So is anyone not going anymore? (I'm still a fan. lol)

[NelleBelle]

We're going in early June (nervous about what to expect crowd-wise since we've always gone in the fall or May). I've loved going to the parks but have really been turned off about all the price-raising they've done without all the upkeep that should go along with it. The Disney cruise lines have really won our family's loyalty and can't wait until the new ships are launched. Would love to see everything planned for the 50th but if crowds are getting out of control now, I don't even want to think about what they will be like then (as well as cost)

 

[spacemtnfanatic]

I feel like you are all lemmings heading to the cliff. It is because of all of this that things will not get better. Disney has gotten exactly what it wants. They have cut costs, cut quality, and raised prices. And nearly all of you are fully aware of this and yet you still pay an extraordinary amount of money that many of you admit is for a vastly inferior product than before.

This May will be two years for me. From 1997-2008 we never missed a year, and then I was a Cast Member from 2008-2014 followed by a break and then a year with an Annual Pass. I have no interest in going and refuse to spend such a gross amount of money for a pretty average product. I have my Universal AP and a Cedar Fair AP. Do I miss it? Of course. But it's not what it was and I have no interest in spending my hard earned money on it anymore.

 

[Jack Wolfe]

Next visit will be mid-March. Definitely Epcot, perhaps Magic Kingdom as well.

 

[Occasional Guest]

Went last October for the first time in 3 years. No plans on going back. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it but between the cost being too high for the product (In my opinion) and the excessive planning (again my opinion) for dining, fast pass, EMH, Not so scary, etc., it was not worth it to me. I ended being too stressed in what is supposed to be a happy place. We will return one day, but not anytime soon. In the mean time, I do still enjoy reading and learning about Disney and the new things coming.

 

[SeaCastle]

I feel like you are all lemmings heading to the cliff. It is because of all of this that things will not get better. Disney has gotten exactly what it wants. They have cut costs, cut quality, and raised prices. And nearly all of you are fully aware of this and yet you still pay an extraordinary amount of money that many of you admit is for a vastly inferior product than before.

This does not seem like a fair characterization. All of what you mentioned has occurred outside of individual decisions by households about whether or not to go to the parks. When guest attendance dropped off during the recessions in the 2000s, Disney didn't respond by hiring more cast members, adding attractions, enhancing the product, changing lightbulbs and painting more frequently, and cutting ticket prices. Between 2000 and 2018 ticket prices were frozen only four times, and the year after each ticket price increase featured price increases that were even larger than the increases that occurred the year before! Granted the Disneyland of the 2000s is a counterexample, but the shape of the parks there (to my knowledge) were much, much worse than anything you would see at WDW today.

We're also talking about a company here that has a near monopoly on entertainment programming and merchandise for children and families. Absent a major recession Disney has proven that demand for visits to their parks is close to inelastic (at least to our knowledge). I'm just not comfortable with the "the shape of the parks is your fault because you spend money there" line of thinking because there is so much outside of and individual to the individual guest.

 

[lilclerk]

I used to go once or twice a year, but I haven't been since late 2016. Every time I look at booking a quick trip, the cost and idea of the normal crowd levels now keep me away I'd like to go one more time before Star Wars, but we'll see.

 

[Weather_Lady]

We still love it, but there is no denying that every time we go, it gets more expensive, while offering less value (shorter park hours, longer lines, fewer shows and attractions overall, tougher-to-get ADRs and FP+). We have not stopped visiting (nor do I think we ever will), but our visits are fewer and farther between than they would otherwise have been. Instead of the annual visits DH and I dreamed of when the kids were babies, we visit every 2-3 years, and enjoy vacations to other places (e.g. Europe, Canada, Iceland, Universal, Washington D.C., etc.) in between... and all at a similar price point.

 

[WondersOfLife]

I'm going in June, August, and November.

 

[mergatroid]

2 weeks booked for this October

 

[JIMINYCR]

Still going, still having fun, still getting plenty of enjoyment, still worth saving for it, still getting enough value for my money to make it worthwhile. I see plenty of improvements and things to come that gives me reasons to go want to back again and again. Sure theres things I dont like and there plenty of room for improvement in the parks but it hasnt deteriorated to the point that I have no desire to return.

 

[DisneyAndADoleWhip]

Next month will be the third straight month I've gone. Which is also a first for me, since we live 16+ hours away.

 

[zurgandfriend]

Still going at least once in 2018.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

I don't really see a point in going this year, too much stuff closed/under construction.

 

[SourcererMark79]

DW and I are PH, went 26 times last year as our 10 year wedding anniversary present to ourselves ( we live 90 min away) and we did renew again. However, the few times we have gone in 2018 are consistent with everyone's sentiments on these boards. I'd like to keep thinking to myself that some magic gets lost if you go so often, but then I say to myself "it's Disney" how can you be disappointed.
Well, ive decided it's a combination of people changing their ways (being more rude and inconsiderate) and a reduction of staffing.
I'll be at MK this Saturday, and will enjoy being there, but it's crazy how much has been stated on here about these issues, and how many are fairly accurate too.

 

[Susan Savia]

Just got back and we plan to go back in September and January 2019.

 

[Legendary]

Last year we had AP’s and went about 8 times. We did not renew this year. It was a combination of issues. Price increases in tickets, resorts and food was a major reason. We wouldn’t mind spending more money if the quality was up to par. Attractions are constantly down, the monorail needs a major update, the bus service is slow, food quality is poor and the wait times are unacceptable. Yes, the Skyliner will help but it’s too little too late. Should have been built years ago. More big capacity attractions are needed to reduce wait times. Food has improved somewhat but a better burger can be had at Red Robin for half the price. Frankly the Magic gets lost. Why should we pay more only to get less?

 

[jimbojones]

Although I have a trip planned for August, I have had three trips planned over the past two years and each time when it came to paying the final balance I canceled. I was really excited about the idea of a WDW visit each time and spent months planning out the perfect visit but when it came down to making the final payment I got a case of the "mehs"and felt it was not worth the money so we did something else instead. While I fully intend to follow through on our August trip I know I'd be lying if I said there isn't a good chance of canceling, or paring down to an overnight visit camping at fort wilderness rather than a 6 day trip staying at a deluxe so that I am not spending as much $$ to stand in lines all day but still get a dose of WDW atmosphere. A decent hotel discount might seal the deal, but as summer gets closer and closer I start thinking more seriously about other things I could do for the 4 grand our 6 days at WDW will cost that would be even more "magical" and allow us to "make memories" in places where those aren't advertising slogans.

I will say that if we do go this year it will be the last for a few years at least. The crowd to cost ratio is just too high, I live in an urban area and as I get older I want to spend more of my vacation time in nature/ quiet places. Surprisingly, my young children ( 6 and 10) told me they would rather go camping in a national park than go to WDW, my wife is indifferent (she always has fun once we are at WDW though) and I realize that I am the driving force behind any Disney trips. My family would be as happy going camping, which is a heck of a lot cheaper

All my friends who have made first visits in the last couple years said it was one and done for them, the reason was the same for all of them. Not worth spending thousands of dollars to stand in line all day.

 

[RichC]

Since the birth of our son, my wife and I have gone to Disney about every two years. I am actually writing this while on property, winding up a week-long trip. I like to read up on WDW news here and do see evidence of the issues many people mention. We do not come enough, though, to really see and feel a decline in the overall experience. The construction doesn’t really bother me, transportation wasn’t an issue, food was ok, the resort was still beautiful... The crowds were a killer, though. Our waiter at 50s PT Diner said this was one of the four busiest weeks of the year, but I get the impression crowd size is always an issues these days.

I do hope to return in two years. I enjoy these trips immensely. We will save for a deluxe resort and concentrate on that pleasurable side of the WDW experience. It just isnt a riding rides kind of trip anymore, which is ok with me.

 

[larandtra]

March(4 days), May(7 Days), September(5 Days), November(4 days), December(5 Days). We have APs, so we will go. We go for different reasons though and with different people. Each trip is different and has its own flow.

 

[jimbojones]

I do hope to return in two years. I enjoy these trips immensely. We will save for a deluxe resort and concentrate on that pleasurable side of the WDW experience. It just isnt a riding rides kind of trip anymore, which is ok with me.

I tell myself that maybe I should see WDW the same way but the thing I come back to though is if its not a "riding rides kind of trip" then the cost of admission is not really worth it. There are thousands of beautiful hotels with great pools, great food and in great locations , often for less money, so if the parks aren't workable due to crowds then it doesn't seem like a good value.

As you can see, I am on the fence about downgrading my summer trip to a quick visit staying in a tent with the rest of the time in the Keys.