Poll: For those who curbed visits or stopped visiting Disney Parks, what are your top reasons?

[erasure fan1]

Things were always expensive and we paid it because we felt the experience was worth it.

Yup. It's Disney, it's NEVER been cheap. But we could always justify it. We would skip a smaller getaway, not upgrade the tv, put off painting the kitchen... we would find ways to make it happen because of how memorable the trips were. And while we still had good time last year, we just can't justify that type of expense now for what you get.

 

[Doberge]

We're approaching more limited visits as kid schedules become a little less flexible to time traveling (less likely to pull during school year) and where we travel (may be more around like traveling tournaments).

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

For WDW specifically - too expensive and too many cuts. Mostly too many cuts but the price hike doesn’t help any.

I have been visiting Disneyland more though - Things are better over there although this year they are starting to cut away at entertainment which makes me sad.

A case in point - WDW vs. Disneyland regarding cuts. Not only does Disneyland have longer hours, almost all of the attractions are open until close. Tiki Room, the Disneyland Railroad, etc.

There are exceptions (glances at rise) but Disneyland feels much more alive than WDW.

When I visit WDW I usually buy a 1 or 2 day ticket, and spend the rest of the time resort hopping and at Disney springs.

 

[Livelovedisney]

Our family has opt out of visiting Disney for now. It's a much better value for us to fly internationally than spend a week at Disney.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Crowd levels are too high.

Although word is this may be changing.

I don't mind expensive, so long as the experience is commensurate with the price. Too many cuts for that to be possible.

I will say the planning requirements are a bit ridiculous, but I figure they are related to the overbooking/crowd levels.

I think of WDW like I do the newest cruise ships. They can handle way more passengers, but the venues remain the same size. If I go cruise/WDW I expect to be able to see and do everything I want to do. Anything sold out seems like a gee-golly scam to me. Don't sell the ticket if you cannot deliver the goods.

…they haven’t been this low in 20 years…

Details at 11

 

[crispy]

Background: I like to think of myself as a Pixie Duster but a reasonable Pixie Duster, open to criticizing the parks and thinking about what could be made better. I see lots of different intuitions on these boards regarding why attendance seems to be down. I thought an anonymous poll might be interesting to see what people choose as their top reasons for limiting or stopping visits to the parks. Lurkers welcome!!

A few notes:

- If you feel Disney does not represent your values, please choose "Do not like Disney's recent content". That answer also applies to people who don't like recent content for any reason - they found it boring, not enough, didn't like a certain animation style, etc. Trying to keep this poll on neutral ground so that seemed like the best option.

- You can pick up to 3 reasons, but don't have to pick 3.

- Please don't respond with why you think other people aren't attending - only why you, specifically, have curbed or stopped travel (if you have.)

I know this board is a limited sample but curious what the overall "top 3" reasons are here.

Vacations should be fun. Disney has made everything so complicated that it takes the joy out of the vacation...and they charge an arm and a leg for the privilege of being stressed and miserable. No thanks .

 

[_CJ]

We have DVC, and we travel a lot, but the shift in values has us enjoying other places more often.

 

[Chef Mickey]

• Horrible executive management.
• Declining value proposition.
• Crowds.
• Political messaging.
• Declining food quality.
• Poor maintenance.
• Declining service.
• Near zero loyalty rewards.
• Better options.

 

[Chef Mickey]

It's sad because I used to go around 3X year and weekends.

I'm giving them another whirl later this year because I need to burn another few vacation days and better than sitting at home (hopefully). I'm tiring of traveling around the world to all these far places and planes, so it's honestly a bit of a convenience to do something closer to home.

I'll report back as it's been about 18 months since I've been disappointed.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Pretty much this...I get ready to plan something, get all excited aaannd then..

I haven't been back since the Covid curb of 2020..

 

[DW Aficionado]

• Horrible executive management.
• Declining value proposition.
• Crowds.
• Political messaging.
• Declining food quality.
• Poor maintenance.
• Declining service.
• Near zero loyalty rewards.
• Better options.

Yet, the crowds are larger with each visit

 

[jloucks]

…they haven’t been this low in 20 years…

Details at 11

Your observations are being corroborated now by multiple vloggers I binge-watched on YouTube last week.

 

[Kevin_W]

It's all a matter of value for us. It's become way to expensive for what you are getting. So much taken away, capacity that's been basically the same for two decades. Food that's taken multiple steps backwards in quality for the cost. After our trip last summer, our first since 2016, it's a real hard argument to say it's worth going to the parks in the next couple few years.

The same for us. We have been regulars since DD was born, but haven't been to the US parks since 2020. We've been to DL, DLP, and TDR in that time, so still getting Disney fix! But those parks offered better value and were part of larger trips, not just Disney trips which is what we always did at WDW.

We had a trip tentatively booked over the 4th when Free Dining was released because that took the price down a lot. But even so, for 3 of us staying at Pop Century, the price was $1000/day for flight/lodging/food/park tickets. That was just a bit too much to swallow so we ended up not going.

 

[GigglesMcSnort]

Same top three as most people. I seem to not be very original.

I was already starting to think I wasn't going to go back again after this time, but if I can't get the new multi-pass system to work with a VPN before landing in the US, then that's the final straw for me.

I'm not paying all that money just to not be able to get lightning lanes for the rides I want because they've all been booked up before my arrival.

 

[John park hopper]

Is Disney management that myopic they can't see people are dissatisfied for the same basic reasons and the dissatisfaction has been growing over the years. Guess they want to make the $$$$$ now and not worry about tomorrow-- that's no way to run a business which is based on customer satisfaction. Sad

 

[jloucks]

Is Disney management that myopic they can't see people are dissatisfied for the same basic reasons and the dissatisfaction has been grow over the years. Guess they want to make the $$$$$ now and not worry about tomorrow-- that's no way to run a business which is based on customer satisfaction. Sad

Isn't that kinda how businesses are run? Max investor payout now, big bonus, golden parachute, then it is the next person's problem.

 

[John park hopper]

Isn't that kinda how businesses are run? Max investor payout now, big bonus, golden parachute, then it is the next person's problem.

And that is the problem with American business

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Your observations are being corroborated now by multiple vloggers I binge-watched on YouTube last week.

If you know what you’re looking at…that’s what the parks are telling you

There was a distinct shift out of 2022…it has intensified

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

And that is the problem with American business

…it doesn’t fit them all equally. Especially when one of the hallmarks of the business/stock was consistency and stability in times of boom and bust

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Is Disney management that myopic they can't see people are dissatisfied for the same basic reasons and the dissatisfaction has been growing over the years. Guess they want to make the $$$$$ now and not worry about tomorrow-- that's no way to run a business which is based on customer satisfaction. Sad

Might have something to do with a 75 year old with complete autonomy and an ego three times that size?