walk ways and door entrances and exits...But god forbid someone drops a napkin...a CM will be there to dive and catch it before it hits the ground.

I would honestly rather walk through the parks with paper, wrappers scattered about than to have to sit on a ride with idiots talking to each other the whole time, stopping in the middle of rows, holding kids on their shoulders for shows and taking 80 flash pictures of nothing.

 

[PolynesianPrincess]

Yes they should and some of the long term DVC'ers are starting to get angry, Especially those who bought at BLT, BLT took in approx 765 Million dollars in point sales, We are charter members BLT had been open less than 6 months before our first stay and there were rust stains from the hardware in the shower, After less than 5 years furniture needs to be replaced because it wore out.

NOT ACCEPTABLE - Disney had plenty of cash to do it RIGHT they deliberately chose to use Motel 6 construction quality instead to make a quick buck, Now the refurnishing of the ENTIRE hotel will be done on the members dime.

Yes I AM P-----d.

I will second your displeasure with Bay Lake Tower. We stayed there in September and while we're not DVCmembers, we were still disappointed with our room. I can only imagine how ticked I would be had we bought there and seen what it has started to turn into. Rusty shower hooks on the shower curtain, the sliding door to the bathroom had a large scratch down the middle (presumably from where It was constantly being slid back and forth on the lock) and the lock itself was loose, about a 2 inch gap between the floor and the actual bottom of the door to our room.... It just was not quality. Yes, Disney is starting to give us new things, but it is being done on the cheap. And that is what frustrates me the most. Instead of taking the money and investing into a quality product, they are taking half and then lining the big wig's pockets with the other half (I don't actually know if that's what they're doing, but it sure seems like it!) It's all about the almight dollar for them.

 

[ford91exploder]

I will second your displeasure with Bay Lake Tower. We stayed there in September and while we're not DVCmembers, we were still disappointed with our room. I can only imagine how ticked I would be had we bought there and seen what it has started to turn into. Rusty shower hooks on the shower curtain, the sliding door to the bathroom had a large scratch down the middle (presumably from where It was constantly being slid back and forth on the lock) and the lock itself was loose, about a 2 inch gap between the floor and the actual bottom of the door to our room.... It just was not quality. Yes, Disney is starting to give us new things, but it is being done on the cheap. And that is what frustrates me the most. Instead of taking the money and investing into a quality product, they are taking half and then lining the big wig's pockets with the other half (I don't actually know if that's what they're doing, but it sure seems like it!) It's all about the almight dollar for them.

A real hotel company would never let a room get that bad, We are paying Waldorf-Astoria Midtown Manhattan rates and getting a product that a Hampton Inn - ANYWHERE would give you a refund for.

If more people DID NOT let Disney get away with this and complained loud and long to management, surveys and public forums Disney I believe would clean up its act which I why I constantly call DIsney out on sub-standard Show and product.

If its not OK anywhere else is it's NOT OK just because it's Disney.

 

[blackthidot]

A real hotel company would never let a room get that bad, We are paying Waldorf-Astoria Midtown Manhattan rates and getting a product that a Hampton Inn - ANYWHERE would give you a refund for.

If more people DID NOT let Disney get away with this and complained loud and long to management, surveys and public forums Disney I believe would clean up its act which I why I constantly call DIsney out on sub-standard Show and product.

If its not OK anywhere else is it's NOT OK just because it's Disney.

Exactly. People would rather come here and cry instead of going straight to Disney. What is crying to us going to do?

 

[copcarguyp71]

A real hotel company would never let a room get that bad, We are paying Waldorf-Astoria Midtown Manhattan rates and getting a product that a Hampton Inn - ANYWHERE would give you a refund for.

If more people DID NOT let Disney get away with this and complained loud and long to management, surveys and public forums Disney I believe would clean up its act which I why I constantly call DIsney out on sub-standard Show and product.

If its not OK anywhere else is it's NOT OK just because it's Disney.

The only way any changes will be made is if those unhappy chose to not go back until changes are made. I can only imagine that TDO has a very astute marketing/demographics section in their employ and if they see that people are leaving in droves who used to be regulars every year, every other year or frequently throughout the year (AP holders and Florida residents) then they will be forced to take notice. Until the bottom line starts to fall out though and they have a NEED to look for the problem then they are happy collecting their profits and we are the ones who should be ashamed for accepting or even embracing mediocrity by going back time and again hoping for a better experience when we know darned well from these and other forums that nothing has changed.

We reached our breaking point last trip and have made a conscious decision to not consider returning until 2017. The trip was not miserable due to light bulbs or chipped paint and in fact it was a great getaway but the overall experience was not congruent with the high dollar that we paid for it and to be honest airfare has been getting rather costly as well...not within DIsney's control I know but a factor that we as visitors must also look at as an added expense.

 

[Gomer]

I am happy to see a DVC owner who sees it. Let me be clear that I AM NOT complaining about DVC owners as a gross generalization but rather just that I am surprised to see an owner who has not partaken of the magic cool-aid. I am always amazed that DVC owners are not among the more critical as they are the ones who actually made an investment beyond the daily park ticket and the ones who should demand more ROI than any of us itinerant occasional vacationers.

Let me start out by saying I am a DVC owner, so my intention is not to come down on them. But there are a few issues that I think keep DVC owners from being as up in arms as others might be.

1. DVC owners aren't shelling out as much cash at the time of the trip as others. I've caught myself doing it. Because you purchased up front, you almost feel like the hotel is free (I know it’s not at all) and you accept less value as you don't feel the hurt in the moment as much.
2. Many DVC owners (apart from the referenced BLT issues) are happy with their hotels, which impacts their overall approval of their vacation. I've only stayed at WL and AKL since becoming an owner, but I love them both and that can save me at the end of a day if I am down on what is happening in the parks. It also may help me overlook chipped paint in MK if I come back and see how greatly the WL lobby looks.
3. A lot of DVC owners are older or have kids and tour the parks differently than many of us on here do. People with young children are less likely to be upset about the Fantasyland expansion. Older visitors are less likely to be upset with a lack of state of the are thrill rides.
4. A lot of DVC owners (not all) aren't staying anywhere besides WDW. I see a lot of complaints on here about how Disney Deluxe resorts don't measure up to similar hotels outside of WDW. Many DVC owners may not know the difference, as not everyone travels more than once a year. So, once you are locked into DVC, you may go years without spending a night in another high end hotel. (And even then, it’s not 100% sure that you will find better. In my personal experience I have spent more for hotels in Vegas, Atlantic City, and Seattle, and all have had room issues similar to the ones I have seen discussed in relation to DVC on this site. But I personally have never had an issue with my DVC room)

So, while I agree with many of the complaints that are brought up on here in regards to the state of the parks. Disney has either accidentally or very shrewdly built up a captive audience in DVC owners that may not find the issues as impactful to their specific experience as others do.

 

[Tiggerish]

Got a good laugh with this one.
Please don't be offended but I could not help wondering about a sticky for me - people who complain about people who want to complain about people who want to complain about complainers.
Maybe I'm overthinking it, or it is just early.

I'm dizzy now from reading that...

 

[ford91exploder]

Exactly. People would rather come here and cry instead of going straight to Disney. What is crying to us going to do?

According to various Spirit's and Mod's Disney spends a LOT of time reading this board both in Orlando and Burbank, I also complain in the Real World as well. So complaints here are read by TWDC management - whether they are acted upon is a separate question.

 

[Tiggerish]

I am happy to see a DVC owner who sees it. Let me be clear that I AM NOT complaining about DVC owners as a gross generalization but rather just that I am surprised to see an owner who has not partaken of the magic cool-aid. I am always amazed that DVC owners are not among the more critical as they are the ones who actually made an investment beyond the daily park ticket and the ones who should demand more ROI than any of us itinerant occasional vacationers.

This DVC owner spent my week last year enjoying the Wilderness Lodge, Disney Resort Dining with my TiW card, and the parks up the road. Didn't once step foot into a WDW park.

 

[ford91exploder]

Let me start out by saying I am a DVC owner, so my intention is not to come down on them. But there are a few issues that I think keep DVC owners from being as up in arms as others might be.

1. DVC owners aren't shelling out as much cash at the time of the trip as others. I've caught myself doing it. Because you purchased up front, you almost feel like the hotel is free (I know it’s not at all) and you accept less value as you don't feel the hurt in the moment as much.
2. Many DVC owners (apart from the referenced BLT issues) are happy with their hotels, which impacts their overall approval of their vacation. I've only stayed at WL and AKL since becoming an owner, but I love them both and that can save me at the end of a day if I am down on what is happening in the parks. It also may help me overlook chipped paint in MK if I come back and see how greatly the WL lobby looks.
3. A lot of DVC owners are older or have kids and tour the parks differently than many of us on here do. People with young children are less likely to be upset about the Fantasyland expansion. Older visitors are less likely to be upset with a lack of state of the are thrill rides.
4. A lot of DVC owners (not all) aren't staying anywhere besides WDW. I see a lot of complaints on here about how Disney Deluxe resorts don't measure up to similar hotels outside of WDW. Many DVC owners may not know the difference, as not everyone travels more than once a year. So, once you are locked into DVC, you may go years without spending a night in another high end hotel. (And even then, it’s not 100% sure that you will find better. In my personal experience I have spent more for hotels in Vegas, Atlantic City, and Seattle, and all have had room issues similar to the ones I have seen discussed in relation to DVC on this site. But I personally have never had an issue with my DVC room)

So, while I agree with many of the complaints that are brought up on here in regards to the state of the parks. Disney has either accidentally or very shrewdly built up a captive audience in DVC owners that may not find the issues as impactful to their specific experience as others do.

Agree with you on your points, In my case and a few other vocal DVC'ers we travel for a living so we know what to expect from a hotel at various price points (in my case Hilton Diamond and Marriott Gold) and the poor quality product makes us doubly angry.

Personally bought DVC so I would be FORCED to take a holiday because left to own devices I will not do so willingly so it has been one of the best things I've done for our marriage. However the poor quality and declining quality of product makes me 'very angry' (Think Marvin the Martian) and when amenities are taken away and price increased I am very unhappy.

 

[ford91exploder]

This DVC owner spent my week last year enjoying the Wilderness Lodge, Disney Resort Dining with my TiW card, and the parks up the road. Didn't once step foot into a WDW park.

That is our plan for next visit as well - no parks why bother with the Mouse Arrest band and NGE madness.

 

[Gomer]

According to various Spirit's and Mod's Disney spends a LOT of time reading this board both in Orlando and Burbank, I also complain in the Real World as well. So complaints here are read by TWDC management - whether they are acted upon is a separate question.

This right here, I think, is the answer to the OP's question. My opinion is that of an outsider for the most part. I don't post here much, but I've been lurking since 2003. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but when it became common knowledge that people in power were reading these boards, more and more complaints started being posted. Not judging this as wrong or right. And, it does also coincide with the obvious increase in issues to complain about. But, once people had decided that venting here isn't just shouting into an abyss, it became seen as a tool for change to many. In many ways, this tool can be seen as better than complaining at GR, because you can believe that someone who can make changes is actually reading it, whereas complaining at GR can feel fruitless.

Again, I could be wrong. There have been complaints voiced on these boards as long as I've been reading them. But, I do think the increase here in the recent past may not be only influenced by an increase in something to complain about, but by the fact that people feel the complaining now has a point.

 

[blackthidot]

According to various Spirit's and Mod's Disney spends a LOT of time reading this board both in Orlando and Burbank, I also complain in the Real World as well. So complaints here are read by TWDC management - whether they are acted upon is a separate question.

My point was the complain here all day long and when you tell them "Write to Disney" they say "Oh I don't feel like it and who is going to care?" Copy and paste what you type here and send it there.

 

[ExtinctJenn]

Maybe it’s a coincidence, but when it became common knowledge that people in power were reading these boards, more and more complaints started being posted. Not judging this as wrong or right. And, it does also coincide with the obvious increase in issues to complain about. But, once people had decided that venting here isn't just shouting into an abyss, it became seen as a tool for change to many. In many ways, this tool can be seen as better than complaining at GR, because you can believe that someone who can make changes is actually reading it, whereas complaining at GR can feel fruitless.

Excellent points... though I think to that often if folks have things to vent about they are more likely to come to forums like these (whether they think TDO is watching or not) to do that. Ultimately it's what forums are for right? I mean, I know on the couple non-Disney forums I belong to they sure aren't immune to the complaining and negativity either. A big example is a forum dedicated to the vehicle I own. Half the folks are there to talk about how much they love it and the other half are there to complain about issues they are having or things they dislike about the vehicle. As I said earlier though, I'm all for an exchange of opinion but when it becomes more than just venting, and instead is bashing someone's opinion or flat out bashing the individual for said opinion, that's when it's gone too far.