You are right. At the same time, Disney spent decades positioning and advertising itself as a "nostalgia" destination that was more than a business: it was a place that cared deeply about guests' feelings, memories, and personal experiences, and was always willing to go above-and-beyond to deliver something that exceeded expectations.
I would argue that for a very long time, such marketing was pretty accurate, and I can recall some incredible customer service interactions we had over the first 30 years of my WDW experiences that reflected that, and which built my family's trust and loyalty in the brand, and made us feel safe investing in it not just financially, but emotionally -- which was exactly what Disney wanted. Their marketing appeals went straight for the feels, and amenities were incidental:
Now, Disney has shifted to a colder, more profits-driven attitude, more typical of other American businesses in general and theme parks in particular. The problem is that it's still trying to cash in on all the nostalgia and trust it built up under the former model, while chipping relentlessly away at all the things that used to raise the guest experience so far above the norm: that's what feels so manipulative, and triggers such a deeply emotional response in devoted long-term visitors.
Yes, I know we need to "get over it," and I have, but for people who have loved WDW all their lives and invested countless amounts of time and money in it -- the kind of people who regularly visit a forum like this just to talk about a vacation destination because it means so much to them -- that can be an appreciable hurdle.
