Recent trip left me a little disappointed...

[imthewalrus79]

I also felt a little disappointed with my recent trip to the World. But I'm not sure why that is. I didn't have any problems with any CM that I encountered. I even had some nice conversations with a few of them. And most of them didn't rattle off their spiel like it was just a script they had to say (especially Skipper Lupe on the Jungle Cruise. He had some lines I've never heard before).

I can't say it was the crowds either. I was down there from 11/14-11/20. So the crowds weren't too bad and I didn't have any run-ins with anyone.

The only things I can think of are that it may have been that I went alone this time and didn't have anyone to share the fun with. Or maybe that there really wasn't anything new there over last year that I really wanted to see. Or maybe I have Disney Park fatigue.

I can definitely say I had fun there. But I can't say that I had as much fun there as years past. But I definitely am considering not going to Disney World to get a year break from them before taking my first trip to Disneyland once Carsland opens at DCA.

Has anyone else ever had that feeling after going to WDW a few years in a row?

 

[joel_maxwell]

i agree with rsoxguy, I have fun no matter what and just enjoy being in Disney World. after seeing the way some of the guests act, I would totally understand if a cm was having a bad day. some people are just rude no matter where their at or what their doing. I don't get it.

Yep. There are rude people everywhere. You just have to learn to ignore or point and laugh at them. :lookaroun

I think part of the issue, and I think we are all guilty of this at some time or another, is we build up in our mind this perfect trip, experience or day. We are the ones that make or experience magical. WDW doesnt have some real magical powers, they supply you the stage to have a magical time, you just have to put in the effort and attitude too.

To the OP, next time you encounter some rude people, just ignore them because apparently, they dont get it. I bet if you followed them around, they would be like that everywhere and everything they did. Just ignore them or tell them to have a magical day, followed by instructions on how to pull that rude stick out of their butt.

 

[thelookingglass]

Perfect example, we've had one or two really incredible CMs at load for TOT who put on a show while you're waiting to board, interacting with the little kids and making the entire crowd laugh. Those leave a lasting memory with everyone. Then you have CMs who, no joke, mumble through it all and you can't even understand what they're saying. It's almost insulting.

While I agree that it would be nice if more CMs played their part to the fullest, the frontline cast is not paid to act (well, they're barely paid anything), and any impressive themed interactions you see are optional.

 

[ddbowdoin]

i agree with rsoxguy, I have fun no matter what and just enjoy being in Disney World. after seeing the way some of the guests act, I would totally understand if a cm was having a bad day. some people are just rude no matter where their at or what their doing. I don't get it.

one of my favorite things is making conversation with people in lines... I've met some pretty great people that way, exchanged emails and sent them pictures that I took (from my superior equipment, IMHO... compared to point and shoots and cell phone cameras)

 

[Stevek]

We just got back from our trip (11/27-12/5) and really didn't have too much that I would consider disappointing...maybe a little frustrating though?

- Parks were packed when it by all accounts should have been one of the lighter weeks of the year. MK on Monday was worse than some of the busier days I've experienced at Disneyland.

- The personal electric Scooters were sooo out of control. I have never seen so many people riding these things. And why would you bring an older person who quite honestly looks like they are days away from dying to WDW...I'm not kidding BTW, we saw a few like this.

- Bus waits were ridiculous at times. We waited for over an hour at EPCOT for a bus back to Pop. Most mornings we had a 2 bus wait to get to the parks. And those darn electric scooters again...man they really hold up the busses when they have to be loaded.

- Counter service was decent for the most part. Some was better than DL, some on par. Nothing worse.

- QS Dining plan was a lifesaver financially but it did get a bit old eating very similar foods often during the trip and I don't care to eat dessert again for the next year. Partially our fault as we defaulted to where our picky kids wanted to eat...mainly Pizza, Burgers & Chicken Nuggets.

- Via Napoli Pizza was fantastic. Can't recommend it enough.

- Chef Mickey's is so overpriced for the food but worth every penny to see how much our girls enjoyed it and meeting the characters.

- Sci Fi Diner was a fun experience but nothing groundbreaking food wise. We both enjoyed our meal and got a "magical moment" as we were sitting in a special car. The waitress/CM brought us 4 special sci fi diner sipper cups filled with caramel corn...it was a very nice touch for us.

- Parks themselves looked pretty good. I didn't really notice any upkeep issues as I've heard others complain about.

- Did I mention the crowds.

- Had a blast at the MVMCP. Only waited a short time around the hub for the fireworks and stayed there for the parade. The earlier parade was a madhouse though. Overall, a much better experience than Disneylands Halloween Party...the cookies and Hot Cocoa were very nice as was the great selection of party merchandise.

 

[mike10]

It's human nature to forget the positive and remember the negative. The CMs herding the cattle seem to be having the roughest time. I can understand that. But the CMs working the Halloween Party we attended were amazing. Everyone waving at you with mouse gloves when the parks open and close still gets to me. I ran the Halloween 5K through MK and all the CMs were out early cheering us on. That was awesome. As far as I'm concerned they are allowed to have a bad day once in a while.

We had this same feeling when we went to the MNSSHP this year. I still say if you want to enjoy the party for the most part you want to get two days for these events just to ensure you can do everything and if you miss things one day you can hit them the next party you hit.

 

[MysticOrient]

- The personal electric Scooters were sooo out of control. I have never seen so many people riding these things. And why would you bring an older person who quite honestly looks like they are days away from dying to WDW...I'm not kidding BTW, we saw a few like this.

:ROFLOL: :ROFLOL: :ROFLOL: "God's Waiting Room" :ROFLOL: :ROFLOL: :ROFLOL:

 

[epcotfan]

Sometimes cast members are focused on the job at hand and carrying on a conversation is not a top priority. Even with Disney high guest standards, depending on the time, location, and role, you have to almost expect that cast members do have a job to perform and can't take time for everyone.

I totally agree. In a previous job I had (not Disney related), customers would try to talk to me for extended periods of time. I had work to do and sometimes had to be a little abrupt to get the work done, otherwise other customers would not get service. While its nice to talk Disney, that's not why the employees are there. They have jobs to do and placing too much focus on one person could be detrimental to another.
I say if you want to talk about all things Disney, strike up a conversation with someone who is also on vacation, in a queue, etc...

 

[toolsnspools]

I went in Feb and again back in Oct and left feeling quite disappointed myself. This was our first year to get AP's and It will probably be our last. We've already planned our next 2 years of trips elsewhere. They've really brought down the "normal" Disney experience. Here's a few examples -

- We didn't have tix for MNSSHP, so the one night of the week we were there that didn't have a party was artificially packed. It was Columbus week after all and should not have been that busy.

- The dessert seating takes many of the good spots for the fireworks shows, so if you're not paying extra, you get crammed into the remaining space.

- Used to be you could pay $12 for a resort specific mug that made a nice collectible. Now you pay $12 for a generic mug. (I should say would have paid $12. I didn't bother considering it was a cheap generic mug.)

- The DDP used to get you access to quality restaraunts with good food. The menus at both sit down and QS restaraunts seems to be far more generic than they used to be. I don't know what they are making the kids chicken nuggets from these days but it resembles mulched paper and doesn't taste much better.

I could keep going but I'm sure you get the point. It used to be the little things that Disney did for the every day guest that made it worth the extra $$. They're letting that slip, and it's unfortunate. Perhaps in a few years when we decide to go back it will be better.

I have to throw in here that the one thing I didn't notice were unfriendly CM's. In fact I think we met more friendly CM's this time around than we normally do.

 

[Lisalyn]

I was there the week of Thanksgiving. The parks were packed. I have never seen them as full as I did that week. With that being said the overall experience was incredible, again! DHS was slammed on the 23rd. I think this was because it was the only showing of Fantasmic that week. The mood in the parks was great and the CM's were awesome. I plan on going back the exact same week again next year. Sure it will be packed, but the atmosphere was to good to pass up. FYI, Tony's has an incredible Thanksgiving dinner. This was probably my biggest surprise of the trip!

Hey there - I lost your wife's phone number! LOL Anyways, please give her my apologies. I don't think we were in any of the same parks the same days but it would have been fun to at least have met you guys...we are probably going back for trip 4 thanksgiving week again next year too! You are right, it was packed this go around! But we had a blast either way. I was trying to find an option for Thanksgiving dinner next year and you mentioned Tony's so we may have to try it out! Thanks.

 

[tizzo]

We just returned from WDW on Dec 5 and I noted a few things that disappointed me and left me feeling sad. First, for those other guests and cast members who weren't down right rude the rest weren't very friendly or willing to make conversation. I think this bothers me most because I've always loved talking to others about where they are from and just you know Disney talk, but not this time.

Second, I noticed that the so called cast members in most cases did not play they're role by using their monologues. It made the rides feel like everyday theme park attractions and not like being immersed in a disney story line.

I noticed that a little bit in our recent trip, but my brother-in-law seemed to be a magnet for unhappy cast members. He had several stories that occurred during the not very much time we weren't together. I chalked it up to the fact that there was a labor dispute going on at the time.

 

[stlbobby]

W

- The personal electric Scooters were sooo out of control. I have never seen so many people riding these things. And why would you bring an older person who quite honestly looks like they are days away from dying to WDW...I'm not kidding BTW, we saw a few like this.

Why would you want to take a dying person to place filled with joy, happiness, and memories?

 

[Diane Hughess]

While I have never experienced any rude CM's (in fact, I wish I some of that happiness would rub off on me!), I HAVE experienced many rude GUESTS. But, Disney has no control over who decides to 'play'. I will never, ever, ever do a hard ticket event ever again. We went on Halloween 2009. It was 'sold out', and we felt like WE had been 'sold out'. There were not crowds, there were mobs. The lines were outrageous. The people pushing and shoving my family as we attempted to watch the parade were intolerable. And to top it off, since lines were so long, we decided to wait for pictures--with Cinderellas carriage, in front of the castle where Tinker Bell magically appeared in my childs' hands, with the Seven Dwarfs, etc. We had pre-purchased the Photo Pass. My children felt robbed of Halloween, as they hardly got any candy, and all we did was get lost in the crowds. To add insult to injury, when we got home, I entered our Photopass numbers in, and edited all the beautiful pictures of our trip, pressed 'order', and voila! Gone. All gone. I paid $100 for nothing but a blank CD. We have no photos of our weeklong trip, as I didn't bring a camera since we had the Photopass. Contacted Disney, and got an "Oh, well!". I think it is pretty darned funny they have a theme this year about 'Making Memories" as they TOOK mine AND charged me $100! Total disappointment. Although I had visited over 20 times prior, I didn't go in 2010. And I'm thinking Harry Potter for 2011. MAYBE a day or 2 at Disney tops--off site. So THERE Disney!! You can say that I have been 'dis-enchanted with Disney'. It's all about getting you for another $60 on top of the $75/day per day park pass, and , of course, the $100 Photopass to nothing! Did you happen to see that there is a New Years Eve party at California Grill for $585 per person?!?!? That does not even include a room! Keep s__________g us dry Disney, and you'll keep having lower and lower attendance.

 

[Horizons19]

I have to agree with some of the comments here. We were there for 12 days and just got back. Halfway in I wanted to leave - and I have been a WDW lover my entire life! The parks were unusually packed and with a lot of rude people. Also, the weather was unusually frigid too. We had no problems at all with CMs. We take the kids out of school to avoid crowds but it was crazy busy anyway. I'm thinking it's because of all the discounts and every year more people have the idea to go that time of year thinking it will be quiet.

BTW - A lady I met said she went to MVMCP and said it was packed - so bad you couldn't move and that she would never go again.

I can't believe that I - a huge WDW fan, that has grown up going to the World countless times and goes at least once a year - never wants to go back again! Anybody else have that feeling or am I the only one??

 

[T-1MILLION]

I don't enjoy how on fansites the immediate response to most threads like this go to "Its easier to focus on the negatives than the positives" It is a true valid statement but it does not help the situation. Truth be told not much can be done on this site about it, but some of those things posted (not saying anything particular that I found in this one) just seem to discredit or discount them. The Cast Members are allowed off moments for efficiency and safety of guests and operations but there is a reason they are called CAST Members, at least there was.

That being said there are typically more good than bad, but I wanted to post here to share something that I really could not justify or look past that happened on this past Monday. At All Star Movies for breakfast my dad asked someone near the drink and condiment area where he could find the ketcheup and they shrugged and said managed to explain "no english" I could not believe it. I had to ask him is that really what she said. A definite Walt would roll in his grave moment as well as anyone taken back to any kind of quality Disney experience. Sorry, no justifying that one.

 

[thelookingglass]

The hard ticket events are a joke.

Hey you! How would you like... to pay $60 dollars... to STAY in the park you ALREADY paid 80+ dollars to enter in the first place??? We'll even throw in the same amount of crowds, or more! We'll offer less to do!

But just so you don't feel completely ripped off, we'll throw in a special parade, fireworks show, and play Christmas music.

 

[T-1MILLION]

The hard ticket events are a joke.

Hey you! How would you like... to pay $60 dollars... to STAY in the park you ALREADY paid 80+ dollars to enter in the first place??? We'll even throw in the same amount of crowds, or more! We'll offer less to do!

But just so you don't feel completely ripped off, we'll throw in a special parade, fireworks show, and play Christmas music.

I have to agree. Remember when that kind of thing, and more atmosphere such as Country Bear Jamboree's Christmas make over were included?

 

[Edisto Pluto]

We just got back last night from our trip. As I can relate to some of the negative comments for the most part thinngs went well. The CM's ......well some were good and some were just there to make a living. I did notice more older CM's this trip but we are all about that in that we are older as well. This is the most crowded that I can remember the week before Christmas but we managed through it. Just a few comments about the Cast Members; The Jungle Ride has the best...just terrific. I really miss Art the Greeter at the BC. I hope his retirement is going well. The Greeter while we were there is nice but not Art. The ToT Cast Members always do a good job. I was surprised at how many security staff in uniform we saw in the parks.

All in all we had a good trip. There may be "deline by degrees" but I don't have that mindset while I'm down for vacation. The Osborne Lights were spectacular. We sat on a bench for an hour and enjoyed the lights,music,smells, and people watching. Although the Christmas decorations seemed a bit lighter they were well done everywhere. Oh one final thought, the Candlelight Processional was perfect........well we thought so in any event. Merry Christmas all!

 

[mljolly]

We had similar disappointment with the christmas party last year. It had to be the worst Disney exp I've had. They way oversold and then it was advertised as the last day being made special so we went on the last day. Nothing was done special from the other nights. There were ALOT of people without bracelets. No one really policing those people out the door. The CMs were rude and short during the party. We left after the parade.

I want to do the Halloween party but I don't think I'll go back to the christmas party. I really liked the christmas parade, though.

I agree. The last time I went, there were a lot of people without bracelets and were allowed to watch the parades and fireworks. Then it seemed like the park cleared out. On a good note, the lines for the attractions were nonexistant.

I went to the Halloween party and it was so much more enjoyable and hardly no one was there. The magic for Christmas is no more at Disney. I used to enjoy going, but it seems like they cut a lot of the shows at the Christmas party, Winters of Lights gone at Epcot, High Price to see the Candlelight Processional, etc. I now go during September when crowds are lighter. Christmastime in December used to be so magical, but the last few times, it I went, it has not been as magical.

 

[loveofamouse]

Truly, with what they offe for christmas, it should just be done. There were a few randome stage shows and a parade. Other than that, everything else was regular stuff. Just do the christmas parade in place of the regular evening parade. The hot cocoa and cookie thing was an epic fail. Closing half of the CSs was just stupid.