Negatives of the Internet Age and Forums

[Club Cooloholic]

I love coming to this forum(and other WDW flavored sites), learning about what is happening at the world, and getting advice on where to eat, where to stay and what to ride.
Sometimes I might be spoiling some things by seeing pics on here before actually experiencing them but it's ok, it's my choice.
One of the negatives though effects me and everyone else that goes to WDW, and it's not really something that could ever change, the genie is out of the bottle...is everyone knowing the "special" experiences and treatments and how to get them. What I feel sorta sad about is that special things have lost that specialness because once one person hears about it share it then we all want that.
I have a birthday pin on, I need to get a free dessert!
I want a special towel animal every morning better each day!
I want characters to drop to the ground because I heard they do this if I say something, I want to experience this "special" thing.
There are countless things like this, a few people get a special experience share it and then everyone wants that same thing and feels they deserve it. What can end up happening is that that special thing is no longer special after a million people read about it and expect it on their trip it happens so often that the company decides to end it all together, or you expect that thing to happen don't get it and feel slighted.
I am sure some people have experienced this. To a degree I hear that they have toned down some things at Whispering Canyon, probably because everyone knows the trigger words.
The internet has killed spontaneity.

Like I said I love the site, and others like it but just felt the need to lament.

 

[bsiev1977]

I love coming to this forum(and other WDW flavored sites), learning about what is happening at the world, and getting advice on where to eat, where to stay and what to ride.
Sometimes I might be spoiling some things by seeing pics on here before actually experiencing them but it's ok, it's my choice.
One of the negatives though effects me and everyone else that goes to WDW, and it's not really something that could ever change, the genie is out of the bottle...is everyone knowing the "special" experiences and treatments and how to get them. What I feel sorta sad about is that special things have lost that specialness because once one person hears about it share it then we all want that.
I have a birthday pin on, I need to get a free dessert!
I want a special towel animal every morning better each day!
I want characters to drop to the ground because I heard they do this if I say something, I want to experience this "special" thing.
There are countless things like this, a few people get a special experience share it and then everyone wants that same thing and feels they deserve it. What can end up happening is that that special thing is no longer special after a million people read about it and expect it on their trip it happens so often that the company decides to end it all together, or you expect that thing to happen don't get it and feel slighted.
I am sure some people have experienced this. To a degree I hear that they have toned down some things at Whispering Canyon, probably because everyone knows the trigger words.
The internet has killed spontaneity.

Like I said I love the site, and others like it but just felt the need to lament.

I agree with you 100%

 

[disneysince71]

I agree with you 100%.
Now with Magic Bands we can plan our entire day... and there will be no surprises. Personally I believe the surprises are part of the magic... But the world is changing. Everybody wants to have everything perfectly planned out... every minute of every day. Truth is those same people are discouraged when everything does not work out perfectly. We all need an element of surprise and we all need to "play it by ear" a little bit. I think then you really enjoy the magic...

 

[Bloopers]

I agree. People even wear birthday pins nowadays when it isn't even their birthday, just so they can get 'special' treatment. The best mentality to have is to not expect anything so when something special does happen, it becomes a magical moment.

 

[emcclay]

Whatever makes the guests happy. We are a small population here on this forum. I'm sure there are plenty of people who are still surprised at the small things WDW does.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I had this thought cross my mind a few months ago. I had posted a review on Trip Advisor about AK and our experiences at FotLK came up. We had a magical moment where a CM took a liking to DD4 and asked us if we wanted to be her VIPs for one of the later shows. It was a very cool and special experience...the kind that just magically happens and you don't really know why- you just go with it . So, I posted about it in my Trip Advisor review and I got several private messages from people wanting to know how we got this to happen so they could duplicate this magical experience for themselves. I felt kind of happy being able to tell them it was really just pure magical luck.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

I had this thought cross my mind a few months ago. I had posted a review on Trip Advisor about AK and our experiences at FotLK came up. We had a magical moment where a CM took a liking to DD4 and asked us if we wanted to be her VIPs for one of the later shows. It was a very cool and special experience...the kind that just magically happens and you don't really know why- you just go with it . So, I posted about it in my Trip Advisor review and I got several private messages from people wanting to know how we got this to happen so they could duplicate this magical experience for themselves. I felt kind of happy being able to tell them it was really just pure magical luck.

A great attitude. And I think sometimes your better off not knowing how or why things happen, my hope is that the CMs are smarter enough to know when someone is grasping at things, and ignore them. In all honesty it was the reason I did not book AKL for my next trip. I was going to book the cheapest room, hearing how often people get upgrades, but I thought, if I book it and don't get the upgrade, I will be disappointed for sure, so I booked my mod and know not to expect more than what I paid for and I am happy with that.

 

[blueboxdoctor]

Really, it is up to the people what they want to read and then once they know of something if they want to go further with it on their vacation (i.e. birthday pins, though I think most nearly everyone knows that by now, even if it is just word of mouth rather than the forums).

Though, I do like how the OP doesn't blame the forums for spoiling things, so again, it really is up to whether or not you want to read threads about these things.

I like it since it's always cool to hear the little things that Disney does to set it apart and show how it has an extra level of quality that may not be seen by simply looking at it on the surface. Yes, a lot of things like giving a dessert for it being your birthday are kind of PR moves, but PR move or not it is nice to see a giant company doing something they really don't have to do to make their customers happy, and hearing about it gives hope that there are still companies that are thankful there are people who are willing to pay for their product.

I fear I may have gone off topic, but yeah I like reading about the special extras Disney provides.

Also, can someone explain to me the part about the Whispering Canyon and the trigger words, I've never heard of that before.

 

[luv]

I do think that if you orchestrate something, it is much less magical.

 

[Darth Tater]

I don't think it's the internet so much, but the Entitlement Age ("Me Generation") we live in. Many people feel they deserve the same special experience as their peers, and feel it is owed to them because it has happened to others. Sure, the internet & social networking contributes a lot to the Me Generation mindset, but it probably would exist today whether or not the internet was around.

I do think the internet reveals too much "behind the curtain". Back in the day, you only knew bits & pieces of a new attraction before actually experiencing it for the first time. Now, we know the inside & out, can view full experience YouTube videos of the attraction, and every other aspect of it within hours of a soft opening. Some say this adds publicity, others say it takes away the mystique.

For the most part, I think the interwebs do more good than harm in educating people about the parks, helping people discover new things they possibly would miss otherwise, and sparking more interest. Then there are things I just do NOT want to see or know until I am at the park, and I can experience them fresh & new in person. (I regret watching YouTube vids of the new Mermaid attraction).

 

[Mikester71]

I agree with you 100%.
Now with Magic Bands we can plan our entire day... and there will be no surprises. Personally I believe the surprises are part of the magic... But the world is changing. Everybody wants to have everything perfectly planned out... every minute of every day. Truth is those same people are discouraged when everything does not work out perfectly. We all need an element of surprise and we all need to "play it by ear" a little bit. I think then you really enjoy the magic...

AMEN!!!

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

I think you take what you want from forums and threads tbh. I love reading about Magical experiences and such like from other posters.I will not however think my trip any less magical if i don't have any myself as its the being there that counts for me.If something does happen then great if not then still great.Would love to be a grand Marshall and think its awesome that it is a completely random thing so it truely is magical and not scripted.I do al;so agree with a PP that it is more of a "me generation " thing rather than an internet thing .

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

I agree. People even wear birthday pins nowadays when it isn't even their birthday, just so they can get 'special' treatment. The best mentality to have is to not expect anything so when something special does happen, it becomes a magical moment.

But i have 364 UNbirthdays .... Don't they count

 

[DisneyPrincess5]

I agree. And I also feel that (although I too love this site and the other technology that has brought disney closer to us) there was a certain level of excitement that was attainable when our only access to the parks while at home was through books, CDs, and vacation planning videos. I was also a child then so everything was more exciting.

 

[HatboxGhost]

My wife and I celebrate our anniversary when we go to Disney so they give us the buttons to wear. We dont EXPECT extra things from it but if we get treated to certain extras then so be it. I just love the fact that my wife and I are there in WDW celebrating OUR anniversary.....its a wonderful feeling.

 

[disneysince71]

Does anyone remember the year of a million dreams!!! It was suprise after suprise!!

 

[Tomi-Rocket]

I agree. When we were celebrating our 15th anniversary we got some great surprises from wearing our pins - free champagne, candy and well wishes from many CMs. It would not have been as much fun had we gone expecting anything, it was such a special trip because all these out of the blue surprises came our way.

It sickens me to think people get buttons expecting special treatment. Definitely a sign of the "Entitlement Age" we live in.

 

[erasure fan1]

For the most part, I think the interwebs do more good than harm in educating people about the parks, helping people discover new things they possibly would miss otherwise, and sparking more interest.

I agree. If you have a timid kid you can show him a video of haunted mansion to ease their concerns about it being too scary. Things like that are fantastic. There are a lot of negatives as well but the beauty is you control the content you want. If you don't want to spoil an experience, don't watch a ride though video. If you like the sound of a restaurant and the food it has, don't read all the reviews because you will probably find a lot of people didn't care for it. You will always have jerks who try to exploit things no matter if they heard about it through the internet, a friend or chit chat at work.

 

[Poofiesdream]

Just because someone else got a certain treatment doesn't mean everyone does. It is hit or miss and truly a magical moment if it does happen. Wore a birthday button and a anniversary button and got nothing. Didn't expect to. Just went without a button and got something nice at times too. So you never know for sure!

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

Does anyone remember the year of a million dreams!!! It was suprise after suprise!!

Most certainly do Got me some exclusive Ears whilst going to Figment ... Mother and father missed out as they had gone back to the room due to a brain malfunction and mother forgetting her park pass ... So me ,DW ,brother and nephew got YOAMD ears .