Reasons my trip didnt feel as magical...

[Animaniac93-98]

Elimination of the DME is one of the more petty and remarkable cost cutting measure they did. It negatively affects so many people and is so high profile that it seems like a bad call.

And it goes against their own business strategy of trying to keep people on site by discouraging car rentals.

But it saves them money in the short term, and that's what's important.

 

[SplashJacket]

I do have to agree with one part of that post….we were there a few weeks back and on our last day, I didn’t have that gnawing emptiness of it being our last day.

I was almost looking forward to getting home. That’s new.

I don't think this is a Disney thing.

I've been on several trips since Covid, and most (Disney and non-Disney) left me with a desire to go home near the end. I honestly just think it's a by-product of becoming more home-oriented for Covid, at least it has for me. Very new phenomenon.

 

[_caleb]

More importantly....did the Cast Members call you 'Friend'??

 

[Disstevefan1]

Answering a question from @Chi84 that in a locked thread...

Parking fees was said tongue in cheek but that did irk me when it was introduced. No parking fees at resorts was something that set Disney apart from others. Being DVC, I don't have to see it on my bill but it still felt like a greedy move. Getting rid of fastpass and introducing genie+ and LL also seems greedy. Fastpass also set Disney apart. Eliminating magical express is another greedy move. As a shareholder, I understand the need to make money and I want the company to make money. I don't want it to be done by nickel and diming guests or at the expense of guest experience. There are many things that still remain closed. Many cast members seem unhappy. We experienced significantly more ride breakdowns this trip than ever before. We noticed effects and animatronics not working on several rides. Has the padding on the expedition everest always been held on by brown duct tape?

Overall we've had a good trip. The kids had a blast as usual as they are pretty much oblivious to my aforementioned list of gripes. I've always dreaded leaving on our last day but don't feel it as much this time. The kids are sad as we take our last walk around the resort before we leave. I'm sure we'll be back in few months.

They really should give DVC owners some perks, after all, you are literally invested.

You are sure you will be back in a few months BECAUSE you are a DVC owner.

The sad thing is, Disney knows this, and this is why they do not give DVC owners the perks they deserve.

 

[JoeCamel]

Not very green of a progressive company like Disney.

Depends on your definition of green...
I know Bob's

No, they should say, “yeah, FRIEND, my job sucks…have a magical day!

Close, "yeah my friend my job sucks and Bob says give me all your money and to have a magical day".....

 

[G00fyDad]

So you're telling me that renting a car + resort parking fees is less than paying for the Mears bus to/from the airport?

Cheaper for us but we do not pay resort parking fees anyway. But our schedule typically looks like:
Day 1 - DS and go off-site to shop
Day 2 - MK after driving to Chef Mickey's
Day 3 - AK and go off-site to shop
Day 4 - DHS
Day 5 - MK
Day 6 - MK
Day 7 - Clearwater Beach
Day 8 - Clearwater Beach
Day 9 - Clearwater Beach

So using Mears is a no-go for us.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I'm not understanding how eliminating Magical Express is a "greedy move". Yes, WDW cut costs by eliminating it but they're not making money from the service now. Mears is. If you want to say that WDW eliminating Magical Express and being taken over by Mears is another decision that increases the costs to the guest, I would agree with that. A formerly free service is now fee-based, although collected by a third party and not Disney. It's not something that affects me as I'm a Florida Resident but I get it.

We can split hairs on what you want to call Disney eliminating Magical Express, but we can all agree it was a free service that a lot of people loved and helped to make the vacation a little simpler and did improve the overall vacation experience for those folks.

I can also understand how people can feel it was a "greedy move" by Disney; taking what was a free service away.

 

[mf1972]

we’re here now & the only compliant/issue i had was at the co-op buying a case for my phone. accidentally chose the wrong size & when i went to return it for an exchange, i was told no exchanges or refunds. i had to go to customer service to have it resolved. also was told recently by a CM that it appears resort delivery service will not be coming back

 

[mysto]

Raising prices is one thing. The method Disney has been using to raise prices is what seems greedy. I have only talked to a few people who have been to disney recently, they all say they were tired of continuously paying, and really said nothing else about their trip. No one mentioned the total cost, and notably they didn't say g+ was good or bad really.

I wanted to go home so badly on my February trip.

I had COVID and didn't know it, though, so that probably had something to do with it.

Covid is the new euphemism for homesick?

They really should give DVC owners some perks, after all, you are literally invested.

Invested, did you mean to say trapped? I think Disney's execs must think that, without saying it of course.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Covid is the new euphemism for homesick?

No, I literally had COVID and felt bad my last day. The day after I got home I tested myself and was positive.

 

[Skibum1970]

Not very green of a progressive company like Disney.

Same with cutting down trees and plants to add solar instead of covering the parking lots with solar panel arrays for people to park under. However, that is a different forum thread.

 

[Mickey5150]

The dumbest thing Disney did was not charging for Magical Express when they started charging for parking. They could have kept room rates flat for the year and pretended they were doing this as a benefit to guests.

 

[John park hopper]

What makes you think Disney would keep room rates flat. When they started charging for resort parking room rates went up and they raised parking rates not long after.

 

[drizgirl]

The dumbest thing Disney did was not charging for Magical Express when they started charging for parking. They could have kept room rates flat for the year and pretended they were doing this as a benefit to guests.

Not raising room rates would have been a bug rather than a feature to Disney. It’s pretty clear the want to pull that price lever everywhere they can as often as they can get away with it.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Oh, look - a fresh and interesting new topic.

 

[drizgirl]

Oh, look - a fresh and interesting new topic.

You must be new here.

 

[danlb_2000]

My last trip didn't feel magical because I had to take a monorail from the parking lot to Magic Kingdom. I preferred when the parking lot was right in front of the park.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Oh, look - a fresh and interesting new topic.

So what would you prefer to discuss?

As a wise man once said, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

 

[JoMarch]

Just to add in - on my recent trip, one Magic Kingdom cast member called me “Hoss” (rhymes with boss). His cast member costume was disheveled, bow tie untied and the shirt was unbuttoned revealing his dirty T-shirt underneath.

Also why are the LL lines so long. They were never this long with FP. Some LLs are 15-20 minutes long.

 

[jloucks]

I wanted to go home so badly on my February trip.

I had COVID and didn't know it, though, so that probably had something to do with it.

Me too! I brought the Covid home with me, along with tons of souvenirs. Starcruiser lit up my wallet with turbolasers.

I suspected I had it day 4, but was in denial. I mean, I was triple vaxxxed, how bad could it be? ...not all that bad ultimately, but I am hesitant to get cocky.